The Defenders of the Stone are one of the oldest justice clans in the
known world, and are primarily responsible for the defence of the
city of Tear and its massive fortress, the Stone.

Distinguished by their black and gold uniforms bearing the crescent moon
of Tear, they are hand picked from the best of the Tairen regular guard.
Foreigners are generally not accepted into their ranks, unless they have
proven their loyalty and worth to the city.

The Stone of Tear itself is the primary meeting place for the High Lords
of Tear, and also holds within its huge underground rooms, perhaps the largest
collection of angreal ever known. One angreal in particular is most closely
guarded, and is housed within a hall of redstone columns deep in the heart of
the Stone. It is the fabled "sword that is not a sword" known as Callandor.

The fact that the Stone holds such a large collection of angreal, is the reason
that channeling the One Power is prohibited within the city's walls. Not only is
there the fear that the angreal will be stolen, but also the possibility that
channeling in close proximity to such a large collection might trigger one off,
with potentially devastating effects.