Order of the Golden Cup

The Order of the Golden Cup was a knightly order of paladins within the faith of Ilmater, the Crying God.

Activities
The Order devoted itself to the healing and defense of the innocent, the weak, the sick, and others who could not protect themselves. Its members were generally peaceful and always tried to help, and rarely did they seek out evil to slay. They were not pacifists, however, nor opposed to such actions, and did not hesitate to fight when confronted by evil. Still, members felt their role was focused more toward healing and protection than battle. They let their allies, such as the Companions of the Noble Heart, hunt down evil doors while they protected the victims.

Relations
The counterpart sect of the Order of the Golden Cup within Ilmater's church were the Companions of the Noble Heart. They took somewhat opposing views, with the Golden Cup as the more peaceful order, the Companions as the more aggressive. Nevertheless, relations were friendly between them.

Abilities
Some Golden Cup paladins trained to defend others in battle: when they fought defensively, they could guard people nearby as well. They could even cast the shield other spell on a single creature they wished to defend. They were less likely to instill courage or turn undead, however.

Experienced Golden Cup paladins could become powerful healers, whether using lay on hands to heal with a touch or when casting healing conjuration spells.

Paladins of the order could practice freely as clerics, as well as divine disciples and hierophants.

History
Around 1265 DR, Archsufferer Bloirt Waelarn of the House of the Broken God in Keltar had denounced his fellow Ilmatari priests of the House of Holy Suffering in Mussum for refusing to relinquish the Tome of Torment, the holiest book of the faith, and declared them degenerate, mentally ill heretics. The Mussum priests and the Companions of the Noble Heart attacked Waelarn and his followers, labeling them "false clerics" and "subverted by evil". An angry Waelarn summoned the Order of the Golden Cup, as well as the Holy Warriors of Suffering and Knights of the Bleeding Shield, to his side and vowed holy war against the "unclean ones of Mussum" and their allies. The war saw the violent clashes of Holy Hill Farm in 1266 DR and Bronsheir's Charge and Weeping Rock in 1267 DR. Finally, Lord Sir Jargus Holenhond of the Golden Cup called an end to the bloodshed between true believers, insisted that the Tome of Torment be transferred to Keltar as planned, and blamed Bloirt Waelarn for the senseless violence, determining that he should be removed from office and sent into hermitage for the remainder of his years. The weary paladins accepted and carried out his judgment.

Circa 1342 DR, the mad priest Bloirt Waelarn returned to commit murder and stole the Tome of Torment. Sir Guth of Ormpetarr, a knight of the Order of the Golden Cup, caught Waelarn and challenged him to single combat, died, and—eventually—slew the rogue, murderous priest.

In the 1350s DR, Gareth Dragonsbane was an adventuring knight of the Order of the Golden Cup. In the Year of the Prince, 1357 DR, Gareth Dragonsbane was leader of a group of heroes who liberated the Bloodstone Lands of Damara and Vaasa, slew Zhengyi the Witch-King, stole and destroyed the Wand of Orcus, and slew an avatar of Tiamat in the Abyss, before finally returning to Damara to rebuild in the Year of the Serpent, 1359 DR. Part of this reconstruction effort included the building of the Damaran Gate, a fortress for Gareth's branch of the Order of the Golden Cup. Gareth hoped to attract more paladins to his ranks, and the Golden Cup paladins formed the cornerstone of his army.

Golden Cup paladins were particularly common in Damara by 1372 DR. By this time, Gareth Dragonsbane was king of Damara.

Bases
The Order of the Golden Cup had a base at the Damaran Gate fortress in Damara, and, indeed, all Damara.

Members

 * Lord Sir Jargus Holenhond, who ended the holy war that fractured the church
 * Sir Guth of Ormpetarr, who rose from the dead.
 * Gareth Dragonsbane, paladin of Ilmater and king of Damara