Order of the Wing

[Javert 9615]

 

The Order of the Wing

Issued from the Seat of House Altwegg, Under GOD and Empire

Anno Domini
2070, 643.A.A.

The depiction of Knights of Avistra leading the charge in the Margrave’s War

 

Deo Volente, 

As our joined wills, as Lord and Lady-Margrave of Avistra, we have determined that the people of Avistra shall be afforded due knowledge on the Knights and Dames who do wander our fiefdom and lands. These figures, knighted either by the Lord or Lady-Margrave or having had their knighthood acknowledged and accepted within the land of Avistra, are afforded specific rights and privileges within Avistra itself. Such shall be disclosed in full within the following missive so as to avoid confusion amongst the larger Avistran populace.

 

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I. On the Knights,

 

To be a Knight is to be an especially privileged yet responsibility-laden individual. Founded by Ser Meili Altwegg in the years after the fall of Ivoria and the necessity for Avistra to stand on its own within Imperial politics, the early Order had consisted of Knights dubbed in the old Principate of Ivoria and those who were subsequently dubbed for their service in the Margrave’s War against the March of Drusco. Since such a point of the Order’s foundation, every Knight has been afforded the following rights and privileges within Avistra’s claimed and occupied territories;

• The right to fair trial and avoid undue prosecution,

 

• The right to demand trial by combat,

 

• The right to sit at the table of the Margrave(s) and offer their sound advice,

 

• The right to make arrests within Avistra against lawbreakers,

 

• The right to bear their own sigil upon their arms within Avistra,

 

• The right to carry military arms and armor at all times in both peace and war,

 

• The right to be chosen first as Officers of the Armed Citizenry in times of war,

 

• The right to take no more than two squires into their employ at a time,

 

• The right to, at the discretion of the sitting Margrave(s), request the dubbing of their squires past the age of 17.

 

It shall thus be stated that the impersonation of knighthood within Avistra without proof of one’s dubbing shall be labeled a crime. The punishment for such an offense shall be for the offender to be placed within the pillory where all passers-by shall be permitted to throw stones until the offender has passed of their injuries. Proof for a true Knight’s dubbing shall come in the form of vouching by the Knight which dubbed them or, should said vouching be unavailable, a test of arms if requested by the sitting Margrave(s). Failure in either regard shall lead to the aforementioned punishment.

 

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II. The Renewed Ivöri Creed,

 

The Order of the Wing and all Knights which fall beneath its banner must adhere to a certain level of chivalry and honor inherited by its predecessors within the Knights of Ivor from which its founder hails. Thus, the Knights of the Order of the Wing are expected to adhere to the Renewed Ivöri Creed, which is henceforth reinstated to be followed and enforced by the Knights of Avistra themselves.

TENET I: THOU SHALT DEVOTE THYSELF TO GOD ALMIGHTY

• God is sovereign in all things, the beacon to which every path leads. To stray from God is to stray from humanity’s very essence, for He is the bedrock of Truth, Order, and all that is Good.

TENET II: THOU SHALT DISAVOW CHAOS AND CHAMPION ORDER

• Everything is ordered according to God’s will, and follows principled standards, as that is the nature of God. God, being the ultimate Order, speaks order into chaos. To follow Order, therefore, is to glorify and reflect God. Be not given over to passion, but by reason make your move.

TENET III: THOU SHALT LOCK SHIELDS IN KINDRED SPIRIT

• Your kin are bound not by blood alone, but by Honor, Faith, and in Purpose. Let each man beside you be as a fortress wall, bound to you in defense and respect. To the end, be Faithful to a friend. Serve your master with loyalty, and steward your servants with good will. Do not betray the bonds which are forged before God.

TENET IV: THOU SHALT ACT WITH PURPOSE AND ABSTAIN WITH EASE

• Avoid pursuits driven by ego, vanity, or indulgence. To act solely for the sake of action is misguided, but discipline is to act in accordance with a will for Good. Exercise intention over impulsivity, avoiding hedonism as is Honorable. Be unyielding in the pursuit of what is Good, as in the persecution of what is wicked.

TENET V: THOU SHALT MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE 

• Be the force that does not waver, bearing victory at all costs. If you must fight, then fight with unwavering Purpose; if you must fall, let it be with all Honor in pursuit of Good. In the face of both victory and defeat, stand fast and keep Faith. Stand ready at all times, should the path demand sacrifice.

TENET VI: THOU SHALT HONOR THE LAND IN WHICH THEE WALKEST

• The land is sacred; a sanctuary and steadfast refuge in times of strife. Honor its peaks and valleys, forests and rivers, for they provide shelter, sustenance, and guidance. Likewise, respect those who serve you as does the Land, who aid you with Intention. To betray such Loyalty is to betray the sanctity of the Land itself.

TENET VII: THOU SHALT EMBRACE THE RUGGED HEIGHTS

• The richest soil lies along the mountain’s sharpest ridges, where peaks cut the sky and the climb is treacherous. Seek these rugged heights and master them in all aspects of life. This is the way of the master, to tread where others dare not, choosing the burden of hardship over ease. Pursue greatness in your destiny, and excellence in all you do.

TENET VIII: THOU SHALT HONOR THE BLADE AND FORGO WITCHCRAFT

• Good steel shall never fail, nor disappoint. May your blade be borne with skill such that victory is without question. By sword and by shield, you shall persevere. The arcane is a path of deception, wielded to beguile the unwary and disrupt Order. Reject wholly those who turn to sorcery for power, for their soul is the price that is paid.

TENET IX: THOU SHALT LOVE TRUTH

• As God is the Truth, so must you love the Truth with your whole heart. In all dealings be honest, as such is Honorable. Be not given over to intrigue and subterfuge, as the wicked do, but by the light of day make your move. For God is Light, and so what is done in Light is done with Faith in God.

TENET X: THOU SHALT SUFFER NO EVIL

• Extinguish evil before it festers. Protect kin from the taint of corruption, and should it seep among our people, stand united to purge it. Never bear dishonor or unfaithfulness. In Righteousness, quell all iniquity without relenting. Make no peace with evil, and parlay not with the wicked. If all others falter, stand with God alone.

 

Failure to adhere to the Creed shall, depending on severity, lead to the offending Knight either being stripped of their knighthood completely or made to perform quests of redemption in order to be welcomed back into Avistra with their privileges and title reinstated. Failure to complete said quests of redemption in the time provided by the sitting Margrave(s) shall lead to the offending Knight’s title being stripped completely.

 

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The Most Honorable, Arya Elizabeth Altwegg,
Co-Margrave of Avistra, of Hummingbirds Rest and Wing’s Crest

The Most Honorable, Sir Meili Altwegg,
Co-Margrave of Avistra, Baron of Hummingbirds Rest Wing’s Crest, Knight of Avistra