Order of the Golden Stirrup

Order of the Knights Stirrupers with the Arrow, popularly known as the Order of the Golden Stirrup or simply the Knights Stirrupers, is an old chivalric order tied to the Nordling goddess of horses and chivalry Epona. They recruit both women and men and while not as powerful as the Order of the Flaming Rose, the organization has a steady place in the Hengfors League.
==Emblems==
The principal coat of arms used by the Knights Stirrupers is an amalgamation of two symbols: Cerbin of Emerida's family crest that had an arrow, and the golden stirrup used as a symbol by the original brotherhood.
==History==
===Humble beginnings===
The origins of the Order lie in the early centuries of Nordling forays. Starting as a motley brotherhood worshiping Epona, its members aided the knights in Toussaint and Cintra in prayer and with care for horses. Over time, the more pious of the knights decided to genuinely join the brotherhood. One such was the noble Cerbin of Emerida. Seeing the brotherhood's potential, he turned it into a chivalric order faithful to Epona. This made them unique among the ascending knightly orders, as the majority followed the bellicose thunderer Kreve.
The newfound order based itself in Cintra and, in accordance with local custom, accepted the members of both sexes in its ranks. The members are also allowed to intermarry, and their children are cared for by the Order. Upon reaching maturity, these children may choose between secular life and religious vows.
===Invitation north===
Shortly after Falka's rebellion of the 1150s, Margrave Guido Thyssen invited the Knights Stirrupers and the Order of the White Rose to the ravaged Carnedd, expecting them to restore stability in the area. And indeed, the Knights Stirrupers proved able overseers. Not only did they expand ancient Tor Carnedd into a proper fortress, but the area in their orbit visibly flourished thanks to settlers brought by the Order from the south. The benefit of having the knights present was obvious, nevertheless the subsequent margraves and then King Audoen made sure that the knights wouldn't be able to seize full control in Carnedd.
During the Nazairian attack on several Cintran towns in , the Order joined young Queen Calanthe and contributed to her victory at the Battle of Hochebuz. Returning from the battle, one Stirruper officer got into trouble near Ermen Castle but was saved in time by Alix verch Canut. Even though she was a quarter-elf, the Order welcomed her with open arms. Alix van der Ermen grew into a strong, cunning and well-liked leader and so when she submitted her candidacy for the Order's Grand Master in , she received an almost unanimous backing.
Two years later, the Nilfgaardian Empire invaded Cintra. The Order banners stood by Calanthe's side, many sacrificing their lives at the Battle of Marnadal. This included the Grand Mistress as well. However, nobody noticed her death in the raging battle apart from an opportunistic doppler who tacitly took her place. After the Slaughter of Cintra, the Grand Mistress led the Cintran remnants north to join their brethren. Once there, Alix swore allegiance to Niedamir.
===Snows of the Dragon Mountains===
A couple of years passed and the king summoned the knights. Disturbed by Grand Master Jacques de Aldersberg's reformation of the Knights of the White Rose into the Order of the Flaming Rose devoted to Hierarch of Novigrad, Niedamir used the help of the Knights Stirrupers to nonviolently expel the other order. To show gratitude, the Clerical Council of Hengfors Lands suggested that loyal Stirrupers should receive all castles previously owned by the Knights of the Rose.
Niedamir, however, embraced the idea of Yogin Pieters—he allowed Knights Stirrupers to dismantle the leftover fortifications and use the material to erect new ones in northern Sturefors under the Dragon Mountains. There, on the League's wildest frontier, they found purpose in defending trapper routes and abundant mines from monsters and barbarians of the Far North.
==References==
Category:Organizations
Category:Armed Forces
pl:Zakon Złotego Strzemienia