The Order of Saint Lucian of Riada :: The Merciful Harbingers
If you are interested in joining the Order; contact Malachi Drake via PM or on Ventrilo.
The Order of Saint Lucian of Riada :: The Merciful Harbingers
Preface
As a military order, The Order of Saint Lucian has been founded with crusading as the key goal. This is to propagate and/or defend the faith of the Church both in the Realm of Hyperion and in the lands of our enemies. But the principal feature of a military order is the combination of military and religious ways of life and so we cannot forsake the teachings of Soldeus or neglect his Children.
To join the Order one must have dedicated his life to Soldeus and must believe the teachings of the Church completely. St. Lucian was both a great warrior and a healer and these are the virtuous that are looked for in those who wish to join.
By joining the order you can expect to be part of an active and aggressive player versus player and player versus environment organisation. Most of our engagements will be small scale and close quarters as we wage a crusade across the lands. But to do this successfully will require a lot of teamwork and preparation. Members of the order will therefore be expected to take part in skill training, resource gathering groups and will be asked to donate largely to the orders funds.
But we will not forsake the Children of Soldeus. We must also honour those duties that we took upon us when dedicating our lives to the Church. We will offer comfort to the poor, spread the teachings of our Father and offer guidance to the young.
To the children of Soldeus we must be a merciful, virtuous and stalwart guardian. To our enemies we must be a relentless, fierce, and indomitable harbinger of retribution.
The History of Lucian of Riada
It is almost three-hundred-years ago that the Island of Riada was destroyed in a volcanic cataclysm. Upon landing on the southern shores of Myrland, Lucian was commissioned to construct a hospital to treat and care for the refuges from Riada. Lucian was a true paladin of his time, skilled with exceptional martial prowess and the gift to heal even the most grievous of wounds. He was assisted in his duties by an ever growing number of Monks and Friars.
The group initially cared for the refuges that had reached Myrland following a long and arduous journey, but the continuing skirmishes with the Sidoian people saw the hospital tend to those soldiers who were wounded or maimed in battle. However the hospital was soon extended into providing aid on the battlefield.
Of the portraits that still exist; all depict Lucian of Riada as a righteous man bathed in the light of Soldeus. In one hand he holds a blood stained sword glinting in the light as he stands upon a battlefield littered with the corpses of his enemy. His other hand is laid upon a fallen comrade, healing him of his wounds.
To the children of Soldeus he was a merciful, virtuous and stalwart guardian. To his enemies he was a relentless, fierce, and indomitable harbinger of retribution.
The Sidoian were little more than brutal savages yet they possessed an unholy cunning. In a bold and sacrilegious move a small force of savages attacked a local hamlet to draw off the guard while a larger force assaulted the developing town that had grown around the Hospital. Lucian of Riada ordered all the civilians into the Hospital and had his loyal followers barricade and fortify the hospital from the inside. In a valiant last stand Lucian slew foe after foe that approached the hospital as the town around him burned to the ground. Having heard of this plight by the Sidoian the town guards were able to return in time to dispatch the remaining raiders. Although the town was burnt to the ground the Hospital remained standing, unscathed in the attack. Lucian had given his life to safeguard each and every one of the civilians. He died a martyr to his cause.
A declaration of martyrdom was made in recognition that Lucian of Riada had given his life voluntarily in an act of heroic charity for others. It was several decades after the death of Lucian of Riadathat a Friar, who had once served at the Hospital, witnessed the first of a series of miracles performed by the Blessed Lucian. The Friar’s sister suffered from an incurable sickness and her family offered prayers to Lucian, praying for his mercy. The Friar was visited one night in his dreams by the Blessed Lucian and that very night his sister awoke from her slumber and made a complete and lasting recovery. In recognition of these posthumous miracles he was canonized a saint and August 17th was declared as a feast day.
The Founding of the Order of the Merciful Harbingers
St. Lucian of Riada was a man of few words but he chose them carefully. He was well known for preaching the following phrase to his followers:
“To the faithful children of Soldeus we must offer sanctuary and guidance and to the heretics we must simply offer a swift death”
The Order of the Merciful Harbingers was founded on 5th August 410, by His Excellency, Malachi Drake, Bishop of Wessex, to continue the great work of St. Lucian, with this sentiment as the key founding principle.
The Oath of the Order
Thou shalt give praise to Soldeus, Heavenly Father and Radiant Lord, for all that is good.
Thou shalt defend all that is sacred with thy life.
Thou shalt be merciful toward the faithful and shalt constitute thyself the defender of them.
Thou shalt make war against the heretic without cessation, and without mercy.
Thou shalt honour the Order and the Church in both word and deed.
Thou shalt suffer no insult to Soldeus, the Order or the Church.
Thou shalt obey the teachings of the St. Lucian and shalt spread the word of Soldeus.
Thou shalt not covet worldly goods or status.
Thou shalt give freely of thyself to the Order, the Church and the faithful who are in need.
Thou shalt never forsake thy duty and shall remain true to thy pledged word.
Thou shalt always trust in the will of Soldeus and shalt not doubt his divine plan.
Thou shalt adhere to the Rules of the Order at all times.
The Rule of the Order
I - All members of the Order are to be bound by their oath. It is this oath that brings us all together in the name of Soldeus and in service of the Church. To violate or swerve from the oath is to stray from the path of righteousness and fall from grace.
II - Absolute obedience shall be given to the Grandmaster of the Order. The Grandmaster of the Order is the ultimate authority in all matters concerning the Order as he is appointed by the infallible Magisterium of the Council of Bishops who are granted divine wisdom from Soldeus himself.
III - The Counsel shall be called forth on the second Sunday of every month or whenever matters of grave importance come before the Order. The Grandmaster of the Order will gather all members of the Order to take counsel and all members shall give their views with humility and not presume to defend their views stubbornly as the final decision is in the hands of the Grandmaster.
IV - At all times must the Order be ready to crusade. We must wage war against the heretic and the benighted ceaselessly and we must never fail in protecting the faithful and their lands. It is only in the eternal flame of our Heavenly Father that those life-sparks tainted by Umbra can be cleansed. To this end all members of the Order must keep, at all times, at least one horse, a set of suitable armour, a weapon of their choice and other needed supplies in their storage so that they are ready to crusade.
V - All members should commit at least one good act that furthers the teachings of Soldeus each day and praise should be given to our Heavenly Father for all good things, as is proper to do. Seek eagerly glory in battle and renown in all things in the name of the Church, Soldeus and the Order.
VI - Act always with honour, never forsake your duty and do not abandon your fellow Brothers and Sister. To bring dishonour to the Order or the Church is to bring shame upon yourself and to lose the favour of Soldeus. Only those who have fallen from grace or are tainted by Umbra need fear the cleansing light of Soldeus. Let it be know that those who act dishonourably or with cowardice are not true Brothers and Sisters as the faithful fear not death in service of Soldeus.
VII - All members shall be prepared for the Crusades at all times in both body and mind. The Order will take part in frequent training exercises and resource gathering expeditions so that no member suffers from lethargy or the Order suffer from a lack of equipment. Before undertaking any venture the most senior member of the Order shall lead the Order, and those who join with them, in prayer seeking glory for the Radiant Lord, protection for the order and divine guidance; amongst other things that it is proper to pray for.
VIII - All members must give the reverence that is owed to the Radiant and Heavenly Lord Soldeus. Prayer must be made with heartfelt compunction rather than many words. It should be prolonged only under the inspiration of divine grace, and in community always kept short and terminated at a sign from the superior.
IX – The Grand Master is the supreme authority within the Order and he answers only to the Bishop of Wessex and the Ecumenical Council; as outlined in the Orders Charter. The Seneschal stands as the Grandmasters right hand man and acts as his consigliare and military advisor; leading the Order in all matters in his absence. Lucianic Knights may come from secular society or the clergy but must have sworn an Oath of Fealty to the Bishop who oversees the Diocese of their Chapter. Lucianic Squires are chosen from amongst the Sergeant Brothers and are given the opportunity to test themselves and their mettle in order to join the brotherhood of Knights. Sergeant Brothers form the backbone of the Order and are skilled in their chosen form of combat. Lay Brothers are those who are new to the Order or have yet to prove themselves in battle.
X – Within the Order there is a graduated scale of punishments for contumacy, disobedience, pride, and other grave faults: first, private admonition; next, public reproof; then separation from the brothers at meals and elsewhere; and finally excommunication (or in the case of those lacking understanding of what this means, corporal punishment instead).
