The Forsaken
Much like the famed Dreadlords of Vel Anir, the Forsaken are trained from childhood for their specific purpose. They are experts in their fields and rival even the greatest of assassins in the world. Despite this similarity, the Forsaken hold some key differences from their Dreadlord siblings.
Each Forsaken is a half-breed. Sharing the blood of an Anirian and some other species, the Forsaken are shameful secrets, they are not celebrated and more often than not are given up willingly by their parents, often with as little fanfare as possible. This is deliberate, and serves to deflect any affiiliation with Vel Anir should an agent ever be caught or killed, for no one would think to accuse the famously xenophobic Anirians of using half-breed agents.
The training of a Forsaken far more cruel than that of a Dreadlord. Though this hardly seems possible given the reality of the Academy, the physical violence and mental torture endured by the Forsaken is so horrid that only one in ten survives to actually 'graduate'. This is often due to various magical experiments and tortures that the Forsaken undergo, and unlike Dreadlords, they are considered far more expendable due to their heritage.
Upon the completion of their training, each of the Forsaken is marked with an incredibly powerful piece of Rune Magic. This mark allows those in charge of the Seven Houses, or those who know the correct phrase, to give the Forsaken basic commands. This ensures that the Forsaken must be pliant and will never betray Vel Anir.
Overview
Purpose
The military might of Vel Anir and its Dreadlords is a terrifying reality for all of Arethil. Sometimes, however, a subtler approach is needed. Sometimes things need to be done that would besmirch the honor of the city and its noble houses should their involvement become common knowledge.The Forsaken were formed to attend to such matters.
A band of half-breeds, the Forsaken are expert assassins and spies. They are sent whenever Vel Anir needs someone to disappear quietly, whenever treaties would prohibit overt action, and even when a particular noble needs something done “off the books.”
Their non-human status further serves to distance them from Vel Anir, as the idea of the xenophobic kingdom using half-human agents can be easily dismissed as preposterous. Being non-human also makes them highly expendable, and they are frequently sent on missions too dangerous for valuable assets like dreadlords and true soldiers.