Book Three: Peoples of the North

Pagan Profile

     "The Lithuanians are stalwart men, strong werriors and fers. The glebe
     of the cuntrey . . . bereth wel corne and fuyte and is ful of mores and
     marys in many places, with ful many woodes, ryvers and waters and wylde
     beestes and tame; and is strengthede with doodes, mores and marys, and
     hath litel other strength but woodes, mores and marys. Therefore unneth
     that londe maye be assailed in sumer, but on wynter, when waters and
     ryvers ben yfrore"
          -- Bartholomew, English crusader of the 1230s.

Communities

     The peasants of the southern and eastern Baltic Coasts lived in small
rural communities raising grain crops of barley, flax and wheat, oats
and rye, keeping cattle, swine, poultry and ponies. A village's
resources were shared and all had collective responsibility for
maintenance and animal husbandry. Others were "fringemen" who lived off
the forests, coasts and mountains by fishing, trapping, hunting,
bee-keeping and mining. Finally there were the burghers -- artisans,
tradesmen and innkeepers who settled in larger towns and ports.
     The peoples of these lands were considered "fair," being tall and
healthy -- though "somewhat uncouth and boozy" as contemporary
commentators put it. They had their hair cropped and had a
characteristic shriek and jeer when preparing to fight. While it sounds
like an idyllic atmosphere the villagers were living close to
starvation. They suffered from common menaces: bad weather, too many
children, greedy landlords and a lack of freedom. Slavery and service
bonds were rife. Further inland there were communities of free peasants
who both ploughed for themselves and carried their own swords and
spears for defence.
     Christianity had not touched these people. They were still dominated by
fighters brought up to kill or be killed, whether they lived as
princes, landowners or swordsmen. Between the fighting classes and the
rest was a barrier of breeding and attitude reinforced by tradition and
law. They were experienced cavalrymen, wheeling and charging
unexpectedly on small horses the size of modern ponies. While not
heavily armoured, they relied on speed and surprise rather than sword
or spear play in close combat. Raiding, ambushing and pillaging was
their forte. Sustained battle was not. The soldiers of the warbands
were clothed in linen or wool, protected by shields and helmets. The
leaders wore more elaborate equipment -- though offering only the same
degree of protection. The wealth of a dead man was competed for by
horse races -- the winner taking a specific prize.

Rulers

     The society of the Baltic peoples was intensely militarised. It had
evolved through the centuries between the hammer of the Germanic tribes
and the anvil of the Vikings. For long periods these communities had to
pay tribute to Danish kings and German lords. The communities were
often clustered around prosperous "magnates" who lived in forest
strongholds with their retainers or communities of warriors and
burghers. These earth-walled, stockaded and moated forts were usually
controlled by a "governor" or voivot. Each was the heart of a small
territory, encompassing several rural communities.
     By the eleventh century a line of these communities lurked crab-like a
few miles up every estuary from Denmark to the Vistula. The strongest
of these had at their highest point a barracks, fort and residence
(collectively called a grod or palatium), usually reinforced with a
moat, earth wall and wooden towers. Below it was the urbs (town),
originally intended as a refuge for civilians from the district in time
of trouble. Later, these spaces became crammed with the artisans and
merchants -- except for one or more patches of holy ground which held
small timber temples. Outside this stockade were further groups of
dwellings, each dedicated to fishermen, small traders, peasants and
maybe a market. None of these towns were built directly on the coast.
They were always on inlets, rivers and lagoons -- on top of cliffs or
behind dense stands of ancient trees.
     Military service was extracted from the warrior classes and taxes of
material were taken from the peasants. The voivot provided hospitality
to the district's prince (known as a knes) when he came on visits --
often involving prolonged feasting and shows of force. The prince
(knes) was always a great landowner in the countryside, the lord of the
largest retinue of mounted warriors in the region. He received taxes
and commanded abject reverence with kneeling acclamation and
foot-kissing. His blood was sacrosanct and was often inherited from
long dynasties. His rule was mostly in name and by his presence. Each
town had its own assembly which settled its own affairs. Comprised of
magistrates, these leaders often led warbands to raid other tribes. But
the common factor between coast and country, freemen and fringemen,
swordsman and serfs, was an allegiance or respect to the mystical class
of judges, warriors and bards which roamed their lands. These strange
people were the stuff of legends -- possessing great strength and
speed. While each community was essentially self governing all
decisions were deferred when one of the "great ones" or "heroes"
arrived.

Religion

     The Wends considered their whole country to be studded with holy places
-- groves, oaks, springs and rocks -- where the peasants made offerings
and held rites. They saw the world as peopled by large pantheon of gods
-- subordinate to a divine patriarchal spirit in the sky. These shrines
managed to co-exist for centuries alongside Christian churches -- a
scandal for conscientious clerics but too deep rooted to eradicate
completely.
     The Wendish priesthood was able to exert great influence over their
people, intensifying the worship of their gods by constructing images,
cult objects and temples. Master cults were developed in the cities
where special skills in augury and rituals made priests the leaders of
their community. The priests became rich with luxurious temples
dedicated to their gods. Out in the woods they lived more spartan and
holy lives. One priest is reported to have lived solely off the fruit
of a single sacred nut tree.
     The arrival of Christianity drew a mixed response. Some princes
received in readily while others opposed it violently. No city
abandoned its gods easily -- whether the prince willed it or not. Some
considered Christianity to represent the gods of the Germans -- an old
foe for centuries. Others saw advantage in allying with the powerful
new men moving into their districts.
     The East Baltic tribes also followed cults of holy places, plants and
animals. The cult of the dead (veles) and the cult of gods were the
essential guarantees of health, security, success and identity to every
family and village. Wise men and women who understood the rites were
treated with the utmost respect. Priests and priesteses wandered the
lands or devoted their lives to the tending of the sacred groves and
holy places.
     Festivals of fertility and funerals often involved sacrifices of horses
and humans. These were considered the high-points of the religious
year. Alone among the ancient religions of Europe, the Baltic religions
would provide a strong and direct opposition to the challenge of
medieval Catholicism. The religion was a wealthy mix of ancient Celtic
lore and gods, Nordic and Germanic deities and goddesses drawn from
vastly ancient Indian subcontinent origins. Women held a particular
reverence among the priesthood and were given varying degrees of
freedom in the villages.
     As the terrain became colder and more marginalised to the north,
society became less feudal and more religious. Above Estonia the word
of the old men was law and the Shamans consulted with the spirits of
the forests, seeking permission to forage for food. Sacrifice was the
only assured means of obtaining health and success.

Demographics

Lower Baltic

     The peoples of the Baltic coast and Poland were collectively known to
the Germans as the Wends. However, as the Teutonic Knights moved to
conquer these lands, the complexity of the pagan society emerged. The
Slavonic tribes occupied the coastlands and hinterland from the bay of
Kiel to the Vistula, including the islands of Fhmarn, Poel, Rugen,
Usedom and Wollin. They were divided into a number of nations.
     The Wagrians were settled on the Danish frontiers to the Trave and the
Abotrites lived between the Trave to the Warnow. These two kindred
peoples were loosely united with the Polabians of the Elbe basin under
one dominant dynasty.
     An unamalgamated group of tribes occupied the area from the Warnow to
the Rugen, round the Oder mouths and up the Peene. These were given the
collective name of the Liutuzians or Wilzians -- "terrible" or "wolf"
people. The northernmost group of tribes were the Rugians or Rani, on
the coast about the river Rugen.
     The Pomeranians -- "dwellers on the shore" -- dwelled between the Oder
to the Vistula, sharing the lands with Cassubian "shaggy-coat men"
tribes.
     The following is a catalogue of the most important Wendish cities,
organised into the tribes which managed them. While they were not
cities by the standards of the Germans or Europeans, they stood out
from among the thinly settled Baltic region as they held a special
influence on the communities in and around them.
     Wagarians: Coastal district tribe which had several key towns, among
them Stargard (Oldenberg to the Germans) which had been the beachhead
from which a Saxon bishop had attempted to convert the community in the
10th century. The people had rejected his faith and the church was a
ruin.
     Abotrites: The great city of this clan was Mecklenburg (Veligrad), five
miles upstream from Wismar Bay. This position dominated a wide network
of lakes and rivulets. On the next inlet to the east was a community
that would grow into the future city of Rostock -- then only a temple,
anchorage and a merchant settlement seven miles upriver.
     Rugians: lived among marshy and forested domains with few communities
larger than villages and forts. But their island stronghold of Rugen
held two remarkable townships: Arkona on the north-eastern tip and
Karenz (now called Garz) on the lake's edge on the southern point of
the island. Arkona stood upon cliffs on the sea's edge which were too
steep for any raid. It needed no citadel due to the shape of the
headland upon which it stood. The headland was cut off from the rest of
the island by an earth and timber wall which rose about 100 feet. A
curved sector of housing was held within this wall, then an open space.
At the point of the headland was a temple of the four-headed god
Svantovit -- a centre of pilgrimage and public worship. The harvest
festival brought representatives from all over the Rugian nation,
sacrificing cattle and responding to the high priest's calls for war or
peace. The high priest had his own warband of 300 warriors and personal
estates. Arkona was as close to a national capital that the region had:
here Rugian warriors met in council and took orders from the
high-priest and his miraculous horse upon which no man was allowed to
ride. Karenz, in the south, was defended by lake, river and marshland,
reinforced by a conventional ring-wall. It was developing from a refuge
fort into a prosperous settlement by 1168. It was full of tightly
packed housing, with three small spaces left clear for the temples on
the higher portion of the town.
     Polabains: The lake settlement of Ratzeburg was their chief city,
connected to the Baltic sea by a tributary of the River Trave. This
town -- no more than a fort , an anchorage and some huts -- was later
to become the city of Lubeck.
     Liutizians: this tribe which settled along the river Peene had several
well-protected towns. The most important was the furthest upriver:
Demmin (the smoke place). This was where three rivers met, a key
stronghold of whoever conquered the region. It was a cult centre of the
Redarri, the home of the god Radigost. The city consisted of a large
citadel, earthen and timber walls and a prominent temple.
     Pommeraneans: Szczecin (pronounced Shchetsin) was the "mother of the
cities of the Pommeraneans." Its walls enclosed three temple-crowned
hills and had a reputation for impregnability. It held a community of
900 families. The voivot of this city had a household of 500 family,
servants and warriors. He had a fleet of six ships which frequently
plied the rivers between the sister towns of Wolgast (Vologost), Usedom
(Uznam), Lebbin (Liubin), Wollin (Wolin) and Cammin (Kamien). These
towns lay on the reedy channels branching from between the Peene and
Oder rivers and the Gulf of Stettin. All were defensible places with
markets and forts, trading with others and defending themselves with
fleets and armies.
     Kolberg (Kolobrzeg) was a town of a particularly important status as it
contained a salt works. The prince (knes) of the Pommeranians held
residence in Belgard (Bialogard). To the south of this city the lands
were mostly empty, with a single track leading to the port of Danzig
(Gdanzk) which consisted mostly of a grod and urb.

Eastern Baltic

     East of the Vistula was a dense deciduous forest which stretched most
of the way from the Baltic to the to the west Russian uplands. It was
difficult terrain, often impassable. Layers of dead wood, luxuriant
undergrowth, lakes, bogs and hills confined human settlement to the
coastal strip and the valleys of the Vistula, Niemen and Dvina. Among
the oaks, ash, elms, linden trees and maples that hemmed in the cleared
grounds of the communities lived the aurochs, the bison, the bear and
the elk. Reaching 400 miles north/south and 300 miles east/west, it was
inhabited by a small group of people known in modern times as the
Balts. They were of Indo-European origin.
     These "nations" were associations of smaller tribes, unified under an
effective political system of blood relationship. Each tribe was
capable of mobilising a warband (karya to the Prussians, karias to the
Lithuanians) and had an assembly called a wayde. Each tribe was
responsible for its own forts and maintaining its own folklore.
     These tribes never acted as one nation before the 12th century. While
groups of one or two would fight together, the nation of Prussia for
example never fought as one until the Crusades. What gave these
"nations" their identity were their common language, the districts in
which they lived and common religious cults.
     The peasants of these nations were mostly occupied with clearing away
the restricting forests by burn-beating and tree-cutting. They
harvested with the sickle and the scythe, raised cattle and horses,
grew flax and wove linen. They cropped wheat and sometimes barley and
oats. Much food was gathered from the forests and coast. Honey, wax and
furs were sought in the forests, while amber -- petrified tree-sap from
ancient forests -- was washed up on the coast. Amber was a precious
substance, coveted by artisans and princes.
     North of the Dvina pine became the predominant tree, supplanting the
oak and the elm. The land was very moist, with Estonia being noted for
its bogs and rocky coasts. East of Lake Chud (Peipus Peipsi) lay a
great coniferous forest, drained by wide rivers and threaded by a
complicated pattern of bogs, lakes and streams. North of Estonia the
land became less habitable. Many Estonian and Finnish tribes came and
went -- the true natives living hand-to mouth, struggling against land
too cold to till and forests only sparsely populated by elk.
     Prussians: These people lived between the Lower Vistula, the Narew, the
Niemen and the Baltic coast. Among its tribes were the Galindians,
Sudovians, Pomesanians, Pogesanians. A church was established in the
land of the Prussians in 997, though St Adalbert of Prague was
martyred.
     Lithuanians: A people that lived north and east of the Niemen, within
the watershed of its tributaries the Nivezis and the Viliya. Some of
the tribe names were Zemaiciai, Aukstaiciai.
     Latvian States: This loose association of tribes consisted of the
Lettgallians north of the lower River Dvina and the Semigallans and
Selonians (also called Letts) who lived to the south. Towns protected
by large earthworks were established at Lielupe, Tervette, Daugmale and
Jersika.
     Curonians: Called Kurir by the Scandinavians, these people lived on the
peninsula between the Baltic and the Gulf of Riga. One of their chief
settlements was at Impiltis, where the defensive earthworks enclosed an
area of 12.5 acres. Another large city was Apuole.
     Fennic: A group of tribes to the far north-east of the Baltic Sea.
Included the tribes called the Ves, Eastern Chud, Pechera, Perm,
Cheremis, Merya, Mordva and others. All lived on the tributaries of the
Novgorod, along with the Vods, Estonians and Karelians in the west.
These peoples worshiped the trees, ancestors and an army of spirits
which peopled the woods. Their only government was the wise-man of each
extended family and the shamans which held the gates of the invisible
world.

Overcoming the Pagans

     The Teutonic Knights had the advantage of several innovations over the
pagan tribes. They utilised the German merchant classes which had been
trading with the tribes for almost a century. These merchants
introduced the Teutones to the great-ship or "cog" as it was known.
This type of ship could carry 237 tons as opposed to the tribal
long-boats that could only carry 20. A cog could carry 500 passengers
or a town's supplies for a whole winter. It was the perfect transport
for reinforcements and the "castles" on its bow and stern were more
than a match for any pirates. With this sort of mobile warehouse
supported by smaller craft, the Teutones were able to move deep into
the pagan lands -- following the rivers and waterways during summer and
marching over the ice during winter.
     Another advantage and innovation was the stone tower. The Teutonic
Knights learned the art of stone masonry in Palestine. While stone was
hard to come by, the knights initially had to makedto with wooden
blockhouses ringed by palisades. As the Teutones became more
established in an area, resources were put into finding stone or
manufacturing bricks to build towers of a strength previously unseen in
the Baltic lands. The importance of these structures was vital: they
were able to keep small garrisons alive when they would otherwise have
been overwhelmed. They were also virtually impervious to their pagan
enemy's favourite weapon -- fire.
     One of the most important advantages was artillery -- particularly the
crossbow. It was not a knightly instrument and it was not the Teutones
that used it. But the Germanic settlers used the weapon to great
effect. Its accuracy and penetrating power shortened the odds in the
battle between many and few. Larger ballista or catapults and mounted
on towers became weapons that could fell large sections of a warbands
in a single round.
     The advantage of heavy cavalry was rarely realised in the Baltic lands.
The numerous bogs, springs, streams, forests and sand-dunes made
charges impossible to mount. Heavy armour slowed knights down, making
them more vulnerable to the ambush -- a favourite form of attack among
the tribes. But it was the Teutone's staying power that surprised the
tribes -- never before had an invader resolutely held onto land through
cold winters and survived.

Supernaturals

North-Eastern Europe

     Black Furies: The only all female tribe, the black furies could be seen
as feminist fatales. Being female does not mean this tribe is ladylike.
In fact, it is much the opposite -- being one of the major proponents
of violence against the Order. This tribe is particularly attached to
nature and untouched wilderness, emerging to strike at those who
threaten their sacred groves. They gather in these groves for their
religious moots, using the enchanting setting of dark glades with pools
shining silver under the moonlight to inspire the words of their
priest-leaders. Often a "sacred hunt" is launched at such a gathering.

     Children of Gaia: These are the peaceful of the Lycanthropes. The
others see them as tree hugging peacenicks. It was the Children of
Gaia's support for less violent means to turning the Teutonic Crusade
that helped tip the scale of the Wolf Council to intrigue. But like all
lycanthropes, they can be demonic fighters when pushed too far. More
modern offspring of this tribe are becoming increasingly radical, more
and more prepared to fight rather than out-wit their opponents. They
also gather in sacred groves, often focusing on a single sacred tree.
Their worship varies from quiet contemplation to frantic orgies.

     Gangrel: This nomadic tribe appears to have had a long association with
the Baltic wilderness, drawn by its isolation and natural beauty. Ties
between the Gangrel and the Shapechangers are much more cordial than
that of other vampiric clans -- explaining much about their presence in
this were-creature dominated land. Throughout history the Gangrel have
been relatively well informed as to the happenings of the world, with
news of far-off places often being brought by their friends and
associates among the Gypsies.

     Ventrue: The growth of Germany as an Imperial and an Industrial power
saw the arrival of clan Ventrue in the region. This scheming clan has
long sought to exert its dominance over the region -- a mission which
at times matched that of the Teutonic Knights. Their power has been
increasing recently, with the unification of the two Germany's and the
loosening grip of Russia upon the Baltic and Polish states. Always city
dwellers, they are rarely found outside the safe confines of concrete
and glass.

     Tzimisce: The Baltic states have long been the "heartland" of clan
Tzimisce. Maintaining its strongholds against all comers -- including
the Roman Empire -- this fearsome clan has been in the forefront of the
struggle against the Teutonic Knights. Their altered ghouls serve as
the vanguard of many an uprising -- either as horribly deformed
creatures or as fearsome examples of the best pagan hero-warriors.
Tzimisce has puppet leaders in Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Wallachia,
Bavaria, Austria, Serbia and Kievan Russia. They are particularly
strong in Lithuania where they maintain the worship of the old Slavic
gods. The clan has also had some success in infiltrating the Russian
Orthodox church. But their power is waning. Many of their subjects
actually welcome the advance of the Teutonic Knights, and the war with
the Tremere is absorbing more and more resources.

The Holy Land

     Silent Striders: Driven out of Egypt by vampires long ago, the Silent
Striders wander all about the world -- though they often gravitate to
the lands surrounding their ancient home. They lead a nomadic
existence, at home in the forest or city. More often than not they can
be found among the ranks of the gypsies, circus troops or even merchant
groups. Despite this, they are a well-informed tribe and always seem to
know what's happening. As a nomadic tribe they have few set meeting
places and only gather rarely.

     Star Gazers: Enraptured by Eastern Mysticism and the occult, this tribe
holds the Middle East as the heart of its activities. Generally treated
with disdain as "wise-guys" by shapechanger society. They wander most
of the world, helping to protect lands sacred to the lycanthrope.
Members of this tribe rarely gather together. When they do, it appears
more to be a friendly exchange of news and information.

     Setite: Though the Teutonic Knights never made it into Egypt, roving
bands of these vampires (often associated with invading armies)
frequently made their way into the Holy Land. Their support has
dwindled with the death of their ancient religions, but their
corrupting influence does much to destabilise many governments and
organisations. It was this clan's spread through Europe that helped
prompt the excesses of the Inquisition. Now, Setites manipulate society
through the depravity of the drug trade instead of their pagan
religion. With the lifting of the military state that was the USSR,
members of this clan are already moving in to establish their
"dominion" over the Baltic states.

     Assamite: Doubly the enemy of the Teutonic Knights because of its
Vampiric and Saracen background, the Assamites are among the most
fearful of foes. Their perfection of the art of assassination has
caused the loss of several key Teutonic personnel over the centuries
and in recent times. It is also rumoured that the clan is not popular
among Vampiric organisations, with allegations that several later
Crusades were sparked simply to cover a blood-hunt against the
Assamites. However, this clan unknowingly helps the Militant Order's
cause. Assassins single-mindedly hunt down other vampires as tools of
political intrigue.

Insert: The Passing of a People

     During the late 14th century under Hochmeister Luther, a talented
musician, the castle of Marienburg became a centre for the performing
arts. The surrounding districts had long since been tamed and
Christianity was well and truly established. There were frequent
song-contests and concerts in the castle's great halls, attracting the
best performers from all over Europe. One one occassion it is recorded
that a pathetic old man -- a figure from the past -- walked up to the
step and requested admittance to the competition. The Prussian harpist
proceeded to sing, in his almost forgotten tongue, some of the great
ballads of his now dead people. Jeering, the knights awarded the
"rediculous ghost" of a dead pagan society a sack of rotten walnuts
before ordering him back to the forests and his sacred oak trees.
     Not all knights missed the significance of this act. It was a brave
defiance of the all-conquering Christian culture. It was also a requiem
to the harper's dead tribe. But it was to be 600 years before the
lessons of this occurance was to be learned by the Order as a whole --
and even then only after it was rubbed in its nose. The very
aristocratic pride in which the Order vested so much importance was
wrong. The Nazi embodiment of Teutonic beliefs and attitudes through
the Waffen SS brought this message home. Arrogance, blind obedience,
excessive pride and inflated self-importance had diverted the Teutonic
Knights hand from doing good to doing harm. Pride and prejudice have no
place within the Christian ethos of Faith, Hope and Charity.

Book Four: Inside the Order

Initiation to the Order

     "I, Cuno von Hattenstein, do profess and promise chastity, renunciation
     of property, and obedience, to God and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and
     to you, Brother Anno, Master of the Teutonic Order, and to your
     successors, according to the Rules and Institutions of the Order, and I
     will be obedient to you, and to your successors, even unto death."
          -- The Northern Crusades, by Eric Christiansen.

Novices

     Many Teutonic brothers came from the lower echelons of nobility. They
would enter the Order to free themselves from economic dependence to
secular lords and to enjoy the status and power associated with joining
a religious corporation governing a large territorial State. While the
Grand Chapter did their utmost to maintain the nobility of the Order,
Provincial Commanders were not adverse to recruiting from among the
peasant and merchant classes. Able bodied townsfolk and "generous"
businessmen found their way into the brotherhood despite many
"crackdowns" over the centuries.
     A postulant was normally received into the Order in one of the houses
in the twelve bailiwicks in the Empire. While the Grand Master and
General Chapter reserved the right to receive postulants, this was
usually carried out by the Provincial Commanders. The social and moral
status of the postulant were exhaustively examined. A postulant had to
submit a letter from a patron who would vouch for his ancestry and
moral worth. Postulants also had to bring three horses, armour,
weaponry and the fare for their trip to Prussia. Candidates of
illegitimate birth could only be accepted into the Order through direct
intervention from the Grand Master.

The Modern Novitiate

     Modern Novices of any Militant Order are not untrained and
inexperienced acolytes. In many ways they parallel the role of Sergeant
many centuries ago: they are active warriors of lower status -- be it
birth (historically) or personal commitment. A novitiate is still part
of the process of becoming a knight: at least five years must be spent
in the training halls and support units, gaining the necessary
experience and maturity to become a fully fledged knight.
     Novices are still required to take the vow of Obedience though those of
Poverty and Chastity are not required. Many novices have attained Faith
and training above that required to become a knight -- though choose to
remain a novice because of a wife or business responsibilities. Rank
within a novitiate is not by title. It is by seniority. A novice of one
year is at the bottom of the ladder (5th class). A novice in his fifth
year (1st class) is close to being a knight. Any holding status of more
than 5 years, and is not a knight, is called a Sergeant (without the
knight prefix).

Investiture

     Once a postulant has presented all his credentials to a Commander, his
background has been fully investigated and a sponsor knight found, a
simple ceremony is conducted at the next convenient Chapter meeting.
This Chapter must be presided over by a Landkomtur (Preceptor) who will
conduct the brief ceremony. Upon investiture, postulants are required
by the Rule to answer a barrage of questions: Do you belong to another
Order? Are you married? Have you any hidden physical infirmity? Are you
in Debt? Are you a serf? After the five negatives, the postulant had to
give five positives. Are you prepared to fight in Palestine? Or
elsewhere? To care for the sick? To practice any craft you know as
ordered? To obey the Rule? They were then expected to say:

     "I, (postulant's name), do profess and promise chastity, renunciation
     of property, and obedience, to God and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and
     to you, Brother (Grand Master) and your successors, according to the
     Rule and Institutions of the Order, and I will be obedient to you, and
     to your successors, even unto death."

The Teutonic Rule

     "The German princes and magnates were in full agreement that the
     aforesaid house should have the regulations of the Hospital of St. John
     concerning the sick and the poor, as in the past, but for the rest
     should have the Rule of the Militia of the Temple with regards to
     clerics, knights and other brothers."
          -- Narracio de primordiis ordinis Teutonici, 1198

     A Teutonic Knight dedicated himself to a monastic way of life that
revolved around the three fundamental vows of poverty, chastity and
obedience. These vows, and the tenets of the Teutonic Rule, were
designed to suppress individuality and promote a collective lifestyle.
The Rule stated: "brethren should be humbly obedient and should in all
things break their own wills." The Rule of the Teutonic Knights was
approved by Cardinal William of Sabina before 1245.
     Also governing the life of a knight was the Consuetudines maires
(constitutional rules) which was inspired by the Rules of the Templars
and Hospitallers (one stipulating the monastic life expected of a
brother-knight, emphasising the tenets of chastity, obedience and
poverty, while the other bound a knight to a life of service and
charity), the Dominican Order and the Order of the Holy Spirit. Further
ordinances were added by Grand Masters, such that the entire collection
formed a large book -- copies of which had to be kept in every
commandery, read out in full tree times and year and in sections on
every sunday.
     A full calendar of religious observances were insisted upon. A knight
was expected to recite the offices (specified prayers) throughout the
day, both inside the convent and on active duty. The first mass was
conducted just before dawn while on campaign because the days were
short in northern winters and the knights needed to be on the move at
dawn to make the most of the light. The hallowing of the sacrament was
timed to coincide with the first emerging rays of the sun. On campaign
the master's or the marshal's tent became the army's church. A portable
field-altar was its centrepiece. Teutones had to receive the holy
sacrament (communion) seven times a year: a process which involved a
fast -- unlike the Templars.
     Military and monastic discipline went together. Knights were expected
to perform their duties and were allowed few privileges. Their
equipment and armour were uniform and each man was issued with a pair
of shirts, a pair of breeches, two pairs of boots, one surcoat, one
sleeping bag, one blanket and one knife. He was allowed to wear fur,
because of the cold temperatures, but it could only be goatskin or
sheepskin. He could be assigned two or four mounts but they belonged to
the convent. A knight had to sleep in his clothes and boots and had to
remain silent at meals and while in the dormitory, on the march or in
the latrine. He could not display his own coat of arms -- the Teutonic
cross being good enough for all. He was not allowed to joust or join in
on the hunt, though he could kill wolves and bears with the stipulated
assistance of hounds. He was allowed to wear a beard though his hair
must be kept short.
     The whole objective of the Rule was military efficiency. Mobilisation,
parades, route-marches, pitching camp, guard-duty and conduct in the
field were all regulated by an undeviating routine and carried out in
silence. But there were some benefits in being a Teutone. While a
knight could not own his own horse or sword, he was allowed to trade
for the profit of his house and commandery -- a provision that helped
the establishment of the empire.

Components of the Rule

     The Rule of the Templars is outlined in detail in Militiae Christi and
is a good example of all the various Rules. The following is a sample
of what was expected of a Teutonic Knight.

        o The brethren had to dress in a uniform way -- white clothing
          marked with black crosses.
        o Nothing could be "too long, short, tight or wide."
        o Shoes had to be plain with buckles.
        o Hair and beards had to be worn so that "the wearer should be
          immediately recognisable as a brother of the Order."
        o Meals were to be eaten noiselessly.
        o Sleeping quarters were general dormitories.
        o Knights had to sleep in their undergarments.
        o No trappings of class or status were to be worn.
        o Saddles and shields were not to be painted in markings other than
          those belonging to the Order.
        o Tournaments, weddings, christenings and birthdays were to be
          avoided.
        o Kissing was prohibited -- including close relatives "less it lead
          to unchastity."
        o Privacy was not allowed and personal letters had to be scrutinised
          by a superior.

     A particularly severe form of punishment for breaching the Rule was the
Iarbusse: a year's hard labour, eating meals off the floor without
cutlery, dietary restrictions, removal of the cross from the habit and
corporal punishment on Sundays.

Teutonic Structure

     "When war is waged against evil or demons by spiritual strength, I
     would not say that this is extraordinary, although praiseworthy, since
     the world is seen to be full of monks. But when a monk is powerfully
     girded with both swords and marked out nobly by the belt of each, who
     would not think this worthy of admiration, even though it is certainly
     unusual?"
          -- St Bernard de Clairvaux, De Laude Novae Militia

General Chapter

     The highest position among the Teutonic Knights was that of Grand
Master. He was elected upon the summoning of the General Chapter of the
Order which represented all Teutonic Provinces. Before a Grand Master's
death he was required to appoint a Deputy to oversee the gathering of
officers from Germany, Prussia, Livonia, Austria, Rumania and the Holy
Land. This General Chapter elected a foreman (commendator electionis)
who then nominated a second member of the Electoral Chapter. Then, in a
system based closely upon that of the Templars, these two Knights chose
a third member. These three selected a fourth . . . and so on until the
13 representatives had been chosen. The Teutonic Rule stipulated there
must be at least eight knight-brothers, one priest-brother and four
sergeants. They were not allowed to be from the same province or of the
same family. A simple majority determined the election. If one of the
Electoral Chapter was nominated as Grand Master he was asked to
withdraw so that his character could be freely discussed. If he
remained in contention his position was taken by another brother. Upon
the election of the new Grand Master, the successful knight was
escorted to the alter by the Deputy Master and invested with a ring and
circular seal depicting the Virgin Mary enthroned and holding the
Christ-child and sceptre.

Grand Master (Hochmeister)

     The Teutonic Rule contained only general statements about the Grand
Master's role: "he should punish the disobedient and show concern for
the sick." This was a deliberate lack of definition. As the Teutonic
Order was, essentially, a corporation, the Grand Master was required to
consult the General Chapter in all important matters -- such as buying
and selling property. In lesser decisions he only had to consult
members of the Chapter. In practice it proved impractical to summon a
General Chapter except to discuss crucial matters such as law making,
senior appointments or changes in international affairs. The corporate
nature of the Order constantly placed checks and balances against the
Grand Master's powers. The Grand Master lived in one of the most
magnificent buildings in Europe -- Marienburg Castle -- the
headquarters of the Order from 1309. Great emphasis was placed on the
Grand Master's generosity and records exist for hundreds of marks being
distributed to the poor and needy every time he took an excursion.

Governing Council (Gebistigerrat)

     Day-to-day government of the Order was through a council of five
officers collectively known as the Grossgebietiger who formed part of a
Chapter known as the Gebistigerrat. They comprised: The Grosskomtur
(Seneshenal), Marshal, Oberste Trapier (Master Draper), Oberste
Spittler (Hospitaller) and Tressler (Treasurer). The Provincial
Commanders could also attend or serve on this council to representing
their provinces when needed. This council was the governing body of the
Order, making most of the decisions and setting most policies.
     The Grosskomtur (Great Commander) was given his own suite of offices in
Marienburg Castle equal in opulence and size to the Grand Master. As
second in command of the Order, his role was often that of foreign
minister. He also acted on the Grand Master's behalf during his absence
and led the Marienberg Commandery continents during war.
     Before the fall of the Holy Land, the Marshal (Ordensmarschall) had
sole responsibility for military operations against the Infidel. Later,
as Marienberg eventually receded into the safe heart of the Teutonic
State, the Marshal was generally assigned the task of military overseer
of the frontier provinces.
     The position of Oberste Spittler (Hospitaller) was initially quite
important as the Order maintained a hospital in Acre. Later, the title
became honourific as the Order conducted few nursing missions in
Europe. The same applies to the position of Oberste Trapier (Draper).
While there was a centralised system for the distribution of clothing
and equipment in Palestine, this responsibility was later taken over by
Provincial Commanders. The role became that of an advisor and ranking
officer.
     The Tressler administered the revenues contributed by the provinces and
at times conducted audits on those provinces suspected of holding back
their contributions. He managed the expenses for the Grand Master's
court and official activities as well as major expenditures such as
fortifications.

Knight Organisation

     The positions of Grosschaffer in Marienburg and Konigsberg were
essentially trade ministers overseeing exports and imports. Both had
large personal staffs and had to report to the Tressler. Most trade was
conducted in grain, furs, amber and copper.
     Provincial Commanders (Landkomtur) were responsible for law and order
within their designated areas. Under them were the Hauskomtur
(Preceptor). Each Hauskomtur was responsible for a Komtur (chapter) of
12 knights and their associated sergeants. Civilians could approach the
Commander to act as judge for murder and other major cases. Individual
knights were allowed to administer justice on minor matters -- so long
as they submitted a full report to their House Commander afterwards.
Teutonic Knights acted as a police force in the traditional meaning of
the word -- deterring criminals, serving summonses and conducting
arrests. Beneath the House Commanders were Vogts, associate-members of
the Order who acted as caretakers of a farm or an estate. Commanders
led the knights from their Chapter during battle and were responsible
for the security of their estates. Internal matters were conducted at
the discretion of the Provincial Commander, with assistance available
from senior officers if the need arose.

The Teutonic Insignia and Habit

     Uniform: The white habit of the Teutones was very similar to that of
the Templars (much to the latter's disgust). This right was granted
them by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. Their black cross
(sometimes superimposed with a yellow highlight) was similar in shape
to that of the Cross of Jerusalem (four T's radiating from a
centre-point). In the late-13th century they were also granted the
right to place the German Royal Eagle at the heart of the cross --
though this practice has since been discontinued to recognise the new
diversity of the Order's members. Teutone sergeants (equivalent to
modern novices) wore a Tau cross (looking like a single capital T).
Later, the cross took on more gentle curves -- eventually evolving into
the distinctive Iron Cross that featured prominently in World War I and
World War II insignia.
     Standard: In the early days of the Order the Teutones battle standard
was simply a black cross on a white field. But, as they successfully
established a principality in the Baltic States, the cross was dressed
up. By 1330 the Order had adopted the yellow cross of Jerusalem
bordered in black for their standard, with the German royal eagle at
its heart. This was placed on a white field. Shields mostly held a
simple black cross on white though officers would adorn it with yellow
inside the black cross and the Imperial eagle at the junction.

The Modern Order

     "The Church and God have, unfortunately, little to do with vampirism in
     truth, excepting perhaps that some prayers might help the dead from
     returning and suitable formulas are recited at the funeral to help the
     soul find solace. There is no more effective method to ban vampirism
     than killing."
          -- Vampire, a Complete Guide to the Undead, Manuela Dunn Mascetti,
          1991

     Only a few isolated outposts of the Teutonic Order survived the
collapse of their once great empire. A chapter in Vienna and the
Bailiwick of Utrecht in Amsterdam remain mainly through concentrating
on the roles of nursing and charity work. Other chapters were forced to
operate "underground" -- first to avoid the Reformationists and then to
hide from the Communists. Ironically, it was the supernatural forces
behind the emergence of Stalinist Russia that finally saw the
destruction of the Wolf Council. With the collapse of the Soviet Union,
the Gangrel, Children of Gaia and Black Furies have returned to fill
the vacuum left by their vanished oppressors. Now, it appears it is
their turn to be dispossessed.
     The Order reached its low-point in 1923 when its Grand Master resigned
after the fall of the Austrian Empire -- the last bastion of support
for the dwindling Order. The next blow came in 1929 when Pope Pius XI
ratified a new constitution -- stripping the Order of its Chivalric
status. The surviving chapterhouses -- including the Sisters of the
German Hospital of St. Mary in Jerusalem -- reverted to a normal
monastic order under the control of Sacred Congregation for the
Religious in Rome. Only a few ranks referred to the Order's Militant
past.
     The new Brotherhood of the German Hospital in Jerusalem suffered badly
under the Third Reich -- the persecution of the Teutonic Order
coinciding with the glorification of the ancient Knights of Prussia
which was used as a propaganda tool shortly before Hitler came to
power. The Nazis established an order of Merit called the "Teutonic
Order" which still causes detrimental associations even today. A new
mythology involving the old Order was fabricated, claiming the
"glorious" knights to be the forerunners of the Third Reich. Even after
the war, once the Order had its lands restored by a new Austrian
government, the effects of Nazi propaganda still hinder the Teutones
charitable work -- despite the fact it was among the first religious
organisations suppressed by Hitler.
     But the Teutonic Order was deeply shocked by the reflection held up to
its face in the form of the Waffen SS. The SS were a band of devoted
"knights," fighting furiously to perpetuate what they believed. Many
older knights recognised this as the fatal flaw within the Order itself
-- arrogant pride and uncompromising belief in itself. Since then the
most senior of the Order's knights have striven for greater humility --
and their on-going reforms reflect this.
     The Teutonic Order was able to save much face in Eastern Europe through
the hardships and deprivations imposed by Communist Russia. Remnants
and descendants of the Order established a secret Christian network to
avoid the suppressions and discrimination of Stalinist USSR. Though
limited in numbers, the Order also continued its work of harassing
known supernaturals.
     The monastic German Brothers managed to grow after the war in parish
work, hospitals, old-people's homes, schools and training colleges. The
organisation remains as a public front to the Order -- comprising 30
Clerical and 10 lay Brothers, 500 religious Sisters and 350 Familiars
-- 12 of which are ranked as Knights of Honour.
     The new Knights of the Cross emerged from this cauldron of fire during
the early 1990s as a well forged alloy. The tearing down of the Berlin
Wall marked the return to freedom for the knights and the Christian
community, but the tyranny of Communism had served only to strengthen
the faith of many and break down the barriers between Catholic and
Reformationist. The make-up of the modern Order reflects this. Many of
its knights were Lutherans, others were Russian Orthodox. The new
knighthood represents the full spectrum of Christian denominations.
Once again recognised by the Papacy and international community, the
Teutonic Knights are gaining public support through charitable works
mainly focussed on reuniting east and west Germany. Much is also being
done in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia where many now view the
Teutonic knights as being a firm but fair portion of their history.
This work includes using influence among major German corporations to
set up manufacturing and distribution facilities in these areas, the
building of hospitals and community facilities, repairing public
utilities -- and the more covert "cleansing" of supernatural
influences.
     Although the Teutonic Knights were not present at the Malta Synod of
the mid 1980s, the re-established and strengthened Templar and
Hospitallers were surprisingly willing to welcome them back into the
fold of Militant Orders. Still subject to the status of "junior" order,
the Teutones are proving their maturity in charitable and cleansing
work.
     Russia has become a major concern to the Teutonic Knights. Something
"big" is happening there. A purge on the scale of the Inquisition is
happening among the supernaturals of Russia -- but the Inquisition
claims to know nothing about it. Several knights have discovered a
vampire's lair, only to find someone had beaten them to it. Werewolf
caerns have been left untended and the nodes of mages are left
unexploited. Several knights sent deep into Russia in search of clues
to this mystery have simply vanished. One thing is certain: "The enemy
of mine enemy is no friend of mine."

Reform

     "Kings, emperors and nobles used to rule the world, today I see
     sovereignty held by the clergy by means of robbery, treachery,
     hypocrisy, violence and preaching. . . They are anxious to make the
     world theirs. . . "
          -- Pierre Cardenal of Le Puy, 1229

     The single greatest contributor toward the demise of the Teutonic
Knights was the break-up of the Catholic Church. The reformation
sparked by the teachings of Martin Luther had a profound effect on
German society, eventually spreading like wildfire throughout Europe.
Many knights, disillusioned with the corruption of the established
church, gave up their oaths and became Lutheran. Even high-ranking
officers announced their dissent and left their posts. Combined with
the increasing "christianisation" of the surrounding nations to which
the Teutones had been opposed to so long, the Order lost its sense of
purpose and the all-important concept of religious unity. With the
re-establishment of the Order in the 1990s, the Gebistigerrat
(governing council) has attempted to remove this source of dissent.
Instead, they hope theological diversity can be turned into a strength.
     The senior knights have taken a valiant stand, declaring that all
christians are equal. Faith is what is important. The "fiddly bits" can
be worried about later. This stance has not gone down well with the
"old guard" Teutones. Especially in light of the more specific reforms
that have followed -- such as allowing women to hold militant and
priest status. The outcome has not yet become what the Gebistigerrat
had hoped. The Order is becoming factionalised, with interest groups
forming around conflicting ideals and interpretations. Only the
Hochmeister's strength of character has prevented this from developing
into a schism far worse than that experienced several centuries ago. In
time the Hochmeister hopes these factions will learn to tolerate and
accommodate each other in a spirit of compromise. This, he believes, is
the only way the Order -- and the Church at large -- has any chance of
surviving through the next millennia.

The Reformed Rule

     The vow of Chastity is no longer applied to Novices. Married novices
are allowed entrance to the Order and their families receive similar
support to that of military personnel all around the world. The goal is
to become more attractive to the diverse Christian reformationist
churches that have appeared all around the world. However, Knights are
still expected to make this sacrifice to disencumber their devotion to
God's will.
     Poverty is also no longer enforced among Novices. The rank, instead of
relating to experience, has taken on an association with a degree of
commitment to the Order. Again, knights are required to take this extra
step toward total commitment.
     Obedience is the one element of the Rule that has in no way been
diminished. In fact, it is only through the Rule that the above
reformations will have any chance of being accepted by the rank and
file.

New Purpose

     The goal of the Teutonic Order is no longer to carve out an Empire
based on strict Christian principles. Instead, it is one of
contributing military expertise toward combating mankind's greatest
threat -- the corrupting influence of supernatural beings. The Order's
commitment to its craft is absolute. The Church exists to teach and
console an ignorant and increasingly frightened populace. The Sword
exists to cut-down any powerful pagan heretic that gets in the Cloth's
way. The Teutones know that they are that sword. Across the factions is
one powerful common driving force: eradication of the enemy. This
strength of purpose often embodies itself in almost single-minded
behaviour. Scheming Templars and soft-hearted Hospitallers are often
shocked by the resolution shown by Teutones in their hatred of all
things evil. Great resources are poured into finding new and effective
weaponry against the variety of foes the Church Knights face. The
Teutones are not jealous of these advances and willingly share them
with their comrades in arms.

Women in the Order

The Historical Order

     Throughout its history the Order has adopted the approach espoused by
the Catholic Church: that women have rights to property, freedom and
expression -- but are to be excluded from fighting and positions of
power within the Church itself. Women were allowed to worship in the
same devoted manner as men -- with convents being among the oldest
institutions dedicated to living in the name of Christ. But nuns were
to be segregated from monks and men as much as possible: thus the high
walls surrounding most convents. Few women ever held positions of power
higher than abbotess -- administrating the affairs of other women. Life
was not so strict in secular medieval society, with queens and
princesses often holding considerable power -- and even the crown --
within their countries. As a monastic organisation, the Teutonic
Knights were no different. Women were allowed to be members of the
Order, as nursing nuns and as supportive affiliates. But none held
positions of power or combat, and all were rigorously kept away from
the brother-knights. This situation remained static since the Order was
formed in the 12th Century. Only in the past decade has the winds of
change been felt.

The Modern Order

     The Teutonic Order's Gebistigerrat (governing council) has in recent
years taken several brave moves in the field of women's rights and
privileges. Like many reformationist churches, the Teutone hierarchy
has begun to question the old traditions regarding women and the modern
relevance of the often-quoted passages in the Bible. The Gebistigerrat
has ruled that women are equal to men in God's eyes -- and have allowed
them to become priests and knights in God's service. The result was
essentially shock. All protests were heard, and dismissed, through the
appeals council. Now the way is legally open for a woman to even hold
the post of Hochmeister. But the response has been slow. There is no
glass ceiling in the Order. Things are not yet that good.
     Instead, many groups -- particularly among the old German nobility and
Catholic members -- firmly believe that women are unsuited, both
physically and morally, to God's work. These knights comply with the
letter of the Gebistigerrat rulings, but not the spirit. Some nuns have
applied for, and been granted, militant status. Surprisingly, numerous
new female recruits have been gained through the more lenient
congregations associated with the Order. These women often have a
purpose: they have experienced Corruption's influence on this world and
want to contribute toward a better future. Not even the most hard-line
anti-assimilation Teutones can criticise the devotion and commitment
demonstrated by these recruits. Careful training programs are even
reducing physical strength differences, and in the firing ranges their
averages are no different to that of male novices.
     But prejudice blinds even the best minds.
     Most female knights know they have to perform twice as well to be
considered half as effective as their male counterparts. But it is a
challenge that has daunted few, to this point. The Order places great
faith in any novice or knights commitment to their vows and allows men
and women to work side-by-side. But the female knights are billeted
separately from the males, though they are given similar spartan
conditions. Few women have risen to high positions of rank at this
point. The most senior is an ex-nun who holds the rank of Hauskomtur
(Captain) -- representing female considerations on general councils and
chapter meetings. Several other women have recently completed their
command courses, technically allowing them to be given the rank of
Captain. Their promotion is currently dependent upon gaining sufficient
active service experience -- something many commanders are unwilling to
commit the women to.

Marienburg Castle

     "(It had) arms and provisions to maintain a garrison of a thousand
     persons for ten years, of ten thousand for one year."
          -- Sire de Lannoy, 14th Century

     This was the most elaborate of the Teutonic Knight's strongholds which
ranged from timber blockhouses, fortified towers to full castles.
Marienburg served as a palace, a monastery, a parliament-house, a
government office, an arsenal and a holy city. This all-purpose
structure was an elaboration of a design and purpose found all over
Prussia and Livonia on a much smaller scale -- generally a tower and a
fortified quadrangle. Marienburg castle was originally constructed in
1276 under Grand Master Winrich von Kniprode as frontier fortress. As
the empire grew, it central position increased its strategic
importance. By 1309 it became the headquarters of the Teutones.
     Marienburg was intended to stun the senses and awe the mind. Four
convents of knights and priest-brothers sang continual masses in each
of the four chapels, while the grand master conducted the duties of
prince of an empire and the grand-commander and treasurer conducted the
business of the Order in their own suites. The innter citadel (the
Mittel) and the Chapter house (Hochschloss) covered five acres of land
by 1400, and at either end lay an outer castle and a sizeable town.
     From the outside the people saw only the plainest brick structures --
smooth cliffs of brick, soaring up from the leveled terraces to the
battlements. Towers surrounded the gateways, defying entry. Fortified
latrines (dansker) projected from the top of the walls The immense
vaulted chambers of the major buildings suggested rooms fit for giants,
and the complexity of the roofline suggested a city built on a hill.
While the Teutones used architecture to intimidate, they used interior
design to please themselves and their guests. Elaborate painting,
carving and tile-work were added to the rooms, while renovations often
involved the addition of carved panels, images, friezes and ornamented
column capitals. But the artwork was honest and earthy, with little of
the fanciful filigree found in the castles of France and Italy. It was
a pious reflection of glory and power -- defensible but homely and
approachable. The centrepiece of this decoration was an eight-foot tall
outdoor mosaic on the apse (arched recess) of the Hochschloss chapel,
watching over the countryside. This was destroyed by bombs in 1945.
     Restored to the height of its grandeur during the 19th century, Allied
bombing reduced it to ruins in the last year of World War II as it had
been used by the German Army as a command post.
     A massive sell-off of castles after the collapse of the Iron Curtain
saw the Polish Government return the partially repaired castle to the
Teutones as a means of restoring and maintaining the historic site.
     As the Teutonic Knights influence over a region grew, so did their
forts. The need to preserve their wealth and authority led to much
rebuilding -- diversifying the parts by raising towers and roofs,
duplicating quadrangles and adding fine residences. The forts along the
frontier were much simpler in plan: brick keeps in Prussia and stone
towers in Livonia. The square keep, or Stock, contained the bare
essentials of militaristic and monastic life: a chapel, a refectory
(Remter), a dormitory and the commander's chamber. The central
quadrangle was a fortified yard containing a kitchen, workshop,
stables, and sometimes a parish church. Brick and stone craftsmanship
was a major advantage for the Teutonic Knights: the pagans of the
forests were used to earthen mounds, timber stockades and the
protection of waterways. The knight's forts were impervious to their
major assault tactic: fire. The stone and brick walls of a commandery
was often what kept its knights alive until relief arrived.

Middle Castle

     Then, as now, this portion of the castle was the administrative heart
of the Order. Apart from containing the offices of many minor
administrative posts, this imposing edifice also contains the Great
Refectory (eating hall), Grand Master's chambers, and guest rooms.
     Masters Chambers: This large suite occupies several floors above the
Summer Refectory, and spills over into part of the nearby Chapter
House. The private chambers are large and well equipped, and suitably
decorated for the private entertainment of a visiting Papal legate or
government official. The suite includes a private library, study,
sitting room, a personal kitchenette, and conference room. A doorway
leads into a nearby structure which is part of the Chapter House,
opposite the halls of the Tressler and Great Commander. This is a long
hall divided into various offices and apartments for the Master's
personal assistants and secretaries.
     Great Refectory and Summer Refectory: These are the communal dining
rooms for the warrior-monks. The Great Refectory is where all gather
and eat, while the Summer Refectory is reserved as a formal dining room
for entertainment of guests.
     Infirmary: This huge vaulted hall -- once where nursing brothers tended
to the sick, is now a modern hospital with three complete surgical
theatres and a burns unit. Upper floors are recovery wards, and the
Infirmary tower contains the doctors offices.
     Guest Rooms: While Marienburg Castle once served as a virtual hotel for
visiting nobles and knights; this is no longer the case. Instead, these
extensive suites have been turned into a large and modern library.
Computerised systems keep track of the movement and availability of
books, as well as the humidity and temperature of areas containing the
oldest works. The Teutonic Knights contain the largest known library
relating to Lycanthrope Lore anywhere in the world.
     The Reliquary: The Reliquary contains many precious objects brought
back from the Holy Lands during the Crusades, and numerous items drawn
from the Order's long history. The most precious artifact is a lock of
hair said to belong to Mary -- Christ's mother. Pagan artifacts are
also kept here on display, along with weapons and armour.

Chapter House (Hochschloss)

     Chapter Hall: At the centre of this towering brick structure is a tall
enclosed atrium. This is the meeting chamber of the knights -- used for
local Chapter affairs and Grand Chapter meetings. Grand Masters have
been elected here for centuries.
     Priests tower: This is where the priests assigned to the Order reside
and study. It includes the local parish priest for the town below.
     Tressler & Commander Offices: This large hall is even larger than that
devoted to the Grand Master. Here work the staff of the Treasurer and
Grand Commander of the Order. Each end of the hall contains residential
apartments for these officers, who are rarely far removed from their
staff.
     Church: This long room is astoundingly tall -- held up by huge sweeping
arches that impose a feeling of smallness upon those below. Knights and
novices, even now, constantly sing from the choirs -- the sound of
their worship echoing through the halls.
     Dormitories: This series of plain open rooms provide sleeping
accommodation for knights and novices. Alongside is a hall with several
stories of classrooms above it, devoted to the training and
indoctrination of novices of the Order.
     Garderobe Tower: This is, in essence, the "war room" of the Order.
Behind its thick stone walls is a high tech communications and
operations centre which enables senior officers to obtain immediate
"big pictures" from large multi-functional screens of where the Order's
knights are dispersed, down to relayed individual telemetry information
from a specific raid. Much of the world's media is monitored here, and
the movements of suspects tracked around the globe. All computer
systems here are completely self contained, unattached to the outside
world in any way.

Courtyard Baily

     This large courtyard has been extensively built up over the centuries
as the major service centre for both the castle itself and the
surrounding district. A self-contained defensive enclosure; it is one
of many walled "islands" that make up Marienburg.
     Foundry: This is now the armoury of the Order, holding a wide variety
of personal heavy weapons, assault rifles, grenades, explosives,
ammunition etc. There is enough equipment in and underneath this
structure to frighten the Polish government.
     Brewery, Bakery and Maltings: These are service rooms for the storage
and preparation of food, linen and equipment.
     Octagonal Tower: This is a jail devised to the best of the Order's
ability to hold any supernatural which may be captured. It is air-tight
with recirculating, oxygen recharged, atmosphere. There are no
reflective surfaces and is surrounded by a strong containment ward. It
has held several captured Lycanthropes in the past, and has yet to be
subject to a successful escape attempt.
     Saddlery: Converted into a modern garage.
     St Lawrence Tower: This is the site of the Teutonic Order's forensic
and general research facilities. A medical lab, biological sciences lab
and forensic analysis wing are seeking new understanding of
supernatural abilities and traits in order to devise new ways to oppose
them.

Lower Castle

     This is the outlying ring of defensive revertments and walls
surrounding the older and more developed Middle Castle and Courtyard
Bailey. Much of the Lower Castle enclosures consist of open parks,
gardens and lakes. It can only be entered through St Nicholas' Gate,
the Town Gate and The New Gate. Only two gates lead to the inner
defensive works -- both of them to the Courtyard Bailey. A drawbridge
and tower guard the only entrance to the Middle Castle.
     The Long Granary: Originally a sprawling series of interlocking
warehouses, this structure has been extensively upgraded in recent
times into a false streetscape representing different style residences,
offices and workshops. Similar in concept to the "killing house" of SAS
training programmes, the Cleansing Row is a complete streetscape full
of booby traps, targets and scoring equipment. The interior of many
buildings are advanced projection theatres -- displaying realistic
images of various types of known supernatural creatures under various
conditions. Others use surprisingly realistic robotics to emulate
attackers with skills such as celerity etc. The overall effect is to be
as realistic as possible in a training environment, while ensuring the
safety of all participants. At worst, novices and knights would come
out of a training run with a few bruises from tennis-ball guns.
Training tasks include: entry, scaling, surveillance, hostage rescue,
sniping and building assault.

Order Personalities

     Rejoice, brave warrior,
     if you live and conquer in the Lord
     but rejoice still more and give thanks
     if you die and go to join the Lord.
     This life can be fruitful and victory is glorious
     yet a holy death for righteousness is worth more.
     Certainly "blessed are they who die in the Lord"
     but how much more so are those who die for Him?
          -- St Bernard of Clairvaux

     The following is a brief introduction to the Order's current senior
officers and most noted personalities.

Conrad Kitzinger (Hochmeister)

     Conrad Kitzinger was born in Germany of Polish Parents in 1930. He was
only nine when his parents were taken by the Gestapo. Fostered to a
"good" Aryan family for Nazification, his first experience with the
supernatural was when he secretly observed a "manipulation" of his
Waffen-SS foster father. After the war he joined a seminary, and
rapidly proved his knowledge and faith. Sent to Rome on a scholarship,
he excelled in philosophy and theology and was highly praised for his
intellect and dedication. After a long career in the Vatican where he
served as an theological advisor and as a lecturer. His non-militant
background was considered an advantage when nominated for the Grand
Mastership. Since taking the helm at the reconstitition of the Teutonic
Order in 1991, Kitzinger has been a powerful advocate for the Order
among Europe's established clergy of all denominations, as well as a
successful diplomat. He has also proven able to mediate between the
humanist and traditionalist factions within his own Order. Whatever his
personal preferences and biases may be, Kitzinger has demonstrated a
remarkable ability to distance himself from the emotion of a situation
and strip it down to basic issues. His logical and comprehensive
arguments brook little criticism.

Dieter von Hechler (Grosskomtur)

     Hechler was 12 when Russian troops marched into Konigzburg. He had
loved the stories his grandfather told him -- stories of a time when
white-clad knights ruled all the land about him. Dieter's family had
once been noble: the castle of his forefathers still stood on the coast
of the Baltic. These stories filled the young Dieter with pride and
eager anticipation for the advancing German armies. Reality struck home
hard. His father was one of those executed in retaliation for the
Hitler bomb plot. The initial relief of Russian occupation soon turned
to terror as socialism was imposed. Hechler was "rescued" from
"relocation" by some friends of his now dead grandfather. These
defenders of the Christian community had especially wanted to protect
the grandson of their ex-Hochmeister. They called themselves the
Teutonic Knights. Dieter joined the underground Order young. To Dieter
faith is something to be treasured, something personal. A gift, not a
right. For most of his life worship was a personal affair, carried out
in secret among small gatherings. As such, the trappings and
traditional baggage religion has gathered over the centuries has little
meaning to him. This viewpoint has caused Hechler become the closest
thing the Order's younger "humanist" faction has as to an advocate
among the Gebistigerrat.

Albrecht von Schwarzburg (Ordensmarschall)

     Albrecht von Schwarzburg was born into Allied occupied Germany shortly
after World War II. His noble parents benefited from Germany's
reconstruction process -- investing heavily in new industrial and
commercial ventures. Serving in the German police force for his entire
career, Schwarzburg ended up commanding the anti-terrorist group GSG-9
before retiring to take up the reins as the Teutonic Knight's Knight
Marshal. His experience in counter-terrorist tactics and training has
had a heavy influence on both the Order's procedures and policies.
Schwarzburg is a traditionalist -- believing strongly that the Order
exists for German Catholic men of noble extraction. He is concerned
about the Order's current direction and is vying for the next Grand
Mastership.