The Order of the Green Knight
Tenets
All members of the Order swear to uphold its tenets, listed in order of importance:
1. Protect the Feywild from harm
2. Maintain the balance between nature and civilization
3. Protect the citizens of the Fey Pactland
4. Protect Keldan
Members of the order have conveyed on them a variety of titles, denoting their specialities and rank within the organization -
- The Green Knight
- The Green Scions
- The Maestro
- The Climactic Magus
- The Rising Adept
- The Introductory Apprentice
- The Gallant
- The Gilded
- The Sibyl
- Druids of the Green
- The Ivy
- Nightshade
- Ipomoea
- The Sprouts
The Green Knight
The Green Knight himself leads the order directly. A largely silent figure, he can nevertheless communicate with all members of the order, giving commands and spreading information to those who require it. He is always dressed in elaborate Fey-styled armour, with designs of leaves, branches, and other flora.
The Scions
The Scions are ranked just below the Green Knight. They represent an elite group who take on only the most dangerous of missions, both on the Material Plane and in the Feywild. This rank is typically conveyed temporarily, seen as a promotion for many in the order and only conferred when there is a specific need. Groups of Scions will be made up of one individual each from under the Maestro, the Gallant, the Sibyl, and the Ivy. (This matches up with the standard adventuring party make-up of a mage, warrior, healer, and rogue.) Achieving the rank of Scion almost always involves becoming a Sprout Caretaker for a period of time, but some are pulled in from their various subdivisions in times of great need.
The Philharmonic
The arcane practitioners of the Order of the Green Knight make up the first branch, known as the Philharmonic - colloquially, the Pipers. Lead by the Maestro, the Pipers are primarily warlocks who claim the Green Knight or another member of the Summer Court as their patron. A number of sorcerers as well as a handful of wizards also serve in its ranks. The Pipers’ primary duty is the maintenance of portal pools between the Material Plane and the Feywild, though they are called upon to investigate any odd magical phenomena, from curious artifacts to strange happenings within their jurisdiction. As Pipers gain power and expertise, they rise through their own series of ranks: beginning as Introductory Apprentices, they become Rising Adepts before the best and brightest attain the title of Climactic Magus.
The Gilded
The second branch of the Order is both its silver tongue and strong sword arm. The Gilded, the main armed force, are almost all paladins who have sworn the Oath of the Ancients. Led by the Gallant, they act primarily as wandering protectors of the realm. Many are trained in the art of diplomacy alongside their skills with a blade, allowing them to serve also as the face of the organisation. They aim to be pillars of their community, saviours of the realm, protectors of the weak, and the centre of any celebration.
The Druids of the Green
The third branch care for and guide their comrades as the Druids of the Green, led by a powerful druid and seer known as the Sibyl. Most members are trained in the circles of Dreams or the Forest, becoming skilled healers, protectors, and fierce combatants depending upon need. Druids of the Green typically travel alongside the Gilded to see to their wounds and guide them when they are lost. On a grander scale, the Sybil themself is blessed with a great deal of skill in divination magics, using those insights along with the wisdom of the Green Knight to direct members of the Order where they will be needed most.
The Ivy
The final and least conspicuous branch are known as the Ivy, the Order’s main body of scouts. One half of them walk in the sunlight: the Ipomoea are skilled explorers, navigators, and dungeon delvers who discover the unknown, deliver critical communication, and offer their numerous practical capacities in support of other Order members. When more covert operations are required, however, the Nightshade come out to play. Skilled in stealth and the elimination of hostile threats, they strive to be the last thing enemies of the Fey encounter. When a suspected spy or assassin enters the Fey Pactland, a Nightshade will typically be assigned to follow, observe, and then eliminate the target if their business violates one of the tenets of the Order.
The Sprouts
Before they were members of the Order of the Green Knight, almost all Pipers, Gilded, Greens, and Ivy were Sprouts. The Sprouts are honorary members of the Order, a group of children who are brought under the supervision of a Scion to teach them the tenets of the order, useful skills in survival and self-defence, diplomacy and etiquette, and the life that can await them if they continue in their service to the Fey Pactlands. Membership in the scouts is not mandatory, but is free and open to all living in the Fey in adolescence. Children do join, although no combat is taught until a Sprout reaches their young adulthood. Sprouts are typically instructed by Scions in groups of one to six, known as Gardens, with Gardens becoming smaller as the members grow older and more experienced. They are considered Bloomed when they finish their training and become full members of the Order of the Green Knight.
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