Some may call them the backbone of the land; some may call them overzelous holy rollers; but whatever your opinion is on the Order of the Gauntlet, it is clear that they’ve made a significant impact on the land of Faerún in their short lifespan. They were perhaps based on an organization called The Triad, an alliance of Tyr, Illmater, and Torm, but that is little more than unconfirmed speculation.
The Gauntlet was formed out of existing organizations of faith, most notably the faiths of Tyr, Helm, Torm, and Hoar, who worked together to establish the following directives for its members:
- Faith is the greatest weapon against evil—faith in one’s god, one’s friends, and one’s self.
- Battling evil is an extraordinary task that requires extraordinary strength and bravery.
- Punishing an evil act is just. Punishing an evil thought is not.
The primary goal of the Order is also stated in their founding documents:
“To be armed, vigilant, and ready to smite evil, enforce justice, and enact retribution. This means identifying evil threats such as secretive power groups and inherently evil creatures, watching over them, and being ready to attack the moment they misbehave. (These are always retributive strikes, never preemptive.)”
It’s little surprise that their organization attracted many religiously motivated people due to these beliefs and goals. The membership of the Order has at this point expanded beyond the faith of the founding organizations and now include a wide variety of faiths, ranging from Sune to the Red Knight and even to some other deities who may not be particularly friendly towards others.
However, being a body consisting of a wide variety of faiths and with an somewhat open definition of beliefs and goals, we’ve seen a great flaw in the Order: division and disorganization. How they’re organized and what their mission is will change depending on who you ask within the Order. When interviewed, some members did not know the core beliefs of the organization and simply joined for crusading purposes.
When observed in different regions of influence, the Order seems to perform operations in a fashion that is loosely related to a military structure. Asking about their actual structure elates different responses and even though there is a clear chain of command in some areas, there is no central body that most seem to adhere to. It would be best to say that the Order operates in operational cells based around a single mission or goal, although this organization is more natural than intentionally constructed.
Regardless, the Order has continued to stand strong in their short time together and be a proven tremendous force against their enemies, despite the core difference in faiths of its members. They’re well known for their power and are called upon to battle undead, punish evil, and help the sick and wounded. There is no doubt that they have great strength in battle and conviction to help the needy.
This article is part of a study on the major factions of Faerún by Kah Alok, who is taking an outside perspective on each of the factions. We will be going through each of the major factions of Faerún and providing an overview of their history, beliefs, and goals.
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