The Silver Knights

In our darkest hour of battle - when our enemy seemed to be pushing back our lines - they appeared on the hilltop on our left flank. Their full-plate armour was glistening in the sun as hundreds of Knights sat upon their mighty warhorses. We looked at our saviours with relief as we had been fighting long and lost many good men. The sound of a trumpet yelled out over the battlefield and the sounds of war was suddenly replaced by the sounds of hooves trampling down a hill. In an instance, the knights clashed into the side of our enemy who fought only for a moment before their men turned around and attempted to flee the carnage. Within an hour, the valley was ours and our enemy had been utterly defeated - Unknown soldier, Battle of Holloway Valley.

The Knightly Order commonly known as the Silver Knights have existed for centuries and has evolved considerably as the Empire of Storvia has grown. In the earliest records of the scribes of Ganzhou, the knights were considered nothing more than adventurers that travelled from village to village in order to earn a silver coin and eat a meal. However, the legendary hero, Godfrey the Great, changed that perception as he amassed a considerate retinue and defeated Baderious the Black Dread, thus founding both the city of Carrano and the spark that would lead to the foundation of the Empire. The knights became more organised over time as they established chapters of their order in many cities that would eventually fall under the rule of the Emperors to come. Today, most of the people of the Empire look to the Silver Knights to protect them from foul beats, savage monsters, deadly demons, and indescribable horrors. However, outsiders might look very differently at the Knights as they also represent the almost unstoppable expansion of the Storvian Empire.
The name given to the Silver Knights is two-fold since the first Knights were named as such due to their payment being in silver coins, but also became many Knights of the Order wear full-plate armour that shine as if made entirely of silver. However, many low-born Knights are often seen wearing different kinds of protection such as chain mail, leather or scale armour. The adventurous spirit of the original Knights also never truly left the Order which means that bands of Knights can still be found wandering Iromar looking for new adventures. Some people also nickname the Silver Knights as the "Vanquishers of Evil" due to their almost zealous intolerance of anything they consider evil or unnatural.
The Silver Knights can often be distinguished from the Storvian Nobility by their lack of heraldry as many members of the order grew up as low-born commoners before being accepted into the Knightly Order. Interestingly, most members of the Storvian Nobility serve as Silver Knights for years although they typically are not allowed to wear their family coat of arms until they've proven themselves. Sometimes, elite members also become so distinguished that they create their own heraldry based on their deeds and background. The order also use many symbols such as the Noble Pegasus, Mighty Griffin, Powerful Warhorse, as well as other religious symbols associated with the Goddess (Church of the Chosen, common Storvian deity) and the Lady of the Lake (deity worshipped near the Golden Lake).
The crest of the Silver Knights are decorated by a silver Pegasus on a black background. The Pegasus Guard are the highest ranked Chapter of the Order as only the bravest and most daring knights attempt to tame the wild and dangerous Pegasi. The charge of the Pegasus Guard has become a symbol of the Silver Knights. In many chapters, the warhorse is also a common symbol due to its importance within the order. In fact, the most prestigious honorary title granted to a knight is being named the Master of the Horse, which oversees the operation and training of the warhorses. Other honorary titles include Knight Paramount (the bravest and most skilled knight of the order), Master of the Hunt (highest rank among specialty units), High Steward (oversees administration and economics of the order), High Almoner (highest rank among support units), and High Magister (highest rank among the scholars and battlemages).

Organisation

The Silver Knights are organized into chapters that each are under the direct control of a Marshal. The Marshal is the highest authority within that Chapter and maintains a large degree of autocracy from the other Chapters and from the Grand Marshal. Beside serving the same role as the other marshals, controlling the Chapter of Carrano, the Grand Marshal also functions as the figurehead of the Order who interacts directly with the Emperor and the Imperial Palace. Disputes between Marshals and Chapters are commonly resolved during Great Summonings, which typically coincide with the Grand Tournament, an yearly event where up-and-coming Knights attempt to prove themselves in a variety of disciplines. The Lieutenant Corps form a cross-chapter unit that reports directly to the Grand Marshal and which is overseen by the High Steward, High Almoner and High Magister in unison. The Lieutenants form support roles across the entire organisation and assists local chapters with various specialties. The Corps include a large variety of Battlemages, Rangers, Scouts, Engineers, Scribes, and Clerics that serve as particularly valuable assets for the Order. Lieutenants have a similar rank system as the Knights, where new members begin as Initiates before advancing to Journeyman, Lieutenant and finally Master Lieutenant.
Most Silver Knights began their career in the Order as Squires, where they served and learned from an assigned Knight until they were deemed to be ready for the Trials. During the Trials, the Squires are tested in the tenants of the Silver Knights and their battle prowess. If a Squire successfully completes the Trials, the Knight which they served then Knights them and they become Knight-Errants or "Questing Knights". As Knight-Errant they travel the lands on missions for their local Chapter - sometimes in the company of other Knights and Squires and otherwise on their own. When the Knight-Errant has gained enough renown for their deeds and proved themselves to be capable, they are finally recognized by their Marshal and given the full title of Knight as well as assigned Squires to train. After years of service, a Knight might further be elevated to become Knight Lieutenants or Knight Commanders depending on how they prove themselves most valuable. Thereafter a Knight Commander might be chosen to become the Steward of the Marshal, which essentially means that they are the Marshal's right-hand and next-in-line for the role of Marshal.
The Silver Knights has a military potential the size of an minor kingdom - especially when considering their professional veterancy level. The Order has Chapters scattered across Iromar although the largest chapters exists in the Empire of Storvia. If the entire force of the Order would assemble at a single location then several thousand Squires, Knights, Lieutenants, Commanders and Marshals would be present. The Silver Knights employ many different people of many different professions such as Paladins, Fighters, Rangers, Clerics, Monks, and Wizards (which they call Battlemages). However, the most common knights that roam the lands are either Paladins or Fighters, while Rangers form specialty units and Clerics, Monks and Battlemages have a supporting role in the organisation.
The Silver Knights are associated with the Empire of Storvia as many of the Order's Marshals are Lords of Storvia and because most of the orders chapters exist within Storvian borders. Although Storvia has a significant large professional army, the Silver Knights are commonly perceived as the most Elite soldiers of the Empire. The headquarters of the Silver Knights are the Silver Citadel located in Carrano. Other significant chapters include the Chapter of Carvecorgo (county directly controlled to the Silver Knights), the Chapter of Wargham (due to its size and its proximity to the Combrian Woods), and the Chapter of the Valley (home to the legendary Pegasus Guard).

Knightly Virtues and Tenants

The Silver Knights wants to defeat evil and are sworn enemies of any fiendish, infernal or otherwise evil creatures. Additionally, the Silver Knights are allied to the Empire of Storvia and can often be found acting in the best interest of the Storvians. The Order particularly distrusts Tieflings due to their infernal origins, but they also exhibit some distrust towards Dragonians due to their close ancestry to Dragons. However, there exists several stunning examples of Thieflings and Dragonians that overcame the distrust and rose to become some of the most powerful members of the Order.
Paladins of the Silver Knights typically choose to take the Oath of Devotion, but all members are also upheld to the following virtues:

• Honesty: Don’t lie or cheat. Let your word be your promise.
• Courage: Never fear to act, though caution is wise.
• Compassion: Aid others, protect the weak, and punish those who threaten them. Show mercy to your foes, but temper it with Wisdom.
• Honor: Treat others with fairness, and let your honorable deeds be an example to them. Do as much good as possible while causing the least amount of harm.
• Duty: Be responsible for your Actions and their consequences, protect those entrusted to your care, and obey those who have just authority over you.

Levels of renown:

• Level 1: Initiate / Squire - these individuals recently joined the order and still has much to learn from more experienced members.
• Level 2: Journeyman / Knight Errant - these individuals has been trained by the order for years, but still haven't proven themselves capable on their own.
• Level 3: Lieutenant / Knight - these individuals has proven their worth and are typically also assigned one or more level 1 members to train and prepare for a life as adventures.
• Level 4: Master Lieutenant / Knight Lietenant - these individuals have further responsibilities within the order and provide some specialisation not commonly found.
• Level 5: Knight Commander - these individuals have proved their capability as leaders and therefore lead lower-level members of the order.
• Level 6: Marshal - these individuals control large sections of the order (organised into chapters) and are given large amounts of independence.
• Level 7: Grand Marshal - this individual is in charge of the order's headquarters and directly interacts with the empire's top officials.

It is Our Quest to Vanquish Evil in all its Twisted Forms

Type

Military, Knightly Order

Alternative Names

Vanquishers of Evil; Imperial Knights

Training Level

Professional

Veterancy Level

Veteran

Leader

Grand Marshal Richard the Undefeated

Location

Carrano

Related Plots

• (Plot Hook) The Wicked Woods

Knight of the Order

You belong to a order of knights who have sworn oaths towards a certain goal or ideal. The nature of this goal depends on the order you serve, but in your eyes it is without question a vital and honorable endeavor. Your order consists of knights of many beliefs, but they are very likely to follow the same tenets as you. There is a wide variety of knightly order, all of which have a similar outlook concerning their actions and responsibilities. The origin story of your order can be up to You or Your Dungeon Master.
Though the term “knight” conjures ideas of mounted, heavily armored warriors of noble blood, most knightly orders don't restrict their membership to such individuals. The goals and philosophies of the order are more important than the gear and fighting style of its members, and so most of these orders aren't limited to fighting styles, but are open to all sorts of folk who are willing to battle and die for the order's cause. Particularly with the prevalence of magic there are some knightly orders that look for battlemages. Similarly, religious orders often search for skilled clerics to serve their cause.
The orders are often relied upon to lead the armies of nations during onslaughts of evil. In a fair and just war, they may be requested to join, but it would all be up to the particular order to make that choice. During times of peace, they protect the lands and guide the people according to their tenets.
Here are some suggestions for Knightly Orders:

• The Crusaders of Cortia: "It's is our Duty to Protect the Weak and Weary!"
• The Silver Knights: "It is Our Quest to Vanquish Evil in all its Twisted Forms"
• The Order of the Dragon: "Knowledge is Power and we must make sure that Knowledge do not fall in the Wrong Hands."
• Lyara's Guardians: "All Creatures are Sacred and Must Be Protected from Harm."
• The Knights of Dawn: "In This World of Chaos, Order and Civility must Prosper!"
• The Shield Brethren: "The Waters are Dangerous, but Our Enemies will Quiver in Fear when They see our Banner!"
• The Divine League "Healers of the Sick, Protectors of the People and Guardians of the Soul."

Skill Proficiencies Either Persuasion, Animal Handling, or Athletics, plus one from among Arcana, History, Nature and Religion

Tool Proficiencies One type of gaming set or musical instrument. Additionally, having been trained in warfare, choose whether you're proficient in Land or Sea Vehicles.

Languages Common and one of your choice

Equipment One set of traveler’s clothes, a signet, banner or seal representing your place or rank in the order, identification papers, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Lifestyle Modest (1 gp/day)

Features

Knightly Regard
You receive shelter and succor from members of your knightly order and those who are sympathetic to its aims. If your order is a religious one, you can gain aid from temples and other religious communities of your deity. Knights of civic orders can get help from the community–whether a lone settlement or a great nation that they serve, and knights of philosophical orders can find help from those they have aided in pursuit of their ideals, and those who share those ideals.
This help comes in the form of shelter and meals, and healing when appropriate, as well as occasionally risky assistance, such as a band of local citizens rallying to aid a sorely pressed knight in a fight, or those who support the order helping to smuggle a knight out of town when he or she is being hunted unjustly.
Retainer (optional) : If you are of an appropriate rank, and you DM allows it, you can have a Squire as a retainer. As a trainee, the Squire will not be very keen on entering combat on his/her own, but will assist defending if needed. During travelling or other quiet moments, the Squire will perform various tasks such as weapon maintenance, cooking or foraging. The Squire's training includes studying the tenants of the Order and weapon training.
Discuss with the DM how the Squire should be roleplayed. Consider the reason why the Squire is attached to your character: Did your Marshall believe you were ready to help train the Squire? Did you have some kind of bond either through experience or through family connections? If you have left the order, why did the Squire continue following you?

Suggested Characteristics

Your bond almost always involves the order to which you belong (or at least key members of it), and it is highly unusual for a knights' ideal not to reflect the agenda, sentiment, or philosophy of one’s order.

Traits

Dice 2d10	Personality Trait
2	I can stare down a hellhound without flinching.
3	I enjoy being strong and like breaking things.
4	I face problems head-on. A simple direct solution is the best path to success.
5	I have a crude sense of humor.
6	I'm always polite and respectful.
7	I'm full of inspiring and cautionary tales from my military experience
8	I’m haunted by memories of war. I can’t get the images of violence out of my mind.
9	I’ve lost too many friends, so I’m slow to make new ones.
10	I treat nearly every endeavor as a competition.
11	I'm a responsible. It's my duty to protect my people, and the people of the world from any dangers.
12	Since I can remember, I sought to become a great warrior. Inspired by legends of the past or personal heroes, I longed to wield steel and carve my way in the world.
13	I like to have a contingency plan for every mission.
14	I love to be the first in the room, first out the door, first watch, etc.
15	I may not tell outright lies, but I will certainly embellish a deed.
16	I have seen many strange things on my journeys and enjoy telling tales.
17	I live for the thrill of battle.
18	Nothing can shake my optimistic attitude.
19	I ask a lot of questions.
20	I live a simple lifestyle with few possessions.

Ideal

Dice 1d12	Ideal
1	Self-Sacrifice. My job is to save the lives of other people, even at the expense of my own. (Good)
2	Independence. When people follow orders blindly they embrace a kind of tyranny. (Chaotic)
3	Live and Let Live. Ideals aren't worth killing for or going to war for. (Neutral)
4	Might. In life as in war, the stronger force wins. (Evil)
5	Order. My order is all that matters to me. (Any)
6	Responsibility. I do what I must and obey just authority. (Lawful)
7	Defense. The weak must be protected by great champions. (Good)
8	Oath. I swore my oath, and now I must live by its tenets. (Lawful)
9	Honor. If I dishonor myself, I dishonor my whole order. (Lawful)
10	Life. Everyone deserves to live. (Neutral)
11	Power. I'm a monster that destroys other monsters, and anything else that gets in my way. (Evil)
12	Glory. I must earn glory in battle, for myself and my order. (Any)

Bond

Dice 1d12	Bond
1	The Knight who trained me as a Squire have learnt me everything that I know and I trust him with my life.
2	Someone saved my life on the battlefield. To this day, I will never leave a friend behind.
3	I owe everything to my Order, for saving my life and teaching me.
4	I’ll never forget the crushing defeat my order suffered or the enemies who dealt it.
5	I have been through hell with my brethren and sisters of my order and would do anything for them.
6	Although I was raised in a Chapter of the Order, I grew more fond of the people I am sworn to protect than members of my Order.
7	I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.
8	Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for.
9	My honor is my life.
10	I am a loyal servant of my Order.
11	Defeat is not an option.
12	I was separated from my family (or homeland) when I joined the Order and now want nothing more than to return to them (or it) again.

Flaw

Dice 1d10	Flaw
1	The monstrous enemy we faced in battle still leaves me quivering with fear.
2	I have little respect for anyone who is not a proven warrior.
3	I made a terrible mistake in battle that cost many lives - (and I would do anything to keep that mistake secret) OR (and I will do anything to regain my honor).
4	My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning.
5	I obey the law and my orders, even if they cause misery.
6	I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.
7	I am at times hostile to those not of my order.
8	I am frightened/sickened by human suffering,
9	I have a tendency to be unintentionally insulting or boastful.
10	I hold the traditions of my Order at the expense of adaptability.

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Dice 1d100	Rank in the Order
1-5	Squire: Lowest rank among the knights. Squires are knights-in-training, and are trained in the knightly virtues, the code of the order, and practical duties by a fully-fledged knight. Teenagers are among the most common squires.
6-25	Knight-Errant: Upon reaching adulthood and after reaching a certain level of experience and knowledge, a Squire are knighted and become a Knight-Errant. The Knight-Errant wanders the land in search of purpose and for the possibility to prove their worth. When the Knight-Errant gain enough renown, they typically advance to become a fully-fledged Knight and are assigned Squires to train by a Knight Commander or Marshal.
26-74	Knight: The Knights are the workhorse of their respective order. Knights have proven their worth to their order and are typically well-respected in the communities they meet (as they are representing their knightly order). Each Knight are usually managed by a Knight Commander and are assigned to a specific chapter of the order (controlled by a Marshal). Typically has one or multiple Squires whom they train until they reach adulthood and prove their worth.
75-85	Lieutenant: Lieutenants are individuals who support the Order as specialists and as such they are ranked slightly higher than a Knight. Contrary to other Knights, Lieutenants are typically individuals who have not proven their knightly valor, but instead decided to walk paths such as scribes, battle-mages, clerics, or similar advanced professions. Individuals who prove themselves to be particular useful to the order may also be granted the rank of Knight Lieutenant as a reward for their service. Furthermore, Lieutenants are typically not part of any unit lead by a Knight Commander (although they may be tied to a unit temporarily), but instead tied to the chapter that they belong to and the Marshal leading the chapter.
86-94	Commander: Knights who display significant leadership potential can be elevated to the rank of Knight Commander by a Marshal. Commanders typically leads a unit of 5-20 individuals (typically Knights). Sizes may vary according to leadership ability, but a unit of 8 total is usually a good size.
95-98	Marshal: Each Chapter of the Order are overseen by a Marshal. The Marshall is therefore the official leader of that particular Chapter and of every unit, lieutenant, knight, knight-errant and squire connected to the Chapter. Furthermore, the Marshal is responsible for the resource management of their structure and the public figure of the Order in their branch. If the order is small enough, there might only be a Grand Marshal and their aide(s) that handles these matters.
99-100	Grand Marshal: The Order itself is overseen by the Grand Marshal. Typically, the Grand Marshal also oversees the headquarters of the order. Being the highest-ranked leader in the Order, their word is the law and must be followed without any hesitation. Usually a very distinguished knight that has participated in many wars. Directly in charge of the standing army and any auxiliary force.