The Dragon Knights of Drandallas

Art by Taras Susak, I do not own this artwork

The Dragon Knights of Drandallas are an order of knights tasked with hunting, killing, and utilizing dragons to protect civilian life. Operating out of the city-state of Drandallas and other smaller city-states, the Dragon Knights are independent of any governmental or religious control. Still, they are open to being contacted by either to slay destructive dragons. The Dragon Knights hunt and kill these dragons and harvest their materials for future use, like scales for armor or bones as powerful weapons. The Dragon Knights follow a strict hierarchy, with the most experienced and powerful individuals in seats of power, and are split into 4 sub-orders called Leagues, each dedicated to a specific dragon species and each following a League Master. The leader of the Dragon Knights is known as the Grand Master and is the supreme power within the organization, which all members and League Masters must obey.

Structure

The Dragon Knights are organized within a strict militaristic hierarchy. The order is only accepting to those whom they believe to be of considerable strength and talent, especially if they are capable of Absorption Magic or have Faith Magic, regardless if they are human, elf, or giant. Typically, those brought into the order will have experience already gained from hunting dragons or Scourge-affected creatures. The first membership title given to a new member is Squire. A Squire acts as an apprentice to either a Teacher or a Knight. They will learn the basics of dragon hunting and the core principles of Dragon Knights. They will learn to use magic, both Faith and Absorption, effectively and will learn tactics and strategies against dragons when in open combat. Some spend years as Squires before ever being promoted, while others are let go entirely due to their own incompetency or lack of notable traits. Depending on one's ability to learn, their magic abilities, temperament, competency, talent, intelligence, and strength, they may become a Dragon Guard or ascend to a position higher above that if they are considered highly talented.
A Dragon Guard is someone who is given the responsibility of defending a settlement or city from any potential draconic threats. While Dragon Guards are expected to protect their city from any threat, including sieges, Scourge outbreaks, or natural disasters, they're most expected to defend it from oncoming dragon attacks. Dragon Guards, and higher members of the order, work alongside members of a city's government, the Vaeluna Knights, and the Church of the Old Father to create defenses against dragons and the Scourge, such as cartaanums. Cartaanums are large, bright green, opaque crystalline structures created by both Absorption magic and users of Faith magic and float high above almost all settlements, cities, and fortresses in Dengoth. These crystals drive away both dragons and demons from civilization. However, if a dragon is powerful enough to resist the effects of a cartaanum, then the Dragon Guards are the first line of defense against them.
A Dragon Hunter is an individual who tracks down, hunts, and kills dragons that are, or have the potential to be, dangerous. If a dragon has disrupted the environment in a way that has caused a negative influence on civilization, a Dragon Hunter is ordered to kill it and stop it from continuing. Dragon Hunters will often search in small groups of 2-6 to better find the beast and slay it with backup's help. Some talented Dragon Hunters, like Rogier Delunia, have been given the privilege of having a trained dragon they can use to cover more ground, sniff out other dragons, and use in both tremendous offensive and defensive ways. Most Dragon Hunters, however, settle for easier-to-manage creatures, like great wolves, to have as hunting companions.
The Dragon Aegis are among the most high-ranking individuals within the organization. They are set with the task of guarding influential individuals, important objects, and strategic locations to the order. Many Dragon Knights follow high-ranking individuals like Lords and rulers who benefit the Dragon Knights of Drandallas. The Aegis are some of the greatest magic users in the order, capable of eliminating enemies sometimes with only a single swing of their weapons. Every Dragon Aegis is given a specially crafted weapon made from fragments of dragon souls using Absorption magic. These weapons are considered among some of the most powerful ever to be forged, even if their conception is mired in ridicule about the ethics of Absorption magic.
The Dragon Crusaders are the paramilitary force of the Dragon Knights. Whenever the Dragon Knights are dragged into a war or skirmish, the Crusaders are their answer. Crusaders are among their most magically inclined, using some of the most powerful weapons and magical abilities across all of Dengoth. When in combat, Crusaders will ride dragons and use the creatures' magics in tandem with their own for devastating results. It is also their responsibility to look after and train dragons from hatchlings to adults. Crusaders answer only to their respective League Masters and the Grand Master of the Dragon Knights.

The Leagues

The order of the Dragon Knights of Drandallas is broken up into four sub-orders called Leagues. Each League represents a different dragon species. The Black Wyvern League of Witrath represents fire wyverns and is based in the city of Srolis. They are mighty through their use of fire magic absorbed from fire wyvern souls and are known to be quite brutish, blunt, and war-like in their mode of conduct. Their leader is League Master Terrosh Vul.
The Storm League of Vinraal represents lightning lungs and is based in the city of Vinraal. They put more emphasis on the acquisition of political power than other Leagues in the order. Many within the League are highly intelligent, using the power of dialogue to make deals, threaten, or blackmail many lords, ladies, dukes, and other high-position individuals within kingdoms and empires. Through them, the Dragon Knights can secure a political monopoly so that no other knightly order may challenge them. And if those methods don't work, their use of lightning lung dragons and electricity magic are more than enough to convince people otherwise. Their leader is League Master Bersunfal Helgen.
The Termor League of Crance represents Earth wyrms and is based in the city of Crance. The Termor League is the least interested in politics among all the Leagues. They are in charge of mostly defensive positions and stealth-operated missions. They are often in charge of city defenses. Their use of earth magic has changed the face of war many times over by temporarily transforming the geography. Their leader is League Master Annaver Blaimour.
The Blue Drake League of Mahlas represents ice drakes and is based in the city of Mahlas. They are the smallest of the Leagues, with the least members and the least number of trained dragons under their command. Located almost entirely on the continent of Mowera, the Blue Drake League is mostly cut off from the rest of the Dragon Knights. Despite their small size, many of their members are determined to make the League just as large as and as politically powerful as their Black Wyvern and Storm League brethren. Their leader is League Master Colart Eaven.
All Leagues and members within the Dragon Knights are subservient to the Grand Master of the Knights in Drandallas, where the organization is mainly headquartered. The Grand Master of the Dragon Knights is among the most supremely powerful magic users in all of Dengoth, with little contest. Grand Masters are trained from adolescence by their previous Grand Masters, League Masters, or Crusaders. It is their duty to govern, supervise, and lead the Dragon Knights, as well as agree to an alliance of war with countries. Grand Masters are extremely long-lived individuals, living up to almost 300 years old. The reason for this longevity is subject to debate and even ridicule from other organizations and countries, like the Vaeluna Knights and Commourid Kingdom. Most agree that Grand Masters either have a powerful magic artifact made from the soul of a long-lived dragon or that they have been gifted this long life through Faith Magic to Klesagar. There have been a total of 14 Grand Masters of the Dragon Knights in history. The current Grand Master of the entire organization is Grand Master Naefalus Gothlir.

History

The Dragon Knights were formed after a series of devastating attacks on the early city-states of Drandallas, Vinraal, and Nuwlad from a lightning lung named Irvath and a fire wyvern named Ater. The two dragons caused at least a hundred deaths and created a famine by burning farms. Desperate to stop the disaster, King Visaeron IV of Vinraal and Queen Jazalin II of Drandallas created an alliance through marriage and sought after the greatest warriors in Zaria. Five of them answered their calls: the human knight Caleb Astre, the elf sorcerer Faedonus' Ulvi, the giant lord Gorm, the human King Gulvon of Hrothgar, and the Godborn of Light, Avalyn Sol, before she led the Crusade of Golden Faith. All five pledged allegiance to the two kingdoms and vowed to slay the dragons. The five trained tirelessly, learning each one's abilities, and created an ambush plan to slay the two dragons. Irvath was tricked into stepping into a boobie-trapped cow farm. The trap held large wooden spikes that impaled Irvath's flesh and pinned him down to the ground. It was then that the five warriors attacked with all their might.
They stabbed and tore at the pinned Irvath until the dragon finally broke out of its trap. The dragon released a tremendous electric shockwave across the now-destroyed farm. Thus the battle began properly. Caleb Astre swung his kyrite sword and cut off the end of its tail and gouged out one of its eyes. Faedonus' Ulvi summoned faith magic to create metal chains to bind the dragon down to the earth once more. King Gulvon of Hrothgar used his shield to deflect the dragon's lightning back at itself. The giant, Lord Gorm, cut off one of its legs with his great cleaver and punched its head relentlessly, breaking its jaw. It was the Godborn of Light, Avalyn Sol, who killed the great beast by stabbing through its heart and lungs with a golden blade of light.
With one of the great dragons slain, the fire wyvern Ater was next. After the battle with Irvath, the fire wyvern Ater was last seen near the city of Ar' Dott in the high mountains. Traveling to the city, the dragon attacked the crew of heroes and nearly destroyed the city. It was only after a lucky ballista shot from a city guard that the dragon became grounded. Ater landed in the lower mountain region and became stuck.
The five heroes tracked down the injured wyvern in a small cave and ambushed him. Caleb Astre and King Gulvon of Hrothgar both stabbed at the beast's chest, puncturing its heart and fire sacks. Faedonus' Ulvi summoned a volley of magic arrows and hurled them toward the creature. Lord Gorm raised his great cleaver and killed the dragon by chopping off its head. It is unknown what Avalyn Sol accomplished during the fight.
After the dragons were slain, the five were honored as heroes to the small emerging kingdoms. But after great deliberation, King Visaeron and Queen Jazalin II asked the five heroes a final task. The task was to create an order of warriors capable of defending the realm from dragon attacks whose reach extended beyond the city-states of Drandallas and Vinraal. All five jumped at the chance, thus creating the Dragon Knights of Drandallas.
Hundreds of years later, the figures of Caleb Astre, Faedonous' Ulvi, Lord Gorm, and King Gulvon have faded into legend. Some don't even believe they existed in the first place, that all were mere myths, while others sometimes only give one of the heroes the credit for creating the Dragon Knights. Due to the relation of one of their founding members being the Godborn of Light Avalyn Sol, Klesagaric churches have tried numerous times to incorporate the Dragon Knights into their religions. However, the Dragon Knights remain impartial, as per their Codices, and refuse to be incorporated.

Founders
Knight Caleb Astre, Sorceror Faedonus' Ulvi, Lord Gorm, King Gulvon, Godborn Avalyn Sol.
Current Leadership
Grand Master--Neafalus Gothlir
League Master of the Black Wyvern League--Terrosh Vul
League Master of the Storm League--Bersunfal Helgen
League Master of the Tremor League--Annaver Blaimour
League Master of the Blue Drake League--Colart Eaven
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Founding Date

872 BX

Type

Military, Knightly Order

Capital

Drandallas

Training Level

Elite

Veterancy Level

Decorated/Honored

Government System

Magocracy

Related Species

• Earth Wyrm
• Elf
• Fire Wyvern
• Giant
• Human
• Ice Drake
• Lightning Lung