Sanguine Knights

The Order of the Silver Hand

 * At the end of the First Great War in Alonsus Chapel, Stratholme, Uther the Lightbringer was anointed the first of the Paladins, and from him grew the Order of the Silver Hand. The Paladins were truly a sight to behold, fending off waves of Orcs while healing fallen allies at the same time.


 * It was not long before other classes and races began to yearn to join their ranks under the calling of the Holy Light. Uther appointed one of his younger Paladins, the Knight Tnsumi K. Shine, as the leader of the Silver Hand's first subbranch, the Sanguine Knights, named such to represent the blood ties between the varying races joining under the one cause.


 * The Sanguine Knights fought valiantly alongside her mother Order in many battles throughout the Second War, and became well known throughout Azeroth for their nobility, chivalry, and compassion, as well as their incredible prowess on the battlefield.

Fall From Grace

 * Unfortunately, the Third War brought tragedy not only to the Knights, but to the Silver Hand as well. In Eastern Lordaeron at the small town of Darrowshire, the Knights made their final stand alongside full members of the Silver Hand as the Scourge rushed forth in unending waves of undeath. The three founding members of the Knights: Tnsumi, now a Grand Knight; his High Knight, the Night Elf Althalus d’ar Pendragun; the Dwarf Lord Knight Litdor Faringot; were all stationed at the small town, and one by one fell by the blades of the enemy. The Sanguine Knights in all took a mortal blow that day, one which they were unexpected to recover from.


 * Worse yet, one of the Silver Hand's own, Prince Arthas, turned his back on the order in his dark pursuit of vengeance. Shortly after the battle, he fully embraced the very evil he had been hunting and became a Death Knight in the service of the Lich King. Returning to Lordaeron, Arthas killed Uther Lightbringer and decimated the Order.


 * Even after the triumph at Mount Hyjal, the Paladins and remaining Knights remembered Arthas's betrayal. Many Paladins felt responsibility for him, because the Holy Light teaches that every person can strengthen other people, and since they were unable to strengthen Arthas, the entire world suffered. Many of the surviving members of the Silver Hand, Knights included, formed the Scarlet Crusade in an attempt to reclaim their homeland.

Rebirth

 * Five years passed after the Battle of Darrowshire, and the Sanguine Knights were all but forgotten about, now nothing more than whisperings amongst the surviving members of the Silver Hand. However, those who whispered long remembered the leaders that gave an honest possibility for victory on the horizon. It is unknown exactly who made the trek into the now-named Plaguelands, nor how they knew exactly where to find the bodies. But find them they did, and they made haste for Mount Hyjal in northern Kalimdor.


 * It was by placing the bodies of the fallen heroes into the Well of Eternity, underneath the massive roots of the slowly reviving World Tree that the Holy Light began to truly work a miracle. As the whitened bones of the fallen Archimonde hung motionless above, the bodies of Tnsumi, Althalus, and Litdor, once fully submerged, began to react with the purified, etherial waters surrounding them, opening a gateway from the Twisting Nether back to the mortal plane, much like those learned in the ways of the Holy Light resurrect a recently fallen comrade. However, never before has a resurrection been taking place years after a soul's departure, and the individuals had no idea what would come of this.


 * As the bodies returned to the surface waters, it was evident something had changed within them, but the individuals knew inside that hope was slowly returning. They took the now-living bodies of their comrades and separated, promising to reunite again when the time was right. With Litdor, his body was laid to rest in Coldridge Valley, on the southern edge of Dun Morogh, where Grelin Whitebeard promised to look over the body until it wakened. Althalus was taken to Teldrassil's Shadowglen, where he stay motionless for the shortest time of the three. Finally, Tnsumi's body was returned to Elwynn Forest, where it was placed in Northshire Abby for protection until he fully returned amongst the living.

The Aftermath

 * Althalus was the first to return from beyond within weeks of the water's touch, due to his Elven bloodline. In an unexpected move, rather than move to reform the Knights, he took his advantage as being dead to the world to fall into obscurity, changing his name to Althallus d'ar Moonstalker.


 * Roughly a year afterwards, Tnsumi's eyes opened for the first time in over half a decade, and he realized he had been a fool for not growing up. All that time wasted, obsessing over trivial nonsense.


 * Over the course of his travels, he came across Jolek d'ar Pendragun, a half-elven descendant of Althalus, and it was through Jolek that Tnsumi began to run into a masked, nameless Night Elf. It took little time for Tnsumi to figure out it was in fact his old ally, and the knowledge of his friend's survival cemented his resolve: Within days, the call to arms was set upon Azeroth, and the banner of the Sanguine Knights flew once again.

General

 * While not all Squires are expected to be Paladins, Priests, or devout followers of the Light at all, they are nonetheless expected to learn and understand the ethics of becoming a Knight, and to uphold them at all times.


 * To serve the Order of the Silver Hand is to serve the Light; to serve the Sanguine Knights is to serve the Alliance; one does not neccessarily always incorporate the other.


 * A Knight's Code
 * A Knight is sworn to valor.
 * His heart knows only virtue.
 * His blade defends the helpless. 
 * His word speaks only truth. 
 * His shield shelters those forsaken. 
 * His courage gives hope to those despairing.
 * His wrath undoes the wicked. 
 * His image brings peace.
 * His code breaks the darkness. 
 * His legend brings Light.

A Knight's Virtues

 * Prowess: To seek excellence in all endeavors expected of a Knight, seeking strength to be used in the service of justice, rather than in personal aggrandizement.


 * Justice: Seek always the path of right, unencumbered by bias or personal interest. Recognize that the sword of justice can be a terrible thing, so it must be tempered by humanity and mercy. If the right you seek agrees with others, and you seek it out without bending to the temptation for expediency, then you will earn renown beyond measure.


 * Loyalty: Be known for unwavering commitment to the people and ideals you choose to live by. There are many places where compromise is expected; loyalty is not amongst them.


 * Defense: The ideal Knight was sworn by oath to defend his liege, lord, and those who depended upon him. Seek always to defend your nation, your family, and those to whom you believe worthy of loyalty.


 * Courage: Being a Knight often means choosing the more difficult path, the personally expensive one. Be prepared to make personal sacrifices in service of the precepts and people you value. At the same time, a Knight should seek wisdom to see that stupidity and courage are cousins. Courage also means taking the side of truth in all matters, rather than seeking the expedient lie. Seek the truth whenever possible, but remember to temper justice with mercy, or the pure truth can bring grief.


 * Faith: A Knight must have faith in his beliefs, for faith roots him and gives hope against the despair that human failings create.


 * Humility: Value first the contributions of others; do not boast of your own accomplishments, let others do this for you. Tell the deeds of others before your own, according them the renown rightfully earned through virtuous deeds. In this way the office of knighthood is well done and glorified, helping not only the gentle spoken of but also all who call themselves Knights.


 * Largesse: Be generous in so far as your resources allow; largesse used in this way counters gluttony. It also makes the path of mercy easier to discern when a difficult decision of justice is required.


 * Nobility: Seek great stature of character by holding to the virtues and duties of a Knight, realizing that though the ideals cannot be reached, the quality of striving towards them ennobles the spirit, growing the character from dust towards the light. Nobility also has the tendency to influence others, offering a compelling example of what can be done in the service of the right.


 * Franchise: Seek to emulate everything I have spoken of as sincerely as possible, not for the reason of personal gain but because it is right. Do not restrict your exploration to a small world, but seek to infuse every aspect of your life with these qualities. Should you succeed in even a tiny measure then you will be well remembered for your quality and virtue.

General

 * The Holy Light is a philosophy in which followers train to seek perfection within themselves through an active practice of virtue. Those who follow it closely gain spiritual awareness and guidance, allowing them to lead others.


 * It teaches that there is a connection between the self and the universe. This connection manifests as what we feel through both senses and emotions. When a person is moved, that emotion connects them to the universe. Experiencing this ensures they exist, as something within them felt or processed it, and because they exist, so must the universe. From there they can act upon the universe, causing changes to create feeling in others. In general, they seek to make the world a better place by being true to their own emotions.


 * The next step is developing the goodness within and without. For happiness, one must work to better the universe to make others happy. Experiencing the glory and beauty of the world taps into the inner beauty and glory within one's soul. Conversely, giving in to greed, despair, and unhappiness darkens the universe. The Holy Light is the glory of the universe reflected upon the soul and mirrored back onto itself.

The Power Behind the Light

 * While most do not worship any Gods directly, the power apparently does come from something, known simply as the "Light" for lack of better. The "Light"'s source or its emissaries are known as Naaru, beings new to Azeroth with the advent of the Draenei. Others emissaries such as Hope guide covertly. Celestials may also be connected in some way.


 * The archaic term "god" used by the Clerics of Northshire Abbey during the First Great War is synonymous with the "Light", though it is likely connected to one of the Creation Myths. However it has lost its usage since then, as most no longer believe in deities. A few cults still believe in the Celestials however.

The Three Virtues

 * The philosophy of the Holy Light holds three teachings, called the Three Virtues. These virtues - Respect, Tenacity and Compassion - are each defined into a principle and a lesson.


 * Respect The first virtue is respect. Above one's own awareness of the self and the universe, one must also see the connection between others and the universe. Destroying happiness and severing connections with the universe is not serving the world's well being, and therefore not your own. One must not be naive and understand that trial, conflict, war, and suffering do happen; but they still strive to make the universe a better place.


 * Tenacity The second virtue is tenacity. As true dedication takes years, even a lifetime, this inevitably weeds out the unfaithful. The world is much bigger than one lone soul: the world can change a soul in a day, but a soul takes much longer to change the world. Only through ::tenacity:: can one hope to affect the universe. If you truly believe there is a connection between the self and the universe, one cannot help but affect the other. Affecting the world can include anything from teaching and instilling hope in others to joining with other like-minded individuals to work together to create a bigger change.


 * Compassion After the first two concepts are mastered, then one takes on the final virtue: compassion. The connection between the self and the universe is strong, but is only one connection. When one serves another to increase happiness, their bond with the universe grows stronger. The happiness gained by helping strengthens themselves and the universe, and they can affect the universe even more.


 * Compassion is perhaps the most powerful - and most dangerous - virtue. If one is too compassionate, they can give help where none is needed - or wanted. This hinders one's growth and happiness. Some helpers can be awkward and do more harm than good, increasing suffering and unhappiness. This is why compassion is taught last; only the wise and compassionate can identify who is truly in need and who can grow on their own.