I was doing some thinking about the Sentinels and decided to write it down. There are the Sentinels themselves, the warrior poets who wander the land defending the innocent, but there are also a host of others who consider themselves part of the faction.
Sentinels
Spoiler
The Sentinels are a confraternal chivalric order founded 480 years before the birth of Marian, First Father of the Unified. The Sentinels first began as the personal guard of the household of Elder Lord Claus, the Elder King's most devout defender. In a desire to protect the folk of the Blackwood from its darkness, Claus expanded his guard to thousands of warriors. He sent these guards to every corner of the Blackwood, tasked with roaming the land in search of wrongs to right. Pleas from the commoners are assigned promising Sentinels, and the most legendary amongst them are chosen for special quests. The latter of these is a popular subject for minstrels in every village.
At the time of their creation, pagans were swarming into the Wood as they fled the expansion of the Kareid Empire, crime was on the rise in every city, and the elves meddled more than ever before. Lord Claus realized that only a concerted effort from the people of the Blackwood would ensure the health of the region.
Sentinels wander the wood in small groups, guided by the tenets of virtue and courage to defend of the people of the Blackwood from anything that threatens them. They train in the ways of woodcraft, combat, and history to know the secrets of the Wood and how to fight them. They are seen as a shining light by the people of the Blackwood, and are freely welcomed to most every hearth.
Sentinel Grove is the primary settlement for the order, though a Sentinel gathering places can be found in many other cities. It is home to House Claus, as well as the families of many Sentinels. The city lies within a grove of tall evergreens, and is dominated by an ancient fortification known as Pine Hall.
The Nine Swords are the elite inner circle of the Sentinels. They contemplate the mysteries of combat and the firmament at Sky Pillar, a secure monastery in the Spires. The nine greatest among them are chosen to be the bodyguards and military advisers to the Elder King. The Nine Swords are wise, loyal, and deadly in equal measure.
Organizations of like-minded warriors are known as Chivalric orders (called simply "orders") in Genara. They are a continuation of the military orders present in the Kareid Empire.
Seeing the success of orders, merchants, thieves, scholars, and spies alike began fraternal organizations of their own. Called "misteries," these organizations usually center around the revelation of knowledge or skills only by initiation into increasingly select circles of people.