Destruction of the Temple of Dulcea:  Viridian Version, Rostillan Version, Order's Version, Inquisition at Rostilla

Dissolution of the Order of St. Cavallius:  Viridian Version, Rostillan Version, Dream of Sir Silvus (contains a reference to "the seven")

Sir Rarans and Camilla (Lost Council Blade):  Standard Story, Theodosius' Letter, Encoded Letter

Theodosius:  Viridian Version, Rostillan Version, Warrant for Theodosius' Arrest, Theodosius' Final Appearance

A collection of Viridian pamphlets and broad-sheets on the destruction of the Temple of Dulcea.  No authors listed.  80 years old.

Written at the time of the trials, these easy-to-read, cheap accounts are extremely lurid, full of lengthy descriptions of the evils committed by the priestesses of Dulcea.  The charges include:  running a brothel in the temple;  sacrificing babies by strangling them;  attempting to assassinate Emperor Darius;  walling up unbelievers in subterranean passages;  and cursing the Empire and all within it.

The fall of the temple began when a young woman admitted to her mother that she had sacrificed her firstborn baby to ensure the health of all others she might bear.  Shortly after making this admission, she disappeared.  Her mother went to the Mother House of the Order of St. Cavallius and reported this.

Subsequent investigations by the Order and the Praetorian Guard revealed a mass of corruption.  All priestesses were tried by Emperor Darius, assisted by Grand Master Theodosius and four senior paladins.  Every one that was nefas was handed over to the Imperial Games (the pamphlets contain graphic descriptions of the horrible deaths that awaited them in the Colosseum).  Those who were not nefas were banished from the Empire.  At the end, Emperor Darius declared Dulcea a demoness, and rightly forbade her veneration within Viridia.

"The Five that are Four:  Being a Treatise on the Perfidy and Vile Greed of Viridia, Lately Manifested in the Emperor's Blasphemy against Mother Night."  Written by A Faithful Rostillan Priestess.  73 years old.

A Rostillan text, written after the fall of the Temple and the Order, and shortly after the murder of Princess Tertia.  Fanatically anti-Viridian, calls all decent Rostillans to take up arms against Viridia.

The author claims that the Temple of Dulcea was innocent of all crimes.  Emperor Darius lusted after its wealth and so created false accusations.  The Order of St. Cavallius was too cowardly to oppose the Emperor, and cooperated with this farce.  (The Order, the author notes, has always hated Dulcea because she can be cruel.)

As proof, the author points out that within five years of Dulcea's fall, Darius accused the Order of St. Cavallius of virtually the exact same crimes -- and confiscated their wealth as well.  (The author opines that this was Dulcea's revenge against the Order, for the evils it had committed.)  This demonstrates the Emperor's greed.  He murdered his own wife, drowning her in the bath during an argument -- which proves his monstrous nature.

"An Answer to the Slanders and Lies of Pomponius."  By Alaric of Bendigroth, formerly of the Order of St. Cavallius.  Written 70 years ago, shortly after all the Order's worldly wealth and power was destroyed.

Apparently Pomponius wrote a treatise defending the Emperor's actions against the Order.  Alaric wrote his to counter Pomponius' arguments -- and in doing so, repeats many of his enemy's accusations.

Reading between the lines, you can piece together the following accusations.  Paladins worshipped demons;  sacrificed babies;  debauched maidens in their Chapter Houses;  sodomized their squires;  engaged in blasphemous and filthy nocturnal rites;  spread seditious lies about the Emperor;  and were greedy and corrupt.  Grand Master Theodosius was a mere thief, pilfering valuables from the palace when he spoke to the Emperor.

Alaric calls many of these accusations (like sodomizing your squire) ridiculous.  He also raises some good counter-arguments.  If Theodosius was corrupt, why did Darius allow him to judge the priestesses of Dulcea?  If he was evil, does that not mean that the women he condemned were good?  As for demon-worship, Alaric says, the paladins honor only the Pentad. If Theodosius was a thief, why can no man say what it was he stole?  Darius, not Theodosius, was the thief.  Driven by greed, he stole the Order's wealth.

Transcripts of the inquisitions into the Temple of Dulcea, held in Rostilla.  Written 80 years ago.

Long, detailed accounts of an investigation, held in Rostilla a few months after the fall of the Temple of Dulcea in Viridia.  King Numinus asked the Order of St. Cavallius to examine his own priestesses.

It's hard to follow the transcripts, as they're heavily abbreviated and in no sensible order.  However the gist appears to be that no one found any evidence of crime in Rostilla.  Sir Levantus, one of the inquisitors, served in the Viridian trials as well and found nothing similar in Rostilla.

A collection of Viridian pamphlets and broad-sheets on the fall of the Order of St. Cavallius.  No authors listed.  75 years old.

Cheap, easy-to-read leaflets intended for the crowds of Viridistan.  Lurid descriptions of the evils the Order took up:  demon-worship, orgies, pederasty, sodomy, treason, theft, etc.  Most of the "eye-witness" testimony came from four teenaged squires.  At first (the authors note) these boys were "too fearful" of their knights to admit the Order's evil.  However after private questioning by the Emperor, they provided ample evidence.

Philemon's "History of the Order of St. Cavallius".  Contains a copy of a petition filed on the Order's behalf by the clergy of Viridia.  Date of Philemon's book:   50 years ago.  Date of the petition:  73 years ago -- about two years after the Order's dissolution;  written during the last Rostillan-Viridian war.

Several prominent clerics, having spoken with senior paladins, beg Emperor Darius to affirm the Order's knightly rights.  They argue that while some paladins may have been corrupt, the majority were not.  Paladins provide many useful services to the Empire (which the petition lists, at length).  The remnants of the Order are now contrite and willing to submit themselves to the Emperor's will.  

Philemon notes that Darius granted this petition and re-affirmed that paladins were Viridian knights.  (He did not, however, return any of the wealth he had confiscated.)  One sentence notes the Emperor's concession pleased Viridia's peasantry, "who had become very turbulent, with the war and the death of the Empress."

"On Dreams."  Rostillan text.  Written by Priestess Baria of Dulcea, 40 years ago.  Contains "The Dream of Sir Silvus", which supposedly occurred 73 years ago.

Writing about how the Gods warn us through dreams, Baria relates the "Dream of Sir Silvus."  Silvus was a paladin, back in the days of its glory.  When he was dying, he told a priest about a dream he'd had on the first Mother Night after the Order was reconciled with Emperor Darius.

Silvus dreamed that he knelt beside a stream, washing a filthy tabard.  No matter how much he scrubbed, however, the shirt got no whiter.  Finally he looked up from the water -- to see a hooded woman standing on the other bank, a black hound by her side.

"Unclean hands cannot cleanse," she said.  "Worms you have become, groveling in the muck.  Worms you shall remain, as long as the seven touch the throne.  And your hands shall not be clean until you are men again."

Baria interprets "seven touch the throne" as meaning that the Order of St. Cavallius will not be restored to its former grandeur until after seven kings (or emperors) have reigned.

"The Five Blessings."  Anonymous poem, praising the five Council Blades.  Written about 30 years ago.

Summarizes the fates of each of the Council Blades.  1) Latona was lost 800 years ago in the realm of the slaad [ooc:  frog-like creatures of chaos, from another plane].  2) Puella was lost 250 years ago, when Master Legatus fell to the red wyrm Metropolex.  She lies in Metropolex's lair to this day.  3) Camilla was lost 77 years ago, when Sir Rarans died "in foreign lands."  No one knows where she is.  4) Severilia disappeared into the Fallen Lands 75 years ago, with her wielder Theodosius, last Grand Master of the Order.  5) Ancilla, the blade of St. Cavallius himself, is the only sword that still remains in human hands.

A batch of letters and correspondence from the Chapter House at Invictus, brought here after the Order's wealth was confiscated.  One of them, dated 77 years ago, is signed by Theodosius, Grand Master of the Order of St. Cavallius.

Theodosius writes to Sir Alaric, Master of Invictus, "I am very disturbed by your letter.  The Emperor assured me, personally, that Rarans spoke of coming to you.  Would you send word to Surrexus, and inquire if he came through Lanshar's Gap?

"I worry greatly.  The night that he is said to have left Viridistan, Camilla began to wail and lament -- as the Blades do, when their bearers die.  A moment later, before Severilia could learn what troubled her, she fell silent... and she has not spoken to her sisters since.  I fear to imagine what could silence the tongue of one of the Blades."

A letter from Sir Natorus to Sir Alaric.  [Ie., from one senior paladin to another]  Written 74 years ago, shortly before the murder of Tertia. 

The letter is full of bland gossip about doings in Viridistan.  However it looks a bit odd -- the lines are not of equal length.  Closer examination reveals a coded message, one not too difficult to decipher.  It reads:

"Empress confirms he has her.  She will try to convince him to return her to us, though she warns that the subject enrages him."

"The Errors of the 'Wise'.  Being a Treatise Upon the Foolishness of the Order of St. Cavallius, and the Sins Into Which They -- Who Should Be Wise -- Have Fallen."  Author: "A Pontifex of the Four Clean Gods".  Written 70 years ago, after the dissolution of the Order.

A routine history, repeating the usual accusation of demon-worship, sodomy, orgies, treason, etc.  Regarding Theodosius, the author says, "Now when he saw the evidence against the Order, so manifest and plain, the heart of Grand Master Theodosius was filled with shame.  'Alas!' he cried 'that ever such a dark day should come upon the Order!  We are wretches, one and all!'  His horror being too great, he resolved to ride into the Fallen Lands.  Thus would he rid himself of the loathsome company of his living 'brothers' and join the holy knights in the Bright Halls.  Many paladins begged him to leave behind his sword, the Blessed Severilia, but Theodosius refused.  'None amongst the Order is worthy to bear her,' he said.  'Better she should perish with me, than be passed into unclean hands.'  And thus was one of the Council Blades lost to men, because of the unspeakable and abominable sins of the Order."

"On the Tribulations of the Order of St. Cavallius."  Author:  Pontifex Delanus of Rostilla.  Written 55 years ago.

A fairly level headed history, which repeats the normal accusations.  Details how the Order was stripped of its wealth and was eventually reconciled to Emperor Darius.  However Delanus' account differs from Viridian histories in several ways.  1) He says that the "demon" the Order worshipped was simply Dulcea.  2) He says that Darius hated Dulcea even before he named her 'demon'.  Darius felt she was the goddess of traitors and assassins.  3) He mentions that in the five years between the destruction of Dulcea's temple and the downfall of the Order, the relationship between Emperor Darius and Grand Master Theodosius deteriorated badly.  Unfortunately, Delanus does not know why.  4) His chronology suggests that Grand Master Theodosius actually rode for the Fallen Lands before the Order was accused of demonolatry -- not after, as most histories say.  Darius locked down the Mother House in Viridistan, arrested all paladins in the city, and confiscated their goods.  Yet Theodosius was not among the prisoners, having fled the city the night before.

A warrant for the arrest of Grand Master Theodosius, distributed to the various counts of Rostilla about a two weeks after the Grand Master vanished from Viridistan.  Sent by Emperor Darius of Viridia.

"Know all men that Theodosius, styled Grand Master of the Order of St. Cavallius, stands accused of demon-worship, treason, sodomy, theft, and many other crimes.  Seeking to avoid his just punishment, Theodosius has fled into Rostilla.  Therefore we order our faithful subjects to apprehend him and return him to Viridia to face trial.  Our subjects should be warned that he has carried off great treasures, goods illicitly and illegally gotten.  His belongings, as well as his person, must be returned to Viridia.  Should any subject, moved by greed or rebelliousness, presume to keep these treasures for themselves, know that our wrath will be exceedingly great, and our punishment fearful."

A faint note, scribbled in the margins of Delanus' "On the Tribulations of the Order of St. Cavallius" says 'Annals of Invictus'.  

Checking the Annals, you find the following annotation for 75 years ago.

"In this year also, Count Sortes spied a man on foot, wearing armor and an iron crown.  Approaching, he found this to be Theodosius, whom he well knew.  The Grand Master bespoke him most ungentiley and demanded the Count's horse.  The Count spoke to him with soft words, asking what quest brought him, on foot, to the mouth of Queen's Gate.  Much did he marvel when Theodosius answered in a rage, abusing and insulting his Grace for the impudence of this question.  'Tell me at least the meaning of the crown you wear,' Count Sortes said, 'for I have never seen its like.'

At that, Theodosius put his hand to his head, seeming most shocked to find a crown there.  He fell to his knees, lamenting, and tore it from him.  With a more wonted courtesy, he begged the Count to loan him his steed, that he might fulfill a great quest.  The Count urged him to return to the Chapter House in Invictus.  For, he said, clearly an evil hand lay upon the Grand Master.  Yet Theodosius would not be swayed from his quest.  Severilia, he said, would preserve him from the evil he carried and he dared not bring such foulness near to Invictus, lest the innocent be harmed.  Long did his Grace argue against this course, to no avail.  Theodosius rode south on his finest steed, and was never more seen by men."