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[Cult] The Heralds of Saint Mathieu

Luam

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SirLiam1124
SirLiam1124
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-[=]- Heralds of Saint Mathieu -[=]-

“Let the Fire Guide You, Let Light show the Way.”
- Sun Prophecy
From the Ashes of the Church d’Artois and d’Soleil, rises the Heralds of Saint Mathieu, or the Order of Saint Mathieu. Made to be a single order, merging both priesthood and militaristic aspects, under the command of Synnove Herself, should She ever require Her faithful to carry out any mission or quest. Otherwise, the Order exists for the purpose of gathering those faithful to Synnove, prepared to fight to keep the Order of the world and perform religious rites within their power.

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Luam

friendly neighborhood inquisitor
Legend
Retired Staff
SirLiam1124
SirLiam1124
Legend
101754

- Tenets of Synnove -
The Lightbringer’s Tenets, to which every worshipper of the Light is bound.

-Thou shalt believe true all words of the Light, and shalt observe all its directions.
-Thou shalt never lie nor bear false witness, and shalt remain faithful to thy pledged word.
-Thou shalt respect those who are wealthy and powerful, for they are such due to the grace of the Light.
-Thou shalt pray upon each Sunrise, to give good thanks that the Light bathes thy lands upon once more!
-Thou shalt not recognize any other Gods or Goddesses, for the Light is the one true Divine.
-Thou shalt give due respects for the orderly inheritance, heritage and succession, to honour thy Father and Mother before thee.
-Thou shalt bring persecution upon heresy, to preserve the Order of the world.
-Thou shalt see murderers without cause have forfeit their own life before the Light, and their belongings entitled to the family of the murdered.
-Thou shalt burn the dead so they might not rise as demons, or worse!
-Thou shalt follow all of the Light's Tenets.



- Recruitment -
The Order will consistently take on recruits, regardless of age or abilities. Those faithful to Synnove must become a single, unified entity.

Should one wish to seek out the Order to join, they may visit any of the listed territories further below [aside from Chateau d’Acier], or send letter to those same territories, requesting to meet in order to discuss joining the organization.
(Just hit me up on the forums, on discord, or ICly, if you want to join the Order, whether with a new character or old. If you want to have a character who isn’t fully bound to the order, there’s a specific rank for that down below. As a note, being a member of the Order doesn't necessarily mean being part of the Cult, which will incorporate the aforementioned rank.)



- Rules of the Order -
It is the duty of any member of the Order to carry out the tenets of Synnove at all times, regardless of the rank they hold. These tenets are the very mold which is there to keep the Order together and though the Tenets reign supreme over any mortal word, there are other rules members of the Order must follow.

1] In the words of Synnove, “Thou shalt follow all of the Light's Tenets.”
2] Loyalty to Synnove goes beyond Loyalty to the Order. The Tenets of Synnove are absolute and circumvent any other authority aside from the Lightbringer Herself.
3] Follow the orders of your superiors, given they follow the Tenets of the Light and do not carelessly endanger fellow Brothers and Sisters.
4] Acts of Faith will be common and indistinguishable to the breaths we take. We are the Lightbringer’s Faithful, and will present ourselves as such.
5] Any and all Brothers or Sisters will respect the laws of the land which they find themselves in, unless the Order finds itself at war with that entity, in which the laws of Thorne and Haven will be upheld in manners not involving war. Should a Brother or Sister break a law of another land, the Pontifex may attempt to legally extradite them to the nearest territory of the Order, so they may be tried by their fellows. Otherwise, they will be subject to the laws of that land.
6] All Brothers and Sisters will follow the Codex of the Sun within its procedures of Faith, unless it directly conflicts with the Lightbringer or Her Tenets.
7] To raise one’s steel against a Brother or Sister of the Order will not be tolerated. To join the Order is to join the faithful of Synnove, and there will be no in-fighting tolerated, ‘less it be the result of a breaking of these Rules, or other extenuating circumstances, which would require permission from the Pontifex after prayer to Synnove.
8] All Brothers and Sisters will rise in the defense of the Light, yet not do so in a foolhardy manner. While we are the Bulwark of Synnove’s Faith, we are still mortal.
9] All Brothers and Sisters acknowledge that the breaking of these Rules, the Tenets of Synnove, or any other directives of the Order, will be subject to a trial, and if they are found guilty of such, will be punished harshly and may be subject to expulsion from the Order.
10] Additions to the Rules may be inducted, should a majority vote of the Pontifex, Knights of Synnove, and Priests favor said Rule.


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Luam

friendly neighborhood inquisitor
Legend
Retired Staff
SirLiam1124
SirLiam1124
Legend
101752

- Organization & Ranks -
While the Order is primarily a military unit and is organized as such, there are non-combative ranks, so the Order may be as versatile as it is meant to be effective. Brothers and Sisters of the Order will refer to each other by Rank, then their preferred name. Outside of the Order, their official titles are listed below the official name.

Hierarchy of the Order
Ignis Synnove
The Pontifex
Knight of Synnove/Priest
Novice/Initiate
Honoraire

Ranks of the Order
Pontifex
(
Pontifex)

[Title - Lord/Lady]
The leader of the Order, the Pontifex will, God willing, be a man or woman Blessed by Synnove Herself. The Pontifex, while the Order may be capable of running autonomously, or with a Knight of Synnove or Priest appointed to a certain fief, is the overarching authority. Unless Synnove Herself gives a command, gives way to the Truth, or otherwise overrides the word of the Pontifex, then the Pontifex’s word is final.
In order to become the Pontifex, a Blessing from Synnove is generally required, though if none is present, then the Knights of Synnove and Priests will each put forward a Candidate, and they will be voted upon by the entire Order, regardless of rank. A Prayer from the entire Order will be spoken before and after the votes are made, asking Synnove ensure no foul play is had in the election process. Once a new Pontifex is elected or appointed, they will be required to undertake a branding of Synnove’s cross somewhere visible on their person in most cases.
A Purity Seal, made from gold, will be granted to the Pontifex upon their official appointment in the role, in which they must embroider the oath which they made to Synnove.

Knights of Synnove (Sir/Madame)
[
Title - Sir/Madame]
While within the Order, these Brothers and Sisters hold the title of a Knight, though with the contingency that they forfeit any claim to such, should they ever betray or leave the Order without permission from the Pontifex. This is the primary military branch of the Order, and each Knight is equipped with the finest that can be forged by their own number.
In order to become a Knight, a Brother or Sister must undertake a month-long oath of silence, and take a pilgrimage to either Haven, Storm’s Landing, or Lyon. As well, all Knights are required to continue to hone and master the trade they took on as an Initiate.
A Purity Seal, a metal stamp of red-stained iron, with a piece of cloth they must embroider their Oath of Induction into, is granted to every new Knight of Synnove.

Priests (Father/Mother)

[Title - Father/Mother]
The least combative followers of the Light within the Order, these Brothers and Sisters have dedicated themselves to live as clergymen and women. Various oaths are given in order to become ordained as a Priest, and the process of which can take months, from staying vigil over a cauldron of fire for a night, to a day alone in the Wilderness, with nothing but the means to start a campfire.
These Brothers and Sisters of the Order have given themselves to non-violence, and act as the Order’s scribes, biographers, laborers, architects, and dozens of other purposes. Upon taking on their new rank, they are given a Purity Seal, a metal stamp of red stained iron, with a piece of cloth that they must embroider their Oath of Induction into.

Novice (Brother/Sister)

[Title - None outside Order.]
Recruits of the Order, slated for Priesthood. Every Novice is placed under the tutelage of another Priest, and should there be no Priest, a Knight, or the Pontifex him or herself. Each Novice will hone a single skill of theirs, that they may become a tool to be utilized by the Lightbringer and the Order, though all Novices are also required to know and understand certain labors for when they become a Priest.


Initiate (Brother/Sister)

[Title - None outside Order.]
Recruits of the Order, slated for the Knights of Synnove. The title of Initiate is rather general, given it favors the military side of the Order, and experienced members may be given command of newer Initiates. Every initiate is required to pick a specific trade, whether it be the art of carpentry, blacksmithing, or otherwise, and must have it approved by the Pontifex before they may begin attempting to either teach themselves or find a teacher.


Honoraire (No Title)

[Title - None, unless granted from a source outside the order.]
The Lavoye word for ‘Honorary’ (The French translation I could find- If this is incorrect, please let me know.), an Honoraire both is and isn’t a member of the Order. They are required to be a Worshipper of Synnove, but due to their own ambitions or intentions, the Order is not what they seek. The rank is given so that any Worshipper of Synnove may find solace somewhere on the Continent among their fellow faithful, but does not bind them to the Order-specific rules.



- Members of the Order -
All present members of the Order will be listed here. It should be noted, that all members of the Order will be considered members of the Synnove Cult, The Heralds of Saint Mathieu, unless otherwise stated next to their name, or if they are under the Honoraire title.
Pontifex
Sir Podric Flanders

Knights of Synnove
Lady Élodie de Monteil, Lady of the Castle d'Acier
Sir Cornelius of Thorne, Regent of the Thorne Stronghold

Priests
Father Charlemagne du Lavoyarde {Not within Heralds}

Novice
None.

Initiate
Lord Sigmund von Hallon
Séraphine de Monteil
Leonhardt

Honoraire
None, as of yet.


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Luam

friendly neighborhood inquisitor
Legend
Retired Staff
SirLiam1124
SirLiam1124
Legend
101750

- The Purity Seal -
The Purity Seal is the mark of faith which any of the Order may earn, though every Knight of Synnove and Priest will each attain one upon their induction to said rank.

Purpose of the Seals
The Purity Seal, a concept invented by Maceo de Courtnay, later refined by Francis de Courtnay and Podric Flanders, before finally being implemented by Podric Flanders. These discs of metal, engraved with the Cross of Synnove or similar symbols, adorn the armor of Knights and Initiates, or the robes of Priests and Novices, for their faith in Synnove. If there is a particularly pious act in Synnove’s Name, whether it be an oath that is made that is not required of a Brother or Sister of the order, a Purity Seal of iron or steel, stained red, will be granted. A Purity Seal made of gold will only be granted in the event of an act of extreme piety or valor, in the name of Synnove, such as nearly sacrificing oneself for God and the Order, or beating the odds in an otherwise downhill fight.

Red Purity Seal
Every member of the Order who achieves the rank of Knight of Synnove or Priest will receive a Purity Seal for their oath of induction. This is also when members are allowed to begin achieving other Red Seals, for anyone can make an oath beforehand, and not be fully committed in their faith. Many Oaths can be made, though a Red Seal will generally be granted in the event of an oath that goes above and beyond what is expected of a Brother or Sister of the Order. These seals may only be given by a ranking Brother or Sister at a territory of the Order, with permission from the Pontifex, or by the Pontifex him or herself.

Golden Purity Seal
A seal of gold will only ever be permitted on the account of an outrageously pious or valorous act. The only time at which one is granted without specific action, is the appointment of a Pontifex, who must swear an oath to serve Synnove once more, and be branded visibly upon some part of their being. Aside from this, Golden Seals may only be granted by a council of peers, to evaluate the actions of a Brother or Sister. These seals may be granted posthumously, in the event a Brother or Sister dies for the actions to which they are evaluated for.



- Territories of the Order -
All territory owned by the Order is listed below, and while all of its territories might be considered public,there are certain things owned by the Order that are not yet publicly known, and it will be written as such next to the name.
Le Havre/Knight’s Haven
While the Castle itself is not owned by the Order, many buildings in the hamlet outside are owned and utilized by the Order. A church, smithy, and building to house members of the Order are all within the hamlet, with the once Inquisitorial Building being overseen by Father Charlemagne du Lavoyarde.
The open church has no official owner, though is primarily overseen by Father Charlemagne du Lavoyarde and Pontifex Podric Flanders, while the Smithy is also used by the Pontifex.

Thorne
The City of Fields, once owned by the House of Bayard, until the Duc Henri Bayard’s death during the Blighted Plague. Without a proper heir to the City, Pontifex Podric Flanders has taken on the role as its Lord, and made the City the unofficial Headquarters for the Order. This is a tentative territory, as if a member of House Bayard were to ever re-emerge and their claim is true, the land will be handed over to them.
The Palace within Thorne, which was slated to be converted into a papal building, has been destroyed by an outside entity, and plans for a smaller, more defensible structure are being made.

Château D’Acier/Castle of Steel {Not Public}
The newest territory to come under the Order’s control, once under the name of Aurum Orchards, and was land of the House Wise. It is now the southern-most territory for the Order by far and will be used as an outpost.
The current building is overseen by Pontifex Podric Flanders, though plans for a proper castle are being made.

Golden Lion Warehouse {Not Public, however, it isn't impossible to connect the dots.}
Within the slums of Storm’s Landing, a warehouse has been bought and owned by Pontifex Flanders for nearly a decade and is used as a place of rest for any member of the Order, along with allies to the Order. Hardly a comfortable building to stay, with a few hard cots and crates full of supplies and weaponry, it is a humble experience compared to the various other properties.


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Luam

friendly neighborhood inquisitor
Legend
Retired Staff
SirLiam1124
SirLiam1124
Legend
101749



- Artifacts of the Order -

For many years, artifacts of Synnove have been collected and stored, each carrying various amounts of significance to the Order’s present works, and its past forms.

Incandescence
The bastardsword of Maceo de Courtnay, Pontifex of the Church d’Soliel, and Duc of the Dual Duchy of Artois. Once a regular sword, enchanted to some degree, it was brought to every sermon and religious event held by the Lord de Courtnay. That was, until Synnove Herself blessed the sword, giving it powers related to the Blessings of the first Blessed.

Luminescence
The halberd of Podric Flanders, First Pontifex of the Order of Saint Mathieu. While the halberd was Podric’s preferred weapon, it wasn’t until Synnove Herself saw fit to grant him a Halberd made in Heaven. Not forged by any on the mortal plane, the Halberd has been rumored, and in some cases, confirmed, to be able to pull the truth from a person’s lips.

Lexicanum
There is rumor of a large tome in the Order’s possession, which outlines the various intricacies of how one would speak Old Arcturian. Though they are, of course, only rumors.

Gate of Synnove
Within Knight’s Haven, a massive gate has been constructed, based off of one previously made in the Port Silver of old, and this new gate has been the place of many early sermons dedicated to Synnove on the continent. It currently is in the process of being rebuilt elsewhere in the Valley.

Codex of the Sun
Rumors of a massive tome, whose covering is made of solid slabs of gold, filled with holy texts to Synnove, sitting within Haven. The contents of such would be as unknown as the truthfulness of its existence.

Truth and Order
Commissioned by the automaton, Vorar, by the Pontifex of the Church d'Soleil, Maceo de Courtnay. They are two perfectly identical maces, each inlaid with glowstone along the decorated shaft, made to look like a marbled pillar, to show the weaponry's connection to Synnove. The most notable thing, however, is a cylindrical diamond cut and placed within the head of each mace. Originally made for both Maceo de Courtnay and Podric Flanders, they now sit within Haven's armory.



- Items of Interest -
While the Artifacts of the Order show the glorious faith put in Synnove, these items are those taken from the enemies of Synnove, alongside the fate of their owner and the item. Each of these items are cataloged within a ledger book.


Whitespoor’s Dagger
Taken from the Jishrim Worshipper, styling himself ‘Whitespoor’. Killed by the Pontifex Podric Flanders in single combat, after Whitespoor allowed the Ignis Shrine in Storm’s Landing to be desecrated, and allegedly stole the final artifact of Vermella. It is understood that this is likely not anything special, merely a weapon lifted from the agent of Chaos.
The dagger sits in Knight’s Haven, though is slated for destruction in Holt Flames.

Dark Order Mace
Taken from Francis de Courtnay. Captured alive, after attempting to fight those cleansing a Dark Order cave made to tell its ‘history’ during a fight with a massive spider. The mace was Francis’ weapon of choice, and was taken from him by Pontifex Podric Flanders.
The mace sits in Knight’s Haven, though is slated for destruction in Holy Flames.

Dark Order Hammer
Found within a Dark Order Cave. Taken by Pontifex Podric Flanders during the cleansing of the cave.
The hammer sits in Knight’s Haven, though is slated for destruction in Holy Flames.


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Luam

friendly neighborhood inquisitor
Legend
Retired Staff
SirLiam1124
SirLiam1124
Legend
101749


- Events of the Heralds -
Here will be listed all events completed in the name of the Heralds, logging it for the Cult purposes.
1] (Moderate/Public) The Phoenix Festival - 8/23/19
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last post im claiming, this one's gonna be used to outline events that are done for the cult, or anything else cult related that's public

All art sources, bar the first picture since I appear to have lost the link-
https://wallup.net/clouds-sun-dragons-fantasy-art-artwork-hero-skies/
https://mobile.alphacoders.com/wallpapers/view/714123/Fantasy-Knight-Wallpapers
https://www.artpal.com/HideTheInsanity
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/flaming-sword-1
https://d20diaries.com/2018/11/30/r...-roderics-cove/ileosaseffigy-from-runeplague/
 
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Luam

friendly neighborhood inquisitor
Legend
Retired Staff
SirLiam1124
SirLiam1124
Legend
just as a note, most of the information in the first 3 posts is entirely public, except for who explicitly is in the order, except for Pod himself. also, recruiting will be open to all ignis worshipping characters, and a couple new ones have been added
 
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