Aragon
The Knights of St. George are Guardians of Aragon.
St. Cyprian
Symbol: Bishop's miter and staff.
The monastery of the Order of St. Cyprian is in Catalonia, near Barcelona. St. Cyprian of Antioch (c. 3rd century) was a sorcerer before converting to Christianity, and his monks study wizardry and the means by which it can be countered. They are highly secretive about their studies, knowing well the dangers of magic.
Bohemia
Bohemia, under Duke Ladislaus the Posthumous, is subject to the Holy Roman Empire.
St. Wenceslaus
Symbol: Crown of Wenceslaus.
The Knights of St. Wenceslaus are guardians of Bohemia. Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia, is celebrated for his piety, efforts to promote Christianity, and his dedication to the welfare of his people. Heโs remembered as โGood King Wenceslausโ. His greatest enemies were pagans and his knights are keen to root out traces of paganism.
It is said that at the Battle of Chlumec in 1126, Wenceslaus appeared in the sky, riding a white horse and wielding a flaming sword, rallying the outnumbered Bohemians to defeat the forces of the King of Germany. Wenceslausโ knights are known for developing holy powers related to flame. They resent the Knights of St. Maurice for supporting the dominating power of the Holt Roman Empire.
St. Barbara
Symbol: Tower with three windows.
The Sisters of St. Barbara are neither a military nor an academic order, but they have military and academic importance. Barbara is patron of mathematicians, armorers and artillerymen. The sisters collect texts on all of these subjects and study the theory as part of their devotion to the saint. They have often advised agents of the crown, supporting the success of the Hussite war machine. While women may not be academics, they are permitted at the universities, and the mathematical excellence of the sisters makes them sought after by other mathematicians. Their magical researches into mathematics can lead to strange effects on space and time. They maintain an abbey near Holaลกovice.
St. Christopher
Symbol: Man with child on his shoulders.
The friars of St. Christopher maintain a friary in Prague, but travel extensively. They offer hospitality and protection to pilgrims and other travelers. Christopher is patron saint of travelers, and his monks have studied a variety of magics to aid traveler safety. Some have experimented with opening portals to other realms.
St. Vitus
Symbol: Rooster.
The monks of St. Vitus maintain a monastery near Pilsen. Vitus is patron of dancers and those with epilepsy, leading his monks to make a study of the human body, particularly the muscle system. Some have developed extraordinary physical abilities and their skill in unarmed combat is famous.
Burgundian Netherlands
This part of the Netherlands is in the possession of Burgundy.
St. Christina the Astonishing
Symbol: Shackles.
The Sisters of St. Christina the Astonishing occupy an abbey near the town of Sint-Truiden. Christinaโs life was marked by severe asceticism and self-mortification, an example followed by her nuns. Christinaโs miraculous return from the dead to describe the terrifying she had seen on the other side inspires her nuns to study death and necromancy.
St. Dymphna
Symbol: Sword and lamp.
St. Dymphna is patron saint of those afflicted by madness. Her nuns maintain an abbey near the town of Geel, where they study madness and the means by which it can be cured. They also tend to a number of patients who are housed at the abbey. It goes without saying that some of the results of their studies have been strange indeed.
Burgundy
The Knights of St. Andrew are guardians of Burgundy.
St. Gideon, Knights of The Golden Fleece
Symbol: Golden Fleece.
The Order of the Golden Fleece was established 25 years ago in 1430, by Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy. Philip created them to serve as a counter to the power of the Knights of St. Andrew, guardians of Burgundy. While the fleece in the orderโs name officially refers to the fleece of the prophet Gideon, associated with signs from God, the knights also associate themselves with the pagan Greek hero Jason who quested for the golden fleece of the ram Chrysomallos. The Knights of the Golden Fleece are known for developing powers inspired by pagan mythology, causing some criticism and suspicion.
The Knights of the Golden Fleece revel in luxuries and displays of wealth but are nevertheless an exclusive and elite fighting force. Not lacking in courage, they can tend to be glory hounds. Philip finds them much easier to work with than the Knights of St. Andrew, who are too concerned with defending ordinary people.
The Knights of the Golden Fleece are passionately loyal to the papacy, to Burgundy, and to Philip. They wish to temper the power of the Knights of St. Andrew, but not when doing to will endanger Burgundy, which Andrewโs knights guard. They hope to one day be strong enough to replace the Knights of St. Andrew as Burgundyโs guardian order.
Castile
St. Aemilian
Symbol: Banner and sword.
The Knights of St. Aemilian are the guardians of the Kingdom of Castile. They are engaged in driving away the monsters from Granada, that it can be a Christian kingdom once again. Standing in the tradition of the Cid, the knights of Castile have long regarded themselves as the epitome of chivalric excellence, and the Knights of Aemilian see themselves as the cream of the crop. They are known for developing holy powers that augment their knightly skills, all the better to show that they are the perfect knights.
The order is loyal to the Vatican, partly because of contact with terrifying forces from beyond Christendom, and partly because their commitment to knightly perfection makes any appearance of disloyalty unthinkable. Founded to aid the reconquest, they promote aggression against pagan forces wherever possible. As guardians of Castile, they are rivals of the Order of St. George, who guard Aragon, and the Order of Anthony, who guard Portugal.
St. Raymond, Order of Calatrava
Symbol: Red Greek cross with fleur-de-lis at its ends.
The Order of Calatrava, also known as the Knights of St. Raymond, and known colloquially as the โFighting Cisterciansโ, was established in 1158 by King Sancho III of Castile, who granted the fortress of Calatrava to Raymond, abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Fitero. Initially created to defend the fortress against the Moors, it has become a significant force in the Christian Reconquista of Spain. It is closely affiliated with the Cistercian abbey of Morimond, which provides spiritual guidance. They are known for developing holy powers related to prayerful meditation.
Above all else, the order seeks to promote the interests of the Cistercian order, and only after that, the interests of Castile. It also dedicates itself to driving the monsters from Granada, that it may be a Christian land once again. They are loyal to the Vatican, as the Cistercians teach them to be.
St. Jerome
Symbol: Lion.
The Hieronymites, also known as the Order of Saint Jerome (Latin: Ordo Sancti Hieronymi) were founded in the late 14th century at Valdeverdeja, near Toledo. Just as Jerome was a translator and Biblical scholar, so his monks store and translate texts. They possess numerous very rare books.
St. Raphael
Symbol: Staff and fish.
The friars of Raphael occupy a friary and hospital in Cรณrdoba, though they travel extensively. Raphael is patron of travelers and healers and his monks offer help and healing to visitors and the sick. They are famed for medical skill, and many have studied magic related to healing or the protection of travelers. They are on good terms with the monks of St. Christopher, who also protect travelers, and friars of the two orders will often visit the other.
Denmark
St. Canute
Symbol: Three crowned blue lions.
The Knights of St. Canute are guardians of Denmark and are almost all Danish. Canuteโs status as patron of brewers has inspired some wealthy knights to invest in breweries, producing ale thatโs often said to be the best in the world. According to folktales, itโs even sought out by elves and trolls. They find the courage of their Viking ancestors inspirational, and are known for developing holy abilities similar to the abilities of berserkers.
The Knights are loyal to Denmark and to King Christian I. They would like to see the Vatican have less control in Danish matters. As guardians of Denmark, the Knights of St. Canute are rivals of the Knights of St. Maurice, guardians of the Holy Roman Empire, and the Knights of St. Stanislaus, guardians of Poland-Lithuania. They also have traditional rivalries with the Knights of St. Andrew, guardians of Scotland; Edmund, once guardians of England; Patrick, guardians of Scotland; and Olaf, guardians of Norway.
England
The Knights of St. George are guardians of England.
St. Edmund
Symbol: Black Wolf
The Knights of St. Edmund, also known as the Black Wolves, were guardians of England until 1348. For centuries, they defended the kingdom not only from bandits and foreign armies, but also from disease, using their sacred powers of healing. When their powers failed against the Black Death, it was taken as a sign that their mandate had been withdrawn by God, and the guardianship was given to the Knights of St. George. The Knights of St. Edmund have been striving to regain their lost position ever since. Edmundโs role as protector from wolves has led some of the knights to develop wolf-life abilities, or even become lycanthropic. Many knights of Edmund are expert woodsmen.
The Knights of St. Edmund are loyal to England and the Vatican. They have a good relationship with English King Henry VI, born of their mutual rivalry with the Knights of St. George. They are also on good terms with the Knights of St. Hubert, whose affinity for nature they respect. Edmund was tortured and killed by Vikings, and St. Edmundโs knights bear grudges against Scandinavians, especially the Knights of St. Canute, guardians of Denmark, and the Knights of St. Olaf, guardians of Norway. The Knights of St. Edmund detest the use of torture.
St. Bede the Venerable
Symbol: Pen and ink horn.
St. Bede was Englandโs first great historian and natural philosopher. His order maintains a monastery at Jarrow, in North-Eastern England, where they devote themselves to English history and natural philosophy, particularly as they relate to the elements, the seasons, and astronomy, building on Bedeโs work in โDe Natura Rerumโ (โOn the Nature of Thingsโ). As scribes, they produce copies of Bedeโs works.
France
St. Joan
Symbol: Tarasque.
The Knights of St. Joan are guardians of France. They are a very new order, having been established in 1433, a mere 20 years ago. For almost a thousand years, France had been under the guardianship of the Knights of St. Martin, but confidence in the knights of Martin had evaporated in the face of catastrophic defeats against the allied English and Burgundians. The knights have adopted the dragon-like Tarasque as their symbol, and are known for developing holy powers reflecting its strength, indomitability, and ferocity.
King Charles VII of France is a firm supporter of the order. Not only have they secured his kingdom against the English, but they are not as obsessively concerned with the wellbeing of the poor as the Knights of St. Martin, who were always difficult to work with. The Knights of St. Joan remember how the Burgundians captured the saint and sold her to the English, who tried and executed her, leaving resentments towards the knights of St. Andrew and St. George. The Knights of St. Joan are highly loyal to the Vatican. The role of English church officials in Joanโs trial has made them aware of, and suspicious of, church corruption, but they do not blame Rome.
St. Catherine of Alexandria
Symbol: Wheel.
The Sisters of St. Catherine occupy an abbey near Rouen, in Normandy. Like Catherine, they are scholars, with a particular interest in philosophy and theology. Catherine is patron of librarians and the sisters have an extensive collection of texts, including old pagan Greek and Egyptian works.
St. Fiacre
Symbol: Spade and basket of vegetables.
The monks of St. Fiacre occupy a monetary near the town of Meaux. Fiacre is patron of gardeners and herbalists and the monks study the nature of plants and herbs, mundane and magical. Some of them have used herbs for mystical or visionary purposes. Fiacre came to France from Ireland, and his monks are favorable to the Irish.
Greece
With the disappearance of their Byzantine rulers in 1453, Greece has collapsed into a collection of feuding city states, apart from the strategic islands and coastal areas controlled by Venice.
St. John of Damascus
Symbol: Severed hand.
The Order of St. John of Damascus maintain a monastery on the Greek Island of Patmos. The monks continue St. Johnโs work on theology, music and music theory. It is said that their choir sounds like a choir of angels. According to legend, they once defeated an invading flock of sirens in a battle of music.
Holy Roman Empire
The Knights of St. Maurice are guardians of the Holy Roman Empire.
St. Elizabeth
Symbol: Basket of bread.
The Sisters of St. Elizabeth maintain an abbey and hospital in Marburg, where they devote themselves to caring for the poor and sick. They are famous for their healing skills. St. Elizabeth was a member of the Hungarian royal family, and her nuns are strongly supportive of both Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor, and Ladislaus, King of Hungary. St. Elizabeth was inspired by the Franciscans and relations between the two orders are particularly good. Elizabethโs husband was a crusader, and so her nuns tend to be supportive of knightly orders with a particular history in the crusades, such as the Hospitallers, Templars and Teutonic Knights.
St. Mary Magdelaine
Symbol: Jar.
The sisters of St. Mary Magdelaine possess an abbey near the town of Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume in the County of Provence. St. Mary Magdelaine is patron if apothecaries and perfumers, leading her nuns into research into chemistry, herbalism and alchemy. The fact that the saint was once possessed by demons has led her nuns to study demonology and exorcism.
Hungary
St. Stephen of Hungary
Symbol: Sรกrkรกny.
The Knights of St. Stephen are guardians of the Kingdom of Hungary. The knights have adopted as their symbol the Hungarian dragon, the multi-headed Sรกrkรกny. Just as the Sรกrkรกny is associated with thunder and rain, so the knights are known to develop thunder-related holy powers. Some have been accused of fraternizing with dragons.
St. Stephen was devoted to the Blessed Virgin, putting his knights on good terms with the Teutonic Knights and Carmelite monks. On the other hand, the Knights of St. Stephen are rivals of the Knights of St. Maurice, guardians of the Holy Roman Empire, and the Knights of St. Stanislaus, guardians of Poland-Lithuania. St. Stephen founded three Benedictine monasteries, and his knights have always been particular patrons of the Benedictines.
Italy
Italy is a patchwork of independent city-states. The most powerful of these is Venice. Many of the rich northern cities have the Knights of St. Michael as their guardians, including Venice, Florence, Genoa, and Milan. The Knights of St. Peter are guardians of Rome and the papacy.
St. Cosmas and St. Damian
Symbol: Medical instruments.
Cosmas and Damian were third century doctors. They were Arabian twin brothers who provided medical aid and surgery without charge. Today, the brothers of St. Cosmas and St. Damian maintain a friary in Alberobello in southern Italy, from which they provide medical treatment for the poor. They engage in experimentation in healing magic and have a particular interest in transplantation of limbs and other organs. Their formidable medical skills draw heavily on the Islamic tradition, leading to some contact with pre-Islamic pagan beings.
St. Lucy
Symbol: Eyes on a dish.
St. Lucy is patron of the blind, and the Sisters of St. Lucy maintain an abbey in Syracuse in which they care for the blind and those suffering from ailments of the eye. Their esoteric studies include not just ocular healing, but manipulation of darkness.
St. Luke
Symbol: Winged ox.
The friars of St. Luke maintain a friary and hospital in Padua in northern Italy, where they devote themselves to healing the sick. His friars often study healing magic. Luke is a patron of artists, including decorative metalworkers, and his friars often excel in the arts. They have been known to produce enchanted artworks.
Ireland
Ireland is a patchwork of independent kingdoms.
Saint Patrick
Symbol: Shamrock
The Knights of St. Patrick are guardians or Ireland, and almost all are Irish. Patrick is patron of engineers, inspiring the knights to cause the construction of massive and inspiring churches and cathedrals in Irish towns.
Patrickโs most famous miracle is driving all snakes from Ireland, inspiring his knights to develop holy powers related to banishing. Patrickโs next most famous miracle is raising 33 people from the dead. His knights insist that they do not engage in resurrection, but they have developed powers related to communication with the deceased. The Knights of St. Patrick have long protected Irish Christians against the Fae and other magical dangers. Occasionally, contact is corrupting, and a knight will switch their allegiance to pagan forces.
The Knights of St. Patrick are loyal to the Vatican, even though they would like more autonomy to worship in their own way. As guardians of Ireland, they are rivals of the Order of St. George, guardians of England. The Viking raids of past centuries have made them traditional rivals of the Knights of Canute and Olaf.
St. Brigid
Symbol: Cross made of rushes.
St. Brigid is patron saint of healers, poets, blacksmiths, and livestock and dairy workers. Her nuns study both healing and poetry and are perhaps most famous for their mastery of fire. They maintain the abbey of Cill Darra in Leinster, North-Eastern Ireland, and their skill with flame has sometimes played an important role in Leinsterโs defense. Knights of St. Canute and St. Olaf remain suspicious of them, their hostility a relic of the Viking age.
Norway
St. Olaf
Symbol: Axe
The Knights of St. Olaf are guardians of Norway, and are almost all Norwegian, or from French Normandy. The saint was known for slaying giants and trolls and for protecting Norwegians from monsters, and his knights strive to follow his example. St. Olaf was said to have been enormously strong, and to have had control over thunder and lightning, leading his knights to develop holy powers giving them similar abilities.
The knights would like to curtail the authority of the Vatican, to allow them to more easily worship in accordance with their own culture. They are traditional rivals of the Knights of St. Canute, guardians of Denmark. Norwayโs history of raiding Britain has also made them traditional rivals of the orders of St. Andrew, St. Edmund, and St. Patrick.
Poland-Lithuania
St. Stanislaus
Symbol: Wings of Hermes.
The Knights of St. Stanislaus are guardians of Poland-Lithuania. The Knights of St. Stanislaus are at war with the Teutonic Knights, just as the Kingdom of Poland-Lithuania is at war with the state of the Teutonic Knights over the appropriation of Polish lands. The Knights of St. Stanislaus are also rivals of the Knights of St. Stephen, guardians of Hungary. On the other hand, theyโve often been allies with the Knights of St. Maurice, guardians of the Holy Roman Empire, putting them on good terms. The knights have adopted the wings of Hermes as their symbol, and are known for developing holy powers related to speed, especially on horseback.
Portugal
St. Anthony
Symbol: White lily.
The Knights of St. Anthony are guardians of Portugal and almost all are Portuguese. St. Anthonyโs diverse patronages are reflected in the knightsโ interests. Anthony is patron of the poor, and so the knights champion the poor, much to the inconvenience of the Portuguese nobility. Anthony is patron of travelers, and so the knights protect travelers, both in Portugal and abroad. Anthony is patron of those who hunt for lost items, leading his knights to quest for legendary artifacts. They are known for develop holy powers related to travel and the protection of travelers.
St. Anthony was a Franciscan, and so the Order of St. Anthony has always patronized, and been guided by, Franciscans. As guardians of Portugal, the Knights of St. Anthony are rivals of the Knights of St. Aemilian, guardians of Castile, and the Knights of St. George, guardians of Aragon. Mutual concern for the poor puts them on good terms with the knights of St. Andrew, and especially St. Martin, as well as with the monks of St. Benedict.
Wales
St. David of Wales
Symbol: White Dove
The Knights of St. David of Wales are the guardians of Wales, and are almost all Welsh. David is patron of poets and many of his knights are accomplished poets. Tradition says that David prayed for his people to have forewarning of their deaths, resulting in the existence of โcorpse candlesโ in the night. His knights have studied the secrets of these lights. In Davidโs most famous miracle, the ground rose up to form a hill where he was preaching, while a white dove settled on his shoulder. His knights are known for developing the power to move and shape earth, and their castles are formidable. They are also known for their power over doves, used as messengers or scouts.
The Knights of St. David are loyal to Wales. They resent English rule and the Knights of St. George, guardians of England. Many took part in the Glyndลตr Rising of 1400-1415, a major Welsh rebellion against English rule, and there are lingering hatreds. The Knights of St. David find the Vaticanโs authority burdensome, and wish to be left to worship how they see fit, in accordance with their own culture.
St. Collen
St. Collen is known for his encounter with fairies. According to legend, he was invited to the court of the Fairy King, where he sprinkled holy water to dispel the illusion and reveal the fairies as demons. His monks maintain a monastery near Pembroke and study the ways of the fae.