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The World of Teréth End - People & Races - Organization |
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People Serewyl Nalagwyn (Pal14)  |
Book of the Ordus Thardám Merdúl The Ordus Thardám Merdúl is a military holy order of Dekàlan knights whose mission is to promote, uphold, and protect Dekàlan religious and cultural values and interests. Founded following the Empire's fall, the Holy Order's numbers have swelled in the areas of Jadth, Lanàdus, and Panath. The Holy Order sees themselves as the last bastion against the corrupting tides of Acentran and non-Uren influences. It is believed that as long as they stand, the Dekàlas will not truly fall, and may through their efforts be rescued from the brink of extinction. This stance has evolved into a xenophobic outlook within the Order. Members of the Order despise the non-Uren races, associating those with the Elve that brought about the fall of the Empire. Even the exceptions to this hatred, the Dwürden, Gnorm, Halvers, and some Halvarel feel the barbs of the this racist animosity. Physiology: Most members of the Ordus Thardám Merdúl are of clear Dekàlan racial stock, at least "clear" as interpreted by the current officers. True Dekàlan "stock" was much more varied than what is currently acceptable within the Holy Order. Anyone with perceived Acentran (or other distinctive foreign) traits are disallowed, or worse. Psychology: The laws and codes of the Holy Order is prefaced on a series of laws once adopted by the knights of the Empire. Members of the Guard attempt to adopt these values so that they will be adopted into the higher ranks (see Culture). Many Guards never live up to the codes and therefore are never elevated above their present stations. Anyone not acting (or thinking) in accordance with the codes may be drummed-out of service; which is the highest shame that can brought upon a member of the Holy Order. The Ordus Thardám Merdúl has several tenets:
In practice, the codes of the Holy Order apply only to Dekàlans. For instance, there are no ramifications for lying-to or harming non-Dekàlans, especially in the Empire's lands. Additionally, justice laid-down by the Order is not meted evenly to Dekàlan and non-Dekàlan parties. A homicide committed by a foreigner against a Dekàlan will be summary and final, the same act by a Dekàlan against an "unimportant" foreigner may result in fine or imprisonment. Class plays a large role in such determinations as well. Culture: The culture of the Holy Order is that of a military (and often mercenary) force. The lowest ranking members (the Red Guard) are those initiates wishing to move up the ladder. Most new members serve within the Red Guard for years before being promoted into the higher ranks (the Red Knights). Exceptional initiates may "test" out of this stage by besting a Red Knight in a trial of combat. Successfully moving into the Red Knights by this manner is rare. The Red Knight who fails the challenge is stripped of their rank and demoted to Guard status. It is common in such circumstances that the ex-Knight either leaves the order in shame, or commits suicide. An ex-Knight who commits ritual suicide in this circumstance has his knighthood restored (posthumously), and receives all the honors thereof. Ranks within the Holy Order there are modeled after ranks of the Dekàlan military forces. The Red Guard are divided into urthan (private), thurn (corporal), urthàrdan (sergeant). The Red Knights serve as officers of the Holy Order, holding the ranks of tharaz (lieutenant), tharkar (major), thardan (captain), thard (colonel), narthard (general), karthàrdá (knight commander). The Holy Order seeks to reestablish the strict class system known throughout the Empire. In the time of Empire, all people were divided into slaves, peasants, freemen, merchants, soldiers, and noblemen. The Ordus Thardám Merdúl is trained to associate people within those categories still, even if those classes are unknown in a given area. This practice is one of the more upsetting qualities of the Order. Language: Though most members of the Holy Order speak the local tongue and dialect, it is required of officers within the Ordus Thardám Merdúl to have a conversational understanding of Dekàlan (or a variation of it). Along with an understanding of the tongue of their forefathers, comes the necessity to read and scribe the Dekàlan script. Magic: Magic is not widely practiced within the Ordus Thardám Merdúl though it is not uncommon for the Red Knights to be ordained by their host temples as holy knights (paladins) of the Order of Dekàlas. These knights are granted appropriate titles; or'tharaz (holy lieutenant), tharkor (holy major), thardon (holy captain), thardor (holy colonel / holy knight), narthardor (holy general), and or'karthàrdá (holy knight commander). Due to the religious foundation of the order, holy positions are given preference to standard offices. History: The Azàlari Contingent The Jadthàri Contingent In Jadth, the Order of the Red Knights serves many functions. The organization is the most visible enforcement body within the city. The Order answers to the temple and High Lady on all matters of interest to the city-state, and receives support from both of these. The Order however has a well-honed sense of right and wrong, and deals with most issues on its own. Many members of the Order have gained the reputation of being incorruptible (a hard thing to come by in Jadth). For the temple of Sudul, the primary duty of the Order is the protection of the Old City and the peacekeeping between the dozens of the religions that have adopted the area as their own. The Order is uncomfortable with this duty as their mandate only requires them to protect and serve the High Pantheon, so in all matters where the rights or wishes of Sudulites and others clash, the faithful of Sudul find support. The knights deal harshly with those of non-Dekàlan descent, especially the Sha'al. As of 650 DR, the narthard of the Jadthari order was Serewyl Nalagwyn of Ildûn. Under Serewyl's command, the Order has grown in numbers and presence. Headquarters: The Jadthari order are quartered at Kry Ajèrad, an old stone keep outside the city built (circa 170 HK) during the Great Sha'al War. It is within this curtain-walled keep that Narthardor Serewyl Nalagwyn rules the second largest contingent of Red Knights in the world; the largest group being the Lanàdá Contingent. The Kandàlan Contingent The Lanàd'a Contingent The Order was founded in Lanàdus in the early 2nd century DR, following the Empire's fall in an effort to reclaim influence and communication lost during the fall of the Portals. When founded, nine groups of "knights" were dispatched throughout the empire but only four were successful (Azàlari, Jadth, Kandal, Panath) the others (Ildûn) were lost in the Crescent Coast attempting to retrieve artifacts from the city, (Oth) were lost at sea, (Taldàna) were intercepted and killed by Elve forces, (Ummon) unknown, (Zyrr) reached Zyrr but disappeared. The Panàthan Contingent
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Races The main races of Teréth End are: Uren (Humans) |
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| Ref. PHB (Player's Handbook), © Wizards of the Coast  |
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