Righteous Order

• 26 August 2024

The Paladins of the Righteous Fort (equally known as the Knights of Mount Moses, the Holy Knights, or commonly as just The Righteous Order) were an elite order of monastic zealots who pledged their lives to protect Legere from the threat of the supernatural--this included the profane, the malicious influences of The Void, and to a certain extent, things tied to the The Nether Fountain.

History #

Originating from Arbam's Army, the end of the Ancient Wars brought many to the realization that they had destroyed their best line of defense the evil forces of beyond. In 158 DHT, Angels intervened, striking a deal with the men who had gathered at the final “battlefield” against the Ancients--as the mortal races had sought to take their protection into their own hands, the Angels would grant those who were worthy divine power--only a minute sliver of the heavenly power wielded by the Seraphim, but enough to transform a normal man into a powerful warrior. The Angels granted them a book, known as The Holy Tome (or The Book of Life). When a paladin came of age, they sign their name in the book, effectively “selling their soul” in the service of good. From that point on, the paladin was knighted and granted superhuman powers. But the Angels knew the mortals were faulty. So any paladins who dared to use their powers in service of evil would be consumed by righteous, heavenly fire on the spot. This event only occurred a few times, but it was enough to remind the other paladins what they were getting into.

The Holy Tome was kept within a sacred library deep within Mount Moses--alongside several other relics from the old world inherited from the Cornerstone Foundation, including Ancient limbs & engines, Demonic & Angelic weapons, and even the still living but chained General Xadu.

Structure #

Leadership of The Four #

The Paladins' involvement in activities on Legere was dictated by a council of elder knights. Known as The Four, this council was made up of only the wisest of knights descending from four individuals chosen by the Angels at the end of the Ancient Wars. Each member of The Four chose a knight they believed was worthy to succeed them when they felt it is time to step down. The potential successor couldn't refuse becoming a member of The Four--being chosen to fulfill this position was considered both a great honor and duty for a Holy Knight. In the case of death, the remaining members of The Four had to agree to a new fourth member.

There was no age requirement to be eligible to be inducted into The Four, however most of the time older Paladins were chosen due to their greater wisdom, even after their retirement from the field.

Knight Captains #

Working under The Four were the Captains. Captains worked together to direct troop movements on the battlefield, and ensured that strategies were executed smoothly. Captains also worked individually to lead smaller squads of knights. The Four elected as many captains as they wanted as often as they felt necessary.

Knight Paladins #

Paladins made up the majority of the Holy Order's knights. Captains leading squads could take on as many paladins as they felt comfortable with leading. This could range drastically from five to thirty. Paladins could also be directed to train squires, especially so if a paladin expressed a desire to climb the ranks to captain.

Knight Templars #

Templars were the elite knights of the Righteous Order, taking orders directly from The Four. They were handpicked from the paladins in the same way captains were picked. The Four usually chose templars if they showed the proficiency in combat equal to a Captain, but without the aptitude for military leadership, scholarly studies, tactical planning, and other more cerebral tasks.

Before, and even during the time of the Archangel's Heroes, templars served as lone operatives or in small steelteams to accomplish covert operations where larger movements of the Righteous Order could be seen as hostile or invasive.

Other Servants of the Order #

There were a few other members of the Righteous Order who are distinctly less combative, namely nurses, librarians, groundskeepers and a few engineers. Retired paladins (known as clerics) were not required to help in the Righteous Fort, but many choose to anyway. While they didn't have a place to live in the Fort anymore, many clerics can be found living nearby at both Southwest Walwhite and Northeast Walwhite.

Public Agenda #

As mandated by the Angels during its inception, the Righteous Order was tasked with the protection of Legere against extradimensional threats. The order also remains politically neutral, actively avoiding involvement with any conflicts that arose. This has often sparked some ill-will from the Phovezilan government, as technically the Righteous Fort is located on Phovezilan soil.

The Righteous Order also acts as a repository for artifacts from the Demon Wars previously owned by the Cornerstone Foundation, as well as wardens for Demon prisoners.

Headquarters #

The Righteous Order operated out of the Righteous Fort atop Mount Moses.

Tenets of Faith #

The Righteous Order was mandated to fight evil and protect the innocent in the same way that the Archangel's Heroes would later be commanded to do.

The Knights of the Righteous Order were also expected to perform self-sacrifice in order to protect the innocent, especially those who did not live by the sword, like children and common folk. Selflessness was considered one of the ultimate aspects of a paladin both on and off the battlefield.

The Ring #

Paladins wore an iron ring on their dominant hand's pinky finger. Engraved with the same holy rune found on the Holy Tome's cover, the ring was a constant reminder to the wearer about what they stood for: their oath to righteousness and ethics above reproach. Should he shake a hand, write a document, or wield a sword, a paladin would be reminded of his responsibilities.

Acquisition of Divine Powers #

Upon a squire's graduation, they were subjected to a ceremony of honour to celebrate their hard work and dedication. Squires were knighted by The Four, and permitted to write their name in the Holy Tome. The Tome granted powers like higher strength, greater speed, resilience to disease, and improved reflexes in equal measure.

Some of the more incredible powers that manifested in paladins included the ability to bathe an ally in a holy light, healing minor wounds and alleviating pain. This was incredibly useful on the battlefield, as every Paladin could serve as both warrior and medic. The paladins could also call upon holy fire to dwell in their weapons.

Being divine, the Holy Tome's gifts couldn't be abused for power. Those who attempted to acquire the Tome's power and then use it for evil/otherwise selfish reasons were consumed on the spot by a fierce pillar of heat from the sky. It took many years of dedication for a squire to get access to the Holy Tome, which alone deterred most would-be evildoers. However, the constant threat following the misuse of holy powers kept paladins in line. They may make mistakes from time to time, but they practiced the self-control needed to prevent themselves from lashing out with their divine might in a fit of hatred.

Political Influence & Intrigue #

Taxation #

As the Righteous Fort was built upon Mount Moses in Phovezilan territory, the kingdom often questioned whether or not the Righteous Order would pay taxes to the king. The Righteous Order has declined every time, replying that their purpose was divinely ordained and they were exempt from paying taxes to a mortal crown. This has put a degree of strain on the relationship between Phovezila and the Holy Knights despite a relatively peaceful past.

Fire Iron Consumption #

To exacerbate the tension between them, the flow of fire iron material harvested from Mount Ferrum has been redirected away from the Elementum Order and towards the Righteous Order in majority. Phovezila has attempted to bargain with the Righteous Order to reduce their consumption of fire iron and allow more to go to the Phovezilan military, especially since the fire iron weaponsmiths and armoursmiths are Phovezilan civilians living in Phovezilan cities (Northeast Walwhite and Southwest Walwhite primarily). However the Paladins' response to this is the same as their stance on taxation. This has significantly decreased the military power of Phovezila, as now they can only make majority of their weapons and armour from steel as opposed to fire iron as they did in the past.

Phovezila has not risked open war with the Righteous Order as many people see the knights as exemplary--a siege on the Righteous Fort would result in not just combat with the Paladins, but also uprisings in the streets across the kingdom. In any case, the military power of the Righteous Order has not been seen in action frequently, but it's quite clear that if war ignited, Phovezila would stand little to no chance.