Apostle Knights of the Red Sanctuary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Or~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Order of the Sanctuary Isle~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Red Templars ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Long has it been since the ancient order of the Dakdakrok took up arms against an outside threat and just as long has it been since they possessed a true home. Now, as the great walls of hewn stone rise above the Sanctuary Isle* the necessity of security has not gone unnoticed. By decree of the Hierophant and the Alk-Paok, a permanent fellowship of initiates and disciples shall be raised to safeguard the continued unrepressed and undisturbed existence of the Dakdakrok.
From this day on 538 AI, the Apostle Knights under the command of Knight Commander Val Eimric will ensure peace within the confines of the Sanctuary and its immediate surroundings in the buffer zone. Until construction of the appropriate facilities is complete certain parts of the operation will be conducted out of the township south of the buffer zone and the temporary camps near the isle.
Even though it is officially known as the Order of the Sanctuary Isle and its members the Apostle Knights of the Red Sanctuary, villagers and peasants in the surrounding regions have taken to calling the patrolling warriors "Red Templars".
*Also known as the Isle of Mists.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OrganizationAs the Order recruits and exists entirely within the ranks of the Disciples its organizational structure is fairly simple. Nevertheless certain positions exist independently of the primary command structure to streamline its operations.
Knight-Commander The Knight-Commander is charged with the general activities of the Order. This highest ranking officer of the "Red Templars" ensures the effectiveness of the Order and is expected to lead its members into battle should the need arise. He is given authority directly from the Hierophant to act within the confines of Minervan law and the Dakdakrok code to maintain peace and safeguard the Sanctuary from threats from within and without.
The current Knight-Commander of the Order is the illustrious
Val Eimric, a decorated Minervan military veteran and fully fledged Dakdakrok. Bestowed upon him is the honour of being the very first Knight-Commander charged with commanding the Dakdakrok militia.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Knight-Commander's badge.The Order's forces are divided into divisions based on their equipment and assigned role. The largest of these is the heavy cavalry division utilized to patrol the coastal buffer zone near the Sanctuary Isle. Clad in full steel plate armor adorned with traditional red Dakdakrok cloth, these warriors make for formidable adversaries. Able to fight on and off horseback, these highly trained men and women maintain the first line of defense against any would-be invaders. Approximately two thirds of the Order belong to this division.
Alongside their mounted brethren is the heavy infantry and missile division. Permanently based on the Sanctuary Isle, they provide security for the construction site and Sanctuary once it is completed. These divisions maintain a large arsenal of fire based weaponry to ward off approach by sea but can quickly adapt to close quarters skirmishes should such a situation develop. Both divisions are equipped with distinctive red painted shields bearing the symbol of a sword embedded in an endless knot. The knot has long been tied with the Dakdakrok but is now for the first time displayed with a weapon of war.
Utilizing the vast knowledge of its members, the Order gains a critical advantage in reflex and strength enhancing potions and arcane enchantments woven into their arms and armour. Yet it is not without the assistance of skilled blacksmiths, horse wranglers and farmers that the Order can be maintained at all. An influx of craftsmen and peasants has seen seed of a village being planted in the buffer zone.
However, as of its initial founding in 538 AI a large majority of the Order's equipment remains unenchanted owing to the Dakdakrok carvers, geometers and enchanters remain hard at work putting their skills to use constructing the Sanctuary.
Members of the Order are by and large military veterans from across the Empire's various states. Each having undertaken the migration to the sacred Sanctuary Isle and taken it upon themselves to fully integrate with the Dakdakrok. So it is that the loyalties of these individuals belongs entirely to the Dakdakrok, yet no precedent has been set for the involvement of the Order in foreign affairs.
It is indeed likely that as the construction of the Sanctuary winds down that yet further divisions will be raised to safeguard the Disciples interests.
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Annals of the OrderHistory-Cycle of the Tide-02|07: The Order of the Sanctuary Isle is founded.
Former Knight-Commanders~~None~~--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
