The Sacred Order of Saint Eithold of Cranach

The Sacred Order of Saint Eithold of Cranach, is a Mandadorian religious military order composed solely of halflings in the halfling dominated riverine lowlands between the Barony of Quadrain to the west, the Barony of Zlin to the east, and the Princedom of Faelin to the south. The Sacred Order was founded by the Venerable Archbishop of Themarch, Krans Amlrich, a halfling Companion of the arch-paladin Nimrel, who named the Sacred Order after the Blessed, and later Saint, Eithold after the young demi-paladin's death. In life, Eithold dedicated himself to fighting the undead of Melisto, a major threat to the halflings of the Holding, and as such, all the halflings who join the Sacred Order as demi-paladin aspirants receive the powers of an Undead Slayer. Although founded at Cranach, the Sacred Order is currently based out of the great halfling city of Aster, the capital of the Holding, in the Princedom of Faelin. The Sacred Order is led by a Master, who is Protector of the Abbey of the Militant Brothers of the Order of the Blessed Cranach in the Ro'Moko, and who serves as High Commander of the Knights of the Sacred Order of Saint Eithold. The current Master of the Sacred Order of Saint Eithold is Knight Commander Sir Aelich von Aurum.

Membership and Knighthood in The Sacred Order of Saint Eithold of Cranach

Within the Holding and the Ro'Moko and other surrounding halfling lands, becoming a member of the Sacred Order of Saint Eithold is one of the most respected positions a halfling might achieve in the region. Following in the footsteps of Eithold himself, members of the Sacred Order are widely respected and even revered. As the Holding is, or was until recent decades, a highly religious land, most halflings have at least some sort of understanding of the level of faith, commitment, learning, strength and courage it takes to earn the right to stand amongst the ranks of the Sacred Order of Saint Eithold.

All members of the Sacred Order have received Minor Orders in the Danian Rite Church and have been laid on hands by a member of the clergy, which grants them spell-prayers.

Unless they already possess a secular knighthood granted by the Prince of Faelin (or other Peer of the Realms), a degree of knighthood is not initially bestowed by the Sacred Order, and therefore new members are not knights and are not officially entitled to the honorific of "Sir".

Upon Reception into the Sacred Order, new members are given the rank of squire. Before Reception (the ceremony and oath upon the completion of which one is an official member of the Sacred Order), certain squires-elect might have declared their intention to become a chaplain in the Sacred Order. Those so desirous receive the tonsure after Reception, and unlike their other colleagues they are thereafter restricted from the use of bloodletting weapons in combat, as they prepare for the priesthood (they follow a simple fighter/cleric multi-class progression). All other squires are assumed to be pursuing knighthood within the Sacred Order (these follow the fighter/specialty priest multi-class progression).

Halflings of the region have thus far been unable to attain the pure paladinate, and therefore make slow steps towards the paladinate in tandem with progression in faith. As demi-humans who initially resisted the faith of Ramian, they believe they must earn the paladinate in small stages, slowly gaining the perquisite powers and level of devotion in small increments over time.

Duties, Responsibilities and Benefits of a Squire of the Sacred Order

The Squires of the Sacred Order are full-fledged members

Organization

The Sacred Order of Saint Eithold of Cranach is an elite Mandadorian religious military order that was originally created under the auspices of the nascent Military Order of the Blessed Cranach. These two religious militant orders have maintained a close and symbiotic relationship, and cooperate with each other on an ongoing basis. Historically, there have been occasions of dispute between the two orders, usually with regards to precedence, leadership and command. In the modern era however, the leader of the Sacred Order of Saint Eithold, called the Master, has been legislated by canon law to hold precedence in command if not management of both orders.

The Sacred Order of Saint Eithold of Cranach

The Sacred Order sports three ranks: knight, chaplain and squire.

Upon completing the Curriculum and passing the Crucible of the Vigil, knights-elect wait until the next Ninthday, at which time they are led before the altar of St. Eithold Cathedral in Aster and there in succession, 1) receive Minor Orders, as either a Reader (Lector) or an Exorcist (thus gaining the power of spell-prayers); and 2) undergo the elaborate ceremony and oath of Reception with the Sacred Order.

Joining the Order

Halfling youths wishing to join the Sacred Order of Saint Eithold must first and foremost dedicate themselves to prayer and faith. Those devout halflings who are at prayer every Ninth Day, and who display clean, sober and pure minds and a virtuous life might eventually be approached by a member of the clergy, and assessed. The aspiring applicant must be of good family, proper birth (not a bastard), be unmarried and be stainless before the eyes of the law and the Church. Upon receiving Confirmation in his late teens (usually 18-19), the evaluating clergyman must then write a letter of recommendation to the Sacred Order for the prospective candidate to even be considered. The Chaplain Commander of the Sacred Order traditionally reviews the prospective candidate recommendations, and then interviews them in person, inquiring as to their character and the reasons why they wish to join the Order. At this point, the Chaplain Commander will decide whether or not the young halflings deserve a chance at candidacy, and acceptance into the junior stratum of the Order as a postulant.

Once offered initial entry as a postulant, the young halfling journeys to Cranach and lives at the Abbey of the Militant Brothers of the Order of the Blessed Cranach. The monks there oversee the young postulants, and reduce them to menial tasks, enforced periods of prayer and study, and martial exercises administered by veterans of the Brothers Militant. Postulants effectively live under monastic rule from this point forward, but as postulants they may leave the abbey's rule at any time. The young halfling aspirants may remain as postulants from anywhere between three months to a year. However long the duration of this junior status, the postulants will eventually be called before the abbot, who will decide if they may proceed as novice monks, or if they lack the appropriate qualities to be a successful Brother Militant. If they are allowed and wish to proceed, the aspirants will proceed to the novitiate as novice monks. The novitiate always last at least a year, and sometimes two or three. Supervised by the Brothers Militant, the novices intensify their religious and weapons training, and they are given opportunities to study armory and weaponsmithing (in which the Brother excel), or in numerous other fields such as healing, advanced religious study, equestrian sport and law. At intervals, knights and squires of the Sacred Order of Bl. Eithold will visit the monastery and along with the Brothers Militant lead the novices on tests of bravery, leadership, strength and endurance. These tests will culminate in an annual great foot march and patrol around the Ro'Moko and the Holding. Forced to endure the elements and a harsh and very long march under the eye of their mounted elders, the March often reveals much of the character of the halfling aspirants, and the attendant knights and squires of the Sacred Order.

Once the March is complete, the lead knight of the Sacred Order will confer with the Brothers Militant and their abbot. The novices are then assembled, and told one of three things. The first is that they have not been chosen by the knights but may proceed with becoming a normal Brother Militant of the Order of the Blessed Cranach (clerics). Secondly, they are told that they demonstrated promise, but must wait another year in the novitiate and for a second March, at which time they may be selected for candidacy to the Sacred Order of the Knights of the Blessed Eithold. The third and best thing they can be told is that they have accepted for candidacy to the Sacred Order of the Blessed Eithold.

Modern candidates proceed to Aster and the Church of the Blessed Eithold. At least one year of enhanced martial training conducted by the knights and squires commences, along with advanced religious study for preparation to receive Minor Orders. They learn to ride ponies, joust and at least elementary Danian so that they may soon call upon spell prayers. They are taught well by the Knight Chaplains, and although still under religious rule, are given freedom at time for visiting family, friends and general leave. On occasion, candidates are given leave from the curriculum to study law, enhanced Church studies elsewhere, and other activities, before they attempt to complete their candidacy. It is not uncommon for halflings to leave the curriculum at this point, or to be disqualified for moral lapses or for simply not measuring up to the necessary requirements, at which point they are offered the possibility of returning to the Brothers Militant at Cranach, staying on at the Church of the Blessed Eithold as a lay member of the Order, or to leaving the Order altogether.

If and when the Knight Commander of Candidates decides the time is right, individual halfling candidates are compelled to undergo a Trial. Each Trial is unique, but it always involves strength, courage and tests of inner faith and wisdom. Despite all the vetting, more than half the halflings who reach this point fail in the Trial. They are not allowed to repeat the Trial, and those who fail may never try again.

Those rare halflings who successful complete the Trial are immediately taken to St. Eithold's Cathedral at Aster, and upon its high towers made to undergo the Vigil, which is a long night in which their souls will be tested, culminating with the Crucible. It is said that Mandador himself squeezes the hearts of the young halflings during the Crucible, and judges them to see if they are True. At the end of the Vigil, St. Eithold always appears to the successful candidate and demands the Oath of the Sacred Order. If it is given, the now demi-paladin descends to the cathedral altar, where he is greeted by the Bishop, who will have called upon the power of detect lies to ...