The origins of the Scouts of the Order reaches back all the way to the beginning of the Empire, though not in an official capacity. These early scouts were those who had been at the vanguard of the Iserran armies during the Pride War. The Vanguard’s skills at stealth and observation were some of the best in the human armies of the time, but following the war their skills were of little use.

Some of the vanguard realised that these same skills were useful for criminal endeavours and became rogues and scoundrels, stealing what they wanted. The core of the group had come from the dense forests of west of the Heavensward Mountains, and on returning there they put their learned abilities to use as huntsmen and trappers. A pseudo-guild was created, with the hunting areas and rules set down to avoid conflict between the various members.

The Scout’s Academy became a fully developed arm of the Order in the days following their official pronouncement as the arbiters of justice. The then Grand Magister of the Order identified that they needed a group who could procure evidence in cases where people were less forthcoming. They approached the Vanguard’s guild to see if they wished to act in this capacity and, although many refused to join what they deemed to be near criminal behaviour, enough agreed for the first Scout’s Corps to be created.

The Scout’s Academy operates as part of the Order, and thus has the same structure and recruiting methods as the main group. Many Scouts operate at the Adept Rank and below, as those who progress to the full rank of Cavalier can no longer easily perform duties as Scouts due to the attention such a rank brings.