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Written By Preston

March 31, 2019, 11:05 a.m.(11/4/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Thena

Watching the jousts reminded me of Stormwall and the time at the end. Thena and I were not Grandmasters then, and the charge was...well, perhaps reckless, but necessary. Princess Terese and the remnants of the Templar mounted knights, those Solace left with a horse, Lord Alban flying through the air as his horse was killed from under him.

It is easy to remember that as a glorious moment. But in truth, I remember worry. I was worried that it had come down to this. Worried that Thena was using a small dagger. Worry that Lord Alban would lack a horse and be unable to withdraw. Worry that if we failed, how many of the wounded and noncombatants we were protecting from Stormwall would not make it to the pass. It is over two years since that day. Thena and I are different people now, and we often are pulled in different directions. But I'd like to think that we still share the agreements and bonds we once had. And that is important in the Faith Militant. We must trust one another to operate independently, to act knowing that even if we do not see the other they will have our back. And equally it allows us to operate together, knowing we can rely on the other to be a source of strength and not division.

Written By Preston

March 31, 2019, 11 a.m.(11/3/1010 AR)

I enjoyed the jousting of the Tournament of Roses - not only the company of Radiant Bliss and Princess Helena, but getting a chance to see others of great skill joust. Great skill was shown by all the riders, and of course I was pleased to see Dame Esoka fight. I should note the skill seen by Count Duarte, of Sir Jeffeth and of course the eventual winner Captain Harlex.

Hopefully it should give people something to talk about and celebrate.

Written By Preston

March 26, 2019, 9:07 a.m.(10/21/1010 AR)

I was concerned when we left for the Oathlands. I had heard little. I was not sure if the houses of the Oathlands would answer my call. Would it be the Templars alone with the forces of Blackram, Crimson Blades and the Order of the Eastern Light, as well as the forces of Redrain blocking the enemy's retreat to the north? It turned into a lesson to me on doubt - I should trust more in people. For waiting for us in the fields north of Sanctum for the march were men and women by the thousand. What started as a force of a bit more than 3000 or 4000 Templars and allies turned into a host in the tens of thousands.

Two tribes who served our enemy, who were part of attacks seeking to pit house against house and Compact against shav, are destroyed. The redoubt of a warlord who long ago betrayed our compact for the life of the abandoned is destroyed.

I must thank the houses of the Oathlands, in particular House Blackram and House Laurent. I must thank Princess Marian of House Redrain for their work ensuring our enemy could not escape. Princess Sorrell and Sparte of the Order of the Eastern Light, whose forces travelled a great distance to engage on a righteous cause. I must also thank Dame Ida, who as well as being one of the most expert smiths I can think of, is a true ally of the Faith Militant and whose work is as though truly blessed by Gloria and Jayus themselves in its craftsmanship and its strength against those who have turned from the Gods.

Written By Preston

March 23, 2019, 6:30 p.m.(10/16/1010 AR)

I will restate here what I said in my ruling sent to the Northlands. If you have an issue with the Templars, if you believe in the course of their duties disciples have committed a crime, if a Godsworn Templar has committed some crime or wronged you in some way, then I do not think it is any great secret on where to find me, where to lodge your complaint. I will listen, I will investigate, and where required we will correct and punish.

To try and chase Templars yourself, with your house forces, risks being misunderstood. It risks looking like an attack on the Faith - it risks the impression to your vassals and others that an attack on the Faith is acceptable, an impression we know you would never wish to give. This is why the Faith handle our own errant members - to avoid that confusion, and the damage it could cause.

Written By Preston

March 18, 2019, 1:46 p.m.(10/6/1010 AR)

Sanctuary is more than ritual, more than words. It is a command from the Gods, it is an ideal. Once broken, it is hard to put back together and that places one foot on the path to the Abyss. My sorrow and my anger compete to see which is greater as news comes from Oakhaven. The truth must be discovered, and if someone claiming the title knight did this, then I know Limerance and Gloria weep together.

Written By Preston

March 18, 2019, 9:30 a.m.(10/5/1010 AR)

When I was a baby, I was found at the Rectory by a Godsworn man, a young man who had already risen to Legate and would rise further still to be Dominus. I was not sent to The Tragedy, because I was - so this man said - special. That I was blessed by the Gods. Perhaps he meant to have survived and been found before I died. Perhaps we are all blessed. What it meant is that I was raised in the Rectory. My playground was the office of legates, I ran between the legs of Archlectors, I was tended to and taught by the best teachers in the Scholars, the greatest swords in the Templars. I squired to the Grandmaster of my order, I learnt my trade.

I was raised so that I could become, so that Godsworn rescuer said, 'The Sword of the Faith'. For many years I thought this meant he saw me one day as legate, an office I have never thought fitting for me. Though the old Sword of the Faith, a former Grandmaster himself, shows how one such as I can do so, I was still young. I am still young. Then we discovered that the title used to be held by a Templar who wielded a sword of the Faith. Perhaps this was the truth now, that he thought I would be the one to find this blade or forge one anew, to lead the Templars. This seemed more like me. This seemed perhaps an interpretation I could understand.

Now, with all the changes that come, I wonder instead if he did not see this time of change and threat coming. He may not have known what it would be, but he knew it would test us all. And he knew the Faith would need to declare for our cause, for the Gods, and fight for our beliefs. He knew that experience would mean less, as we had not fought wars like this in so long, no Templar alive had the experience. Instead it would be a long battle, a long war. One that needed young leaders to see it through. Perhaps that is what he meant. Perhaps that is why his successor elevated Dame Thena as well. Two young knights of the most humble origins to shepherd the Faith Militant.

All I know is that I will uphold the laws of the Faith and the commands of the Gods.

Written By Preston

March 17, 2019, 8:30 a.m.(10/3/1010 AR)

Let me say the words you expect to hear from me: The Shavs, the Abandoned. The past lives of the Prodigals. These were wrong. Their worship is without proper guidance at best, at worse is heretical. Their way of life is not proper, it is often a threat to the Compact, to our civilisation.

How do you fix many of these? By offering a chance for them to reform when you can. You offer them the chance to bend the knee, in doing so to adopt our ways of life, to accept the guidance of the Faith on how to worship correctly. Those lieges who welcome them in should provide proper education in our ways, our laws. You do not execute a common child if it questions why we must obey the High Lord - you teach it why you must, because before it knew no better. If that child grows into a man and continues to spout rebellion? Then you may act, knowing you attempted to educate, knowing this is a choice they made in full possession of facts. Of course, you do not make prodigals your closest advisors or nobles en masse, you never forget the past and must let them prove themselves in their new lives, you must never allow their old lives to be brought into their new.

I do not pretend either extreme is true, that we must save all or condemn all, for some worships are so heretical that you allow them into our community is to invite the Abyss, because they made a choice already and that choice damned them. But. There must always be that option where we can offer it. In so doing, those who are innocent might seek and find a better life. And those of us who must enforce the laws of the Compact and the Faith can then have confidence that our acts against the Abandoned who remain are then against those who are not innocent, and will not offend Gloria. That the deaths and battles we must face are necessary, that they are just.

And let us not forget there are those within the Compact who break the laws of the Compact - and worse who break the commands of the Gods. If in your blind rage to oppose prodigals entering the compact you should lift your hand against your sworn liege, or worst against the Faith? Then your crimes are entered into in full knowledge of the Compact, with no argument of ignorance of our ways. And you must feel confident in your reasons, for you will need to justify them, before a court, before your liege, before your peers, before the Faith, before my Templars, and before the Gods.

Written By Preston

March 10, 2019, 7:21 a.m.(9/17/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Vitalis

It's an interesting thing to consider. And to look at the origins of the Silent Relections and how they came to be. There are many paths that can lead one to break an oath - I would say the most tragic is when oaths come into conflict. There is a reason the Godsworn avoid the entanglement of secular life - of families, of land, of inheritence. Nothing can ever be allowed to come into conflict with our oaths to the Faith and to the Gods. There are some Silent Reflections who found this, who felt their duty to the Faith as a whole or to the Compact required them to reveal something, perhaps choosing to breach and destroy their personal honour and face the wrath that would come. But, that is only some. Others made mistakes, as people do. Others became greedy, as people can do. Others were stupid, as people sometimes are.

The punishment is severe, but it is as it must be when one breaks such sacred oaths. Even if you have good reason, that can never justify means. Both must be judged. And punishment given as required.

Written By Preston

March 2, 2019, 12:01 p.m.(9/2/1010 AR)

The deals offered by the foreign powers are dealt with - the King's view made clear. Yet, it does not feel resolved, nor does it feel like the oppressive cloud that sits over the city has lifted. There is much we still have to resolve. And what we must resolve, with requests coming in from across the compact, pulls each of us in differing directions. I many actions for the past few years, the Templars and the Knights of Solace have acted together. Now we are pursuing different roads, knowing that the other does work most important, wishing we could help, but knowing that in the end we must trust one another.

Perhaps there is some meaning in that. That knowing what you wish to do is important, but also knowing the limits on what you can do and trusting others to do what you cannot. But then again, perhaps these are just the thoughts one has sitting up late after a long day of paperwork.

Written By Preston

Feb. 24, 2019, 9:08 a.m.(8/17/1010 AR)

It was good to see Aleksei Morgan at the event last night - since his leaving the Godsworn, we have had fewer occasions to talk and it was good to remember why, despite our views being different, I so valued his company.

The event by Sir Andry was interesting - I learned a deal, though I am still nervous when people discuss history. So much is lost or half known, and what some present as certainty is conjecture.

But I had a visit after from Lady Teagan and her man Amund, with news from the Oathlands. It seems more than ever it is vital we get our force moving as soon as possible. Unfortunately I only know of House Laurent and House Blackram of the Oathlands who answered the call, but I hope that the Seraphs have answered the call and sent me the Templars I need. All the items have been prepared and begun shipping to Sanctum now - we took the banners of the Faith from their store in the roof of the armoury. We last used them for Dame Astraea's swearing ceremony, before that Stormwall. Lady Teagan and others will move ahead with the van and hopefully the tribes in the way will agree to move from the way and let us pass, or better yet will join the compact as brothers and sisters. But what waits us beyond? In the Red Mountains? Will Redrain forces hold the border, prevent our enemy's retreat? Will there even be forces of our enemy remaining to break? Are we too late?

Whatever happens we will hold true to Gloria's commands. We will protect the innocent, in the Abandoned and in our people, we will fight with honour, in a just cause, and we will remove her enemies from the face of Arvum.

Written By Preston

Feb. 22, 2019, 4:57 a.m.(8/13/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Esoka

May the Gods bless the new child - and guard her mother as she does their work in the west.

I am sorry to take you away from the child and Calaudrin so soon.

Written By Preston

Feb. 17, 2019, 8:02 a.m.(8/3/1010 AR)

The armour is loaded, the weapons stowed, the troops will soon begin their march. The unknown is what awaits us in the Oathlands. How many will answer the call, how many will we face in turn.

Written By Preston

Feb. 12, 2019, 4:01 a.m.(7/21/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Umbroise

The Lady Umbroise writes eloquently about why a duel is ill fitting - I cannot fault her for I am not a noble, I have never held and will never hold land, I do not understand temporal politics. Politics in general is quite the elusive beast. Though I would have thought that this is exactly why the noble houses have House Swords, to decide on matters of such great import, to attempt a resolution that risks only the blood of two rather than the lives of thousands. I would have thought Gloria would see honour in that, in attempting to avoid the suffering of innocents. Yet. Talks continue, and that is another path to the same end. In mediation, in balance, we can find resolution. And of course we will all pray that some route can be found, but accept that if it does not, these matters are for the nobility to resolve as they see best.

That said, if I may gently say that the matter of a dead Seraph is a matter, to my mind, for the Faith to resolve. We have two border conflicts at least now where noble houses in whole or in part claim the death of Godsworn as their reason. While I appreciate and admire the zeal and faithfulness it shows, it risks placing the Faith within the politics of houses, and that is something best avoided. When we swear our oaths, we place aside our family, our rights to property and title, our rights to inheritance of the same. All that we are is the Faith's - and it is not for anyone to pull us, in life or in death, back from that in anything but the most extenuating of circumstance.

Written By Preston

Feb. 8, 2019, 6:26 p.m.(7/14/1010 AR)

It seems there is some confusion and some think that my last journal entry was one of frustration, or disagreement with leadership or others. Looking back, I can understand how people read it that way but that is my carelessness with words, not any true intent. It was a journal on self reflection and self doubt - in understanding perhaps for the first time the full responsibility of leadership, and gaining an understanding for why others made choices that they did. And how I could not allow my own moments of self doubt to ever divert me from a course i knew to be right, no matter the personal cost I might have to shoulder. Previously, I have had to shoulder often the responsibility of losing those I command - as I did at Stormwall. Recent events force me to send men on a mission of my own design for the first time since becoming Grandmaster, and so any deaths will not just be under my command, but stem from my design, from my directives. It was entirely a journal about myself, and not others. A journal to show each of us is human, and so my people might know that if I ask of them something great, it is not a callous or casual and uncaring thing. I am sorry for those who thought it more exciting than it was.

Written By Preston

Feb. 4, 2019, 9:08 a.m.(7/5/1010 AR)

It is strange. The more I learn about things that are going on, more paths close off, more options become unacceptable. The more I learn the more convinced I am that the path which I have suggested is the right course. Yet the further down this path I go, the harder each step becomes.

For so many years I have yearned to have the leash removed from the Faith Militant, for us to be allowed to act. Yet. In always being under controls, our choices were never fully our own. We were subsumed to the paths of others, never wholly responsible for all the rippling consequences. If I pursue this path, it is a path I forged, one I recommended, one I championed. The deaths - and there will be many - will be on my shoulders. The disruption will be my fault. And yet, to not act is to abandon the path that Gloria commands, it would be to allow innocents to come to harm, it would be to allow our enemy a foothold in our lands, it would be to allow those who have set themselves against Gloria to live.

So I must act, and hope others follow. Act and hope it meets with approval. I can bear the weight of more deaths around my neck, I can weep once more in the shrines at the loss. But I could not bear to see Gloria's disciples ignore her commands because of a moment of self doubt.

Written By Preston

Feb. 3, 2019, 10:49 a.m.(7/4/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Thena

Dare I ask /why/ you have a bunny sanctuary going on in Solace Square? I seem to recall it has something to do with Grandmaster Armel, may the Gods remember him. Though if it is some championing of your claim to the title of 'Bunny Knight', I suppose that could be entertaining.

You will forever be the Godsworn who reminds me to smile, because you have carried the same burdens on your shoulders, and yet you still march onwards. You have such faith in life, even if you glower and gloom at the inefficient fickleness of decisions at times.

Written By Preston

Feb. 2, 2019, 8:41 a.m.(7/1/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Reigna

Justify? No. If the means are bad, they are bad. If they are wrong, they are wrong. But, it may make you think the consequences are worth bearing. That is a choice people must make, the Gods gave us the freedom to do bad as well as good.

As other say though, it is a complicated matter, and often far less extreme than in the abstract. Still, our actions must be honourable, innocents must be protected, our oaths upheld - if that forces us in a position where we might lose, then perhaps it is better to lose as a good person than it is to live knowing you forfeited Gloria's respect?

Written By Preston

Jan. 28, 2019, 12:25 p.m.(6/20/1010 AR)

As we mull over these offers of help from various quarters, I do wish to say one thing. Which is that we are not powerless as we are now. These are offers of help, but they are not offers of rescue. Times are dark, but we have fought and won our battles, won our tomorrows. The death at Stormwall, how close the enemy came to Arx at the Lodge, during the Siege - it is easy to look at these things and decide we can no longer go alone, we cannot keep paying that price. Yet, we won those battles. With steel and sinew and blood for the most part.

Perhaps we need to remember that we can fight on our feet, that the burden of our losses is not yet so great that we cannot grip our sword and stand. And regardless of whether we take one of these deals, or indeed none of these deals, we still must face the problems that exist in the meantime. Oathlands and Lyceum vassals engaged in a border war. Purposeless killings of Shavs in the Oathlands. The yet unresolved killings of Templars and mercies, of Solace, of the breach of guest rights. And still the rise of our enemies on our lands continues.

In the coming days and weeks I hope to have an answer to some of this, and show that we are not yet so broken we cannot pick up our sword.

Written By Preston

Jan. 28, 2019, 5:52 a.m.(6/19/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Esoka

I do not think I have ever publicly noted it, so here I shall. My congratulations to yourself and to Sir Calaudrin, the most noble of the Iron Guard whatever his title. It will be a child born, I am sure, with the watchful gaze of Gloria looking over him - whatever his destination in life, I have no doubt he will be set off and prepared in the best ways by his parents.

I hope we can give him a world that is better than the one given to us, and a life full of promise.

Written By Preston

Jan. 27, 2019, 6:40 a.m.(6/17/1010 AR)

Relationship Note on Thena

To be fair, you got better - unless you are some kind of apparition or shared imagining of us all. And thankfully so.

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