Aelrrigan Order

Aelrrigan Order
Order
Pronunciation	Ail-ree-gan
Origins	Kintyr
Grandmaster	Ffiontirre of Wythwaite
Symbols	Unionist eye, flaming sword, feathered wings
Colors	white, dark gray, sky blue

The Aelrrigan Order is a Knightly Order primarily occupied with fighting the negative effects of Magic on the world, though by harnessing and teaching as opposed to repressing and peaceful cleansing instead of eradicating. Among the Aelrrigan Knights, Magic usage is very common, and they even provide safe ways to teach responsible Magic usage to others. Inversely however, the Aelrrigan Order has some of the most ruthless Mage-Hunters who track down what they call Renegade Mages (sometimes also called “Goz” for the Breizh word for mole, or just Renegade). Beyond their enforcement of responsible and moral usage of Magic, the Aelrrigan also hunt down Artifacts of Magic in order to keep them out of the hands of the common people, and lock them up into a fortification called an Enemohér, which those who speak Common often refer to as a Magi-Vault or Mohér. The Aelrrigan ply their craft somewhere between the laws of the land and their own moral codes, never quite being fully recognized and legalized in the same way the other Knight Orders had been, but still finding ways to fulfill their divine mission. The Aelrrigan follow the Dydd y Farn, which is loosely translated to the Doomsday Prophecy in Common, an extremely rare instance of three religions all convening for a common goal and concept, to warn the world about dangers and instructing their followers on what to do about it.

Design

The Aelrrigan Order is a Knightly Order that specializes in positive enforcement of good Magical conduct on the people of the Empire. Aelriggan Chapter houses are some of the few rare locations in the Regalian Empire where one can learn Magic and be taught Magic by practicing teachers without requiring extensive paperwork and documents to prove legality. The Aelrrigans teach their students ethical magic usage, not to treat magic like a toy, to be respectful, and to only use it when necessary and not overly self indulgent, and to guard the mind and soul from Demonic corruption. The Knights of the Aelrrigan Order also hunt Renegade Mages who use Magic to harm and corrupt, perform kangaroo courts, and punish those who court evil with Magic. Their final task is also to secure wayward Artifacts and keep dangerous Magical objects out of the hands of the common folk who do not understand such terrible power. With regards to Occult Status, the Aelrrigan Order is primarily Occult and Non-Occult, allowing both Void and Exist magic usage. However, the Aelrrigan Order does not induct or allow Ordial Mages.

Why Play a Knight

Knighthood is a good way to get involved in pre-existing groups and activities. Since it guarantees roleplay, a group, and a reason to log on, it is appealing for everyone from new players to veterans. Knight groups organize their own internal social roleplay and are usually well-received by the player base as pleasant spaces. Knighthood also grants a unique ranking system for Characters to progress up the ladder of their Order and gain privileges for honesty and effectiveness in their Code. Knight roleplay requires reading, however, as Knight characters must follow their Codes or risk expulsion. Aelrrigan Knighthood is recommended for players who want to play a Magic Knight with high fantasy aesthetics, the defender of the Occult from reactionaries who want to oppress them, but also teachers of restraint and wisdom in Magic use who hold accountable those who twist Magic to flippancy and evil.

Knights Code

Common Knights Code

All Knights of all Orders are beholden to this Knights Code.

Loyalty to the Emperor of Regalia, and the Regalian State is required.
Knights are disallowed from attacking unarmed or defenseless people.
Knights are disallowed from degrading themselves or their Order.
Knights are allowed to enforce Regalian Law, but must abide by it.
Knights may not lie, or deceive, but needn't always say everything.
Knights are expected to give alms to the poor and protect the weak.

Specific Order Code

The following Knights Code applies only to the Aelrrigan Order.

Aelrrigan Knights must champion both vocally and physically the cause of protection of the repressed (legal) Occult.
Aelrrigan Knights must protect from attack the repressed (legal) Occult and combat the Lothar Order in their purging.
Aelrrigan Knights must investigate and track down Renegade Mages for judgement to sever their connection to Magic.
Aelrrigan Knights must assist those learning or wishing to learn Magic to learn it safely with good discipline.
Aelrrigan Knights must teach the wider public the dangers of unrestrained Magic usage and the Doomsday Prophecy.
Aelrrigan Knights must hunt down Spirits and Demons or corrupted souls and purge them back to the realm they came from.
Aelrrigan Knights must administer the Danna Magica Artifact Law, and take Artifacts out of the wrong hands.

Renegade Mages

Renegade Mages are a concept unique to Aelrrigan Knights, that has some nuance to it in how they are judged and approached. While many groups and societies label Mages as wholesale dangers, Aelrrigans have a strict set of specifications by which they decide a Mage is a danger to society only if they use Magic to hunger for power and the suffering of others or attacking the Aelrrigan Order, making them Renegades. If a so-called Renegade Mage is captured and given their first Trial, the Aelrrigans go through their crimes, and how to repent and change, sending the Renegade Mage off with a final warning. Following this first trial, they are no longer expressly considered a Renegade Mage, but the Aelrrigans are expected to generally keep a close eye on them because they are part of a problem group in society. Mages who do not change their ways, and continue to cause harm to society at large are labeled a "Stage-Two" Renegade Mage, which is the point at which the Aelrrigans decide that the only way to deal with them is to sever their magic semi-permanently if they are caught.

Danna Magica

Danna Magica, which is Breizh for Artifact Law, is a collection of written expectations and behaviors that dictate how Aelrrigans must interact with Artifacts in circulation among the population. Regalia has (always) had a fairly loose law concerning Artifacts, cognizant of the fact that many nobles see them as something prestigious to own, and Mages see them as powerful boons to use, but not feeling motivated enough to get involved in the infrequent fighting over these powerful objects (and not wanting to be responsible for the collateral damage). As such, the Aelrrigan Order has effective free range to apply their own laws over Artifacts and enforce them, even if they are not recognized as State Laws, and the State Metropolitan cannot assist them in their duties for them. A lot of these rules are circumstantial, so they should be read in order. Aelrrigans are expected to be aware of what Artifacts are in rotation, and to decide in meetings which Artifacts should be taken from which people, and who should be allowed to keep their Artifacts. Artifacts can also be stashed in the Vault, opening them up to Vault Raids. For Vault Raids, see the Crime Rules section.

Structure

The Aelrrigan Order has a hierarchical structure that defines ranks within the Order:

The Grandmaster (NPC) is the highest leader of the Aelrrigan Order.
The Elder Council (NPC) are the elders and mentors and teachers of the Order.
The Mage-Knights (NPC) are the Order's strongest Mages, Knights of fabled power.
The Tanfawr-Knights (Player) are the highest attainable rank of Knight of high prestige and esteem.
The Fawr-Knights (Player) are well respected Knights with great sway in the Order.
The Tanwydd-Knights (Player) are the esteemed warriors sent on difficult tasks for the Order.
The Wydd-Knights (Player) are the formal rank of Knights who get sent on missions.
The Ward-Knights (Player) are the lowest rank of just-graduated Knight in the Order.
The Squires (Player) are pre-graduation. Recommended for trying out, with less obligations.

Privileges

Privileges are a set of unlockable rewards that can be attained each time a Knight ranks up. The rank up process is evaluated by Lore Staff based on a combination of: adherence to the lore, adherence to the knight's code, activity, consistent character portrayal, good engagement and in some of the higher ranks, leadership. When a rank up is granted, players may choose one of these privileges (each only once) to apply to that rank up, ensuring that the appropriate reward is granted for each milestone. Being expelled from the Order causes the loss of all Privileges, and in some cases, Privileges may also be revoked if a Character is punished by the order for misdeeds, or disciplined by staff for Server Rule breaking.

Privilege 1 The Knight in question is granted a Family Crypt at the Regalian Magivault, which may contain secret rooms for Roleplay.
Privilege 2 The Knight in question is granted a rent-free Knight's Estate in the Knight Quarter with Staff decoration.
Privilege 3 The Knight in question gains a perpetual exception to all anti-Magic Laws and can use Magic freely.
Privilege 4 The Knight in question may consult the Coltyr Chapterhouse of Occult Knowledge for information.
Privilege 5 The Knight in question receives an Artifact designed for their Character that cannot be taken from them.

Chapter Houses

The Aelrrigan Order, like some other Knight Orders, has Chapter Houses. Unlike the other Knight Orders however, the choice for Chapter House in the Aelrrigan Order does not matter because the Chapters are far more similar to each other. The only real difference between the Chapter Houses, is that they have slightly different focuses and emphasis that may inform the personality of the people who trained there. As such there is also a bit more lore to them.

Penn Archwilio: Penn Archwilio is the Aelrrigan Chapter House of Wayfinding in Canolbarth (Regalian Archipelago), with Knights trained having an emphasis on reaching out into the world beyond the known and discovering the secrets of Magic, and restraining the unrestrtained in as of yet unfound lands. The Aelrrigans are well aware that there is much of the world unfamiliar to them, and where their guidance does not yet benefit societal safety against evil Magic. Penn Archwilio members tend to be more experimental. The emblem of Penn Archwilio is the cart-wheel with vines spreading outwards from it.
Penn Carchar: Penn Carchar is the Aelrrigan Chapter House of storing Artifacts of great power in Tirddwr (Regalian Archipelago), and guarding them so others do not steal them or to prevent them from falling in the wrong hands. Penn Carchar has the largest collection of Artifacts, even if most Aelrrigan Chapter Houses do contain some Artifacts, with the magical wards and protections in the lower levels being legendary. Penn Carchar members tend to be extreme stickers for the rules and holding others accountable. The emblem of Penn Carcher is the iron Gatehouse with vines spreading outwards from it.
Penn Gwyn: Penn Gwyn is the Aelrrigan Chapter House of Defense against the Arken in Blindheim (Middeskag), putting specific emphasis on teaching its members how to guard both body and mind against the plots and schemes of the Arken, and how to recognize their hand in matters. Penn Gwyn was comically created by an Arken masquerading as an Aelrrigan, though eventually unmasked and foiled, thus adding to their skill. Penn Gwyn members tend to be strong willed and self assured, given their confidence training. The emblem of Penn Gwyn is the mask of deceit, a vile looking expression, with flames spreading from its mouth.
Penn Awyr-de: Penn Awyr-de is the Aelrrigan Chapter House originally built to endear the work of the Aelrrigans in Girobalda (Regalian Archipelago) but which quickly gained a reputation for being very mild in comparison to the other Chapter Houses. Penn Awyr-de members have a reputation for not taking the Aelrrigan work as seriously as they should, and the Chapter House is primarily used to just educate Mages instead of hunting Renegades. Their members tend to be more laid-back. The emblem of Penn Awyr-de is the eternal Vine-vessel, and amphora pouring laureates turning into vines as they flow.
Penn Calon Werdd: Penn Calon Werdd is the Aelrrigan Chapter House built to experiment with new fighting techniques as well as weaponizing magic through the act of spell-blading. Penn Calon Werdd was largely destroyed in 309 AC by the Asha Corsairs who ripped up the terrain to strip-mine Eriu-Innis where Penn Calon Werdd was located. The members have since evacuated to a series of farms on the southern coast of Eriu-Innis where they try to rebuild. Penn Calon Werdd members tend to be unforgiving when they have sunk their teeth in an enemy, with a particular chip on their shoulder for Asha. The Emblem of Penn Calon Werdd is the sword sprouting roots in the ground with vines growing up on its sides, though a common reworked emblem since the destruction of their Chapter House has been the flaming sword.
Penn Llyn: Penn Llyn is the Aelrrigan Chapter House built in Ashhaven to work specifically with horticulture and alchemical plants, combining Magic and plants to create healing and supporting substances. Penn Llyn also doubles a a convalescence home for Aelrrigan Knights who have been wounded or dismembered in combat (which is very frequent), with many of the Mage-Knights teaching students there also. Penn Llyn members tend to have a stronger interest in the natural world and how Magic can interact with it, while using more mundane Technology and Alchemy to assist in their Aelrrigan duties. The Emblem of Penn Llyn is the emerald heart, an emerald gem with an even-armed cross in the middle that represents the healing magic of the battle-medic Knights within.

Note: More background lore can be found about the Aelrrigan Mage Knights related to the Chapter Houses.

History

Aelrrigan Order history is closely linked with Breizh cultural history, as its founding location was the Kintyr lands in the Regalian Archipelago. Its foundation is linked to the Dydd y Farn, a term that is loosely translated to Doomsday Prophecy, but rather than a set of tenets and beliefs, it actually refers to a highly unusual meeting and the events that came as a consequence of that meeting. To understand the event however, it is important to understand the context in which it took place. Kintyr at the time was one of the most divided but also populous regions in the Regalian Archipelago, which was nonetheless troubled by the Elven slave raids in the surrounding lands. Kintyr was unable to properly unite a common force against the foreign invaders because their land was so bitterly divided over religion. In almost equal numbers, the Breizh people were Dragon Worshipers of Regulus, Old Gods followers of the Vanir and Aesir, and held a unique religion called the Weards of Elen, with all three religions making up roughly a third of the total population and splitting it three ways. An often unspoken about topic that also bothered them, were the Void Conduits. A Conduit happens when a large amount of Void Magic or Exist Magic converges in an area to saturate it to such a degree that it becomes cancerous to anything living in the area, and rots anything that comes in contact with it. Void Conduits happened more and more as the world came closer to the Void Invasion, though obviously the denizens of the world did not yet know it was coming. These Void Conduits manifested all over the Regalian Archipelago but also in Kintyr, because of the rampant Magic usage halfway across the world in the Allorn Empire.

The Dydd y Farn refers to a meeting of the three religions in the valley called Meysydd Siarad in Kintyr. First came the dragon Regulus assuming Ailor form with long black hair, silken robes and purple eyes. Second came Elen, white feathered wings with songs of the fae from the clouds. And third came Odal and Adal, riding a long thunderous strike. The meeting is well recorded, because the faithful took effort to announce this coming meeting ahead of time, meaning hundreds if not thousands of people were present to witness it from all faiths. During the Dydd y Farn each divine representative of their religion made a verbal agreement and demand of the Kintyr people to set aside their religious differences, and unite against the threat of the Void Conduits, which were causing a plague on the land called the Black Mould, a high contagious disease that was caused by inhaling Void corrupted spores, with guaranteed fatality. The divine entities made it abundantly clear that this unificiation was necessary, to prevent utter calamity. This event is exceptional for each religion even, as Dragons were not known to interact this much with their own worship which they often disregarded, and it is also the only recorded time in history when gods of different religions were present in the same area, let alone preaching a common goal.

Each of the divine beings demanded a unified effort on the part of the Breizh people, to form the Aelrrigan Dathonair, the forerunner of the modern Aelrrigan Order. Each of the royal houses (which would later become the Ducal houses as petty Breizh royalty wasn't the same as Imperial royalty) swore fealty to the Dathonair, giving their second born sons up to the Order to be guided by the Gods. In return, the Gods taught the Dathonair the complex and dangerous rituals involved in cleansing the Void Conduits, calling upon a mixture of Dragon, Old Gods, and Wearden powers to bring a halt to the Black Mould plague that was sweeping the region. It is mostly this event and subsequent formation of the Dathonair that modern scholars credit as the reason why nobody really remembers just how awful the Void Conduits were, as they were so successful, that after 200 years, there were no Void Conduits left. Some even dare speculate that because the Dathonair cleansed the lands, by the time Cataclysm happened (which in itself was a very destructive magic-caused event) there wasn't enough magical energy on the Archipelago for the Cataclysm to erupt like a catalyst, thus preventing any major natural disasters in the area and setting up the Regalian Empire with an easy start five years later.

The Dathonair continued their work even into the founding of the Regalian Empire. The Wearden of Elen as a standalone religion would soon cease to exist, as the Concilly Council incorporated the Wearden into Dogmatic Unionism during the first schism, after which the second Emperor of Regalia re-confirmed the commitment of the Everwatcher to uphold the pact made by the Elen during the Dydd y Farn. In essence, Unionism took over the responsibility of the Wearden of Elen, as Unionism replaced said religion, while Dragon Worship and Old Gods worship remained in place, with various priests of both religions also ratifying the succession of Unionism which holds more or less to this day. With the Empire's somewhat loose attitude to Magic early on, the Dathonair were able to continue doing their work, but also found because of their efficiency, that little work had to be done. This in turn invited complacency among Regalian officials about the need of the Dathonair. This came to a head roughly 70 years after the first Unionism Schism, when anti Evintarian sentiment and the concept of magical mutations and evolutions gave rise to strong purist sentiments.

The dark times for the Dathonair truly set in, in 100 AC, when Arch-Chancellor Maenarra peaked anti-Magic Regalian sentiment with the creation of the Azure Order, allowing Grand Vigil Nicholas to implement his anti-Magic reforms. A true purge followed where many non-Magi signed up to the Azure Order and spread out across the Empire to hunt down Magic users, including Dathonair Mage-Knights. Many of the Dathonair Sanctuaries and Chapter houses were burned, with the Knights slain or imprisoned in the Azure Spire in the City of Regalia. Few of the Order survived without being captured, and most of the Bayor tapestries recording the history of the order were lost, or hidden away and soon forgotten as their protectors were slain elsewhere and taking their location with them to the grave. In 140 AC, the Azure Order declared the Dathonair destroyed, with the burning of Grandmaster Robwyn of Coltyr, being the last captured Dathonair who hid away in the mountains of Alstyr in Kintyr.

The spirit of the Dathonair was kept alive by those proud Ducal families who had once been the first to pledge their allegiance nearly 1200 years prior, hiding their bayor tapestries that recorded the codes and conduct of the Dathonair. They even kept alive knowledge of the rituals and artifacts used to cleanse Conduits, even though none of them were actually trained how to use them. It is during this time that some Old Gods and Dragon Worshipers blame Unionis for radicalizing and breaking the Dydd y Farn, but reality is far more complicated. By this time, Dragon Worshipers had also soured on Mages, with the notable Gray Witches in Anglia becoming extremely xenophobic towards magic users and infected, refusing to even cure simple magical ailments. Similarly, the Old Gods worshipers in the region had been dealt a heavy blow by magic using Solvaan who supported the Regalian Empire in the Skagger wars, thus increasing anti-magical sentiment (also because Elves were very popular among the Dathonair, and commonly lived in Kintyr also). With the death of all Dathonair and the loss of know-how to destroy Conduits, the Azure Order that once hunted the Dathonair now turned their destructive means on the Conduits, causing a lot of collateral damage in the process as they started appearing more and more as time passed further since the death of the last Dathonair.

It was however Unionism that also breathed life back into the compact, during the reign of Emperor Justinian II. Emperor Justinian along with the succeeding Kade dynasty, would later be known as the People Realists, or ruling entities that were more aligned with the needs of the people, than the needs of the Nobility. In doing so, Emperor Justinian II became acutely aware of the effect of Azure cleansing on the people. Far from the Dathonair cleansing rituals of old and the healing of the local population, the Azure Order would call down an extermination order on areas which housed Void Conduits, using cannons and explosive barrels to turn the area into a massive crater, thus denying the Void any matter to hold onto, while also hunting down any person who would have come close to the Conduit and putting them to death as a precaution for Void Demon infestation. This had a huge toll on the local population, and turned sentiment against the Azure Order at large.

Despite severe protests from the Azure Order, the ban on the Dathonair was rescinded by Emperor Justinian II in 270 AC, which immediately resulted in the Conclave of Coltyr, where all the major Ducal families brought the remnants of what they had hidden of the Dathonair together, and re-founded the order. This time, to distinguish it from the past, it was referred to as the Aelrrigan Order, leaving the history of the Dathonair in the past. The struggle over influence between the Azure Order and the Aelrrigan would continue until the former's destruction at the hands of the Deathling Occupation. Emperor Alexander I simply never renewed the charter for the Azure Order, and as such, the Aelrrigans had essentially outlived their foe, and were free to formally exist as a Knightly Order without organizational enemies, who would nonetheless later re-appear as Lothar Knights.

Trivia

Nobles who are Aelrrigans permitted to hold a title, but must always be referred to as Lord-Protectors instead of any other titles.
Elen, the Lady of Rivers, Goddess of Unionism is not an Aelrrigan Knight, but has frequently been sighted in cooperation with them when chasing after a particularly nasty Renegade Mage who has run rampant.
Elen, the Lady of Rivers, is also responsible for disabling a Renegade Mage’s Magical connections when and if they are captured. She is summoned to a trial of a Renegade Mage to cleanse their Magic if they are found guilty.
While the Aelrrigan Order has a Grandmaster, the Grandmaster is merely ceremonial. The actual power is rested in the mysterious and terrifyingly powerful Mage-Knight Elders.
Regalia used to have a Magi-Vault, which housed a large number of Artifacts, but it was destroyed cataclysmically by Arken in 311 AC. Aelrrigans in Regalia are expected to safeguard Artifacts themselves.
While the Order does not allow Broods to be trained as Squires and Knights, they instead offer them tutelage and work as Scribes, Messengers, and the Bureaucrats of the Order. They are well protected with "low stakes" duties to dissuade them from giving in to their afflicted urges.

Accreditation

Writers	MonMarty
Artists	MonMarty

Last Editor	OkaDoka on 09/3/2023.

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