Sovereign Order: Clothair Ravenot

## Chapter I

Conflict at the Pass

The **Conflict at the Pass** was a military campaign initiated by Archbishop Alonsus II to eliminate a heretical movement known as the **Sovereign Order** established by Cassius Palenix. Church-Sovereign Order tensions grew when a man baring the resemblance of Cassius Palenix murdered Mother Agnes of the Church of the Holy Light under his sect's charges of "heresy and conspiracy against the people".

The sect of the Sovereign Order, against whom the war was directed, originated from a Holy Light reform movement of former Scarlet Crusaders in the vicinity of the Western Plaguelands in 27 L.C. during the the Fall of the Lich King. Throughout various skirmishes against the Forsaken and the Argent Crusade, the Sovereign Order disbanded after a succession of defeats. By the time of the Shattering the Sovereign Order made a minor reemergence in the region of Duskwood, independantly hunting down the undead and recruiting former members of the Defias Brotherhood who sought redemption for their crimes.

Archbishop Alonsus II organized with Cassius Palenix to establish a diplomatic meeting alongside Chancellor Folkmar of House Garnet, a rich and mighty noble family. House Garnet's relations with the Sovereign Order was at first only financial, but thoughout the course of their meeting with the Archbishop, House Garnet alerted Cassius that his own second-in-command, Sir Hermann Blankenberg had deposed him and swore fealty to House Garnet.

The meeting did not conclude as planned for the Archbishop as
peace was not an option if the schism was not going to be mended. The Silver Hand Chapter and the College of Canons took the deposed Cassius to their custody, while the Archbishop waged war against the Count of Beggar's Hills and its new vassal.

Cassius Palenix was brought to questioning for his actions and
confessed his murder of Mother Agnes, stating that she held a sigil of a silver eagle that was key to a "heretic lair" and part of a conspiracy known as the "Silver Eagle".
 Alongside various members of the Silver Hand and the College of Canons,
 Cassius guided the group to an underground lair present in the desolate
 Barony of Eaglehold. The expedition did not last long as group found
itself ambush by living flesh constructs, macabre experiments and a
group of mysterious cultists. Despite the lair being cleared, the group
was far too injured and overwhelmed by the horrors that lurked in their
lair and to withdraw their offensive.

In the event of his absence, Alonsus II gave the title of "Commander of the Duskwood Offensive" to Sir Clothair Ravenot to build, strategize and lead a coalition against their foes.

Clothair, followed by various members of the Silver Hand, met the vassals of Count Robert Garnet to negotiate a peace and alliance. Without clarification, the nobles refused to aid the Church of the Holy Light as they were cursed and branded by the mysterious cabal of the Silver Eagle, and that their life and family would be forfeit if they broke their loyalties with Count Garnet. The meeting was interrupted by a group of misfits led by a hired sword known as Lorenzo the Elfslayer. Two members of the Silver Hand were taken alive as captives by Lorenzo's thugs and Baroness Beaumont, one of the four nobles present, violently murdered the other three vassals of Count Garnet.

Due to her attrocious actions and affiliation with a heretic coven, Clothair had the Baroness beheaded.

The conflict was called off after Clothair denounced the Church of the Holy Light during an assembly of knights, while the Silver Hand had to focus its military efforts to Draenor order to reclaim the city of Shattrath. This resulted in the lack of a proper conclusion for the conflict, as none of the opposing parties resumed their aggression.

## Chapter 2

Clothair's denouncing of the Church of the Holy Light and the Archbishop's authority resulted in his immediate arrest in the cathedral halls, along with that of his beloved Victoria Ashcroft and Averylle Beone who were both present as he introduced his new path. The trial ended inconclusively, the charges against the trio dropped, the sole conclusion only soured the relationship with the Church of Stormwind.

Clothair and his host returned to Duskwood to confront the Silver Eagle directly. Cassius had vanished from the entire area, his authority usurped by Hermann Blankenberg, a puppet of the Silver Eagle. Robert Garnet and his county had been obliterated by means unknown, their threat now gone. Clothair managed to confront Hermann inside a cave near Deadwind Pass and successfully slew him, and inherited the title of Grand Master for his own.

## Chapter 3

The Sovereign Order led by Clothair Ravenot managed to install an outpost in the lower sections of Castle Eaglehold, to act as wardens in the event of an anomaly.

Clothair used plenty of the original teachings of the Sovereign Order, however he implemented iconoclastic ideals, often critical of sacerdotalism and vanity that most holy orders tend to demonstrate. His beliefs alarmed clerics from Stormwind, and eventually attracted the attention of inquisitors and paid assailants to sabotage the Order.

Their confrontation with the Silver Eagle was rendered minimal as an underground war against the cult and fanatics of the Burning Legion became apparent.