The Order of the Mailed Fist
and the Realm of New Avalon

The Order of the Mailed Fist is a progressive (some might
say radical) Knightly sub-order within the Order of the
Faithful Knights of the Round Table. The history of the
Mailed Fist and that of New Avalon are closely linked.

Origins and Brief History
The Order of the Mailed Fist was founded on 12 May AG 1482 by
Sir Gawain Ravenshadow, Knight-Chaplain of the Holy Grail and
Seneschal of Falconbridgeshire, who believed, among other
things, that the time for secrecy had come to an end. At
first it was merely a Household, but on 18 December AG 1482,
it was registered as a sub-order. Since its foundation, it
has attracted Knights from many realms, including Sir Morgain
Wolfheart, then Duke of West Saxony. It has also gained more
than one strong opponent, who believe the secrecy of the
Order to be necessary to our survival.

In October of AG 1484, the Adherents of the Mailed Fist
formerly requested Asylum from the Pendragon, lodging a
Grievance against the Duchess of Somerlee of unfair treatment
and threats of repression. During the next few months, the
Pendragon and Council of Dukes held hearings to decide the
matter, and on 1 December AG 1484, it was decided that the
geographic area of Somerlee west of the Saxon (Mississippi)
River should be severed and become the sovereign Realm of New
Avalon, under the rulership of Sir Gawain Ravenshadow.

At Twelfthnight of 1486, the Seneschal of Llyrsburyshire
and the Lord High Mayor of Llyrsport, both Adherents of the
Mailed Fist, formerly requested that the geographic areas
north of Kings Highway Eighty (I-80) and west of the Southern
Somer Sea (Lake Michigan) be allowed to sever with Somerlee
and join with New Avalon, which the Pendragon granted.

On Kingsday of AG 1487, the Pendragon and Council of Dukes
approved a request by the Mailed Fist to make public certain
aspects of the Faithful Knights of the Round Table, with the
stipulation that the Vow of Secrecy not be broken, thus
protecting Order while allowing basic information to be
revealed. This website is the result of that decision.

Today, the Order of the Mailed Fist is well established
and officially protected from persecution. The Mailed Fist's
strongest powerbase is, as always, in New Avalon, which
includes the Cities of Crosshaven, Llyrsport, and Wolfwood.

Excerpted from a Letter read at the Round Table Gathering,
January AG 1487:

We, Adherents of the Mailed Fist, acknowledge that secrecy
was once necessary to protect the Faithful Knight of the
Round Table from the persecution of the outside world.
Secrecy protected us from the Inquisition. Secrecy protected
us from the Witch Hunts of Europe.
Secrecy protected us from the House Un-American
Activities Committee. Secrecy has served us well.

But the time for that secrecy is at an end. The United
States Supreme Court has extended Constitutional protection
to various Pagan religions. Our Order would enjoy the same
legal protection, so secrecy is no longer necessary.

In fact, secrecy can only serve to harm our Order as we
prepare to enter the next Millennium. It is secrecy which
keeps our membership so small. And while we acknowledge, and
in fact support, that the Order does not seek to recruit or
convert anyone, we assert that secrecy has made it difficult
for many, and impossible for most to discover and join this
Holy Order.

Therefore we, the Adherents of the Mailed Fist, formerly
request of His Magesty and Their Excellencies that we be
permitted to make our existence publically known and to
reveal certain basic information, in the hopes that such a
revelation will be of benefit to the Order.

To contact the Order of the Mailed Fist, drop a line to
the Master of the Mailed Fist, Duke Gawain Ravenshadow.

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