What are the tenets (honor code) of the Order?

Defend the Defenseless
Confront savagery with reason
Forgive Trespass with Humility

[Private to GM:
Rogar was born in the First Month of Spring, named Firstthaw
On the Fifth day, Starday, of the 2nd Week of Firstthaw, Day 101
The Sign of the Zodiac  of that month, Firstthaw is the Manticore

Offerings to Desteron would be figures of horses in gold or art of the highest quality, a fresh corpse on the battlefield, the fresh blood of a creature that killed a horse]
















This message was last edited by the GM at 06:14, Fri 01 Sept 2023.

Background & History

Rogar and his younger cousins, Garret and Jon, grew up on farms just outside the Tarnwood.

Farm life was hard, and put muscle on all three youths. In 4975 SE, the farms in the area were raided by marauding orcs and men from the Hangclaw mountains. The boys tried to protect their lands with their families, but they were over matched. Throughout the year raiding parties made off with livestock and goods from a number of farms in the area. Near the close of the year, a mercenary band called Roth's raiders, hired by Celbaria, tracked down the marauders. They ended the terror endured by the farming community. When they left the area in search of the next job, they had two new recruits, Rogar and Garret, both of whom had decided to never be helpless again.

For several years, both boys grew into men of no mean ability. Both learned not only how to fight effectively, but how to fight smart, and direct others to do so. They traveled up and across The League lands, never settling in except for a long campaign in the Free City of Aarn.

 During that time he made the acquaintance of a ne'er-do-well named Vostro who worked as a quartermaster for the mercenary group. Rogar found that he had a talent for getting anything not nailed down.

In 4984, a message found it's way to the company, a message for Rogar. Jon, now the leader of their farming community, was suffering from new raids from the mountains. Rogar was torn, as Roth's company was headed a different direction, and he discussed options with Garret. Garret wished to remain with the mercs, his previous life just a memory. But Rogar still felt family ties. He bought a horse and rode for home, dispatching a few orcs who got in his way. Once there, Rogar organized some of the stronger boys into a militia, teaching them basic arms, and how to use farm tools as weapons.

He drilled them and organized a defense against the next raid. A passing Knight of the Order of the Swan heard of these efforts and joined the defense. During the raid the Knight saw Rogar's gifts both for fighting and leadership. After the battle, though Rogar was in his late 20s, the Knight offered him a Squire's position, knowing Rogar would advance quickly.

---

After a year of initial training in horsemanship, arms, Code and credo, Rogar was assigned as Squire and adjutant to a Nobleman's third son, Belloc Laprock. The young nobleman would never inherit his father's title, but you never knew it from his attitude and airs of superiority. Still, he was a competent fighter who could follow orders, so his faults were forgiven. He was an unrelenting taskmaster, but he still took the time to train Rogar in the use of the lance, and taught him about 'formal' combat among nobles.

Rogar practiced both arms and moving in armor whenever he could, until he learned to regain the balance and surefootedness that armor often stole from its users.

In 4993, there was trouble visited upon Celbaria in the form of Drakine war parties.The Order of the Swan responded, and Laprock's unit was sent to intervene. After a few skirmishes that tested the strength of the Drakine war party, Laprock ordered his troops to high ground in preparation for a cavalry charge into the enemy camp. Laprock held a cold camp while his men waited for dawn. A scout arrived in the night with news of reinforcements, but Laprock was undeterred, confident of his superiority. Rogar begged him to listen to reason, but Laprock cuffed him for his insolence. So Rogar rode out that night and made for the woods, a plan forming in his mind.

 When dawn arrived, Laprock was ready to order the charge, when scouts noted unusual activity at the enemy camp- it appeared that the Drakine were abandoning the camp and racing back towards their mountains. Laprock stood puzzled, not knowing the why of this until a knight pointed behind him. Coming up the dry valley was a huge cloud of dust traveling at a horse's gallop. That cloud MUST have been created by at least a hundred knights, which explained the Drakine hasty departure. But when the cloud drew nearer it became plain that it was caused by a single rider, Rogar, who had tied several tree branches behind him with pieces of rope that kicked up the huge dust cloud. Laprock reprimanded him and reported Rogar's actions to his superiors, confident that Rogar would be dismissed from service. But the Knight Commander was impressed by Rogar's wit and bravery to try such a stunt alone. Rogar was promoted to Knight over Laprock's objections, and the two have been at odds ever since.

 In 4994 and 4995, Rogar was a common sight in Celbaria. Though he remained stoic in the face of them, he was often propositioned by women in the city.....some of them were even married. But he was smart enough to avoid such romantic entanglements.

In 4996, the Queen ordered a Gala for her daughter finally coming of Age (12 often being the age that arranged political marriages took place). The event drew attention from all over Tornathia, and potential suitors were being groomed for the gala, where they would be presented to the Princess. The city guards were overwhelmed by the influx of guests, vendors, and anyone who thought they could turn a profit from the confusion.

The Order was called in to support the guards, and Rogar was assigned to liaise with a Guard Captain named Whicz. The crown even asks for support from Roth's raiders, who now had a new leader named Garret (yes, Rogar's younger cousin). Garret and Rogar hugged each other when they met and congratulated each other on moving up in the world. Garret had been hearing rumors of major Drakine offensive that was using Orcs and goblins as well, but frequent scouts saw no sign of any enemy.

The night of the Gala, things were busy at the city gates. Traffic in and out was at a high when those guards on the gates felt a tremor. They were alarmed, because earthquakes were a rare phenomena. Suddenly, a portion of the wall collapsed into a sudden hole in the ground, and hundreds of evil creatures spilled out of the hole into the city. Orcs, goblins, Drakine, even an Ogre or two started killing anyone they could reach, until one Drakine directed them at the Castle in the center. The defenders rallied and organized quickly.

Rogar led a unit in pursuit when he saw an Ogre with club upraised, prepared to smash one of the Court ladies. He lowered his lance and led the charge, skewering the ogre through the vitals in a precisely aimed below. As his men came to blows with other enemies, he leaned down in the saddle and offered a hand to the court lady, asking

"and who might you be, milady?" She took his offered hand and stood, dusting herself off.

She replied "I am Lady Elizabet. I thank you good sir."

Rogar nodded, and added "I recognize you. You attend the Princess, do you not? Hurry to her side, and get her behind barred doors. I understand a little of the Drakine tongue, and I heard one mention Princess. I believe she is the target of this raid. Get up behind me."

Lady Elizabet took his hand and swung into the saddle behind him. With pick and shield, he led his men to cut a swath through the enemy ranks and deposited the Lady to the postern gate.

"Hasten inside, milady. Do not tarry."

Ere she left, she offered the Knight one of her silks, which he tucked beneath his chest plate. "A lady's favor" he murmured and smiled as he turned back to the defense.

Throughout the city, it took several hours to rout the seige, and Rogar coordinated with the Guard and the mercenaries to drive the denizens of the under-earth back to their hole. High above, at a castle window, a princess and her attending matron watched the fighting.

The matron said "that Knight. Sir Rogar. He is no youngster, but still he is fair to behold."

The princess sniffed "Is he? I never noticed. Still, he's a good fighter. I shall have to see some reward for him. At least for saving your life Elizabet?" the princess waved her hand in front of the mesmerized matron.

A word with her mother was all it took, and Rogar was rewarded for his part in defeating the siege. Since then, there have been minor skirmishes with both the Drakine and the Underdwellers. There has also been time to pay court to a certain Lady of the Court. Perhaps because of the changes that she had gone through (puberty, learning to govern), the princess has gone from being a supporter of Elizabet's romance to being protective of her, and suspicious of Rogar's ulterior motives. And perhaps a wee bit jealous that this man hasn't fawned over Her Royal Self, like so many idiots had.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:39, Wed 08 Feb 2023.

NPC's & Contact trees

Black Marketeer
Contact: Vostro, Aarn           11-

Guard Captain
Captain Whicz, Celbaria         11-
Contact has useful Skills or resources

Mercenary Captain
Captain Garret                  11-
Contact has access to major institutions
Contact has significant Contacts of his own
Contact has useful Skills or resources 

This message was last edited by the GM at 03:50, Fri 10 Feb 2023.

Skills, Lore & Results : Questions = Skill roll -9 / per Skill

KS: Knightly Order of the Swan 11-

1. What are the tenets (honor code) of the Order?

Defend the Defenseless
Confront savagery with reason
Forgive Trespass with Humility


2. What is the current leadership structure of the Order?

No Surnames or Family names are used, in order that names do
not interfere or cause a negative reaction to any Member


Each Knight selects a Star, that becomes his personal Order name, known only to
the Order Recorder and the Knight. Used in reports and confirming orders.

---

While the Order does observe the High Faith, it does not itself associate the Order with any one of the Blue Gods.

Currently the Order is lead by the
Order Vrijwaden    (Head of Order)    Hirdnas, he observes
Hospin, The Divine Healer, the Healer
God of healing, healers, mercy, kindness, and succor

---

KS: History, Knightly Orders 11-

1. Which countries in this world have created Knightly Orders?

Knightly Orders are known to exist only in the Westerlands.
Every Kingdom of Men is known to have Knightly order, except for one.
Khirkovy has no Orders of Knights

2. Have any Knightly Orders fallen as a result of heinous deeds?

In Vestria, The Order of Twilight Fortress. The Gates were found opened, from the inside,
Knights in beds impaled by a Spear, the Order Champion poisoned, the Sacred Twilight Lantern taken from its vault, only hands of Knights left, still wearing rings or mailed gauntlets.

In Thurgandia, the Order of the Iron Bond. Suspected as trespassers into foreign religious practices, the Order fell in one night, on the dark of the moon. The entirety of the order collected in the Fortress Resolute, were transmuted to statues of obsidian.

KS: History, Famous Deeds 11-

1. Have any Famous Deeds ever propelled a man into the upper aristocracy?

Not in the Second Epoch.
In the First Epoch plenty of Deeds raised warriors to Kings

2. What Famous Deeds are interwoven into Celbaria's history?

The March to Posedros,  the Hero Alsorvin, seeing the needs of poor and desperate
there being a famine upon the land, where crops failed and cold winds dried the soil
Alsorvin marched to the great river Posedros and he and his followers dug a channel to the fields East of Celbaria, diverted waters of the river and irrigated and flooded lands to grow crops feed the people. The River March baths are named after

Caves of the Warhorn







KS: Weapons of Distinction 11-

1. Have any such weapons disappeared (in history)  north of the Wall?

Many have disappeared, none that have a trail North of the Ravager's Wall

2. Have the Blue Gods ever created Holy Weapons for any of the Knightly Orders?

There are no stories in the Second Epoch that tell of Holy weapons created by any Blue God.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:31, Fri 05 May 2023.

Time Line: current year 5001 SE ( Second Epoch )

Persons of Interest, Persons with Influence

Lore & Secrets
03 12 23
Today: Secret Roll: Sir Rogar rolled 8 using 3d6 with rolls of 2,4,2.  Int roll 13-

The name, Taisli Tenfold, now that Rogar has said it, something twigs his knowledge of High Ilurian, if you change the sounds of some of the syllables and forget the modern spelling in Tornathian.

It forms a phrase, in High Ilurian: the ten rivers flow to one.

This phrase is meant to be an allusion to the powers of the Ilurian Kin

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:24, Sun 12 Mar 2023.

General notes



Captain Tetruvza
 - Vigliaturo Civica
 - Berengo Studio
 - Sargaso Glasswerk


Page Haviria

Deity: Desteron (horses, riding)

The Master of Horses is Thulmer de Rirsuva. Has a daughter.
Horse: Starsilver

Armory Quartermaster Tourvosini

Lord Marshall Count Fandorles-Edevivace

Libraries: Office of Grandmaster of Letters,
Permission: must granted Archivist or Academician status authority by the Court of Sarkund's Seneschal,

Seneschal Thendus di Torsi



Stable master Quinon

King Gelasius and Queen Cylathea have three scion.

Crown Prince Hieronidus is First Born, has seen 24 Summers

Princess Rebecix, has seen 20 summers

Prince  Vinzeni, has seen 16 summers

Constable Major Gervuol Polonzo

Master of Forges



3 ministers:

Seneschal di Carci, an older wizened man, not armed nor shield bearing

Minister Nacit de Musvezza, older trimmed beard, silver at temples, not armed nor shield bearing

Minister Cyvorn, middle aged, fit, smells like cedar shavings,not armed nor shield bearing (hidden weapon)
_____
This message was last edited by the player at 07:23, Sat 21 Oct 2023.