The Protestant Church Order

The Protestant Church Order are one of the strongest human factions within the novel Dark Blaze. They are split up into various Branches, but are under the overall leadership of Sir Alexander Phoenix. Even though they are a strong global power, the Great War has took a heavy toll on their ranks, forcing them to recruit what are known as auxiliaries.

The Protestant Church Order are the main defenders of humanity in Protestant countries, and have bases and operations in countries with Protestant minorities. To manage their immense resources and manpower, the P.C.O. is split up into various branches with their own chairman's, who form to create the Chairman Cabinet, headed by the Chief Chairman, Sir Alexander Phoenix.

Background:
The Protestant Church Order was formed during the Protestant Reformation, with Martin Luther, William Tyndale, John Calvin and King Henry VIII being the leading figures behind the formation of the Order.

After the Protestant Reformation, the Protestant Church Order expanded out of their initial territories of England, the Netherlands and Germany, becoming instantly embroiled in war with any faction that was not the Vatican or the Kataphraktoi. The P.C.O.'s policy that anybody within their countries are under their protection no matter their religious orientation, and that they will protect any Christian anywhere in the world, made them quick and steadfast allies with the Kataphraktoi. The Vatican, on the other hand, saw the P.C.O. are fierce rivals who could overtake them in world dominance, and so, although becoming at peace with them around the 17th Century, now engages in a cold war of sorts. The two factions frequently employ spies and espionage on one another's territories and operations. The P.C.O. has worked with various Pagan and Jewish factions, which the Vatican would never fathom.

Having a more decentralised form of command has allowed the P.C.O. to be more efficient and coordinated in their attacks as opposed to the Vatican, who rely on their local inquisitors, Burning Legion or Absolvers.

Society:
The Protestant Church Order works a bureaucratic business in many ways with various branches making it somewhat of a government unto itself. They are a highly secretive organisation that only those in the top positions within the countries they operate inside of have knowledge of. The P.C.O. does not adhere to anybody outside of their own organisation, however, they do give their donators a voice. Donators are wealthy individuals who fund the Order's endeavours and must be Protestant Christians. The P.C.O. works alongside the various Protestant Church Organisations across the globe and although they are not completely connected, members of these organisations can work interchangeably between themselves. Transfers can be easily made for a member of a Protestant Church to become a member of the Order and visa versa.

The P.C.O. takes care of their retired and gives them pensions. They also pay donations to the families of members who had died in duty to the Order, and also have an exemption list of non-Protestant and non-human individuals who are not a threat and have aided the P.C.O. in the past, an example of this is Lavinia Morata. In times of desperation and low manpower, the Order will allow the Auxiliary Conscription, where agents are allowed to temporarily recruit regular people to aid them and if they prove themselves then they can join the P.C.O. permanently. Auxiliaries were used extensively during and after the Protestant Reformation, and then after the Great War due to the high loss of life.

Structure:
The Protestant Church Order is split into four branches, who have their own chairmen. These chairmen make up the Chairman Cabinet, who are the top brass of the organisation and make their final decisions. The leader of the entire organisation and the Chairman Cabinet is the Chief Chairman, who is currently Sir Alexander Phoenix, the Chairman of the British Empire Branch.

Within the organisation itself, it is made up of various ranked agents, and in time of war, the P.C.O. have their own squads within certain militaries, such as the British Empire's, American's and Dutch armies.

The Branches are further split into different departments which deal in different matters, such as field work, surviellance, intercepting police and hospital reports, news sensorship, espionage, and politics.

Territory:
Below is a list of countries which the P.C.O. hold territory:
 * England.
 * Scotland.
 * Wales.
 * France.
 * Belgium.
 * The Netherlands.
 * Germany.
 * Denmark.
 * Iceland.
 * Norway.
 * Sweden.
 * Greenland.
 * United States Of America.
 * Canada.
 * Australia.
 * New Zealand.
 * Newfoundland.
 * South Africa.
 * Portugal.
 * Egypt.
 * Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.
 * Kenya.
 * Hindustan.
 * Abyssinia.
 * Nigeria.
 * Nepal.
 * Sierra Leone.
 * Golden Coast.
 * British Guiana.
 * Jamaica.
 * Uganda.
 * British Somaliland.
 * British East Africa.
 * Aden.
 * Oman.
 * Burma.
 * Rio Muni.
 * Belgian Congo.
 * Northern Rhodesia.
 * Southern Rhodesia.
 * Swaziland.
 * Basutoland.
 * Bechuanaland.
 * Dutch East Indies.
 * Papua.
 * Dutch Guiana.
 * Brazil.
 * Ceylon.
 * Persia.
 * Syria.
 * Iraq.
 * Jordan.
 * Hong Kong.
 * China.

Affiliates:

 * Lavinia Morata - Pagan witch who works alongside Agent Henry Marlborough.
 * King George V - Donator to the P.C.O.
 * Queen Wilhelmina - Donator to the P.C.O.
 * Abraham Lincoln - Donator to the P.C.O. before passing.
 * Charles Bradford Isham - Donator for the P.C.O.
 * Jessie Harlan Lincon - Donator for the P.C.O.
 * Nicholas Aero - Former member during the Great War, becomes a temporary auxiliary in 1920.
 * Alundra Gardner - Becomes a temporary auxiliary in 1920.
 * John French - British general during the Great War.
 * Banjo Paterson - Monster hunter who works alongside the P.C.O. in Australia.
 * Igor Zobnin - Russian N.C.O. who aided the P.C.O. during the Battle of Königsberg.

Equipment:
Below is a list of weaponry that has been seen used by the Protestant Church Order:
 * Various silver bladed weaponry.
 * Various hand grenades.
 * Webley-Fosbery Automatic - pistol.
 * Webley Mk. V - pistol.
 * Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk. III - bolt-action rifle.
 * Winchester Trench Gun - pump-action shotgun.
 * Vickers Machine Gun.
 * Maxim M1884 - LMG.
 * Hotchkiss Mk. I - LMG.
 * Austin Armoured Car.

Sub-Factions:

 * The Ascalon Squad - led by Ch. Father Vivian Williams.
 * The Count Killers - led by Cpt. Gabriel Van Helsing.
 * The Wycombe Warriors - led by Cpt. Donald Glover.
 * The British Empire Branch - led by Sir Alexander Phoenix.
 * The European Branch - no leader known.
 * The North American Branch - no leader known.
 * The External Branch - no leader known.

Appearances:
The Protestant Church Order appear mostly within Nicholas' 1915-1916 Chapters with Nick being a member of one of their squads during the Great War. However, one of their agents, Henry Marlborough, appears in Nicholas' 1918-1920 Chapters.

Trivia:

 * The Protestant Church Order was created as a modern day Anglican Knights Hospitaller Order.
 * Darryl M. Finch-Ellis researched heavily into the Protestant Reformation in preparation of the making of the Order.
 * The P.C.O. was originally going to be under the command of the British Royal Family.
 * Hank Knowles and Liam Reeves were the priests who caused both Vivian and Malachi Williams to join the Order.
 * Liam Reeves is named after Keanu Reeves and is a tribute to his performance in Francis Ford Coppola's - Bram Stoker's Dracula.
 * Luther Hamilton is currently the only known black member of the P.C.O.