Forsworn
Overview
The Forsworn are an elite military corps of the Order of the One. It consists exclusively of men who volunteer for service and bind themselves to a strict oath until their retirement.
Their mission is to serve as the most effective defenders of the society, faith and way of life of the OTO against every internal or external enemy.
The word Forsworn describes someone who has renounced the ordinary pleasures of life and sworn to devote himself to duty. The Forsworn are neither monks nor priests. They are an armed ascetic corps serving the Single God and, in practice, the Council of Veil.
Recruitment and Training
Service in the Forsworn is voluntary. Adolescents who wish to join the corps declare their intention and undergo a strict selection process.
Those who are accepted are known as trainees. They follow a demanding programme of military and physical training, but not all of them manage to complete the process and become Forsworn.
Daily exercise shapes their bodies and makes them distinguishable from ordinary soldiers. They are not necessarily exceptionally large men, but they are muscular, resilient and highly skilled in close combat and survival under difficult conditions.
The Oath
Trainees who complete their education take the oath of the Forsworn at approximately 20 years of age. From that moment, they remain bound by its restrictions until their retirement, usually at around 45 years of age.
The oath forbids them from marrying, creating a family or maintaining a romantic or sexual relationship. A Forsworn must always keep his mission, his companions and his duty to society and the faith foremost in his mind.
Violation of the oath is punished severely, according to the seriousness of the offence. Anyone who violates its fundamental restrictions is expelled from the corps.
The Forsworn also believe that breaking the oath or disobeying lawful orders carries consequences in the afterlife. According to the teachings of the OTO, sinners enter an immaterial world of eternal darkness, filled with nightmarish dreams, emotional turmoil and unending anguish.
Men Only
The Forsworn accept only men. This is not the result of a general exclusion of women from military service or authority. Women serve in the regular military units of the OTO, can become officers and hold high political and religious positions.
The Forsworn, however, live together for many years in small communal groups and are bound by the prohibition of romantic and sexual relationships. The presence of women within the same groups is considered a potential temptation and a distraction from duty. For this reason, the corps has retained its exclusively male character.
Organization
A basic Forsworn group usually consists of ten to twelve men, although some groups are larger. Each group is led by a decan.
There are essentially two ranks within the corps, the ordinary Forsworn and the decan. Several groups form larger military units commanded by regular army officers, such as centors and their superiors.
These officers are not Forsworn and are not bound by the oath. They can marry, create families and live outside the communal quarters of the corps.
A Forsworn may apply to take the entrance examinations for the military officer academy. Selection is strict and the examinations are difficult. If he is accepted, he is considered retired from the Forsworn, released from the oath and allowed to begin a new career as a regular officer.
Communal Life
Forsworn groups live in communal quarters. Each group has its own dormitory, a shared dining hall, training areas and a small private room for every member.
The rooms are extremely austere. They usually contain a mattress, a table and a chest for the few personal belongings of the Forsworn. The absence of decoration and personal mementos is considered part of their ascetic life.
The Forsworn eat, train, travel and fight together for many years. The relationships formed within a group are exceptionally strong. Their companions become the family that the oath prevents them from creating while they serve in the corps.
Their camps are usually located near cities. Some groups live in special dormitories within the cities themselves, particularly when assigned to protection or rapid response duties.
Faith and Duty
The Forsworn regard death in battle as the highest sacrifice to the Single God. This does not mean that they seek death or despise life.
Like most followers of the OTO, they consider life the greatest good and value its pleasures. They understand what they are giving up, which is precisely why they regard their oath as a conscious sacrifice and a great honour.
In battle, they attempt to survive, complete their mission and protect their companions. The pointless pursuit of death is not considered courage, but an abandonment of duty.
The Great Cause
The Forsworn serve the Great Cause, which is also called the Final Cause in some texts. It is the official declaration of the OTO that faith in the Single God must eventually spread throughout the galaxy.
The other major powers often accuse the OTO of using the Great Cause as an open declaration of imperial ambition. Despite its strength and determination, the Order of the One has so far achieved little success in fulfilling this objective.
Weapons and Armor
The primary weapon of the Forsworn is the sareth used by the military of the OTO. Decans also carry a vexor pistol. Portable energy weapons are rarely used because the technology has not yet developed sufficiently to make them light and practical for widespread use.
Every Forsworn carries a sword across his back. Its blade is made from an iridite alloy, a material resistant to the heat of beam weapons and to corrosion.
The sword is used against opponents protected by energy shields. These shields react to objects moving through the air at high speed and can stop shots from ballistic and energy weapons. The relatively slow movement of a sword allows the blade to pass through the shield.
When the sword is used for a direct thrust, pressure on the handle releases hot gas from the tip of the blade. The gas can melt or weaken the armor of an opponent.
The Forsworn also carry a long knife on their belts. Their armor is simple, functional and undecorated.
The Blade Ritual
Many Forsworn follow a personal ritual involving the knife carried on their belts. They draw the blade halfway out of its sheath and look at its reflection for a few moments.
The act reminds them of their oath and duty and helps them concentrate before assuming their post or beginning a difficult mission.
The ritual is neither official nor compulsory. No one knows with certainty when or how it began, but it has spread among many groups.
Public Duties
The Forsworn are a military corps and do not normally perform police duties. In cases involving serious crime, particularly when the local votar lack sufficient forces, they may be called upon to assist in restoring order.
Their presence in the cities inspires respect and often admiration. Families consider it a great honour for one of their sons to serve among the Forsworn.
Leave and Recreation
The Forsworn receive regular leave to visit their parents and relatives. The oath does not require them to sever their ties with the families into which they were born.
They may also leave their dormitories in the evenings and visit cafés, tea houses, bars, libraries, concerts and theatres. Art within the OTO usually serves religious, ethical or social themes. There is also limited space for secular music and entertainment following approval by the Hierarchy.
The Forsworn are regular guests at dances organized by the Singlo. Their outings take place under the supervision of their decans and the votar, as the Forsworn often attract the admiration of young women and their oath forbids romantic relationships.
Pay and Retirement
The Forsworn receive a regular salary, usually equivalent to that of a centor. Housing, food, training, equipment and medical care are provided by the OTO.
Retirement usually takes place at approximately 45 years of age. When they leave the corps, they are released from the oath. The OTO provides them with a home and a considerable sum of money by the economic standards of its society.
Many former Forsworn marry and create families after retirement. Some become votar, while others leave military life entirely.
Most choose to remain in the military and transfer to other corps while retaining at least the rank of decan. They may take examinations, begin a new career with the rank of centor and then receive promotions through the regular military hierarchy.
Reintegration
Returning to civilian life is not always easy. Many former Forsworn struggle to adapt to a life they renounced at a young age. Freedom of personal choice, the creation of a family and the absence of their group can cause intense insecurity.
There are rumours that the military maintains special institutions in remote regions or on isolated planets for former Forsworn who cannot adapt. They are not considered prisons, but centres of recovery and reintegration where retired Forsworn learn skills and crafts useful in civilian life.
A small number of former Forsworn leave the worlds of the OTO. There are reports that some of them have eventually served as mercenaries in companies based on Markoni.