Protecteurs Ange

(Pro-TECT-tours AN-j-UH)

Introduction
It is said that Haven is the very soul of the Chantry, a settlement known across all of Andrastidom as the one true pilgrimage. It is a dangerous part of the world for this and many other reasons, and even though the Chantry has gone to great measures in an effort to secure it against heretics and dangerous rebels these methods were deemed sufficient only to a certain point. That was not enough; the consensus within the upper echelons of the church became that there was a need to secure Haven, to make it virtually impenetrable.

The route to this aim involved the creation of a new branch of the Templar Order; a force that would be known as Protecteurs Ange.

They are a small group of Templar Knights who live and train separate from Haven. Their base is near the settlement, but not part of it. Their creation was sanctioned during negotiations over the protection of the Urn of Sacred Ashes, by way of an agreement between the Emperor of Orlais, King of Ferelden, White Divine, and Knight Vigilant. Outside of Orlais and Ferelden they are seen as any other Templar Knight.

They train to protect the Ashes. By extension they protect Haven, but often operate outside of its laws; this has been the cause of their status as divisive amongst the citizens of the pilgrim settlement. That there are magi amongst the ranks of these templars has only increased tensions, most especially since no explanation of this unique dynamic has ever been given to even templar commanders, let alone the public.

Recruitment, Training, and Skills
The templars recruit in a secretive fashion, usually choosing people on an individual basis and testing them in such a manner that they are not even aware they are being tested in such a way. The unpredictable nature of their duties and the chaos that is their life has inspired an altogether fluid approach to their recruiting strategies, rarely using the same approach more than once and often taking into account a variety of situations into account when making a decision.

A significant aspect of their unique recruiting is that of accepting younger people into the fold. The main reasoning behind this is that the energy of youth not only holds out well against the training but that such individuals are easier to mold; it is not unusual to see an individual commanding another member of the group that is many years their superior.

The group trains more rigorously than the average Templar Knight, making more sacrifices than most; more often than not they go years without seeing friends or family, whilst celibacy is strongly encouraged; sex is seen as a weakness, mostly for the attachment made to another person, the probable investment being made to anything other than their cause.

Their base is near Haven, in the mountains. Not only is such a rough terrain under hard conditions particularly conducive to achieving successful results with regards to training, but proximity to Haven for the sake of extra support from the trainees is an advantage which is difficult to pass up. Many people believe the base to be hidden by magic, though there is no public knowledge of this being true or having been proven one way or the other.

As a result of their training these templars hold a variety of skills, often considered unique but no less effective. They inevitably become toughened, extremely resourceful individuals that hold a collection of abilities and talents that may appear sporadic individually but hold the potential for devastation as a whole. The inclusion of magi brings uncommon variety to tactics and skills, this unique element affecting the group from philosophy through to training drills and physical exercises.

Structure
A fluid setup is maintained, reflective of the group's chaotic nature and native approach to their duties; the command structure of their templar brethren has been cast one side. The group maintains an unusual structure, the finer points of which are known only to members and a very small number of highly ranked Chantry members. It is wholly unpredictable for recruits and even those in the later stages of training.

Any one member can speak for a group of the templars, regardless of the situation, with responsibility of duties shared evenly for the most part. Command is most often shared within the group, barring one or two ranked positions.

The group has a certain amount of autonomy from their brethren, and so are often considered to be "outside of the law". They are trained beyond that which most people can understand and so members of this group have never committed a crime within Haven.

Beyond Haven
Their existence is a source of controversy and conflict within the Chantry, splitting the most influential members between those who support them wholly, and those who believe they should be disbanded. This is part of the greater debate about the Ashes.

As a result of the aforementioned controversy, it was agreed that those who support them could utilise the templars as bodyguards whenever they are on business of the Ashes; this agreements extends through Nevarra, Free Marches, Antiva and Anderfels.

In terms of the potential for connections with other factions and the like, it is rare for them to maintain ties to anyone - anything official (political, militant, etc) would be passed onto the normal templars.