Blade of Ession
Intent: To create an organization centered around protecting the Ashlan heads of state.
Image Credit: Here (edits made by me), headers/dividers made by Ingrid L'lerim-Vandiir
Canon: N/A
Permissions: N/A
Links: Royal Guard, Shadow Guard, Temple Guard
Organization Name: The Brotherhood of the Golden Veil
Classification: Force Order
Affiliation: Ashlan Crusade
Organization Symbol: The symbol of the Brotherhood is a kneeling woman (representing Ashla), praying with a golden veil draped over her face.
Description: The Brotherhood of the Golden Veil protects and monitors the high-ranking officials within the Ashlan Crusade, acting as a personal guard.
Headquarters: Bosph
Domain: The Brotherhood of the Golden Veil don't hold sway over any particular part of space, aside from their temple. They keep to themselves, only interacting with those that are necessary within the context of their duties. They are revered by the general populace, their duties seen as one of the highest honors one can hold within the Crusade. Despite this support from the general population, the Brotherhood is sometimes met with suspicion by the very people they are sworn to protect.
Notable Assets: The Temple of the Veil is the only real asset of the Brotherhood, providing them with housing and training whenever they are not on duty.
Hierarchy: The hierarchy of the Brotherhood is as follows;
The One Behind the Veil: The grandmaster of the secretive order. The One is the individual that coordinates the Brotherhood's activities, oversees their training, and handles any problems that arise within the order. Their identity is kept secret, only known to a select few outside of the Brotherhood.
The Veilbearers: These are the full-fledged members of the Brotherhood. They are few in number, only including the most devout, loyal, and skilled members of the Knightly Orders of Ashla. They are separated into two groups; masters and knights. The masters are even fewer in number, and can be picked out by their iconic lightsaber pikes.
General Staff: The temple requires upkeep, as all places do. As such, there are staff with various jobs focused on maintaining the grounds, as well as providing assistance to the Brotherhood wherever it is needed.
Membership: Overall, membership within the Golden Veil is roughly three hundred individuals. There are less than one hundred Veilbearers at any given time, and even fewer masters among their number. The bulk of the Brotherhood's numbers is made up of their support staff. Only the most loyal and skilled members of the Knightly Orders are considered for candidacy within the Golden Veil. Should an individual be selected, they must pass an intense interrogation, and are extensively vetted by those already within the Brotherhood. Should their hearts be deemed true, the initiates are then subjected to a series of intense physical and mental tests, having to prove their ability to protect the most important individuals within the Crusade's ranks. Should an individual pass these tests, they will take their vows and join the ranks of the Golden Veil. Candidates that don't make the cut are submitted to a memory wipe, keeping the secrets of the Brotherhood intact.
Climate: To say that the Golden Veil is secretive would be an understatement. The rites of the Brotherhood, their identities, and much more are kept from the public eye. This has given them a larger than life appearance to the general populace. Behind closed doors, they are a tightly-knit group of individuals that have decided to forego their personal goals for the sake of a higher purpose.
Reputation: To be a Veilbearer is considered one of the highest honors within the Ashlan Crusade. They are looked upon with respect by the populace, and are revered for their utter devotion to their duty. This is often considered strange by outsiders, as the Brotherhood maintains a very secretive nature, keeping much of the inner workings of their Order behind closed doors. Though they are seen as incredibly loyal and devout, the Brotherhood is also met with fear and suspicion from those within the political sphere of the Crusade. This is due to the nature of some of their duties, particularly their task of keeping an eye out for treachery and infiltration by the followers of the Bogan.
Curios: The masks, armor, and robes of the Veilbearers are considered to be sacred, representing themselves and their status within the greater dynamic of the Ashlan Crusade. Their golden armor represents the protection given to them by Ashla's Light. Their robes are a traditional Essonian blue, meant to show their loyalty to the mission set before them by
Cedric Grayson
. The purple body glove represents the blood they are willing to shed in the name of that cause, as blue and red create purple. Their masks show no facial features of any kind, because in their eyes, their personal identities and goals mean nothing compared to the task set before them. The idea of losing one's mask is a major taboo within the Brotherhood, and would be met with severe punishment.Rules: The Golden Veil is an organization made in the name of Ashla, and as such they are incredibly focused on following the teachings of the Holy Ashlan Papacy. They are a very pious group, and are often seen as shining examples of what it means to serve Ashla. They are a very hermetic and monastic group, spending much of their free time in isolation within the temple. They are not meant to be seen outside of the temple without their iconic robes and armor. Should a member break these traditions, or fall to the Dark Side, there would indeed be consequences for their actions.
Goals: The primary goal of the Brotherhood is simple; to protect the Ashlan heads of state at all cost. Their members constantly accompany those they are sworn to protect, making sure to never leave them unguarded. The secondary goal (and the reason that they are looked at with suspicion by Ashlan politicians) is to keep an eye on those same individuals. The Brotherhood keeps an ear open to any and all dialogue said in their presence, constantly looking out for potential treachery within the Ashlan ranks. Should the whispers of the Bogan weasel their way into the upper echelons of Ashlan politics, it is the Brotherhood that serves as the first line of defense against the corruption.
The members of the Golden Veil keep their identities to themselves, making sure to carefully avoid revealing themselves to the populace.
As the Ashlan Crusade worked to establish itself as a more centralized galactic power, the growing need for proper protection for the Ashlan heads of state was becoming more and more apparent. As the Crusade made attempts to organize a proper force to act as bodyguards, they found their efforts less than fruitful. In order to improve protection for their beloved leaders, the Crusade turned to the growing number of Knightly Orders within their ranks. A mysterious figure within the Ashlan Crusade began gathering those that were the most devout to what is now known as The Temple of the Veil, bringing the most desirable candidates together in an effort to create an organization truly worthy of protecting the Crusade's leadership. As soon as the organization's existence became public knowledge, the temple doors were shut, only allowing members of the Brotherhood to enter. Since then, the Golden Veil has remained the most trusted of bodyguards within the ranks of the Ashlan Crusade.
