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Long ago, I created a monastic order for my campaign set in the Theocracy of the Pale and Dutchy of Tenh in the Greyhawk Campaign world. I have been either playing or running in this world for close to thirty-five years now, and over time, the Order of the Ebon Rose has evolved to match all of the new incarnations of D&D (and now Pathfinder). I thought I would post this here, as it seemed the appropriate forum, to see what others thought of Strictures and Morals of the Order--their code, if you will.
Anyway, to give some background, the Order was founded by Arminas tar Valantil, a monk of Suel descent born in the Theocracy. Lawful evil (in the beginning), he was a monk of Hextor, serving the Church with every fiber of his being. However, in this campaign world--which I was playing in at the time, as a new-comer to D&D--the hierarchies of Hextor and Heironious had just (relunctently) joined together to fight a threat to the entire Flaness. Arminas was part of that fight, and the only representative of Hextor in the gaming group--which included a Paladin of Heironious and a cleric of St. Cuthbert!
Despite our alignment differences, we (the players) made certain our characters got along, even if they were shocked by some of things that I did in the name of the 'greater good'. Before long, we were cruising along at 12th and 13th level, and the threat had been defeated. And that is when things turned south. Seems that my superiors in the Church already had plans to backstab the Heironions--and that 'lawful good' organization had similar plans to put the Hextorians in their place.
Well, when the Bishop ordered Arminas to break his oath, sworn to both the Gods--he refused. Things got a little dicey, and Arminas barely made it out of the capital alive, hooking back up with his adventuring party and fleeing the Pale (which in this game was the Hextorian stronghold instead of one devoted to Pholtus) and we exchanged notes. Seems THEY had little or no problem with going along with the Heironion plan to turn on the Hextorians--so I left them as well.
Well, it turns out that during the two years previously, one of the events that had overtaken our group had gifted us all with different powers and abilities--and because of the divine intervention into our quest to defeat the 'threat', neither God could act without all of our party agreeing. Apparently, an even greater power was holding them to their oaths--and as lawful beings, they couldn't break them.
I know, I know--but it was the '80s and it was the close to the ending of that campaign. To make a long story short, Arminas eventually found himself facing the avatars of both Hextor and Heironious, each of which was threatening and cajoling him so that their respective churchs could resume their pre-quest bickering and fighting.
Arminas refused once again, and they were livid. Finally, Hextor threatened his eternal soul, and that's when Arminas turned to him and said, "You are the oath-breaker here, my Lord. By your own words, my bond to you is severed--be gone and trouble me no further."
I thought my character was about to die, but that is when another voice injected itself into the conversation, saying "So judged. His soul is no longer yours."
Hextor fumed and tried to attack me, but this shield sprung up around me, and then he left, vowing that his wrath would eventually overtake me.
Heironious smiled, and pleaded with me to join him, and together we could vanquish his brother. And Arminas refused. "You are an oath-breaker as well, Lord of Honorable Battle. You seek to circumvent your oath and to buy mine with the promise of your protection. I need no such protection from a false god, Sir. A pox upon you both!"
And once again, before a furious Heironious could strike Arminas down, the voice sounded out, "So judged. He belongs to neither of the twins, but instead to himself."
Out of the shadows stepped the god Lendor, and Heironious left, but before he did, he vowed that Arminas would enjoy none of the fruits of what he had created. Alone with the head of the Suel pantheon, Arminas asked that god why had intervened. And Lendor answered him.
"Because despite your past deeds, you held to your oath, when your gods themselves tried to break it. I grant you freedom from the oaths sworn to them both, and the freedom of choice. Take it, child of Suel, and go."
And so Arminas did. Over the years that followed, he founded his order (Lawful Neutral) that accepted monks of all alignments, so long as they held to the Strictures and Morals he established. He eventually became Grand Master of the Order, and the Prince-Regent of the Pale after driving the Hextorians from that land and establishing a new realm. Heironious prophecy was fufilled, though, in part when he awakened one morning to find himself in a strange realm, drawn through the summonings of a mighty arcanist to fight another threat in a distant plane, but that is a story for another time.
Arminas never saw his home again, but his Order lives on to this day. And I hope that you enjoy what I have created. Feel free to use as much or as little as you want.
Master Arminas
The Order of the Ebon Rose
The Strictures and Morals of the Order of the Ebon Rose are the paths of conduct and regulations of actions. These rules serve as the moral and ethical guidelines for all who observe them. Those who take the Oath as a member of the Ebon Rose swear to honor these ideals and philosophies in all things, even at the cost of their own life—or soul.
The First Moral Dictum of Arminas tar Valantil
Creation is the absolute moral imperative of all living creatures. We exist only to create—to propagate, to ensure the continuity of our kind. By the act of creation—though it may take many forms; such as the quickening of a child, the construction of a vast complex of buildings, the carving of a simple staff, or the education of those who are without knowledge—we sow the seeds of the future. Destruction is not the antithesis of creation, for we recognize that all things perish and crumble in the depths of time. However, destruction for the sake of pleasure, of sadistic delight; purposeless and senseless destruction just because we can; that is the road that leads to Chaos. We are, at times, called upon to fulfill the promise of all living creatures, by assisting them to their final end. We shall never do so without cause or reason, or for personal gain or pleasure. Those who do so, shall be judged by the Masters of the Order, and sentenced to exile within the very realms of Chaos which they have sowed.
In order to create, and to destroy when required, one must have power. The goal of the Order is to guide those who have eyes to see and ears to listen, and souls which seek out for knowledge to increase their own stores and reservoirs of power. By so doing, we form a bulwark between our people and the tyranny of Chaos, as represented by the many, many misguided souls of our world. This is not to say that one must only use power for good. Good—and Evil alike—are nothing more than conceptions forced upon Man by those from without. While servants of both exist as pure beacons of each force, Man is neither inherently Good, nor is he Evil. We are both, and yet simultaneously neither. We have the potential to outshine the mightiest beacon of Celestia and to humble the proudest denizen of the Pits. We are concerned nary with either concept, but only with Chaos and Law. For it is within the boundaries of Law that people are able to grow, to express themselves, to learn and to eventually lead, to create. Always, and forever, it shall be the purpose of this Order to form a dam against the tide of Chaos, so to shield behind us the green valley of Man.
The First Stricture and Regulation: Power
All living, thinking beings possess some degree of Power, however insignificant. The Order recognizes this and encourages its members to increase their own inner power. Life, in the philosophy of the Order, is about the accumulation of Power. In the words of the Founder “Power used not is Power which wastes away”, and this ideal is propagated throughout the monastery. All creatures have some degree of Power, specifically the Power to create and to destroy. The Order encourages the former and discourages the latter. Only through the Power of creation does mankind expand his horizons, and with each creation Power increases at an exponential rate. Destruction, on the other hand, should never be done purely for the sake of destruction, for down that path lays the madness of Chaos. Sometimes, destruction of a foe is the only answer, but it should never be the first answer. Always, a student of the Ebon Rose must balance his acts of destruction against his acts of creation. “For each that we destroy, we must renew and restore, create anew; lest in our arrogance, we fall to the trap of pride and the ways of Chaos”, thus sayeth the Founder.
The Second Moral Dictum of Arminas tar Valantil
Power without purpose is as barren and wasted as soil without water. It is a desert which appears without life—awaiting the rain that will cause it to bloom and prosper. That purpose is Responsibility. We of this Order of brothers and sisters are the keepers of our own fate and destiny. It is our purpose in life to guide, to protect, to educate, and—when necessary—to cull those around us. We are the Keepers of Order and the Guardians against Chaos. Yet, in our duties to others, we also have duties to self—to act with honor at all times, and in all things—to shirk no burden for fear of death or failure—to act decisively when action is called for. We bear a heavy duty, my brothers and sisters, for it is our destiny to shepherd Man to a better way of life. To accomplish this goal, we must become the keepers of Man’s honor and fate. The power we wield must be used to further our goals and to create a society in which all shall share in the honor, and the glory, and the liberty that are the gifts of Providence to all Mankind.
There are those among us whom it is our special task to care for. Those who have not yet matured enough, in body or soul, to understand or to act—these you shall protect even at the cost of your own honor. Those who bear children as yet unborn—these shall your hand shield from blows, even at the price of your own life’s blood. Those who are driven mad by the vagaries of fate or, perhaps, the too clear perception of knowledge—these you shall comfort and guide and allow no Man, no creature of the darkest fieriest Hells to harm, though it cost you your own soul immortal.
For—through this—we shall preserve and protect our people, as the shepherd guides and guards his flock; that they may, in time, turn the desert of the soul of Man to gentle pastures, filled with orchards and streams, with life and power forevermore.
The Second Stricture and Regulation: Responsibility
“Without Responsibility, Power is worse than useless, it is Chaos”, so sayeth the Founder. Indeed, so Responsibility is the second of the Strictures. We, each of us, are responsible for a great many duties. Duty to your brothers and sisters of the Order, duty to those around us, duty to your own self—these are all the burden of being a member of the Ebon Rose. “Death is lighter than a feather, but Duty is heavier than a mountain,” quoted the Founder many years ago. And it is true today. As a member of the Order, your duty, your Responsibility is, and always will be, to others. Whether it is protecting them, or guiding them, or teaching them, or executing them, your duty will be clear as long as you stay true to the Order.
In addition, we of the Order are charged with the special protection of three distinct groups of innocents: children who are not yet of the age of adulthood, women who are with child, and those who are mad and insane. Suffer none of these to see harm in your presence, and avenge them wholly and thoroughly—as swiftly and ruthlessly as possible—that no one will attempt any action against them without knowing the fate their actions shall provoke. Should one of our Order be the one to raise hand versus those protected by this Stricture—in any action other than defense of himself or others, in order to spare more lives or spirits than would be otherwise be lost—then he shall be proclaimed anathema, and hunted to the end of his days by all who honor the words of the Founder. He shall suffer a fate a thousand times worse—for a thousand days longer—before his soul is sent screaming into the Limbo of Chaos. Should this stricture you disregard, kill yourself before the Order finds you, for mercy shall not be forthcoming.
The Third Moral Dictum of Arminas tar Valantil
Power and Responsibility are two of the three towers of our philosophy. Yet, without the third, Honor, it is nothing more than an unstable construction that must, inevitably, fall. Belief in yourself—in the code which you carry within you, in your own personal sense of Honor—that is what steadies all of us to our duty. In all things, brothers and sisters, perform your duties with stout heart and with Honor.
Those who are without Honor are the servants of Chaos. They seek nothing more than their own heart’s desire, without regard for the consequences of their actions. Even if it means your doom, hold fast to the Honor of your own soul, and others will see the beacon which you grant to the world around you. Yet, only a fool yields to his foe more ground than must be offered. To those who have no Honor, you are bound only to act within the constraints of your own Honor—you are free to speak fabrications and falsehoods unto them, but be warned, sometimes the best lie of all is silence. A wise man knows when to speak, and when to listen, when to foster belief in that which is not true, and when to smile at a foe who has opened himself to deliverance into thine own crushing embrace.
But to those who act with Honor of their own—even if they do not hold with the philosophy and tenets of this Order—to these you shall treat as would a brother or a sister. Destroy them if you must, but speak only your own Honors worth to them, and seek to deceive them not. For a time will come, when Honor shall recognize like Honor and perhaps—in the fullness of time—such a one-time foe may become an ally in this, our war eternal against Chaos. For though they stand outside our dedicated Order, they too, in this world serve a purpose, as indeed do all living creatures.
Hold fast always to your given word—give it forth not lightly, for it shall bind you surer than any Oath. Though it means you take arms against the very Order itself, stand always for your Honor, for your word, for your duty. You will be respected for it, and uplifted because of it. Even more critical to my soul, and to your soul, and unto the spirits of our well-reckoned dead, speak only truth to yourself. Honor only comes from understanding your own being, from never deceiving your own spirit—whether by accepting something you know is false, or by allowing an action to take place by knowing it wrong, or even condemning a hated foe by standing silent and not speaking forth the truth. Honor to those around us is simple, but Honor—true Honor—to one’s own inner self; that is the task which is difficult. But, if you accept these teachings, it is the one thing which counts above all others. Without a spine of steel, stiffened by courage, tempered with the white hot core of your souls fierce forge—without your own inner Honor—your words and actions are meaningless, your life naught more than a lie.
The Third Stricture and Regulation: Honor
All members of the Order are expected and required to act with Honor, both in their personal lives and in their public demeanor. Honor is vital to the ideals of the Order. Those who are members of the Order are prohibited from discourteous behavior and from speaking falsely to brothers and sisters of the Order, from slander and from all activities which might—in the light of day—cast forth a shadow upon our names. You are expected and required to treat those who possess Honor with Honor and justice. Those who are beneath your station, who have professed no Honor, or who have proven themselves honorless, to these you are free to take whatever action suits you, and is appropriate to the situation. The stricture of Honor applies not to such vermin, and you are to eradicate them with neither mercy nor remorse when you uncover them.
The Fourth and Final Moral Dictum of Arminas tar Valantil
Power . . . Responsibility . . . Honor . . . these words are the core of what we here live by. But one more is required. One more is needed to temper the finely honed steel that you—my brothers and sisters of the soul—have become. And that word—that concept—is Respect. Always—in every situation you may encounter—grant Respect to those who have earned the right. To those appointed above you, to those who are superior in fact (if not in rank), to those whom it is your pride to stand beside in open battle. They have earned the right for your Respect, and it is a stain upon your own Honor to deny them that which they have earned through the exercise of their own Power, and Responsibility, and Honor.
Demand the Respect of those beneath you, not through words of scorn, but of actions performed. For when you earn their Respect, you will find that not only will your methods be enhanced; you will inspire those to follow you in the Path of Ascension. By your deeds, you shall meld and mold Mankind into that which shall never again need fear Deity or Demon, but shall make the planes themselves quake in dread at the merest thought that we choose to tread there. We shall—in that time—stride forth both confident and unafraid, secure in the power that we have harnessed, not merely for ourselves, but for all Man—and fashion for Us a place that may never be destroyed.
My sisters and brothers, I cannot emphasize enough the crisis that you are about to enter. You have tread the paths of power, become more than mortal man ever dreamed, pushed yourself beyond the limits of mortal comprehension, and transcended unto a higher existence. You have found yourself bound by duty, and by honor, to those who rest weary under the protection of your outstretched hand, to those who ask for your vigilance and courage, to those who cannot defend themselves, and yet can not ask to be defended. But, all this, is nothing, NOTHING! For without Respect, for life, for Man—above all for yourself—you shall become sterile, incapable of creating and Law itself will melt down into the anarchy of Chaos. This is my final lesson to you, my children of the mind: with Respect, you shall attain greatness. Without it, you are nothing more than the betraying hand of Chaos, cloaked within a disguise of Law and Order.
The Fourth and Final Stricture and Regulation: Respect
The Founder held this as one of the most important tenets of our philosophy: to show Respect where earned, to show kindness and compassion to those beneath us, to earn the Respect both of our betters and our lessers. You must learn this lesson, and learn it well, for it is the price of Power that it seeks to corrupt the wielder, that he may become the embodiment of Chaos incarnate. Only with the testing of your spirit and soul can you become transcendent—but only with the knowledge and forethought to respect your life, your self, your world, and all living creatures can you truly create. Should you reject this stricture, you are nothing but the Abomination which strives to destroy us all, and quickly shall you find your fate judged.