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Anuire » Heartlands » Haelyn's Aegis

					Haelyn's Aegis Ruler Grand Master, Anita Maricoere Alignment Lawful Good Government Monarchy Court Level 5

Introduction

Alignment: Lawful Good.

Status: Haelyn's Aegis would prefer to solve disputes among men by diplomacy, though it stands vigilant against the Awnsheghlien, especially the Gorgon.

Teaching and Doctrine

The Orthodox Imperial Temple is devoted primarily to Haelyn as the Lord of Noble War. Haelyn is revered throughout Anuire as a paragon of kingship, courage, chivalry, command of armies, and stern yet merciful justice. The temple teaches that its followers that Haelyn established a social order for the good of all his people. This order includes a dual hierarchy of priests and nobles. Its rituals, rites, and forms of worship are very traditional and look and feel much as they did during the Imperial Temple. Haelyn's Aegis recognizes the leadership of the Orthodox Imperial Temple in matters of ritual, worship, and interpretation of the Book of Laws, which remains central to its doctrine. It differs with the Orthodox Imperial Temple in the rigor it demands in outsiders, for the openness of Haelyn's Aegis goes back to its role during the Empire as a source of conversion throughout Cerilia.

The doctrine of Haelyn's Aegis is based primarily on the Book of Laws, the sacred text of Haelyn, read closely using sophisticated textual methods. The centrality of the Book of Laws, interpreted by skilled textual analysts, supersedes all other teachings and interpretations. Other sects may consult other texts as key commentaries on Haelyn's intentions in the Book of Laws, or they may use other interpretive methods to read it.

As taught in the Book of Laws, society, laws, and culture are a mark of civilization. Haelyn is the Lord of Rulership, and thus it is the duty of his faithful to establish a civilized society with clear, just laws to guide it. By this observation of laws and dispensation of justice, adhered to by all people in the society, Haelyn can be honored more fully. Just as nobles are created and ordered as part of a just, lawful society, so likewise are religious ceremonies and rituals are a mark of a cultured society and thus a great civilization. Such ceremonies demonstrate the greatness of Haelyn, uplifting the spirits of the faithful and as a result increasing their religious fervor, driving them on to greater deeds in Haelyn's honor. Priests preserve and employ the rites and rituals described in the Book of Laws for the benefit of all the people.

Haelyn's Aegis stresses Haelyn as the noble defender of justice and peace by means of the sword. By taking up the sword for justice and defense, facing threats to the whole people, the temple performs a sacred charge. Its principle mission is a therefore a defense of Anuire from Awnsheghlien, especially the mighty armies of the Gorgon. Once strictly a knightly order, Haelyn's Aegis retains its military organization, although it is no longer composed principle of knights. As a temple, it provides all the functions one expects of a temple of Haelyn, and so contains many, many who do not fight. Still, the ethos of defense of Anuire motivates all who serve, even if their defense is in the courts against crime or elsewhere.

This means that doctrine, though important, cannot be the guiding principle of the temple. Too many good and worthy allies have different doctrines, be they other sects of Haelyn, or temples of Nesirie, Cuiraécen, Avani, or Erik. Any worthy defender who would take up arms against the Gorgon or other Awnsheghlien could be a friend to Haelyn's Aegis.

History

The Holy Order of Haelyn's Aegis was a knightly order of the Imperial Temple. Composed of knights, militant priests, and dedicated soldiers, it was the military army of the Imperial Temple. When the Imperial Temple called warriors to serve the Emperor and bring the wisdom of Haelyn's worship and the benefits of Anuirean civilization to the rest of Cerilia, the Holy Order of Haelyn's Aegis was the first to answer

The death of Blaede Vathormane in 346 MR strained the temple. As the founder of their place as an independent temple, and as a reluctant reformer, Blaede brought a judiciousness and prestige to his office as the regent of the temple. His successors all wanted to move the temple in one direction or another. The second half of the fourth century after the fall of the empire was a challenging one theologicaly. Janna Many-Tongued solidified the new teachings of the Northern Imperial Temple, and others, such as Onwen Nichaleir advocated a more interpretative approach to reading the Book of Laws. Over the next half century, the Khinasi temples of Haelyn, calling themselves the Dragonsea Temple of Haelyn went off on their own, mantaining the orthodoxy that Blaede had preserved in the rites and worship of Haelyn. Soon after the Brecht temple of Haelyn, calling themselves Haelyn's Warriors also went their own way.

By the end of the fourth century, the leaders of Haelyn's Aegis were advocating diplomacy and cooperation as their chief tools, and though they maintained a military style organization, and worshiped Haelyn as the Lord of Noble War, they ceased to be an aggressive military order. Under this situation the temples of Cuiraécen felt restricted and unfulfilled. They too broke away from Haelyn's Aegis, though they maintain friendly and cooperative relations with them even today. With their seperation, the Church of Storm's Height also seperated from the temples of Haelyn in Brechtür.

After the schisms saw the emergence of an independent temple, Haelyn's Aegis, maintaining the defense of Anuire, and thus keeping good relations with the Militant Order of Cuiraécen, Elinie's Life and Protection of Avanalae, Mhoried's Oaken Grove, as well as the various temples of Haelyn. It can be a challenging balancing act, but Haelyn's Aegis carries it out as well as any Speaker of Nesirie.

Major Centers of Worship

Important NPCs

Grand Master, Anita Maricoere
Lord Marshal [[ ]] of Mhoried
Lord Marshal [[ ]] of Ghoere
Lord Marshal [[ ]] of Elinie
Lord Marshal [[ ]] of Cariele
Lord Marshal [[ ]] of Coeranys

Domain Holding Table