Sallowsian Order

The Sallowsian Order is dedicated to the worship of the dragon Sallow, the honoring of her virtues, and the service of her bloodline.

The Virtues

All Sallowsian paladins are expected to live their lives by the four cardinal virtues:

Righteousness

Choose a path of most benefit for your kin. Be a paragon of civilization. Eschew barbarism and base impulses.

Loyalty

Be loyal to the scion and your liege. Know your place, serve selflessly. Hierarchy is the structure of civilization.

Honor

Be honest, fair, and truthful in your dealings. Be a source of pride for your superiors, and an inspiring model to your inferiors.

Decisiveness

Favor action over inaction. Seek and exploit opportunities. Make and take advantages. Do not wait for perfect opportunities.

The Dragons

At the dawn of time, from the great void of existence, came four dragons: Sairys, Nailyon, Grael, and Sallow. Through the ages, the first three came to die, and have their souls migrate to the skies, where they still shine upon Dwilight. The fourth, Sallow, remains, though she took many names and roles through the history of humanity, to help them build and spread civilization where there was none before.

The Three Facets of Sallow

Sallow came to humanity on different occasions, every time focusing on a different aspect that they needed to work upon. Only by applying all of her work can civilization truly be spread, however. She was known as:

• Fafnir, the seeker, taught his followers to test their limits, and to push beyond them, for the benefit of the community.
• Raviel, the teacher, taught his followers understanding of the world around them, and how to put this knowledge to good use.
• Arex, the defender, taught his followers the importance of solidarity and might in preserving the model that was built.

The Sallowsian Order dedicates itself to following the path laid out by the dragon to our ancestors. Civilization needs to be spread, it needs to be enlightened, and it needs to be strong, or else it will fail and crumble.

The Scion

After three years of studying the colonists, Sallow decided to approach them as they explored her resting place, Sallow Cape. She took human form, and met with a prominent explorer known as Bowie Ironsides. After some exchanges, they courted, and mated. She then withdrew for the time of the gestation, returning to him only after the infant was weened, upon a full moon. She then gifted him the child, Selena Ironsides, and was not seen of again. Later, the child was adopted by Cenarious Stormrage and Kisharianda Onyxien, and thus entered the D'Haran royal family, where she was raised with the teachings of the Way of the Dragons. She later married Machiavel Chénier upon his accession to Dragon King of D'Hara, and served as Dragon Queen and keeper of the lost ways, well after Dragon Worship had fell out of favor on the isles. They eventually had a child, but she died upon the full moon, at childbirth, proper medical care not being possible due to the ongoing Lurian invasion of D'Hara. The child was named Selena Chénier, and she was raised hidden from public life. When she was but a child, her father was assassinated, and she was smuggled out of the isles to the northern lands, where she grew up. When she finally came of age, Selena Chénier swore fealty to the kingdom of Westgard, where she dedicated herself to following Sallow's path.

Rituals

Paladins are expected to complete certain rites and rituals on a regular basis. Usually, these are done with the support of shamans. Haruspicy is a revered tradition preserved by a few eastern dwili natives, which typically specialize in reading inhuman livers, under the belief that the stronger the beast, the more potent the divination. Bloodmoon-induced trance is another highly-respected form of divination which few shaman, mostly western dwili natives are known to master. Both techniques are believed to exploit influences of the other world in order to extract knowledge from the powers that reside there.

Hierarchy

The three branches of the order follow the three facets of Sallow: the explorers, the shamans, and the paladins. Sallow's Servants take these titles upon their oath, and climb up the ranks of their respective branches through feats of service. The eldership of the three branches form the Scion's Véinsørmoot.