Reszich Order
Formed in 120, The Reszich Order was originally founded as Lady Trent Kimmel-Reszich and her social group saw rampant poverty in Moudon. Her social group had seen the effects of a massive famine that had affected 4/5th of Moudon. Aristocratic families were attacked and dragged out into the streets; beaten to death over the gaps in food and prohibitive taxes. Lady Trent saw this and set to work with thoughts of how to change things, for good.
The initial Reszich Order consisted of:
Lady Trent Kimmel-Reszich, heiress to the Kimmel Estates
Lady Kriga Sotho, matron of The Sotho Estates (Vineyard)
Lord Mikken Drommir, second child of the Drommir Clan
Lord Jon Bestsword, widower of the Bestswords (Military)
Lady Ravenna Makkovera, third child of House Makkovera
Aeriza, indentured servant of Lady Kriga.
Aeriza had, in fact, been the voice and face for most of their original efforts though her name was never held in the highest esteem. It was her philosophy and ethics that came through the most in the structure of the Reszich Order as it is now. Though Aeriza may have never have gotten the public recognition that she deserved, Lady Trent had loved her dearly and had been the main proponent of getting her ideas out there within the group. Aeriza, though never officially learned was taught by private tutors through Lady Trent. Naturally taking to philosophy and politics, Aeriza formed the basic tenants of the Order:
Compassion
All people struggle through their lives, regardless of their station. No matter what their appearance, all that come to us will be treated with care and love so that they can bring the same to others
Generosity
So long as we have food and shelter for ourselves, any additional or surplus can be given to help the neighbours around us. No one should suffer.
Understanding
We may not agree with every voice and lifestyle that we see but we will try to demonstrate understanding for all things and people. We will not discriminate race, belief, or gender, or otherwise.
Simplicity
We will not celebrate excess, more can be achieved without the trappings of the materialistic. The simplest solutions often see us though more.
Aeriza’s ideas were not popular with all members but the tenets served them well as they established a small lodge that would take in the poor and adventurers. What started as a ‘pittance to the poor’ built steam as lords and ladies in the area noted that there was less violence in the streets and less hungry faces. At Lady Trent’s request, the Order members wore simple clothing and took turns staying at the lodge overnight to provide help. The members of the Order quickly came to be known as the Saviours of Moudon, as they built lodges in four other cities. Each of the lords and ladies took head of a lodge. Aeriza, herself, stayed with Lady Trent and though the Lady did eventually marry, Aeriza was a large part of her life. Lady Trent herself was always a bit of an open book. Controlling the Bower location of the Order, she had always seen the people as more than just faces that served. She had fallen in love with Aeriza when she would meet up with Lady Kriga, seeing the servant-girl as not only a beauty but also as a genius. It was Aeriza that had truly opened her eyes to the plight of the people of Bower and Aeriza that encouraged the idea of the Lodge. Lady Trent took to Aeriza’s wisdom like water and posed the idea and the financing to start the first lodge. It was a gamble but Lady Trent had the gift of gab and enough foresight to understand that there would be major social and even economical return on the Lodges. She also helped finance the Omarop Cove location. Lady Trent eventually married Lord Romy Jikurat of Bower, a man who understood her love for Aeriza but also understood the social expectations and obligations of the time. Lord Romy eventually went to look after the Omarop Cove location and fell in love with a young adventurer named Coroso. Though the lord and lady remained officially married throughout their life, the two had romantic love with others while seeing to the expansion of the Order. This has created a rather controversial history and ruling of the Reszich Order viewing polyamory in a favourable light. Lady Kriga, already quite advanced in age at the time of the creation of the order, came to Copera to build her extension of the Lodges. It is known as one of the biggest and more opulent in its creation by far. Lady Kriga had always seen the Order and Lodges as a feather in her hat and socially strategic move. At her heart, she was a vain woman who had been very comfortable in the world of aristocracy lording above serfs and slaves. On the surface, Kriga had always appeared prim and polite, if a bit stiff. She had a head for numbers though and used her talents to balance the books and further the philanthropic expansion of the Lodges. It was by her hand that locations were secured and supply needs were met. Her vineyards and farms helped stock the lodges even through the toughest times. Lord Mikken, the youngest member of the Order. Had a bit of wanderlust and actually adventured with Lord Jon to rid some of the countryside of some of its predators. While Lord Jon settled down in Draga once the famine ended and military forces were able to take back control of the outskirts, Mikken continued to travel. He went on to slay Krasta the Ancient Black Dragon and used his horde to fund the construction of the Ximy and Quorda Lodges. It was the Quorda location way in the most western reaches of Moudon, that Mikken eventually settled. His Lodge is almost exclusively frequented by adventurers and druids that make their pilgrimage to the Quorda ruins and is also a repository of relics and books of great rarity. The Ximy location was headed by Lady Ravenna, the most reclusive of the order. House Makkovera had come to ruin during the famine as Ximy had suffered particularly terribly during the famine, on the rocky plateaus of the Tunsi Mountains. Ravenna and her family had managed to flee to Bower and find a tentative place for themselves with little success. While most of the House despised their destitute state, Ravenna found friends in Lady Trent’s social circle and took fairly well to the Order’s tenants and hopes for the future. She was one of the first to embrace the idea of living in simplicity, helped out by the lack of riches she had left. One of the last to start a lodge due to money, Ravenna chose to make the Lodge in Ximy, the city that had turned out her family years ago. Through her actions and help from Lord Mikken, she was able to stabilize Ximy and served in their first republic. Through diplomatic skill she managed to grow out the Order from a small group of five to an order recognized through all of Moudon and beyond. For the next few decades after the founding of the Order, it rose in notoriety and popularity until it became a part of Moudon’s culture. Members of the Order were given political roles within city-state governments and also acted as advocates to help the disenfranchised. Lord Jon’s family had influences in the military and helped create a subdivision called the Reszich’s Swords that is tasked with helping anywhere in Moudon where help is needed, either for defence, support or rebuilding. Mikken’s adventures prompted more to travel and see Moudon more fully, down the road there would be a unification of the city-states into what is now known as Moudon. Then, for many centuries, the Order was a solid mainstay in the fabric of Moudon, long after its founders had passed. Then the industrial age began. The Industrial age brought with it much controversy and the changing of a core idea. While the Reszich Order had thrived in a world that accepted that there were those that had and those who did not, the new idea was that anyone that worked hard enough would be able to strike it rich. Governing bodies saw less of a need to support the less successful lodges. The rich clutched onto their purses for fear of losing their station. The Order lost much of the strength behind their clout and have begun to feel like more of name and perfunctory role than something of substance. While still strong enough to weather though the next few decades, especially with the help of adventurers, there is fear that tides will shift and the Order will disappear altogether.
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