Lothar Order: Difference between revisions

Lothar Order
Order
Pronunciation	Lo-thar
Origins	Tirgunn
Grandmaster	Lothar III Tyrmont zu Tirgunn
Colors	Black, Dark-Blue, White, Burgundy

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Latest revision as of 21:26, 3 November 2024

Though its modern form is young, the Lothar Order has a colorful, troubled, and storied history. Beginning as the Darkwald Order, its Knights signed an unbreakable bond in blood against the steady encroachment of the Occult across the Regalian Empire, exposing Mages, defeating their supporters, and slaying the Afflicted. Though the Darkwalds were long in demand for their skill at cleansing Vampires, caped squads with tricorne hats thundering across the countryside, their brutal methods eventually fell out of favor. In recent times, the Darkwald Order has joined forces with the Krsnik Union of Kriv Mage-hunters, the Grauwald Brothers of the Waldmark, the exiled-south heretic-hunters of the Herebrand Order and the group of Velheim purists known as the Helbane Group, to found the Lothar Order. Each interest group brings its own method to their work, but their shared resolve, their belief in what must be done, is stronger than steel. The repository of all played Knights can be found here. When you make a new Knight character, please file a ticket in the Discord Ticket Bot to have them recorded. You only need to provide their name and Order.

Design

The Lothar Order brings the aesthetic of the cloaked Vampire-hunter with some variance per chapter, normal men and women who throw themselves into combat against superhuman threats every day. They represent the reactionary forces of the Empire who refuse to change their beliefs or moderate with the times, for what they feel is the ultimate good of the nation. The Lothar are staunch Mage-haters: no matter the dimension, no matter the degree, they believe it an evil, corrupting force that can do no good for the Empire. Interpretations of this vary between the Chapters, with some even being accused of being centrists or moderates internally, even if these moderates are considered Occult-haters by outsiders. Only the Hunter Archon of the Dragon Caius are an accepted Occult ally.

The Lothar Order generally accepts any people or culture into their ranks, but refuses any kind of people who have innate Magic in their Innate Abilities (such as mostly Elves).
Lothar should generally gravitate towards the van Helsing aesthetic, though some of the Chapters do use more conventional Knight themes and equipment (see Chapters).
Lothar cannot be Afflicted, have Affinities, be Mystech, or have any Proficiency invested in Magic or other Magic-like Point Buys, except for God Magic from Unionism or Fornoss (Helbane).
God Magic should however not be their main method of fighting the Occult, and those who have a lot of divine mutations and aesthetics are just as Occult as Vampires.

Chapters

All Lothar Knights are members of one single Chapter, which grants them a free non-Combat related Mechanic. Changing Chapters is permitted but only infrequently and only through a Staff Ticket where the request is reviewed. For more Expanded background Lore of the Lothar Order, refer to the Lothar Principals Page(s).

Darkwald

The Darkwald Chapter is one of the founding Chapters of the Lothar Order and arguably its fundamental beginnings. The Darkwalds are the quintessential van Helsing Knights, preferring leather armor and light materials and ranged weapons over shield and sword on horseback. The Darkwalds in particular popularized the use of crossbows to hunt Vampires, and have built most of their fame on the eradication of Vampires across the Regalian Empire. The Darkwald Knights are considered the most violent and sadistic of the Lothar Order, believing fervently in their mission to purge the Empire and the whole world of the Occult rot, and caring less for the collateral damage they inflict along the way. Darkwald Knights are sometimes called lunatics, but this does not fully appreciate the nuance of their pretense to insanity so as to take their enemies off guard, with the extreme precision and calculated nature of their behavior in their self-convinced martyrdom.

Darkwald Mechanic: Darkwald Knights are immune to Vampirism, though this fact is not known outside of the Lothar Order. They can also perfectly imitate being infected, including feeding.

Sudzhennya

The Sudzhennya Chapter is one of the three founding Chapters of the Lothar Order. The Sudzhennya once were mostly Krainivaya Unionists but since expanded to Qadir and Maraya purists who believe in the cause. The Sudzhennya are primarily the technicians and craftsmen of the Lothar Order, prioritizing the production of the varied trinkets and gadgets that the Lothar use against the Occult, but also to repair their armor and equipment, and making some of the best crossbows in the Empire. The Sudzhennya are also formidable fighters, having a long history spanning back to the flight of the Krai people from their homeland where they were oppressed by tyrannical Mage cabals, having learned how to detect Magic early from birth, and shuffling Mage children into orphanages where they can be better controlled, or raised to become Grauwald Chained Penitents. The Sudzhennya are always hailed in battle by the whirring of cogs and the puffs of gunpowder.

Sudzhennya Mechanic: Sudzhennya Knights can Point Buy 1 Pack from Magic Point Buy with a Wisdom Proficiency, classified as strictly Tech, doesn't count as Magic (Still costs Point Buy, not given for Free!)

Grauwald

The Grauwald Chapter of the Lothar Order is one of the three founding member Chapters, which specializes in the utilization of the Occult against other Occult. They are competent fighters in their own right, but they truly shine in their ability to both keep (willing) Void and Exist Mages as their Chained Penitents(read below) so as to reduce casualties among the Lothar, and have Mages kill each other. They additionally also put to work efforts to seed discontent and malice in Occult populations indirectly through manipulation of the facts and false-flag operations, leading to the Occult essentially solving the problem for the Lothar Order itself. The Grauwald are not always violent like many other Lothar however, with many of them having taken to more docile means of controlling the Occult through forced cleansing as Archon, or by seeking pragmatism over insanity by preferring to imprison and restrict rights rather than engage in random and sadistic murder.

Grauwald Mechanic: Grauwald Knights have a support network of Aristocrats in Calemberg backing up their work. They count as Red Blood in Wealth, despite not being Registered.

Herebrand

The Herebrand Chapter is the most recent acquisition of the Lothar Order, as the Herebrand Templars were left orphaned when Emperor Alexander revoked their charter following the complete eradication of the Diviner Heretics in Girobalda. The Herebrand Order was once an Order of Inquisitors whose sole purpose was to purge heretics who had fallen to dark worship under the influence of the Void Gods who corrupted their faith, but with their mission done, the Inquisition was disbanded. Many of the Herebrand Order felt that their mission was not yet done, and petitioned the Lothar Order to join. The Herebrand Order brings the heavily armored and melee-weapon wielding Knights to the Lothar who are otherwise somewhat lightly armored, with their large winged helmets and black and white colors that strike an imposing figure wherever they go. Herebrand Knights tend to be more quiet and reserved than the other Lothar, waiting to be aimed at a new target to unleash on.

Herebrand Mechanic: Herebrand Knights can burn a captured Greater Vampire at the Pyre, which does not kill them (ported back to a safe base), but turns them into a Fledgeling Vampire.

Helbane

The Helbane Chapter joined the Lothar order with quite some considerable opposition from the Grauwald, but an inevitable necessity to contract better skills and means to fight the Arken and their Demonspawn: The Arkenborn. Helbane is a mostly Fornoss Faithful or Velheim Cultured Chapter of pure Eili worshipers, though non believers and non Velheim have also joined for pure disgust and hatred of Arken and their spawn. While their initial mission internally was to be Eili worshiping fanatics who hated the Vola Fornoss Gods, over time their mission became more complex due to the associations of the Vola Gods who doubled as Arken and had children that caused considerable trouble across the world. The Helbane became the specialist in fighting the Arkenborn, the Arken themselves, and even the Spirits that were made by the Arken to torment them in return. The Helbane Chapter is the smallest, but has some of the most fierce fighters.

Helbane Mechanic: Helbane Knights are immune to mind control of any type, particularly Magic Variant Mind Control Pack and all of its Mechanics to do with Thralling.

Émérites

The Émérites Chapter joined the Order quickly after its inception, mostly on the invitation of the Grauwald preachers. The Émérites Chapter is comprised of "battle-nuns" who wear the robe and habit, armor, and an iron mask into battle. The Chapter is made up of mostly women (but also men) and dominated by Ithanian Baronesses and Countesses, as well as Silent Sisters (Unionist equivalent of Nuns) who were appalled at the normalization of Magic appearances and the showcasing of Magic Mutations at the Imperial Palace and Courts. The Chapter is not nearly as violent as the others, resorting to diplomacy, charming, social etiquette, and respectable behavior to appeal to the mantle of appearing sane and coherent to outsiders. While the majority of their work lies in charisma, the purger-sisters as some of their most battle-hardened are called, are still more than a match for a Vampire, they might even convince to yield.

Émérites Mechanic: These Knights can Persuasion /Dice without Charisma Proficiency but only on Foreign NPCs or Royalty and gain a +1 final result Bonus. This Bonus does not stack with other Bonuses.

Internal Lothar Code

The Internal Lothar Code contains additional Honor and Behavior Codes for Lothar Knights that are supplemental to the Common Code described on the Knights Page.

All Lothar Knights must never socialize with the Occult in a friendly and collegial manner, or be thought of as on romantic or friendship terms with them.
All Lothar Knights must pay special attention to rid the world of the Sanguine Plague, and to slay any person who has fallen to this most wretched of sins.
All Lothar Knights must consider Regalian Law to be transient, and for every crime to be temporary until the righteous purpose is revealed and they are proven right.
All Lothar Knights must never directly contradict or act against the wishes of the Emperor, even if he argues for Mage liberation, but slowly change his mind.
All Lothar Knights must never extoll the virtues of, or give credit to the actions of any Occult, and be cognizant of the fact that Magic is not a skill but a stain.

Lothar Jobs

The Lothar Order, just like other Knight Orders, has so called "Jobs" which are cornerstone occupations of the Knights. Any Knight can engage in these, but they are largely optional.

Occult Hunters: Lothar should work towards combatting the Occult and protecting the Mundane in large and small ways. This may involve killing the Occult outright, but can also mean smaller things like sabotaging Aelrrigan Order efforts to teach Magic, burning Magic-teaching books and tomes, campaigning for harsher mage-repression laws, and generally making society more anti-Occult. Being violent to the Occult all the time is not required, but what is required is to make their lives harder, and to roll back many of the liberties and freedoms they have gained.
Arcane Revelations: Lothar should engage in the tracking down of, and public revealing of the Occult who hide their status and their affiliations, and to inform the people of their duplicity and to warn them about their powers and their evil deeds. Lothar should generally act as the warning systems of society that have long since failed to caution the general public towards the Occult and bring back a healthy dose of fear and paranoia towards the underhanded sabotage and infiltration of Mages who have reached far and high in state office with their power.
Temple Desecration: Lothar should engage in the raiding, occupation, and desecration of Temples to faiths which their conclave has deemed to be in favor of Magic-liberation and Magic-proliferation. This includes faiths such as Estelley, Evolism, Draconism, and even shrines dedicated to the Evintarian Cult of Unionism. The Lothar should show the superiority of the righteous faiths that do not abide by the corruption of Magic, and reinforce to the Occult just how weak they really are even on their own home turf with no mercy for those who would seek to expel the Lothar.
Artifact Appropriation: Lothar should when possible, entrap and steal Unionist (all Chapters) and Fornoss (if Helbane specifically) Artifacts from their owners if they believe these owners are Unworthy in the light of Purism. Lothar engaging in this Job are expected to, like Aelrrigans, profile holders of appropriate categories of Artifacts and vote as a Council whether it is possible and-or prudent to divest them of the Artifact and give it to either a worthy bearer or a Lothar instead. Being cleared by Aelrrigans or a legal state of existence under the Law has absolutely no bearing on this Lothar judgment.
Beast Tamers: Lothar should when possible either take in willing Marken, or chain unwilling Marken who cannot control themselves by State definitions in the Law. These Marken are meant to be treated in much the same way as Chained Penitents, in that they are tools rather than members of the Order, and should be used to minimalize casualties on the Lothar Order to fight against the Occult. Chained Marken can be assigned to any Chapter, and their retainers can control their transformations and their actions when they are Transformed to fight for them.

Chained Penitents

Chained Penitents as a concept begs further explanation, because there are some rules associated with it. Chained Penitents are essentially indentured servant Mages who act as collared weapons for the Lothar Order, and are wielded by the Grauwald Chapter. Only a Grauwald Knight can induce, command, and control Chained Penitents. They have specific Unionist rituals with which to temporarily nullify their Magic, to prevent them from using any Powers or Mage-breaking and attracting Demons. Chained Penitents must always come voluntarily to the Lothar Order (the Lothar Order cannot force this on unwilling Mages), and they can only be Void or Exist Mages. They cannot be Afflicted, have Spirits, a long Criminal Record, or worship Minor Faiths or Evolism. The Chained Penitents must be provided with food and lodgings, but must also follow the Grauwald's every command. It is the Grauwald's job to ensure that the Penitents very rarely use their magic, and only in severe circumstances where it is actually required to complete their duty. Chained Penitents are not further persecuted by the Lothar Order, so long as they remain loyal and obedient. It is not permitted to play a Chained Penitent without a played Knight Character to be attached to, and Chained Penitents should not be treated as Order members, and put in their place as weapons rather than people.

History

The history of the Lothar Order is mostly shrouded in mystery because the Order has traditionally been very secretive to assist in their clandestine tasks and work. The Darkwald Order was founded by Renault Prendegeist, a noble scion of the family Prendegeist in Osteiermark and Tirgunn. This region at the time was suffering from Vampire infestations, as the dark swampy lands could hide many Vampires, motivating the Duke and his followers to start a region-wide Vampire hunting organization. The Order was initially somewhat effective, but the eventual discovery of the cursed blade Coraveau and Renault’s wielding of it, spelled doom for the early order. Renault went insane from wielding the Artifact and many of the Order died or were hunted down by Void fanatics.

With the death of House Prendegeist, leadership fell to House Tyrmont, a cadet branch, which re-created the order with even more fervent fanaticism to their ideals, believing that they were being watched by the enemies of purity who were actively trying to corrupt their ranks. For a time, the Darkwalds were both supported and loved by the people, but failed to attain reach beyond Osteiermark and the surrounding regions because they were considered too fanatical. An alliance with the Krsnik followed as soon as the Krainivaya arrived in the Regalian Archipelago. The Krsnik were already an arm of the Krainivaya’s secret service, and had experience with hunting Vampires in their homeland, so compatibility was assured.

The Order became very popular in 279 with the death of Justinian II’s three sons at the hands of the Undead. The sudden heavy swivel into Bulwark-style ideology in the Empire and extreme repression of all things magical saw the Darkwalds and Krsnik spread far and wide. Eventually however, their success in cleansing much of the unwanted Magic and corruption of the Archipelago, was also their downfall once more. When they were needed less and less, their more fanatical and tyrannical ideology became difficult to swallow for the local peasants who more often than not requested mercy for their afflicted loved ones. Public opinion turned on the Darkwalds largely with the succession of Alexander I who was always more ambivalent to positively inclined to Magic users.

To combat this situation, Grandmaster Lothar Tyrmont managed to unify the Darkwalds, Krsnik, and Grauwald Order (which had until that point not associated with the Darkwalds) into one single Order, benefiting the Krsnik and Darkwalds from the political connections of the Grauwald Gruppe. Additionally, the Herebrand Order of Holy Knights who had recently lost their mandate were merged into the Lothar Order bringing their cannibal-heretic purging in Girobalda to an end, and extending their heavy-armor specialization into the otherwise lightly armored Lothar Order. Finally, the Helbane Group, denied official recognition in the Regalian Empire, was invited into the Lothar Order, creating space for Fornoss Purists in the Lothar Order, and adding their specialization and knowledge of Arken to the extensive armory of Lothar skill. With this Order formalized, it was now also much larger and more politically relevant than it had been in the past, which made it all the more difficult to declare it redundant and revoke the rights of the various members. In the modern day their work is made more difficult due to the public prominence of many Occult members of society, but they still perform their work with a great deal of skill in the provinces, hunting down infestation of Afflicted, taming Marken outbreaks, and generally being a nuisance to pro-Magic forces. Their presence is much stronger in the east and north, even in Drixagh, than it is in the south, as the Lothar Knights find no allies among the Daen and Ithanian peoples of the Empire.

Trivia

There was once trivia here.

Accreditation

Writers	MonMarty
Artists	MonMarty
Processors	HydraLana

Last Editor	Firefan96 on 11/3/2024.

» Read more

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 {{Info knights
-|image = Ggsdsg.png
+|image = Lotharorder.png
 |pronunciation = Lo-thar
 |origins = [[Tirgunn]]
 |grandmaster = Lothar III Tyrmont zu Tirgunn
-|symbols = [[Unionist]] eye, Crossbow, Black Eagle with White eyes
+|colors = Black, Dark-Blue, White, Burgundy
-|colors = Black, Dark-Blue, White, Burgundy.
-|racelimits = None, though any Race that can use Magical abilities as Specials are not permitted.
-|magicusage = None at all, execution worthy (exception provided in Grauwald, see below)
-|stances =
-* Combat the Occult
-* Purge the Afflicted
-* Cleanse the Mutated
-* Sabotage Occult Schemes
-* Spy on Magic Ill-will
-* Destroy profane Temples
 |}}
-The Lothar Order is a Knightly Order that is perhaps the youngest Knight Order in the Regalian Empire, but one with a very colorful and troubled history through the ages. Originally starting as the Darkwald Order, the Knights belonging to this Order signed an unbreakable bond to form a front against the slow but steady encroachment of the Occult in the Regalian Empire, but more specifically Vampirism. As the Darkwald Order, the Knights traveled the lands to cleanse Vampires and later Cahal, and became famous for this and much in demand. However, their cruelty and strict no-mercy policy eventually fell out of favor, and they had to resort to more clandestine behavior to get their will done. The Darkwald Order was later joined by the Grauwald Brothers, and the Krsnik Union to form the Lothar Order.
+Though its modern form is young, the Lothar Order has a colorful, troubled, and storied history. Beginning as the Darkwald Order, its [[Knights]] signed an unbreakable bond in blood against the steady encroachment of the [[Occult]] across the [[Regalian Empire]], exposing [[Mage]]s, defeating their supporters, and slaying the [[Afflictions|Afflicted]]. Though the Darkwalds were long in demand for their skill at cleansing [[Vampire]]s, caped squads with tricorne hats thundering across the countryside, their brutal methods eventually fell out of favor. In recent times, the Darkwald Order has joined forces with the Krsnik Union of Kriv Mage-hunters, the Grauwald Brothers of the Waldmark, the exiled-south heretic-hunters of the Herebrand Order and the group of [[Velheim]] purists known as the Helbane Group, to found the Lothar Order. Each interest group brings its own method to their work, but their shared resolve, their belief in what must be done, is stronger than steel. The repository of all played Knights can be found [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-KiHYpKMIBUcrqgYtfXGGBYN6ZBeCOvQBp_si1QQZyA/edit?pli=1#gid=0 here]. When you make a new Knight character, please file a ticket in the Discord Ticket Bot to have them recorded. You only need to provide their name and Order.
-==Core Identity==
+==Design==
-The Lothar Order is a Knightly Order of uncompromising Occult haters and hunters. They serve the Regalian Empire at large, and are nominally obedient to the Emperor, but also act often in the shadows to enforce their will on society and the Occult, often in contradiction to the Emperor’s progressive policies towards the Occult, and the freedoms that Magic users have. While the Viridians rehabilitate and the Aelrrigans seek to teach and control, the Lothar Order purely demands extermination of the Afflicted, and severe neutering if not outright expulsion of all that is Magical and tainted by the non-mundane. This makes the Lothar Order a very controversial one, that despite their often contradictory actions towards Imperial Policy, are as of yet supported by the government and the Crown. It is important to note that the Lothar Order is “Dimension Blind”. This means that no matter Void, Exist, Ordial, Primal, anyone who is not mundane is evil and to be dealt with. While most other Organizations in the Empire are ambivalent to supportive of Primal/Dragon Magic and Archon, the Lothar Order considers them the same evil-ness as Demon-spawn (Silven). There is only one exception to this: Lothar Knights are considered allies of Red Hunter Archon, and are permitted to work with them.
+The Lothar Order brings the aesthetic of the cloaked Vampire-hunter with some variance per chapter, normal men and women who throw themselves into combat against superhuman threats every day. They represent the reactionary forces of the Empire who refuse to change their beliefs or moderate with the times, for what they feel is the ultimate good of the nation. The Lothar are staunch Mage-haters: no matter the dimension, no matter the degree, they believe it an evil, corrupting force that can do no good for the Empire. Interpretations of this vary between the Chapters, with some even being accused of being centrists or moderates internally, even if these moderates are considered Occult-haters by outsiders. Only the Hunter [[Archon]] of the [[Dragon]] Caius are an accepted Occult ally.
+* The Lothar Order generally accepts any people or culture into their ranks, but refuses any kind of people who have innate Magic in their Innate Abilities (such as mostly Elves).
+* Lothar should generally gravitate towards the van Helsing aesthetic, though some of the Chapters do use more conventional Knight themes and equipment (see Chapters).
+* Lothar cannot be Afflicted, have Affinities, be Mystech, or have any Proficiency invested in Magic or other Magic-like Point Buys, except for God Magic from Unionism or Fornoss (Helbane).
+* God Magic should however not be their main method of fighting the Occult, and those who have a lot of divine mutations and aesthetics are just as Occult as Vampires.
-==Public View==
+==Chapters==
-The Lothar Order occupies a societal view of only extremes, either the pro-Occult people consider them the most vile and tyrannical entities in the Regalian state, a symbol for all its internal corruption and evil-ness, or the anti-Occult see them as the last bastion that enforces a mundane superiority that they feel many in society have given up on. Many of the so called Purists (especially Unionists, but not exclusively Unionists since a decent portion of anti-Aesir Old Gods also support them) harbor either open or private support for the Lothar Order, though Lothar Knights understand that they are always in the minority support lane, and will frequently be attacked in the streets just for who they are and what they represent.
+All Lothar Knights are members of one single Chapter, which grants them a free non-Combat related Mechanic. Changing Chapters is permitted but only infrequently and only through a Staff Ticket where the request is reviewed. For more Expanded background Lore of the Lothar Order, refer to the [[Lothar Principals]] Page(s).
+===Darkwald===
+[[File:Darkwaldchapter.png|150px|caption|right]]
+The Darkwald Chapter is one of the founding Chapters of the Lothar Order and arguably its fundamental beginnings. The Darkwalds are the quintessential van Helsing Knights, preferring leather armor and light materials and ranged weapons over shield and sword on horseback. The Darkwalds in particular popularized the use of crossbows to hunt Vampires, and have built most of their fame on the eradication of Vampires across the Regalian Empire. The Darkwald Knights are considered the most violent and sadistic of the Lothar Order, believing fervently in their mission to purge the Empire and the whole world of the Occult rot, and caring less for the collateral damage they inflict along the way. Darkwald Knights are sometimes called lunatics, but this does not fully appreciate the nuance of their pretense to insanity so as to take their enemies off guard, with the extreme precision and calculated nature of their behavior in their self-convinced martyrdom.
+* '''Darkwald Mechanic:''' Darkwald Knights are immune to Vampirism, though this fact is not known outside of the Lothar Order. They can also perfectly imitate being infected, including feeding.
+===Sudzhennya===
+[[File:Krsnikchapter.png|150px|caption|right]]
+The Sudzhennya Chapter is one of the three founding Chapters of the Lothar Order. The Sudzhennya once were mostly Krainivaya Unionists but since expanded to Qadir and Maraya purists who believe in the cause. The Sudzhennya are primarily the technicians and craftsmen of the Lothar Order, prioritizing the production of the varied trinkets and gadgets that the Lothar use against the Occult, but also to repair their armor and equipment, and making some of the best crossbows in the Empire. The Sudzhennya are also formidable fighters, having a long history spanning back to the flight of the Krai people from their homeland where they were oppressed by tyrannical Mage cabals, having learned how to detect Magic early from birth, and shuffling Mage children into orphanages where they can be better controlled, or raised to become Grauwald Chained Penitents. The Sudzhennya are always hailed in battle by the whirring of cogs and the puffs of gunpowder.
+* '''Sudzhennya Mechanic:''' Sudzhennya Knights can Point Buy 1 Pack from Magic Point Buy with a Wisdom Proficiency, classified as strictly Tech, doesn't count as Magic (Still costs Point Buy, not given for Free!)
+===Grauwald===
+[[File:Grauwaldchapter.png|150px|caption|right]]
+The Grauwald Chapter of the Lothar Order is one of the three founding member Chapters, which specializes in the utilization of the Occult against other Occult. They are competent fighters in their own right, but they truly shine in their ability to both keep (willing) Void and Exist Mages as their Chained Penitents(read below) so as to reduce casualties among the Lothar, and have Mages kill each other. They additionally also put to work efforts to seed discontent and malice in Occult populations indirectly through manipulation of the facts and false-flag operations, leading to the Occult essentially solving the problem for the Lothar Order itself. The Grauwald are not always violent like many other Lothar however, with many of them having taken to more docile means of controlling the Occult through forced cleansing as Archon, or by seeking pragmatism over insanity by preferring to imprison and restrict rights rather than engage in random and sadistic murder.
+* '''Grauwald Mechanic:''' Grauwald Knights have a support network of Aristocrats in Calemberg backing up their work. They count as Red Blood in Wealth, despite not being Registered.
+===Herebrand===
+[[File:Herebrandchapter.png|150px|caption|right]]
+The Herebrand Chapter is the most recent acquisition of the Lothar Order, as the Herebrand Templars were left orphaned when Emperor Alexander revoked their charter following the complete eradication of the Diviner Heretics in Girobalda. The Herebrand Order was once an Order of Inquisitors whose sole purpose was to purge heretics who had fallen to dark worship under the influence of the Void Gods who corrupted their faith, but with their mission done, the Inquisition was disbanded. Many of the Herebrand Order felt that their mission was not yet done, and petitioned the Lothar Order to join. The Herebrand Order brings the heavily armored and melee-weapon wielding Knights to the Lothar who are otherwise somewhat lightly armored, with their large winged helmets and black and white colors that strike an imposing figure wherever they go. Herebrand Knights tend to be more quiet and reserved than the other Lothar, waiting to be aimed at a new target to unleash on.
+* '''Herebrand Mechanic:''' Herebrand Knights can burn a captured Greater Vampire at the Pyre, which does not kill them (ported back to a safe base), but turns them into a Fledgeling Vampire.
+===Helbane===
+[[File:Randbane.png|150px|caption|right]]
+The Helbane Chapter joined the Lothar order with quite some considerable opposition from the Grauwald, but an inevitable necessity to contract better skills and means to fight the Arken and their Demonspawn: The Arkenborn. Helbane is a mostly Fornoss Faithful or Velheim Cultured Chapter of pure Eili worshipers, though non believers and non Velheim have also joined for pure disgust and hatred of Arken and their spawn. While their initial mission internally was to be Eili worshiping fanatics who hated the Vola Fornoss Gods, over time their mission became more complex due to the associations of the Vola Gods who doubled as Arken and had children that caused considerable trouble across the world. The Helbane became the specialist in fighting the Arkenborn, the Arken themselves, and even the Spirits that were made by the Arken to torment them in return. The Helbane Chapter is the smallest, but has some of the most fierce fighters.
+* '''Helbane Mechanic:''' Helbane Knights are immune to mind control of any type, particularly [[Adapt_Point_Buy#Mindcontrol_Pack | Magic Variant Mind Control Pack]] and all of its Mechanics to do with Thralling.
+===Émérites===
+[[File:Frenchchapter.png|150px|caption|right]]
+The Émérites Chapter joined the Order quickly after its inception, mostly on the invitation of the Grauwald preachers. The Émérites Chapter is comprised of "battle-nuns" who wear the robe and habit, armor, and an iron mask into battle. The Chapter is made up of mostly women (but also men) and dominated by Ithanian Baronesses and Countesses, as well as Silent Sisters (Unionist equivalent of Nuns) who were appalled at the normalization of Magic appearances and the showcasing of Magic Mutations at the Imperial Palace and Courts. The Chapter is not nearly as violent as the others, resorting to diplomacy, charming, social etiquette, and respectable behavior to appeal to the mantle of appearing sane and coherent to outsiders. While the majority of their work lies in charisma, the purger-sisters as some of their most battle-hardened are called, are still more than a match for a Vampire, they might even convince to yield.
+* '''Émérites Mechanic:''' These Knights can [[Speech_Point_Buy#Persuasion_Stat_and_Rolls|Persuasion /Dice]] without Charisma Proficiency but only on Foreign NPCs or Royalty and gain a +1 final result Bonus. This Bonus does not stack with other Bonuses.
-==Playing a Lothar Knight==
+==Internal Lothar Code==
-Playing a Lothar Knight is different from the other Knight Orders. Lothar lore is written not to have longevity, due to the very pro-Magic nature of both the player base and the positive to apathetic leanings of society in canon lore, a Knight Order that represents extreme reactionary violence and repression will receive a lot of push back. Lothar Knights buy into the aesthetics of the Val Helsing type character, but will face almost insurmountable opposition from all the played OC’s on the server. As such, players who play Lothar Knights should be aware that playing one is a constant struggle of making no compromises and being seen as “the bad guy” by the majority of the Characters on the server. It is also strongly discouraged to play a “Fallen Lothar Knight” who abandoned the order. This is not as interesting as it might seem on face value, and a far less skillful or impactful character design than is implied. The Lothar Order also executes traitors, so it would be asking too much leeway from the lore canon to keep an ex-member alive.
+The Internal Lothar Code contains additional Honor and Behavior Codes for Lothar Knights that are supplemental to the Common Code described on the Knights Page.
+# All Lothar Knights must never socialize with the Occult in a friendly and collegial manner, or be thought of as on romantic or friendship terms with them.
+# All Lothar Knights must pay special attention to rid the world of the Sanguine Plague, and to slay any person who has fallen to this most wretched of sins.
+# All Lothar Knights must consider Regalian Law to be transient, and for every crime to be temporary until the righteous purpose is revealed and they are proven right.
+# All Lothar Knights must never directly contradict or act against the wishes of the Emperor, even if he argues for Mage liberation, but slowly change his mind.
+# All Lothar Knights must never extoll the virtues of, or give credit to the actions of any Occult, and be cognizant of the fact that Magic is not a skill but a stain.
-==Common Knights Code==
+==Lothar Jobs==
-The Common Knights Code applies to all Regalian Knight Organizations, but is also mentioned specifically on each Order page for reference. This Common Code is additional to the Viridian Knight Functions. It is very important to mention specifically for the Lothar Knight Order however, that the Common Knights Code only applies to the Mundane to the Lothar Knights. While there is an expectation to be “merciful with death, disdain cruelty of torture”, none of the Common Knight Code rules apply when dealing with the Occult.
+The Lothar Order, just like other Knight Orders, has so called "Jobs" which are cornerstone occupations of the Knights. Any Knight can engage in these, but they are largely optional.
+* '''Occult Hunters:''' Lothar should work towards combatting the Occult and protecting the Mundane in large and small ways. This may involve killing the Occult outright, but can also mean smaller things like sabotaging Aelrrigan Order efforts to teach Magic, burning Magic-teaching books and tomes, campaigning for harsher mage-repression laws, and generally making society more anti-Occult. Being violent to the Occult all the time is not required, but what is required is to make their lives harder, and to roll back many of the liberties and freedoms they have gained.
-* Knights are expected to be loyal to the Emperor and the Empire without complaint. Unionism is not required, but obedience to the Crown is.
+* '''Arcane Revelations:''' Lothar should engage in the tracking down of, and public revealing of the Occult who hide their status and their affiliations, and to inform the people of their duplicity and to warn them about their powers and their evil deeds. Lothar should generally act as the warning systems of society that have long since failed to caution the general public towards the Occult and bring back a healthy dose of fear and paranoia towards the underhanded sabotage and infiltration of Mages who have reached far and high in state office with their power.
-* Knights are expected never to attack the unarmed and defenseless, and to not resort to dirty fighting tricks or attack others from behind.
+* '''Temple Desecration:''' Lothar should engage in the raiding, occupation, and desecration of Temples to faiths which their conclave has deemed to be in favor of Magic-liberation and Magic-proliferation. This includes faiths such as [[Estelley]], [[Evolism]], [[Draconism]], and even shrines dedicated to the Evintarian Cult of [[Unionism]]. The Lothar should show the superiority of the righteous faiths that do not abide by the corruption of Magic, and reinforce to the Occult just how weak they really are even on their own home turf with no mercy for those who would seek to expel the Lothar.
-* Knights are expected not to complain, moan, or self-deprecate, Knights should never degrade themselves or be an annoying bore.
+* '''Artifact Appropriation:''' Lothar should when possible, entrap and steal Unionist (all Chapters) and Fornoss (if Helbane specifically) Artifacts from their owners if they believe these owners are Unworthy in the light of Purism. Lothar engaging in this Job are expected to, like Aelrrigans, profile holders of appropriate categories of Artifacts and vote as a Council whether it is possible and-or prudent to divest them of the Artifact and give it to either a worthy bearer or a Lothar instead. Being cleared by Aelrrigans or a legal state of existence under the Law has absolutely no bearing on this Lothar judgment.
-* Knights are expected to follow the laws of the land and not become a Criminal. They should assist Guards in apprehending criminals.
+* '''Beast Tamers:''' Lothar should when possible either take in willing Marken, or chain unwilling Marken who cannot control themselves by State definitions in the Law. These Marken are meant to be treated in much the same way as Chained Penitents, in that they are tools rather than members of the Order, and should be used to minimalize casualties on the Lothar Order to fight against the Occult. Chained Marken can be assigned to any Chapter, and their retainers can control their transformations and their actions when they are Transformed to fight for them.
-* Knights are expected not to lie, but never express every truth that needn’t be known. Knights should not deceive unless for the greater good.
+===Chained Penitents===
-* Knights are expected to give alms to the poor and care for the needy, and to protect those who cannot protect themselves, and punish dishonor.
+Chained Penitents as a concept begs further explanation, because there are some rules associated with it. Chained Penitents are essentially indentured servant Mages who act as collared weapons for the Lothar Order, and are wielded by the Grauwald Chapter. Only a Grauwald Knight can induce, command, and control Chained Penitents. They have specific Unionist rituals with which to temporarily nullify their Magic, to prevent them from using any Powers or Mage-breaking and attracting Demons. Chained Penitents must always come voluntarily to the Lothar Order (the Lothar Order cannot force this on unwilling Mages), and they can only be Void or Exist Mages. They cannot be Afflicted, have Spirits, a long Criminal Record, or worship [[Minor Faiths]] or [[Evolism]]. The Chained Penitents must be provided with food and lodgings, but must also follow the Grauwald's every command. It is the Grauwald's job to ensure that the Penitents very rarely use their magic, and only in severe circumstances where it is actually required to complete their duty. Chained Penitents are not further persecuted by the Lothar Order, so long as they remain loyal and obedient. It is not permitted to play a Chained Penitent without a played Knight Character to be attached to, and Chained Penitents should not be treated as Order members, and put in their place as weapons rather than people.
-==Lothar Order Politics==
-The Lothar Order is not one giant homogenous group, rather, they are made up of the Osteiermark based Darkwalds, the Calemberg based Grauwalds, and the Krainivaya Krsnik. Each of these Orders has a slightly altered approach to the Occult and the Corrupted, with a range of extremism on part of the Darkwalds, a more nuanced tone on the Krsnik, and a more liberal approach of the Grauwalds. These sub-groups are never allowed to sabotage or attack each other (even if the Grauwalds allow Magic-users in extremely niche situations in their ranks). It is required for each Lothar Knight to be a member of one of these three groups:
-* '''The Darkwald Group''' is considered the most radical of the Lothar Knights who accept zero compromise with the Occult and Magical. The Darkwald Group favors extermination over all other options, and actively roams the Regalian Archipelago killing anyone they think has been corrupted, even if the evidence is not water-tight. Darkwald members always favor the most extreme options. Darkwald members are always Dogmatic Unionist, and the majority of the order is male, but women are permitted.
-* '''The Krsnik Group''' is considered more moderate within the Lothar Order. While they have the same extremism against the Occult as the Darkwalds, unlike the Darkwalds, they are more fervently loyal to the Emperor’s ever word, even the ones that demand some concessions to the Occult. This means that while they prefer execution and violence against the Occult, the Krsnik members have the freedom to be pragmatic in any situation where they are forced to ally with an Occult temporarily to defeat a bigger and more evil occult. Krsnik members are always Dogmatic Unionist, and the majority of the order is female, but men are permitted.
-* '''The Grauwald Group''' is considered the more liberal within the Lothar Order. They have similarly anti-Occult views, but consider fighting fire with fire acceptable in some situations. For example, Dogmatic Unionist Calemberg mages who are self-loathing for their Magic and want to purge the world of Magic, are permitted into the Grauwald Group (where they are protected from the Darkwalds and Krsnik in all but words) so long as they have another Grauwald Knight as their retainer, instructed to behead them if they make one wrong move or show one sign of soul corruption. These Mages are not ever considered full-fledged Knights, but are tools for their Grauwald Knight retainer. The Grauwald Group members are more inclined to work with select Occult which they have deemed “in the better interest of cleansing society of its corruption”, but still favor the same cruelty on the Afflicted.
-Throughout all Group interpretations, the functions and guidelines of the Order remain the same, Group Membership just means that sometimes the individual Knights behave a little bit differently (and there can also be verbal conflict among them). While a Darkwald will for example never opt to cure a Vampire, a Krsnik is more likely to cure instead of kill, while a Grauwald will first use the Vampire as bait to find more Vampires. Group membership only changes minor interaction nuances, not whole sweeping ideologies.
-==Lothar Order Specials==
-Because playing a Lothar Knight is difficult, and closes a lot of roleplay avenues, playing a Lothar Knight has certain benefits in roleplay and in progressions that are unique to Lothar Knights.
-* Lothar Knights have so-called “Beast-Masters” among them that use special equipment granted to them by Taal, the Unionist Goddess of Purity. This Equipment allows them to collar those who are Marken. Markenism is not considered a curse or Occult by the Lothar Order, though they do recognize that it is uncontrolled violence and a danger to society. When a Lothar Knight succeeds in collaring a Marken (only with express OOC consent), this Marken can no longer involuntarily (or voluntarily) transform into a Marken Beast, but has their agency over their God-Curse lost to the Lothar Knight. The Lothar Knight can force the collared Marken to transform at any time with a command, and will also never be attacked by said collared Marken (due to the effects of the Collar). Beast-Masters are as such Lothar Knights who use Marken to fight on their side, but they are still dangerous because these Marken will only not attack the Lothar Knight, they will still attack the Lothar Knight’s allies, or other Lothar Knights who do not have control over the collar. The Marken in question can also only transform back into non-Marken by command of the Lothar Knight. They will remember everything, but have no control over themselves during that episode. Being a Marken is not permitted among the Grauwald and Darkwald groups, but being a Marken is permitted among the Krsnik. The Krsnik have special equipment so that if they are a Marken, they will always retain their sentience when transforming, and will never mindlessly attack anyone.
-* Lothar Knights wear special equipment granted by God Emperor Allest that prevents mind control or any type of mind enslavement on them. Additionally, it prevents them from being turned into Cahal or Vampires, and prevents them from having their memories affected by Afflicted, and also prevents Blood or Soul Sickness as a consequence of feeding. This equipment cannot be removed.
-* Lothar Knights generally succeed more in Progressions because they can call upon specialized Darkwald hit-squads with unique technology that can instantly vaporize Vampires. If Lothar Knights are on missions to sabotage the work of others relating to Occult plots or schemes, they are generally more successful even if they lack numbers or financial means.
-* Lothar Knights are completely not bound by weapon requirements. Many of the Darkwalds for example use crossbows or firearms. It is however recommended not to walk around Regalia and just shoot characters from emote range without any sort of roleplay. This is considered a fail-rp and will result in Staff reprimand.
-==Lothar Knight Functions==
-Order Functions are a set of roleplay goals and activities that one can engage in while being an Lothar Knight. These are functions more-so than rules, but some rules are implied in the functions. For example, while Lothar  Knights are expected to hunt the Occult, a LotharKnight is obviously violating Order conduct if they fraternize and socialize with Vampire lovers, or simply let one of their friends be a Vampire and not do anything about it.
-* Lothar Knights are expected to hunt down and expose any Vampires, Cahal, or Geists that are present in Regalia, communicate this to the rest of the order and publicly expose them, and then hunt them down for killing. While killing is technically the preferred outcome, lacking kill-perms on other player’s characters means that curing must usually suffice. It is recommended to “off-screen” Vampire/Cahal killing in Lore Stories or to imply it happens in dialogue.
-* Lothar Knights are expected to publicly unveil hidden Mages and Magic users or any other type of Occult user, and let their judgment be whatever society deems for them.
-* Lothar Knights are expected to spy, sabotage, or otherwise inform themselves of the Occult plans and plots (particularly to do with Progressions) and do whatever they can to stop them.
-* Lothar Knights are expected to work with the Truth Ministry and act as their military support arm, if they lack the manpower or specialization internally to deal with the Afflicted.
-* Lothar Knights are expected to teach the ignorant the dangers of the Occult, to regale the stories of evil that corruption brings, and the deaths it causes to others around them.
-* Lothar Knights are expected to hunt down Vampire or Cahal sympathizers, even if they are Mundane, and teach them a lesson about supporting that which is irredeemable.
-* Lothar Knights are expected to be obstructionist in nearly every intention or function of the Aelrrigan Order. Sabotage them. Get in their way. Ruin their work for they are evil.
-* Lothar Knights are expected to assist the Villiers Order, but only in the protection of Unionist Temples and Holy sites, even if they do not want the help or are actively fighting Lothar Knights.
-* Lothar Knights are expected to track down Arken/Void God/Exist worship sites (not Estellon temples) and destroy them, or make them inaccessible to their worshipers.
-* Lothar Knights are expected to remove bodily corruption from the mutated (mutations), whether that means amputation or burning them away with sword and fire.
-* Lothar Knights are expected to hunt down/track Arken and their plots, and get in the way as much as possible, but not to throw one's life away by fighting them directly.
-===Privileges===
-Lothar Knights have specific legal privileges that remain active so long as they are not disgraced. You are not permitted to play a disgraced Lothar Knight without express permission from Lore Staff, and characters who are Lothar Knights but become disgraced in the course of RP are expected to be killed off by other Lothar Knights, or leave Regalia.
-* Confidants and up have automatic rights to wear armor up to plate quality in the city.
-* Confidants and up have automatic rights to bear arms of any kind in the city, and even open-carry such weapons. They must however stand down if commanded by [[State Metropolitan|Metropolitan]]s.
-* Only Purgers have automatic rights to receive a Knightly Manor in the Noble District. This Estate is not as large as a Noble Estate, but provided for free in Uptown.
-* Only Purgers have automatic access to the Darkwald Libraries in Tirgunn (where in Ticket) they may ask for additional information about specific subjects where applicable.
-===Structure===
-The Lothar Order has a hierarchical structure that defines the ranks within their Order.
-* The Grand Vigil is the ceremonial leader at the top. This rank is reserved for Event NPC’s.
-* The Lothar Elders are the retired instructors and teachers, they represent each of the three groups equally within the Lothar Order. They are Event NPC.
-* Purger-Knights are the higher ranked Lothars with special privileges in Regalia which requires review.
-* Confidant-Knights are the file and rank of the Lothar Order. This rank can be obtained without review.
-The Membership list of the Order can be found [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-KiHYpKMIBUcrqgYtfXGGBYN6ZBeCOvQBp_si1QQZyA here].
 ==History==
-The history of the Lothar Order is mostly shrouded in mystery because the Order has traditionally been very secretive to assist in their clandestine tasks and work. The Darkwald Order was founded by Renault Prendegeist, a noble scion of the family Prendegeist in Osteiermark and Tirgunn. This region at the time was suffering from Vampire infestations, as the dark swampy lands could hide many Vampires, motivating the Duke and his followers to start a region-wide Vampire hunting organization. The Order was initially somewhat effective, but the eventual discovery of the artifact Coraveau and Renault’s wielding of it, spelled doom for the early order. Renault went insane from wielding the Artifact and many of the Order died or were hunted down by Void fanatics.
+The history of the Lothar Order is mostly shrouded in mystery because the Order has traditionally been very secretive to assist in their clandestine tasks and work. The Darkwald Order was founded by Renault Prendegeist, a noble scion of the family Prendegeist in [[Regalian Archipelago|Osteiermark]] and Tirgunn. This region at the time was suffering from Vampire infestations, as the dark swampy lands could hide many Vampires, motivating the Duke and his followers to start a region-wide Vampire hunting organization. The Order was initially somewhat effective, but the eventual discovery of the cursed blade Coraveau and Renault’s wielding of it, spelled doom for the early order. Renault went insane from wielding the Artifact and many of the Order died or were hunted down by Void fanatics.
 With the death of House Prendegeist, leadership fell to House Tyrmont, a cadet branch, which re-created the order with even more fervent fanaticism to their ideals, believing that they were being watched by the enemies of purity who were actively trying to corrupt their ranks. For a time, the Darkwalds were both supported and loved by the people, but failed to attain reach beyond Osteiermark and the surrounding regions because they were considered too fanatical. An alliance with the Krsnik followed as soon as the Krainivaya arrived in the Regalian Archipelago. The Krsnik were already an arm of the Krainivaya’s secret service, and had experience with hunting Vampires in their homeland, so compatibility was assured.
-The Order became very popular in 279 with the death of Justinian II’s three sons at the hands of the Undead. The sudden heavy swivel into Bulwark-style ideology in the Empire and extreme repression of all things Magical saw the Darkwalds and Krsnik spread far and wide. Eventually however, their success in cleansing much of the unwanted Magic and corruption of the Archipelago, was also their downfall once more. When they were needed less and less, their more fanatical and tyrannical ideology became difficult to swallow for the local peasants who more often than not requested mercy for their afflicted loved ones. Public opinion turned on the Darkwalds largely with the succession of Alexander I who was always more ambivalent to positively inclined to Magic users.
+The Order became very popular in 279 with the death of [[Justinian II]]’s three sons at the hands of the Undead. The sudden heavy swivel into Bulwark-style ideology in the Empire and extreme repression of all things magical saw the Darkwalds and Krsnik spread far and wide. Eventually however, their success in cleansing much of the unwanted Magic and corruption of the Archipelago, was also their downfall once more. When they were needed less and less, their more fanatical and tyrannical ideology became difficult to swallow for the local peasants who more often than not requested mercy for their afflicted loved ones. Public opinion turned on the Darkwalds largely with the succession of [[Alexander I]] who was always more ambivalent to positively inclined to Magic users.
+To combat this situation, Grandmaster Lothar Tyrmont managed to unify the Darkwalds, Krsnik, and Grauwald Order (which had until that point not associated with the Darkwalds) into one single Order, benefiting the Krsnik and Darkwalds from the political connections of the Grauwald Gruppe. Additionally, the Herebrand Order of Holy Knights who had recently lost their mandate were merged into the Lothar Order bringing their cannibal-heretic purging in Girobalda to an end, and extending their heavy-armor specialization into the otherwise lightly armored Lothar Order. Finally, the Helbane Group, denied official recognition in the Regalian Empire, was invited into the Lothar Order, creating space for [[Fornoss]] Purists in the Lothar Order, and adding their specialization and knowledge of Arken to the extensive armory of Lothar skill. With this Order formalized, it was now also much larger and more politically relevant than it had been in the past, which made it all the more difficult to declare it redundant and revoke the rights of the various members. In the modern day their work is made more difficult due to the public prominence of many Occult members of society, but they still perform their work with a great deal of skill in the provinces, hunting down infestation of Afflicted, taming Marken outbreaks, and generally being a nuisance to pro-Magic forces. Their presence is much stronger in the east and north, even in [[Drixagh]], than it is in the south, as the Lothar Knights find no allies among the [[Daendroque|Daen]] and [[Ithanian]] peoples of the Empire.
-To combat this situation, Grandmaster Lothar Tyrmont managed to unify the Darkwalds, Krsnik and Grauwald Order (which had until that point not associated with the Darkwalds) into one single Order, benefiting the Krsnik and Darkwalds from the political connections of the Grauwald Gruppe. With this Order formalized, it was now also much larger and more politically relevant than it had been in the past, which made it all the more difficult to declare it redundant and revoke the rights of the various members. In the modern day their work is made more difficult due to the public prominence of many Occult members of society, but they still perform their work with a great deal of skill in the provinces, hunting down infestation of Afflicted, taming Marken outbreaks, and generally being a nuisance to pro-Magic forces. Their presence is much stronger in the west and north, even in Drixagh, than it is in the south, as the Lothar Knights find no allies among the Daen and Ithanian peoples of the Empire.
 ==Trivia==
-* The Lothar Order takes the inverted crest of House du Briërust as its symbol, both as homage to their origins in Tirgunn but also to mock the last du Briërust Duchess who became a Vampire and was once a Darkwald herself.
+* There was once trivia here.
-* Lothar members are permitted to be nobles and carry title. Many of the Lothar Knights who are nobles in fact hide their Lothar identity and use their noble connections to discover magical corruption among the peerage.
-* Marken who are collared by Lothar beastmasters are fully legal. There is no legal control or prosecution for Krsnik Marken Lothar Knights, or Marken who are collared by Lothar Knights because the state is satisfied with the level of control applied. Marken who escape Lothar control however, are hunted down as wild animals. Many Marken see submission to the Lothar as a bad thing.
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 [[category:Organizations]] [[category:Knight Orders]]