the Unbroken

The Unbroken are among the most famous and legendary of ronin bands, but also one of the smallest and most transient. The band has formed and collapsed many times over the Empire’s history, re-organizing whenever a Tainted wave-man manages to unearth the secrets of its technique. The origins of the Unbroken Technique are mysterious; some claim they learned their methods from studying the Naga or perhaps the Ratlings, while others claim it was originally devised by some legendary and long-forgotten ronin in the Empire’s early history. Whatever the case, the Unbroken Technique is both singularly powerful and extremely dangerous: it can purge the Taint from one’s body - perhaps the only way to completely purge the Taint short of outright divine intervention. However, it does so through the practitioner successfully defeating powerful Shadowlands creatures. Needless to say, one is more likely to die in the pursuit of this goal than to succeed at it. The Unbroken traditionally work as a unified group, each willing to sacrifice himself for the others. Only a handful have ever been cured of the Taint, and the entire band has never been larger than thirty individuals. Supposedly, the mystical Technique which they use shortens their lifespan, allowing them to survive for only a single year - unless they can purge their Taint before that time expires. All members of the group wear masks, both to conceal their identity and to reinforce the principle that they are a group that stands or dies together.