Sovereign Order

Founded months before the Shattering, the Sovereign Order is a holy militant order that was once led by Cassius Palenix, a paladin intent on protecting the people of the Eastern Kingdoms from aberrations and other evils. He has since been overthrown by others, a pyromancer and schemer known as Hermann Blankenberg, whom Clothair Ravenot those alongside him have vanquished.

The Sovereign Order suffered much under Hermann's short reign, most of its members sacrificed for the sake of fueling wicked magic and experiments. With the lack of a proper Grand Master, Clothair Ravenot, and various supporters have agreed to have him wield the title of Grand Master of the Sovereign Order, to bring end to injustice and unrighteousness in the Holy Light's name.

Foundation
In year 27 L.C. the former Scarlet Crusader Cassius Palenix founded a reform movement in the Western Plaguelands in response against the Forsaken Offensive, the Scarlet Crusade and the inner misconduct within the Argent Crusade’s participants. Most of the order first consisted of many defectors of the Scarlet Crusade, sellswords and even convicts from the southern regions. The term “sovereign” appeared in the order’s name to demonstrate its own supreme authority and independence.

The Sovereign Order held a series of skirmishes against the Scourge, the Forsaken and occasionally, the Scarlet Crusade. By the time the Argent Crusade conquered Hearthglen, tensions between the Sovereign Order and the Argents grew during a dispute involving the acceptance of the Cult of the Forgotten Shadow holding a presence in the city. This led to a series of executions by Cassius known as the “Palenstrad Massacre”, where various Forsakens, Knights of the Ebon Blade, warlocks, sympathizers of shadow were all brought to the Barony of Palenstrad on charges of heresy and ruthlessly killed.

Open conflict broke out between the Sovereign Order and the Argent Crusade when Cassius had one of Hearthglen’s council members executed in Palenstrad. The immediate “Siege of Palenstrad” led by a mix band of Argent Crusaders and Forsakens brought end to the Sovereign Order’s presence in the Plaguelands. Cassius and a select few were able to escape the siege.

The Shattering
After the Shattering, Cassius and those that survived ventured all the way south to the Kingdom of Stormwind, where the Church of the Holy Light showed disdain of their ideals and philosophies, even insulted him by giving the name “the Blasphemer”. Cassius reunited those he still could and went south to the region of Duskwood.

Cassius learned of the wicked Cult of the Silver Eagle and ventured into the Barony of Eaglehold to bring end to an unfamiliar evil that lurked within. Cassius gathered whom he could from the Sovereign Order and performed what was known as the “First Purge of Eaglehold”. The purge involved Cassius killing Lord Reginald Trevelyan of Whitehaven and the wraith of the deceased Count Adrilam of Eaglehold. The Sovereign Order also burnt down the large library of the castle, resulting in the loss of the wicked practices that the Silver Eagle had written throughout several years.

Through exposing and inflicting judgement against various covens and heretics in [Duskwood]], the Sovereign Order in the south, unlike the north, won the hearts of the common folk. The Sovereign Order functioned nomadically for years, by establishing camps in the wilderness or old ruins between the regions of Duskwood and Deadwind Pass. Eventually, as the Order grew larger, it gathered the interests of Count Robert of Beggar’s Hills, who began to fund the Order voluntarily.

Conflict at the Pass
The constant hunts against the Silver Eagle’s followers continued but the Sovereign Order attracted negative attention against the Church of the Holy Light as Cassius Palenix killed a cultist under the guise of a priestess in the Cathedral of Light. The killing of the false Mother Agnes began the Conflict at the Pass, a holy war first declared by Archbishop Alonsus II, at first directed towards the Sovereign Order and then against Count Robert Garnet. Count Robert offered Cassius to vassalize his faction with the County of Beggar’s Hills, but Cassius declined. His denial of becoming a vassal of Count Garnet resuled his position in the Sovereign Order to be usurped by his Commendator, Hermann Blankenberg.

Grand Master Hermann Blankenberg, originally the first Commendator took control of the Sovereign Order, labeling Cassius as a madman and conspirator of the Silver Eagle, putting up bounties to hunt him down. Hermann’s governance of the Sovereign Order has been at times regarded as unjust and even more controversial than Cassius’ commencement of the Order. The Grand Master ruled over with tyranny and held a mentality much akin to the old Scarlet Crusade, but that did not promote the Holy Light’s beliefs.

Hermann's reign concluded abruptly thanks to the intervention of Clothair Ravenot and a few insurgents. Followed by his demise, Clothair was granted the title of Grand Master, while its original founder, Cassius Palenix, was nowhere to be found.

Philosophy
The Sovereign Order's beliefs differ greatly from the average holy orders that exist in the world. The Sovereign Order considers the Holy Light as the one supreme authority of the universe, the judge of Gods and mortals alike. They do not consider any mortal being as sacred or holy, no matter their piety, and therefore worship no idol. They quarrel against all forms of tyrannies and depravities, valuing the old concept  of the Silver Hand's liberation of orcish tyranny during the Second War.

Magic, be it shadow, arcane or fel, is ill regarded by the Sovereign Order due  to its chaotic nature, but their practitioners can be sanctioned in the event to benefit the Order's understanding in how to combat such foes. The members of the Sanctioned are highly watched and often met with disdain.

The Sovereign Order does not affiliate itself with the politics of the realm and values initiative over inaction.

Campaigns
Conflict at the Pass (Past)