The Vision
The Vision is – in simple terms – a statement of the ultimate goal of the knighthood. For knights of any rank, the Vision is embodied in the phrase: “One World Order.” The goal is no less than the total and unquestioned domination of the entire world. The Blood Oath and the Code are established to work toward that end.

The Blood Oath
The Blood Oath is simple: “Submit or die.” When joining the knighthood, each knight dedicates body and soul utterly to the cause. All thoughts of self are submerged, sublimated. Yet this does not mean that knights may not think for themselves, which brought about the creation of the Code.

The Code
The Code is complex in the extreme, yet elegant in its detail. The strict, unyielding exactitude of the Solamnic Knights’ “Oath and Measure” had caused their long fall from the Age of Might, ending in their continuing weakness. Despite the fact that the knights and other forces for good had emerged victorious, they were a long way from bringing peace and order to Ansalon.

Knowing the weaknesses of all mortal creatures, our founding Lord, Ariakan crafted a detailed set of laws that relate principally to military situations, but that also can be extended into the lives of each member of the knighthood. Strict adherence to the Code is required, but each case is considered on its own merits, and exceptions can be made.

Ariakan established his Code so that there would be no need to argue fine points. The law was as written. Violations were obvious and dealt with summarily. However, he did recognize the need to be flexible, as occasion demanded, and so established a means by which an exception to the Code might be considered and either accepted or rejected on its own merits.

Adjudication of the Code: Exceptions to the Code are adjudicated by a single knight selected from a chosen few in command positions. The role of adjudicator is generally reserved for knights who bear the Lord of Night status. (Occasionally those of lesser status are granted the right, chosen by the head of the Knighthood. Many of the higher rank are not, including most of the Knights of Thorns.) The outward, visible sign of an adjudicator is a scepter, presented to the knight by the Highlord, the head of the Knighthood.

If the adjudicator decides that the Code had been broken and that no exception to the Code may be permitted, punishment is meted out to the offender. Since a knight who violates the Code is seen to have also violated the Vision and broken the Blood Oath. The punishment is generally death.

Execution is carried out by the advocate, if the knight is present, or by the knight’s commander if the advocate is not. The knights do not view death as the ultimate end, but rather as advancement to a higher rank. Takhisis is the final judge of a knight’s life, and the knight is rewarded by Her Dark Majesty or punished eternally as she decides. The knight does not fear death, therefore, but could have reason to fear the wrath of the queen in the afterlife. A knight who wishes to appeal the ruling of the adjudicator may do so. Once his soul is dispatched to Takhisis, she will hear the plea.

The Dark Queen has been known to send knights wrongfully judged back to “correct the error.” Such undead knights return as death knights. Because of this, all adjudicators will want to be extremely sure of the facts and will order a knight’s execution only after serious prayer and consideration.

Authority and Independence: Part of the Code deals specifically with the establishment and maintenance of lines of communication and authority. Thus, when an order is given from above, it is quickly dispatched and acted on. But Ariakan knew that the knights probably would find themselves in situations where they would be on their own, cut off from the chain of command. Therefore, major sections of the Code are devoted to acting on the Vision.

When communication with the knighthood is severed, individuals who have a clear concept of the Vision will act independently to carry out the will of the knighthood until such time as communication can be reestablished. In this way, order is maintained in times of chaos.

Even within the bounds of orders as given, the knights have broad discretion as to how these orders are carried out. As long as a knight’s actions do not violate the Vision, the standing orders of their knighthood, or the specific orders that they have been given, a knight is free to act.

Divisions of the Code
The Code is divided into several basic precepts, which guide the three major orders of knighthood. These divisions of the Code lead to the natural specialization of the knights and help define the duties of the knights in the new world that they propose to create. The basic precept of each Order is:

The Lily: Independence breeds chaos. Submit and be strong.
The Skull: Death is patient. It flows both from without and from within. Be vigilant in all and skeptical of all.
The Thorn: One who follows the heart finds it will bleed. Feel nothing but victory.

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