The Order of the Black Rose

The Order of the Black Rose (OBR) is an alliance based in the customs and traditions of the European Medieval Era. While Role Playing scenarios are tweaked to accommodate the available levels of technology in Cyber Nations, it is customary for OBR members to conduct all public communications in the manner befitting Members of State of the period.

OBR members may routinely refer to handheld computers, wide-screen displays, global positioning systems, Cruisers (Cruise Missiles), Tanks, and Hummers while accompanying those terms with such words as haveth & taketh, warmonger, peacemonger & whoremonger, Sir, Lady & Milady, and knave, brigand & peasant.

Should you find yourself lost in the pomp, please refer to our guide.

We bare our arms and show our scars with the hope that we may make peacemongers of you all.

For The Order!

P.S. We have a penchant for The Bard as well.

Ruling Cabinet Knights
Sir Yenisey Sir Neboe Sir Bumpy Sir SocCarolina Sir Quercus Sir Winslow Sir W_A_R Dame Hime Themis Dame Stella Dame Kirke
 * Knight VIII
 * Knight IX
 * Knight Commander of the Chamber of Armoury
 * Knight X
 * Knight XII
 * Knight XVII
 * Knight XX
 * Knight Protector
 * Knight Commander of the Chamber of the Court
 * Knight XXI
 * Knight XXII
 * Knight Commander of the Chamber of Diplomacy, Intelligence and Communication
 * Knight XXIII
 * Knight Commander of the Chamber Of Aid And Gameplay and Knight Commander of the Chamber of Supplication
 * Knight XXIIV
 * Knight Commander of Blackwater

Founding History
Here beginneth the Tale of the History of the Order.

In August the eighth month of the year of our calendar 2006, there did exist in Digiterra an alliance known to that world as the Grey Council. It numbered at that time some more than thirty members in good standing, and all were committed to the noble ideals laid forth in its great Charter. For the Council at that time was a true and worthy alliance, dedicated to neutrality and the meritocratic cause of honor. Under its grey banner were united some of the world's best and truest rulers, and the spirit of fellowship grew and flourished in those halls.

In the time of which we speak, the leadership of the Grey Council resided in a small group of honorable rulers who willingly devoted their time and resources to its greater glory and continuation. Among these numbered its Chairman Narva Khan, its Censor Kelva Khan, and its Judge Advocate General Wyveros. It was the task of these few to keep the Council true to its ideals in the face of opposition, to ensure the continued health of the alliance, and to provide sterling example and resolution of such issues as arose. This did they do, and all was well. But there then arose a series of trials and tribulations from both the outside world and their own alliance, and thus came about the Grey Schism. In its wake fell several mighty nations, first among them the peaceful kingdom of Wyveros. And when the Baroness of that once-proud nation perished along with her country in the sea of miasmic deletion, those of her soul's bloodline vowed to rise in her vengeance and honor, and thus from the heart of the black continent came forth into Digiterra AterAtra of Atrum.

On September the fourth of that eventful year, two days after the final sinking and deletion of Wyveros, this AterAtra did found a new forum, and did entitle it The Order of the Black Rose. As an alliance of honor, nobility, and haven, it opened its gates by invitation only, and such invitations were extended solely to those whose mettle and worth had been proven in both bloody conflict and peaceful diplomacy.

On that same fourth and fifth of September in that eventful year there came to the Order its founding Knights, all veterans of the Grey whose souls had been sickened by the Grey Schism and who sought a fellowship of honor surrounded by those they held most dear. And so were gathered, in order of their arrival, Sir Vendetta of Lacleria, Sir Gwalchfaen of New Ddraig, Sir Narva Khan of Teras Kasi, and Sir Mondroso of Gryphons Keep. The Order rejoiced at their coming, and casks of Ddraig Stout and tables of baked goods were shared in celebration.

It was apparent to the founding Knights that their numbers were still incomplete, for there were those among their Grey compatriots whose fellowship they longed for and without whom their number was diminished. But in the absence of their beloved brethren, the founding Knights did nevertheless begin as they meant to go on in the name of the Order. In this first week of the Order's history there came a series of attacks from rogue nations on Atrum, New Ddraig, and Gryphons Keep. In each and every instance the Order reduced its attacker to zero infrastructure and caused the deletion of the nation altogether. Thus was the military code of the Order established, and thus began its commitment to an unblemished record of total victory.

On the twelfth of September in that eventful year there came to the Order Sir Corvus of Svobodnaya Strana, whose absence the Knights had much noted and whose arrival merited renewed celebration.

Now was the Order complete, and now did its glorious history commence to flower.

Roselution
Revitalized. November 18th, 2009

BE IT KNOWN by these presents that Our Majesty ATERATRA, The Black Rose, by the grace of CN Ruler of Atrum, does hereby publish and announce this ROYAL ROSELUTION touching the matter of Fellowship in The Order of the Black Rose, and that we by this publication intend to be bound and obligated.

It was the aim of our Order upon its founding to provide safe haven for our brethren in an atmosphere where their native chivalry, honor, and talents could thrive and be properly appreciated. This we have done and our Knights now stand for the very pinnacle of brightness in the ever-murkier world of Digiterra. Thus we now, in due appreciation of their achievements and with due desire to expand the sphere of their talents, resolve to open fellowship in the Order to new members whose ideals of chivalry are in keeping with our own, and who stand ready to pledge their words and deeds to the glory of their fellows and the prosperity of our shared nations.

Any member in good standing of the Black team shall be eligible to apply for membership in the Rosular Kingdom. In the event that a candidate is not a Black team member, they may apply to the Kingdom however, they will not be fully masked until they have changed teams. In the event of an extenuating circumstance, a candidate may petition the Knight Protector for a Decree of Special Consideration.

I. Promotion
Effective November 18, 2009, any new member to the Rosular Kingdom will begin their journey within the Realm of The Rose. It is desirable that all live as a Citizen before fighting on the battlefield to earn the right to travel the journey through the Diamond as a Page and work as a Squire. Only then will they be fully prepared to be a future leader, a Knight or a Dame, within the Great Halls of the Order of the Black Rose.

New members to the Rosular Kingdom will go through the application process under the Alliance Affiliation of "Rosular Kingdom Applicant". The application will be processed, approved and cleared within a reasonable time and upon clearance the applicant will change their AA to “Realm of The Rose” and at that time, Kingdom Training will commence.

Citizenship to Military

1. After a Citizen has been fully masked for a minimum of 4 full weeks in the Realm of The Rose and have completed Kingdom Training with their mentor, they will have the option to enlist into military service within Blackwater or remain a Citizen. 2. Acceptance to Blackwater will be based on a member's activity level and genuine interest in the Rosular Kingdom. The Executive Officer and/or the Knight Commander of the Armory will decide who will be admitted to the military ranks. 3. The Executive Officer of Blackwater and/or the Knight Commander of The Armory may discharge any Blackwater member back to civilian life should there be a proven inability to withstand the rigors of military life. a. In the event of a discharge, members will be given a 7 day warning letter that they will become a Citizen should they continue to be inactive. b. On the 8th day, if there is no reply from the member, their mask will be changed back to a Citizen and a message will be sent to the member asking them to change their AA.

Supplication to the Order of the Black Rose

Supplicants from Blackwater who have completed a minimum of 60 consecutive days in Blackwater and have achieved Officer Level (NCO or Commissioned) AND have maintained a visible level of activity have met the prerequisites to supplication to the Order of the Black Rose. OR "Special Consideration Supplicants" - The "Special Consideration Supplicant" may petition to the Knights Council to supplicate directly to the Order. The Knights Council will carefully consider each case and determine if in fact the request will be granted and if granted, to which level they may supplicate. To be considered, the candidate must prove knowledge of the Roselution and wisdom of the Order. The Knights Council may permit supplication to either the level of Page or Squire. No one may supplicate directly to the position of Knight.

1. All Supplicants must post their intent in the OBR Forum. 2. Supplication is a grueling process, lasting at least 14 days, led by the Knight Commander or Squire Rampant of the Chamber of Supplication as well as questioning by the Pages, Squires and Knights of the Order. In the event of a Special Consideration Supplicant who has been given permission to supplicate to the position of Squire, the supplication process will be conducted exclusively by the Knights. 3. If an applicant is unable to commit to the time involved or an unforeseen incident occurs, the process will cease. Should the process be ceased, the Supplicant must wait 30 days before they may re-supplicate. At the end of the Supplication process for those supplicating as a Page, a vote will be taken of the active Pages, Squires and Knights. For Special Consideration Supplicants who are entering the Order as a Squire, only the Knight’s Council will vote. In all cases, the Supplicant must receive an approval rating equal to or above 75% of the vote. Or, after the two week supplication process a Royal Decree may be declared to extend an invitation directly to a supplicant. Please note: The percentage of Yeses shall be calculated from the number of votes cast, not the number of votes theoretically available. Abstain votes shall not be counted in the total number of votes cast.

Promotion from Page to Squire

Completion of the Diamond Ring is required for promotion. At time of completion, active Squires and Knights vote and the Page must receive a minimum vote of 90% in favor. Or, upon completion of the Diamond, a Royal Decree may be declared to promote a Page to a Squire.

Promotion from Squire to Knight

Completion of an Endeavor and other Squire requirements should they be requested by the Knight Protector and joint sponsorship of 50% of the active Knights and a vote of 100% in favor are required for promotion to Knighthood. In the case of a Special Consideration Supplicant that has been introduced to the Order via an approval of the Knights Council, their promotion process will be as follows: - The supplicated and approved Squire must serve as a tutor under the direction of the Knight Commander of each Chamber of the Diamond Ring for at least 2 up and coming Pages. Tutoring will be judged by the Knight Commanders of each Chamber. Should the Squire not have sufficient knowledge of a Chamber, they will be required to take a refresher course conducted by the Chamber’s Knight Commander before they may move on. - The Squire must complete an Endeavor and other Squire requirements should they be requested by the Knight Protector and joint sponsorship of 50% of the active Knights and a vote of 100% in favor are required for promotion to Knighthood. - The new Squire regardless of skill will stand in line below Squires who have previously passed into the Squireship and have more seniority within the Rosular Kingdom.

Endeavors and Quests

- Squire Endeavors and Quests must first contain an internal element. That is to say that the first quest chosen must be shown to benefit the internal advantage of the Rosular Kingdom before approval shall be granted for an external quest. - Knight Quests must contain an internal element. The quest chosen must be shown to benefit the internal advantage of the Rosular Kingdom before approval shall be granted by the Knights Council for an external quest.

Although all due deference will be given to the above, in the event of a military or international emergency, any member who has been a Citizen of the Realm of The Rose and has completed Blackwater training and has completed the long and arduous journey through the Diamond, may be promoted, by Royal Decree made by the Knight Protector at any time. Any member may be expelled or demoted by a Royal Decree made by the Knight Protector at any time.

II. NUNC DIMITTIS:
Regarding Resignation It is the most stalwart wish of the Order to retain the loyalty, duty, homage, and love of all who endure its Supplication, are accepted to its ranks, and pledge to it their oaths of fealty, and to reserve the ultimate fate of ZI solely for those whose conduct is so base, loath, and treacherous that no other punishment is sufficient in redressing it. Therefore issue we this Amendment regarding treason and resignation, the which shall be considered to be in effect from this day forward, and the provisions of which shall not be held to apply retroactively to any who have left our halls to seek their fortunes elsewhere under different banners.

I. On Resignation

It is the purpose of the Order's Supplication procedure to separate from the general mass of applicants those who, in the judgment of its voting members duly recognized, demonstrate the true desire for commitment, stability, and chivalry that characterizes the Order as a whole, and it is a matter of pride in the Order that very few members thus admitted ever purpose to leave our halls. Nevertheless we recognize that circumstances or desires beyond the comprehension of a supplicant at the time of his or her admission may subsequently come to pass, and it is not our desire to bear harshly on those who, in such circumstances, seek to depart in a noble and honest fashion.

Any member in good standing of the Order who determines upon due and diligent consideration to depart from it permanently shall do so by applying for permission via a post in his or her Chamber. This post shall be given as a two (2) week notice and state the reasons for departure, the intended destination of the poster, and a formal request to be released from his or her oath of service to the Rose and the Order as a whole. Upon approval by the Knight Protector via reply duly posted in this same thread, the former Order member is free to go without penalty. His or her permissions shall be adjusted to those of a Visitor, his or her Chamber shall be archived, and he or she shall adjust his or her nation's alliance affiliation. It lies in the discretion of the newly departed individual whether to mention the Order in his or her nation bio once the separation is complete. However, if he or she does choose to so mention it, the sentence must clearly indicate the severance by prefacing any rank to which he or she was formerly entitled (Page, Squire, Sir, Lady) with the word 'former' to avoid any and all confusion.

Any member in good standing of the Realm of The Rose or of Blackwater, who determines upon due and diligent consideration to depart from it permanently shall do so by applying for permission via a post in the Resignation area of their respective forum. The member is required to give a one (1) week notice of departure. This post shall state the reasons for departure, the intended destination of the poster, and a formal request to be released from his or her responsibilities to the Rosular Kingdom as a whole. Upon approval by the Knight Protector via reply duly posted in this same thread, the former member is free to go without penalty. His or her permissions shall be adjusted to those of a Visitor and he or she shall adjust his or her nation's alliance affiliation. It lies in the discretion of the newly departed individual whether to mention the Order in his or her nation bio once the separation is complete. However, if he or she does choose to so mention it, the sentence must clearly indicate the severance by prefacing any rank to which he or she was formerly entitled (Page, Squire, Sir, Cadet, Citizen) with the word "former" to avoid any and all confusion.

'''II. On Re-Supplication/Rejoining'''

Regarding the Order of the Black Rose/Realm of The Rose and Blackwater It would be an ideal world in which all could be known, weighed, considered, and addressed in the making of a truly weighty decision. Digiterra is far from such an ideal, however, and therefore we understand that just as circumstances and affairs beyond a supplicant’s ken at the time of supplication may dictate his or her subsequent resignation as described above, analogous circumstances and affairs may cause a reversal of heart and a wish to re-supplicate or rejoin the Order. As a general principle we oppose fitful vacillation between alliance affiliation, and we shall not permit any former member of our Order who left of his or her own free will in accordance with the procedures above to waste the time or impose on the goodwill of our beloved membership by submitting frivolous re-supplications without significant demonstration of contrition. Therefore: 1. Any such former member Of the Order of the Black Rose who upon serious reevaluation of his or her position desires permission to re-supplicate shall submit this request via personal message to the Knight Protector, who shall take counsel from the Order as a whole to determine whether and under what circumstances such re-supplication should be permitted in each individual case. Should Council agree to resubmit the former member to our Halls, that member must follow a minimum wait of 60 days before they may vote on issues before the Order. 2. In the event that a member of The Rosular Kingdom or Blackwater who leaves of his or her own free will wishes to return to the Kingdom, they must re-apply as if they are a new applicant and start the entire process, beginning with their application to be posted in the Realm of The Rose. 3. In the event that any member, regardless of status, who leaves without going through the proper resignation process wishes to return to the Kingdom, there shall be no re-instatement to the Order without a formal hearing in the Hall of Inquisition.

'''III. On treason'''

It is our dearest hope that this section of this document shall lie unused, unreferenced, and unnecessary for as long as the Order shall thrive and flourish in Digiterra, for we fervently desire that no action within our compass should ever cause such enmity within the heart of an Order member as would lead him or her to betray our fellowship and ideals. Nevertheless, be it known by these presents that any nation who seeks and is granted membership in the Order, and who then breaches that confidence by conforming to the following definition by any word, post, deed, or action, shall be considered to have committed treason against us and the Order, and shall therefore be subject to any punishment, no matter how swift, merciless, or total, that the Order shall decide to inflict. In a case of demonstrable treason the ultimate decision as to punishment shall lie with the Rose, who shall take into account the magnitude of the offense and the extent to which it jeopardizes all involved and consult with the Knights Commandant of the Chambers of Diplomacy, Aid and Game Play, and the Armory to determine a suitably devastating course of action.

For the purposes of protection of the Order and clarity of its intent, treason shall hitherto be defined as:

Betrayal, via any word, post, deed, or action, of the trust reposed in a duly admitted Order member and the fealty sworn by him or her in the oaths pledged upon admission, including but not limited to: violation of allegiance and loyalty to the Rose or any member of the Order; attempt to harm, depose, overthrow, damage, or threaten the Rose or any member of the Order; unauthorized revelation of any trust, confidence, privileged information, or other sensitive data concerning the Rose or any member of the Order; and any other commission of any kind which demonstrates disloyalty, harmful intent, or purposeful threat to the Rose, any member of the Order, and/or the Order as a whole.

Thus, with the full and warm consent of our Knights signed below, do we decree, and thus we open our halls to Black applicants from all reaches of Digiterra.

For the Order,

AterAtra The Black Rose Queen of Atrum

Attested and Agreed,

Sir Winslow of Zanidoo, Knight Protector, Knight XX Sir Gwalchfaen of New Ddraig, Knight III Sir Yenisey of Aopoleyin, Knight VIII Sir Neboe of Neboe, Knight IX Sir Bumpy of Bumpivania, Knight X Sir SocCarolina of SocCarolina, Knight XII Sir Quercus of Der Schwarze Wald, Knight XVII Sir W_A_R of Vijar, Knight XXI Dame Hime Themis of Dulra, Knight XXII

Knights In Memoriam

 * Sir Vendetta
 * Knight II
 * Sir Gwalchfaen y Goch
 * Knight III
 * Sir Narva Khan
 * Knight IV
 * Sir Mondroso
 * Knight V
 * Sir Corvus
 * Knight VI
 * Sir Fonzoland
 * Knight XI
 * Sir Wilberforce
 * Knight XIV
 * Sir EvilCartyen
 * Knight XIV
 * Sir Zunea
 * Knight XVI
 * Sir Reformentia
 * Knight XVIII
 * Sir Felkethar
 * Knight XIX
 * Sir Necrostopheles
 * Knight XV