Order of Ashkelon

The Order of Ashkelon was founded in order to combat and frustrate dark wizards and witches. That is to say, those magic users who would not obey magical law. The Order of Ashkelon has not been formally utilized in around fifty years, since the Conclave of Enchantment stopped meeting due to political issues.

The Order Today
However, the Order of Ashkelon still has active members and initiates across the three kingdoms, though it is not known how many. The only surviving Asher who is currently well known to the public is Xedrick Hazlitt, who is legendary for defeating numerous dark wizards and living to tell the tale. He is now known to frequent pubs in The Dregs, the poorest neighborhood in Dragonspear.

History
For hundreds of years, dark wizards and witches remained a consistent problem in The Tripartite Kingdoms. Dark wizards not only used magic that was considered dangerous to themselves and others, but frequently were able to escape whatever magical law existed at that time. Dark wizards were known to, in times of extreme desperation, escape their bodies and inhabit those of someone else nearby. Some even learned to extend their lives or cheat death altogether.

It was Ashkelon the Grey who first conceived of the Posuitius Maneres curse, which enabled magic users to prevent this "body jumping" by dark wizards for a matter of hours. Once captured, the only way to fully ensure that the jumping was prevented was to burn the dark wizard, generally to an illwood stake to ensure no transfiguration or transformation occurred. Thus did the Order of Ashkelon become known as "Ashers", not only for the name of the founder but because of their habit of making ashes out of their prey.

Ashkelon the Grey died around Year 602, and the following year the Order of Ashkelon was formalized by the Tripartite Kingdoms and the Conclave of Enchantment. It has been active, to varying degrees, for more than 400 years. They remain a secretive group largely because revealing the names of their champions might put them at additional risk, but also because secrecy advances their aims.

Known Ashers

 * Ashkelon the Grey
 * Kranjar the Temporary of Wheelaris
 * Xedrick Hazlitt of The Dregs
 * Qillian of Warport
 * Sijin the Rigid
 * Curanado of Yistown
 * Trexis the Blue