Knights of the Eternal Flame cast the lights glow into the darkness so that shadows of evil will be dispelled.

Sworn only to valor should they be, who would walk as a Knight of the Eternal Flame. His word speaks only truth.

Knights of the Eternal Flame are those who would uphold the weak, especially when they are in the right.

His arms are used in defense of the helpless.

Knights of the Eternal Flame reserve wraith for the wicked, when the just cry out in need it is KEF who should answer the call.

Syrilina Strongblade
Sword of the Flame
Beloved wife of Dracn0w

1/8/97

First was the "immixtio manuum" followed by the "volo". Now the immixiotio was preformed by the vassal (or person of lessor rank) generally kneeling, bare headed, and weaponless. Typically placing their interlocked hands into the clasped hands of their Lord, who then enclosed them in his own. (pardon the male form for my ease of comfort). The Higher Lord demanding (in the form of a question) from the lower ranking person if they would, without reserve; enter into the service of the lord and become his "man", (with respect to the type of service).

The other replying, "I do so wish it" , then their alliance was sealed. IN nearly all cases while oaths of fealty where the norm, the rite was considered invalid without the "immixitoI manuum". It's performance alone was sufficient to legally bind one person to another.

In time this oath taking fell by the wayside to legal precedence and such, the lawyers having made the form something of a fixed nature. Still while preformed, they where sealed in the volo portion of the rite through the use of "holy relics of some type.

It goes without saying that this part was done to put the "fear of God" into the participants, (obviously a church ploy). But also to insure the sincerity in keeping the oath. While this part was not essential to the rites conclusion. It was the way of confirming the contracted obligations of the 2 parties, with some visible gesture. The kiss became used to confirm the "contract" nature of the bargain struck. Stressing some element of equality and or friendship (one does not kiss ones slave or servant). Also sometimes the kiss came before the oath sometimes after. In places like France the kiss became something exchanged between the participants rather than upon a common relic or revered object. Now all this "dog and pony show" flash was one thing but lets look at what exactly fealty might mean.

Note here the use of the singular form. This is intentional because the oath was equally binding on all parties involved. What ever the lessor ranking person promised as a part of their servitude, like and/or kind was promised of their lord. Unless specific exception was made during the volo. SO each member into the oath had certain duties that went with the expectations.
Actually the early catholic church spelled it out. And even many of the "fantasy novels" address the matter. In a letter to William Aquitaine from a high church official it was written:

"He who swears fealty should always have these 6 words present in their mind; safe and sound, sure, honest, useful, easy, possible.

    Safe and sound because a vassal may cause no injury to the body of their lord.

Sure because they may not injure their lord by giving up their secrets, (which in turn might guarantee their own security).

Honest, because they must do nothing to injure the rights of justice of their lord, or such other prerogatives as belong to their mutual well being.

Useful, because they may do no wrong to the possessions of their lord.

Easy and possible, because they must not make impossible anything which their lord might otherwise accomplish.

But it is not enough to do no wrong; it is also necessary to do right. It then becomes necessary that in the aforesaid matters, the vassal shall faithfully give their lord their council and support, if one is to remain worthy of their lords beneficence and carry out faithfully their fealty. If one should not do this, they will rightly be accused of bad faith, equal to the vassal who will have been discovered to have been lacking in their duties, weather by positive action or simple consent (omission). Therefore becoming subject to the penalties of their guilt in perfidy and or perjury.


Ok so much for historic precedence and background now to the meat of the meal....    some typical forms use to do fealty or swear loyalty and such:

The most basic come from the English (who else)

"a man promises to be faithful to his lord., Shunning what he shuns and loving what he loves." doesn't get simpler than that.

From a 12th century document from a order of knighthood came this one:

"...after having done homage publicly. X   takes an oath to  Y    and promises , as a vassal to his lord, that he will honor   Z, and  that he will further support him against and all sundry."


IN the 11th century this was found :

" I promise by my faith, that from this day forward I will be faithful to "X"   and will maintain toward him my homage entirely against every man in good faith and without deception."

Care for a more strict military form? Well in Germany these where used from around 1034

"from this hour forward, I , (your name) will be faithful to you, (lords name) by true faith, without mischievous intent as a true man should be to his lord and without will to deceive."

Even lords took fealty to the base form (as if they where a simple vassal) when addressing one of higher rank, like their king. promising without reserve to be friend to his friends and foe to his foes.

So there you have the grist and finished product. The promise of service, is meant to be not only solemn, but personal, and as specific as is warranted. In accepting the oath the Lord (or Lady) in question should be likewise personal and formal.

exerpted from an article on "Oaths & Fealty" from a Society for Creative Anachronism publication called "Pikestaff Arts and Science Supplement (VolumeXXVI of 1995)

  Please take note:  these where the policy and practice of the guild while playing in a game called Never Winter Nights.  From these basic guidelines have been,  and should be developed the guidelines the guild uses to direct the proper course of a player versus player battle in any game on the web.

This is the KEF  pvp file. Its purpose is to aquatint yas with the rules of KEF pvp fighting. This is not an in-depth pvp instruction, that will come later in yur training.

This pvp file is a primer, a place from which to begin to give yas an idea of what -not- to do. The Knights, while dedicated against evil and evil acts, are a lawful good guild and are bound by fighting laws of honor and chivalry. To be without these laws, or the failure to follow them, would make us the same as or even less then the other good or neutral guilds
in the realms.

We are Knights of the Eternal Flame, and as such we -must-
follow these codes of honor.

Basic Rules:
1)If yas lose a battle with an opponent yas shall
-never- re-enter the same battle. Even if yur friends are still in the battle and sorely beset, you will not enter!! Yas cannot go back in for any reason. You have died and yur part in the battle has ended.If another battle starts in the same spot,with the same people yas are free to enter into another combat.

2)Yas will always announce yur entry into a combat.
The knighthood will never accept sneak attacking 'jumping' others. Evils and the weak may think they need to use this tactic, but the Knights code of honor and bravery forbids us from taking such an unfair advantage of our foes.  This doesn't mean yas have to announce yur arrival out side of a battle.
Yas may arrive, ESP yur friend(s) in the battle fer info, prep, etc. But before you enter the battle you must announce you are entering. This can be a simple "in!" to a "defend yourself KAAOS scum!".

Use of Certain Spells:

1) A member of KEF will never cast feeblemind 1st.
When cast this spell denies a person their spells in memory, thus giving an unfair advantage to its caster. It is dishonorable to suppose that a Knight needs such an advantage over their opponent. However be aware that evil, generally, has no concept of honor and there is the real possibility of the
spell being used against yas or a guild-mate/friend. This is why it is very important to have in yur possession a goodly amount of scrolls, including at least 1 feeblemind. Though yas may not cast spells from memory if affected by a feeb, you can still cast off of scrolls, and return the favor, evening out the combat once again. The only way a Feeblemind spell can be cured is in a
temple. NOTE: The one time a feeblemind spell may be cast 1st is if an enemy who has died re-enters. As stated earlier, re-entering is a severe offense in the realms.

2) The spell 'dispel magic' will not be cast upon,
or next to an opponent. This is called a direct dispel (direct dis) and is an unacceptable practice as, once again, it creates an unfair advantage by possibly dispelling a foes protective spells. This spell will not even be cast 'on' a held monster next to a foe in order to try to use the monster to defeat yur opponent.  Yas can cast next to a npc, away from yur foe, to awaken the monster, provided yur foe is not in the area of the spell affects.  The one time yas can cast dispel and have it affect yur opponent is called a bonus dis. This is where yur Guildmate/friend is held/clumsy, you cast dispel on
or near them in an effort to free em, and an enemy is within the spell affect area.   Obviously yas aren't required to wait until a foe moves out of the way before trying to save yur partner!! NOTE: Again a direct dis can be used against a person who re-enters a fight after dying, or if it is used against you 1st.

3) A 'silence' spell will not be cast directly upon an opponent. Again this applies to the taking of an unfair advantage over yur
foe. However in this case it is acceptable to cast it at an npc in an effort to utilize the beasty to silence yur opponent. The difference being that yur foe will possibly have to take a round or 2 to deal with the npc to cancel the spell effect, rather then be completely helpless fer 11 rounds. A favorite tactic of some is to cast silence on a npc directly upon entering a pvp 1st, there by silencing on the 1st round all who may enter (providing they enter next to that npc.

These are the most serious -not- to do laws, and violating them could have severe consequences on yur entry into the Knighthood.  There are other instances which can be debatable of whether they are honorable or not; i.e. a late entry into a fight; but these laws which we have just gone over are laws that -must- be followed. Yas must keep in mind also that this is role-playing and not a personal grudge match in any way. All of AOL's terms of service rules apply. I will leave yas with one final thought, you are, even as a squire, a representative of KEF. Your actions will reflect the way others perceive the Knighthood. If you enter a situation where yas wonder if yas are doing the right thing, think!
Is this the easy way or the honorable thing to do?  Will your , and hence the guilds reputation, be enhanced by letting yur foe prepare, or will it be better to go for the easy kill on a helpless enemy? Yur actions will reflect for more then just yurself, they will speak for all of us.

May the Flame Burn Eternal!!
Sunglitz - Guild Master
KEF Fendar - Warlord
Haldor - Captain of the Guard