The Oren Neraghul is the Oren Nayiru’s infiltration and special operations group, entrusted with keeping the security of the faith by whatever means possible. It’s members, called Vairaghul (lit. “Shadow Hero”), are limited in number, there being around 10 to 15 members at any one time – however, with the resources of the Oren Nayiru at their back, they can often command considerable resources and manpower should they need it.
The Oren Neraghul have the wide organisational knowledge of a High Kavalal, and generally have their power as well, but they are not tied to any particular cell, nor do they have organisational duties, allowing them to travel across Taychend. They answer only to the Kavalakuttam, the council of Kavalali. When Kavalali go rogue, a powerful relic is in need of recovery, or there exists a grave threat to the Oren Nayiru, a Vairaghul is called in.
New recruits are chosen by nominated jointly by a High Kavalal and an existing Vairaghul, with the member then being rigorously examined by at least two other High Kavalali – in the special case that a recruit is nominated by one of the High Kavalals of Nanru Nakar, High Kavalali from the other two districts cannot be used to confirm the nominee.
This confirmation process nearly always ensures the organisation is loyal to the faith. However, there has still been cases of Vairanghula going “rogue”, especially during and after the Kamrayakval’s War, when a number of the Vairanghula attempted to assassinate the Kamrayakval in the latter stages of the war. The Oren Neraghul as an organisation has also found itself susceptible to the factional politics of the faith – though due to the nomination process a variety of factions are represented in their ranks.
History[]
The Oren Neraghul were founded shortly after the end of the Exemplar expedition, as the High Kavalali quickly discovered that they needed trusted and extremely capable individuals to co-ordinate the quickly expanding faith, travelling through enemy territory to do so.
The height of the organisation would be during the 1500s and early 1600s. During this time, the Oren Neraghul were integral in reinforcing the faith, ensuring loyalty to the wider Kavalakuttam among the various cells of the Oren Nayiru, and acting as vital links in the relationship with Rezankand, allowing Exemplar forces to link up with Oren Nayiru cells without the latter prematurely revealing themselves, and also dissuading dissent against their often-strained alliance.
During this time, Vairanghul became immensely popular and revered figures by many – and highly sought after targets for Ambhen authorities and traditionalist Taychendi. It would be a member of the Oren Neraghul, Calsithara Flame-Speaker, who would also represent the first attempt to unite the faith under a single “Kamrayakval” – using her status, she travelled widely and gathered support from a large portion of the Oren Nayiru, though ultimately she could not secure her appointment as Kamrayakval, and her half-strength revolt was eventually defeated.
After the end of the Kamrayakval’s War, in which the Oren Neraghul’s numbers were depleted, the organisation began to lose their relevance in wider Taychendi affairs, alongside the Oren Nayiru’s decline in popularity and strength. However, they would nonetheless serve as vital links that kept the faith from splintering altogether, helping to prevent open conflict between the gradually diverging factions that arose after Silverspite’s defeat.