Order of Knights of Truth of Saint Brigid of Kildare

Order of Knights of Truth of Saint Brigid of Kildare
Order of Knights of Truth of Saint Brigid of Kildare ;
	Arms of the Order
Type	Military Order
Status	Active
Grandmaster	Marquês Sven of Natomas
Statistics
Total inductees	26
	; ;

The Order of Knights of Truth of Saint Brigid of Kildare, commonly known as the Knights Veritas, is a military order founded in 2020 with the intent to further the goals charity, goodness, and human connection. These goals are driven by the principles of Ecumenical Christianity and Chivalrism. The Knights Veritas were based largely on military orders that rose to prominence during the Crusades, such as the Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar.

History

Under Grandmaster Brian

Shortly after joining the Grand Duchy of Carthage, Comte Brian of Black River began work on establishing the order. His intent was to create a military order that could function alongside the Empire of Agber, but was not confined solely to that community. He officially founded the order on 1 February 2020, which is also the feast day for Saint Brigid of Kildare.

While Master Brian's tenure was brief, it laid much of the foundation for the order. Under his guidance the Knights Veritas saw the creations of their rules, code, arms, flag, and other structures. During this time, most of the charitable work the order engaged in was in response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the economic fallout that happened as a result of it. Although the intent was always to take the order beyond the sphere of the Agberian community, that goal was unrealized during Master Brian's time as Grandmaster.

Grandmaster Brian of the order passed away on 1 June 2020.

Under Grandmaster Lucille

Grandmaster Lucille was selected by her peers on 8 June 2020. She immediately announced her plan to form a senior advisory council, which was formed on 16 June 2020. Under her leadership, the Knights Veritas began to focus efforts on doing good in their local communities. Special focus was given to devising ways of doing this that also allowed people to follow social distancing guidelines. Despite initial attempts to get plans off the ground, Grandmaster Lucille's vision never really managed to gain traction. She would step down from the role on 10 March 2021.

Under Grandmaster Sven

Marquês Sven, who has been a mainstay of the Reino de Cordova for years, was selected by his peers on 12 March 2021. When asking the Knights Veritas to get behind his vision, he proposed strengthening the ties to the Empire of Agber and utilizing its established infrastructure to finally get significant activity from the order. This vision was well received by those knights active within the Empire, who also constituted a significant majority of the Knights Veritas at the time. There were concerns voiced that this new vision would leave non-Agber associated Knights out in the cold. Grandmaster Sven was selected by a margin of two votes over fellow Counselor Jael Rosenbaum.

Structure

The order is open to all people who are willing to pledge themselves to living by the order's Code of Chivalry and seeking both knowledge and truth. While the order was founded due to Christian principles, its official stance is that there is nothing specifically in the teachings of Christ himself that would restrict followers of any faith from being eligible to join. All general members hold the rank of Knight, regardless of gender. When interacting with each other, Knights are referred to by their first name, preceded by the title "Examiner." Members of the Council of Dundalk are referred to as "Counselor," and the Grandmaster is referred to as "Master." Despite the differing honorifics, they still hold the same rank as Knights.

The Knights Veritas are an uncommonly egalitarian society, with all significant decisions being made by popular vote. The daily matters are handled by the order's Grandmaster, who is appointed by a majority vote of the Knights, and serves for an indefinite term. The Grandmaster's decisions can be overturned by a majority vote of the Knights, and can be removed from power by the same measure.

While the Knights Veritas are not officially governed by any nation, they do receive special recognition in and by certain nations. Most notable of these was the Empire of Agber, where the Knights and their Grandmaster enjoyed a voice in the council of the Empire. They were also permitted a vote in the naming of a new Sovereign of the Empire, but were ineligible to stand as a candidate for the role. As part of this and the Empire's "sponsorship" of the order, the Knights Veritas agreed that the Grandmaster could not be the head of a nation within the Empire. When the Empire was disbanded on 1 November 2022, its successor, the Agberian Alliance, stated they recognized the Order, but that it held no significant role in the new body.

Council of Dundalk

The Council of Dundalk was so named for the commonly accepted birth place of Saint Brigid. When there is a vacancy for a one of the twelve Counselor positions, it is filled by a vote of the members. While Counselors hold no official powers, the Grandmaster confers with them on most matters, and may leave some decisions not deemed large enough to warrant a popular vote up to a vote of the Council.

Council Members

Marquês Sven, 1st Governor of Natomas (Grandmaster of the Order)
Barbara, 1st Queen of Maevis
Devon, 1st Shogun of Tenshukyō,
Erik Woods
Jael Rosenbaum
Jeremy Miller
Jordan, 1st Duke of the Bear Peninsula
Liam Valen
Lucille Grayson
Nicholas Young
Ophelia, 7th Comtesse of Sobek
Sarah Ivers
Xavier, 5th Comte of Rulison

Code of Truth

All members pledge to live by the order's Code of Truth. These twelve principles are meant to guide all aspects of a Knight Veritas' life.

Truth is the most important treasure.
Live by the principles Christ taught, not by the dogma of men.
God can be found in the beliefs of any religion. So long as they do not undermine your actions, treat them accordingly.
Authority exercised morally and ethically should be followed; authority exercised without should be ignored.
The weak are to be defended, not exploited.
Be guided by compassion, love, hope, and charity whenever possible.
Always strive to avoid conflict and violence when reasonable, but when needed be prepared to react quickly, forcefully, and decisively.
All life holds value and should not be taken when avoidable.
Leadership is service, not privilege.
Do not give your word unless certain and committed to keeping it.
Keep all your weapons honed and ready for battle: body, spirit, mind, and sword.
The law exists for the benefit of mankind, and should be approached likewise.

Symbols

The primary symbol of the order is a Cross of Saint Brigid encircled with a Celtic pattern. This is to symbolize the melding of religions that led to the personification of Saint Brigid of Kildare. The inclusion of symbolism that acknowledges the Celtic goddess Brigid is meant to invoke the Universalist mindset that the Knights Veritas are meant to have when dealing with differing faiths. These principals are further evidenced by the inclusion of the hearts and lightning bolts on the order's arms, which are meant to symbolize the personification of Saint Brigid in Haitian and Yoruba faiths.

List of Grandmasters of the Order

Grandmaster Brian, 1 February 2020 to 1 June 2020 (2nd Comte of Black River)
Grandmaster Lucille, 8 June 2020 to 10 March 2021
Grandmaster Sven, 12 March 2021 to present (Marquês and 1st Governor of Natomas)