Characters/players seeking admission to the guild will be required to take oaths which bind them not just to the Order, but to all other active members. The purpose of these oaths is to foster a sense of community, loyalty, and duty. Furthermore, when characters are ready to accept more responsibility in the Order, and have completed their trials/apprenticeships, they can be promoted to Knight, or any other rank of the same tier.

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Inductions:

Spoken to the aspirant before the swearing of their oaths:

• Swearing these oaths is a ritual that binds each of us to the tenants of our Order, to the virtues of our own faith, and to the fellowship of our union. Sworn are we, these fellows of the Order, to safeguard the lives of the innocent, to drive back the forces of darkness which seek to wash upon our shores, and to keep secure the lands of the Crown, and this great Alliance, for all generations to come.
  
  The oaths I speak, to follow, will cement your fellowship within this Order; do not consent lightly. For each oath that you swear your response is to be "So long as I draw breath, I shall.” Do you understand?

Each of the following oaths is then administered, providing a moment for the aspirant to respond with “So long as I draw breath, I shall.”

• Will you swear yourself to the loyalty of our Order, for the preservation of the lives of those whom we call fellows?

• Will you swear to uphold the tenets of good faith, and honesty, upon which our Order is founded?

• Will you swear to safeguard the lives of the innocent, and to safeguard these lands of the Crown, and of the great Alliance, against all enemies who advance upon it, of both this world and others, for the sake of the people?

• And lastly, will you swear to fight in the name of your brothers and sisters of this Order, should they call upon you in their time of need, no matter the danger?

 

Following their acceptance of the final oath, they may be welcomed into the Order, and promoted to the rank of Fellow.

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Promotions:

Promotions are decided upon by the Knight’s Council on a case by case basis. Candidates must have proven their ability to abide by the Order’s mandates and laws, and to serve as an exemplar of the Ardent Circle’s values, and uphold their oaths as members.

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Should the council feel one of its own members has risen above their station time and time again, and has proved themselves worthy and capable of taking a higher position of leadership, the Knight’s Council can discussing their potential appointment to the rank of Councilor; there must always be an odd number of Councilors.

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Promotion to Knight:

Responsibilities of an Ardent Knight:

• Knights are charged with embodying the virtues and tenants of the Order, executing its duties throughout the south, voting in new members of the Knight’s Council, and the Upper Council, and recruiting new members to the Order.
  
  Candidates for Knighthood have proven that they are: knowledgeable and understanding of the Order’s virtues and purpose, willing and able to fight for and serve the Alliance and the Order in times of great peril, to seek out and aid those in need, and to represent the Ardent Circle in the best of manners.
   

• Fellows being promoted to the rank of Knight will need to reaffirm their vows; the following is spoken:

 

Spoken to the Fellow before the swearing of their oaths:

• Having taken your oaths, and proved yourself an able bodied exemplar of those virtues, tenants, and duties you swore to upon joining our Order, the Council has agreed that you are worthy of being included within its ranks, and tasked with the even greater duty of not only continuing to uphold those virtues, but to help instill them in new generations of Fellows.
  
  Will you pledge yourself to this responsibility, to the well-being of the Council, and the Order, and accept, and execute the duties of the Knights of the Ardent Circle?

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Promotion to Councilor:

Responsibilities of an Ardent Councilor:

• Councilors are appointed by the Knight’s Councilor to guide and administer the daily affairs of the Order. Councilors are appointed, and hold their station until voted out by the Knight’s Council, or upon their own resignation. They are responsible for deciding upon affairs concerning the direction of the Order, including what tasks and campaigns it undertakes.
  
  Each councilor becomes an exemplar, and embodiment of one virtue, voted upon by their peers. A merciful and compassionate candidate may, therefore, become a Councilor of Mercy, or Councilor of Compassion.
  
  Candidates for the Councilor position have proven that they are: mature, level headed, and capable of leading the Order, have months of experience within the Order, and must be current members of the Knight’s Council.

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Appointment to Knight Champion:

Responsibilities of a Knight Champion:

• Knights who are appointed beyond the station of any council: charged with leading the forces of the Order on the field of battle, and becoming an essential paragon of the knighthood, these Knight Champions are essentially the chosen of the Council, and represent the best of the best within the Order. They are often chosen and appointed to serve out specific roles or tasks in times of need, and operate outside of the purvey of the council.
  
  Candidates for Knight Champion have proven that they are: tenacious, resilient, honest, humble and always knightly; exemplars of all the standards and responsibilities of Ardent Knighthood, who are willing to step above and beyond their station and lead in times of need, and have proven their capacity to act, and react, with clear headedness and resolve in times of chaos and uncertainty. They may be appointed for the duration of a specific period of time, or permanently elevated to this station, given that they are assigned specific responsibilities.

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