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Monday, May 16, 2011

Holystone - Knightly Orders


Knightly Orders
Order of the Iron Sails
This Order is the military knighthood for the city. Baron Jon Thistlewood (F9) is the Master of the Order. He reports directly to the Count. The Master of the Order is traditionally the Captain of the Guard for the Count. The tabard and shield of the Order is light blue, with a sideways black ship with silver sails. The knighthood has accepted a few women during its history, but it is a very rare occurrence.

For everyday use, the knights wear mail armor. They favor heavy swords and maces. For battle, they don plate mail and ride heavy warhorses and use a lance.
The Count can grant knighthoods based upon bravery in battle but he leaves the normal raising of squire to knight for the Master of the Order to complete.

Order of the Blazing Sun
This Order is dedicated to Sol. The Master of the Order is Lord Templar Solaran Chalmers (F8). The members are called Templars, and are fighters dedicated to Sol. They are accompanied by clerics if they go on quests or are required for a battle. The Order accepts both men and women. The tabard and shield of the Order are dark orange with a yellow disc.
For everyday use, the knights wear mail armor. They favor the longsword. For battle, they don plate mail and ride heavy warhorses and use a lance.

Order of the Moon
This Order is dedicated to Luna. The Master of the Order is Captain Lares the Gray (F9). The Order is composed almost equally of men and women fighters. The tabard and shield are dark blue, with a silver disc surrounded by silver stars.
For everyday use, the knights wear mail armor. They favor scimitars and bows. In battle, they ride light warhorses and fight as horse archers.

Warriors of the Sidhe
These knights are dedicated to Oberon. The Master of the Order is Belen Oakleaf (elven F12). They are a loose-knit organization of fighters that accepts both men and women. Their tabard and shield are brown, with a green oak tree.
For everyday use, the knights wear leather armor. They favor spears and swords. In battle, they don mail armor and ride medium warhorses.

Order of the Broken Spear
These knights are dedicated to Diabolus. Their Order is illegal within the city. The local Master is Baron Selvy Branson (F13), patriarch of one of the major noble houses. His residence is in North Point. No one suspects that he is a demon worshipper. The knights do not display the tabard of Diabolus unless they are engaged in battle for their god. The Order accepts only men. Their tabard and shield are dark red with a bright red trident.
For everyday use, the knights wear whatever is appropriate to maintain secrecy. For battle, they don plate mail and wield a lance and a heavy mace.

Household Knights
In addition to the knightly orders, all of the nobles have their household knights, who swear fealty only to the noble. Many of these knights live in manors outside the city, providing oversight of the noble’s lands. These knights wear the tabard of their lord and bear a shield with their own personal heraldry.
For everyday use, they wear either leather or mail armor. They generally carry swords. For battle, they wear plate mail or mail armor, ride a heavy warhorse, and wield a lance.

Order of the Rose
This knighthood is composed of persons who have provided service to the city. It is granted by the Count and is purely honorary. The Count uses it to reward acts such as a ship’s captain running supplies to the city during siege, a great poet who lives within the city, or an engineer who designs a way to irrigate the crops and improve the food stores of the city. Members are called “Sir” or “Madam”, but do not have the traditional rights of military knights, such as judicial authority over commoners. The Orders symbol is a pin of a red rose that is worn on the breast. The Count does not reward this lightly, as he feels that even though the Order is non-military, it still should signify that the knight is worthy of praise.

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