KSV - Faith & Politics

Faith & Politics
>>>>Sir Emile Andrei Political Sphere
>>>Erstwhile Allies
*Tried and tested, this union sees each partner act in the interests of one another even to their own detriment. Such partnerships rarely exist without being cemented by marriage, wardship or some other oath.*
-House Andrei

>>>Political Affiliates
*Allies of convenience that are happy to work together to a mutually beneficial goal, and even fond of one another, it remains to be seen whether this partnership will weather any storms that threaten it.*
-House Norveski
-House Rabe
-House dan Marc
-UNKNOWN
-Cathagi Stratiotikas
-Grenoble Merchant Class

>>>Neutral
*They consider you irrelevant or at best a tool to be used by either side. You may be harmed or helped by their moves, though these results are not borne out of ill or goodwill towards you. Unknown indicates that they are aware of you, but not vice versa.*
-UNKNOWN
-UNKNOWN
-House Hewitt
-House Sinclair
-House Duncan
-House Fallavon
-House Glasdale

>>>Political Opponents
*Your humiliation, defeat and even death is desirable. They may frustrate your steps where possible, even calling upon their allies to help, but your suffering is usually not their main objective.*
-House Vancewell

>>>Sworn Enemy
*Your utter destruction is their primary goal. They will willingly risk harm to their own interests for the opportunity to frustrate yours. The Frozen Straits will melt before they make amends with you.*
-UNKNOWN

>>>>>>Faith<<<<<<
>>>>Adam, Patron Saint of Paladins
>>>>Cain, Patron Saint of Crusaders
Adam and Cain are the patron Saints of Knights. They preached the truth of the Almighty to the slave masses of Nova Cathago in their youth. They led the destitute and downtrodden in an uprising that set the city ablaze and broke the chains of every slave, marching upon the Palace where the Dragon lay in wait. They smote the Dragon upon the steps, Cain sparing the monster’s life at Adam’s behest. They seized the navies of Cathago in the docks, sailing across the sea to their new home and burning fleets on the shores of Pascae. In that moment, the Cathago empire died.
It was they who turned the freed slaves and native continent inhabitants into the greatest army of Man the world has ever known. It was they who broke the power of the Fae and their beastfolk minions at Motte-Fallavon, each brother slaying a dozen century old Fae each. It was Cain who quarrelled with Adam over the mercy shown to those that survived. It was Adam who fell in the desperate defence of Aubrey, holding the breach for a night and day. It was Cain who arrived too late, arriving in time only to recover his brother’s body. It was Cain who wept for the brother he felt he abandoned, and broke the Fae again at Ardenne cementing the Duchy of Romaine. It was Cain who spoke with Salvae Reginae one last time, their words unknown to any living man, before he gathered ten-thousand Knights as the harbours of Pascae and set sail to Almighty knows where. Some say he sailed to the Pit itself, and fights there still. Some Orders of Cain believe that a Knight who dies exemplifying the spirit of Cain join him in that fight, an eternal crusade to hold back the dark that lies there.
But although the Brother Knights are honoured, revered even, they are not worshiped as divine beings themselves. They were men, great men guided and protected by the righteous hand of the Almighty yes, but men all the same. How much of the Almighty’s divinity they inherited is a matter of theocratic contention. Wars of Faith have been fought over this very point.

>>>>Salvae Reginae
Their mother Salvae Reginae, blessed be her name too Holy to speak, is another matter entirely. The nameless slave mother of Adam and Cain is worshipped as a literal incarnation of the will of the Almighty. In her love she exhibits the Grace of the Almighty, in her sacrifice she defines his Will. When the soldiers came to take Adam and Cain for their unruliness, she angered them with her defiance and refusal to obey the orders of a higher Tǟhn in handing her children over. With blade and torch they anguished her, but not once did she betray her charges. Enraged, the took her eyes so that she may not look upon her sons again. In spite, they took her tongue so that she may not speak to them again. They took her dignity also, for the cruel men of Cathago saw no reason why she should keep it.
Even the heartless Dragon of Cathago was touched by her selflessness and suffering, ordering her life spared and engulfing in flame those who had tormented her. It is for this act alone that Adam begged his brother spare the Dragon when he lay smote and at their mercy on the Palace steps.
[Note: For the more philosophically and priesthood inclined, refer to Plato’s Cave Forms Theory. Salvae Reginae is canonically viewed as the perfect embodiment of the form of the Mother.]
Even the humblest chapel in all the Five Duchy Kingdom will have one statue or mural of Salvae Reginae’s sightless eyes weeping blood. It is rare indeed to find a Cantôn church willing to depict the full horrors of what was wrought upon her innocent soul, or a man that has the stomach to look upon such a confronting altar. Speaking ill of Salvae Reginae is punishable by death, and the pious men of Cantôn have marched to war for less.

>>>>Holy Sites
There are four main sites of great religious significance to the people of Cantôn, knights especially. It is traditional to hold pay respects or hold a night’s vigil over these sites, though the truly pious hold longer vigils or other acts often linked to the event that made the place such sacred ground.
(1)	The Church of Adam’s Martyrdom
Thinking the Foe defeated, Adam and Cain disputed how to continue. Cain wished to continue hunting down the things of the Wild until none left to stain the land, Adam wished to finally conclude their campaign, return to the fledgling capital and begin the business of building a nation that would last. The two argued, and eventually came to blows. They left on ill terms, each brother taking half of the army with them in pursuit of their own goals.
With Man divided, the Foe unfurled their hidden reserves strength and struck at Aubrey. Its mighty walls were incomplete, Adam’s men largely dispersed in patrol and other duties, and would have swiftly fallen had lesser men been left in its defence. For a night and day Adam held the breach, alone against every horror of beastfolk, Fae and monster the wild could throw at them. Each time he fell, the lips of the watching Salvae Reginae moved and he arose again with new vigour. The very same evening that his brother Cain arrived to relieve the city, he fell a final time and did not rise again.
A vigil is held over the site of his death and final resting place, the church as much a fortified extension of the wall as it is a place of worship.

(2)	The Fields of Motte-Fallavon
The site of the greatest battle the world has ever seen in this Age, where the massed forces of Man arrayed against the Wild and broke its back under the march of a hundred thousand boots and the thunder of a hundred thousand hooves. Skirmishes the size of modern battles raged for weeks before the main bodies of the two forces finally met, before a sporadic slaughter lasting three days and nights ensued.
Cities worth of Men were emptied, a falter in the line in one instant depopulating a realm of a Lord and all his vassals. Neither was the Wild spared, whole tribes of beastfolk that had survived centuries perished in moments when the tide swung in favour of Man. Entire species of Monsters once populous and commonplace were driven to near extinction that day, and Orders of Knights freshly sworn were as easily annihilated in totality during the whirling grind mill of the battle. But sides were bloodied, but the tooth and claw of the Wild could only bend the resolve of Man not break it. Man emerged victorious, cementing their dominion over the continent for centuries to come.
A watch lasting three days is held over the fallen, lanterns are lit and camps held at sites of especially bloody struggle and impressive deeds of arms and sacrifice. The presence of the Wild is tolerated here least of all, Man has bought this land with blood and paid the price in full.
(3)	The Shores of Pascae
Specifically the southernmost point of that region, not far from the Duchy capital. It was here that Adam and Cain first made landing, burning the stolen fleets of Cathago on the shoreline. It was also here that Cain was last sighted, leaving with a fleet and ten thousand of his adherent knights to unknown waters. The site is thus both a place of hopeful beginnings and sorrowful endings, a significance that few of the many passing foreign ships understand. It is also rumoured to be the location of the final resting place of Salvae Reginae though, if her tomb is located in one of the many caves along the cost, its site is a carefully guarded place.
A vigil is held on the beaches below the lighthouse, in case Cain’s ships should ever return, held from one high tide to the next. Extremely pious folk have on occasion drowned rather than abandon their vigil during an unexpectedly high tide. Although pilgrims have seen at times visions during their travels, the number of sighting of the supernatural in this vigil are unprecedented. Not all of the visions in this place are reassuring, and the full-time presence of a Holy Order along the shores indicates there is some truth to the dark tidings they claim.

(4)	The Long Walk in Nova Cathago
Perhaps the holiest site in all the Faith, the home of Salvae Reginae and her fated children is marked by the presence of a Humble Chapel. The Knight’s Comitas are the only Order to maintain a full-time presence overseas (aside from perhaps the secretive Order of Names), they guard the roads from slavers and offer succour to the pilgrims that brave the long and dangerous journey.
Pilgrims that have made it this far to the Holy Land walk barefoot on the sharp stones and heated dirt on the long pathway from the chapel to the steps of the Palace, where Adam and Cain smote the Dragon and liberated their people. No man makes the Long Walk without suffering cuts and burns, but each infliction is seen as a holy token of approval from the Almighty. What is their suffering compared to the sacrifice of Salvae Reginae and the efforts of her children? But for them the proud men of Cantôn would still be slaves.
Cathago has attempted to shut down such pilgrimages on many occasion, each time raising the ire of the continent into a Crusade. It is rare that such bans and assaults on the Faith endure, for the masters of Cathago see little profit in fighting a war on principle alone. They let the blind fools rake their skin and punish themselves, all the while seizing what slaves and riches they can without raising the full ire of the Orders.
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>>>>Politics<<<<
Although the below lists are sometimes or even often at odds with one another, it is rare indeed to find a man of the realm that subscribes to only one line of thought in Canton politics. Equally rare is a noble that perfectly balances all parties and finds himself without conflict of interest. Faith, royalty, family, home and other interests all vie for your attention. As a Knight you are high enough in society to be aware of them, but low enough to avoid being entangled in their pursuits should you so wish.

>>>Kingsmen/Nationalists - Moderates
Generally united in their pride as Cantonians and the rightful rule of His Grace the King, this is such a broad spectrum of politics that the word 'moderate' is insufficient. While most men of the Continent consider themselves nationalists, not all agree with the degree of the authority that should be awarded to the King.

Although the King is not unjustly in disregard of the people's attention, his role as a political animal in wrangling the truculent Lords of the realm often takes precedence. Traditionally, the Queen has always been viewed as the carer and heart's delight of the common folk. Only the King may call the Banners of the Dukes to the defence of Canton, and it has been many generations since they have held such influence that they could be sure every Duchy would answer.

>>>Duchymen/Nationalists/Regional interests - Independants
They are more likely to be focussed on the immediate threats to their home region territories than the politics of the Kingdom as a whole. Their loyalty generally lies to family and their mother realm than the entity of Canton as a whole. They will gladly ride to Canton's defence against the foreign invader, but will just as readily ride against the encroaching ambitions of a rival Duchy should it threaten their home.

Nobles of this line of thought are often in favour of limits on the power of Royalty and, sometimes, their own Dukes and Duchesses. Such men are rarely united politically wise, rallying together often only when outside threat draws them away from their itnerests at home.


>>>Kingsmen
>>>Queensfolk/Faithful - Populist
Again, no true Cantonion would consider themselves as without need of religion or the Almighty's Guidance. But the degree of the authority of the Church, the exact level of doctrine to be accepted as gospel truth and what is left to interpretation, these are matters that each individual will vary on. The acts of the Faith are not in dispute, that is heresy, but the -meaning- of the acts and how they relate to a pious life is something that can be discussed without fear of being burnt at the stake. Or in these days at least.

Although the Queensfolk and Kingsmen are generally united, the chapters of Canton's history where they have not been in full agreement or even openly opposed have been bloody indeed. The War of Borders a generation past was one such occasion, the Queen's unique legal immunity from many Canton laws means her Order Reginae knights can be a powerful tool of both political support or subterfuge. Songs of the running battles within the Royal Palace itself between the King's Roigard and the Queen's Order Reginae, as royal husband and wife literally lay siege to one another's chambers, are the stuff of morbid legend.

Thank the Almighty that our land is blessed with a King and Queen very much in love with one another and whose interests align in every respect.

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>>>>A History of Wars and Holy Orders
>>The Brother’s Emancipation, The Brother’s Landing, Cain’s Crusade
The history of Canton’s founding occurred so long ago that much is legend rather than academically recorded history. There are sound arguments in scholarly circles to suggest that formation of the nation of Cantôn would only arise many years after the event illustrated in the Book of Brothers which mark the formation of the Cantônian Faith.
>>The War of Names
In the years following the death of Adam and Cain’s disappearance generations of Cantonians would continue to wage war against the Old Magic. The expansion of Man was so gradual, though sporadic in pace, that the many wars and skirmishes to tame the land cannot be named over the next hundred years. The only exception would be the War of Names, a deliberate and targeted decade-long campaign to break the Foe hold on Canton once and for all. It is called the War of Names for it is during this time where many famous hero stories emerged as the duty of errantry and the chivalric code truly became an ideology of the young nobility. Beastfolk tribes were crushed, Fae enclaves were toppled and monsters of all ilks were hunted to the ends of the realm. The Beastfolk, Fey and other fell creatures retreated to the Deepwoods to the east of Romaine across the Ardenne. Though many still remain in the forests and hidden places of Cantôn, the places of civilisation, agriculture and open healthy arable land remained firmly in the hands of Man for many years. It was the last time the Five Duchies marched as one army. Even our great King of today has not been able to reconcile the differences of all five duchies, though only three votes are needed for the crown to remain theirs.

>>The Crusades Adamant
With the Foe subjugated and realm of Man ascendant throughout the continent of Cantôn, one would have assumed that realm would have entered into a time of peace, prosperity and enlightenment. This was not so, for the violent exodus and birth of this fledgling nation had heralded the collapse of the unrivalled Cathagi Empire, rapid at first but then gradual and inevitable in the years to come. This Domain of the Dragon, which had once stretched from the icy shores of Norsikaa to the strange lands of the Everwarm Waters, had given way to independent kingdoms and territories, some violently established and others slipping the yoke of foreign governors with ease over the centuries. Many such newly formed nations gazed at the fertile Cantôn realms with hungry eyes, seeing it as a disparate collection of Duchies ripe for division and conquest. The Crusades Adamant would demonstrate to the known world that Cantôn would stand united in one thing at least, the defence of their faith.
There have in fact been a dozen Crusades Adamant over the course of Cantôn history but the most well-known are the series of bloody conflicts the followed the razing of the House of Salve Reginae in Nova Cathagi and the targeted massacres of all followers of the Faith, from domestic to foreign pilgrims. The persecution was sparked by the Vizier Ütkul-Tumay-Üfulk’s dreams of reuniting the Cathagi Empire of antiquity, starting with making an example of the empire’s first historic traitorous defectors. Ütkul had the full-backing of the Merchant Caste, Soldier Caste and many pro-expansionist elements of other castes, even including some of the revered Medusae Caste amongst his supporters. Nonethless he could never have anticipated the strength and swiftness of the Cantônian response given that it was currently engaged in a another minor border war between the Dukes, this time Montbrun and Romaine. Added to that King Janicus was widely considered an ineffectual ruler content to remain in the relative security and comfort of Aubrey and give the Duchies free reign. Ütuk’s spies reported no moves to declare war in the Aubrey Court, and his allies suppressed petitions in other courts with consummate skill. Some of his agents reported an unusual number of inductees into Holy Orders and some peculiar troop movements, but these instances were rare and eventually such messages of peculiar troop movements ceased altogether.
When a fleet funded by the Order of the Trident blockaded the port city of Nova Cathagi without warning, burning every ship that came near regardless of its origin, the city was shocked. But these were not the first violent barbarians to knock at the city’s great gates and they had anticipated a response from Cantôn eventually. When the Knight’s Comitas cast the chests of gold intended to pay them off into the sea in full view of the diplomats there was confusion. When the Order of the Broken blade seized the Isle of Myra within sight of the city and put every man, woman and child there to the sword, there was fear. When the head of the Vizier and his closest allies were delivered to members of the Order Reginae and Order of Names personally by members of the Medusae Sect, with promises of safe passage for pilgrims, there was awe.


>>The Night of Three Sisters War
Every year, for one night, both sister moons shine full and brightly in the sky. It is a time of great significance for many of the Foe, a time for predators to strike when the prey is exposed and the sun does not blind them. Man stands vigilant for this time of activity in the woods, doors are barred and torches lit while swords are sharpened until the dawn sun rises.
But Man did not expect the dawn to never come. On this night instead a third baleful moon appeared where the sun should have been, an impossibility according to the scholars. It was the herald of a horrible Foe of unimaginable corruption and ire emerging from its slumber beneath the prosperous realm of Romaine. It came for the people in their walled cities, their homes and their beds. All who fell victim to the undeath joined it, and some black souls did so willingly. Man or beast, it mattered not.
Scholars estimate that this hellish night lasted only a few natural days, however eyewitness accounts claim that it seemed to stretch for weeks, months or even years depending on who was asked. Finally, after many days of fierce fighting under an unnatural sky that saw fully half of Romaine depopulated, the most dreaded of Foes was cast out. It withdrew to what was once the seat of power in Romaine, the place now known as the Isle of the Damned.
Worse still, there are those that suggest that the phenomena of undeath was not unique to central Ardenne. Norsikaan folklore whispers of madmen who venture past the mountains that mark the end of the world and wander the Frozen Straits only to return… changed. Langlish captains laugh in the face of pirates, storms and sea monsters only to hunch their shoulders and rub luck charms when hush whispers of Black Sails on the sea cross their ears. Tribesmen from the steppes far south of Cathagi engage in barbaric heathen rituals to appease the horrific Dust Devils that are rumoured to lurk deep below the shifting sands.

>>The War of Borders
Following the strife of Romaine’s fall from grace, Canton was left vulnerable. Foreign powers did not hesitate to take advantage of this over the coming years. Scholars disagree as to whether the invasions were maliciously co-ordinated or pure opportunism, for the first invasion concluded years before the last began. Each Duchy was left to essentially fend for itself, their neighbours too paranoid or pre-occupied with their own defences to lend aid. Montbrun held fast against the largest serpent invasion in history; Fallavon resisted rampant Bluejay rebellions and a resurgence in beastfolk warbands spilling forth from the woods; Aubres grappled with an attempted coup by Cathago and Langland mercenaries hired for its own defence; Romaine struggled against undead holdouts and a Cathago Novan invasion; Pascae waged war on both land and sea against Langland pirate princes and Norsikaan raiders. If that were not enough, opportunistic lords waged their own landgrabs against weakened neighbours.
Against the odds, Canton survived, and the blood let during those days appears to have sated all but the most bitter of feuding lords for the past decade. The realms have enjoyed an uneasy kind of peace, trade ships have replaced navies in the shipping lines and the non-martial arts are once again seen as worthy of manly pursuit.
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>>>>HOLY ORDERS
The Holy Orders of Canton are wide and varied, ranging from a handful of knights based from a single location to the major orders numbering in the hundreds operating from grand Chapter Houses across the realm. Almost all follow some delineation of the Brother's Light, either adhering to the teachings of Adam or Cain, though there are a few minor orders with more specific focuses and duties.

The Order of the Sacred Grove, for example, numbers no more than 3 knights sworn to defend the last Aeltin Tree found in the Palace Gardens. Conversely, the Order of the Broken Blade can call upon over 200 knights, and twice that in well-equipped man-at-arms, more than most lords. They have a major presence in Romaine, guarding against the Isle of the Damned as they bring sword and fire to that blighted land.

Those that join are required to pledge their service to the commands of the Grandmaster, often for a period of a year or more. Vows typically include oaths to abstain from wine, sex and material comforts. Some take more stringent oaths, such as a Vow of Silence, Agitation or Perpetuity. Typically these are men seeking redemption for some transgression or particularly fervent members of the faith.



>>Notable Orders
>>The Order of the Trident – Adam Aligned
An order based exclusively from the harbours of Pascae, they take to the sea naturally. For a modest donation to the Order, they offer their protection to outbound trade ships or navies. Though their required donations are steep most Canton captains, and not a few foreigners, pay happily. It is rare indeed to find a warrior willing to wear full-plate armour on the rough seas and fight to the death against boarding parties. While there is lodging for Order members in far-off Langland, it is not a chapter house per-se and the Order is wary of accepting non-Cantonian nobility into its ranks.
Despite their adherence to the Laws of Adam, one could argue that the Order is largely secular and focused on maintaining safe trade and good relations rather than spreading the faith. Few scholars would dare make such a suggestion though, as the Order is a generous donor of both the coastal and island monasteries. Not a single temple in Pascae has been built without at least some funding from the Order of the Trident.

>>The Order Regina - Secular
Sworn to protect and serve the reigning Queen. Her peculiar position as technical head-of-church means that they answer exclusively to her, even in defiance of the King and Clergy. Demure Queens have used them merely as escorts when travelling, whereas more alert or ambitious Queens have used them as their own personal agents or strike force. Whether these clandestine missions with effective immunity from law were in the interests of the Kingdom or some personal agenda has often depended on the relationship between King and Queen. Thankfully our current King and Queen are by all accounts happily wed and deeply in love.

>>The RoiGuard – Secular
A non-religious order dedicated to the protection of the King's royal body. They are often formed from a mixture of noble wards and a rare few commoners elevated to knighthood by the king himself, men who would otherwise be successful men-at-arms but for their birth. At times the RoiGuard have been used specifically to counter the growing influence of the Order Regina. Blessedly, this is far from likely between the current King and Queen as all know the two love each other deeply.
Anyone of noble blood may seek an audience with the King to put forward a candidate for the Roiguard. Although it goes unsaid, even worthy candidates have been said to be rejected as a means of discrediting those who vouched for them without offering direct insult. And some perhaps less-worthy candidates have been accepted because of the ties between the Crown and the sponsors. You give such such base rumours little weight, of course, the King would doubtless lift himself above such petty court politics.

Outside of marriage it is the only way for a well-to-do commoner to ascend to the ranks of nobility, even those commoners knighted in the field by the Crown for their valour must serve a period of time in the Roiguard before their knighthood technically valid.


>>The Order of the Broken Blade – Cain Aligned
The largest of the Holy Orders and the most aggressive. Although their primary mandate is to respond to incursions from the Isle of the Damned in the Romaine heartland, they quite often launch punitive strikes against beastmen and other denizens of the Foe in reaction to raids on human settlements. They alone saved the Five Duchy Kingdom when Romaine fell into darkness many years ago during the War of Three Sisters. Though their crusade of attrition cleansed Romaine of much of the evil that gripped it, the war has never truly been won. Only through the sacrifice and valour of these knights and affiliated Romaine lords is the rapacious Foe from the Isle kept at bay.
The brothers of the Broken Blade are unmistakable when dressed for war, chains binding their weapons and scabbards to their person to represent their unwillingness to ask or offer quarter. It is a quirk rarely adopted by other Orders.

>>The Order of Names - Cain Aligned
One of the most widespread Orders, these unconventional warriors tend to operate as well-armed rangers. Even their knights walk afoot like commoners. The Order of Names does not patrol the bridges, roads or tilled fields. Their war is waged far from the light of civilizations on the game trails, waterways and secret places of the woods where man is neither familiar nor welcome. Despite their rugged appearance, experienced soldiers will notice their gear is universally pristine and of good quality. The Order is well-known to have a longstanding feud with the Bluejay movement, making no distinction between the rebellious woodsmen and the beastfolk tribes as an enemy of the realm. The Bluejays return their draconian punishments in kind, hanging any captives even affiliated with the Order rather than ransoming them.
Their name stems from the tradition to Name a specific enemy that has come to their attention, usually after a particularly blatant or egregious attack on man. From the moment of Naming all Order members are to direct every effort to bringing the Named creature to justice. In all their years, and all the names, they have not once failed to bring the blade of Cain to their quarry. They have even been known to follow their quarry outside the realm of Canton into the Deepwood. Even there the Foe is not safe, and whispered rumour has it that they maintain a remote stronghold there in that overgrown and forbidding land.

>>The Knights Comitas – Adam Aligned
One of the larger orders, second in size only to the Broken Blade, the Knights Comitas escort pilgrims and clerical processions on the roads. They are often recognizable from their simple unadorned garb. They maintain chapter houses along every artery of the Kingsroad and paths to numerous holy sites. While safeguarding chapels and may lead some to view them as a soft lot, their spartan aestheticism ensures that no knight in search of an easy life joins their ranks. Aside from the senior leadership, all brothers of the order take vows of silence. They are one of the few Orders to maintain a chapter house abroad, at the site of the Brother's Emancipation in Cathago Nova. Cantonian’s are in general not welcome in this land of scorching sand and branded slaves, though pilgrims under the protection of the Knights Comitas are granted a special dispensation from the Dragon.



>>The Torwächter – Cain Aligned
Every man of Montbrun knows a Pegasus is no mere horse to be tamed. Though a worthy man may win their respect and even friendship, they will only stoop to having a rider a handful of times in their lives and even then never a different one. The Torwächter are the only force in Canton to field an all-Pegasus unit, these riders pledging to protect Mountains where the Pegasus nests are found for life. Stationed deep in the mountains of Montbrun, they maintain chapter houses at each of the 'Gates' and rarely wander far from them bar patrolling the labyrinthine passes of the mountains. The Gates, castles guarding each of the three major Montbrun passes, are the first and strongest line of defence Canton has from the slithering horrors lurking beyond in the Wastes. Not once have any of the serpent hordes breached a Gate, though skirmishes are a regular occurrence in the mountain passes to protect the Pegasus and their nests from the snake-men of the Wastes. Even so, illicit trade with some of the rare human nomads and even snakemen continues, for the Wastes are also where famed Wasteland Mustang’s may be found. Lords have traded castles for even a handful of these majestic creatures.

There are a multitude of further minor orders, both secular and holy, most relegated to a single chapter house numbering a few dozen knights at most.