The Knights of Haradel

Haradel is famous throughout Faelon for its Knights. Their charge is almost irresistible on the battlefield, and they follow a strict code of conduct that they are honor-bound to uphold. They are political and military entities, leaders, and warriors.
Knights are the mainstay of the Haradelan political and military system. They are the lynchpin that holds Haradel together and defends her from enemies outside and within. They are both aristocrats and warriors, a holdover from times when they were members of the Urdaggar Tribes.
Haradel is a Faeler nation. It was born from a migration of Urdaggar Tribespeople, mainly from the Bear, Boar, Stag, Falcon, Eagle, and Lion Tribes. These people, settled in what is now Haradel, Falkaar, and Thormenal.
They battled the Traazorite Empire for their land, eventually beating and ejecting them from Isarshael. These peoples wanted a different way of life from their Urdaggar forbears. Once their land was secured from the Traazorites, they created a unique culture and civilization.
Of the three civilized Faeler nations, Haradel kept the closest ties to the Urdaggar. They were the last to form a government and instead began with an ever-shifting group of confederations and alliances. These bore a strong resemblance to their former Tribal life.
After internal and external wars left them vulnerable, they finally rallied around a leader, Krendar, whom they proclaimed their first King. After they crowned Krendar, they began to adopt the Varanic religion. Priests and Priestesses had been at work converting the Tribespeople to the new Varanic faith, and after there were miracles witnessed during Krendar’s ascendance to the throne, it spread.
One of Krendar’s first acts as King was to establish loyal warriors across the land that he could call on to quickly gather an army and march in Haradel’s defense. Krendar granted hereditary land rights to Clan and Tribal leaders and bound them to the Crown and Haradel by oath. He gave them the title Kir, which in the Urdaggar language meant strong or experienced warrior-leader. They are known in Haradel as Knights.
Under Krendar, Knights became the low-level aristocracy in a feudal system of government. Thaels would control small parcels of land and the cities therein. They provided a militia and a muster of peasantry should the King call.
The Thaels answered to their Counts, an administrative and military position based in a larger town. Their lands are called Counties. They are given control over these lands and can collect taxes, provide defense for the people, and call the Thaels to action at their whim.
The Counts are duty-bound to the Wardens. There are three Wards in Haradel, each responsible for defense. The Wardens, in turn, answer directly to the Crown.
All knights associate with one of the gods or goddesses of the Varanic Faith. For the Thaels, this will usually be correlated to the Tribe of their ancestor that was granted the land by the first King. However, there are certain circumstances where that is not the case, and some revelation has caused the Thael to change their association.
For other Knights, the god or goddess they serve is purely a matter of choice. They may choose to adopt their ancestral deity. They may also claim a god or goddess they quest for at some point in their career.
There are only two ways that you can become a Knight in Haradel. The first, and by far the most ubiquitous, is by birth. Birth into an aristocratic family is defacto knighthood, though each Knight follows the path of obtaining it. There are no shortcuts because of birth. The downside to that situation is because it is expected of noble born, the only way to escape is to join the clergy or run and become exiled from your family and noble claim.
The second way you can become a Knight is by battlefield promotion. Many a Squire or Faeler Swordsman has dreamt of one day defying the station of their birth and joining the ranks of the Kir. Others do not seek it but find it thrust upon them after a daring feat in battle.
The only person who can make a Knight is another Knight. Battlefield promotions come directly from a Knight on the field after they witness an act that they believe could only come from a warrior with the heart and resolve of a Knight. Although the Knight is free to serve in whatever capacity they want, they will often go on to serve as a retainer in the house of the Knight that promoted them.
A Knight’s responsibilities are manifold and will depend on their station and rank. An Apprentice Knight may have few responsibilities outside of training and dedicating themselves to attaining the rank of Knight.
A Thael has both administrative and military duties they must see to. They will oversee a Manor House, collect taxes, and see that the Militia are trained.
At the heart of a Knight’s responsibilities is the Varanic Knight Oath:
I will face the fearsome, help the helpless and defend the defenseless I will speak truth, seek justice, and battle evil My example will set me apart but not above My service will be to others before myself My devotion will be to duty This I swear, in sight of those gone before and on behalf of those yet to come.
These behaviors are the hallmark of Knightly virtue and, in Haradel, are taken seriously and often to extremes. Everything a Knight does will be associated with the Oath. Any charges brought against them will be rooted in a transgression against it. Each Church Order may lay more oaths upon its members, but at the heart of all of them is the Varanic Knight’s Oath.
Knights in Politics
The current feudal order in Haradel is based on Knights. Knights make up the low-level aristocracy. Counts and Wardens are often Knights as well.
All Knights, unless given a battlefield promotion, will start their careers as a Knight Apprentice. These Knights are often the young sons and daughters of the aristocracy. They train incessantly and are thrust into the world of the Knight, immersing themselves in the culture they’ll serve throughout their lives.
Knight Apprentices will train until an event occurs where they are given the rank of Knight. The circumstances of their ascendancy differ. Church tradition, their Thael, and even geography will play a role in determining the test they will face to shed their apprenticeship and become a full-fledged knight.
In some places, an Apprentice Knight must best a Grush to be awarded Knighthood. In others, their behavior in battle will determine their rank. Some Thaels have devised a set of trials that will test their mettle and minds, recalling their Urdaggar roots.
Wherever they are from and however they obtain Knighthood, their next rank is that of Kir - Knight. For many, this will be their final rank. For most, it is enough. Apart from Familial duties, Knights are free to give their allegiance to whichever Lord or Lady they choose. They may also spend their time Questing for the Varanic Church.
Some Knights will divide their time between the battlefield and social pursuits, taking their oaths to administer justice and serve others as seriously as their charge to battle evil.
The firstborn to a noble family will become a Thael, the Lord or Lady of a local manor house that administers the land their ancestors were granted by the first King of Haradel. Thaels are more tied to their land than other Knights, and there’s no doubt that some wish they had more freedom. However, administering the land and protecting those that live on it is a serious charge and is taken very seriously by those to whom it falls.
Thaels will often war with each other. Slights, grievances, and even ancient feuds can all be re-hashed in the modern age for little or no reason.
If a Thael dies without an heir, it falls upon their Count to appoint a successor to that land. It is an honorable charge and may change the family fortunes of that appointee forever. Some Counts appoint a favored Knight. A Tournament is the favorite way to fill the role.
Contestants come from all over Haradel to vie for the position. During this time, the Knight will compete in several sports, such as archery and recitations of Haradelan lore and law. The highlight of the Tournament, however, is the joust.
Knights in the Military
Knights are called upon to fight in Haradel. It is their primary purpose and the reason for the feudal society. Standing armies are not needed if each successive noble person is responsible for mustering the troops under their responsibility.
Thaels are at the bottom of this hierarchy but have the most day-to-day responsibility. A Thael will keep a few Knights in their employ (dependent on how rich they and their lands are).
They will raise, arm, and train a militia. The Militia often patrols the countryside, keeping it safe from bandits and wild animals.
Finally, they are also responsible for the Muster, a term used for the arming and training of the peasantry to serve when needed. These are often armed very rudimentarily. Some carry bows, while others threshers from their primary job, working the land.
When deployed, the Thael is called a Knight Bannerette, as they are the lowest formation allowed to carry their own banner.
Individual Knights are permitted their own heraldry, which are colorful interpretations of the god or goddess they serve, their colors, and deeds they have been noted for. Heraldry is personal and symbolic.
Banners are ancestral artifacts of the Thael and their descendants. Many go back centuries. A few are claimed to have seen the founding of the Kingdom. Banners act as a rallying point for the soldiers of the Thael and a way for commanders to identify groups of soldiers amid a chaotic battle.
Sometimes, a Count will call several Thaels to war together. This may be in defense of a border, to hunt down a dangerous monster, or deal with an especially wild brigand.
When Haradel goes to war, the Wardens will call their Counts to assemble troops. In these circumstances, thousands can be gathered quickly and in a pre-determined place to deal with a threat.
The Varanic Church also has some bearing on Knights. Each god or goddess of the Varanic Church will employ a Knights Commander. The Knights Commander is responsible for developing the rules of their Religious Order and meting out punishment for anyone that breaks them. They work with high-level clergy to announce Quests for Knights (sometimes very particular Knights) to complete.
Quests can come about for many reasons. Some are the result of direct revelation from the deity. Others are opportunities brought by the laity. Still, others are passed from the King to give a god or goddess glory.
Quests are passed onto a Knight who has earned their laurels and has a good standing with the Varanic Church. The Knight the Quest is given to is known as the High Quester. The High Quester is responsible for organizing the Quest and recruiting members of their group tocomplete it.
All Thaels are often expected to be High Questers at some point in their careers. Some do this before their parents die and they inherit the title, while others will leave their responsibilities for a time to “Go on Quest.” A Thael, or any other Knight for that matter, that wishes to become a High Quester can petition the Knight’s Commander for the Honor.
A High Quester may choose several Knights and Apprentice Knights to go on Quest with them. Full Knights will be known as Questing Knights during this time to indicate that they have left their worldly pursuits and have taken up a cause of the Varanic Church. Apprentice Knights will keep their rank until they are given the title of Kir - Knight.
A final title must also be discussed; that of the Knight Errant. A Knight Errant has given up their political pursuits. They are not a retainer in a household, nor are they serving the church. They are “free” of politics but have no land, political title, or recognition by the Varanic Church. They are adventurers and travel from place to place to sell their martial skills where needed.
Sometimes, a Knight Errant is noble, upholding the Varanic Knight Oath and pursuing noble things. Other times, a Knight Errant may be ignoble or has been disgraced.
Knight’s Errant are often outcasts. They are looked down upon by the feudal aristocracy and not permitted to take any part therein. However, the feudal system leaves gaps between the haves and have-nots. If the landed aristocracy is less than honest, there are plenty of places where a Knight’s Errant can work and earn a living. They work for those left in the shadows or are preyed upon by the aristocracy rather than defended by it.
There are other accolades that a knight can collect as well. For deeds they do, they might earn a moniker such as Monster Slayer, or The Just. If a Knight gains one of these monikers, they may be introduced at court using these terms. Often, songs and poems about Knights will use these monikers.
Knights remain the most celebrated warriors in Haradelan society. For ages taverns have rang with the songs of their exploits and tales of their courage. When Haradel marches to war, it is the Knights at the forefront of the action.

Varanic Knight Oath