Edusian Knight

Edusian Knight

"We figured the damned trolls had us dead. With no baron, or law in this land, we thought we were left to defend ourselves. As the group of trolls clawed over the wall of wood spikes we made, we heard a horn blare and the rumbling ground became an earthquake as fifteen knights on horseback exploded from the tree line. Those steel angels slammed into those trolls and never before have I seen a more gruesome spectacle of taming the wild by chivalry made flesh."
— Brother Dawson of Avendorf

The code of chivalry is the heart and soul of the knight. It is the heroic player character who with justice, valor, loyalty, modesty, courtesy to equals, compassion to weakness, and devotion to law and good becomes the champion of the oppressed and the defender of all that's good. Those who follow the code of chivalry pledge to fight against powerful dragons, evil enchanters, and wicked beings of all sorts until they are overthrown and rendered powerless.

There is no greater honor among lawful good knights than the conquest of evil. Honor implies renown, good conduct, and the pursuit of justice. A knight's word of honor is the most solemn oath known; once a knight gives his word on something, he may never go back on it. The respect, glory, and admiration given a knight depend upon his level of honor.

Chivalry and honor are both incorporated in the various orders of knights. Training, leadership, protection, a base of operations, and a code of values are benefits and advantages of joining an order. The following description of an order of knights applies to all orders created with these guidelines.

Knight (Fighter subclass)
HD: 1d10
Requisite Ability: STR 14, CHA 13
Prime Requisite: STR
Multiclass: Yes

Organization of an order
The organization of an established order of knights usually consists of the following: a Master (at least 13th level of ability), a Seneschal (the Master's deputy, at least 9th level), a Marshal (responsible for direction of military affairs, at least 9th level), a group of High Officers (responsible for the order's castles and troops, at least 9th level each), and a main body of knights (4th level and up). Fighters, rangers, cavaliers, and paladins may join an order of knights; barbarians and nonfighter classes cannot. Clerics may optionally be allowed to join particularly religious orders of knights as full members.
Many NPC knights of an order can be considered to be average knights of renown, and knights holding positions of authority are usually considered to be knights of quality.

An order usually has one castle or fortification under its control for every 10-50 knights in the order. Every order must have at least one castle. The castles have the basic staff required and a garrison of five zero-level soldiers per knight assigned to the castle or fortification. If an order of Knights is serving a Lord or baron, this keep can often be the baron's keep or even another fortification built upon the baron's land.
Aid and protection for all characters of similar alignments can be gained at an order's castle. An order will fight to defend the lands and towns near the castle if the populace is of similar alignment. An attack against one castle belonging to an order of knights is regarded as an attack against them all, although personal duels and quarrels among knights need not be avenged by others unless perpetrated by opposing forces.
To join an order of knights, a character must be a fighter, ranger, cavalier, or paladin of 4th level or greater of matching alignment of the Order. The character must also challenge and defeat a knight of the order (of equal level) in a joust or single combat.
Any knight that leaves his Lord by choice or by order, and partakes an adventure or mission is called a Knight-Errant.

Rules of an order
The rules of an order of knights may vary in specifics due to alignment, but the most basic rules are given below. Others may be added as desired, depending on particular orders or alignments. The following is the general rules for any Knightly Order, followed by good/neutral/evil orders. 1. Knights of the order must have a heavy war horse, a lance, a sword (except short swords), a secondary melee weapon, any armor (except those forbidden to cavaliers), a shield, and a helmet.
2. Knights of the order cannot use magic or magical items of an Opposing alignment in nature or origin.
3. Knights of the order must pay a tithe of 10% of their total income to the order once per month.
4. Knights of the order may never go back on or break an oath or word of honor.
5. Knights of the order must bear the coat of arms and colors of the order on their shield, tunic, and clothes.
6. Any challenge to the Knight or his Honor must be answered, verbal or physical.
7. If a knight of the order is challenged by one who wishes to enter the order, he must accept the challenge or suffer a loss of honor.
8. Knights of the order may not bear arms against each other except in situations that the law permits (challenges, games and tournaments, etc.).
9. Chapters of the order (meetings) must assemble three or four times per year, and all knights must attend.
10. Knights of the order may challenge other knights of the order for positions of authority (such as High Office) if they are of equal or greater level to the one challenged. The challenge is resolved in a series of jousts until one knight is unhorsed. Combat continues on foot until one knight is defeated.
11. Knights of the order must take a solemn oath to uphold the laws of the order.
12. Knights of the order may joust against other knights of the order during tournaments held during chapters of the order.
13. Knights must grant mercy to any opponent who yields (surrenders). The defeated opponent must then take an oath never to bear arms against the knight who defeated him again. This applies to warfare as well as tournament fights.
14. Knights of the order may marry only persons of matching alignment.
15. Knights of the order may participate in adventures with other characters of matching alignment. The adventures must not be opposing alignment in nature or goals.
16. A Knight's oath to a lord is his bond. His life is in the service to the lord. Death in the service to the Lord, protection or honor is the greatest achievement a Knight can hope to have.
17. Knights of the order may choose to serve in a castle of the order, serve a noble, Lord, or they may adventure to further the goals of the order and their alignment.

In addition to the above mentioned rules that are universal for any knightly order, there are particular tenants that orders of Alignment see differently. These following tenants are held in addition to the above ones, for that Order's Knights.

Good Aligned Knightly Orders = KNIGHTS
1. Knights of the order respect, defend, and aid all who are weaker than they, and show proper regard for the opposite sex.
2. Any evil act done in front of the Knight, must be answered with equal level of action.
3. A good Knight cannot gamble and must steer clear from being around gambling.
4. Knights of the order cannot overindulge when drinking or eating.
5. Knights of the order must adhere strictly to the laws and codes of chivalry, honor, and lawful-good alignment.

Neutral Aligned Knightly Orders = CAVALIERS
1. Once a side of conflict is chosen, you may not break your sworn duty to fight for said side.
2. A knight's honor is everything. Honor above laws. Honor above guilt or innocence.
3. Your Lord's Name and honor is above all. Loyalty to your lord is paramount. Duty determines Honor.
4. Evil must be destroyed, if it infringes on your Lord's land. Evil outside of your duty's area is for other Orders to handle.
5. Always seek the best horse. Your armor and steel should be a direct reflection on not only your Honor, but that of your lord's.

Evil Aligned Knightly Orders = BLACKGUARD
1. Good cannot flourish without its counterpart. Do as you will in service to your Lord.
2. Law is neither good OR Evil. It is both, it can be used for both. Follow the law, but bend it toward your Lord's Will.
3. No one has greater power over the Order. Your Lord is seeking use of this power. Bend to no one but Your Lord.
4. Kill anyone and anything in your way outside of the Order, if it means more power for you and the Order.
5. Take from the weak, they do not deserve it or their lives. They live to serve.

Benefits of an Order
Knights of an order receive several benefits for faithful service. For every three years a knight spends in the order, he gains one point of charisma (to a maximum of + 2 points).
A knight in the order may have a + 10% experience-point bonus when on a quest or mission for the order; private adventures by the character do not allow an experience bonus.
The Order also pays for all of the knight's food, normal equipment, and weapons, and purchases a war horse for him if his is slain. A knight is also assigned 1-4 squires
(fighter or calvalry-types of 0-3rd level) or 1-5 men-at-arms (all zero level) who travel with him even on private adventures and are paid for by the order. These retainers
gain half the experience points of the knight (except men-at-arms who may not advance in level). Knights of the Order are not allowed to build or own castles when they join the order,
but are given free food and lodging for themselves, their assigned hirelings, and their like-aligned friends.

Table 1 below shows ways in which honor points may be earned, and Table 2 gives some of the benefits of high honor scores. A knight has a starting honor level of 20. If a knight's honor ever drops below zero, he immediately loses all benefits acquired from the order and is expelled from the order permanently. He also loses one level of experience due todisgrace and dishonor, and may be subject to an alignment change.
The knight's starting honor is, of course, gained when he is accepted into the order and knighted. The character also gets the honor of having Sir before his name. If a character fails in a challenge to gain admittance to an order, he must wait one month before trying again, though he cannot challenge any knight who defeated him in combat.