Order of the Star

One of many chivalric orders based in Yathra Silthame, the Order of the Star is a well-established but smaller group of knights, priests, and magisters. They call the Twilight District their home, making their headquarters in a storied and compact keep known as the Chapterhouse of the Star. They have been around for centuries, first making a name for themselves when they helped fight back the cultists of the Obsidian Lords who rose up during the Day of a Thousand Blades.
Since then, they have maintained a small but well-defined sphere of influence and power in the Twilight District and greater Yathra Silthame. In times of peace, the Order of the Star functions as a chapter of knights-errant. In fact, Knights and Paladins of the Star are often heralded as folk heroes and wandering saviors among the many villages and towns that sprawl beyond the silver walls of Yathra Silthame. Many tales have been told of the pairs of Knights and Priests of the Star who wander the roads of the Iotruyla River Basin -- for they always travel in pairs.
However, with the growth of the Second Heartland War and Yathra Silthame joining Kubrington in their fight, the Order of the Star now deploys all of its knights, paladins, and even squires and priests to aid their religious brethren in their battle against the prideful mages of Thouw Pren. While there is a case to be made that their aid is needed and helpful, what of the countless villages and farmsteads that relied on their wandering protection? Many veterans of the Order find themselves asking this question. And yet, the leadership is adamant: Kubrington must prevail over Thouw Pren.

Goals

Typically, the Order of the Star is a group of religious knights-errant devoted to Yamma and his commandments, and through that devotion, they pay respect to and acknowledge all of his Children. In this way, they travel the lands of Yathra Silthame and beyond to enact good for their fellow mortal and protect them from the evils that would see them enslaved, killed, or worse; however, with the spreading of the Second Heartland War, the Order of the Star has turned entirely into a militaristic-chivalric order. Their public mission is to ensure that their brothers and sisters under the Children of Yamma in Kubrington do not fall to the dark magicks of the heretics of Thouw Pren, and condemn Thouw Pren and any who ally with them for consorting with the artifacts and evils that brought about the Reckoning.

Relationships

The Order of the Star is respected and acknowledged by the Temple-Tribunal and most other chivalric orders in Yathra Silthame. Additionally, they have been heralded as traveling heroes in the region for many centuries; however, reputation can turn fast. Even though they have only been shifted from patrolling the land to partaking in the Heartland War for a few months, villages and towns in the area are already growing concerned and even bitter. Where Paladins of the Star used to patrol and protect, there is now fearful disquiet. Yathra Silthaman territory isn't the most dangerous, to be sure, but it does still have its threats, and villagers grow uncertain without the near-mythical presence of traveling Knights and Paladins. There are other chivalric orders who do the same, but none for so long or as dedicated as the Order of the Star.

Figures of Interest

Archpaladin of the Star Haltrec

Lawful neutral, dragonborn paladin
Though he was once simply a Paladin and instructor, the bronze dragonborn Haltrec became Archpaladin of the Star just over a year ago. He is a crass and heavy-handed man, who is well-aware of the evils of the world. It is under his leadership that the Order has been shifted to fighting in the Second Heartland War.
Haltrec is a talented paladin of Yamma and has long instilled those he has trained with the ideals and beliefs that he believes will get them through life and allow them to fulfill their duties. Whether or not those traditional and hard-lined ideals are truly beneficial is up for debate.

Templar Sigewynn deGrey

Lawful good, half-elf paladin
Having been a Paladin of the Star for several decades, Sigewynn deGrey has long been a friend of Archpaladin Haltrec and Paladin Osbert. She is a kind and caring woman, but she also doesn't shy away from the things that must be done. As Templar of the Star, she serves as the leader of the Order in the Heartland, guiding their movements and actions during the Second Heartland War.
She also served as a sort of surrogate mother for Arstan Gehrwind of the Five of Swords, caring for him and teaching him what kindness she could after his mother Karla's death.

Paladin Osbert Gehrwind

Lawful neutral, human knight
Father of Arstan Gehrwind and a long-retired Paladin of the Star, Osbert has since come back to the Order full-time to help train new knights for the Second Heartland War. Osbert was once a caring and loving man, but since the death of his wife Karla and the growing tragedies in the world, he has become increasingly bitter and cold.
With his tough-love mentality and bitterness, Osbert trains his recruits rigorously and perhaps even harshly, to some opinions.

Archmagister of the Star Idla McKinnon

Lawful good, human scholar
An older woman with a kind demeanor and benevolent heart, Idla McKinnon has devoted her entire life to managing the Order's library and conducting research into the foes they may face and the gods they serve. Her dedication earned her the position of Archmagister some twenty years ago, and she has never wavered nor shaken from her positive outlook and influence.

High Priestess of the Star Galssa Carwysse

Lawful neutral, forest gnome priestess
Like Haltrec to his knights, High Priestess Galssa is a blunt and, at times, harsh woman. She trains her priests and priestesses to be of the utmost devotion and service in Yamma's name -- even to the point of self-sacrifice and death. She believes the Order functions solely to do what must be done in the service of Yamma.

"Under Yamma's Silver Star, we find unity and strength."

Triumvirate of Leadership

Because the Order of the Star is comprised of knights- and priests-errant as well as scholarly magisters, it has three main leaders representing each of those three facets: the Archpaladin, the High Priest, and the Archmagister. Among these three, the Archpaladin is the primary leader, but they do still require the counsel and aid of the High Priest and Archmagister.

Founding Date

485 AT

Type

Religious, Holy Order