The greatest strength of the Ordo Dominari comes from their ability to use The Light to influence the minds of other beings. In centuries past, the Dominari used these powers for the cause of peace, de-escalating hostile situations with mere words or cleansing painful thoughts and memories from broken minds. Their supernatural ability to read into hidden emotions allowed them to act with compassion and understanding. The very presence of a Dominare could sometimes calm an uneasy negotiation, and even among non-Radiant leaders, the Dominari were trusted as capable political advisors. Such skills lent themselves powerfully to the political world, allowing the Dominari to gain considerable influence both before and after the establishment of the Empire. When the Empire was finally born, they solidified their place as its de facto leaders, ruling for several centuries and overseeing the galactic golden age.

Eventually, though, the Dominari succumbed to the Shadows of their own power en masse. Influencing minds expanded to include outright control, as the Dominari commandeered entire elections and treaties in their favor. Though other Radiant individuals were immune to their power, those outside of The Light could easily be dissolved of their own free will. This only furthered a growing lust for power and enabled the Dominari to swiftly act in their own interest following the election of the first Vindori Emperor in 898. The most powerful Dominari leaders could control entire armies, bending the thoughts of warriors to their own demands. As the Dominari Rebellion broke out, they rallied entire populations to their cause, allowing them to strike swiftly at the Order and the Empire.

When the Rebellion was finally crushed, the remaining Dominari retreated into the unknown reaches of space. In the time since their defeat, no new initiates to the Order have demonstrated an affinity for Dominari skills. This has lead many sages to declare the Dominari sect effectively cut off from The Light. Though the last remnants of Dominari leadership remain unaccounted for, their inability to draw power from The Light makes their threat little more than a forgotten memory.

While every Sect carries with it a profound respect for the natural world, the Ouiori see it as the focus of their power in The Light. Preferring the warmth of forests and meadows to the cold of ancient temples, the Ouiori maintain a profound spiritual bond with nature. Ouiori adherents can use The Light to influence the minds of beasts, the growth of vegetation, and — in some rare circumstances — the very elements themselves. Ouiori scholars are typically trained in the properties of plants and behavior of animals, using this knowledge to better improve populations of sentient beings and their relationship to the environments they call home. Dangerous life forms are rendered harmless by Ouiori skills, and lush gardens can materialize with ease under their watchful eyes.

Devout naturalists, the Ouiori have historically been a profound force for the preservation of wild spaces and the regrowth of war-torn or exploited environments. Their work in crop cultivation has led to bountiful crops to feed the Empire while their terraforming skills turn barren planets into virtual paradises. Continually tempted by the chaos of unbridled nature, the Ouiori must use their gifts to preserve a sense of balance and harmony.

In recent decades, many Ouiori knights have taken up the practice of establishing “familiars,” animals intensely bound to them through The Light. In most cases, such creatures are drawn from an adherent’s native planet, and are meant to serve as a companion and — when possible — an assistant in their duties. Establishing such a mental bond is no easy feat and is typically reserved for more experienced members of the Ordo Ouiori.

Seduced by the assurances of the Dominari, many Ouiori turned against the Order during the Dominari Rebellion decades ago. Promised the opportunity to heal broken worlds, nearly a third of Ouiori Guardians turned against the Empire. While most have since returned to The Light, the exodus underscored the fact that above all else, the Ouiori are loyal to the natural order more than any other.

The sister sect of the Ouiori, the Medicari apply similar skills to the biology of sentient beings. Renown as exceptional healers, the Medicari influence The Light to mend broken bones, fight disease, heal torn flesh, and even delay death. Though many specialize in the healing of one sentient species over another, most of the principles of restoration lend themselves across all beings. While most Medicari can be found in hospitals and clinics throughout the Empire, others find useful roles as combat medics or even medical researchers.

It is widely believed that the Medicari possess the ability to influence cells themselves, prompting their growth and — when necessary — contraction or death. This unique ability allows them to affect a being’s biology on the smallest of levels. They are equally capable of affecting their own cells, allowing them to slow their heart rate and respiration and survive in the most adverse conditions. Since the establishment of the Empire, the Medicari have been responsible for eradicating a number of infectious diseases and carrying out complicated surgeries whose results are nothing short of miraculous.

Though most adherents of the Order are often tempted by their Shadows, the Medicari are constantly being enticed by the abuse of their powers. The same skills used to constrict blood flow and steady breathing are just as able to heal as they are to kill. Accounts of fallen Medicari brutally murdering their victims are often gruesome and horrifying. Facing these possibilities on a daily basis, the Medicari have some of the strongest constitutions in the Order. They are often able to withstand pain and torture that might otherwise break another being. Arrogance and self-aggrandizement is another common Shadow among the Sect, contrasting sharply with the pillar of compassion that upholds the mission of the Medicari.

In the early Third Century, Master Ferrick Shae used a shard of pure bolan crystal to forge the first crystal saber. Able to resonate powerfully with The Light of its bearer, these new weapons changed the course of the Order. It was the Ordo Bellati that was best able to harness the power of these blades, using The Light to create a class of powerful warriors.

Though all followers of The Light — except for most devout Vindori pacifists — are given some saber training by the Order, the Bellati elevate their combat abilities to an art form. Able to coordinate the movement of their bodies and feed off the energies of their opponents, the Bellati are skilled in offensive tactics. Their combat training exceeds that of any other sect, with thousands of hours devoted to mastering their crystal sabers. While many forms of saber combat training exist, only the Bellati are able to reach the highest tiers. Both competition and collaboration are encouraged within Bellati ranks, and tournaments and war games are common exercises in training.

As the greatest warriors of the Order, the Bellati must powerfully stare down their Shadows and ensure the fight for the freedoms of others. Without this, the Bellati run the risk of establishing themselves as brutal berserkers and listing mercenaries. A similar fate overshadowed the Ordo Bellati in the Dominari Rebellion, when the Bellati collectively sided with their Dominari allies. The Bellati became unfettered, assisting the Dominari in crippling the Empire and laying waste to a number of worlds. While they were later brought back into the fold at the conclusion of the war, the mass betrayal left a lasting imprint on the Order. The Shadow of renewed dishonor hangs over the heads of all Bellati leaders, encouraging them to promote loyalty and duty like never before.

The Ordo Vindori was the last of the Sects to emerge. Known as the preservers of The Order of The Light, the Vindori are drawn to history, tradition, and the preservation of the peace the Empire and the Order can bring. Like the Bellati, the Vindori are typically trained more intensely in crystal saber combat, but with a strong emphasis on defensive tactics. The Vindori are rarely called to offensive campaigns, but serve as powerful defensive warriors in times of conflict. A skilled Vindore can manipulate The Light to produce powerful energy barriers, protecting themselves and others from harm.

One of the most powerful Vindori abilities is that of psychometry. By simply touching an object, a well-trained Vindori knight can gain information about its history and its bearers. The strongest Vindori are able to experience entire events through this power, giving them supernatural access to understanding of the past. For this reason, the Vindori are often skilled historians and archivists, which further propels their desire to respect and protect established traditions. It also enables them as powerful investigators, able to uncover hidden truths that would otherwise escape even the most detailed observation.

While their affinity for the past and its preservation is the greatest strength of the Vindori, it is also their most frequent downfall. The Vindori are famously stubborn, Shadowed by concerns about maintaining traditions over affecting meaningful change. While they have proven essential to maintaining the Order and the Empire at large, they have also — on numerous occasions — prevented its movement forward on many social, cultural, and political issues. The great government reforms proposed by the Vindori in the late ninth century were an unexpected anomaly, but widely seen as a necessary measure to preserve the future of the Empire. Many Vindori still lament the move, as the act destabilized the Empire and led directly to the Dominari Rebellion.

Since the war, the Vindori have established themselves as the new de-facto rulers of the Empire. Both monarchs of the new era have been drawn from Vindori stock, leading many to declare a new “Vindori Dynasty.” Whether this legacy will be maintained remains to be seen, but the Vindori will continue to act in preservation of both the Empire and The Order of The Light regardless of who sits on the throne.