Reformed Congregation of the Silver Hand

The Congregation of the Silver Hand is a Light based non-guild organization composed of the Knights and Paladins of the Order of the Silver Hand. The Congregation's purpose is: Founded in 623 K.C., the organization acted as the body by which all knights and paladins who pledged themselves to the Order could come and voice their concerns, questions, and calls for aid.
 * To uphold the Code of the original Order of the Silver Hand as established by Alonsus Faol, and Uther the Lightbringer.
 * To walk in the grace of the Holy Light and spread its wisdom throughout Alliance lands.
 * To vanquish evil wherever it may be found, and protect the faithful citizens of the Grand Alliance.
 * To provide aspirants with the education, physical, and spiritual training necessary to make them worthy of the honor of being anointed paladin defenders of the Grand Alliance.
 * To provide a forum for general petitions to the Archbishop and Council of Bishops from all anointed paladins of the Grand Alliance.
 * To provide a forum for the discussion of united military action as it is relevant to the integrity of the Church of the Holy Light, and the stability of the Grand Alliance, insofar as such a discussion is approved by the Bishop of the Silver Hand.
 * ==Brief History==

On November 10th, 623 K.C., due to controversy surrounding the continued longevity of the Congregation in the wake of death of the Congregation's first Grand Knight, Erich Gottfried Manstein, and the brief tenure of his successor, Lady Melysa Marwyn-Ashvale, the Council of Bishops issued an act for the dissolution of the Congregation.

Unwilling to acknowledge the decision of the Council, Lady Tanya Seltara continued the Congregation in the form of the Independant Paladin Assembly, which continued to meet until late February of 624 K.C. After his election in January 624K.C., Archbishop Caspius dedicated himself to the task of soliciting the opinions of the most renowned Paladins in the realm. Appointing Tanya Seltara Grand Master pro tempore to call paladins to the forthcoming promulgation, he used the work of Melysa Marwyn-Ashvale as a basis from which to rewrite the constitution, establishing clear and firm boundaries and duties for the reinstated congregation.

The new Constitution was promulgated on 1 March, 624K.C. at Tyr's Hand, Lordaeron, and the Congregation was reborn.

Purpose
First Edition of Archbishop Caspius (1 March, 624K.C.)

It is established...
 * That, in union with the Council of Bishops, and by their commission that all Alliance paladins once bound by oath to the Order of the Silver Hand, or presently bound by oath in service to the Church of the Holy Light, or aspiring to paladinhood, should hereafter come together as one to form the polity of the reformed Congregation of the Silver Hand;
 * That this Congregation of necessity recognizeth the rightwise orthodoxy of the Church of the Holy Light and freely acquiesceth to the traditional bonds of faith and governance that rest between the Church and the holy Order of Paladins, as set forth in the code of the original Order of the Silver Hand. In accordance with the beliefs of this most sacred relationship let it be known that the Church of the Holy Light and its rightful executor, the Archbishop of the Council of Bishops, is vested rightly with full power and authority to make, alter and repeal all of the laws, rules and regulations for the administration, discipline and formation of the Congregation of the Silver Hand with or without the notice of the members of the congregation, that congregation being pledged to the defense of the Holy Church, and the Grand Alliance;
 * And that this Congregation is wholly a congregation of the Council of Bishops, subject to the same laws, governance, expectations, and duties required of all other congregations, serving under its prefect, the Bishop of the Silver Hand, and under the Archbishop.

Authority
The Congregation is a representative body and not a governing body. It does not possess the right to manage the internal affairs of those orders and chapters represented in its ranks beyond the remit required by the membership guidelines.

The Congregation has the right to vote resolutions which are then passed to the appropriate authority, be they the Bishop of the Silver Hand, the Lord Chancellor of the Church, or the Archbishop. The Congregation may not take upon itself powers that are possessed solely by the Church, Archbishop, Council, or Prefect, such as the ability to resolve doctrinal disputes, make wars, call crusades, and cast out Paladins from the Order of the Silver Hand. However, the Congregation does have the right to resolve that it would like any of these things to be done, thus directly representing its position to those in authority. --Whereupon, the authority so referred should either accede to the request of the Congregation or decline, providing some explanation of either course.

The Congregation has the right to establish codes of conduct, to set training guidelines, to call tournaments, and--most importantly--to create the military regimen necessary to maintain its constitutent bodies in a state of readiness. For this purpose, it should encourage, arrange, organise, and prepare war games, military manoeuvres, and other such sundry events as will continually improve the universal Paladinhood.

If the Congregation wishes to take an act and is unsure if the act is lawful, a simple request for a yea/nay response can be made by the Speaker to the Bishop of the Silver Hand, (or to his superior the Lord Chancellor, or directly to his superior, the Archbishop).

All members of the congregation agree, by their membership, to recognise in full the Paladins of the other members of the congregation. If a member body believes that another member body is in violation of the requirements of membership, the matter should be referred to the Prefect Bishop of the Silver Hand at once.

Member Organisations

 * Ardent Inquisition ((guild)) Representative TBD


 * Blades of Greymane ((guild)), Representative Cedrec


 * Blazing Dawn ((guild)), Representative Binor


 * Dominion of Alterac ((guild)), Representative Hendrek


 * Clergy of the Holy Light ((guild)) Represetative Paulidarius?


 * First Regiment ((guild)), Representative Elevaan


 * Grey Hand ((guild)) Representative TBD


 * The Highguard (High Elf) ((guild)), Representative Galvajin


 * House of Elric ((guild)), Representative Ritchard


 * Ivory Vanguard ((guild)), Representative Seltara


 * League of Lordaeron ((guild)), Representative Cartres


 * Noble Guard ((non-guild organisation)), Representative Regg


 * Order of the Crimson Fist ((non-guild organisation)) Representative TBD


 * Duchy of Newcastle ((non-guild organisation)), Representative Ashvale


 * Scarlet Hammer ((guild)), Representative Lightburnt


 * Silver Hand Chapter ((guild)), Representative Stromheart