The Holy Order of the Sword

Lawful Neutral Secret Society

The Holy Knights of the Sword are an organization that has claimed the former position of the Knights of the Chalice within the nation of Galifar to the eradication of all evil outsiders in the Twelve (Thirteen) Nations of Khorvaire. It maintains that the Church of the Silver Flame has lost its original mission and become too focused on the worldly concerns of power.

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Organization

The Holy Knights of the Sword are, despite its name and stance, also more of a religion rather than a military order. The Holy Order of the Sword's members are all called Sword Brothers and Sword Sisters with its priests being known as Knight Priests, Paladin Bishops, Templar Lords and Ladies, with the leader of the faith known as the Grandmaster or Grandmistress.

The Holy Knights of the Sword are slowly developing their own Knighthood from converted Karrns under the training of Constantine. These Knights tend to be the most fanatical thanks to Pyriel's saving of the capital of city from Demonic Attack (nevermind the rest of the Watchmen's contribution). This sub-order is not distinguished from the rest of the Church at present as all are expected to be part of the Church Militant.

Free lessons in sword craft are available to all members if one is willing to put up with the incessant preaching and swear allegiance to the god. The Church is currently targetting disaffected veterans of the Last War to provide for them and their skills.

History and Theology

The Holy Knights of the Sword has a certain appeal in the wake of the Last War and the recent events of the near rise of Cthulhu and the Second Mourning. It claims that a Time of Unparalleled Darkness when the human race will be called upon to serve as the army of their god Pyriel will occur. Pyriel will lead his armies in epic confrontation with a revived Khyber and proceed to slay her before raising Siberys from the dead.

Disturbingly; the Church is actually being supported by certain segments of the Chamber as the faith maintains that the Sovereign Host are nothing more than facets of the three headed face of Siberys with Bahamut, Pyriel, and the Eternal Light composing his religion. They maintain that the Sovereign Host are merely trumped up Dragon Archangels and that Pyriel is the keeper of Siberys' essence until the restoration of that god. Furthermore, they frequently mock the Silver Flame worshipers as essentially worshiping a spell that was worked with the glories of Bahamut rather than the grace itself.

The religion is actually a combination of numerous heresies that most people on Khorvaire have some familiarity with. These include the Draconic heresies of the Sovereign Host, the Cult of the Dragon Above, and Pyriel's own lingering Radiant Idol cults. The fact that members of the Sovereign Host can keep the Sovereign Host as "Saints" within their new faith has lead to a disturbing number of converts where otherwise it would not be welcome. The faith is outright illegal in Thrane but has been growing rapidly as Krozen martyrs perfectly innocent people for their faith.

The Holy Knights of the Sword forgo the Flamite vows of celibacy and poverty with instead members encouraged to accumulate large families as well as wealth to better influence matters for the world. They are also encouraged to convert others to the faith using whatever means are available though Grandmistress Dawn has been attempting to head this off before it becomes too common.

Bizarrely, the Second Mourning and the claims that Pyriel saved the world on both occasions with Cassius D'Shadowfast and Princess Haydith's peculiar roles in the religion have done what no one else has been able to in actually converting large amounts of Volists to the faith. Their hatred for the Sovereign Host and Silver Flame does not impede conversion even as some members can't tell the difference. However, the religions own lack of a problem in causally snuffing Volists and destroying the undead has allowed it to grow rather exponentially as the lack of an afterlife means martyrdom holds less of an appeal.

The organization is still relatively small but likely to continue to grow. The first start of the backlash is in Puritans who despise Pyriel as a Radiant Idol and violence is occurring in Thaliost between the two sects with Krozen's support in Thrane being the largest movement against it. Likewise, some Sovereign Host sects believe that Pyrielism is irreconcilable with their own sect and call for its shut down despite the average laity seeing little difference. The Kalashtar are dumbfounded by the religion that seems also to hate them despite worshiping their god.

Many kind, upstanding, and decent citizens are members of the Holy Order of the Sword and they are contrasted by those who are looking for someone to blame in the wake of the Last War. The Holy Order of the Sword provides an easy answer in Demons and monsters to direct the pent up fury of the people. Pyriel himself seems to focus on recruiting servants through visions who will be of fine, moral, and upstanding character but has no apparent objections to servants whom are willingly to blindly follow orders.

Enemies of the Faith

The Holy Order of the Sword has declared a auto de fa on the following groups. All Abberations, Devils, Demons, Daelkyr, Quori, Rakashasas, and undead are declared to be creatures beyond redemption and destroyed on sight. Half-Fiends and Tieflings are believed to be only salvagable through the glorious light of Pyriel. Peculiarly, the faith has made numerous enemies amongst Puritans in that it maintains that Lycanthropes can be redeemed and brought into the Light of Pyriel via conversion. This is likely the only instance in the history of the Silver Flame and Order of the Sword that the Church Militant comes off as more liberal in terms of battle. Bizarrely, several Lycanthropes have actually joined Pyriel's faith and are serving openly in Caer Shadowfast.

Kalashtar are held to be possessed due to the history of the Watchmen's conflict with them and there is effectively open war with them in the land. Bizarrely, spells granted by Pyriel do not distinguish and several Order of the Holy Sword fanatics have been hung for their murderous assaults on Inspired. The Church Militant advocates, with the exception of Dawn and other members who interpret it different, the total destruction of the Inspired and the expelling of all Quori (good or evil) back to their home dimension.

The Undying Court is also declared a Necrocracy and The Holy Order of the Sword has declared its enimity to all Aerenal regading this. The Undying Court has little regard for a human religion on a different continent but dislikes no distinction being made between Good Undead and Bad Undead. Likewise, they are avowed enemies of the Blood of Vol and believe it must be converted or destroyed. This is peculiar given that Pyriel and Erandis D'Vol had some form of alliance but this is not recorded in their scriptures. It goes without saying Cults of the Dragon Below are also to be destroyed except in the case of children.

The Holy Order of the Sword also dismisses Druidism as paganism but make no real terrorist attacks upon them, merely hold them in open disdain. Some members have attempted to steal secrets of the Gatekeepers though for their own use.

Warforged are claimed to have souls that have been given to them from where they were absorbed from Dolrrugh. To this end, some have actually found the faith to be rather inspiring since it implies they are in fact living beings. It's also lead to a disturbing belief amongst some that they are reincarnated and should try and recover those memories.

Shadows over Cyre