Militant Order of the Shield
The squire stared at the old man. The grey at his temples betrayed his advancing years, and his pale blue eyes scanned the horizon, squinting slightly into the cold sea wind as it raked across the anchorage of Blackfoam. Beside him, the knight gently chided the squire. "Why do you stare?" The squire looked down, abashed, kicking at the cobbles with one booted foot. "Why does he stare at the sea, Syr Carigat?" The knight looked up, gazing across the sea. "I do not know. But Syr Brenfor is one of the eldest of our order. A veteran. Perhaps the wind is about to change. Perhaps there is war out there, upon the sea, or across it, within the Empire. Syr Brenfor himself may not even know for what he searches - but simply that he must find it." The knight looked down at his squire again. "When you have been a warrior for long enough, you feel the battlefield change in your very bones, long before you see it with your eyes, or hear it with your ears. What is our oath?" The squire drew himself up, straightening his doublet before answering. "We will remember the old soldier." Syr Carigat nodded, smiling, before lifting his eyes to regard Syr Brenfor again, and repeating: "Indeed, Jot. We will remember the old soldier." "We will remember the old solider, with alms and honours."Established several thousand years prior to the formation of the Second Empire, the Militant Order of the Shield is a chivalric order and associated militia granted independent lands to the south of Tor Deis. The order maintains diplomatic ties with the Empire, most strongly with Tor Deis and the Scalebound Synod, in whose service the Order was originally founded. Dedicated to protecting the innocent, charity to the veteran warrior, and defending the material world from extraplanar outsiders, the Order of the Shield was established following the fall in battle of Tylos, known now as Tylos the Enduring, and maintains impartiality in all conflicts, instead defending the commoner from the predations of warfare.
Tylosian Oaths
All knights within the order swear the following oaths:- Protection - this world is cruel to the weak. The strong must rise up to their defence.
- Charity - the prince forgets the sergeant when the battle is done. We will remember the old soldier with alms and honours.
- Vigilance - those outside our world threaten those within. Suffer not the interloper, whether fell, fey, or fiend.
- Impartiality - when the prince wages war it is the pauper who dies. The side we fight for is the side of justice. Gold and power matter not.
Modern Diplomatic Relations
The Order of the Shield remains independent from the Tyrrethi Empire, although closely aligned. At various times throughout history, their relationship with various of the Principalities which make up the Empire has been tested. The schism that was driven between Deis and the Order during the tenure of Grand Master Cozu Sonzhold has largely been closed, with the Order of the Shield once again working closely with the armed forces of Tor Deis, in particular having a close alliance with the Vigilant Order of Selyne. On the mainland, the Order maintains close ties with Serryn, with a permanent chapter-house within the Port 'o' Blood and Sand, where two units of Regulars and their attached knights are rotated on a regular basis to assist with keeping the peace within the port. Relations with the other Principalities remain cordial. The Order rejects the influence of the Magistratum over its mages, leading to some ill will between the Order and the Principality of Sionis. The Treaty of Retchley, signed in 1211 TER following an action by the Militant Order of the Shield within Tor Sionis driving away Efruni aggressors, sees Order mages freed from many of the restrictions of the Magistratum so long as they do not openly practice magic which would contravene Empire law. They are no longer required to submit spellbooks for inspection, for instance, and may practice necromancy within the Empire within the confines of their own people. Since the most recent annexation of the Sommelunds into the Empire, the Order has maintained a presence within the capital of Tor Revaine to try and defend the common folk from the ongoing unrest. This has proved challenging, as both factions within the Sommelunds resent their outside interference. The Order is known to have spies within the lands of the Ammardine, although it has made no overt moves against the recreant faction. A small chapter-house is also maintained within Tor Harrian in order to monitor the activity of the Wicked Vales. Relations with the Archipelago de Dyrconus are much less cordial. Ships from the Archipelago have been known to attack Order vessels on sight, and the order will not hesitate to fight back against the Dyrconians.Structure
The military structure of the Order is divided into three branches. At its core is the Chivalric Order of the Shield. This knightly order is recruited mainly from the children of families living along the Shield Coast. On occasion, children from the wider Empire may be recruited, or offered, as squires. Within the modern order, only those who have been recruited as squires may take the oaths to become Knights of the Shield.
The Order also maintains a corp of non-chivalric soldiers recruited from the Empire at large. The Regular Army of the Shield supports the Order of the Shield in military actions.
In addition to these, the order maintains the Navy of the Shield. This private flotilla is used to ferry ships across the Burning Sea to the mainland, as well as for some limited naval combat.
The Chivalric Order
The main Chivalric Order of the Shield has fluctuated in size since its inception but for the last century has remained steady at around 1000 knights in total. The Order is commanded by a Grand Master, who by tradition heads the chivalric order for a decade before stepping down. The Grand Master is appointed from the ten member Council of Knight Commanders. Membership of the council is determined by way of ballot when an incumbent member dies, the vote being cast by the wider Assembly of the Order. Council membership is lifelong. Specific seats within the council have specific duties within the order. These include the Commander of Diplomacy, the Commander of Knowledge, the Commander of Spies, the Knight Steward, the Chaplain of the Shield, the Commander of Battle, and the Knight Commodore. The Assembly is a 100 person body made up of those knights who have been advanced to the rank of Knight Major. These experienced warriors lead the Knights of the Order into battle and through their votes determine membership of the Council of Knight Commanders. Membership of the Assembly is generally determined by rank, and events which cause rank to be stripped, such as dishonouring an oath, will result in removal from the Assembly as well. All current members of the Order were recruited as children to serve other knights as squires, before passing their ordeal to become knighted. This leads to a strong camaraderie between the Knights of the Shield, as well as fostering the continuation of the traditions of the order. Loyalty and respect is paramount but outside of formal events or upon the battlefield, knights of different ranks mix freely within Caerhys and across the rest of the world. Knights are allowed to own land and possessions and have children, although in practice most knights restrict their holdings and possessions to the fortress of Caerhys. Once they have passed their ordeal and sworn their oaths, squires may advance through the ranks of the chivalric order as Knights, then Knight Captains. During extended periods of deployment, an additional rank of Knight Sergeant may be utilised within the Order. Eventually, distinguished service may lead to recognition as Knight Majors.The Regular Army of the Shield
In 850 TER on their return to Caerhys from a battle on the mainland, Grand Master Donnum wrote in his journal:While the effectiveness of Knight Commandant Syr Grenver's detachment cannot be understated, the regulars assigned to sally out broke rapidly. Syr Grenver takes his warriors from the children of the smallholders and trains them and is fond of saying "The windswept sapling will grow to resist the gale." Perhaps there is some truth in this.Donnum established the Regular Army of the Shield, separating the military forces of the order into two bodies. Those warriors who had been trained from a young age would become a chivalric order, with the remainder being arranged into a traditional army structure. This new policy had benefits for the Order. Soldiers within the regular army were no longer oathbound, and could be released in between conflicts to return to their farms and villages to support their families. Those within the Chivalric Order could be further shaped into an elite military group, with squires who did not pass their ordeal being released back into the Regulars. The new structure was tested succesfully in 857 TER, when the Order deployed to the port city of Aeldermeet to protect the inhabitants from a fleet of Dyrconic reavers. Several detachments were deployed consisting of units of 50 regular soldiers led by four knights and a Knight Captain. This proved very succcesful, with the reavers ultimately being routed from Aeldermeet with minimal loss of life, and this core structure of the Army of the Shield remains apparent today. During the Reformation of Grand Master Cozu Sonzhold the Regular Army saw a surge in recruitment, driven partly by her newly instated policy of opening recruitment into the army to all applicants regardless of previous allegiance or criminal activity, pursuant to them swearing and holding true to their vows to the Order. This placed her in conflict with the Scalebound Synod, who objected to this patriation of potential criminals and heretics from the Empire into an allied body. Sonzhold stood her ground, however, and arguably the Regulars have benefited from the policy, growing in size and incorporating new skills and disciplines from the new recruits. Sonzhold was also politically savvy, notably offering a commission into the Regulars to the third son of King Trevennah III of Sommelunds, accused of treason against the Sommelunds by the Empire, currying favour with the Emperor of the era. In the modern era, the Regular Army can call up as many as 10,000 trained soldiers into service, although in practice far fewer than this are on active duty at any one time. The Regulars maintain a command structure of commissioned officers, with the highest ranking officer, the Marshal General, having an honourary 11th position within the Council of Knight Commanders. The current Marshal General is the half-elven warrior Falril
The Navy of the Shield
As relations with Tor Deis cooled, Sonzhold recognised the value in developing independence from the Deisian Navy. She was instrumental in the fortification of the anchorage at Blackdown and the establishment of the Navy of the Shield. Initially comprised of mercenary vessels drawn from the ports of Blood and Sand and Aeldermeet, and to a lesser extent Sunrise Anchorage, Sonzhold rapidly set about building her own fleet of ships to service the needs of the Order. Sonzhold appealed to the Tyrrethi Emperor, with whom she had curried favour by sheltering the renegade prince Darmocco Trevennah, to be granted Letters of Marque for her mercenary navy. They became corsairs, plying the Burning Sea and further south, preying mainly on Dyrconic vessels, the plunder from their attacks funding the construction of more vessels. Blackdown became a center of naval industry in a few short years. Sonzhold also pressed into service the knights of the Order as both labourers and sailors, fostering a familiarity with the sea that persists in the order today. By 1248 TER, the Navy of the Shield consisted of over 80 vessels, a combination of purpose-built galleys and galleons for the transport of soldiers and knights, captured Dyrconic vessels refitted for service to the Order, and a dwindling number of privateers. By 1261, the navy no longer relied on mercenary vessels and was entirely comprised of either purpose built vessels, or refitted Dyrconic vessels. In her journal from that year, Sonzhold, who after her tenure as Grand Master stepped down into the new role of Knight Commodore and continued her work on the Order's naval capacity, wrote:As of the 34th Day of Enki, our latest two vessels are afloat at Blackdown. This brings our registry to a total of 104 vessels. Our engagement at Ravensley Point against the Dragonborn flotilla that sacked Getrun Fort, and our subsequent deployment of over 6000 warriors to Aeldermeet to bolster her forces is the fruition of a life dedicated to realising the ability of the Order to move independently throughout the Empire on Her mission.The modern Navy of the Shield boasts 110 vessels in total. The current Knight Commodore is the elf Sylwynn
Assets
The Order holds lands and the right to raise taxes and tithes over a small region of the subcontinent to the south of Tor Deis and the
Hallowed Lands that is now known as the Shield Coast after the Order who controls it. The majority of the small villages and towns within the region subsist upon fishing along the coastline.
The capital of the region, and the main fortress maintained by the Order of the Shield is known as Caerhys. A days travel to the west is the port down of Blackfoam, which in 1245 TER was fortified into a sea fortress to shelter and maintain the growing Navy of the Shield. The main civilian community is Snowvik, to the south, which serves as a market hub for various smaller fishing and farming villages.
History
Tylos was a halfling warrior in the final years of the War of the Dawn. Hailing from the cold and inhospitable lands of the southern sub-continent, Tylos was reputed as a skilled fighter. As the Dusk War gripped the continent, Tylos was instrumental in resistance to the fey incursion into the subcontinent, keeping the various fisher-people of his coastal homelands safe and raising an order of warriors to do the same.
When word reached Tylos of a large Dragonborn navy sailing on Tor Deis, Tylos mobilised his band and marched on the city himself. As holy war gripped the capital of the subcontinent, Tylos reached Tor Deis and joined the battle in defence of the city. At the height of the battle, Tylos stood with Himad, the High Priest of Cyttra and head of the theocratic council of Tor Deis, holding a breach in the defences. It is said he took many arrow wounds, but when Himad offered him healing he refused, demanding that it be offered to the rest of his band and the other warriors fighting for Tor Deis. Tylos fought until exhaustion, eventually falling and dying on the battlefield. The remainder of his band, on finding his body and hearing of his deeds, swore the first oath, and the Militant Order of the Shield was formed.
In recognition for their service, Himad and the Theocratic Council granted the descendants of Tylos and the newly formed Order of the Shield independent lands and titles to the south of the subcontinent in perpetuity, a grant which remained in effect when Tor Deis joined the growing Second Empire of Man.
Since that time, the Order has changed significantly. While initially allowing anyone to swear the Oath, Grandmaster Jazzer Donum in 850 TER recognised how well their child initiates outperformed other warriors within the order. This Grandmaster established the Regular Army of the Shield, allowing all to join, and formalised the Chivalric Order, allowing only those who were selected as Squires during childhood to progress through the ranks of Knighthood.
In 1240 TER, Grandmaster Cozu Sonzhold further reformed the order. Up until this time the order had relied on the ships of Tor Deis to deploy into the wider empire, otherwise having no choice but to attempt the difficult, dangerous and long land bridge across the Pass of the Pilgrim and through the lands of Tor Ammar. However, the policy of Grand Master Sonzhold to accept all supplicants to the Regulars, regardless of previous crimes, so long as they swore their oaths and abided by them, had led to a cooling of relations with Tor Deis. She embarked on a plan that would last almost her entire tenure as Grandmaster, building the sea fortress at Blackfoam and establishing the independent Navy of the Shield, reducing the reliance of the order on the ships of Tor Deis. By the end of her tenure, the modern structure of the Order of the Shield was well established, with the core chivalric order of knights supported by both the regular army and the Navy of the Shield.
The Order of the Shield has taken part in various conflicts across the continent of Terrenos. They have repeatedly sailed to the assistance of cities under attack from Dragonborn reavers from the Archipelago de Dyrconus. In 1330 TER, led by the militant Grand Master Eshun Sheshad , they launched an offensive against the Archipelago itself; this was the first and only offensive action the order has taken in its history, and was ultimately fought to a costly stalemate until the order withdrew from the northern islands of the archipelago.
Most recently, under the order of the current Grand Master Brommin Florekson the order has maintained an ongoing presence within the Sommelunds, in particular within Tor Revaine, as the city remains gripped by unrest since the end of the Two Summers Wa
Type
Military, Knightly Order
Capital
Leader
Leader Title
Power Structure
Autonomous area
Location
