It rose out of the Knights of Takhisis through humanitarianism. Sara Dunstan paid homage to her surrogate son Steel Brightblade by naming it the Legion of Steel. Let’s learn more about this newest of knightly orders. Buy Dragonlance: Fifth Age: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/186462/Dragonlance-Fifth-Age-Dramatic-Adventure-Game-SAGA?affiliate_id=50797
Transcript
Cold Open
It was the ghost of Steel Brightblade who passed on his father’s Starjewel to Sara Dunstan which planted the seed for the Legion of Steel.
Intro
Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about the Legion of Steel. I would like to take a moment and thank the members of this channel, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate link. I am referencing Dragonlance Fifth Age and Knightly Orders of Ansalon sourcebooks for this information. If you feel I have left anything out, please leave a comment below.
Discussion
In what appears to be a tradition of birthing a new knighthood from the tenants of an old one, the Legion of Steel would be formed from the Knights of Takhisis by Sara Dunstan. The story actually begins before the Summer of Chaos and would end with an order founded on responsibility, introspection, justice and compassion for others. Not with the rigidity of the Knights of Solamnia’s Oath and Measure, or the Knights of Takhisis’ vision, but with the malleable desire of those in need and the Legion of Steel’s willingness to assist them.
Sara Dunstan was a weaver living in Solamnia when in 346 Alt Cataclius, a pregnant, desperate, and young Kitiara Uth Matar stumbled into her home. With the aid of a druidess, they delivered Steel, which Kitiara abandoned to Sara, claiming that she would return for him when he is older. Sara raised Steel and loved him as a son. Fearful that Kit would return, she moved them both to Palanthus. When the Blue Lady’s War raised Palanthus and Kit died, Sara was relieved. However darkness was ever around the bend as Steel was approached by Ariakan Ariakas, who offered him the life of a warrior, which Steel readily accepted. Not wanting to leave her adopted son to the evil Ariakan, Sara joined the Knights of Takhisis with Steel in an attempt to guide him from the dark path he was walking.
Sara would approach Caramon Majere and take both Tanis and Caramon to Storm’s Keep. There they kidnapped Steel in an attempt to bring him to the light by visiting his father Sturm Brightblade’s tomb beneath the High Clerist’s Tower. Sturm appeared as a spirit and gave his son the Brightblade and Starjewel, but ultimately, Steel left his mother and returned to the Knights of Takhisis. Sara changed her last name to Sara Conby and lived a life of anonymity and peace… for a while. She would hear of her son’s sacrifice during the Chaos War and was immensely proud of him. She continued to train and after 4 years, upon hearing the Knights of Takhisis were regrouping under Talon Leader Mirielle Abrena, she joined the order under her assumed name. She quickly gained favor and rose in the ranks.
She would begin to have doubts about the Knights of Takhisis again, and when making a pilgrimage to the Tomb of the Last Heroes in Solace with Derrick Yaufre, she decided to tell him her true past. Derrick rejected her and left, but Sara continued on to the Tomb. When she arrived, she had a vision. She saw Derrick join with a Knight of Solamnia to track down a giant. Upon its defeat they squabble about the spoils and battled each other to exhaustion. Sara then saw her son Steel’s ghost appear before her. Steel told her that “All we have is each other”, the line he delivered to Chaos years before. Steel then handed Sara his father’s Starjewel and vanished. Sara would consult her old friends the Majere’s and reflected on the foundation of the Knights of Solamnia with the vision Vinas Solamnus received, and the Knights of Takhiss with the vision Ariakan Ariakas received and was inspired. Sara saw the Starjewel and understood what it symbolized, one’s love for another, and knew the Knights of Solamnia and Takhisis would never work together, so Sara resolved to lead a new order.
Krynn’s destiny rested in the hands of its people working together, and her order would be one based on selflessness and mutual aid. She would reach out to disaffected knights of all orders, and soon thereafter, clandestine cells began growing in towns throughout Ansalon. Sara named her order the Legion of Steel in honor of her son. It was born out of the Knights of Takhisis and tempered by the virtue of the Knights of Solamnia. The Inn of the Last Home was the initial base of operations, but after it was burned to the ground in a dragon battle, they built their own headquarters in 11 Secundus Cataclius
The humanitarian efforts of the Legion of Steel were welcomed across Ansalon in the wake of the Dragon Purge and their ranks and circles would swell and spread from Flotsam to Tarsis. Just prior to her death she defined the legacy of the Legion which must never depend on any written words, but on its members’ commitment to teaching the Order’s beliefs to their successors—by example, not by rote. Sara Dunstan’s Legacy reminds the members of her Order to always have the courage to do what is right and accept the consequences; to gain strength through self-knowledge; to remain ever alert to danger and injustice; to respect virtue in all its forms; to grant justice to all beings; and to fight for one’s beliefs unto death. Sara bade the Legionnaires carry these words in their hearts—they agreed not to codify her Legacy, but
to live its spirit. A legionnaire is defined not by her abilities and powers, but by her commitment to the Legacy. Sara Dunstan died in 398 Alt Cataclius. Silver Claw, a plainsman, now leads the Legion as its second High Elder.
The Order maintains a wide range of concerns, from subtlety manipulating politics between nations to rebuilding villages destroyed in the Dragon Purge, to spying on the the Knights
of Takhisis to aid the poor and hungry. Some Legionnaires work covertly, while others operate out in the open. But all of them, in their own way, dedicate their lives to maintaining justice in a world where Good and Evil are not as easily defined as they used to be. Though its origins were clandestine, much of the Legion has operated openly. The Circles and Cells operate in tandem. Each cell consists of a pair of up to two dozen Legionnaires. Only cell leaders, the anineysi, are aware of other cells activities and are insistent on protecting their anonymity. The circles may each contain up to thirty or so men, and are modeled off the Knights of Solamnia, led by a High Elder or Daskalos Agapi in ancient Ergothian. Three officers called Keepers of the Legacy, or Fylakas Kodika, assist the High Elder, and all are appointed by election. These four leaders may appoint Centurions, or ekatontarhos, to conduct business on their behalf in times of war. Rank is not a part of the Legion, but rather reputation and personal achievement. Outside the cell or circles leadership, each Legionnaire is recognised by reputation alone.
The Legion will work with the Knights of Solamnia when their goals align, though individually there can be some friction between them as the Knights see the Legionnaires as having taken their virtues without structure. The Legion detests the Knights of Takhisis, and believes Ansalon would benefit from their wholesale destruction. The Dark Knights actually have a standing order to execute Legionnaires on sight! One can join the Legion through a mentor as a warrior or travel to their headquarters in Solace for an entrance interview by the High Elder’s staff. If you pass the interview you are assigned a mentor. The members of the Legion of Steel teach and support each other through the mentor system. Your mentor refines one’s understanding of the Legacy and provides any necessary training. Apprentices must obey and serve their mentors, learning humility through cooking, cleaning and performing other chores. They hone their heart and mind through discussion and meditation. They fac e constant tests that challenge the mind, and accompany the mentor to gain real-world experience. When the apprentice is ready, they are inducted into the Legion. Once a full member of the Legion of Steel, you are assigned your own apprentice. The legion keeps its own house in order, policing each other and if necessary, brings the offender up on charges.
Outro
And that is all the time I have to talk about the Legion of Steel. Do you feel there is a place for another knighthood in DragonLance? Do you feel like the Legion of Steel can even be considered a knighthood? And finally, if you could, which knighthood would you belong to? Leave a comment below.
I am able to create these weekly videos because of your attention and support. If you are not already a member of this YouTube channel, I would like to invite you to consider becoming one. If you would like to pick up any edition of Dragonlance gaming materials, feel free to use my affiliate link in the description.
This channel is all about celebrating the wonderful world of the Dragonlance Saga, and I hope you will join me in the celebration. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time, remember:
A chicken with its neck wrung is different from a chicken with its head cut off, but does it matter to the chicken?
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