The Four Pillars
A confessor is both teacher and enforcer of the ways of Knighthood. They ensure
all Knights uphold the four pillars which support our Order. These are the Virtues,
the Oath, the Code, and the Measure.
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The Oath of Gareth's Keep
Fri May 11 22:21:42 2012
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Nobilis Factum. Mors ante dedecoro.
It seems both a lifetime and not even so long ago that I spoke these words,
accepting my spurs and the blade Sir Greyhawk gave to me as I kneeled in the
Temple of Nadrik.
This is the code of our order, the very essence of the noble men and women
that have served with compassion and honor since the old days, when the
ruins of Serpantol were an empire of good men and women, guarded by the
righteous of Gareth.
Noble deeds: Not of men of birth, but of bearing. Good men have come from
simple beginnings, but have risen above what fate may have decided for their
station and become heroes and protectors of the realms of Goodness.
Mors ante dedecoro: Death before dishonor.
We have pledged our cause to the Family of Goodness, under the gaze of the
Father and his children, the Lady of Healing and the Lord of Honor. We have
promised to be upstanding examples of behaving and belief, to lead by
example to show people the way to life a life of justness and love in these
dark times. To break from that faith and trust in our fellow Knights and
those we protect is to die by inches, to give up what you have held dear.
We must be ready to fight and sacrifice for those we have sworn to protect,
to never stand down in the face of injustice. Death before dishonor, before
the failing of the oaths we have taken.
Sir Falric Marwyn
Knight of the Shield
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The Eight Virtues of the Knighthood
Fri May 11 22:24:31 2012
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From the Three Principles of Truth, Love, and Courage come the Eight
Virtues, standards that Knights are expected to stand for at all times in
service to the Family of Goodness.
From Truth comes Honesty: For it is in truth that we can be open and honest,
burning away lies to lay bare the whole of the matter.
From Love comes Compassion: For it is out of love for our charges, for our
brothers, our fellow Knights, and those we protect that we give selflessly,
in the hopes of bringing them to a place where they can help themselves and
their fellows as well.
From Courage comes Valour: For it takes determination and strength of spirit
that great deeds are done in the face of the legions of Darkness that would
swallow the world whole. We cannot shy away from our calling, under the
oaths we have made to ourselves, our fellows, and our Gods.
Truth and Love combined create Justice: For it is in truth that we see the
wrongs done by the guilty, and in love we rebuke them, helping them see the
error of their ways and to help them repent.
Love and Courage combined create Sacrifice: For it takes bravery and valor
to sacrifice one's well-being, and great love for one's friends to do so for
them, to lose in their place and possibly even give up their lives.
Courage and Truth combined create Honour: For in bravery we act with noble
bearing, setting the example for others to follow to lead good lives, and in
truth we know ourselves and our own failings, that we do not allow our
honourable bearing become prideful.
From Truth, Love, and Courage comes Spirituality: For it takes great courage
to seek the truths of the world around us, for some are painful to accept.
In love, we appreciate the gifts given to us by our divine patrons, and
bring the truth of their love to the world around us.
Humility is the staying power of all of these, to accept our flaws and
embrace them, so that we do not become prideful. To be prideful is to put
one's self above and away from the people we protect. To turn away from our
charges is to turn our backs on our oaths, and accepting our failings and
knowing our strengths better prepares us for the rigors of proper service.
Sir Falric Marwyn
Knight of the Shield
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The Code of Knighthood
Fri May 11 22:26:38 2012
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The Code is the set of laws passed down through the ages of the keep,
written and rewritten from the laws of Old Gareth, in the days of the
Serpantol Empire.
These laws dictate the appropriate actions a Knight should take among allies
and fellow Knights to uphold the laws of the Family of Goodness.
Standards of conduct are detailed in the Knightly Procedure and Decorum,
that we may maintain an orderly appearance that will best symbolize our
united front.
Diplomacy, War, and Peace dictate our policies with the other organizations
of the world, detailing the cause and severity of war we should wage or the
names of those who will stand with us to repel the shadow.
The Trade Policies outline our rules regarding goods purchased from the
crafters of the world, that our weapons remain pure and unmolested by the
wickedness that can dwell within the hearts of others.
These rules are adapted from the standards put before us by the Gods of
Goodness, helping to shape our men and women into a single body that
embodies the will of Goodness, and encouraged by those who uphold the
Measure.
Sir Falric Marwyn
Knight of the Shield
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The Measure of the Keep
Fri May 11 22:27:51 2012
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The Measure.
The Measure is the manner in which the extensive Code of the Keep and
Virtues of Knighthood are observed and enforced. Those who watch their
brothers and guide them back to the proper path should they begin to stray.
The Confessors of the Knighthood stand vigilant, hearing the troubles of
their brothers and banishing the shadows over their consciences so that they
may remain true to their oaths and that their love for their God may be
untainted with unanswered questions.
A Confessor must be knowledgeable and wise, quick to love his brother and
valorous enough to stand between him and the shadows, wielding the Father's
cleansing light in one hand and the compassion of His love in the other.
They are healers and warriors, a balance of godly wrath and endless
forgiveness that observe the laws of the Knighthood of Gareth without being
above them, for those who serve are truly their brother's keeper.
Sir Falric Marwyn
Knight of the Shield