The Order of the Golden Light is an order of monks whose chief monastery is in
Shrel Kain. Monasteries also
situated in Tashal and Riavod and the order has also spread to
Cambria and Reetland.
The order teaches its students to seek enlightenment and fulfilment through perfection of mind and body following a regimen of physical and mental discipline,
study and service (teaching, scholarship, healing).
The origins of the order go back to the fabled land of
Kadia. In -577 a party Kenzin merchants returning
from Kadia brought back a group of monks who established a temple at
Shrel Kain. Kadian philosophy proved very popular with the Kenzin and gradually came to dominate their outlook.
Soon several different monastic traditions established a foothold in Kenzin lands. This proved fortuitous for the
Kenzin when the
Eastern Horde invaded Sankhar as the
Khans themselves were influenced by the same philosophies.
To show his approval of these philosophies the Great
Khan had a magnificent temple built in the city of Riavod that he had built to be the capital of his new
province of Sankhar. This temple, the Temple of the Four WInds, was designed to house all the different
monastic traditions.
At this time it is important to remember that all the traditions still looked to their temples Kadia for ultimate
authority. When the
Gnoll Invasion cut off Sankhar from the East, however, the monks in
Sankhar agreed to use the Temple of the Four Winds as a model and come together under one organisation which
they called the Order of the Golden Light. A new temple was then built in Shrel Kain to be the main temple
of the new order.
Unlike in Cambria the Order in Sankhar makes no bones about its status as a religion and it is one of the
dominant forces in Kenzin culture. In addition to training monks the Order also runs several schools and
hospitals.Although it is primarily a human organisation the Order admits all races to its ranks. Many monks
adopt a wandering way of life and they tend to be universally welcomed wherever they go within Sankhar.