Rofirein: Sects

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Knights of the Wyrm ====

The Knights of the Wyrm are the militant arm of the Faith of Rofirein. They were formed in response to the evil and lawlessness of the lands at a time of great struggle across the world and have existed to fight directly the battles of the Faith of the Lord Protector. In the late 500s under the stability and resurgence of the line of the Diamoniar Emperors in Dregar, the order was founded by the then Golden Voice of Justice with the blessing of the emperor. Many agreed that in a world of turmoil and suffering there was a great need for these knights to protect both the clergy who traveled afar and also those innocents beset by the evils of the world.

At the time, there lived a paladin who had shown great valor and bravery, living by the morals and goals of the Great Wyrm himself. Sir Drais Mordrin was well respected by all those who knew him, his deeds common knowledge throughout Dregar and his influence felt beyond. Ancient records within the Cathedral of Rofirein indicate that the high justicar believed that Rofirein himself had chosen the man to serve him and bequeathed his sword and shield with qualities that would help him vanquish his enemies and bring justice to the land. Perhaps, the most well known of the deeds of Sir Drais was a well-planned and organized attack on a temple of Pyrtechon that had secretly set itself up in Northern Dregar. In a move both bold and brave, he led his personal force of loyal Rofireinites, a score of battle-hardened clerics and fighters who had devoted themselves to his cause and the Lord Protector, into the heart of the enemies lair. Severely outnumbered and backed up only by their resolve and their belief in the Lord Rofirein, they fought their way into the heart of the temple. There they battled and defeated the high priest and his most loyal followers. Legend has it that it was the glowing blade of Sir Drais that smashed the large basalt statue of Pyrtechon to pieces with a single blow. Returning triumphant to Dregar, Sir Drais and his remaining men carried the head of the basalt dragon as tribute to the high justiciar of the Cathedral of Rofirein and the Emperor.

Not long after, Sir Drais and his followers were dubbed Knights of the Wyrm. Of course, there could be no other choice for the man to lead them but Sir Drais, and so he was granted the title and commission of Wyrm Commander. It is said that the night after Sir Drais was given the charter by the emperor and the high justiciar, he prayed and was visited by a servant of the Lord Protector himself. It was here that he was given divine approval for his future mission. The servant of Rofirein blessed him and gave him the oath with which to bond together the force of knights he was to create. From that moment forward, Sir Drais wasted no time, enlisting aid from warriors, clerics and others loyal to the Lord Protector. Sir Drais worked tirelessly and was benefited with the support of the emperor and the high justicar of one of the most powerful churches in the land; thus, as an order they grew rapidly. Their influence was felt in far-reaching places around the world: Alindor, Mistone, The Rohden Alliance, and to some extent Belinara and Voltrex. Knights rode to the aid of battered innocents, dispensed justice amongst the lawless, brought order to chaos, and brought hope and light to a world clouded in darkness. Even today lore masters, archaeologists, scholars, and adventurers stumble across small temples or shrines in remote regions around the globe, which stand as testimony to the vast territory they covered in their missions.

As an order, they were well respected for their combat, divine and even magical abilities, their faith, their adherence to the divine Law of Rofirein, and their devotion to the protection of the innocent. Most importantly, in places where the law had failed and justice had been driven away, they brought order and impartiality. They were generally welcomed in any good serving land that valued true justice. However, as with most things over time, their activities and fame also brought with it many enemies. Traveling Knights of the Wyrm would often find themselves targeted by servants of other faiths. None was more fanatical in their hatred of the Knights than the Pyrtechonites. Servants of this god took extreme pleasure in capturing, torturing, and murdering any Knights of the Wyrm that they could. With the collapse of the Diamoniar throne in 1123, the numbers of the knights were severely reduced through numerous battles defending the temples and clergy across Dregar and beyond. It was discussed by high-ranking clergy of the church that the order would have to be disbanded and the members enlisted back into the other orders of the church, especially into the Guardians of the Wyrm who the protectors felt had grown lax in their attention to martial duties. The high justiciar and other clergy also feared that the reputation of the Knights would bring more reprisals and uprisings from enemies established during the last 500 hundred years. It was a dark time in the life of the once bright and legendary Knights of the Wyrm. In the years that followed, thrones collapsed, their leaders wiped out, their outposts were overrun or destroyed. Many of their members were captured, tortured and killed.

As fate would have it, during times of great darkness there often rises from them those who radiate the light that holds the darkness at bay. So it came to be that from among the remaining knights there was a man who had formerly been a protector in the cathedral in Prantz itself and had attained the rank of section commander within the order. He had achieved his rank not so much through his combat abilities but through his powers of persuasion, his calmness, and the powerful faith he exuded. His section of knights still stood firm behind him while other sections wavered and had lost much of their hope. The leaders of the church recalled all knights to Dregar. Fearing that the clergy would disband the dishevelled order, Knight of the Wyrm Section Commander Sir Hadris Warden called to him every remaining leader within the Knights. A meeting took place by Corax Lake, which apparently lasted for several days before a decision was reached. They agreed that the leading clergy of the cathedral in Prantz were more afraid of facing danger themselves than standing up for what they preached to people every day in the name of the Lord Protector. Their fear was that in the clergy's ignorance they were going to disband the Knights.

Sir Hadris Warden used all his guile and skill to shame the other Wyrm leaders into standing firm to their oath. As a result, he was elected to the position of Wyrm Commander of the Knights, an honor he did not expect because he had merely set out to convince the commanders to unite and stand firm. Sir Hadris, inspired by his love and belief in the Lord Protector then led the famous procession of knights. All the Knights of the Wyrm that could be assembled rode in full ceremonial formation from Lor to the Cathedral in Prantz to face the clergy meeting within to decide their fate. Upon entering the city, the people, seeing the famous knights in full ceremonial array riding their magnificent horses through the streets of Prantz, felt a wave of inspiration and hope. More and more people gathered to shout encouragement and watch the brave knights, symbols of light and honor for so long, march to the cathedral. Emerging from within the cathedral at the sounds of the crowd outside, the senior clergy were faced with an assembled group of over 200 knights led by Sir Hadris as well as a crowd of several thousand onlookers cheering them on. There, before the great twin dragon statues, the clergy, many ashamed at their weakness of faith, could do nothing but agree that it was the will of Rofirein that the Knights of the Wyrm continue in their duties under Sir Hadris, and so it came to be. However, regardless of this, the knights were limited in numbers and both theirs and the clergy's power were greatly diminished for some time.

It was not until King Karem Waylend ascended to the throne in Prantz that the Cathedral of Rofirein began to resume some of its former power; in so doing, the Knights of the Wyrm could once again begin to rebuild. By the time the current high justiciar assumed his post in the Cathedral of Rofirein, the order itself was beginning to show signs of stability. The Golden Voice, recognizing the dangers facing the lands with Blood's return and following divine instructions, petitioned King Wayland for a new decree for the order. Seeing the value of a strong order of knights in the capital, the King agreed to the decree. While the decree re-invigorated the order, for some time, there has not been a Wyrm Commander or Chief Advisor appointed. Rather, the high justiciar of the Cathedral has been making determinations of actions and policy in discussion with the four Divisional Knight Commanders. However, after the taking of Prantz by Lord Rael, the reinvigoration has come to a halt again and the appointment of a new Wyrm Commander seems far off.

  • Hierarchy
    • Wyrm Commander
    • Chief Advisor to the Wyrm Commander
    • Divisional Knight Commander
    • Knight of the Wyrm Section Commander
    • Knight of the Wyrm Unit Captain
    • Knight of the Wyrm
    • Squire (Often called wyrms/worms in jest by the knights above them.)
    • Applicant (One who has made application to the order and whose application has been accepted but who has not yet undergone the trials.)
  • Honorary Titles
    • Heart of the Dragon -- One given the privilege of bearing the Golden Banner of the Knights and Rofirein into battle.
    • Umbra of the Dragon -- One given the title of a spiritual advisor to the knights.

Jennara Creekskipper: Heart of the Dragon, Knight of the Wyrm Section Commander -- One of the most well known personas around the world for her charity work after the Bloodwars, Jennara is a quiet, wise halfling woman with an unwavering faith in the Lord Protector. She is trusted explicitely by rulers around the world and has more than once been called upon to offer counsel.