The Dragoons of Bahamut belong to the Order of the Lantern in name, and operate on their own in most matters. Rhea Larnas is a Dragoon.1 The Inquisition is counted the most dangerous martial arm of the Order after them.2
Reputation
Everyone in Argentum has heard of the Dragoons, an arm of the Order dedicated to fighting the Sorrow, but the details of their work are not public knowledge.3 They are known to be elite and specially chosen. It is fairly commonly known that they do not receive the blessing of the Silver Flame, but something called the blessing of Bahamut.3 A purifier would be sent after a Sorrowsworn. The Dragoons would be called for a lich, a dragon or a devil, though as far as anyone knows none has come to Argentum in its history.3
Fangs
The Dragoons have no lanterns, tabards or badges. A Dragoon is marked by their fang, a weapon made for them when they are chosen, of metal specially made and blessed.3 Sorrowsworn and things of that kind are particularly dangerous, and weapons made to fight them are preferred, and in some cases required.3 Rhea Larnas’s fang is a warhammer of bright, rippling silver that is cold to the touch.3
Recruitment
Cassia Brightshield offered to put Temerity in front of Rhea Larnas to discuss becoming a Dragoon, and Rhea promised afterwards to get her in.1 Most Dragoons are picked out of the Order rather than signing up. Picking someone who was not yet a Light Warden, as with Temerity, is unusual, and it caused complications.4
Lia Amakiir, a Golden Canary, is one of the leaders of the Dragoons.3
Dragoon candidates are called wetscales. They sleep in their own communal room at one end of the Order’s barracks, apart from the Light Warden recruits. In late Coldrise 1714 PSF there were nine of them, nearly all in their early to mid twenties, and all taken from the Light Wardens.4
History
Session 9
Temerity learned on 29 Coldrise, 1714 PSF that her Dragoon training would begin within a few days, and moved to the candidates’ end of the barracks.4
Session 13
Temerity’s training was to begin on 1 Nightdeep, 1714 PSF.5
Session 14
Training for Temerity’s intake began before sunrise on 1 Nightdeep, 1714 PSF. The candidates wore their own armor, with no uniform or tabard.3 Alongside Temerity were Kyren Lenara, Emeric Vael, Mika Voss, Maren Frostburn, Lirien Gossert, Davan Recht, Cylen Meras, Torin Elke and Gianna Kirrane.3 Cassia Brightshield handed them over to Lia Amakiir, who left them to Rhea Larnas.3 Rhea told them that most of them would never serve under Lia: some would not be selected, some would choose not to go on, and some would not have the fortitude.3 Over the next few weeks they would be trained and evaluated in combat, and their endurance, obedience and mental rigor would be tested. They would learn the language of Bahamut himself if they did not already know it, and learn to defend themselves against horrors.3 Before all that, they would learn to rely on one another.3 The first day was hard physical testing: climbing ropes, push-ups and combat drills.3
Session 15
On the second day of training, 2 Nightdeep, 1714 PSF, the candidates began learning Draconic. The Dragoons use it in the field to give orders, and the recruits learned the words they would need first: forward, retreat, quiet.6 Rhea Larnas had them pair off and spar.6
Session 16
On the third day, 3 Nightdeep, 1714 PSF, there was no sparring. The candidates learned Draconic words for direction and drilled moving through the courtyard as if through hostile ground.7 About half of the ten began to fall behind, and about six were keeping up.7 Temerity told Hazel that what would help her fight the Sorrow was a Dragoon’s fang and the blessing of Bahamut.7