Holy Order of Haelyn's Aegis

Haelyn's Aegis » Holy Order of Haelyn's Aegis
The Holy Order of Haelyn's Aegis was a knightly order of the Imperial Temple. Composed of knights, militant priests, and dedicated soldiers, it was the military army of the Imperial Temple. When the Imperial Temple called warriors to serve the Emperor and bring the wisdom of Haelyn's worship and the benefits of Anuirean civilization to the rest of Cerilia, the Holy Order of Haelyn's Aegis was the first to answer. As an imperial order dedicated to spreading values, the order also became tolerant of what it encountered and found it best to evangelize by example and to offer Haelyn and Anuire as something good in addition to what was good about the native cultures it dominated. In this way the Holy Order became quite accepting of differences without losing its own core values.
When the schism of Haelyn's faith and the split of the Northern Imperial Temple from the Imperial Temple occured, a dispute arose between Blaede Vathormane, the Grand Master of the knights of the Holy Order of Haelyn's Aegis, and the leadership of the Imperial Temple in Aerele. Blaede, among others called for a concilliatory tone and work towards reconcilliation in the spirit of the Holy Order's many successes. The leadership in Aerele took a more and more orthodox tone refusing to acknowledge problems in the church and regarding Fitzalan's new temple as a rebellion, and using Haelyn's teaching on rebellion as their inspiration. In 327 MR, Fitzalan was arrested by the Inquisition of Righteousness and Justice in Aerele. Blaede objected to this move calling it, "the act that will severe the Imperial Temple forever." As the years went on, Blaede Vathormane and the Holy Order of Haelyn's Aegis began to formulate their own aims and policies, while remaining faithful to the Orthodox Imperial Temple in terms of the rites, worship, and teaching of Haelyn, including the traditional close reading of the Book of Laws as the primary document of the faith.
For some time, the Northern Imperial Temple represented something frighteningly new and the Orthodox Imperial Temple was disturbingly reactionary in responce. The Holy Order became the largest group of the Imperial Temple, combining Orthodox rites and worship with a more tolerant attitude. The many temples and priests of Nesirie and Cuiraécen supported the Holy Order. Some of these encouraged Blaede Vathormane towards a total break with the Orthodox Imperial Temple. When the Orthodox Imperial Temple began to use the Inquisition against political enemies in the temple, and not just against undisputed heretics of the faith, Blaede severed all formal ties with the Orthodox Imperial Temple. Blaede refused to allow any changes in the theology and worship of Haelyn, but always advocated a more open and accepting approach to dealing with potential allies who were not orthodox Haelynites. Blaede also was reluctant to see the Holy Order, abandon its traditional mission as defender of the Empire against the awnsheghlien, and so remained dedicated to this militant, sacred duty. What emerged was an independent temple and no longer an order of the Imperial Temple, now simply the temple Haelyn's Aegis.