Brotherhood of the Elk and Sword

The **Brotherhood of the Elk and Sword** sometimes just **Elken Sword** is a mystic organization founded by Yuri Degenhard in Wilemberg, Fleur in late 111 M.E. The order's hall is located in Wilemberg, called Elken Hall.

## History

In 111 M.E. Yuri Degenhard founded the order with the patronage of the Queen Guinevere Wilem of Flowers, fufilling his long time dream of running his own mystic organization. It was founded on the principles of inclusivity not seen in many similar such orders; the order allows women and those of non-human races to join and even rise in rank. The order recieved little atention from the public in its first two years, as most assumed it was an artistic and phylosophic organization, an image propogated by its members, who included many popular artist and Fleurian Aesthetics, who used the building as a studio space to produce their works. As the Queen of Fleur herself was involved in the organization, it managed to bypas the ire of the Justainian population.

By 114 the Elken Sword had managed to acrue over a hundred members. Elken Hall has expanded, a renovation in 113 added a massive wing of dormitories and the aquistion of adjacent properites which were similarly conjoined to the main hall led to a massive property constantly buzzing with activity. Guinevere herself had attended her first ceremony in 112, continuing her involvment in the organizations rites up until her death. The popularity of the order peaked in 114.

In 115 Yuri began to spend more time within the order as he and Guinevere became more distant. After Guinevere's departure the same year, Yuri led a sacred rite said to be the most fruifult in the order's history; perhaps in the history of the North. After, the order would decline in popularity and status. Guinevere's death in 116 M.E. marked the end of the golden age of the order.

In 117 Persepina Wilem II became the new Queen of Flowers. Her strong Justainian religious beliefs and loyalty to the High Crown led her to persecute non-Justainian religious groups within the country. A raid in late 117 ended with the destruction of most of Elken Hall and the arrest and execution of many artists and occultists. Yuri had already fled the country, probably to Skjol before the raids began. The order was never officially disbanded, but the destruction of Elken Hall forced whatever remained underground. Several organizations have claimed to be in the same vein as the order, notabely in Skjol and Sikkud, but neither has been associated with the Order of the Elk and Shield.

## Principles and Rites

The Elken Shield believed in a complex variety of occult and mystic principles, though the most important principle was the ideas Yuri gained from reading the book *On the Origin of Justainism: the True Nature of that Most Marvelous Religion*  as a young adult. The order's beliefs on Justainism were not told to every member but were deserved to those who achieved the rank of Master. In general, the order believes in the practicion of the Three Virtues, the communion with the higher realms, and the exsistence of a knowledge within the nothing beyond High Heaven.

Members of the brotherhood performed various sorceries and rites to gods and entities of various religions. They were rumored to perform sacrifices and orgies among the highest members, though this is not confirmed.

## Important Members

Yuri Degenhard - Founder of the Order

Guinevere Wilem, Queen of Flowers - The Queen of Fleur, who participated in many of the organizations rites.