The Aegis Endures (A Story of the Aegis of Saradomin)

[Rowanius 6]

THE AEGIS ENDURES

The Dawn of the Aegis of Saradomin

Written by Nydia Garland, former Sister of the Order.

Edited by Brother Rowanius Vendragon.

The Holy Order of Fellow-Soldiers of the Aegis of Saradomin (known simply as the Aegis of Saradomin) draws its lineage from the Knights Aegean, a martial order of Saradominist knights formed in the late Second or early Third Age in response to the need to protect routes of trade and pilgrimage for Saradomin's followers. Initially a self-styled order formed of unaffiliated knights errant and adventurers, the order grew more prominent as the God Wars escalated, and was chartered by Saradomin himself to protect the holy sites and sanctuaries of their lands during the war. At its height, their organization had membership and jurisdiction on par with the still extant Temple Knights, working in tandem as the domestic police and special investigative force while the Temple Knights provided the cause with a foreign intelligence and data-gathering capability.

A Knight Aegean during the God Wars, victorious against a Zamorakian werewolf. 

The need of the Knights Aegean however, to disperse themselves through the land as needed, conspired with their less rigid rank structure at the end of the God Wars to severely fracture their membership across new divisions of territory and ideological legitimacy. While the Temple Knights would endure with the eventual patronage of Asgarnian nobility, the Knights Aegean would eventually disband, lacking Saradomin's presence to legitimize their mission and with too thinly spread holdings to come together under one banner. The official founding charter of the knights, laid down directly by Saradomin when he called upon their order to serve, would find its way to Entrana, where it remained in the church archives for many centuries.

The famed Battle of Lumbridge in Year 1 of the Sixth Age. Saradomin leads his White Knights to do battle against the Zamorakian Kinshra.

The coming of the Sixth Age marked itself with events of stupendous consequence, not the least of which was the Battle of Lumbridge, in which Saradomin once more took the field to do battle with Zamorak. While Saradomin had originally brought a contingent of White Knights from Falador to be his soldiers, many members of other holy orders and adventurers of the faith would join with him during the battle. One such combatant, a man named Siegfreid Helbrecht, made a particularly astute observation during the battle. While Saradomin's forces were eventually victorious, much of that success could be attributed to the coming together of various holy orders and faith-bearing warriors, whom up until now had been separated by disparate vows of allegiance. If Saradomin was to succeed in his goals, he thought, his supporters must come together across such boundaries as they did in the Battle of Lumbridge.

It was with this mission in mind that Siegfreid went about recruiting followers to his cause. Quite progressively, he extended his outreach not just to members of existing orders, but unaligned adventurers and commoners as well, not wanting to pass up anyone of value for the good of the faith. His band of like-minded associates grew quickly, and before long this cadre made its way to Entrana, seeking recognition by the High Priest for their mission. The deliberation process was long and difficult, and more than once did the monks take recess to convene directly with Saradomin over the decision. After a long debate over the merits of such a band though, an outcome was reached that proved beyond even the wildest dreams of the cadre's leader. They would be issued the charter of the Knights Aegean as an official continuation of that group, and were granted a parcel of land right on Entrana to establish their diplomatic headquarters.

Brothers Rowanius (left) and Elijah (right) on the blessing of a statue of a Knight Aegean.

The Knights Aegean, reborn as the Aegis of Saradomin, almost immediately became the premier international organization for defense of the faith. The church's blessing has given them a great deal of legitimacy and leeway in how they conduct their affairs, but with the charter in their possession their mission is now certain: Protect the people of the faith, their holy sites and their institutions, no matter where they may be.

Two warpriests of Saradomin, Sarah Leaflansdotter (left) and Brother Rowanius Vendragon (right), on a mission in Varrock.

 

Morgiana Legateaux (left), Highlord Siegfreid Helbrecht (middle), and Brother Rowanius Vendragon (right), victorious in taking down a demonic general.

 

Highlord Helbrecht (left of vexillum) and Lady Nydia Garland (right) aiding in one occasional Order recruitment.

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Edited October 1, 2017 by Rowanius