Of the White Hand is a book by Herod Tuson. It can be found in the Royal Library in Empo Sar.
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Of the White Hand
by Herod Tuson
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The Protectors of the Light and Followers of the
White Hand
The Protectors of the Light and Followers the White
Hand, or commonly known as the White Hand, is an
organization founded by Lothair de Payens, an
Lionelian noble, in 30 CA. The White Hand was originally
founded to aid the poor and helpless in a world that
still remembered the touch of the Dark Lord and that
was scorched by war and misery. The order's task was
to aim those who still "walked in the light" and to
secure the main roads between Lionel (a region which
would later become known as the Lionel Plains),
Cendian, Leithe Falum and Dal-Eran (the main human
cities at the time). The White Hand had its main seat in
Lionel, but that has changed several times throughout
the years. Today the White Hand has their seat in
Uluthiane, where they have effectively now taken
over what there is to rule.
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The Name
During the War Against the Shadow the terms "the
White Hand" and "the Black Hand" was often used for
the Creators and the Dark Lard respectively. In the
beginning they were tightly connected to the Holy
Church of Ternarius which at the time had its High
Seat in Dal-Eran and were often used as the
Patriarch's private army. And as the Church of
Ternarius often was thought of as a synonym for the
Light the "Protectors of the Light and Followers of
the White Hand" made much more sense during its
founding than today.
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Early History (30-117)
The White Hand was founded by Lothair de Payens,
Klaas de Payens and Haran Pan'draan in the city of
Dal-Eran. Lothair and Klaas were brothers of noble
heritage from Lionel, and Haran was a minor noble from
Cendian. They were all veterans from the Shadow War,
and after the defeat of Phobos they hadn't seen the
changes they had hoped for. The world was still torn
by war, but this time between men themselves. The
world outside the city walls were dangerous, and
borders and loyalties changed on a weekly basis. The
three war veterans decided to do something about
what they saw, and they formed the White Hand. The
White Hand first started out as a simple hospital
where they helped everyone who needed help, but
quickly they began trying to secure the roads around
Dal-Eran. Their ties to the Holy Church were also
quickly tightened, and by the and of the 50's the
White Hand was widely known, not only for their tight
connections to the Holy Church, but also as the
protectors of those in need. As their numbers grew it
was decided to secure the main roads between the
four major cities of Dal-Eran, Cendian, Leithe Falum
and Erellor. And in 88 all major factions on Aerath had
signed a treaty not to harm anyone travelling on the
main roads. The White Hand also built small outposts
along the roads with a small garrison of White Hand
soldiers. Unfortunately Lothair died in 67, Haran in 69
and Klaas as late as 89. In the early 100's all of the
original White Hands had died, and a new generation of
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White Hands was ready to take over the organization.
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110-490
The Treaty of 88 was later broken in 95, and the White
Hand suffered what was considered a great insult in
this. As the wars reached new heights of terror, many
members left the organization. Since its foundation
the White Hand have moved their Head Quarters no
less than 8 times: Dal-Eran (30), Cendian (54), Lionel
(69), Abon (89), Faer’el’daran (94), Wirafal (98), Soralar
(112) and Kraan (131) have all had the chance to house
the White Hand. By the end of the 130s the last of the
wars ended, and a period of peace emerged. The White
Hand moved to Kraan in 131 as it was at the time the
only gathering of people that could be called a city at
the time after the fall of Soralar. And as many of the
founders of Kraan had a background in the White Hand
they were more than welcome to settle in the new
city. The organization would thrive in Kraan and they
mostly went away from being a militaristic
organization to focus on helping those in need.
Running mostly hospitals, orphanages and schools for
the poor. In the 450's the focus changed once again, it
was Garalan Tokura, one of the mightiest nobles in
Kraan, who wanted to form his own little army. He's
goal was to take over the Emposian throne from the
weakened Baerin line from Empo Sar. He never got the
throne himself, but in 490 his son, Tiratoris, was
crowned king of Emposia. And as he moved to Empo
Sar he brought his White Hands with him.
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Emposia (490-957)
The White Hand survived the fall of the Tokuran line
and thrived in Empo Sar. They were however expelled
from Emposia in 957 after a long struggle with the
monarchs of Emposia.
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Uluthiane (957-)
In 957 Uluthiane was once again in a struggle with its
mighty neighbor, the Dwarven Empire. After three
years of back and forth, it seemed that they would
not be able to withstand the dwarven armies. The
White Hand had been expelled from Empo Sar
after some very nasty accusations. Spokesman Harold
Chapler sent a messenger to Grand Master Lothan do
Heryas with a proposition that said the White Hand
could build up their new Head Quarters in Uluthiane if
they were able to fend of the dwarves. And only two
years later, in 959, a truce was made after a crushing
victory for the White Hand. The White Hand started
building the White Fortress outside Uluthiane in 960,
and by 965 the city had grown up around the White
Fortress. Slowly the White Hand managed to place
their own men inside the Council of Merchants, the
House of Nobles, and the Senate. Bit for bit the White
Hand grasped all the power it could leaving only a few
tiny tears of power in the hands of the Senate. The
House of Nobles were by 985 practically stripped of all
their powers, only having a ceremonial position, and
the same happened to the Council of Merchants by 988
and the Senate by 996. Today the Grand Master of the
White Hand has about the some position as a King in
any other kingdom.
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Index