Anne Morningale

A Sergeant of Pilgrim's Watch, in command of a squad of Seekers of her own, Anne Morningale is a serious, no-nonsense woman and a born leader.
 

Early life

Born in Haven to a couple of dairy farmers, Anne never dreamt of the lofty ideals that the church of Resounding Truth espoused and was far more concerned with mundane matters. Being the third child and the only girl of the three, her childhood was spent surrounded by masculine influences, which in turn affected her demeanor and behavior. She spent time mostly with the boys of her hometown and was treated as one of them, even being considered a leader of sorts.
  Anne was a rather serious child, never taking part in the silly games that other children would regularly indulge in. Her father claimed she was an old soul in a young body, but Anne herself maintained that she simply saw no reason to be frivolous. At the initiative of her mother, she was signed up for the choir of the local chapel, which she attended for the better part of her teenage years. She did not have the heart to say it to her mother, but she hated every second of it and when she turned eighteen, she dropped out.
  It was at this point in her life that she learned of the Seekers and occasionally got to see some in the flesh as they rode through Haven towards Glarithia. She saw how the young men around her idolized the knights and, due to peer pressure, she too began to fantasize about becoming a seeker. She got her chance when officials of the church announced a competition that was to determine those to be drafted into the order.
  Anne crushed her opposition, only a few of the boys able to keep up with her as she cleared obstacle after obstacle with impunity, completing the physical course minutes before anyone else did. What really left an impact on the officials, however, were the results of her leadership test. Where the young men of the town had shown varying degrees of hesitation and reluctance to be rough, Anne had shown no such reservations, continuing with determined, calculated decisiveness that surprised everyone watching.
  She took control of each scenario presented to her, issuing commands with an authority beyond her years. When a teammate faltered or made a mistake, Anne didn’t hesitate to redirect them sharply, her voice demanding and unyielding. Some of the officials exchanged glances, murmuring in low voices as they watched her in action, noting her focus and the way she seemed to have an innate sense of when to push harder and when to pull back.
  When it was all said and done, the church officials offered Anne the position of a neophyte in Pilgrim's Watch, which she accepted since she had no other plan for her life.
 

Knightly duties

Once she had settled into the fellowships ranks, Anne began to respect the values she once had thought to be sentimental hogwash, coming to truly believe in the mission of the church. For five years, she served the fellowship as a neophyte, mainly attending to the gear and needs of the Seekers of Sanctum, after which she was made a squire and appointed a senior seeker to act as her mentor.
  Another five years passed and the fellowship was called to aid in repelling the fourth Host incursion. Familiar with the horrors of the Black Forest at this point, Anne took to the battle with seasoned calm, aiding her mentor in all the ways she could as the fellowship fought the abominable waves to a standstill and, ultimately, winning the day.
  For her service during these events, Anne was promoted to a seeker proper and made part of a patrol squad. She spent seven years with this squad, patrolling the south-eastern borders of the Black Forest. At the start of the eighth year, the Host amassed once more and Anne's squad was called to action. This Host was much more numerous than the last one, and a full-scale crusade was announced, seekers from all the fellowships amassing to aid in the defense.
  Even with such numbers, the waves of hatelings that poured forth from the damnable woods exacted a heavy toll on the defending seekers, which included the sergeant and a good majority of Anne's squad.
  With the chain of command broken and with three men left, Anne took it upon herself to regain control. Assuming the position of the fallen sergeant, Anne led what was left of her squad to victory that day and she got to keep that position when the fellowship returned to Sanctum to celebrate the victory. She has served as a sergeant ever since.
 

Recent developments

Anne and her squad are part of the rotation of patrols that secure the south-eastern border of the Black Forest. With the recent increase in activity, there's more pressure than ever on her and her men.