Order of the Red Maple
"Long live Friedrich Wythe! Long live the Imperial family! Long live the Empire!"The Order of the Red Maple was founded during the first conflict of Friedrich Wythe's early wars. Since then, the Order has acted as the Imperial family's protectors and enforcers, doing whatever is commanded of them. Contrary to what others say, the Order believes the Emperor was a mere man, ordained by the gods to conquer the world, but a mortal man none the less, and died in 83 AU during the Teoti Itza civil war. After his death, the Order continued to serve Friedrich's heir who had gone into hiding, while believing that the current Emperor was a stand in to convey the ruse that Freidrich was immortal and strong. In the present day, the Order seeks to infiltrate and reinstate a member of the royal family onto a Wythian throne so they can reestablish the Empire.
History
The Tale of Sankt Johann
Long ago, during the conflicts to unite Westwythe under the Emperor, there was a young man who, through his dedication to the Emperor, became one of his most trusted generals. It was this general who was in charge of capturing the last stronghold that defied the Emperor in Westwythe. Johann laid siege to the stronghold for ten days and nights but there was no crack in the defenses. Growing impatient, on the eleventh day Johann led the charge with his Men to capture the gates using what ladders his men had constructed days before. The attack was a slaughter, and in the midst of the chaos Johann was blinded by his soldiers blood, but through the blood he never saw more clearly. Carkaln showed himself to Johann and gave him visons of the wars the Emperor would wage, the Empire he would build, and the Emperor sitting on a throne atop of the world. Johann was awestruck and fell to his knees. Carkaln told him that the only way this future would come to pass, would be if Johann died here and became a martyr for his men, and before Johann could ask anymore of Carkaln, he disappeared. Johann woke up back at his camp, his men having dragged him back after he was found unconscious. Johann would spent the next day debating if what he saw was real, and if it was, if he was prepared to not see such a future unfold before him. Late at night, Johann looked up at the stars and prayed, but was given no answer. The next mornings Johann walked out of his tent to wash his face in a nearby stream, and as he did a Red Kite flew down and landed on his arm, and from its beak it dropped a Maple leaf onto his hand before flying off. Johann looked up and in front of him on a hill he saw a lone Maple tree standing, and understood. Johann dispatched a messenger to tell the lord of the fortress to meet him by this tree at sunset. That evening Johann road out with his guard to the tree where the lord and his guard were waiting. Johann dismounted and handed his closest aid a letter for his wife and children. Johann then drew his sword and struck it in the ground in front of the tree and began praying. The lord asked Johann what he was doing, to which Johann told him he was done fighting, and whatever came of tomorrow was now out of both their hands. The lord dismounted, sword drawn, and approached Johann, but he did not budge. Johann was scared of death as all mortal men are, but his faith proved unwavering as the lord pushed Johann down and ran his sword across Johann's neck. However to his surprise the blade did not cut, and the lord would try twelve more times, but each cut felt like he was trying to slice a stone. Johann looked up at the lord, and asked that he be allowed to continue to pray, to which the lord with no words left got up and allowed him to. Johann would pray for another five minutes, and after he was done he watched the Sun setting in front of him. The lord drew his sword again, this time his hands shaking. As he raised his sword to take Johann's head, Johann's view of the setting Sun was blocked by a new figure in front of him, which reached it's skeletal hand out to grab him. The next moment Johann's head fell from his shoulder, and without another word the lord left with his guard. Johann's men would bury his body in that spot, and moved by his devotion to Friedrich, would proclaim on that hill that they would form a new order which was solely obedient to Friedrich and all his ancestors. The next day the army attacked, and took the stronghold, and they devoted the victory to Johann's sacrifice, and as they looked out past the fortress they saw the Maple tree had turned into a bright red and yellow, just like the sunset. Thus the Order of the Red Maple was formed with the ideals of loyalty, devotion, and self sacrifice in the name of the Emperor.
Founding Date
3 AU
Type
Military, Knightly Order
Leader Title
Parent Organization
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities