Chivalric Orders (Greyhawk)

This is a work in progress.

Several chivalric orders exist in the Flaness, mainly in the west. Chivalric orders was once a major feature of the Great Kingdom, but with the decline of this area, chivalry has taken a back seat to secular mercenaries.

The description of each order of chivalry includes a code of honor for paladins, edicts and order benefits for cavaliers, and a code for other classes.

Knights of Holy Shielding

Established in the mid-300s CY to support the lords of the petty domains north of the Nyr Dyv, the Knights of Holy Shielding once made up the core of an impressive army. Unfortunately, the years preceding the Greyhawk Wars saw the Shield Lands fall in humiliating defeat to the Horned Society and Bandit Kingdoms. Many Shield Knights fled to goodly nations, establishing relations with local rulers in an attempt to regain their lost homeland through military force. When the forces of the Horned Society withdrew in 583 CY, it appeared that those efforts were successful. The withdrawal proved only a brief respite, and soon the entire nation fell to Iuz. By the end of the Greyhawk Wars, only a third of the order's original 1,800 esquires still lived. In 587 CY, under the leadership of the newly installed Knight Commander Lady Katarina of Waiworth, the expatriate Knights of Holy Shielding returned to their homeland in force. With considerable support from Furyondy, they liberated Critwall and Scragholme Island in a series of bloody battles in which no quarter was asked or given. From Critwall, the knights continue to strike against very strong occupying forces to the north and east. The liberation of the Shield Lands and the destruction of Iuz and his armies are this order's foremost goals. Most Knights of Holy Shielding are now engaged in this "War of Reclamation." However, several agents remain in Greyhawk, Dyvers, the Duchy of Urnst, and Furyondy, working as mercenaries and sending their revenue to support the army at home. Within the reclaimed lands, the Shield Knights represent the best sort of heroism. Commoners regard a Shield Knight with respect and awe. Outside the Shield Lands, the knights are looked upon with less favor. For all their idealistic chatter, these were the same knights who failed to intelligently defend their own nation twice in the last ten years. Cynics reason that it is only a matter of time before they fall to defeat once again. Though the outside world knows the Shield Knights for an arrogance and naivete unacknowledged in their homelands, all know that Shield Knights can be trusted in word and deed. The Knights of Holy Shielding are noted rivals of the Knights of the Hart, who dismiss them with contempt. The core of the Knights of Holy Shielding are paladins, though fighters and clerics of Heironeous are found among their number. Katarina is titular head of the organization, but the daily operations of the Knighthood are seen to by Knight Banneret Incosee of the Bronze Band (LG male human Ftr13), a surpassingly brave Flan general.

the southern nobles banded together, forming the "Shield Lands" as a bulwark against the depredations and chaos of the north. Since the earl of Walworth commanded Admundfort, at the time the only notable city in the region, he was chosen as the knight commander of the combined forces of the nobles. Within a handful of years, the new capital saw the formation of the Knights of Holy Shielding, a Heironean order that both formed the core of the new national army and served as an example of good, clean living through dedication to strict, militaristic goals

Shield Lands' Knights of Holy Shielding Geographical Influence

Coat or Arms

Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom

Of all the orders of knighthood in the history of the Flanaess, none was greater than the fabled Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom. Once many hundreds in number, their membership has since dwindled to perhaps no more than two dozen today. Throughout their history, these knights were formidable warriors with a matchless reputation for courage and honor. They have become the model for numerous orders of knighthood that have sprung up in the Flanaess in their wake, including the Knights of the Hart and the Knights of Holy Shielding. Their legends permeate the cultures of all the former provinces of the Great Kingdom. Even the founding of the order was an auspicious occasion. It occurred in the year 537 OR (-107 CY), when an attack upon the traveling train of the king of Aerdy was foiled by a group of young men, primarily woodsmen and farmers from a nearby village. Ur-Flan insurgents released a winged horror upon the royal tent city in an effort to assassinate the leader of their conquerors. The young men of the village thwarted the attack, at the cost of most of their lives. The king was so impressed with the courage of the survivors that he raised them up as his "Knight Protectors." From its inception, the order was unique in the Great Kingdom in that it chose its own membership through contests of skill and courage. Positions were not royally appointed, nor could they be bought, like many other knighthoods in the kingdom that were known to come cheaply (for example, the knights of Medegia). The Knight Protectors numbered followers of both Heironeous and Hextor in their ranks; while this produced strong rivalries, deadly conflicts were few. The goal of the order was always a united and protected Great Kingdom under an honorable and lawful monarch. Few events shook the order as greatly as the betrayal of the paladin Sir Kargoth, who made a pact with the forces of evil and unleashed a demonic terror upon the Great Kingdom in 203 GY. The abomination was destroyed at great cost, but the fallen knight seduced no fewer than thirteen members of the order to his dark banner. Kargoth's treachery cursed everything he touched, and sunlight turned all fourteen traitors into the first and most powerful of the socalled death knights. The order went into slow decline after this upheaval, as many loyal knights spent much time hunting down the renegades. The royal House Rax went into slow decline at about the same time. In 443 CY, Ivid I set about hunting down and destroying the remaining Knight Protectors, for they opposed his ascension to the throne after he assassinated the last Rax overking. He did not succeed in destroying them, but they were widely dispersed, and some disappeared from the courts of the provinces to go into hiding. Most Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom live now in Ratik, refugees from Bone March, where Clement was a powerful member of the order until the province's fall in 563 CY. Those Knight Protectors stationed in Almor are now in Rel Deven. Some purportedly hide in the Grandwood and Adri Forests, and a few joined the Iron League and are in Sunndi. The order's old heraldry, showing the great crowned sun of Aerdy guarded by a white axe and red arrow, is no longer used.

With the apparent passing of Ivid V in Rauxes, some expect the Knight Protectors to emerge from their dormancy and take a more active role in the recovery of the Great Kingdom's former realms. How they will reorganize and what their new goals will be are as yet unknown to the outside world. Overking Xavener has expressed no interest in them, but no animosity toward them, either. Grenell of North Kingdom might consider a Hextorian order of knights, but not of the caliber of old. Rel Astra has its own knights, the Iron Nation cavalry. Perhaps the Knight Protectors will again rise in Ratik or Ahlissa.

Iron Nation Cavalry (Rel Astra)

Rel Astra has its own knights, the Iron Nation cavalry.

The Saphis of Zeif

The military of Zeif is very strong, yet because its supreme leader is the sultan himself, their interests suffer when his attention is distracted. High in the ranks of the military are the Spahis, the knights of the sultanate; they are landed gentry of wealth and position, but without the discipline of the Farises of Ekbir.

Zeif has a significant minority of orcs and halforcs, the distant descendants of nonhuman mercenaries used by the old Baklunish Empire before the Invoked Devastation. These tribeless nonhumans have become fully integrated into the state, though most are within the lower class. A number of noted generals and spies of Zeif were obviously half-orcs.

Knights of the Hart

Once the least militant major order of knights in the Flanaess, the Knights of the Hart have lately become more "aggressively defensive" in nature. These knights have a tripartite organization formed in ancient days to serve the needs of the lords of Furyondy, Highfolk, and Veluna Because these states are decentralized and thus severely threatened by sudden invasion from any quarter, the Knights of the Hart bulwark standing armies and hunt for potential threats. The Knights of the Hart must swear to serve as a vanguard of defense at an instant's notice, maintaining certain strongholds, serving in local governments, and supporting scouting actions into mountains, forests, and countryside (where they often personally mete out justice to the lawless). Membership in the Knights of the Hart is open to commoners and nobles alike, provided each candidate is devoted to the protection of Furyondy, Highfolk, and Veluna. Further, each candidate must possess proven combat skills and have performed an act of exceptional honor, bravery, courage, and service. Since the Greyhawk Wars and Great Northern Crusade, all Knights of the Hart oppose Iuz in every way; they live to destroy him, his armies, and his empire. The order also has a long-held dislike of Perrenland, Dyvers, Nyrond, the Knights of Holy Shielding, and the Knights of the Watch, each for separate reasons. The three orders of the Knights of the Hart are as follows. Knights of Furyondy: This branch now has 170 knights and many associated warriors under its command. About 50 Knights of Furyondy died during the Greyhawk Wars and Great Northern Crusade (583-588 CY). The branch's primary concerns are the recruitment of new members, without lowering its standards to do so, and the maintenance of all strongholds along the border with Iuz. The order accepts humans and half-elves. The coat of arms is azure, a pair of antlers or. Knights of Veluna: Only 120 knights are in this politically active branch; each is of great repute and commands many sergeants and warriors. The order once admitted only fighters, but recently it has brought in several fighting clerics of renown. All members of the Knights of Veluna are landowners, and the order values diplomacy and negotiation as much as it values skill with blades. Most members worship Rao, though a growing number swear to the faiths of Mayaheine or St. Cuthbert, and a few to Heironeous. The order accepts humans and halfelves. The coat of arms is sable, a pair of antlers or. Knights of the High Forest: This order's fortyfive members are exclusively olve. These elves are skilled in forest skirmishing, spending their short time outside the forest as merchant lords in the High Vale, where they are justly hailed as heroes while they try to raise money for their cause. The coat of arms is vert, a pair of antlers or.

Knights of the Hart (Verbobonc)

Orders of knighthood are few and small in Verbobonc, though the new viscount recently proposed sponsoring a local branch of the Knights of the Hart. Though controversial (as no love is lost between the town and the Knights of Furyondy), it appears the proposal is gaining widespread public support so long as the knights were loyal first to their homeland, not to foreigners

Knights of the Hart (Veluna)

The Knights of Veluna, a local branch of the Knights of the Hart, number just more than one hundred. These politically active men and women command smaller independent bands of sergeants and men-atarms, and often can be found at the beck and call of any of the nation's seven secular ruling families.

Knights of Conclave (Furyondy)

Knightly Conclave, a parliamentary group that considers any issue it wishes, then offers its opinions to Belvor.

Knights of the Hart (Furyondy)

The Furyondian branch of the Knights of the Hart is becoming increasingly political, to the chagrin of the southern lords.

Dyvers. The city had never enjoyed a warm relationship with Furyondy's branch of the Knights of the Hart, and when some knights loudly contemplated annexation of the city for King Belvor, public anxiety grew to an all-time high.

Farises of Ekbir

During the reign of Udmey the Seer, the first order of knighthood in service to Al'Akbar was established, called the Farises. The caliph understood that mounted warriors had always proved most effective in the lands of the Baklunish, and these knights were organized to defend the nation, clergy, pilgrims, and citizens. They also served as a counterbalance to the mounted raiders of the plains.

Gynocracy of Hardby

In Hardby, the female wizards, knights, and nobles restored the sovereignty of the gynarchy, though by tradition the title of gynarch belonged to House Yragerne. Therefore, the women of Hardby named their new ruler the despotrix, ruling over a domain extending from the lower Selintan to the Abbor-Alz,

Knights of the Hart (Highfolk)

Highfolk's Knights of the Hart, made up of elite elven and half-elf warriors, represent hope to the people of the valley, and are justly celebrated as heroes.

Highfolk's branch of the Knights of the High Forest was scandalized by reports of financial corruption.

Knights of the Watch

The Knights of the Watch was created several centuries ago on the foundation of an earlier organization based in Gran March. Tasked with protecting Keoland, Gran March, Bissel, and Geoff from the incursions of barbaric Paynims and "westerlings" (civilized Baklunish armies), the Watchers maintain castles, fortresses and strongholds along the bord with Ket, as well as in the western mountains. The order's strongest bases of power can be found in Gran March (Hookhill), Geoff (Hochoch), and Bissel (Pellak). Members of the knighthood are drawn from the best and wisest lands in the Sheldomar Valley. The Knights of the Watch are devotees of a nearmonastic school of teachings based upon the writings of the philosopher Azmarender, who chronicled a code of duty and belief known as the Twelve and Seven Precepts. The Twelve Precepts govern how a knight of the order is to carry out his daily activities, with an eye toward the traditions of battle. The Seven Precepts guide "life beyond the self," giving meaning to the world beyond the field of battle. These latter teachings are jealously guarded secrets, revealed to knights only as they gain station within the organization. The mysterious Seventh Precept, said to reveal ancient secrets about the creation of Oerth, is known only to the Grandiose Imperial Wyvern, titular head of the knighthood (currently the ailing Hugo of Geoff (LN male human Ftr16)). The teachings are not connected with any one religion, yet they fit well into the lives of militant followers of St. Cuthbert, Heironeous, Pholtus, Allitur, and Mayaheine. As befits the mysticism that dwells at the heart of their organization, the Watchers are known internally by a selection of fanciful titles. General knights, the lowest in rank, are called Vigils, with minor ranks adding to the base title (Stalwart Vigil, Resilient Vigil, Radiant Vigil, etc.). As knights ascend in rank, a number of adjectives are added to their titles, with "vigil" replaced by the names of fantastic beasts (manticore, hippogriff, griffon, etc.), such that a mid-level commander is known as the Magnificent Elder Gorgon. Few outside the order understand the ranking system of the Watchers, which gave rise to the peasant saying "frightful as a Watcher's title" to denote someone who wishes to appear more powerful than he truly is. Prior to the Greyhawk Wars, the Knights of the Watch claimed more than 6,500 members. War trimmed that number by more than half. Currently, 2,500 Knights of the Watch roam the Sheldomar Valley, protecting the interests of their nations and digging out "agents" of the hated west (a charge carrying a liberal interpretation tainted with racism against the Baklunish). The recruitment of new members (fighters, clerics, and paladins) is a constant and major concern. The Watchers currently regard the giants and orcs occupying Geoff as scarcely worse than the Baklunish. Iuz is greatly hated; some Watchers believe the Baklunish worship the demigod in secret. The Scarlet Brotherhood is also an avowed enemy (possibly in league with the Baklunish, claim some). An old rivalry with the Knights of the Hart is also fueled. Curiously, the knights do not see the Valley of the Mage as a major problem area, despite periodic raids by valley elves on nearby lands. The Greyhawk Wars brought a new development, the division of the order into two distinct branches; traditional Knights of the Watch and the new Knights of Dispatch. The Dispatchers eschew traditional rites of battle, often forming scouting and guerilla bands to range within conquered Geoff (and, until recently, Sterich). The Knights of Dispatch have traded their hatred of the west for a deep hatred of the nonhumans who caused their homelands so much grief in the last decade. Fighters, rangers, clerics, and rogues fill their ranks. While some Watchers despise the "cowardly" tactics of this new branch, the leaders of both organizations pledge support for each other and share the same (confusing) hierarchy and titles. Both the Knights of the Watch and the Knights of Dispatch share a common coat of arms: an owl displayed argent.

The early 300s CY In order to protect his holdings against this Paynim threat, King Tavish I of Keoland ordered the foundation of the Knights of the Watch, built upon the basis of the Knights of the March and commanded by its leaders. This new, international knighthood quickly spread to Geoff, Bissel, and the heart of the empire, all the while retaining strong roots and key leadership in Gran March.

Gran March is one of Keoland's oldest holdings, tracing its history back more than nine hundred years. Legend holds that, after the defeat of Vecna and the dissolution of his empire (placed in the northern part of the Sheldomar Valley in some accounts), the nascent Keolandish crown created an order of knights in the frontier region. The Knights of the March were ordered to bring law to the land and to quell the warring of the native Flan factions. Eventually, the leader of the knighthood was named commandant of Gran March, a title that carried with it control of the land between the Rushmoors and Lortmils.

The massive Castle Oversight, at Pellak, has become the headquarters for Bissel's branch of the Knights of the Watch.

Grand March noble houses and government are closely entwined with a militant quasi-religious knighthood, the Knights of the Watch; commandant chosen every five years by vote of nobles and knights.

Hugo of Geoff, the order's Grandiose Imperial Wyvern.

In 289 CY, Keoish forces verged on the Fals Gap, where the city of Thornward was founded by the Knights of the Watch as a northern outpost to ward and tax the trade roads between the Baklunish and Furyondy

Knights of Dispatch

A vicious, violent push into Geoff came in 588 CY. Orchestrated by leaders of the Knights of Dispatch in Hochoch, the action saw a great deal of fighting in the Oytwood, where a small army of lesser giantkin was defeated with great bloodshed. The push was taxing, however, and the soldiers of Hochoch now mount only small raids in the west, awaiting money and manpower to support a reinvasion of the destroyed duchy.

Duchy of Ulek or Gran March. In the latter, many joined the nascent Knights of Dispatch and planned the recapture of their lands.

Knights of Dispatch in Hochoch (Bissel),

the Sheldomar

Valley's Knights of the Watch and Knights of Dispatch,

Companion Guard of Celene

Companion Guard, knights under the command of the royal consort.

Blackmoor Guard

The archbaron's personal guard includes perhaps three score "knights" (heavy cavalry of offensive mien), and heavy and medium infantry made up of several hundred human and half-orc soldiers. All are located in the town of Dantredun, now the capital of Blackmoor. Many more nonhuman soldiers can be called up from the surrounding area.

Knights of Luna

The Knights of Luna is an elven order of knighthood dedicated to preserving the monarchy of Celene and the noble traditions of the elves throughout the central Flanaess. They espouse values that call for elven leadership in the cause of Good, and noblesse oblige toward their allied kindred and the lesser races. Most of the leading members of this order are gray elves from the Grand Court of Celene, although they are currently at odds with the policies of their fey queen and her councilors. Numbering just over two hundred knights, this order includes many high elves and half-elves, many of them wizards as well as fighters. The majority live and operate in Celene, but increasingly they are found in the Duchy of Ulek, with a small presence among the elves of Highfolk and the Fairdells. No strict hierarchy exists among the Knights of Luna, though Melf, Prince Brightflame of Celene (NG male elf Wiz14/Ftr4), is their acknowledged leader. Generally, the most senior and experienced knights have the most authority, and they are permitted to take squires of any elven or part-elven lineage. Knightly quests are typically the province of young, inexperienced members of the order. Successful completion of a score or more quests allow a knight to gain rank and a squire. Several highly successful adventurers in Sterich are Knights of Luna who helped reclaim that realm. All questing knights must tithe part of the treasure they acquire; since the end of the Greyhawk Wars, this payment has supported the Knights of the High Forest. Though no formal alliance exists between the Knights of Luna and the Knights of the Hart, the two groups at times assist each other. They both consider Iuz to be the greatest menace to the cause of Good in the Flanaess, though the Knights of Luna are also foremost in the fight against the Pomarj nonhumans. The isolationism of Celene is a cause of great contention between the Knights of Luna and the rest of the Grand Court. The knights attempt to influence the policies of Celene by reasoned debate and by hosting foreign dignitaries and sponsoring them at court. They also support limited military actions, particularly on Celene's southern border and in the Principality of Ulek.

Since the Wars, Celene has maintained its official policy of noninvolvement, though many elves have volunteered to fight in the Suss Forest or farther afield. The Knights of Luna are a force of dissension, though many of their most aggressive members are found in the Duchy of Ulek rather than Celene itself. Some members of the Knights of Luna seek to gain control of the Celene military.

The text in this article is Open Game Content. It is covered by the Open Game License v1.0a, rather than the Action copyright. To distinguish it, these items will have this notice. If you see any page that contains OGL material and does not show this license statement, please contact one of the Action administrators. Please note that images used in article may have different copyright than the text.