The Old Knightly Orders

Structure

The Knightly Orders were a collection of Orders that reported directly to the Old Bloods and the Highlander King. It was a feudalistic system with the Highlander King at the top, his council of Eight Companions, and dozens of Knightly Orders beneath each Old Blood. At their peak prior to the Great Rebellion, there were at least a few hundred or so Knightly Orders throughout the Freelands with their own rules, cultures, practices, and secrets. Today there are less than a dozen still in operation and working illegally and secretly under persecution from both the New Bloods and the Holy Order of the Light.

Culture

Though the Knightly Orders at their peak varied greatly in their purpose and ability, ranging from magical research to city guards, and from spy networks to frontline cavalry. At their core they shared distinctly similarities: they were militant forces with each Knight trained in combat and magic, they served dutifully their their respective Old Blood House and the Highlander King. However, by the time the Great Rebellion occurred they were less militant and more lazy than their forebears which is one of the reasons they were utterly destroyed by the combined forces of the Warforged and the Templars.

Public Agenda

Prior to the Great Rebellion, the Knightly Orders served a variety of purposes. Whether it be politics, history, economics, education, magic, or military; there was some sort of Knightly Order directly or indirectly tied to it. With the rise of the New Bloods and their artificers, the Knightly Orders were getting some push back from these new noble houses who did not create their Knightly Orders and instead spited them out of their works and businesses. By the time the Great Rebellion began the Knightly Orders were publicly mocked and were considered corrupt by the common folk and New Bloods alike, and were almost completely wiped out by the New Blood's Warforged army and the Holy Order of the Light's Templars. Today, the general public has all but forgotten about these Knightly Orders and see's them as either corrupt backwards businesses or worse as cults with dark practices.

Assets

During the height of the Kingdom of Man, their assets were the Kingdom's assets. Gold flowed like water through their coffers and the Knightly Orders flourished and albeit rather bloated in numbers. By the time of the Great Rebellion occurred, they were money rich but discipline poor, which lead to their utter downfall. The few Knightly Orders that exist to today have very little to no resources, and do what they must to persist in secrecy if not infamy.

History

The founding of the Knightly Orders ties back all the way to shortly after the founding of the Kingdom of Man. When the last of the Elves was purged from the Freelands and/or stolen away to Avalon, the Highlander King and his Eight Companions had a Kingdom to run, but did not have the man power to do it. The Eight Companions became the Old Blood Houses and created Knightly Orders sworn to them, thus created a feudalistic system to run their new world. Initially the first Knightly Orders were solely military in nature; to help maintain order, hunt monsters, and protect the people from themselves. As time passed more Knightly Orders were created to fulfill more specific needs such as research, espionage, and overseeing trade. What started only as a dozen or so Knightly Orders slowly grew over the centuries into a few hundred Knightly Orders, which each one becoming more specific and corrupt than the last. Creating a top heavy system that eventually collapsed in on itself during the Great Rebellion. Today only a few Knightly Orders remain, waiting for their time to return to the public eye and their ascent to power once more.

Disbandment

During the Great Rebellion many of the Knightly Orders were either destroyed by the sword or disbanded in fear of the sword, they are remarked by the still existing Knightly Orders as cowards and traitors.

Demography and Population

Prior to the Great Rebellion, the Knightly Orders were spread throughout the Freelands and the Kingdom of Man. With there being hundreds of Knightly Orders, with hundreds within a Knightly Order, there were easily thousands of members in grand total. All members were Freelancers: Humans or Human Variants that claim Human descent; such as Goliaths, Dragonborn, etcetera. It was considered immoral and illegal to recruit Dweller or Beastfolk races.

Territories

Each Knightly Order had a hold or a keep to serve as their base of operations, some shared land and territory with other Knightly Orders that served under the same Old Blood House. But every land and territory had at least one Knightly Order overseeing it and its day to day operations whether it be city, countryside, or some untamed wilds.

Military

Effectively each Knightly Order was their own military when they were founded; with its own cavalry, foot soldiers, and etcetera. By the time of the Great Rebellion much of their military power waned and was replaced by bureaucracy and corruption, so they were swiftly crushed by the New Blood's Warforged army and the Holy Order of the Light's Templars.

Technological Level

The technology of the Old Bloods and by extension the Knightly Orders was fairly medieval in nature for the longest time: crossbows, siege weapons, and a navy were considered the greatest tools of their time. In terms of magic and the arcana each Knightly Order had their own secret practices and tended to not share their research with the public. It wasn't until the New Bloods and their Artifice that their technology finally began to bloom, though most of the Knightly Orders didn't live to see such technology due to the Great Rebellion.

Religion

The Knightly Orders worshipped, and still do, worship the Nine Deities like their ancestors did. Each Knightly Order may worship a different Deity more so than another, but they defy to this the Holy Order of the Light's doctrines and considered heretics by the Templars.

Foreign Relations

The Knightly Orders made regular contracts and dealings with the Dweller and Beastfolk in exchange for goods and services throughout the Freelands. They made it policy to kill Elves or those of Elvish lineage on sight.

Agriculture & Industry

At their height, each Knightly Order had their own agriculture and industry to help fund it in addition to taxes. Initially this was to help feed and clothe the Knights in their duties in protecting the Kingdom of Man from Elves and Monsters, but as time wore on they became more businesslike rather military, and thus were more so systems of greed by the time of the Great Rebellion.

Trade & Transport

At their height, each Knightly Order had their own means of trade and transport to help fund it in addition to taxes. Initially this was to help the Knights perform their duties easier in protecting the Kingdom of Man from Elves and Monsters, but as time wore on they became more businesslike rather military, and thus were more so systems of greed by the time of the Great Rebellion.

Education

One became a Knight in one of two ways: They were born into it and received the best education they could from the rich and noble kin, or they were elevated from the common folk and taught later in life after proving themselves in the field of battle. The former was far more common than the latter, to the point it was almost exclusively the former. This was particularly the case by the time of the Great Rebellion. The education to be a Knight though was second to only that of the leader of an Old Blood House or that of the Highlander King, with it ranging from combat to economics and everything between.

Infrastructure

At their height, each Knightly Order was responsible for their own infrastructure; namely roads and such, and was funded by taxes. Initially this was to help and protect the Kingdom of Man from Elves and Monsters, but as time wore on they began to become corrupt. With costly research and projects, that much of the infrastructure began to decline by the time of the Great Rebellion. Since then the decline has slown but not much improvement has been made by the New Bloods or the Holy Order of the Light.

Mythology & Lore

The Knightly Orders prayed to all Nine of the Deities, though each Order tended to put a certain god or goddess in the forefront depending on what Old Blood House they were beholden too. As all of the Old Blood Houses had direct ties to at least one of the Nine Deities in their creation.

DISBANDED/DISSOLVED

"In life, service. In blood, oaths. In death, legends."

6000 - 8000

Type

Military, Knightly Order

Capital

The Freelands

Alternative Names

The Knights of the Old Bloods, The Old Blood Armies

Predecessor Organization

The Old Blood Houses

Successor Organization

The Order of the Blood Fang

Training Level

Professional

Veterancy Level

Experienced

Demonym

The Old Knights, Criminals (By the New Bloods), Heretics (By the Holy Order of the Light)

Leader Title

The Highlander King

Government System

Stratocracy

Power Structure

Feudal state

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

They use gold, just like everyone else.

Major Exports

None.

Major Imports

None.

Legislative Body

At their height, their legislation was a combination of the leaders of each Knightly Order sworn under a particular Old Blood House and the current leader of the Old Blood House. It resembled somewhat an Oligarchy combined with Feudalism.

Judicial Body

They obeyed the laws of the Kingdom, though the legislative body tended to oversee certain crimes within and Knightly Order.

Executive Body

The executive body was the current leader of the Old Blood House, though he or she may defer to the judgement of the leader of that particular Knightly Order.

Parent Organization

The Old Blood Houses

Deities