Fellowship of the Iron Knights

History

Formed during the later period of the Age of Heroes by King Menecaltus of Iskolos, the Fellowship of the Iron Knights was a multipurposed society.


On a face level, they became protectors of the kingdom, slaying monsters and bandits, and preparing for war, if it ever came.


On a secondary level, the King also desired a force of noble, skilled and honorable warriors to keep an eye on the House of the Black Sun. The Iron Knights made sure that research never strayed too deep into dangerous territory, while protecting them from the rabble.

The Iskaelite Templars

Around the XVII century AH, the "Temple of the Humble Soldiers of the God of Storms", or "The Iskaelite Templars" as they were known, were an order of warrior-priests who had their headquarters in the city of Ancina, in the region known as Windy Hills, and held several strongholds across the border with Brennacht. They had, during their heyday, over 6000 members, out of which around 300 were knights either by right of blood or might. They had even more prestige than the Fellowship of Iron, even if they did not answer directly to the crown.
In 1607 AH (As most sourced indicate), a number of raids happened in several towns near Ancina, were the target seemed to be temples and shrines. This ended with the events of the "Massacre of Nikan", were over 100 people were killed during a feast in honour of Urgoth, including two notable figures, guest Constable Nevis of Semar, cousin to the Queen, and host Apalion of Nikan, a famous poet and philosopher. This prompted the crown to heavily scold the Iskaelite Templars, and ordered them to investigate this attacks at once under penalty of fines and loss of privileges. Grandmaster Cerun "the Long-lived" (known as such as he had already seen almost 90 winters, a true feat among humans) promised he would see to it, and the attacks stopped completely immediately after.
Not long after, 11 templars, including two knights, Thessos of Semar, childhood friend of the murdered Constable, and Lady Natys the Steel-hearted, and nine templars whose names have been lost to history, approached Queen Dymha with a somber accusation. They confessed that Cerun the Long-lived had fashioned himself some sort of prophet, a bringer of the end-times as an agent of Iskael, and had managed to convince many templars that his longevity was due to a divine blessing which rendered him immortal, and that "the filth of other gods had to be cleansed". The Queen was skeptical, but promised to investigate the outlandish claims. This was unnecessary, as as soon as the news of the defectors reached the ears of Grandmaster Cerun, he raised a public challenge to "all false rulers who believe crowns upon their heads put them above God (Iskael)" and had his knights run amok in Ancina, killing thousands, and "converting" many more. They proceeded to fortify themselves within the city, and had numbers that oscillated between 10000 (according to the more conservative sources) and 25000 (according to Varini, origin unknown, a priestess who sided with Cerun).
The crown mobilized many legions and most of the Fellowship of Iron, and proceeded to siege Ancina. The siege lasted for almost three months, with several skirmishes and battles. Eventually, a rebel faction within the city opened the gates, and Cerun died when he jumped from the highest tower of the headquarters into the streets below. Whether he wanted to kill himself, or if he really thought he was immortal, is a matter of debate.
The siege left over 8000 deaths, mostly on the side of the defenders, although Lady Natys the Steel-hearted died in the final battle when a spear to her side pierced her right lung. A marble statue to her memory lies on Ancina's central plaza to this day. The Iskaelite Templars having been decimated, capitulated, claimed to have been manipulated. Most were executed, but a few choice cases, in particular those who aided the rebels, where pardoned.
The crown ordered all surviving templars to join the Fellowship of Iron, including Thessos. He, feeling insulted, refused. In punishment, his riches were appropriated, and his rights to weapon carry and ownership, revoked. Many templars, mostly those who accompanied him, also refused in solidarity and were treated in kind. Thessos managed to collect a large sum of gold from donations of friends and admirers, and used it to buy land on the slope of a mountain in the northern edge of the Dreamfields, and build a small temple. The other deposed templars followed him, and formed a new order, the Monastic Temple of the Storm God. Since they had a ban on weapons, they trained in unarmed martial arts, and with time became an order of warrior-monks who used their bodies as their weapon. After many generations, as the original members died, weapons were allowed within the monastic temple, but the unarmed training remained their focus.

The Broken Blade

During the Century of Blood, the Fellowship stood in the wayside of most of the violence coming from the throne. One of the knights, Helenae, accused the Master Verthys of corruption and lack of scruples. He forcibly took her sword and broke it in sight of most of the knights. This was a very offensive and unacceptable act, and many knights rebelled. They formed a new paramilitar group known as the Broken Blade. After several battles, Helenae killed Verthys with her own broken sword.

Helenae was posthumously welcomed back to the Fellowship, and was canonized into a saint by the urgothian priesthood. The fortified city where the headquarters of the Fellowship are located, was renamed from Encina to Helanikki (Helenae's Pride) at the behest of King Amilchar II.
The Fellowship and the Broken Blade both faded afterwards, becoming mere shadow organizations, until King Amilcar II reformed the Fellowship and achieved to fuse it with the Broken Blade.

To this day, Broken Blade is a rank which can be given to Iron Knights who wish to serve the kingdom in their own terms.

The War of Tyrants

During the War of Tyrants, Iskolos became divided between different factions that anwsered to King Alecto V and his youngest son, Prince Adocles.
Adocles had allied himself with the deumorian king, Alphonse, and had started a civil war. The Fellowship refused to interfere, to avoid spilling iskolean blood with iskolean iron. A group of knights, uncovered evidence that the Master Thyrod had purposedly allowed deumorian troops to cross the border and pillage a few towns in the northern Dream Fields.
Among these knights, Lady Daphis, fashioning herself a succesor to Lady Natys and Saint Helenae, made her own rebellion. She claimed to have obtained Saint Helenae's own sword; and managed to best Master Thyrod in combat. She, just like her heroine, refused to take control of the Fellowship, but instead ceased the opportunity granted by the death of both Alecto and Adocles to take the Throne. She attempted a few reforms to both the kingdom and the Fellowship, but was unsuccesful. Barely eight months after her crowning, her and her husband, the now-king-once half-elven aristocrat Andallar, were found murdered in the royal chambers.

Ranks and Organization

A new member can be introduced into the Fellowship by the commendation of any knight. New members can come from anywhere in the Kingdom, and of any background. Some are noble-born, and join at the request of their parents. Others have a more humble origin, and are allowed in due to acts of bravery or feats of heroism.


A new member is considered a "Squire", and is under the command of all knights, though they often follow a singular teacher.

The title of Iron Knight has an important meaning, iron is strong but also simple, and so should Iron Knights be. Anyone can earn the title, as long as an Iron Knight takes them up as a squire and later swears to the crown that they embody the values of the Fellowship. Every Knight carries a weapon custom-fitted for them, which serves as a badge and symbol of service.

After a period of three to five years, a squire becomes a proper Knight, and receives from the order a full suit of armor and a weapon of the knights choosing. Knights are awarded ribbons based on their heroic actions. These can be provided for monster-slaying, criminal captures, military prowess, years of service and more. As a knight gains ribbons, they might be ascended to "Elder Knights". They are gifted a horse and a small plot of land. From that moment onwards, they can take squires, and aspire to become officers.
Elder knights which act as officers can be instructors, commanders or overseers, and such positions gift them additional power within the Order. After a Master of the Fellowship dies or steps down, Elder Knights gather in council to elect a new one. This new Master immediately raises two other officers to act as his or her "hands", their closest advisors and seconds-in-command.
Some knights choose the path of "the Broken Blade". Instaured after King Amilcar II reformed the Fellowship, these knights renounce any ribbons, past or future, and change their relationahip to their peers. They become some sort of internal control force, acting more indepently.
Normal knights rotate through periods of "rest" and "vigil". A knight on vigil is sent to a town, village or fortress, to attend to local matters, help organize militias and garrisons, and to look for new squires. Vigil periods last for at least 6 months, and rarely for longer than 2 years. When the vigil is done, they "rest", which means for the most part, staying in the Fellowship headquarters in Helanikki (A town renamed after the fabled Saint Helenae). During this time of rest, they are allowed to take a few weeks off to visit family. Otherwise, they serve around the headquarters, teaching squires, training, studying or helping with minor tasks, like accounting or wine-making. A knight on "rest" will not be sent to perform any dangerous task unless it is extremely necessary, and no knight on vigil is available nearby. Only the Master and their hands, as well as the eldest of the Elder Knights are allowed to remain at rest for more than a year, posibly for ever.
Some knights, who demonstrate the most knowledge and cunning in regards to battle tactics are assigned the role of "Vanguard", and are sent mostly to aid the army.  "Watchers", who know the most about monsters and other similar threats, are more often sent to do patrols through different outposts in more isolated regions.

Geographic Distribution

Iskolos is dotted by the presence of outposts belonging to the Fellowship. Their headquarters are located in Helanikki (once Eldina) in the Windy Hills, in a ford of the Everspring River.
Most towns and cities of importance have some sort of barracks for Fellowship presence. The knights not only aid with protection, but also often act as captains of local guards.
Near the city of Artenes, the second largest Fellowship fortress is located, known as "the Pillar", as if it were to fall, the city would soon after. The Pillar also has a large prison, where dangerous felons are kept. The Fellowship had another prison, in the island of "Iron Fist". The island was infamous for being cursed, and fell during 1048 AH to an ethirian pirate raid. The pirates were subsequently pushed off the island by monsters and superstition; and the island was never recovered.

Symbolism and Heraldic

The Fellowship's most widely known symbol is a horse head in front of a cross. The symbol can be found casted in iron at the gates of most fortresses which belong to the Fellowship. A grey banner, with a white horse head and two spears crossed below can be seen on top of many towers, and whenever they ride for combat. A similar styling is emblazoned in their shields.
The original symbol had two full horses, rather than only the head, but it was abandoned after Master Verthys' killing.
Broken Blades replace the spears with a sword hilt. After Queen Daphis ascended, she tried to have that same hilt appear alongside the crossed spears, but was met with widespread opposition from within the order.
While many knights have their own coat of arms, to wear it instead of, or in addition to, the symbol of the Fellowship is considered a prideful action, and frowned upon, albeit not explicitly disallowed.

Structure

The Master acts as a bond between the throne and the Fellowship.

The Right Hand and Left Hand command the knights at the behest of the Master.

Iron Vanguards are the more martial members of the Fellowship, fighting alongside the army and organizing raids.

Iron Watchers roam the countryside and between smaller villages, looking to help people with monsters or bandits.

Broken Blades are given more freedom. They often travel to other kingdoms in search of adventure. To become a Broken Blade requires an excellent service record, but other knights still resent Broken Blades.

Public Agenda

They strive to protect Iskolos, and to maintain the order

Strenght in simplicity.

Type

Government, Law Enforcement

Training Level

Elite

Demonym

Iron Knight