Order of Salijarna (săl-ē-här-nä)
History
The Order of Salijarna was established shortly after the reign of Overseer Tuloni I began some 1,000 years ago. It is steeped in history and tradition, mystery and mysticism. When he publicly announced the Order to his court, the Overseer stated its purpose was to institutionalize a structure around which would center the protection of his people from those dark forces beyond our sight which relentlessly seek to undermine the order and stability of the Empire. Due largely to the uncompromising Imperial mindset of keeping everything close hold and on a need-to-know basis, even the most competent intelligence organizations such as the dwarven Tobechnny and the kynekin Shaf Yadursmaj have been unable to ascertain exactly what that means.About
Structure
At the head of the Order is the Overseer. Reporting to him or her are the Grand Archons, responsible for administration of the Order's resources over large geographical areas representing numerous provinces. Representing the Order at the provincial level beneath the Grand Archons are the Archons. To the Archons report many Temple Superiors within their province of authority. At the city level, a Temple Superior manages and administers servants of the Order. Within the Order’s hierarchical structure, three Branches represent distinct roles of service: Seers, Soldiers, and Stewards.Seers
Extensively trained magisters who represent the morals, knowledge, wisdom, and spirit of the Order. They are generally afforded the greatest respect and most often hold positions of leadership.Soldiers
While members of the other branches may be called upon for battle, the Soldiers of the Order - also known as Knights - are singularly charged to engage in direct conflict with threats to the Empire. While oft respected, they are deeply feared for their harsh and uncompromising devotion to the eradication of those threats.Stewards
A broad cadre of exceptional servants to the Order who perform any service not encompassed by the Seers or Soldiers. Stewards are highly sought after for their meticulous dedication to the exceptional quality of services they offer. Examples of such would be blacksmiths, fletchers, farmers, and wainwrights.Culture
Followers of the Order have an almost fanatic devotion to the belief they are the sole persons tasked to perform the work of the Overseer and defend the Empire from outside forces. As the original Empire has crumbled following the signing of the Thee'nor Accord, the rise of the New Empire has created quite the rift in thinking, with some factions believing their calling should only apply to the lands of the New Empire while other, more progressive minds, believe the Order's mission transcends geographical boundaries. These latter believe even those subjects who have broken away from the New Empire must be protected, as left to their own devices they will ultimately pose an existential risk to any Imperial future. While some aspects and practices of the Order such as the Ritual of Purification have been shared publicly, both factions continue to maintain a culture of secrecy, refusing to reveal what exactly this "threat" to the rest of the realm is. They speak in hushed tones about defending "The Veil" but will say no more.Assets
From finances and properties to artistic and cultural artifacts, the Order has amassed a huge cache of resources spanning every imaginable category over the past millennium of operations. These assets are managed by the Order's leadership to fulfill its purposes and missions. With the fall of the Empire and the end of the First Age, a great deal of these resources were lost or left behind as city after city fell to the kynekin rebels. This has resulted in the formation of an entire industry around the reclamation of the Order's former artifacts, knowledge, history, and - some believe - their secrets.Faith
The Order publicly decries devotion to anything other than the Emperor as a violation of the will and direction of the first Overseer, a threat to the Empire, and a heresy and vile corruption of the mind that must be ruthlessly eliminated. Chief among these perceived threats are the beliefs of those claiming to hear the voice of "Celestials" - those beings allegedly speaking through dreams and in the recesses of the mind – in order to influence this world.
Shield of Salijarna by dream by WOMBO
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