No other order can match the reputation of the White Knights Order or White Order how it is called often. These warriors follow the ways of Eyasha and Nehtor and thus established many monasteries, hospitals and shrines to help the poor, starving and sick. They’re often on missions as ambassadors to ensure peace in the provinces but they’ve also sworn to help any man or woman they find in great pain.

Beside the knights of the Order who follow as strict rules as monks there are also plenty of healers and priests who belong to the White Knights and who have added to the great fame of this renowed organization to a high degree.

Picture description. A Knight of the White stands in his Order's hall, having just come in from the public areas and doffed his distinctive white veil. Picture drawn by Bard Judith.

Appearance. The White Knights Order is in fact only one part of the vast Order’s organization. There are also many healers, priests and monks living in the monasteries and working in the hospitals throughout the country. Often they are clothed in simple garments and usually wear simple robes of pure white, sometimes along with an amulet made of silver representing a dove and a banded ricau on top of a sixpointed snowflake as Grothar is also among the Gods the Order feels closely aligned to.

The knights of the Order are of proud and noble appearance. Their armor is of silver inscribed with elven runes and symbols of the gods Nehtor and Eyasha. Most of it was made by elves who used their great artistic skills to decorate the armor plating. Some of the helmets have the stylized wings of a dove or banded ricau and they often wear a glistening chain mail below their armor plating. Over it they wear the "Triest", a white cloak which is split into four straps of cloth, two falling down the chest and two down the back, mostly two are fixed to the shoulder pads. The knights have sworn to cover their face in modesty and respect before their gods. Whenever appearing in public they wear a white veil and a scarf that has the runes of the prayers inscribed in which they entered the order.

Coat of Arms/Sign. The coat of arms of the White Knights Order is a white shield with dove of Eyasha in blue, black or silver.

Territory. The Order owns lands and titles in many parts of the Santharian kingdom which are used to supply the monasteries of the Order which is the main source for income to the Order. In many of the big cities like New-Santhala, Voldar and Milkengrad they also maintain free hospitals and orphanages to help the poor and the sick.

Members. This White Knights Order is very popular among elves as well as humans. Many more of the longliving are closely aligned to this order and serve it as healers or priests. No other order has ever attracted so many elves as only this honors the ideals this race favours most.

At the monasteries the apprentices are taught the cults of Nehtor and Eyasha, their myths and laws. Usually the career of a White Knight starts with his or her birth when the priests identify special features among the child. With the age of five most families seek out one of the nearby monasteries that their child will serve the Gods of Peace and Healing.

The monks of the monastery then decide whether they accept it among their midst or not. Thus it has to prove its worth, its morale and its behaviour towards others. If they see it as a child of Nehtor or Eyasha they’ll take it under their protection. In about 10 years the children learn the codices, laws as well as healing and how to study herbs and the ways of peace and healing.

With the age of fifteen they become monks and there their future fate is decided. Those closer aligned to Eyasha will become Knights, taught in the arts of rhetoric, wordfight, riding, diplomacy and strategy. Those who follow the path of Nehtor will become healers and help out in one of the many hospitals or monasteries. The ones following the spiritually way will become monks themselves, studying herbs and healing, nature and alchemy to care for the vast gardens of the monasteries and make the healing potions and medcinces necessary and eventually, discover more…

Picture description: A priest of the Order of the White Knights. Picture drawn by Quellion.

After another ten years the apprentices become members of the Order, either as Knight, Monk or Healer and serve the Order in one of the many welfare-installations all over Santharia. The Knights mostly serve as peacekeepers, judges and in the diplomatic corps of the kingdom to solve disputes over land and power.

Their strict discipline, their oath to loyality and the principles of Eyasha and Nehtor made them the Order of the White Knights most respected in all classes of Santharia, for at most of the severe disputes the people call for the White Knights and noone doubts that their valor and power in combat is any less than the faith in these two Goddesses.

Organization. The Order is lead by the High Council which consists of the leaders of the great monasteries and has its seat in a deep valley north of New-Santhala. The White Knights are an own section of the Order and oblige the orders they receive from the High Council or one of the abbots of the monasteries. The monasteries and hospitals are usually led by priests of Nehtor and Eyasha and independently supplied through donations or what is produced on the surrounding lands. An unusal part however is that beside herb gardens, libraries and chapels most monasteries also house stables and armories to supply the knights.

The knights follow the missions they receive and thus are often on their journies through the lands where their oath also demands from them to help anyone in danger on their road. So the Knights are occupied most of the time, however, the Order's laws also demand from them to spend three months of a year in a monastery, living the lives of a monk to seek redemption and pardon for the sins they encounter on the roads or have to commit themselves to save the doctrines of the Order.

The following passages are excerpts of the Codex of the White Order:

- "Be honest and true in all your decisions." - "Help those that can not help themselves even to the expense of your own life." - "Follow the paths of Nehtor to heal the wounds of the world." - "Eyasha's dream should be your dream." - "Respect the advise of the Elder." - "Spend three quarters of the year in the name of all good people but one for your own soul." -- "Codex of the White Order" by Hargrid the Elder, Abbot of the Monastary of Nehtor and Eyasha, Provost of the White Order in the Valley of Kimora, north of New-Santhala

Origin. First records of the Order of the White Knights tell that Order was founded shortly after the Oath of the Young (the Tethiasquarón). After the Second Sarvonian War and the vow of the leaders of the elven and human races never to wage war against each other, a group of human knights swears loyality to Nehtor and Eyasha. To abandon all materialistic traits they replace their coat of arms with pure white on their cloaks and shields, the color of Nehtor. Even elves join their endeavour to help the poor and the sick.

In the course of time the Order becomes more and more organized and finds notable followers like the famous unifier king himself, Thar the Great.

	Time Table of the White Knights Order Age of the Blood 501 b.S. An Order for Redemption With the Oath of the Young (the so-called Tethiasquarón) after the Second Sarvonian War a group of human knights in search for forgiveness after the war swear loyality to Nehtor and Eyasha. To abandon all materialistic traits they replace their coat of arms with pure white on their cloaks and shields, the color of Nehtor. When the word spreads about this growing group also elves - honoring the attempt of the humans and seeing it as their own way to purify their souls and find peace with their enemies - join them. This is the foundation of the Order. 482 b.S. Thar supports the Rise of the Order ...giving it and the priesthood of Nehtor and Eyasha great acres of lands as a base for the Order's expenses. He sees in the White Order a chance to bring peace and hope to the shattered lands. Later he would inoffically join the Order as well whose greatest patron he still is. 298 b.S. The Third Sarvonian War It is in these dark times when the Order proves its worth to the perishing and starving population. While all soldiers go to war, the White knights also try to cease the hardship with food, medicine and hope whereever they appear. In a time where whole countrysides turn into bloody battlefields they are among the few also caring for the common people beyond warfare matters. 292 b.S. The Last Stand While as many people as possible try to flee out of the encirclement of Carmalad 133 knights of the Order stay in the town caring for those who did not get a place in the evacuation ships. It was here the unclouded fame of the Order was finally sealed. All knights fight to the last and die in this hopeless combat. A legend tells that this is the reason for the broken alliance among the orcs where some even honored the valor of those men while others simply teared their bodies into pieces and soaked their white cloth in blood. After the war the city of Carmalad will spend a great amount of land to a newly founded monastary between the Istarin Forest and Carmalad to honor these men whose glory shined in the most desperate hour. 225 -215 b.S. New Hope The Order continues its fights against the darkfriends as well as against famine and sickness in all parts of Northern Santharia. 60 b.S. A Great Sacrifice At the battle of Hegedorn a group of the most respected White Knights sacrifice their lives in the first battle line against the darkelves of Alvang. Age of Change 0 b.S. Rise of Santhros With the Rise of Santhros and the unification of Santharia the Order becomes an important element for the Santharian king to solve the many disputes that still arise between the tribes and races in all parts of Santharia. The White Knights spend much time in founding new hospitals and temples in the rebuilt countries.