Knightly Orders in the Young Kingdoms

     In an age of new ideas, the classic chivalrous knight has little place. The idea of a noble training since birth to be an unstoppable killing machine is several generations away.
     Still, that doesn't mean that the Knight class from Hackmaster is suddenly out. It's just a matter of changing the flavor a bit. Over the next couple of posts, I'll be explaining how the Knight class fits into each distinct culture.

      Knights in the Young Kingdom are paramilitary forces formed into Orders. These Orders are closer to the Knightly Orders of the Crusades, the Knights Templar or the Knights Hospital. Each Order tends to specialize in a certain kind of fighting style and so young hopefuls often try and get sworn into the Order that favors their fighting technique. The Order he chooses also effects the quality of training he relieves, with the more honorable Orders being very picky on who they swear in.

     After they complete their training and are swore to a gawd, the knight becomes a Knight Errand, or a knight with no liege lord and no land. Ideally, a knight will hire his sword until he is offered a piece of fief by a lord at which point he'll settle down.

     Remember: the ideas of Chivalry are a long time coming and while LG (and even LN to some extent) knights tend to follow this ideal, it more out of a general sense of right and wrong, rather then codified law. Tourneys are not formalized affairs with huge prizes, the are like real little wars where the prize is gained by ransoming off other knight's horses and swords.

     Because plate mail is not really a thing in this era, knights only receive the 2 point penalty to Honor per level if they don't wear at least chain mail.

     While the number of Orders are astonishing, there are some major Orders, as well as some notable minor ones.

The Honorable Orders

Order of the Falcon

     Based out of the Durlinese city of Ilien, this Order rose to prominence shortly after the founding of the kingdom. Falcon knights are masters of striking, focusing on attack and getting a strong first strike that shatters your opponent. They even tend to practice techniques that increase the range of their blade to make sure their blow is the first and last.

      Knights of the Order of the Falcon prefer long and great swords, depending on the individual warrior's preference.

Order of the Dragon

      Founded on the slopes of the Tail of Arshalaku, this Order deals in damage and is heavily influenced by hob-goblin fighting styles. Brutal force is the best force, in their opinion. The Order of the Dragon is also renown as some of the best tournament fighters.

      Knights of this Order favor the two-handed sword or the military pick. Many of the high ups in the Order also switch out their horses for the giant lizards of the mountain.

Order of the Rose

      Focusing on speed and agility, this Order is known as superb duelists. While their name may be flowery, they are vicious fighters and it's generally known that the Knights of the Rose are among some of the dirtiest fighters in the Young Kingdoms, using techniques that are not generally considered honorable. Still, they maintain their prestigious status by offering their services to wealthy nobles as champions in Trials by Combat.

       Knights of the Rose favor short swords and daggers, often fighting with two weapons and training in dirty tactics that can increase their effective reach.

Order of the Bear

       Originally founded in the city of Koszalin, the Order was moved to the new city of Aralzyk after its sacking by House Polavich. More then any other Order, the Knights of the Bear seem to be very keen on politics, with its Grand Master ruling the city after a coup two decades ago.

       To the Knights of the Bear, the best offense is a good defense. The specialize in the sword and shield and taking damage like a champ when that fails.

       The Order of the Bear doesn't favor a weapon beyond 1 handed weapons. Instead they focus on shields and physical conditioning.

Order of Four Faces

      Sometimes refered to the Holy Order, these knights focus on the holy and being able to channel divine power. The Order of the Four Faces is seperated into the generaly clergy and the fighters, with the fighters acting more like your common knight.

      Unlike the other Orders, Knights of Holy Order are not fighters that become knights, but the Clerics of the Halls of the Valient from the 6th Zealot's Guide. With their clergy being normal Servants of the Swift Sword and the knights of the order being the Knights Templar.

The Minor Orders

Order of the Pike

      People have... mixed opinions about Knights of the Pike. They are generally Knight Errands, and viewed as little more then glorified bounty hunters by other Knightly Orders as they favor the bow and spear. You see, while knights are allowed to be proficient in these weapons, they are only allowed to use them against dishonorable oppenants, enemies that your average knight doesn't want to fight.

      But the reason why Knights of the Pike favor these weapons is because they don't seek out honorable fights. the Order of the Pike are avid monster and bandits hunters, targets where both weapons are an advantage.

      So, people and knights only really like to have these Knight Errands around when their a problem but tend to quietly shoo them away when not needed.

Order of the Griffin

      Your body is weapon. Knights of the Griffin take an unconventional look at the way two people fight, in terms of knightly combat. The idea is to close in quickly and throw, grab, and generally push your opponent around, keeping them off their balance. Ideally, Knights of the Griffin throw their heavily armored enemy to the ground and then keep them there.

      The Order of the Griffin favors 1 handed weapons, keeping their off-hand weapon free to preform unarmed maneuvers.

Order of the Giant

      Rare among the Orders of Knights are those that don't favor fighting. The Order of the Giant is amoung these. They are craftsmen first and fighters second, and their mantra is that a fighter is really only as good as his equipment. Some of the best smiths are found within their walls, producing the highest quality iron.

      The Order of the Giant favors the mace and flail, more for the symbolism then anything else.

Order of the Broken Sword

      The strength of knight is not in the individual knight but in the ability of a group of knights to come together and fight as a unit. The Order of the Broken Sword are commanders. They're seen as stuck up by the other Orders but that may be jealous of the fact that when a group of knights is hired, it is often a Knight of the Broken Sword that is placed as their captain and that tends to rub people the wrong way.

     Knights of the Broken sword favor the longsword and lance as status symbols.

Order of Sable

     Often referred to as Black Knights, this Order doesn't focus on any specific, instead choosing to mostly generalize. They offer a wide variety of training, though they tend not to master any. Still, this breathe of knowledge allows them to adapt to any situation more easily, They tend to be considered wild cards as Knights of the Sable tend to either be great or poor, with very little in between.

       There are more Orders then this, specializing in almost every aspect of knighthood. Some also tend to stride two or three school styles. If you are planning on knighthood and none of the above schools appeal to your character's fighting style, let me know and we can work out an Order that fits.

Mertagia

     Located on the north side of the Vos River, Mertagia (trans: Land by the Sea), it a wild and unkempt land of warring tribes and beautifully rugged scenery. It's population is made of Free Peoples but lately the greedy leaders and enterprising knights of it's neighbors have turned their eyes to its natural resources.
   
     Vos River
     Sometime's called the Free Sea because of how wide it is, the Vos River is fed on both sides by the rivers and streams that collect in the valley. The Vos River has become a natural border between the Free People and the expanding Kingdom of Rivil.
   
      The Inlands
      The land north of the Vos River before it empties out into Roskev Bay, the Inlands houses the more warlike tribes. Penned in on either side by the Rivilians, the Balmorans, and the Durlinese, these tribes have fought the encroachment of these larger powers and it's become a way of life, with the tribes along the waterways adopting ship building techinques to increase the range and effectiveness of their raids.

      The Fens
      While a relatively small area in Mertagia, the wetlands known as the Fens were some of the most influential traders. The Bogmen were masters of bog-smelting, the process by which iron ore is extracted from the peat moss. This was traded with the Free Peoples on either side of its central location on the delta and with the Kingdom of Rivil.
      Lately, however, the lesser tribes of Bogmen have been swallowed up by the war-leader commonly referred to as the She-Wolf of the Fens, a capable and brutal commander who has stopped the main trade of iron out of the swamp.

      The Vistulan Coast
      Emerald green shores giving way to the steel-blue sea, the Vistulan Coast (trans: the Eternal Coast) is home to the more peaceful tribes that have little interaction with the outside world. As such, the tribes are seeped in ancient Andalish tradition and their language is closer to the old tongue.
      The ragged coastline and unpredictable weather makes foreigners see the area as morose and gloomy and the simple life of its inhabitants are seen as quaint.

      The Sklavian Headlands
      The hilly land butted up against the Mountains of Mourn, the Sklvian Headlands are filled with tribes that are barbaric by even Inland standards.
      In fact, the only people that Sklavian Andals get along with appear to be the dwarves that sell them their iron.

      The Farlands
      While not technically part of Mertagia, the Farlands are what the Free People call the land on the south of the Vos River. Traditionally this is part of Mertagia, as outside of the Rivilian city states, the Farlands are just as wild and unsettled as the north lands. Lately though, Rivil as pushed its expansionist policies by founding fortress cities along the banks of the Vos River.
       Still, the Free Peoples of the Farlands don't recognize crown authority and continue to their life in much the same way as they always have, though many tribes have grown concerned about this encroachment.

Kingsblood

How would Andals describe someone with "Kingsblood"? It may be easier to describe what it means by the three types of kings that Andals have.

King
     This is the most basic title. This means that the proof that you have Kingsblood is in the fact that your father or ancestor has Kingsblood and that your right to rule is hereditary.
     Andalish inheritance laws are gavelkind, meaning that when the parents die all of their stuff is divided equally between all children. Sometimes this is primogeniture, where the oldest child receives a double share but this is uncommon. In this way, kingdoms often dissolve within a generation and why the title "king" is often synopsis with chieftians in areas of Mertagia and the wilder parts of the Broken Spires.
     Not ever child receives the title. In the first generation all children receive the title but after that, only first born children of a King (or Queen) receive the title. Additionally, someone can gain the title through marriage in the normal fashion but this is more out of respect then anything and they often lose the title if they divorce or their spouse dies.
      King is not a permanent title and can be lost through lose of honor. As a King, you honor and judgement is always in question and Kings often find that they fall quickly from grace.
      The Kingdom of Durlin is ruled principally by Kings by succession.



Rorick
     This is an Old Andalish word for "Red King" and this title means that someone has proven that they have Kingsblood through conquest. This title is a step up in prestige from King and is often given to chieftains that have managed to conquer a significant number of independent tribes. In effect, a Rorick has proven his Kingsblood by shedding other peoples'.
     Unlike a King, a Rorick's children are not Roricks, they become Kings, unless, of course, they go out and earn the title for themselves with fire and iron.
      A real world example of this is Napoleon Bonaparte, who usurped the title of King of France despite having no royal blood. On the Shield, Rorick's found kingdoms for a single generation that dissolve into petty states and then dissolve further into small tribes ruled by Kings. Leaders of the Kingdom of Rivil use the title of Rorick as to be elected the King of Rivil is to conquer the other houses, either by words or swords.





Scarin
      The most ancient and most honorable of the titles, Scarins prove their Kingsblood by the Fire of Kings, a crucible of the gawds that proves that those that go through it have the right to rule through divine mandate.
      The Fire of Kings taps into the ancient process of a Quest, where a person reenacts of myth to the point where they mantle the gawd and are transported to a mythological realm of power. Quests are done for a variety of reasons: sometimes it's to gain the favor of the divine, to learn a secret unknown to man, or to gain a magical weapon. Quests are highly dangerous and even the greatest heroes only survive about half the time. They are high risk, high reward.
      The Fire of Kings is sacred and little is known about what goes on once the candidate and his captains pass into the gawdsrealm but few survive. Those that do, however, are given the King's Mark and are named Scarin, having proven their Kingsblood by trial of the gawds.
      Anyone can undertake this ritual though it does require a gawdspeaker to initiate it. Because of this, a heroes who have decided to become king but have no army to speak of often take this route to start to garner support as those named Scarin often find people flocking to their banner.
      But just because someone is named Scarin doesn't mean that they found kingdoms. More often then not, they're beaten on the field of battle by Chieftains and Roricks or they're killed by political intrigue. Most Scarin end up just founding their own tribe.
      Still, some of tribes of the Free People require their chieftains to undergo the Fire of Kings before they're given leadership and Kings who are in fear of falling out of favor may go through the process to gain enough prestige to keep them in power. Bastards, too, who wish to rule their father's tribe after the death of all legitimate heirs are required to prove their Kingsblood in this fashion, though there are exceptions in cases similar to William the Bastard who became William the Conquer (Who, on the Shield, would be called William Rorick as well.)

What Kingsblood is Not
     It is important to note that gaining your title does not mean you gain Kingsblood. Kingsblood is not something you gain, even through the Fire of Kings, it is something you have and are born with. Thus, gaining a title like Scarin or Rorick does not give you extraordinary abilities to lead men, which is why many Scarins end up dead in a ditch.
     What these give you is Honor and Fame, which in turn makes it easier to attract followers and henchmen to their cause. It is then left to your natural ability to keep them together and forge a crown fitting a king.