Knights of Eternal Order
Knights of the Eternal Order
Basic Information[1]
Base of operations
Iriaebor
Favored deity
Kelemvor
Formed
Shortly before 1372 DR
Membership[1]
Members
35 paladins and doomguides of Kelemvor
Relationships[1]
Enemies
Powerful undead
Source: Champions of Valor, p. 101
The Knights of the Eternal Order was a knightly order in service of the god of the dead Kelemvor, during the late 14th century DR. Kelemvor's church gathered the knights together to hunt down and destroy powerful undead from a fortress outside of Iriaebor.[1]
Among their members were paladins, and some doomguides.[1]
Eternal Order
The Eternal Order (Ordo Eternus)
Coat of Arms of the Order of Saint Elizabeth
EoCoatofArms.jpg
Location Temple of Kelemvor in Nes'ek
Former Chapter Masters Sharina Fryar
(deceased)
Roland Siggers
(deceased)
Natali Nighthaven
(deceased)
Mourngrym
(missing)
General
The Eternal Order is the military branch of the kelemvorite faith which varies between it's chapters. In the following scripture it is the Chapter known as the Order of Saint Elizabeth which my focus rests on.
The Chapter of the Eternal Order now present in Khem holds as its patron Saint Elizabeth. She is seen as the incarnation of the most important traits of a military devoted servant of lord Kelemvor; unyielding in faith and duty, fearless, and a master in the art of death. The Sacred Order of Saint Elizabeth bear the raven and and sword on their tunic in memory of their most honored sister. Their strive for perfection in duty and combat is more dominant than in any other Chapter of the Eternal Order, for to bring forth the will in combat is a sacred ceremony to the Lord of the Dead and the patron of the chapter. As an Inquisitor has stated many a year ago, the day they would no longer be needed would be their day of victory, but until that day would come they can not rest.
Saint Elisabeth is also the origin that martyrdom is seen as the greatest honor possible for a brother or sister of the Sacred Order of Saint Elizabeth. The strive for perfection also plays a role in the Code of Conduct, never allowing outsiders to know of any possible difference of opinion inside the military arm of the church. Much of its doctrines and ways came to be under the long rule of Chapter Master [[Sharina Fryar, who joined the order as a templar of the faith and soon rose to hold both the position as Chapter Master and Temple Mother in the Church. It was her decision to train more Inquisitors and expand their duties and powers so there would be even a chance to oppose the acceptance and tolerance towards those who break the laws of lord Kelemvor.
While only few can ever gain the knowledge to understand the Sacred Order of Saint Elizabeth, and that is precisely how the honored brethren and sisters of our faith wish it to be. Their pursuit of justice stems out of their wish to do the bidding of their lord, and for them this is sacred and nothing to be shared with those whom lack the knowledge of their order to fully understand their ways. While every action is supervised by the Inquisitors and false conduct is swiftly punished internally, the public may never learn of such procedures as it is an internal matter between them and their lord. It is almost needless to say that every flaw inside the order is punished more strictly and quickly than any outside force could ever achieve.
It is through this method of not aiming to be in a favorable light or even beloved, next to their vigilance of their own ranks, many of their aims were reached. It allows them to be an organized and unwavering force which will not be intimidated or split apart. The Monolith devoted to Mystra halted their practices of dark necromancy, after the Defenders of Kohlingen had feebly attempted to achieve that for quite some time and gave up, but the Sacred Order of Saint Elizabeth achieved this in a very short time. Even Cordor stopped its practice which broke the laws of lord Kelemvor after the blockades set up against it. Their role in moving against the Banites in Guldorand or uncovering traitors within the Triadic Knights is also undisputed.
The amian isle has changed much over the time since the order became active, and while the breaking of lord Kelemvor's laws and much injustice may still continue, the acceptance of such has began to disappear.
Scriptum Eternus Candela
Dogma
Church of Kelemvor, Tower of Skulls
Symbol of Kelemvor.
Recognize that death is part of life. It is not an ending but a beginning, not a punishment but a necessity. Death is an orderly process without deceit, concealment, and randomness. Help others die with dignity at their appointed time and no sooner. Speak against those that would artificially prolong their life beyond natural limits, such as the undead. Do honor to the dead, for their strivings in life brought Faerûn to where it is now. Forgetting them is to forget where we are now, and why. Let no human in all Faerûn die a natural death without one of Kelemvor's clerics at her side.
Scriptum Eternus Candela
The Sacred Order of Saint Elizabeth, Chapter of the Eternal Order
Recognize that death is part of life. It is not an ending but a beginning, not a punishment but a necessity. Death is an orderly process without deceit, concealment, and randomness. Protect others, so that they may die with dignity at their appointed time and no sooner. Honor the dead. Recognize that the flood of corruption will not seize without the actions of the righteous. The lord will welcome the souls of the truly faithful, but before your end of days, the jealous Legions of the Night will seek to drag down his chosen people. To protect Kelemvor's innocent flock from the Legions of the Night - be they monster or mere tempster - they must be ruthlessly destroyed by example of St. Elizabeth.
Scriptum Eternus Candela
History
1375 DR - The Beginning
In 1375 the Chapter of the Eternal Order named the Sacred Order of Saint Elizabeth was first stationed within the amian region. At the time it was very small and under direct command of Aelthas Telstaerr, the High Priest and Temple Father of the Temple of Kelemvor in Kohlingen.
Troyan Gault had served as a defender for many years, with honorable distinctions in protecting Kholingen from the undead at the manor house nearby. He was also a follower of Kelemvor, and spent much of his off duty time spreading His teachings to the people. The coin Defender Troyan had gathered from his earlier days as an adventurer and his later days as a guard in large part went to the church of Kelemvor. Along with this generosity, his zeal in fighting undead was only matched by the clergy of Kelemvor who held Defender Gault in high esteem.
When a team of volunteers was to be chosen from the Defenders to scout the mansion up on the hill for the threat of undead, Defender Troyan stepped forth with others to take the task upon themselves. Reports of this mission conclude that an ambush had been set, with approach to the mansion made without any resistance, but that upon entering an ambush occurred. This forced the group to retreat back to the outside area, where they encountered a second ambush waiting for them to return outside.
Defender Troyan is known to have fought tenaciously against the undead, calling on the righteous might of Kelemvor, and saved many other Defenders from death to escape the manor grounds, fighting through the throng of undead to make way to the gate. It was here that Defender Troyan’s sacrifice occurred, for as he held the gate open against the undead attempting to close it and trap the Defenders, the claws and teeth of many undead found purchase on his undefended flesh and his life was taken. The remaining Defenders managed to drag his body away from the undead, closing the gate behind them and securing it shut, yet it was too late. Defender Troyan was dead.
Defender Troyan was initially interred in ceremony with the other Defenders who gave their lives in defence of the city, but when Kelemvorites were granted rights to a temple within Kholingen, his body was taken and placed within a tomb within its grounds with the words 'In rest or until the servant is called again'.
It was this year that the first inquisition took place by the Chapter. The High Priest of Kelemvor at the time was manipulated by the enemies of lord Kelemvor. The visions he had received were altered and that made him think the temple of the Eternal Order and whole Kohlingen would perish if Troyan's body wasn't given to the Velsharoonians. Squire Daren Sten was named Inquisitor of the Sacred Order of Saint Elizabeth and trialed the High Priest. While he was not found guilty of treason and heresy, he was stripped of his position as Temple Father because of his failure.
It was Roland Siggers Aelthas Telstaerr as Head of the Church on Amia, the Temple and the Chapter of the Eternal Order.
1375 DR - The Conflict Arises
Under the reign of Roland Siggers the conflicts with the Defenders of Kohlingen began to become more dire. Inquisitor Daren Sten and Father Roland Siggers stood in opposition to Kald and Trent Blake of the Defenders. This was the time when the Church of Kelemvor first began to conduct inquiries to leave the City of Kohlingen and forge an alliance with the Saladrans in Benwick Hollow. The Defenders of Kohlingen however had internal conflicts at the time. Grand Master Gerian Dragonslayer and Commander Sharina M. Fryar were stripped of their positions of leadership by the Justicar. The two requested to be released from their duties and vows due to this disagreement, deemed as a coup by the two commanding officers. The Justicar had never before been in charge of the Defenders of Kohlingen, so it was unknown if he ever held the authority to do so. It was no secret he had been requested to do so by Kald and Trent Blake to create a Council within the Order.
At the time the split of the Defenders created a new age of Military Orders on the amian isle. Sir Hector Tormigan remained with the Defenders officially for a period, but created the Triadic Knights. Sharina M. Fryar left the Defenders and joined the Sacred Order of Saint Elizabeth as a squire. This would mark the downfall of the Defenders in time as these two military orders began to rise in members, wealth, influence and power.
Roland Siggers was a man of peace and wisdom. His course of action was one wishing to avoid hostilities rather than embrace them, which was shown in the Zhanthos affair. His wisdom brought a time of peace to the faithful of lord Kelemvor.
1376 DR - The Rise of the Sacred Order of Saint Elizabeth
Sharina M. Fryar.
Sharina, devoted her life to the kelemvorite church. She rose from a novice to a Knight-Templar of the Eternal Order very quickly under the guidance of Temple Father Roland Siggers. The daughter of the co-founder of the Defenders of Kohlingen, the woman who had restored the Defenders years before, was knighted within two weeks. The respect she wielded in the kelemvorite faith in such a short time became evident when upon the death of Father Roland Siggers she was named the Head of the Church on Amia, the Temple and the Chapter of the Eternal Order less than two months later. At the time the Church was still small.
This of course only fueled the disagreement with the Defenders. The Defenders, who were reaching their age of decadence and falling into none-existance, had disagreements with the kelemvorite faith before. Now their former leader, who they requested would be released of her duty, became the head of the Church they had held conflicts with.
Sharina Fryar had a strong military past, which became very evident. Her doctrins were the most severe change in the history of the kelemvorite faith on the amian isle, restructuring the Eternal Order completly to better persue their duties and reinforcing a more powerful stance towards the persuit of those which should be brought to justice. It was always the policy that any heretic or undead was to be punished, however the zeal that this was conducted in had never been so great.
Under the rule of the new Chapter Master and former Defender the relations towards her former order grew colder yet. The temple was finally moved to the northern graveyard of Benwick Hollow, and an alliance was now forged with the Saladran Temple, which was strong but also filled with disagreements, as under her rule, the first burnings of criminals were conducted, which was a drastic change from their former ways. The Eternal Order began to systematically hunt down dark necromancers, mass murderers and undead, executing more and more criminals each week. Something foreign to the amian isle at the time.
Torture has always been one of the commonfolks accusations against the Eternal Order. Wether these rumors of violent interrogations were true, remains a mystery to even this day. What is clear was that through the introduction of more Inquisitors, more thorough interrogations took place.
1376 DR - The Inquisition of South Cordor
The Inquisition of South Cordor started when the Cordorian Guard worked with the Eternal Order to seek out and remove the members of the criminal organization named the Black Flag. The success of the endeavour cannot be denied, however the means are debatable, as in one event the kelemvorite Maioth Maavel used a hellball to battle a large amount of heretics. Three followers of Velsharoon and various members of the Black Flag found their end through the powerful spell. The 'hellball' incident has gone into the amian history, almost becomming more famous than the days of Mander the Mad and his constant use of the same incantation.
1376 DR - The Nes'ek Crusade
High Inquisitor Daren Sten.
The Eternal Order, under their new Chapter Master and Temple Mother Sharina Fryar, now declared a war upon the necropolis Tarkuul. It was now a holy war that swept upon the island and preperations we conducted to intiate military strikes upon the living city. The land paths to the tarkuulian portal were sealed, various blockades were established in which all those passing by were questioned and various necromancers were found and arrested. The Eternal Order was now the embodiment of fanatism for many people.
Word soon however reached the followers of the Judge of the Dead a new threat has arisen in Nes'ek. Hordes of undead now were threatening the very existance of life there and so the crusaders were deployed to face this new foe instead of persueing their planned military strikes against Tarkuul. The defensive line was often in disagreement with the Eternal Order, as their policies were still found to be extreme, and there was a split feeling of comfort for their presence and fear due to their conduct.
Nes'ek was destroyed, the reason for this being mostly speculation, but the Eternal Order still stands firmly on their position that if their fellow defenders had listened to them and the defense had been conducted properly, and not been handled by blinded arcanists, the town could have been saved. This time also marks the first conflict with the Tower of Mystra. It is indeed true that the failing of the defense was partly the doing to a follower of Set, who had been permitted to stay even among the defenders. The Eternal Order had repeatitly demanded such a threat to be not allowed present, but was disregarded.
Eventually the origin of this dark horde of undead, a lich priest of Set, was destroyed by the combined efforts of those that defended Nes'ek prior to the destruction.
During the Nes'ek Crusade a raid of lothites resulted in the death of Aelthas Telstaerr.
1376 DR - The Plagues
The first two plagues the followers of Kelemvor helped turn was in the City of Cordor and in Wharftown. Talonite cleregy released diseased cats into the town and city and effectivly spread the highly contagious epidemic. Uhm was struck next, there however the Saladrans played a more prominent role than the Eternal Order itself, as they were still bound up in the lands of Khem in the Nes'ek Crusade.
1377 DR - The Greywatch Conflict
A few years back the Eternal Order conducted blockades on trade routes leading to the Commonwealth of Cordor. This was conducted to the a political situation there, which in their eyes opposed the laws of their lord. The conflict has seemed to have calmed down, however it was very possible that it could inflame quickly again. To this day the Commonwealth of Cordor deems these acts as fanatic and criminal, while the Eternal Order looks upon them with pride. Through the pressure applied upon the Commonwealth, they have had a criminal of the Cordor Guard successfully trialed, the bannishment of dark necromancy renewed and a punishment offensive to the laws of lord Kelemvor restored.
Excerpt from the Bendir Bugle: Trade Disrupted! "The Eternal Order has been a great and trusted ally against the vile things that wonder the Isle of Amia. The recent blockades they have engineered on the road to Cordor have had an effect on our trade. Two times the Amian Cart Service has been shut down due to their activity. I say they step to far. They have taken powers that they do not have a right to. I call on Mayor General Nof Barshedge to make a stand!
~M. Fennberry"
1377 DR - The Cleansing of the Tower of Mystra
The brethren and sisters of the Guardians of the Martyr-Saint also succeeded in their endeavor to force the Monolith away from the practice of dark necromancy. This conflict had almost turned into war, as Headmaster Halen of the Tower of Mystra had threatened with the extermination of all faithful of Kelemvor in reply to their demands and threats. It was another great victory for them, standing against a far more powerful organisation without the support of their allies and bringing a just system to the academy of wizardy and sorcerery. The relationship which resulted is a very cold one, but one with few hostilities, even after such a heated confrontation. This victory was the peak of the kelemvorite power on the amian isle.
1377 DR - The War of Benwick Hollow
This marks the first real set back for the kelemvorites. Not many months after the cleansing of the Monolith, the Eternal Order faced a foe which managed to cripple the order. This organization was the Black Caravan. The Eternal Order had arrested a mass murderer who was purchasing wares from this dark group, and sparked a conflict which turned into a war. It was demanded of the kelemvorites to pay gold for compensatory damages and apologize, which did not happen as they believed it would be a lie to apologize for conducting their duty.
The Chapel of Saint Elizabeth was destroyed, the alliance with the Saladrans fell to pieces and many members of the military branch lost their lives in the defense of their lands, mostly due to the Calimshan Armarda which bombarded their lines. It was their first defeat, and had cost them much.
1378 DR - The Retreat
Chambers of the Chapter Master.
After the defeat in Benwick Hollow, the faithful of Kelemvor retreated to Nes'ek under guidance of their Chapter Master. Having gone through structural changes they rebuild their temple, a beautiful Cathedral devoted to Kelemvor, Jergal and the Martyr-Saint. There they have forged a strong bond with the Ecclesia of Assuran and the Church of Lathander. Their power only slowly returning, the Sacred Order of Saint Elizabeth managed for a short time to force the faith of Bane to adehere to the laws of Kelemvor. This was only a short lived victory. While they quickly returned to the power they held before, their age of glory was about to pass.
1378 DR - The Destruction of the Shrine of Screams
The Companions of the Noble Heart arrive to Kohlingen to oppose the Church of Loviatar. Together with the Triadic Knights, the Eternal Order and the Companions of the Noble heart move into the underdark and destroy the host opposing them, successfully slaying the clergy and fiends within the dark sanctum.
1378 DR - The Passing of an Age
When the Chapter Master fell from the wounds she suffered by the hands of Velsharren Nathano Darkfire and one of his servants, her rule ended. Upon her death split reactions swept through Khem and the amian Isle, profound sadness and relief was found on the faces from the lower class up the ruling class of Cities and Churches of Amia and Khem. The First Knight of Kohlingen, lord Yaston, had the Holy City lower its banners to midway to show their respect for her passing.
It is with great regret that I have learned of the death of Sharina Fryar, Chapter Master of the Eternal Order. While the Lady Sharina and I did not necessarily see eye to eye on methods, I can well understand her dedication to the Order's cause and to her faith. Though some may vilify her for her work, others will praise her, and rightly so. Her passing is a momentous event and I wish to acknowledge the effects she has had upon Amia and Nes'ek during her lifetime, as well as on me personally. I shall offer my prayers for her soul and for those who loved her. May she rest in peace.
~ Xaviera Xuider-Xee, High Priestess of Sharess, Minister of Health of the Commonwealth of Cordor
The Eternal Order of the Church of Kelemvor have recently suffered a loss to their faith - the Lady Sharina, instigator of the hunger blockade against the Commonwealth, the giantess who held our merchants at blade's point along with the whole of her Order, and in an effort to ruin the crops of our farmers, gave foreign food free of charge to those who could easily afford our standard produce rates. Several farmsteads were forced to close down due to Sharina's actions against the State of the Commonwealth, either by being put out of business by the Eternal Order forcing their fields to go fallow, or by commandeering the lands to set up their unjust and unlawful blockade of our trade routes.
~ The Commonwealth of Cordor
Assalam o alaikum wa rahmat Lathander wa barakatahu, Honorable Knights in service to The Lord of the Dead.
These are dark days for the Eternal Order. Disaster has struck and reminded you all that even the greatest among you are never far from darkening the door of your lord. In dark times, it is my duty as a Dawnmaster to dwell on the rays of light that persist; and so, I duly congratulate you on the progress made on your cathedral. Should your Chapter Master not recover, I ask of you to console yourself with the fact that she lived to see the near completion of the Cathedral of the Martyr-Saint before she departed to stand ever closer to Kelemvor. In conversations with myself, she revealed how important this was to her. To her sense of duty, yes; but I suspect, also to her on a personal level.
"Despair not over your darkened day; there is always another morning."
~ Dawnmaster Si'neela Akuum of the Church of the Morninglord of Nes'ek
1379 - The Third Age of the Chapter
Roadblock.
Gagis Silvarna, the founder of the Weave Knights of Mystra and divine servant to lord Kelemvor, replaced her as Chapter Master of the Sacred Order of Saint Elizabeth.
1379 DR - The Destruction of the Banite Keep
Guldorand, a village in the Skull Crags of the amian island had been occupied by the Church of Bane. The followers of the Lord of Tyranny had constructed a keep east of it at the coast. Only through the combined efforts of the War Knights, the Triadic Knights, a fleet of Kohlingen, and the Eternal Order, along with many adventurers, could the tight grasp of the iron fist be removed and the keep destroyed.
1379 - 1380 DR - Caraigh
With the support of the Eternal Order and other organizations, Sir Robert Caris-Denoix became the Baron of Caraigh. With their aid not only did the sovereign manage to end one banite occupation of the island, but thwart a second. During the second blight the faithful of Kelemvor continued to stand behind the then abdicated baron, and were a large part of the force he led against the cultists and undead forces of Aigheshed, as well as the Avatar or Orcus. When their trusted ally left the lands, they did so as well.
1380 DR - The Cleansing of Kohlingen Manor
In 1380 DR Grand Master Yaston and Chapter Marshall Justin Fairfax of the Triadic Knights, Chapter Master Gagis Silvarna and High Inquisitor Daren Sten of the Eternal Order, Sir Robert Caris-Denoix and Father Simond of the Purity Refuge led an assault upon the Manor. Ever since Earl Manifred had found the tome years ago, it was a cursed place where the dead terrorized the living around it. Earl Manifred was freed of the corrupting force the Necronomicon had over him and willingly was killed by the Imperator to end the curse and destroy the tome. Father Simond heroically perished while covering the retreat of his companions.
1380 DR - The Decline
While the Eternal Order aided in the destruction of the Banite Keep in Guldorand, the cleansing of Kohlingen Manor and in the removal of the Church of Bane on Caraigh, the age of glory had slipped past them to this day. Their numbers, involvement and influence declined to this point where they have become a symbol of the past. However the enormous effect they to this point had on the amian isle and it's mentality towards those that break the laws of their lord is indisputable.
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