Order of the White Rose

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Order of the White Rose This is an Official Order

Sanctioned Province: Zoluren City Base: The Crossing Active Members: 42 Website: http://www.orderofthewhiterose.org/ Twitter: None Officers Speaker: Mialeigh Vice Speaker: Talliska Treasurer: Ariya Council Members Halcier Katjia Kraggur Meara Nesra Paeldroth Askray Cesha Cetacea Charryl Dahlestia Dya Eezem Elonakyra Ezolde Getrylight Hamilin Makea Maliah Marolsa Molie Mordiazi Mossyoak Nahasa Naraya Oramiwe Peeku Phalastor Rahley Shabasquaia Skyrex Sophieann Tiakim Tiselena Tonika Vaila Vishaka Wylges Zado Zuckulore

Mission Statement

The Order and its Members will strive, above all, to achieve and maintain peace throughout Elanthia.

To this end, the Order seeks to develop friendly diplomatic relations among the provinces, offers protection and support to the people of Elanthia in times of need, and provides civic services that encourage the sharing of knowledge.

These are offered equally to all those who wish to pursue a harmonious existence, regardless of race, ethnicity, occupation, religion and status.

Joining the Order of the White Rose

Sponsorship Required: No
Minimum Circle Requirement to Join: None
Guilds Welcome: All Official guilds, Necromancers need not apply.
Races Welcome: All

To begin the application process, please fill out an application at http://www.orderofthewhiterose.org/.

Charter

May it be known that here is written the Charter of the Order of White Rose, which defines the Order's mission, founding, purposes, principles, objectives, and insignia. In memory of the once-celebrated Empire of the Seven-Pointed Star, this Charter holds as its principles the untiring pursuit of amity and peace, and equality and respect for all.

The Order and its Members will strive, above all, to achieve and maintain peace throughout Elanthia. To that end, the Order seeks:

~ To develop amiable diplomatic relations among the provinces.
~ To offer protection and support to the peoples of Elanthia during times of need.
~ To provide civic services that encourage the sharing of knowledge among Elanthians, regardless of race, ethnicity, occupation, religion, or status.

The Order of the White Rose was initially founded for the purpose of resurrecting the former Empire of the Seven-Pointed Star. Centuries ago, the Empire brought long-lasting peace to the original seven races ~ Dwarf, Elf, Elothean, Gor'Tog, Halfling, Human, and S'Kra Mur ~ by uniting their peoples and their lands under the rule of a single Emperor. The Empire was originally built upon the foundations of peace, equality, respect, and knowledge. It was successful for many generations until it succumbed to forces of corruption and dissension from within. Thus, the Empire of the Seven-Pointed Star became known as the Fallen Empire.

As the Empire neared its end, however, those faithful to its original principles made efforts to ensure the preservation of its most precious documents and treasures in the hope that these relics would one day become useful again. Generations later, the records of these hidden artifacts, rumored to be buried beneath a white rose bush, were sought by the descendants of those loyal few, and the Order of the White Rose was born.

The Order of the White Rose received official sanction, and its Founders, who remained loyal to the ideals of the once-celebrated Empire, sought to bring together the leaders of the provinces in order to ensure that peace and equality endured throughout the continent of Kermoria.

Today, the Order and its Members still recognize the significance of the Empire of the Seven-Pointed Star, not only for its strengths but also for its weaknesses. Corruption eventually undermined the Empire and its goals, and this aspect of its history must never be forgotten.

The Order continues to uphold the principles of peace and equality but also understands that the world has changed: the lands of Kermoria are more diverse than ever, with the addition of the Gnomes, Kaldar, Prydaen, and Rakash and their respective customs and beliefs; the perils now faced by Elanthia are greater than ever before and include the ever-growing threat of Necromancy; and finally, the known lands have expanded considerably, revealing additional territories such as the islands of Qi, which have brought additional opportunities and risks.

The Order, in the midst of these changes, remembers the Empire of the Seven-Pointed Star and holds true to its commitments to peace, equality, and knowledge among the diverse peoples of Elanthia.

For more information on the founding of the order, please see History of the Order of the White Rose.

Purpose

~ To maintain amity, peace, and security among the provinces. To that end, the Order seeks to prevent and eliminate threats to the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means the settlement of provincial disputes or situations that might lead to a breach of the peace.

~ To promote friendly relations among the provinces based on the principles of respect and equality, through both diplomatic and civic means, including the sharing and spread of historical, racial, professional, and other knowledge.

~ To foster cooperation among the provinces for the purpose of addressing economic, social, or cultural problems, and to promote respect for the rights of all without regard to race, ethnicity, occupation, religion, or status.

~ To be a balancing force for the provinces and their peoples and a center for all who seek the attainment of these common ends.

Insignia

Badge: an exquisitely woven white silk rose with an emerald green stem twined around a platinum seven-pointed star

The petals are soft and delicate to the touch reaching out from one another and creating the illusion of outstretched hands waiting to guide and help. Engraved along the points of the platinum star a flowing script surrounds the phrase "Order of the White Rose."

A white silk rose reads:

"Olkar Haleen, Blar Fostra, Mivar Feas, Alrar Abues"

Official Description: The Order's full achievement of arms consists of a shield of silver and black parted per bend and charged with a white rose and a platinum seven-pointed star lying in pale. The helm is adorned by a Phoenix in flames. Supporting the shield are a white Unicorn with a golden horn and hooves and a gold Dragon. Two banners bear the Order's motto in Gamgweth and Common: "Olkar Haleen, Blar Fostra, Mivar Feas, Alrar Abues; Hold Respect, Guard Peace, Know Honor, Teach Love."

Blazon: Per bend, Argent and Sable, in pale, a rose slipped and leaved and a mullet inverted of seven points of the first. Crest: a phoenix in flames proper. Supporters: dexter, a unicorn reguardant armed and hoofed Or; sinister, a dragon reguardant Or. Motto: Olkar Haleen, Blar Fostra, Mivar Feas, Alrar Abues; Hold Respect, Guard Peace, Know Honor, Teach Love.

File:WhiteRoseArms.png

History

In order to understand the history of the Order of the White Rose, one must start with the Empire of the Seven-Pointed Star. The Empire's origins can be traced back to Chieftain Akroeg the Ram, who united the Human Clans over a millenia ago. His son Verek, after establishing alliances with the non-Human races, became the first Emperor of the Seven-Pointed Star. The seven spokes of the Empire's symbol were meant to represent the cooperation of the seven known races at the time: Dwarven, Elothean, Elven, Gor'Tog, Halfling, Human, and S'kra Mur.

Though founded in times of conflict, the Empire flourished peacefully under Emperor Verek and his successors. The laws laid down by Moliko the Balance (who was eventually an Empress, twice) established a strong foundation of justice and equality between the races. Verek established the precedent for Emperors to rule in seven year terms. After an Emperor's term was over (or if the Emperor died or stepped down) a new Emperor was chosen from a different racial House. This process continued unabated for nearly seven centuries of history.

The full history of this ancient Empire, which existed long before the formation of the Five Provinces, I would leave you to research on your own. The important part to remember is that the Empire's ideals helped shaped the Charter of the Order of the White Rose as it is today. The Order can be considered the spiritual successor of the Empire in its golden age, which gave equal rights and opportunities to all races under its banner.

This story of the Order's founding has been passed down through word of mouth by the Speakers of the Order throughout the ages. We cannot be certain of its accuracy, but it is the only founding story we have that has survived. It begins with the last Emperor of the Seven-Pointed Star, known as Vithwok IV or Vithwok the Young. Vithwok was a Gor'tog and merely a child, so a Regent was appointed to him until he became of age to rule.

Vithwok also had an half-uncle, whose name is lost to time. This man was strongly dedicated to the Empire and all it represented. He believed Regent Seylan to be greedy and power-hungry, and that his treachery would eventually lead to the Empire's fall. In order to ensure the Empire at its height would be remembered, and perhaps be revived one day, the half-uncle decided to steal away a number of artifacts and documents important to the Empire, knowing full well the danger of his actions should he be caught.

He left Throne City, the seat of the Empire, with these treasures concealed among his belongings. His plan was to hide each one of them in a different location, far and wide across the lands. It took many years of journeying for him to complete his task. He kept a journal during his travels, recording all he has seen and experienced, as well as the exact locations where each item had been hidden. Finally, only the journal itself remained as a record of these relics. The half-uncle of Vithwok placed his memoirs into a chest, which legend says he buried under a white rose bush somewhere in the realms.

After this, he made his way back home, only to find that after all his years of absence, the bleak future he envisioned had come to fruition. The Empire had already begun to crumble under the weight of corruption, and its people had gone to war. His only reassurance was that peace might be restored one day, when those of the right heart and mind retrieve the treasures and rebuild the Empire as it once was: a bastion of peace, equality, knowledge and respect between the races.

When his health began to fail, and he knew his end was near, he encoded the location of the white rose bush in a riddle. This riddle he entrusted to a man named Marcus Talebar, whose reputation as a Praetorian guard gave Vithwok's half-uncle the confidence that he would make wise use of the information.

Marcus knew that the task of retrieving the journal and treasures was not something he could do alone. He contacted a trusted associate named Leven Kamrami, whose own extensive travels made him an ideal companion for his quest. Over the years, Marcus and Leven gathered more like-minded individuals to aid and accompany them, forming a fellowship they named after the white rose bush they sought: the Order of the White Rose.

What became of the founders is sadly unknown, but what they created remains, has grown, and continues to evolve, so as to better meet the needs and protect against the dangers of the times. Today, the Order's emphasis has shifted from retrieving relics, to keeping the ideals of the Empire alive and relevant today. The Empire lives on through our words and deeds.

The Order achieves this goal by promoting equality between the races, sharing knowledge about the history and lore of Elanthia, providing diplomatic services between provinces and protecting the rights and lives of the citizens it serves.