Order Reports/2009/November

The Argent Order	November 20, 2009
After a month of a myriad of other duties to attend to I have finally had a chance to settle down in my estate in Maeotis and get around to writing on the Argent Order, it's creation, beliefs, and goals. The Argent Order was born primarily out of discontent between the various members of the Order of Saint Iestyn's Ordo Procelae, or the faith's upper echelons. A good deal of this discontent came from the main church in the East to recognize the church West, represented mostly by myself. It all reached the boiling point when then Duke Arden Fury was being put up for promotion into the Ordo Procelae itself--to a position that would've actually made him "outrank" me in the faith. The entire process seemed to be running rather smoothly until all communication from the East just ceased without warning. At first I assumed it was just another of Drystan's quiet spells and that it would pass shortly. It didn't. In fact I'm fairly certain the next time I heard from him was when I closed the temples in Twainville and Twainwood. Now, Arden Fury, denied the promotion both him and I were certain he was getting, had a reason to support me. And it's from him that most of the funding for the faith came. And in what was typical between then Grand Master Milmice and myself, change came in something of a firestorm. You see, Grand Master Milmice was adamantly against anything that would replace the Order of Saint Iestyn, being what I can only assume to be a very devout believer. So when a new faith was proposed, he denied it. I have had difficulties with him most of the time I was in Ordenstaat, early on to test the resilience of the realm, later just because I was annoyed. This time it was a political firestorm, me and "democracy for Ordenstaat" on one side, and him on the other. I have always been something of a Republican I suppose, we each had our supporters, and I must say it was one of the most interesting times Ordenstaat has probably experienced. It ended in Grand Master Milmice stepping down, and Duke Arden reluctantly replacing him. One of his first acts as Grand Master was to see to a faith to replace the Order of Saint Iestyn. I presented my proposal, and with cooperation from one of the local lords, it came to fruition a short time later. Now the Argent Order stands as the new Beacon of Order in the West. The Argent Order isn't all that unlike the Order of Saint Iestyn, I suppose. We both pursue the triumph of Order over Chaos, and both have Saints. Though that's where the similarities stop I believe. The Argent Order believes in Eternal Forces rather than gods, per se. Those forces being Vita and Nex, or Life and Death. And contrary to Saint Iestyn's Five Saints, we have Three: Alexius the Brave, Relinon the Wise, and Telani the Silver. The Argent Order is also setup differently, dividing the faith internally into four different echelons: The Echelons of the Sword, the Shield, the Pen, and the Staff. They represent front line combat, logistical combat, political combat, and the priests of the faith, respectively. The Echelon of the Staff, is special in comparison because it's members enjoy a sort of dual membership after formal priest training is complete--once a certain rank they are permitted to join one of the other Echelons as well, broadening their scope and allowing them to better benefit the Order. As for the Argent Order's goals, well, those are pretty simple I suppose. We seek to bring Order to the Chaos. As for more short term goals, we plan to solidify our presence in Ordenstaat, and then branch out from there. As to where we will branch out to exactly, that's another question altogether. Depends on where we are when our current goal is reached, now doesn't it?
Comment on this story.	by Zanaras Tian, Silver Archon of the Argent Order, and Viscount of Maeotis