Order of the Sanguine Dawn¶
A militant order "pledged to the service of Orandos", led by one of his Ascendants and organized like a templar order of strongholds and Knight-Commanders. "They will do whatever it takes to beat back the darkness and expose the truth, including sacrifice innocent lives for the sake of the greater good -- in the name of their god" (S537). Its colours are red and gold. It is one of the twelve Knight Orders of Orandos.
The oath¶
Paladins of the order "take an oath of devotion with five tenets" (S537):
| Tenet | Text |
|---|---|
| Honor | "Paladins must reflect sincerity in their every action. They must not lie directly unless for the sake of the greater good, and they must not cheat for selfish gain. They must show respect to those who are good and innocent." |
| Courage | "Paladins do not show their fear, nor do they run from a fight. They must be a beacon of bravery to all those around them." |
| Discipline | "Paladins must remain in control of themselves at all times. They must not be prone to bouts of anger or other dangerous emotions." |
| Justice | "Paladins must remain impartial -- the severity of punishments for the wicked must be equal to their crimes." |
| Perseverance | "Paladins must not allow obstacles to stand in their way -- they must accept delays, and move forward to reach their goals." |
The exception for "the sake of the greater good" runs through the oath as it runs through the order's purpose.
Hierarchy¶
At the head of the order is "an ascendant of Orandos himself, Grand Master Izrail the Dawnfury". Under him, Knight-Commanders hold "small templar 'cities' and strongholds; their word is law -- only the Grand Master himself has the power to overrule them", though they "are expected to consult with their high-ranking officers on most major decisions" (S537).
| Rank | Duty |
|---|---|
| Grand Master | Head of the order; alone may overrule a Knight-Commander |
| Knight-Commander | Rules a templar city or stronghold |
| Seneschal | Second in command; keeps "the troops in good spiritual condition"; directs troop movements in war |
| Turcopolier | Third in command; usually leads the light cavalry and the sergeant brothers |
| Marshal | Arms and horses; last of the high-ranking officers |
| Under-Marshal | Lesser equipment: saddles, padding, water and other supplies |
| Standard Bearer | Trains the squires and bears the standard in battle |
| Knight | "The backbone of the order, clad in armor and skilled in mounted combat, or otherwise" |
| Sergeant | Leads the common soldiers; chief support of the knights |
| Squire | Serves a knight, "with the ambition of becoming a knight themselves" |
"Not all Knights are paladins, but all paladins are Knights or of higher rank" (S537).
Beside the soldiers serve the Treasurer and Quartermaster, keeper of the order's wealth and books; the Draper, who keeps clothing and bed linen and "makes sure that everyone wears a habit appropriate to their rank"; lay servants for the menial work; and "last but certainly not least, the Chaplain brothers", the order's priests, who hear the members' confessions and help the Seneschal minister to the soldiers (S537).
Relations¶
"Recently, the Order of the Sanguine Dawn has allied themselves with the overarching Dominion Knights -- bent on building a country dedicated to Orandos, from which to combat the demons currently ravaging the land" (S537). The Dominion Knights are described on the Knight Orders of Orandos page.
Gap
The source does not say where the order's strongholds stand, in which Age it flourished, how many knights it fields, or what its symbol shows (the source gives it only as an image).