The Order of The Ring of Truth

A fanatical, turned respectable, turned fanatical paladin order based out of central Alabast; the order is bound by one pledge. "To always seek the Ring of Truth; If found, use it for the greater good. If threatened, protect it at all cost of life and limb".
The order is quieter, these days, than they were in their heyday. In fact, members of the order haven't been seen in over 20 years. Or at least none can say so credibly. If one were to run into them in these modern times, care should be taken not to be seen as a 'threat to the truth', else you might quickly find yourself as an enemy of the order.
When they were active, a member of the order would most typically be spotted sporting a chain cuirass complete with chain coif, over which they would wear a quartered blue and white tabbard. The tabbard itself would often be adorned with either a silver fleur-de-lis in the lower blue section, or a silver ring if the member was of high enough rank.
When at war, or otherwise making battle, members of the order would often don splint mail armors and cylindrical great helms to thwart the blades of their foes. And while many of the order's paladins would exercise freedom in their choice of weaponry, utilizing a wide array of long swords, maces, and morning stars, the highest ranking members of the order were each crafted a solid silver epsilon axe.
Most everywhere, however, the shield they carried is always the same; a medium sized round targe, painted blue and decorated with a silver ring that runs along the circumference of the shield. Most often the shield is made of hardwood coated in thick resin and banded with iron, but during their crusade, it was common to find shields of this style reinforced with lead.

Public Agenda

"To always seek the Ring of Truth; If found, use it for the greater good. If threatened, protect it at all cost of life and limb."

History

TiberoaAlabastThe Old Alabastian EmpireThe Circle of Alabastseize

The order operated nobly in the long years following their brutal formation, and in the wake of their bloody acquisition of the Ring of Truth, the order was of great aid to the peoples of their homeland and beyond. Using the ring, the order was able to root out and pacify corrupt officials, restoring many local holdings to their rightful inheritors. And for many generations to follow, people sought the order's aide with things like inheritance disputes, matters of the heart, and even wartime strategy. They aided all who sought it, from the poorest of beggars to the wealthiest of rulers, and the order's dedication to truth in Alabastian justice was so great that the highest members of the order were dubbed paladins of the realm.
Over the last several decades, however, the blood of the forefathers seems to have tainted the sons of the future. The order began rejecting the gods of the land in favor of a single ideal above all else; one that members of the order refer to simply as 'The Truth'. This led to eventual confrontations with the laws of the land, as well as several cults and temples, though the order was already well known to have orchestrated attacks against near any faction which might have threatened what some considered to be their new "religion". These conflicts eventually caused the order to splinter and falter. Before long, many of their members were killed, either by battle or by execution. One day, though, they retreated to the seclusion of their tower in Greenwood Fen and never reopened their doors. No one truly knows why they locked themselves away, though many say due to prosecution. Others posit that the order simply now rejects the whole of the outside world, deeming them unworthy of the truth.
Since then, there have been very few sightings of anyone thought to be associated with the order. And there are fewer still who have had a run in with one of their number and survived. Indeed, there are almost none who dare seek out their tower to find out for themselves. Though by all accounts, the locals seem care little about what happened to them, instead rejoicing in their self appointed isolation. As the order vanished, so too did all mention of the Ring of Truth, its legacy tainted in the hearts and minds of Alabastians everywhere. And to this day, the truth of their disappearance remains shrouded in mystery.

A detailed timeline of events can be found here:

History of The Order of The Ring of Truth

Religion

The order has all but rejected all modern and archaic forms of religion. Instead, they've come to covet the ideal of truth above the words and laws of any god. This led to much criticism and public mistrust, eventually directly contributing to the order's downfall and subsequent seclusion.
The details of this 'religion' are hazy, as none who have ever attempted to infiltrate the order have ever returned. On one account, from a settlement near Greenwood Fen, members of the order make pilgrimage to a ritual site deep within the woodlands around their hold. On another account, a Nosgorovian boyar claims that just before they went into isolation, when a few individuals were still anonymously dealing with the order, he witnessed a strange ceremony in which several members of the order spilled their own blood into a large stonework basin before bathing their holy ring in it.
Only once has a member of the order made allusion to their religious views, stating that "In the end, truth binds us all. If you fear the truth of truths, then what you fear is righteousness. In order to truly be saved, one must simply accept the truth."

Für den rengen; nálat et védsen (For the ring; to use and protect it)

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Founding Date

2E 724

Type

Civilian, Knightly Order

Alternative Names

The Crusaders of Truth, The Knights of Truth

Training Level

Elite

Veterancy Level

Veteran

Government System

Stratocracy

Power Structure

Semi-autonomous area

Judicial Body

The Paladins of Truth, a small council comprised of the highest ranking members of the order.

Location

Greenwood Fen

Neighboring Nations

• The Circle of Alabast