Malicious Interlopers

Anyone who claims to be a Templar is part of the order founded by the shadow king Tokjalyo. Templars dedicate themselves to pleasing their master and tormenting the followers of Nikina, as, like most followers of Garukavar, they believe it is their duty to play their part in maintaining the balance of creation and destruction. Templars are usually Odanon but some of the mortal members are people who have had terrible experiences and blame something or someone they're not even sure exists -- such as fate. Tokjalyo feeds on these ideas and offers certain people places in his band of dangerous warriors, promising them revenge.

History

In 1958BD, not long after the Paladins were founded, Tokjalyo found out about this new order of Nikina and immediately began plotting methods of counter-attack, as the very act of Nikina's Hireos in creating an order of warriors who enlisted mortals to fight for them was both an insult and a threat to Garukavar. And so, the Templars were born, and Tokjalyo soon found a handful of mortals who sought bitter vengeance.

In 1166BD, Tokjalyo created Murluron, his first child, and Murluron became known as the Black Whale. Indeed, Murluron was a colossal mass of great strength, and he is considered one of the strongest creatures ever. It is not known where Murluron had gained such extreme power, but it was not long before he unleashed his wrath upon the Paladins and fellow mortals. In what is now the year 0, Murluron attacked and destroyed many of the temples and their surrounding land. This event was called The Darkness. In an epic battle, the Paladins stood against Murluron and his fellow Templars. Murluron killed both Renin and Ernamin (though Ernamin had never joined the Paladins) in this battle, and it seemed that the black figure was unstoppable. The battle raged on and hope dimmed until -- after a year of fighting -- Ilertav himself descended and sealed Murluron. The Paladins had lost Renin and Johah in that battle, as well as many other average Paladins, and they were beginning to feel the shock from the deadly blow.

The remaining Templars and Tokjalyo were both triumphant and mournful. Murluron had done a great deal of damage to Riiga's noble warriors -- so much so that this event marked the year 0. Still, in the process, Murluron was sealed away, and the Templars withdrew into the shadows and began to plot more ideas. The power that Murluron had -- wherever it was from -- was still in his hands, so none others were able to grasp it.

In the year 249AL, the Paladins were once again rising in power, and so Tokjalyo took himself and his Templars to the Paladin temple of Etalz and attacked them by surprise. This was called Battle at Etalz. Tokjalyo killed Erinduo in a fierce battle but the others finally managed to drive the Paladins away. It was in this same year that the city of Lyte became democratic because Renin's line of leaders had been lost. Since this battle, the Templars have made their efforts far more subtle, as the Paladins also became a behind-the-scenes order when The Guards came into power. The Guards fought both Templars and Paladins, so it was the only solution at the time.

Tokjalyo and his Templars began to roam from Central and concentrate their efforts elsewhere. They realised that the rest of the world was blooming and there were many places to exploit the weakness of mortals. Later, the Twilight Blades was formed. They are a sub-order of Templars that work in East Riiga, acting as advisors, chancellors, and nobles to infiltrate the delicate systems of the lands. Similarly, the effect of the Templars reached the pretentious scientists of Trelinia over in the West -- so much so that they destroyed themselves by enraging She. Though it seems contradictory that Odanon should kill fellow Odanon, it was more the impact it would have on the surrounding mortals who witnessed it that was the focus. The people who lived further south and knew of Trelinia then saw science as an area of great danger, and they steered clear of this and the city itself, which had been reduced to a lifeless ruin.

There have been recent rumours that Templars are once again stirring in Central, and that their target is the Central-wide power of The Guards. Nothing more is known.

---

The following is an account on the greatest Templars that ever lived -- alive or dead.

Tokjalyo

Known as the Lord of Devils, the Shadow Lord, or the Demon Lord, Tokjalyo is quite the symbol of the weakness of mankind. He plots and schemes in his bitter ways and his arrogance, skill, and mercilessness in combat made him a common villain of children's stories. He is the father of many Templars, and is the ultimate creator of all Odanon Templars. He is the one who personally visits confused and malicious people in their sleep and offers them positions in his order.

Murluron

Also see The Darkness
If one has not heard of the Black Whale, one must open any book on the history of Riiga and read it. Murluron, also known as the Black Whale, is one of the most terrifying and powerful Templars and Odanon. He attacked and destroyed almost all of the temples and surrounding lands in the year 0 (known as The Darkness), killed both Renin and Erinduo -- as many as hundreds of others, and he had a source of power that none save Tokjalyo knew or understood. He was sealed away under the ocean in the year 0 by Ilertav. When he was angered, he would take the form of a great black whale-like creature and fly through the skies, raining down fiery wrath on anything beneath him.

Bartyl

Bartyl is the Black Demon and brother to Murluron. He is a man who wears cloaks of shadow and when he fights, he moves something like a bolt of lightning. It is said that when he transforms into his inhuman form, he takes the appearance of a dreadful nightmare. He is the main Templar of Central and most other Templars report to either him or his sister, Pandora. He often gets captured by The Guards and imprisoned until he feels like escaping, though, around the year 950AL, he was chained in enchanted chains in the process of being captured. These chains were apparently forged by Daesdikhin and they sealed his power away. The key is kept somewhere in the Headquarters in Lyte.

Pandora

Pandora is the Black Dragon, and is another powerful figure that has leaked into the fairytales told to children. She, like her two brothers, is able to change her form into something vastly more powerful, and it goes without saying that she has the ability to turn herself into a great dragon of black hide. Though very few have witnessed this winged form, many who know of her know of this form as well. As a human figure, she is quiet and cunning, but said to have quite a short temper. She often ends up distracting The Guards so that Bartyl may escape from whatever prison he is held in.

Groud

It is not known where Groud came from. He does not have the ability to speak, and for that matter, doesn't seem too intelligent. He looks as a cross between an ogre, or a gorilla, or a large lizard, or something of that eerie nature. The only other thing known about him is that he always stands up after being knocked down. It is rumoured that Groud draws his power from an unknown place, and this grants him his unlimited vitality. He follows the orders of Bartyl and Pandora.

Ignatius

Ignatius is a pompous man with a voice that can command almost any mortal mind that hears him. This strength allows him to believe he does not have to fight to win someone over or defeat someone, and so he has not drawn a weapon on anyone since he joined the Templars. Very little is known about his past, but it is said he was once a noble with a terrible history, who turned to the Templars to allow him to release his boiling psyche. It is also said that he was once an absolute fury in battle, but he truly prefers his voice over his weapons and armour. His eyes have been turned to white since joining the Templars, but it is highly unlikely he has any visual impairment. Nobody knows why his eyes are white.

Melia

Melia is a young woman who, after a very troubled youth, turned to the Templars in order to escape the pressures of her strict family. She was supposedly beaten as a child whenever she would lay a single finger wrong. They say that as soon as she became a Templar and pledged her allegiance to Tokjalyo, she went and killed her entire family in cold blood. She is often quiet around her superiors, but she has an awful temper when alone. She shouts and yells whenever she pleases.

Taipan

Member of the Twilight Blades
Taipan has been the assigned leader of the Twilight Blades since about 1110AL, not long after he was created by an Odanon named Kyn. In turn, Taipan made for himself three powerful bodyguards: Scarab, Stag, and Python. Though the Templars have been meddling in the affairs of the East for many years before, Taipan's birth and the founding of the Twilight Blades has enabled the Templars' influence to be more direct, as all blame went to this sub-order, instead of the Templars. Taipan is a bold and devious magician who has many dealings with the noble family in east Trelinia. He has staring red eyes and a rather youthful appearance with long silver hair.

Python

Member of the Twilight Blades
Python is one of Taipan's subordinates and creations. He is another magician who does not show his skin, as his face is shrouded in a hood and all the rest of him is covered. He is a master of illusions, though he does know many kinds of elemental magic. Not much more is known about him, as he does not reveal anything about himself.

Scarab

Member of the Twilight Blades
Scarab is one of Taipan's subordinates and creations. He is a large and bald man with a scarred body and deep frown. He has a kind of magic that deteriorates the spirit and weakens the body, though recovery is often possible after much healing attention. Aside from this, he can fight very well both with and without a weapon.

Stag

Member of the Twilight Blades
Stag is one of Taipan's subordinates and creations. He is a strong man clad in dark armour and he always wears an ominous helmet from which he stares his opponent down. He has a fighting style much like Groud -- he will simply stand up after being badly beaten. However, it is highly doubted they draw this power from the same source. Groud is able to do it to a far greater extent.