Patia

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Heraldry



Organization

From the day he founded his Order of Dark Knights, the Dread Margrave--an Outsider of the Abyss and, legends say, an abominable offspring between a gifted Spellblade and Archfiend--stood strong as its single guiding force. He rules the Knighthood through his own personal magnetism and Bloody Seer's favor. Beneath the Dread Margrave's totalitarian example serve four Preceptors of the four militant orders within the Dark Knights who take orders directly from the Margrave himself.

Divisions and Offices

Like most Orders of Knights from whom the Margrave gained his inspiration, the Dark Knighthood is divided into separate groups; chapters that enjoy equal status within the Dark Knights from initiation on. In addition, each division has a specialty: the Roanist Order comprises the knighthood's best warriors, the Dagothian Order includes psykers, the Corbinist Order contains almost exclusively battle-mages, and the Idenist Order comprises clerics.

Preceptors

The Dread Margrave administers the Knights of the Bloody Seer with the help of four Preceptors. Preceptors win their position by merit, usually through force of arms; dueling to obtain an office is not only allowed, it is encouraged. Four Preceptors hold responsibility for the four orders. However, these figures may issue only those commands pertinent to their individual orders; issuing military and other commands remains the duty of the commanders of military units within the Knighthood.

Military Structure

All Dark Knights, regardless of their order, assume positions in a squad: a unit of nine Knights. Squads are grouped together to form larger units, as shown on the chart below:

Squad --
Compliment: 9 Knights
Squads are led by two junior officers, a Knight-Officer and Knight-Warrior. Squads consist of mixed orders, and possibly non-Knight army regular or mercenary units

Wing --
Compliment: 5 Shields (45 Knights)
Wings are led by Subcommanders.

Regiment --
Compliment: 7 Wings (315 Knights)
Regiments are led by Commanders. They are responsible for seven Wing Subcommanders, as well as three additional Knights of Subcommander rank who function as aides. A Regiment normally consists of three wings of Roanist Knights, two wings of Dagothian Knights, one wing of Idenist Knights, one wing of Corbinist Knights, and thirty to forty support staff.

Shield
Compliment: 5 Regiments (1,575 Knights)
*Shields are not in common usage as of yet in Terrenus

Crusade
Compliment: 4 Shields (6,300 Knights)
*Crusades are not in common usage as of yet in Terrenus

Army
Compliment: 7 Crusades (44,100 Knights)
*Armies are not in common usage as of yet in Terrenus.

Rank and Precedence

Though personal reputation remains important, the Dark Knights base one's standing within the Knighthood solely on military rank. A Squad Knight-Officer outranks common Knights, even those of a superior reputation category. A wing Subcommander outranks all of his subordinates, as well as common Knights and junior officers from other wings, and so on. The only exception are Advocates, who enjoy special privileges of this unique rank when sitting in judgment on a case.

Dark Guideposts

Though bound to a strict chain of command, individual Knights also follow the Blood Oath and the Code as handed down from the Dread Margrave. Even when separated from his superiors, a Knight knows what is expected of him.

The Blood Oath

A Dark Knight's first guidepost, the Blood Oath, is simple and straightforward: "The Bloody Seer leads, I Follow." When joining the Order, each Knight dedicates body and spirit utterly to the cause. He must submerge any personal desires in favor of furthering the Knighthood's mission.. Yet, despite this sublimation of will, Dark Knights are expected to think for themselves at times. The Code guides them in their thinking.

The Code

The Code is complex yet elegant in its detail. According to the Dread Margrave, the strict, unyielding exactitude of the codes of most Knights cause their long falls from the glory. Despite whatever victories such military knights might achieve, none come close to bringing peace and order to the world.

Knowing the kinds of weaknesses inherent in mortal creatures, the Dread Margrave crafted a detailed set of laws that relate principally to military situations, but which also can extend to govern the lives of each member of the Knighthood. He requires strict adherence to the Code, but always considers each case on its own merits and is known to make exceptions based on circumstances.

To allow flexibility as occasion demanded, he established a means to consider an exception to the Code and either accept or reject it on its own merits. This system of adjudication remains at the heart of Dark Knight operations today.

Samples of the Code

Live to serve the Knights of the Bloody Seer
Live one's life so that it is worthy of respect and honor.
Exhibit self control in all things.
Show respect to authority.
Exhibit courage in word and deed.
Fight and die with valor and honor.
Always keep one's word of honor.
Always maintain one's principles.
Never betray a confidence or comrade.
Be polite and attentive.
Exhibit manners.
Unquestioned obedience to higher power and authority, as long as that power and authority follow and adhere to the precepts set forth in the Blood Oath.
Loyalty to brother and sister knights of all orders.
Come to the aid of any fellow knight who is on the business of his order and requires assistance.
Be prepared to sacrifice one's life for the good of the Knighthood.
Avoid lying to your fellow man for personal gain.
Avoid cheating for personal gain.
Avoid deception for personal gain.
Avoid torture for personal gain.
Never use a weapon on an opponent not equal to the attack.
Never attack from behind.
Never attack an unarmed foe.
Administer justice.
Protect the innocent.
Never abandon a friend, ally, or noble cause.
Avenge the wronged.

Military Code Guidelines

The bulk of the Code deals with establishing and maintaining lines of communication and authority, it explains how a Knight gives an order and dispatches it quickly The Code also describes how Knights act on such orders rapidly and efficiently.

However, the Dread Margrave knows that from time to time his followers would find themselves cut off from the chain of command. Therefore, he devoted major sections of the Code to teaching them how to act on the Blood Oath to carry out the will of the Knighthood while on their own. Even within the bounds of the Code, a Knight enjoys a broad discretion in carrying out orders. As long as his actions do not violate the Blood Oath, the Knighthood's standing orders, or his own specific orders, he is free to act as he thinks best.

The Dark Knights Today

From their stronghold in Patia, the Dark Knights control a small fraction of northern Terrenus except for the city of Biazo.

Allies and Enemies
Allies:
The Syndicate of Mercenaries are potential allies, but the Knights of the Bloody Seer view the sellswords with righteous loathing, and do not trust the Dread Margrave's faith in them.

Enemies:
The enemies of the Dread Margrave are the enemies of the Knights of the Bloody Seer.

Goals and Activities

The complete conquest of Terrenus and protection of Patia.

Invasion Plans

Biazo.

Becoming a Squire

All candidates for membership in the Order must undergo a program of rigorous physical training and indoctrination. Most start this training at the age of twelve, though candidates are accepted at any age. From the moment a candidate applies for entry into the Order, he devotes his life to training and preparing for the Anointment, which will determine his worthiness to become a Knight of the Bloody Seer. This training lasts about three years, after which the candidate automatically becomes a squire in the Roanist Order. Thereafter, his commander assigns him various tasks to prepare him for full membership in the Knighthood.

Advancing in the Order

Although the four divisions of the Knighthood are theoretically equal, all members begin their careers as squires in the Roanist Order and prove themselves as warriors. When the squire's reputation reaches that of a certain level, he must return to Patia to undergo an Anointment of blood by the Bloody Seer. Taking into consideration his interests and talents, a knight may choose to stay in the Roanist Order, or transfer to one of the other three for additional training.


Roanist Knights

Known for their implacable resolve and martial skill, the Roanist Order is the most feared Order within the Knighthood. The Preceptor of the Roanist Order at current time is Lord Loren Faust. Loren is a bleak and foreboding man, possessed of an unearthly calm, and a steadfast devotion to duty. In an Order of expert swordsmen, he stands head and shoulders above the rest. Like all Roanists, Loren wears black lacquered armor, a visored helmet and carries a heavy shield. The members of the order also wear black surcoats, trimmed in red. The Roanist Order is comprised of members and faithful who favor military stratagem and tactics and are paramount scholars to the art of war. Those within the Order do not look favorably upon arcane and psychic arts, and often adorn their armors and weaponry with wards of anti-magic and psionic and mark themselves with glyphs to protect their bodies from the Aether. Roanists have a friendly rivalry with Corbinists, often teasing them about letting their body's go soft in favor of arcane mastery. Roanists favor mounted warfare with the lance and commonly use swords and shields on foot.

Corbinist Knights

Identified by plain helmets, heavily burnished armor and purple surcoats with silver embroidery, the Corbinist Order comprises the Knighthood's best Spellblades; men and women who use latent arcane stores within their bodies to augment their physical prowess, or unleash devastating effects on their enemies. Known for their devotion to magic and practical application thereof in combat, Corbinists are the Knighthoods response to the Arcane on the battlefield. The Preceptor of this Order is Lord Vahn Ulrich, a calm, jovial man who is prone to fits of depression and moodiness. Despite his mental instabilities, Vahn is nonetheless a gifted magician who attained his position after obliterating the Order's previous Preceptor. Vahn and Loren were once Knight-Brothers in the Roanist Order, but the friendship became strained after Vahn's transfer to the Corbinists. Corbinists usually favor glaives, large staves with a blade on one end and a conduit for their powers on the other. It is no uncommon to see Corbinists employ other means of conducting their power.

Dagothian Knights

The most powerful and arguably most dangerous of the Orders, Dagothians reach into the Aether for their power to unleash truly terrifying effects upon their enemies. Identified by their horned helmets, unpolished steel armor and blue surcoats with gray embroidery, this Order is almost exclusively limited to Psykers. Unlike Idenists, who use psychic energy of a different sort, Dagothians directly interact with the Aether, a plane of truly awe-inspiring power and even greater risk. They are able to amass great strength by drawing from the Aether; but open their minds to the negative effects such as Daemonic possession and mutation. The Preceptor of this Order is Khayman Fellgrave, a man who was given the rank after the last Preceptor succumbed to the Ruinous Powers of the Aether. It is the Dagothian's piety to the Bloody Seer and the protection She bestows upon her faithful that helps them overcome the perils of the power they choose to wield. The weapon of choice for all Dagothian Knights are Force Weapons, psychically attuned instruments that act as tuners and amplifiers for the Psyker's power that take the form of swords, spears, warhammers, axes or other close combat melee weapons. Dagothians are the Knighthood's shocktroops, thrown into strategic points for maximum effect and devastation.

Idenist Knights

Armor & Equipment