"By the Imperial Year 132, the Inquisition had made deep cuts into the hierarchy of the Order of St. Guthlac. Many chapter houses of the order, once steeped in wealth and power now limped along with meager tithes and a waning membership. Many of the knights once proud to serve the order were sickened by the years of shame and bitterness. Most of the knights left to become free knights or serve secular masters. Many of the more pious renounced their oath to the order in favor of taking others in the orders of St. Baudri or St. Hugo. There were attempts to rebuild, but the penalties and scandals had done their damage. In in fifty years time there would be nothing left of the proud order that led the battle to free humanity from the sorcerer-kings and create the Empire of the Seven Swords."