Knights of the Rose

One of the oldest knightly orders, The Knights of the Rose are dedicated to protecting common folk from the dangers posed by orcs, goblinoids, giants, and other humanoids and monsters.

Structure

The Knights of the Rose are led by the Knight Commander, who is elected by the council of generals from amongst their own numbers. Generals serve as heads of a region, and members are elected to this rank by the council of generals, usually when there is a region in need of a general, but sometimes a captain is promoted for valorous service or the like. Below the generals are the captains, each chapter house is headed by a captain aided by one or sometimes more lieutenant. Captains recommend lieutenants for promotion to captain, but the decision is made by the council of generals. Lieutenants are chosen by their captains from amongst their sergeants. Sergeants are also chosen by the captain of the chapter house being promoted from amongst the ranks of the knights in that house.

Public Agenda

The public agenda of the Knights of the Rose is to protect the common folk from the many dangers of the world. While this is more often practiced in the Frontier lands, where there are more dangers, the members in the New Kingdoms hold to this creed as well.

Assets

As members are required to pay a tenth of all treasures, they recover to their chapter house (who in turn pay a tenth to the order itself) the order has a significant amount of wealth. Most of this wealth goes to maintaining existing chapter houses, building new chapter houses, and equipping poorer and novice members. A sizeable fraction is donated to the churches of deities revered by the order, and another sizable portion is given as alms to the poor. In addition to this wealth the order owns numerous chapter houses (generally small to mid-size fortresses) each with a small arsenal, armory, and stables to provide equipment to members in need.

History

The order of the knights of the rose was founded in the New Kingdoms in the year 300 by a band of eleven warriors, the only survivors of an orc attack on Naladthim. Realizing that the orc threat while temporarily defeated was still present the eleven warriors decided to create an order of warriors to protect the people from the orcs and giants of the Tågbaf mountains. Taking their name from the many wild roses growing on the battlefield, they set out recruiting other warriors to their brotherhood.

As the threat from the western Tågbaf mountains waned membership in the order became a matter of prestige awarded to those warriors who selflessly dedicated themselves to protecting the common folk from all threats. Within two centuries every major city in the New kingdoms had a chapter house. And the membership was well into the hundreds. In 538, when settlers from the New Kingdoms began to flood into the Frontier lands, many Knights of the Rose went with them to provide protection against the denizens of the Tågbaf mountains, as well the goblinoids from the east.

In time new chapter houses were established, first in Etef, then in Nem, followed by Nutuc and Orthatebh, with plans underway to establish a chapter house in Fexlil. So far the Knights in the Frontier lands are holding more to the old traditions than those in the New Kingdoms, looking for members who will dedicate themselves to protecting the common folk, instead of those who merely wish to be members for the prestige it brings.

So far Knights of the Rose have fought in every major battle in the Frontier lands, and more than a handful have sacrificed their lives in pursuit of their aims.

Founding Date

300

Type

Military, Knightly Order

Training Level

Trained

Veterancy Level

Experienced