Brand

Some Navarr choose to dedicate themselves to the service of the people. Those who make this public commitment are called Brands because their oath of service is marked with an actual brand, an indication of how seriously they take the matter. The Brand serves to remind them of their oath, but also to single them out, so that people who are looking for a Brand can easily find one. This life of service can be arduous and difficult, but most brands shoulder it willingly. Their reward is the acknowledgement and respect they receive from other Navarr.

The remit of a Brand's responsibility may be as large or as small as they choose. Some Brands consider themselves to have pledged their service to the fellow members of their Striding or Steading. Others take a grander view, seeing themselves as servants of the Navarr people or even the entire Empire.

Brands work tirelessly to help their chosen community prosper without charge. They employ their skills to aid others when requested and the best of them seek out ways to help. When a task is too difficult to be accomplished alone, the Brand will ask others for help. When asked to help by a Brand it is implicit that the aid requested is in everyone's best interests.

The Navarr choose who they want to follow, picking their leaders accordingly. In theory anyone who can offer effective leadership and wisdom might attract Navarr to follow but in practice they expect their leaders to be Brands. The Navarr believe that leaders should be servants of the community, so they expect those who would act in that role to swear an oath accordingly. They can be very suspicious of those who seek to lead without first undertaking the Brand's pledge.

There is a great deal of similarity between the oaths of the Brand and those of the Thorn or the Vate. As a result those Brands interested in martial matters are usually also Thorns, whilst those with some mastery of magic may become a Vate as well.