The Fire Knights (Order of Solis)
- Scale: 8
- Capital: 8
- Alignment: Lawful Good
- Symbol: Morningstar backed by a Sun
- Active Regions: Blood Coast, League of Cities, Free States of Estonia, Kingdom of Muriah
Background: The oldest military order in the realm, the Fire Knights established themselves sometime around EH 2200 as the Order of Solis, a militant band of soldiers devoted to protecting the temples and towns in which Solis had a following. It wouldn’t be until much later – in EK 120 – that the Order of Solis would become better known as the Fire Knights.
The Order of Solis has been in a slow decline since its golden years from ER2000-ER2500. It still has strong support in the Blood Coast region, and good support in the League and the Free Cities. The Order has been driven all but underground in the Holy Empire of Astalon.
The Fire Knights were once the premier defenders of the King of Muriah. Now they share duties with the Celestial Knights and the King’s own guard. They are closely allied with the Paladins of the Guiding Light (Paladins of Illias), and often form joint task forces to deal with dangerous contingents of undead.
Organization: The Fire Knights are organized into two main branches: The Wardens and the Sentinels. The Wardens are charged with static defenses: temples, shrines, towns, and villages. They are organized by location, with a command hierarchy expanding by region.
The Sentinels are charged with seeking out danger, and defeating evil, as well as protecting more mobile targets such as VIP’s or caravans. They are more loosely organized by task force and operational region. Manpower transfers between the two branches as needed.
Advancement in the Fire Knights is by a promotion system as judged by one’s superior, reviewed by his superior. Advancement in the higher ranks (Captain and above) is mostly political, though exceptional service is required. Advancement reviews are normally staged once a season (every 3 months).
- Goals:
- Protect the temples and worshippers of Solis from harm.
- Seek out and destroy evil, especially undead and those who thrive in darkness.
- Spread the worship of Solis thru deeds and actions.
Church of the Pure (Church of Astalus)
- Scale: 10
- Capital: 10
- Alignment: Lawful Good
- Symbol: A Diamond
- Active Regions: All of Muriah, except the Great Untamed and the Orclands
- Special: Must profess faith in Astalus, and only Astalus. May not worship other deities.
Background: The Church of the Pure was founded at the coming of the New Gods. As a political force, however, the Realignment of EK 931 established the idea that the worship of Astalus should come above all other deities. It also led directly to the founding of the Holy Republic of Astalon, to which the church has considerable ties.
Organization: The Church of the Pure has a rigid hierarchy, and reporting structure, consisting of three branches: The Word, the Arm, and the Mind. The Word comprises the lay priests: those members who go out and attempt to spread the word of Astalus, converting heretics, and performing missionary duties. The Arm are the militant branch, who actively seek out evil, and attempt to destroy it. The Mind are the higher order priests, who oversee the activities of the lower groups.
All members of the Church of the Pure have mandatory vestments, which are used for services and special holidays. The vestments consist of pure white robes with gold hem, and golden vestments, and a white phylactery. Members are also required to own a canon, laying out all the deeds of Astalus for his followers to try to emulate. The holy symbol of the church is a diamond. Higher ranking priests typically adorn themselves with more ornate, or ostentatious, jewelry centering on the diamond motif.
Advancement in the church is likewise structured, with immediate supervisors sending off word of the individuals deeds to a regional review board, who then decide if the individual merits a promotion. This review happens once a season (every three months). There are means for bypassing this system, if one feels that their superior is treating them unfairly, though this often calls down an inquisition from the Inquisitus Divinicus.
Goals: The goals of the Church of the Pure are simple: convert all living creatures to the worship of Astalus, destroy all evil in the world, and undermine the other faiths (so as to better accomplish the first).
The Church also wishes to set itself up as the de facto government, as it has in the Holy Republic of Astalon, since it feels it is best at determining what is right for the people.
