The Caretakers

The Caretakers are led by a headmaster who is elected by a board of individuals proficient in one or more skills that a Caretaker must possess, and in turn the headmaster is in charge of appointing and replacing members of the board as required. The headmaster is referred to as the Caretaker of the Sword, in reference to Trol'Kalar.   Caretakers are trained in many skills, and as such many gravitate towards their particular strength and are delegated a title to represent their role in the Caretakers. The hierarchy is as follows:

• Caretaker of the Sword: The Headmaster of the Caretakers, also known as The Sword. Their presence is constantly in Stromgarde, where they serve directly under the King and see to the training of apprentices. They are also charged in maintaining the upkeep of the Trollbane Crypt. The Sword is identified by the symbol of a black sword embroidered on a white cloak.
• Caretakers of the Chalice: Regional leaders for Caretakers outside of Stromgarde; they act in place of The Sword when matters of importance must be addressed. They are identified by a jewel-encrusted goblet embroidered on a white cloak.
• Caretakers of the Ring: The expert concealers, and devilishly clever. Rings are trained to be able to hide any manner of objects using any means necessary, even capable of hiding them in plain sight of looters. They are identified by a gold ring with a blue stone embroidered on a white cloak.
• Caretakers of the Crown: Whether they are servants trained as carpenters and masons, or if the other way around is also true, Crowns are specialized in room construction. Typically working in tandem with Rings, they construct rooms for the purpose of storing artifacts. They are identified by a silver crown embroidered on a white cloak.
• Caretakers of the Coin: Master trap makers, they typically but not always work with Rings and Crowns. Their expertise lies within not only laying traps within rooms and hallways to protect artifacts, but booby-trapping the artifact itself is the favored strategy of Coins. They are identified by a gold coin embroidered on a white cloak.
• Caretakers of the Gauntlet: Experts in martial combat, and the most outwardly dangerous position of a Caretaker. Typically posing as bodyguards and mercenaries, Gauntlets are trained to be alert at all times and are train in usage of multiple types of weapons, even going bare-knuckle if the need is called for. They are identified by a black fist embroidered on a white cloak.
• Caretakers of the Cloak: The most common Caretaker, a skilled and promising individual who may, or may not ever master a particular skillset. They exhibit the training that all Caretakers endure in their four years or tutelage, and by themselves are said to be worth five men in means of productivity.

Beginning from humble roots, the first Caretaker was a man by the name of Yernim Welton, a servant to the Trollbane family during the old Kingdom of Strom. He was tasked with protecting family heirlooms and artifacts, in the days when they were stored in a single locked room. One day while the King and his army was away, the family estate was struck by a surprise bandit attack. Thinking quickly, not allowing panic to overtake him and forget his duties, Yernim retrieved and hid the family heirlooms in the kitchen, scattered in locations where one would never think to look. Chalices filled to the brim with overpoured gravy, jewels hidden among dirty dishes and half-eaten food; the famous family sword Trol'Kalar found itself hidden in a pigsty while Yernim himself wrapped with a cloak of Elemental Protection leapt into the kitchen's still burning fireplace to hide from the encroaching bandits barreling towards the door. Although the manor was left in disarray, nothing of true value was stolen that night.   Impressed with the man-servant's intuitive mind, the King of Strom charged the humble servant as Caretaker of Artifacts, granting him a staff of apprentices and commanded Yernim to find and devise methods of protecting the family heirlooms and artifacts. With this, Yernim created the blueprints that would expand the Trollbane Crypt to serve this purpose, both a final resting place for the Trollbane family and a vault for their most precious treasures. As time passed, liaisons and nobles from the kingdoms of Lordaeron, Khaz Modan, and Stormwind who traveled on duty to meet the King of Strom would be regaled with the adoring tale of how his Caretaker saved the Trollbane fortune singlehandedly from an army of bandits. As tales of his Caretaker spread, inquiries rose about how one could obtain a Yernim Welton of their own. Yernim, with the permission of the King of Strom, requested that the lords send five trusted servants to be trained directly under Yernim's tutelage in the Kingdom of Strom using only his methods of artifact preservation. And so, the continent-wide training of the Caretakers as an organization begun.   After the Third War and the sacking of Stromgarde, the tradition of the Caregivers were continued by those still in service under a lord, and its current leader, Logan Palimoore, but no new Caregivers were trained until Asbjorn Bjornson re-established the Kingdom of Strom and Logan returned. Although never officially disbanded, the Caretakers went through a near decade long period of inactivity. Caretakers not killed during the initial fall of Stromgarde were either driven north into Lordaeron where they were met with news of the Scourge's devastation, or south across the Thandol Span seeking work from nobility and wealthy merchants in need of good help. Traditionally, the Caretakers trained on the grounds that housed the Trollbane manor and Crypt, but since the desecration of Strom's Chapel and the manor, the Caretaker's headquarters now reside within the Temple of Tyr.

The Holy Light

The Caretakers only take five new trainees every four years, ensuring a focused and methodical approach to training as well as enough time for practical experiences, simulated situation training, and long periods of research and study necessary to keep ones mind sharp and attentive.   Although the turn out of Caretakers is a long and arduous process, especially for an impatient nobleman, the education offered promises an aspirant proficient training in not only what is to be expected from a butler, but knowledge and training in history, strategy, diplomacy, espionage, artifact preservation, trap and dungeon making, as well as acting on authority of a noble during absence.