The Dozens

The Dozens are a faction in the Dyrwood.

Origin
Scarcely a decade ago in 2808 AI, on the Evon Dewr Bridge, seven men and five women fought valiantly to protect Dyrwood during the Saint's War and the Readceras invasion. They volunteered for the mission knowing it was up to them, and them alone, to prevent St. Waidwen from crossing the bridge. They succeeded, even though they lost all but four of their number in the battle, and Waidwen was on the bridge when the Godhammer detonated. The final four were lost in the blast as well, their sacrifice a testament to their dedication.

The Dozens, a group ostensibly formed for the protection of the Dyrwood, was founded in the honor of those men and women. Indeed, those twelve men and women are posthumously regarded by the Dozens as their true 'founders.' Initially, the group dedicated itself to protecting Dyrwood from invasion, patrolling the borders tirelessly in search of Readceran forces regrouping for another attack. When that attack never materialized, many of the Dozens thought the next threat might come from Eothasian loyalists living in Dyrwood and began to turn their attention within.

Organization
The Dozens are not a large group, but what they lack in size, they make up in fervent devotion to their cause and a gift for gaining the ear of commoners. This makes them a force to be reckoned with, and there is no more influential group in shaping the discourse surrounding Waidwen's Legacy. A small but very vocal minority of extremists in the group are calling for a new war with Readceras. Talk of purging the Dyrwood of all followers of Eothas is also being touted. More recently they have begun to see in the practice of animancy a possible cause to the Legacy, and they have taken to the streets of Defiance Bay and the dirt roads of many distant settlements to make their case to the general public. Some point to this as one source of a recent surge in vigilantism and violence in the country.

All new members of the Dozens are required to swear an oath to remember the sacrifice of their founders and remain vigilant against Readceras and any followers of Eothas. To this end, worshipers of Eothas are routinely harassed by the Dozens. The mindset of this group may be hard for some to understand as any fanatical devotion can sometimes overshadow the ideals. But the original "Dozen" knowingly sacrificed their lives for Dyrwood. From the Dozens' perspective, how can new members of the Dozens be any less committed to their country's welfare? What better way could there be to honor their founders?

Outside relations
The Dozens are primarily mercenaries, organizing expeditions that venture into the wilderness. More than a few of them try their luck scouring the ruins. Most of them come back empty-handed - if they come back at all. Betting on them is almost as risky as actually going... But that's how the expeditions get funded. Though many fail, every once in a while, one of the adventuring companies will strike it big and make a fortune for their backers, keeping the investors happy and coming back.