Elder Knights

By the Mothers Mercy, the Fathers Wrath, and the Spirits Light, from now on till the end of days I solemnly swear to serve and protect the Elder King. And be it into the Maws of the Void itself, the King commands and I will follow.

— Last verse of the Oath of the Elder Knights

The Knight as both warrior and protector is an image that is nearly as old as the idea of a Feran people itself. It is the first thing most people will name when asked about the faithful of the Trinity. Chief among them the near legendary protectors of the Chosen King: the Elder Knights.

Ring of Champions

In a way, the Elder Knights precede both the Elder King and the High Kingdom of Feranar itself. Although the exact nature depends on which tale you believe:

The Worldly

Feran warlord and later King, Emmerik the Great had surrounded himself with a guard of highly skilled warriors since before the Invasion of Vardania. Such was needed in a time when power and status could wax and wane within the span of a day. After he became Elder King in 853 DA, he began to recruit his personal guard from among the best warriors of the realm, using his position as both political and religious leader of the Feran people as leverage to do so.

The Mythical

According to Feran religious scriptures, The Prophet had received a vision from the Trinity, according to which the Ferans could only thrive under the protection of a selection of holy warriors. This group of knights would help his successor i.e. the Elder King in dealing with threats to the worldly and spiritual health of the Feran people. These soldiers would be recognized by a special aura only visible to the "Voice of God".

Depending on which version you believe, the creation of the Elder Knights was either divinely ordained or a political manoeuvre to secure the reign of a newly risen King. Either way, the Elder Knights have served the High Kingdom since the late 9th century DA.
Following the second fall of Feranar in the 16th century, however, they became the guard of the faith instead. Without an Elder King to protect, it became their mission to keep the last great authority of the Feran people, the Thane of the Vodarian Church, safe.

Knight among Knights

A Knight should never be underestimated. The heavily armoured and well-trained soldiers are the backbone of the Feran way of war and have proven their worth against every army the known world has thrown against them. An Elder Knight stands in a class of his own, however. Only the most skilled warriors are even eligible for service in the select group and those that make it must pass a gruelling, ten-month test regime to be admitted. There can never be more than eighteen Elder Knights at the same time, nine for the gods, six for the Elder King and his heir and three for the Thane of the Faith.
Their armour is made from only the best steel and crafted only by the greatest of smiths. Same goes for their weapons, which can vary depending on the way each Knight fights. Only a handful of weapons are known to be able to even damage their suits of metal and combined with the quality of their weapons and the skillful hands that wield them, this fact makes them a devastating force in combat. It is telling that in over 2200 years of service, the majority of all Elder Knights have fallen to age and disease and not battle despite fighting in almost every conflict the Ferans were involved in.
While at times abused by their rulers to achieve certain political goals, most infamously seen during the Divine Sunderring, the Elder Knights have rarely been a force in politics. In stark contrast to similar organizations, such as the Imperial Guard of the Vardanian Hegemonys, it has never played kingmaker or otherwise influenced court politics. The Elder Knights serve and protect and nothing else.

Yes indeed, they are perhaps the most loyal of subjects. Or most dour and useless, depending on your point of view.

— Emmerik Sturch, Steward of the Palace

Type

Security

Overall training Level

Elite

Assumed Veterancy

Decorated/Honored

Parent Formation

Royal Banner

Used by

• High Kingdom of Feranar

Ranks & Titles

• First of the Guard
• Guard of the Tomb

Code of the Elder Knights
An Elder Knight:

• must dispose of all worldly and spiritual connections to his previous life.

• must never waver from their oath to protect the Elder King, no matter the cost.

• will serve for life. Only in death does duty end.

• can never take a wife or have children.

• is barred from any and all inheritance.

• must follow the code of knightly honor even in the midst of battle unless it threatens the health of the Elder King.

Notable Members

• Cedric "Silversword" Marten 847-862 DA.
  Slayer of the Witch Queen of Sur and the Tyrant Python. First Guard of the King.

• Vendrik "the Giant" 971-1011 DA.
  Protector of the Holy City and Champion of the People. Longest serving Elder Knight.

• Sephastian Sturch 1471-1471 DA.
  "Knight of a Single Day". Saviour of the High Kingdom. Saint of the Faith.

• Melias the Mad 2344-2356 DA.
  "The Laughing Tower". Hunted the False King Vendrik across the length and breadth of Vardania.

war by Wu. Hao