The Monks of the Deodand believe that they serve an important, sacred purpose in the city of Vralkast. They bear and wield weapons that were used to commit murders within the city, and they use them in gladiatorial combat in the Shrine of the Deodand. They believe that in doing this, they can vent the murderous emotions that infuse the weapons and drain the social malaise from the city, preventing it from bubbling over into disaster.
Most of the city just thinks they're insane and looking for an excuse to fight each other.