“Primea is a tumultuous place, to say the least. You see it everyday in my trade, if you could call it a trade. I travel from one end of the continent to the other, exploring every ruin and following every tale. I thrive on the unknown and the bizarre, I flourish in exploration, I live for mystery. I’ve seen many things that I can’t explain and many things that I wish I hadn’t even witnessed. Prime amongst these are the monsters of Dust. I find myself writing time and again just how dreadful these horrific things are. Just how dangerous they are. Just how absolutely alien they are. I feel like I’m beginning to repeat myself. They’re simply the worst denizens of this world. I often get chills as I rest, simply by thinking about the creatures I’ve seen. However, this is lessened somewhat by knowing there are those out there who have dedicated their lives to hunting these horrors.
Not all are willing to sit by and allow horrors of Dust ravage outlying villages and scheme in unknown labyrinths. There are those who would cast their fear aside and become a predator. A predator of Dust monsters. A scary prospect, to be sure. These individuals are considered madmen and fools by the majority of the civilized population. Their cause can be considered just, though inevitably ghastly. These individuals are commonly called “Dust Slayers” or “Inquisitors”. Collectively, they are referred to as the “Common Inquisition”. A legion of common people who live to end Dust monsters. They are not a literal group or institution, but they share a common interest and often exchange information with one another if their paths cross.
They are naturally all dangerous individuals. I’ve met a small number in my time. I’ve seen them take on abominations, the likes of which you could not imagine. Naturally not all I met were sane. Dust Slayers usually operate alone, either fearing for the safety of other innocents or cultivating a deep mistrust for everyone and everything. It is not uncommon for an Inquisitors hunt to spill over into the fields of crime. More than one Inquisitor has become a serial killer, supposedly as the lines between monster and man were blurred.
There is almost always a particular event that sets a Slayer off on his or her personal crusade. It is not a simply whim that compels a man to hunt a creature made of pure chaos, a very real and physical nightmare. Inquisitors hunt for their own reasons, not simply for the good of civilization. It is rare indeed for an Inquisitor to hunt simply to protect the innocent, their hunts are pervaded by pure hatred or self-destructive thoughts. A Slayer may have lost a loved one to a Dust creature or witnessed the remains of a humble village on the edge of a wasteland. Rather than shrink away in fear from the experience, these individuals set out for revenge against the manifestations of Dust.
The majority of Slayers are solitary hunters, though they have been known to hunt in groups. Individual Slayers may pick up the same trail and decide to partner up. This way, larger Dust creatures can be toppled. A small group of Slayers armed with musket, sabre and gunpowder can dominate even the most terrible creature, given the planning. That is the most important facet of the Common Inquisition. Without an element of pre-planning, an inexperienced Slayer is likely to have the tables turned on himself. As with mundane animals, a Dust monster is freakishly dangerous when cornered.
As well as these, there are a small number of organizations that also claim to be hunters of Dust. There are the obvious governmental institutions like Tern Street and the Masques, who seek to further the interests of their nations. These are not strictly members of the Common Inquisition clearly, though have been known to assist in eliminating Dust creatures. I’ve even heard tell of individual Tern Street Runners assisting Inquisitors in specific hunts. There are less well-known or underground groups that also seek to eliminate the Dust. They too hunt the Dust monsters, however they have their own reasons for being and for hunting. For example, there is the Brotherhood of Calont who follow in the footsteps of a legendary Dust Slayer. Also, the Coterie of the Impervious Crucible, who bring a religious fervor like no other to the hunt. These groups are not necessarily considered part of the Common Inquisition, but I felt were worth mentioning all the same.
Many Inquisitors are ordinary people who often lead secret lives, working at day and hunting at night. Many have families and loved ones to take care of. An Inquisitor is rarely a rich individual, it doesn’t often bring a monetary reward nor gratitude. They have been known to even live in slums, hunting with the barest essentials and armaments. Indeed, many Slayers have nothing but the hunt left. Hunting out of obsession or with suicidal intentions. Some of these poor souls become twisted, becoming part of that which they once hunted. These poor fools are known as “Furies”. Their minds crack at the horrors they have faced or are bent to the will of their Dust prey. Many go mad, seeing everyone and everything as enemies. As I mentioned previously, many become serial killers, believing the innocents they slaughter are Dust creatures as well. These people embody the line “When the hunter becomes the hunted”. How horrifically literal.
I fear the world would be a darker place without the Common Inquisition watching our streets and lands. They are a force of grey against the blackness of the Dust. They aren’t perfect, and they most certainly are not necessarily pure servitors of justice. But I think that the people of Primea, myself included, can sleep softer knowing that there are those who try to keep the monsters back, fighting desperately with their sword arms and sanity.”
From the memoirs of Hermann Maestra.
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