The Children of the Wyrm

Long before the founding and defense of Firsthome, long before the glory of the Ireacht Empire, even before the rise of the Twelve, the first knightly order was founded. In that time, humanity was sparse, scattered, and overwhelmed by an unfamiliar world. Their wisest learned the magic inherent in the earth and, through doing so, caught the attention of the Great Wyrms who are born from it. Guided by the Wyrms, these druids helped usher humanity from primitive darkness into an era of clans and prosperity. In doing so, the druids often needed men and women at-arms who would act on their behalf. These, along with the druids who commanded them, would come to be called the Children of the Wyrm. In all cases, they would attempt to pursue the will of the Great Wyrms, preserving as best they could the magics and balance of Iskatel.   Because this pursuit of balance occasionally placed the Children in a position opposed to the desires and machinations of powerful men, the order was not always well-liked or made welcome in the realms that grew and became the Ireacht Empire. By the time of the Sundering, when Ireacht fell, the Children of the Wyrm existed only in secret, not daring to reveal their identities among the people they strove to guide and protect. The Twelve had risen as humanity had grown and these gods, being men, were more tolerant of the ambitions of their followers. The druids had fallen out of favor, and with them the Children of the Wyrm dwindled and were forced into hiding.
At the founding of Firsthome, several Children of the Wyrm made themselves known and swore to protect all as they established a new civilization. This revealing and protection gave rise, for a brief time, to a revitalization of the old ways. Until the formation of the Shoremen, it was largely the Children of the Wyrm who kept the orcs at bay and protected humanity. However, just as humanity was eager to embrace any who would protect them while they were weak, they were also eager to cast off any who would limit them as they grew strong. As the realms of men grew and new knightly orders of the Twelve were founded, the Children again were pushed away to the fringes and the shadows. Once again, there was no longer room for the old gods or their ways.
Now, there are very few who belong to the knightly order of the Children of the Wyrm. Those who do often do not display their shield or loyalty openly, though they may adorn themselves subtly with a dragon pendant, patch, or tattoo that would help them be recognized by others of their order. They house themselves in groups of five to fifty occupying abandoned ruins or in simple, monastic-style buildings far from major cities or trade routes. In most cases, these strongholds house at least one druid. When traveling, the Children of the Wyrm almost always go in small groups, as a lone wandering knight is not likely to find solace in church or castle the way other knightly orders might find. If the Children of the Wyrm are widely accepted anywhere, it is in the Outlands and among the tribes of the Earthwalkers.
The shield of the Children of the Wyrm is the silhouette of a dragon on a solid background. The shields vary in color combination, based on various sub-orders within the group. These combinations are (listed with color of dragon first, color of background second): gold/green, silver/white, brass/red, copper/blue, bronze/black.
Edicts: The Children of the Wyrm are dedicated to preserving and protecting a world in which all living things are allowed to flourish and prosper. They do not begrudge man for cutting down forests to build great cities — so long as cities are not built in excess and other areas of wilderness are protected. They respect and honor orcish tribe lands and customs and would even stand against farmers or hunters who encroach into them. They might protect wolves in an area where they are sparse, but encourage their killing in an area where they have grown over-abundant. In all cases, the Children of the Wyrm are not loyal to any goal but the preservation of a prosperous balance for all.