Uriel Honorblade (OSR) - Prayers and Meditations

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I am Uriel son of Raphael Honorblade, Paladin of Torm, Knight of the Silver Rose and this is my Prayerbook. My father Raphael was cleric of Torm at the Halls of Everlasting Justice in Sundabar. I spent much time there as a child and came into the calling through my uncle Gabriel Honorblade in the tradition of my Grandfather Michael.

Should you find this journal the last of my remaining kin is my dearest daughter Sophia Annalina who has provided it to me. You may find her at the Halls of Everlasting Justice as she has also followed in the footsteps of our ancestors. We lost her mother when she was very young and I raised her on my own. I know she would be find much closure in having this book if you could be so kind to seek her out.

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Tenants of my personal code:

Justice - Maintain law and order. Stand ever alert against corruption. Strike hard and quick against the rot in the heart of mortals.

Loyalty - Sacrifice life and limb for ones companions and family. A swift and painful death to betrayers.

Obedience: Never blind, but with alert judgement and anticipation. Obedience is first to Torm then to earthly superiors.

Honor - Honor where honor is due. Death before dishonor. Bow respectfully to a lady. Honor ones station through clean appearance and well kept armor and weapons.

Service - Salvation is through service. Every failure diminishes the Lord of Duty, every success adds to His glory. Question unjust laws with suggestions of improvement or alternatives, never additions. The fourfold-duty is to: faith, family, masters and the goodly beings of Faerun.

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Order of the Silver Rose: Code of Conduct.

Honor: A Knight's honor is bound with the duty and means everything. Help those who need help, provided that help does not promote evil ends. Punish those that harm or threaten innocents. An honorable knight can follow his instincts about what is right and wrong. He always shows mercy and refuse to inflict undue suffering even to his worst enemy. A Knight will die before compromising these principles or abandoning duty.

Honesty: A Knight always tells the truth as he knows it. He may choose to remain silent, but will never intentionally mislead or misguide anyone, even enemies. A Knight’s promises will always be kept. No Knight will cheat or use poison. A Knight must also share knowledge. A Knight is just and fair, acting always with honor.

Valor: A Knight will face the greatest of dangers to fulfill a promise or his duty. A Knight will never yield or flee unless faced with the following circumstances; greatly outnumbered, greatly overpowered, or receiving a direct order from a commander. A Knight may also retreat if the life of another is at stake. A Knight must show his courage and never hesitate to defend the rights of others. A Knight will stand up always for the principles he believes in.

Humility: A Knight will never boast or behave with arrogance. A Knight must never speak highly of himself. A Knight speaks favorably of good gods and all good fraternities. A Knight will use no vulgarities in his speech.

Courtesy: A Knight conducts himself in a chivalrous manner. Courtesy is more than just etiquitte for a Knight. Accept others; be patient and understanding, be considerate and respectful. Show self control and take care not to offend others. A Knight's words are well spoken.

Selflessness: A Knight never seeks excess wealth for himself, but strives to help sick and poor. A Knight will cover the retreat of allies and friends in battle, even if it means he has to die. A Knight will never hesitate to sacrifice his life to save others. A Knight is generous; offering to share knowledge, offering help; demonstrating by example, placing the need of others above his own.

Chastity: A Knight is loyal and pure. A Knight avoids even the appearance of impropriety. A Knight will have no carnal knowledge of a woman he is not married to, nor act, in romance, in a manner that would bring shame to any woman, himself, or the brotherhood.

Industry: A Knight is productive at all times; he works hard until the work is complete. He tries his best to provide support when works in group. High-ranked Knights keep other Knights and Squires busy. The aggregate of these actions makes the whole order productive.

Fealty: A Knight is loyal to the order, his brothers and sisters in arms are his fellow kin and brethen. He treats them with respect and care like own family. He listens to the authority of high-ranked and more expirienced Knights and always helps with advice, actions and supplies to the less expirienced. Safety and honor of his brothers and sisters always stays above his own.

Faith: Above all else, a Knight has true Faith in himself, in this Code, in ideals those he swore to protect and in his brother in arms.

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Loyalty. The words of my uncle Gabriel oftentimes still echo through my mind during the still of the night. Such wisdom first came shortly after I had answered the call. It seems like only yesterday. "Never forget for a moment the precious bond which is shared between yourself and those you love and care for. Mighty Torm, we your family, your brothers and sisters at the Halls as well as all those goodly folk who dwell in the land. Treasure it and defend it, sacrifice life and limb for it if it is the only way. Never forget the bond. Never." The greatest lesson came that terrible night, like a gem shinning in the rubble. He sacrificed his life to save mine the night I lost my beloved wife. He never forgot the bond and neither will I.

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This is the wonderful resonse to a task I had given to Squire Cyrus on Honor in the Code of Conduct.

"Sir Uriel,

Here is what I have taken from the code about Honor:

Honor isn't something a knight says or something a knight does. Honor is at the very core of a knight's life. A knight does not only walk with honor, he lives honor. Every action, reaction or thought is guided by this. It is so engrained I their character that it would not occur to a knight to act otherwise.

He would no sooner, though action or inaction, allow harm to come to innocents, comrades or family than he would himself, unless in allowing harm to himself is in the course to protecting others even his enemies. His moral compass guides him instinctually in the honorable course of action in all interactions.

Honor is a word others use, honor isn't a word to a knight - it is his life. Without honor, a knight is not a knight, just a man or woman in a suit of armor


Cyrus Stonehold
Squire - Order of the Silver Rose"

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*Uriel sits in the candlelit back rooms of the Temple of Tyr, finally finishing his first draft on his discourse on selflessness.*

A Discourse on Selflessness.

Within the tenants of the Code of Conduct for the Order of the Silver Rose, it is within the realm of selflessness which we witness one of the greatest divides between the heart of the Knight and the agents of vile darkness. When addressing selflessness within the Code, two questions must be asked: what is selflessness and why is it so important to be included within the Code of Conduct.

Selflessness indeed addresses the priorities of ones life. The ability for an individual to place others above themselves in every aspect of life. This is viewed in such areas as safety, wealth, comfort, and power. The Knight places themselves in the lowest position while placing others (including the goodly people of the realms as well as the greater good as a whole) above themselves.

Selflessness is indeed sacrificial in nature. A Knight sacrifices their own interests for the greater good. More so, it is the unselfish concern for the welfare of others which drives true selflessness. It is in the inability of the agents of vile darkness to unselfishly place the welfare of others above their own which is the great dividing line. They demonstrate an inversion of priorities from those found within the Code with the emphasis on self rather than others.

Selflessness is the ideal which enables the Knight to protect the greater good and the goodly people of the land by unselfishly putting them ahead of ourselves. The importance within the Code is found in the ability granted by selflessness to put ahead of oneself other individuals and ideals. Without selflessness, a Knight may never truly serve and protect the innocents of the land for the greater good. Such then the heart of a Knight must inherently be selfless.

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*Uriel sits in his room, still awake though the hour for sleep has long passed. The candles flicker as he writes his thoughts down in his prayer book.*

I still see his lifeless corpse laying before me. I had summoned Torm's justice against this one who's heart was shrouded with darkness and through me it flowed, striking powerfully against my foe. It all happened so quickly.

Honor and Valor. Lady Gina, Sir Cyrus, Sir El'Aust and Miss Angelica were there, as well as Master Kel. I spotted it there at the top of the hill at the enterance of the Mansion. The air sparkled around it with strong magic. I began calling on the blessings of Torm. There stood the Horned Devil, grunting and growling, mocking me with its eyes, leering at me as I prepared for what was to come next. I heard myself say prepare to die evil beast. At the same time I hear Sir El'Aust say it is a spellcaster. There was little time to react though, it's intentions we're clear as it began heading towards us. I had no choice, I had to protect my Brothers and Sisters.

Compassion. Feeling sorrow and sympathy for those who suffer. Even more, being moved to action to alleviate the suffering caused by the Agents of Vile Darkness. Is that not why I was there that night on patrol. Is that not why I persued the calling. I still move from a decision made many years ago, before great sorrow crept into my own life.

*He closes his prayer book up and blows out the candles, sitting a moment in the dark before heading to his bed for sleep to engulf him.*

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*Uriel sits at the desk in his room in the Silver Rose Keep after returning from patrol with a group of Knights. The candles flicker and cast shadows on his freshly cleaned armor beside him. The amulet of his beloved wife sits in its faithful place near the top of his desk. As he runs a finger along its length in memory, the candles flicker and extinguish. He smiles to himself as he blinks, adjusting his eyes to the sudden darkness. He pulls out his prayer book and summons forth magical light.*

Torm the True God, the Loyal Fury, you have heard and answered the prayers of your faithful. The Silver Rose continues to grow in strength and unity. I continue to pray for guidance, Lord of Duty, to build us up so that we may glorify you through our deeds in these lands, restoring order and loyalty.

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*Uriel returns to his room within the Silver Rose Keep, sitting heavily within the chair before his desk. He lights the few candles occupying his desk, preferring their illumination . He smiles to himself as the candlelight flickers off the amulet of his beloved wife. He then beings to write.*

All the darkness of that time so long ago came rushing back when I watched the dismembered remains of Sir Thomas and his faithful squire turn to a blackened goo upon the floor as the priest tried to work a miracle. Darkness I had once thought to have long emerged from. Suddenly all those memories came flooding back, memories of the temple burning. Memories of Morgal breaking down my door yelling of flames and temples. Memories of rushing through the moonlight, watching the flames lick the sky and screams of my beloved split the awful silence. Memories of the man whom I had called father taking the foul dagger and stabbing my beloved and our unborn son until she could no longer scream, no longer fight, no longer move, sacrificing her to their abominable gods and defiling the holy altar of Torm. Memories of the fighting which ensued, the fleeting hope of my uncle and mentor Gabriel suddenly appearing then willingly receiving the spear bound for my heart into his.

All the nights in Citadel Adbar listening to my darling Sophia cry for her mother, asking why the bad men took her away. Wrestling with the sheer audacity of the hate in ones heart to try to eradicate an entire lineage for reasons long lost. All that darkness and all that pain came suddenly rushing to the surface again as I watched another one of my brothers lost because of those vile agents of darkness from the Zhentarim. The darkness still surrounds me every time I close my eyes, even as they days go by when I said goodbye to a brother. I will not waver in this; I will not steer to the left nor to the right until my eyes see the justice of Torm visited upon those foul souls of the Zhentarim.

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*Uriel meets with the Triage supply wagon heading towards Triel. They are less than a day away and are regrouping within a fortified position. Suddenly assassins materialize, death embraces many. Shouts are heard and steel strikes steel. Barely grasping to life, divine power flows through Uriel restoring his wounds. The aggressors are dispatched and they regroup. Uriel stands on a hill looking to the river, overlooking the infamous bridge to see it blockaded by bandits. The only other option would be to detour through the troll claws, at least two days journey to Triel, likely longer. The orcs were less than a day away. The answer was simple to Uriel, so he kisses his holy avenger and wards himself fully with every blessing Torm has allocated to him. He must reach his allies, the supplies were forfeit if he could not get through. Headlong he charged into hopeless battle, choosing death rather than dishonor. The tide of battle quickly turns as the bandits quickly surrounded and overwhelmed him... *

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*Uriel sits in the quiet of the Keep late at night after returning from a particularly bloody patrol. He sits heavily with a sigh as he looks to the amulet of his beloved shining in candlelight on his desk. He opens his prayerbook and dips a quill in ink to write down his thoughts*

My dearest beloved,

It seems the threat to the Coast has ended. The end of the lich came about last evening in a rather peaceful manner compared to that which one normally experiences. When we finally arrived to confront the lich, I was shocked at the scene. You would have wept openly beloved if you had of witnessed this atrocity to the calling. The one Lady Katarina stood before a lich and lied and acted deceitfully. She may have been successful in intent to bring the lich to rest, the cost was a betrayal to her calling.

The Zhentarim seem to be encircling us in these days. Less than a fortnight ago we received word from the Guide personally of his intentions to move that very moment on the Lich which had been plaguing the area, and that private notices were sent to the Elder's Circle, Kraak Helzak and the Radiant Heart. In the time it took for us to march to our destination the message was intercepted and their agents somehow met us in the Fields. The grey orc tried to hide her face from us and follow us but Sir Seth and I quickly remedied that. Even as we pushed on she continued to follow which Mister Tyn addressed before we engaged the Lich's forces. With her failure to join us in our cause, more approached us in attempt to spy and sabotage us. How so many managed to determine our location was absurd. We turned away their offers of aid respectfully but their mission here clear became forceful in tone and attempted and we responded to their hostility. We would not compromise the integrity of our operation to Zhentarim influence by any regard. I heard the shout for a rear watch to be posted as I joined the front line to fight against minion hordes of the lich. The first of the abominations were spotted and we pushed the line forward confront them. As we clashed with the horde I heard a shout and saw the grey orc run past us into the mob of undead. I gave a silent prayer to Torm for strength and focused again my attention to the numerous undead. Just then the weather changed the wind and the rain picked up heavily and it was then that I felt the sting of her storm. The grey orc chose her side, so be it. By the time I pushed through the swarm of undead, I came across her fallen form. Justice had been served.

I stood speaking with one of the Radiant Heart when the bard Thedran came across us, demanding who struck the grey orc. How in the world he assumed that, or even heard of this is beyond me. Apparently it is to be protected by the Radiant Heart. I do not know how they could protect one who lies openly about her writ from the Dukes and has been caught aiding drow. I suppose given that members of the Radiant Heart have aided drow it is not such a stretch. It is well that the Dukes clarified the true nature of her writ to us.

It wasn't even to the next sunrise when the rumors from false Ilmatari start to spread lies and blasphamous words in attempts to besmirch the good name of the Silver Rose and the work that was done against the Lich and his minions.

Your memory gives me much strength my love.