Ruler:
Knights of the Holy Shielding, Gareth
Bryne
Commanding,
Earl of
Walworth
Main City: The Children of The Light are based in Critwall, the Shining City, at the Fortress of Light, in the Shield Lands.
History: The history of the Shield Knights is tied into the history of the Shield Lands as a whole.
Progression at Lower Levels | Progression of Officers |
Notable Members | Special Divisions |
These chivalric knights form the largest knightly order on Oerth. Over 80,000 strong placed all over the map. The order only allows members of the nobles class to enter and includes such members from many houses throught Nyrond, the Duchy and County of Urnst, Furyondy, and the Theocracy.
Very influential, these knights play critical roles of defense for those countries and also take it upon themselves to hunt out darkfriends and evildooers.
The Order has a sidearm of Questioners- clerics of Shammash who employ miracles and torture to locate and try such evildoers.
All Shield
Knights MUST follow the codes of chivalry. Failure to do so may mean
reprimand
by superiors or punishment by the Questioners
which can include up to
torture,
expulsion, or death in some rare cases. Monthly confession to
a Questioner
is mandatory - exceptions are made when on field assignements.
Skill | Cost | Check |
Intimidation | 1 | Chr -2 or Str-2 |
Officer Skills | ||
Forgery (for identification) | 2 | Int-1 |
To become a member one must be of noble blood. No exceptions. The Noble House in question then applies for their house member to become part of the Knighthood.
The Knight Selector then puts them through a seriers of grueling physical tests as well as skills tests. If the person is considered acceptable (determined by both the results of the tests and the political sway of the family in question) then they are accepted as a squire and recieve training in cavalier skills as well as reading/writing and other skills.
Squire (0 lvl)
Private (1st)
Scout (2nd)
Seargent (3rd)
Corporal (4th+)
Progression at the lower levels
is based on accomplishment and marital
skills. As the experience of the cavalier increases they are allowed to
train based on their accomplishments. If they have accomplished much or
served well then training comes quickly. If they have had little effect
in their assignments then reguardlessof whether they are ready to train
or not they may await training for a long while.
With training and progression
through levels comes commensurate advance
in rank. Before
selection as an officer,
a Shield
Knight must possess the large scale
and small
scale strategy skills as
well
as horsemanship
above an 18. For those on the
fast track to officership
(determined by political sway of family only) they will have recieved
strategy
training during their initial training and schooling upon acceptance to
the Knighthood. In addition to these requirements, to become an officer
a Knight must have had a clear victory
in leading a group of no less
than
ten men in battle. Clear victories are defined by losing no more than
30%
of his charge and accomplishing the battlefield goals set by his
superior.
This ensures that ALL officers are respected by their subordinantes and
engenders a well trained efficient force.
While the non-officer titles move with level (except Coroporal), Captains may be of 5th level or higher. This is because it may take several levels before a Coroporal learns the required strategy or horsemanship skills.
Captain (min 5th)
Leuitenant Major (min 6th)
Major (min 7th)
Leutenant (min 8th)
Lieutenant
Comander (min 9th)
Comander
(min 10th)
Lord
Knight (min 11th)
Knight
Commander (min 12th, but all the
way to 18th)
Executor
(min 13th, usually at least 14th)
**highest ranks: Earl of Walworth, Knight Captain Commander of the Holy Shielding (rumoured at 18th-20th)
Once an officer,the Knight can request up to 1 knight per level for any missions, etc. and up to 1,000gp per month in supplies. They may use officer quarters when stationed in Garisons or Cities of the Knighthood. Additionally, they may request field reports and intelligence information (must be OK's by superiors). This intelligence can cover a variety of areas such as activities in any part of the continent - i.e. field reports, intelligence on specific areas/keeps etc of suspected Darkfriend or military activity, wandering monster reports by area, or specific information of known Darkfriends. For specific, hard to get information their is a 30% + 5% base chance per level of getting the information requested (so long as superiors to not quash the request). Upon candidacy of officer the knight must go through lengthy 'screening' by the Questioners of Shammash to prove their loyalty.
Progression through officership comes through exemplary behavior and accomplishment. Many nobles will find themselves going up in levels but not nescessarily title. Productivity yields success even for the most noble. During any request for level training, the Knight must write a long report on all activities and accomplishments and those are reviewed by both the higher-ups in the cities of the Knighthood as well as certain Questioners of Shammash. A rejection by any means the Knight is consigned to spend the next level with the same title. Superiors look at accomplishments but attitude plays a major role. Those who demonstrate attitudes the Knighthood and the Questioners like, will find they have an easier time of it.
Lieutenant Commanders report directly to Commanders and have a great deal of autonomy. Their retinue may now act as henchmen or they can select henchmen from the ranks. At this point they can be responsible for placement of large groups of the Knighthood (over 2,000) at places on Oerth - subject to acceptance by superiors. This figure increases by 1,000 with each level AND each title. Lieutenant Commanders may often travel with name level Questioners and are a vital command level position in the Knighthood. Theymay requisition gear for all of the men they command. (Its the Lieutenant Commanders that are in charge of accepting all requisition requests from underlings).
Commanders may place Lieutenant Commanders in various regions of the map. For any medium scale opperation - the defence of a foreign city, the conquest of a territory, a Commander (or higher) is in charge. The Commanders are responsible for the overall strategy and they are expected to RIDE HARD into combat. To become a Commander one has to have an extraordinary list of kills on his resume. (requires 10 times the Kinghts hit die in heroic kills). Horsemanship skill is required at a 21+. Commanders in the Knights of the Holy Shielding have a double sized aura of protection from fear.
Lord Knights and Knight Commanders are taken from the most notable Commanders. When vacancies in these positions arise (and they do often in a 60,000+ sized group such as the Shield Knights), the Executors and the Knight Captain Commander himself pick these positions. Often, political expediency plays a role in this selection - a heroic figure or someone of old or new importance is selected to give the 'face' of the Knighthood its polish. Its the mightyness, glory, heroism, and etc of the Lord Knights and Knight Commanders that really recruits the Nobility into the order itself. Gareth Bryne will never select anyone who would tarnish the image of the Knighthood for one of these high viibility positions - prefering to keep able but less glorious Commanders in the positions they are best at. Lord Knights will often move from one batalion to another in search of great battles and glory. They are given a great amount of leave to do this. This brings honour both to the Knighthood as a whole and to their own family name.
Executors form the highest echelon of the Knighthood. They are the direct executors of the Knight Captain Commander's will. What an Executor commands is God's Law for the Knighthood. They have carte blanche to execute the Knight Commander's will and have only to answer to him. Note that no Executor has ever been chosen that didnt have the full support of the Questioners of Shammash. Executors may often have God Granted powers bestowed on them by the Questioners as well as be given artifacts by the KCC at his discretion. Executors are required to have a 1 to 1.5 of alignment status in their chosen alignment. Any punishments for not following the KCCs orders in spirit or for major alignment deviations are kept strictly confidential if they happen at all. An Executor has the ability to strike fear into any creature with only one immunity to fear - this includes other Shield Knights.
KCC
- The Knight Captain Commander of
the Holy
Shielding, The Earl of Walworth
This position is currently held by Gareth
Bryne, protege of the former
KCC, Pedron Niall.
The KCC choses a successor and grooms them for many years. When the
current KCC chooses to retire or dies in battle the protoge is proposed
as the next KCC. The King of Nyrond
decrees if he agrees with the
choice.
In the end, it's the King of Nyrond
who has full charge over the title
of
Earl of Walworth, it is his to hand out but the Order of the Holy
Shielding
has built a great reputation and accomplished much and few Kings, even
Gilgamesh
would desire
to weaken the institution. It is said that a
powerful
head of the Shield Knights means a stable reign for the King
of Nyrond
and stability for Oerth.
Remember
too that the Knighthood has great
sway
in Furyondy,
and Furyondy has great sway in the Knighthood. It is
believed
that there is generally tacit but unspoken aggreement between both
Kings
as well as the Questioners
before the successor is even chosen by the
KCC
- but make no mistake the KCC is the one who is allowed to pick which
knight
- the rest simply give the nod or not.
Executors may employ officers of varying levels to deliver orders or execute ceratin plans. These officers are given a special Seal of the Executor and such seal gives them carte blanche among Shield Knights of any level below Executor. Officers may object to orders and are free to report their objections to other Executors or a High Priest of Shammash - usually name and description are also taken at this point. Unauthorzied possesion or use of an Executors Seal is punishable by death.
This division is headed by an Executor of the KCC. The identity of this Executor may or may not be known as the situation dictates. It is believed that Hiram Enuldarman is the Executor that heads the SID. This division keeps a very low profile and usually employs non-Shield Knights. Those Shield Knights which are employed will be taken off track to become Lord Knight or higher - while they may increase in levels and rank their roles in affairs are quite confidential and thus the political muscle required for fast track is untenable. Also, the notoriety of Lord Knights, etc make it impossible to do their tasks or keep prior tasks hidden from view. Members of SID are taught appropriate skills at identifying and creating forgeries to use as counter intelligence in battle situations as well as other spying and other steal based skills. There is a special training center somewhere on Oerth for the SID. The exact location is unknown.
In 510 AD Critwall undertook the breeding and training of gryphons for use in aerial combat. At current levels, there are approvimately 500 creatures cappable for use as steeds. Certain able Shield Knights may be tapped for participation in the Winged Guard. These knights will be trained in air-baised animal ridding appropriate to this animal and will also be taught animal handling skills. These Knights are given an additional double winged shield symbol and the preface 'Wing-' is added to their rank title.
5% of the shield knight order are aeriel cavalry – specifically 15,000 gyphon riding shield knights. The Winged contingent has its base in the cloud city of Falpane, located 3 miles above the city of Wintershiven. It is here that gryphon pens and gryphon breeding takes place. Gryphon riding knights often pass through here in their rotations. This base also guards 2 troupe transporting cloudships – the Sunburst and the Sunchild. Lord Knight Executor Aaron Bryne, Gareth Bryne’s brother, is the commanding officer of the Winged Guard garrison and he is aided by three High Priest Questioners. Aaron Bryne has the loyalty of the Archbishop of Wintershiven (head cleric of Anu in Wintershiven, cohort).
30 leutenants are charged with Fleetwing duty. They are assigned directly by the KCC (Gareth Bryne). They carry a Rod of Passage, a Horn of Forced Marching, two Shield Knight Banners of Landspeed (acts as quickness within a 200 ft radius), saddle of a fleetwing (doubles move of steed, dimension door 2/day), staff of sustenance (dispels exhaustion, 3 creatures/lvl, 3/day). +3 sword of attacking (adds an extra attack at full base). Each has endurance, fly by attack, improved fly by attack, dodge, mobility, and spring attack, mounted combat and improved mounted combat.
Executor Aaron Bryne
– Executor and Captain of the Winged Guard, Stationed at
Aerial Point, above Wintershiven.
One of the best flight officers. Infused with dragon
blood during
the blackwing massacre and negotiated the Blackwyrm Treaty between the
black
dragons and the Shield Knights. He has the loyalty of the Archbishop
of Wintershiven
and strong influence with the clericacy of Anu and Tiamat.
He has
strong ties to the Cardinal of Tiamat that sits on the Council of
Cardinals,
having been her protector on several quests. His armour is known to
have powers
over winds and flight. He is captain of the Sunchild Cloudship which is
loaded
with 3 sun canons. Often assigned high profile protections of major
Nobles such
as Cardinals on the Council, and some Mardukian city leaders.
Executor
Rispin Radu, Nobility from the
ruling house of Trigol.
Weapons master,
wields an exotic
two handed blade forged in Trigol
that mirrors
some of the powers of
the Black
Razor. He is a primary battle knight with significant skills in one on
one
combat including wrestling. Traditionally sent into war situations with
the
shock troupes. Very much a glory hound. Has a string relationship
with Gareth
Bryne and maintains good
relationship with Trigol
and a steady
supply
of
special weapons for the order.
Executor Theodrin Smythe, Nobility from Critwall and former Herald.Has been a member of the shield knights for many years (an Executor since before the Dark Times) Well respected by Shield Knights and feared by most city leaders. He led the campaign that resulted in the fall of the cities of Korrum and Likuth and he has been instrumental in the conversion of Willip from Anu to Shammash. He is known for using a guile tongue with his enemies and his intimidating presence with others. He is very tough on other Shield Knights and many a knight has been de-ranked or decommissioned by him. He almost always has a fleetwing assigned to him and often personally delivers terms for Gareth Bryne. He is a master in the arts of torture and his abilities in this are well known. If he is not on assignment he would usually be found in his Keep in Critwall or at his keep in Willip. He is often accompanied by the head Archmage of the Corrum-Likuth Sorcerers or his henchman.
Executor Falconbane – Perhaps one of the best strategists (behind Gareth Bryne himself). Falconbridge is often assigned large battlefronts. He is an expert at logistics and is Nobility from Midmeadow. Falconbane is also known for the breading of war dogs and his personal pet is a draconic war dog. Falconbande despises politics and cares only for following orders and winning battles.
Executor Eric Chathold, Grand Marshal of the Southern Territory (of Furyondy). A Noble from House Chathold of Furyondi. His house is one of the richest houses in all of Furyondy and perhaps in Oerth. They have significant influence via trade in almost every city. Eric is truly ambitious and there is little doubt that he desires to rule the Knighthood. Its also well known that his house seeks to be the power behind the throne in Furyondi if they aren’t already. Eric has been trained in combat since birth and his house has spared no expense in magic and training to see that he has every edge possible. He has no less than ten effreeti and a cadre of Modrons from Nirvana that serve him. He has a very loyal following of sycophants within the knighthood, fealty of the ruler of Willip, and has his own sizeable personal army (not affiliated with the knighthood and belonging to his house).
Eric Chathold is a member of the DragonSlayers club and regularly sponsors the hunting of older dragons. He is a glory hound and will often fight other executors for the privilege of certain assignments. His son is a noteworthy duelist trained in Leukish. Chathold oversees the protection of the King of Furyondi and its lands. Their bent is expansionist and he is strongly in favor of uniting Furyondi and the Shield Lands. Responsible for guarding the treasure vault of Furyondi in conjunction with the Knights of the Hart.
Executor Baneri Spinedevil – A Noble from House Spinedevil of Rel Mord, Baneri is in close confidence with King Gilgamesh. He is known for his wrestling and combat skills and has made many a journey with the King. His sister is an Archbishop of Marduke and his brother is the High Priest of Nabu in the Theocracy. He is very popular in Nyrond and known to be a galiant horseman. He has the favor of many of the Questioners and has earned the highest Nyrundic medals of valor. He is commonly found in the courts of Rel Mord and chiefly responsible for much of the conquest of the former Great Kingdom.
Executor Bramms Stoker, Ruler of Mithat. Devils and demons fear this executor most. He has brought the light of Shammash and the ‘protection’ of the Children of the Light to some of the most evil and vile temples on Oerth. He is known for his ability to get impossible jobs done personally. He is also known for his impressive ability to get behind enemy lines and into places that should be impossible to penetrate. He is a devout and avid worshipper of Shammash and he is NOT known to show mercy to those who are found to be evil. His success against evil temples has made him a favorite among the Questioners. A nobleman originally from Beer (his father was a Kobalese Wizard) that has taken as his patron city, the city of Mithat. He rules there as its city ruler. He has major investments in the mage guilds of Nyrond and has a number of unique magical devices.
Executor Corith Spencer – Of the Royal House of Jalpa before its fall, Executor Spencer skills lie less in the battlefield (though very gifted) and more so in areas of subterfuge, espionage and courtly intrigue (as much as a Knight can without besmirching his honor). He is extremely good looking and unmarried (many ladies of the court have lost their flower to this Knight). He has a strong desire to retake Jalpa and wage war on the underdark and has spent much time on campaigns to this end. He is often (privately) out of favor with Gareth Bryne but always seems to talk his way back into favor (after he regales the Earl with his tales of valor and usually a few choice gifts!)
Executor Aurrellius Mecutio – Of a Noble House of Rel Mord, this Knight is perhaps one of the wealthiest personal Knights. He and his family add significantly to the coffers of the Knighthood and there are rumours of this position being “bought.” These rumours have been repetedly proven wrong in battle, yet they persist. His money it mainly made in land and merchant endeavors.
Executor Sparhawk Perigon, Regent of Celadon Forest Protectorate, Elemental Champion and Protector of the Elcrys (Order of the Tree), Speaker of the Truth, Paladin Commander of the Order of St. Sunniva, Winged Guard Member, One of the Seven Woundhealers of Selid-din. Sir Sparhawk Perigon is from a respected noble house in Rel Mord (his eldest brother being a high ranking and famous Paladin in the Order of the Hart). He has made strong alliances with some outworlders (Avalon and nearby shadows) and is well respected amongst the liberal factions. Sparhawk made his mark with alliances with the Druids and bringing the Great Druid Ligurius and his successor, the Great Druid Ariel Forestlaw to the Dome of Truth in Critwall for Questioning. While skilled with horse and lance, he is very young compared to other Executors. Ruler of Selid-din. He commands a sizeable force (Big Red One and Forest Marshall Service) not part of the Shield Knights as well as founding two orders (Order of St. Sunniva who travel and the Order of the Tree who guard the Tree). Sparhawk, as Speaker of the Truth, is attempting to reinstate a paladin order with the Knights of the Holy Shielding (all paladin Shield Knights were killed, converted, or defected by the end of the Dark Times). That order is to be called the Order of Truth.