User:Konig Des Todes/Fan Fiction/The Shining Mantle

Note: This article is complete fanon and mimics the style of official sources. Errors which occur in the original source should be corrected here.

The Shining Mantle

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"We are the Shining Mantle. Follow the truth and strive for co-existence. Peace is the goal, not power nor greed.

— Shining Mantle motto

In 1070 AE, the charr invaded the three human kingdoms of Tyria. Orr was sunk, Ascalon was shattered, but Kryta remained strong. In its time of need, a former drunkard and gambler, Saul D'Alessio, brought hope to Kryta in the form of the White Mantle and the Unseen Ones. This hope was false, as he learned when he risked his life to finally thwart the Charr Invasion. He took away one threat from Kryta just to put it in shackles to the Mursaat. For realizing the truth, the beings he began to revere as divine beings took him away to a land unknown and he was claimed to be dead by his successor, Dorian.

In the Beginning

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Follow the teachings of Saul and live to aid the weak. Follow the teachings of Dorian and fall as he fell. Follow the teachings of Isaiah and be lost forever.

— Qui-Dor Sethiroth, co-founder of the Shining Mantle

Saul's full teachings are lost to the times of history. Many speculate on what he preached, and with how the White Mantle became those speculations lead to believe that Saul's teachings were the same as Dorian's. What is known is that Saul placed special edicts to protect the old faith, indicating that he did not wish for the faith of the Unseen Ones to replace that of the Six Human Gods. Under Saul's guide, the White Mantle protected the weak and the innocent. Few members were truly devoted to the Unseen Ones, only wishing to help their families and friends from threats. In turn, when Saul was taken, many of them were killed.

The sole survivors of the assassination that ended the charr invasion were but three men: Dorian, Hablion, and Thommis. Together, these three took control of the White Mantle and led it into an ever darkening path. Kryta was divided into two groups: the poor and the White Mantle. Corruption reigned in the order as innocents were slaughtered for the Unseen Ones. With the Krytan throne empty, Dorian fought no opposition in taking control of the land.

However, this did not last. In 1072 AE, a rebel organization known as the Shining Blade aided by Ascalonian adventurers had put an end to Hablion, Dorian, the White Mantle's Inner Council, and their false gods after having been revealed as the Mursaat. Left without leadership, the middle ranked members of the White Mantle took hold, plummeting the order into complete tyranny, resulting in the Krytan Civil War.

The Reformation

In 1078 AE, three former members of the White Mantle had become sickened by the current path. Knowing that not every member was like its leadership, these three individuals formed a new order, designed with the sole purpose of being a sanctuary for Saul's teachings and those who were blinded by the then Confessor Isaiah's growing lies. To mirror what they would become, they took on the name of the Shining Mantle - shared ideals from both the original White Mantle and Shining Blade, and desiring to become a new beacon of hope in Kryta, to shine what has become tarnished.

Their group remained small for months, until 1079 AE when Isaiah had hired what he claimed were Peacekeepers but in truth were nothing more than bandits. Within a weeks, their numbers had bolstered largely and they were quickly branded traitors by both White Mantle and Shining Blade. Taking refuge on the edge of Kryta, the Shining Mantle infiltrated and recruited wavering members of the White Mantle. Their fight was not with sword or spell like the Shining Blade, but with words. They sought to save lives, not end them. The only ones they wished to see sent to the Mists were the Peacekeepers and new leaders of the White Mantle. Because of their refusal to fight average members of the White Mantle, they were distrusted by the Shining Blade and they refused to work with the new order.

However, Salma saw the intentions of the Shining Mantle and agreed to work with them. But before any cooperation was possible, the White Mantle sent their forces upon Lion's Arch, and the Shining Mantle were forced to fight a fraction of the Peacekeepers and constructs created by the Mursaat. When the battles were over, Salma requested the Shining Mantle to disband and for its members to become part of the Seraph, and the three founders agreed.

Hunting a Haunting Past

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So long as conflict exists, there will be those who wish for no conflict. When that conflict ends, so to will those who wished for peace. The Shining Mantle, however, will remain. Not wishing for peace, but remembering the conflict.

— Ithaqua Zhar, co-founder of the Shining Mantle

Many of those who were once part of the White Mantle felt that they have not yet obtained atonement for their time in the order and refused to disband the Shining Mantle. In turn, the three founders agreed to step down as leaders, but remained watchful over their actions to make sure that what happened to the White Mantle did not happen to their own order.

Shortly after the end of the Krytan Civil War, there were scattered reports of the White Mantle surviving, hiding in the shadows of the continent. The Shining Mantle took it upon themselves to look into these rumors and headed deep into the Maguuma Jungle. For three years, they remained there, searching. Sometimes traces were found, but nothing ever conclusive. When the order returned to Kryta, they were shunned. They were no longer those who aided Salma in the civil war. They were no longer men and women who had left the White Mantle. To the people, they were nothing more than the White Mantle themselves.

Left with no choice, the members of the Shining Mantle left Kryta - sailing off of the western coast of Tyria. But they swore that when Kryta needed them again, they or their descendants shall return. No one knows where they traveled to as they left.

Peace is the Goal

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Over time, all things change. I just hope that the people's view of the Shining Mantle does soon.

— Malchior Devenholm, co-founder of the Shining Mantle

The Shining Mantle were not heard for over a century, only returning shortly after the Rising of Orr and the catastrophic tidal wave that flooded southern Kryta. Due to the years passed and the chaos of the nation, few questioned or complained about the return of the order. They were not the same order either. Though they kept the same ideals as the founders, having spent their entire life as an outcast left the new order with no interest in those who were the cause, those who were once protected. They only aided the nation in its time of need to fulfill the promise of their forefathers and nothing more. When the people of Kryta were safely relocated to the north and the devastation of the tidal wave had eased, the Shining Mantle went about their own plans and dreams.

Since that time, the Shining Mantle have worked to build unity among the various races and beliefs. They did not work to protect groups, but end conflicts. They became self-proclaimed mediators of inter-national disputes and continue to do such. Every conflict they join in, they work to bring about a treaty and they'll use any methods to see it through. Because of their new intentions, they find the militaristic charr and enslaving krait to be their biggest threats. Despite this, however, the Shining Mantle still work alongside all races whenever possible and allow anyone to join.

In modern times, they work fervently to ensure the peace treaty between charr and humans and have been looking into the life of Ventari for means of bringing a stop to the war between Krytans and centaurs. And they will continue to do so until peace is gained.

Notable leaders

Ithaqua Zhar

Led during 1079 AE, co-led alongside Malchior Devenholm and Qui-Dor Sethiroth. At the end of the Krytan civil war, the three stepped down as they realized their vision did not match the rest of the order's.

Baris Garza

Took leadership of the Shining Mantle after the three founders stepped down, and eventually led the Shining Mantle into the Maguuma to confirm rumors of the White Mantle's survival. Upon their returned, he organized to use the Sethiroth family estate as a base of operations before the order left Tyria in 1086 AE

Estera Garza

Descendant of Baris, she led the Shining Mantle on their return from the self-imposed exile. Drawn by the traveling news of the rise of Primordus and Jormag, the Shining Mantle returned from the west shortly after Zhaitan's awakening, before Tyria was cut off. After aiding the Krytan people, she opened the Shining Mantle to all races.

Rhy Brightwing

Current leader of the Shining Mantle's military division. He is of Avicara tengu origins, though his family moved into the Dominion of Winds two generations before him. He often uses his twin sister, Shry Brightwing, as a means to get resources from within the Dominion without leaving his post.