The Brotherhood

The Swavian Rebellions:  Swavia was a hotly contested territory lying to the southwest of the Vessian Empire, ruled by the Swavian family.  General unrest, rising tensions, disagreements between the ruling classes and the Vessian Emperor, and external influence eventually led to a civil war.  Some of the Swavian dukes sought to split from the Empire and proclaim their own kingdom, while others attempted to merge with a neighboring province.  A quick but bloody civil war ensued that would ultimately end in victory for the Vessians.  The Swavians were executed and the province placed under martial law.

The lack of manpower in other parts of the Empire during the rebellions led to increased instability, especially in the northwest provinces.  Towns and villages, and later whole cities were victim to Wickan raids that led tot he destruction of the Empire's frontier settlements and the death of many citizens.  Coincidentally, many of the founding knights of the Brotherhood were born, raised, and lived in this region.

The Massacre at Arburg:  Arburg was an abandoned castle lying just northwest of the Empire's borders, technically in Eastwick's domain.  A great many Wickan raiders had used it as a staging ground for their forays into Vessia.  When the knights and other soldiers returned from the Swavian Rebellions they were driven to madness at the loss of their friends and families.  They collected themselves under Konrad IV von Marschburg and quickly marched on Arburg, where they proceeded to slaughter the men, women, and even children who were there.

The King of Eastwick was angered and prepared to summon his forces to retaliate.  The Vessian Emperor, however, could not afford another war, and so arrested Konrad and his band as they re-entered the Empire.  He promised to execute them in an effort to stave off a war with the Wickans.

The Wickan Crusade:  The Vessian Emperor was soon visited by High King Ulfr of Asgeir.  The Varan were also victims of the Wickan raids and were eager to set the Vessian knights upon them.  Ulfr was able to convince the Vessian Emperor to organize the prisoners into a knightly order and set them loose on the Wickans, to which the Emperor agreed.

Konrad IV von Marshburg was proclaimed the Grandmaster of the Order and led his knights against the Wickans.  The campaign was bloody, with overwhelming victories for the Order.  It was also controversial, seeing the eradication of whole tribes and villages, the execution of non-combatants, and displacement of entire peoples.  The crusade officially ended when the King of Eastwick converted to Angelism and thus forced his subjects to follow suit.

Expansion:  After the Wickan Crusade Konrad sent his knights around the Overworld to establish chapter houses, hospices, universities, orphanages, and trade networks.

The Duchy of Audria and the Eastern Crusade:  Konrad IV von Marshburg would then lead his Brothers into the Eastern March, a stretch of land lying to the east of the Free Plains.  The Brothers founded Salem and began to push east, routing the Wickans at the Battle of the Vorstuga River and founding the settlement Vorstuga there.  It was during this period that Konrad stepped down and married Lady Audrey von Hepburn, declared the conquered land as the Duchy of Audria, and became its first Duke.

The Brothers continue the perpetual Eastern Crusade, constantly working to acquire more territory in the Eastern March.

The Erstonian Crusade:  The Brothers sent Marschall Henke and a force of knights to the island Helmfirth to conquer the lands of Erstonia.  A smaller autonomous order operates there known as the Erstonian Order.