The Knights Rode
The Knights Rode have been in Zelidin for as long as anybody can remember. They claim to have formed as a subsidiary organization of the ancient Kostbaar Kingdom to patrol the roads and lands and protect the possessions of the kingdom. As time has passed, and they have survived calamities and been forced to adjust their role in the world.
Nowadays though, the Knights Rode has become something of an unobtrusive backdrop to the world. You are likely to see a knights rode anywhere there is civilization as they patrol roads, clear monsters and provide an impartial mind to any argument.
Structure
There are 3 Major-Ranks in the Knights Rode: The Squire, the Protector, and the Roden. The Squire is a new member, who has been with the Knights Rode for less than 3 years and will be an apprentice to a Protector or Roden. The protectors are the bulk of the organization. You are more likely to meet 100 protectors and squires than you are to meet even one Roden. The Roden are the leaders of the organization, they are powerful and have dedicated decades of their lives to the cause.
Within the protector and roden rank there are three sub-ranks that provide some hierarchy to the organization internally. Publicly, a member will introduce themselves only by their Major-rank, but if you grow to become more familiar and even join you are bound to be given a sub-rank as well. These provide a chain of command and responsibility, and they are from lowest to highest: Klein, Midden and Exquisite.
The highest rank is the Roden Exquisite. Of these there are 5 and they are the most powerful and impartial members. Each one is responsible for a significant portion of a continent themselves, and while they do not have anybody above them, they are bound to keep each other in check in the event of negligence of duty or corruption.
Directly below the Roden Exquisite are the Roden Midden and Roden Klein. The difference between these ranks is based mainly on how many protectors and squires you are responsible for. A Midden will be in charge of multiple Protector Exquisite and below while a Roden Klein will only have squires and Roden Klein in their charge.
A Protector Exquisite may be in the care of a Roden Midden or the Roden Exquisite themselves, but what separates them from a protector klein or midden is the number of squires they have in their charge. A roden exquisite will have at least a dozen squires working either directly or indirectly for them while a Roden Midden may have 5 or less and a Roden Klein only 1.
*The final rank in the Knights Rode is the Squire Exquisite, this is the title given to an honorary member. One who has aided a Roden in a task they themselves would have perished in. Although few are given the honor of this title, those that do receive it are given a Sigil of the Knights Rode (Image to the right)
Technological Level
The armor of a Knights Rode is distinctive and has not changed for thousands of years. Most can recognize one just by seeing them from a distance. However, those that know more about them and are suspicious of authenticity may ask any knights rode to see their sigil. Any Protector or Roden will have theirs on their body always. A squire does not receive theirs until promotion.
Tenets of Faith
The Knight's Rode is dedicated to the god of judgement and passage, Ghagyn, God of Death. In their devotion to him they judge only those who block passage to others. Maintenance of roads and paths between any two destinations is their primary goal, be it literally repairing a road, stairway, or bridge, or killing a monster who tries to stop it. The more powerful members may even commune with beings of greater power to stop a natural disaster from occurring that would make passing difficult.
In addition, when one joins the Knights Rode they innately become something of an outsider, and impartial. Often, in nations that do not outright criticize the Knghts Rode the general people in less populated or sophisticated areas may ask that a Knights Rode act as a judge to settle a dispute.
Type
Religious, Holy Order
Leader Title
Divines
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
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