Death knight
Encyclopedia
In Dungeons & Dragons
and other fantasy
roleplaying games, a death knight (also known as a doom knight or demon knight) is a mighty warrior
animated as an undead
creature by the gods of death, evil
deities, demon lords
, or other malevolent forces.
created the Death Knight for the 1981 AD&D supplement Fiend Folio
. In a review in White Dwarf magazine
, Jamie Thompson referred to the Death Knight as one of the more interesting additions in the book, "a kind of evil paladin".
campaign setting, with Lord Soth
being a major villain for the setting. The death knight first appeared in this edition in the Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix (1990), and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993). The Tales of the Lance boxed set (1992) for the Dragonlance setting details the death knights of Krynn further, in the "World Book of Ansalon" booklet.
The death knight also plays a prominent role in the module Apocalypse Stone (2000), one of the final products of 2nd edition.
in their Tome of Horrors. This publication preceded Wizards of the Coast's own publication of the Death Knight in Dragon
#290 (December 2001) and #291 (January 2002), and subsequent printing in Monster Manual II (2002).
Upon the release of the d20
SRD
other publishers began to write books on various topics. Death Knights, along with most undead, have been a favorite enemy of heroic characters. Details on how to fight these creatures were included as part of the Lich entry in the Slayer’s Guide to Undead. Green Ronin later expanded this treatment in their Secret College of Necromancy which features role-playing notes for the Death Knight giving him more and unique spells, discussing other classes and races that the Death Knight may come from, and detailing the creature's background.
The Dragonlance Campaign Setting (2003) details the Death Knight of Krynn.
The death knight appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008), including the death knight human fighter and the death knight dragonborn
paladin.
. One named Death Knight, Theodros, appeared in the 1985 Lich Lords. Theodros plays a stereotypical role for a Death Knight, acting as a second in command to a more powerful Lich. Here his statistics and description are nearly identical to the entry in the 1st Ed. Fiend Folio.
The anime
inspired Big Eyes, Small Mouth
RPG had a horror gaming supplement called Cold Hands, Dark Hearts in 2003. It also featured a skeleton warrior archetype that has the same background and powers of the Fiend Folio Death Knight. This creature was described as a fallen holy warrior in service to one of the many Demon Lords. The relative strengths and weaknesses of the two creatures in their respective game systems were equal.
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
also features Death Knights as a playable character type. Additionally, death knights are an undead
Hero class in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
, and a Horde magic-using unit in Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness
.
DragonFable
and AdventureQuest
from Artix Entertainment
both contain Deathknights. In DragonFable, it is a playable class.
The Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
game features the Death Knight as a medium-level cavalry unit for the Undead race.
, rangers
, and barbarians
, but a paladin
who falls from grace near the moment of death may also become a death knight. Paladins who become death knights are subject to the same modifications as are presented for the blackguard in Chapter 2 of the Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide
.
In Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition (and Version 3.5), a death knight has an aura of fear that will rout groups of low-level enemies, can channel powerful negative energy with a touch, and the ability to project explosions of fire and unholy energy.
indicates that death knights are "lich-like
". A death knight's physical form is that of its decayed body. The face is a blackened skull with patches of rotting flesh with two pinpoints of orange light in the eye sockets. The voice of a death knight is chilling, seeming to echo from deep within. Death knights were powerful people in life, and so they often wear expensive or magic clothing and armor. They are fond of wearing flowing capes to mark them as figures of importance.
s, liches, and banshees. Death knights often ride nightmares
into battle. Given the nature of their creation they are also often in the service of some demon lord or god of evil.
, a disgraced Knight of Solamnia, from the Dragonlance
and Ravenloft
campaign setting
s. Loren Soth was cursed after he murdered his wife and child and failed to prevent the Cataclysm
. He is attended by the skeleton warriors of his fallen troops and a cadre of ghostly banshees.
Soth is the most published Death Knight and is featured in all three editions of the Dungeons & Dragons game, the New York Times best selling
Dragonlance Chronicles and Dragonlance Legends Trilogies, other novels of the Dragonlance mythos and outside of it, and various computer games.
campaign setting. A paladin by the name of Miltiades was condemned by Tyr to exist as an undead knight for using dishonorable assassination tactics to kill his enemy Zarl. Miltiades retained his sense of good and fought by the sides of good heroes, helping to defeat the forces of Bane
. He was eventually restored to life by Tyr after helping the heroes destroy a pool of darkness and a pool of twilight.
While Miltiades possessed an enchanted sword and armor, he did not have the ability to cast the magical spells mentioned above. He did still retain his "normal" paladin abilities like curing and turning the undead.
Shan Nikkoleth, a Death Knight of otherworldly origin, used to reside in Hellgate Keep (The Savage Frontier, page 42) but was blasted when the keep was destroyed.
An unnamed death knight, dressed like a vampire, also resides in Zhengyi's citadel (the Witch King of Vaasa) as described in module H4 "The Throne of Bloodstone
". In that same adventure, an additional twelve death knights are also stated as dwelling in a city of liches in Orcus
' realm.
of the Death Knights," who first appeared in Scott Bennie's Dragon
article, "Setting Saintly Standards" in 1983.
Kargoth appears in the World of Greyhawk
campaign setting. Thirteen of Kargoth's fellow and contemporary Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom
join him in becoming death knights: Lord Monduiz Dephaar, Lady
Lorana Kath of Naelex, Prince Myrhal of Rax, Sir Maeril of Naelax, Sir Farian of Lirtham (destroyed 209 CY, but soul now powers the deathblade Astrosus), Lord Andromansis of Garasteth, Sir Oslan Knarren, Sir Rezinar of Haxx, Lord Thyrian of Naelax, Sir Minar Syrric of Darmen, Duke Urkar Grasz of Torquann, Sir Luren the Boar of Torquann, and Lord Khayven of Rax. All are transformed by the power of the demon prince
Demogorgon
.
Four other death knights of Oerth
are known by name. The first is Saint Ferrante, a fallen paladin of Heironeous
. The second is Sir Loran of Trollpyre Keep, a former knight of Sunndi. The third death knight's real name is unknown, but he calls himself, Kas the Bloody-Handed
. Oerth's newest death knight is Vanthus Vanderboren, a former nobleman of Sasserine
and servant of Demogorgon. Sainte Ferrante appears in Bastion of Faith, while Loran and "Kas" appear in Die Vecna Die!
as servants of Vecna
. Other death knights also appear in the later adventure but are not identified by name. Vanthus Vanderboren appears in the Dungeon
magazine's Savage Tide
adventure path
, but he does not become a death knight until late in the campaign.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
and other fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
roleplaying games, a death knight (also known as a doom knight or demon knight) is a mighty warrior
Warrior
A warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
animated as an undead
Undead (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, undead is a classification of monsters that can be encountered by player characters. Undead creatures are most often once-living creatures, which have been animated by spiritual or supernatural forces....
creature by the gods of death, evil
Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, alignment is a categorization of the ethical and moral perspective of people, creatures and societies....
deities, demon lords
Demon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
, or other malevolent forces.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
Charles StrossCharles Stross
Charles David George "Charlie" Stross is a British writer of science fiction, Lovecraftian horror and fantasy. He was born in Leeds.Stross specialises in hard science fiction and space opera...
created the Death Knight for the 1981 AD&D supplement Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio
Fiend Folio is the title shared by three products published for successive editions of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
. In a review in White Dwarf magazine
White Dwarf (magazine)
White Dwarf is a magazine published by British games manufacturer Games Workshop. Initially covering a wide variety of fantasy and science-fiction role-playing and board games, particularly the role playing games Dungeons & Dragons, RuneQuest and Traveller...
, Jamie Thompson referred to the Death Knight as one of the more interesting additions in the book, "a kind of evil paladin".
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
By the time 2nd edition AD&D was introduced, the death knight had become an important figure in the DragonlanceDragonlance
Dragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of popular fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job application...
campaign setting, with Lord Soth
Lord Soth
Lord Soth, the Knight of the Black Rose , is a fictional character in the fantasy realms of Dragonlance and later Ravenloft...
being a major villain for the setting. The death knight first appeared in this edition in the Monstrous Compendium Dragonlance Appendix (1990), and is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993). The Tales of the Lance boxed set (1992) for the Dragonlance setting details the death knights of Krynn further, in the "World Book of Ansalon" booklet.
The death knight also plays a prominent role in the module Apocalypse Stone (2000), one of the final products of 2nd edition.
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
As with other monsters from the early days of the Dungeons & Dragons game, the Death Knight was updated first for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition, and then 3.5 Edition by Necromancer GamesNecromancer Games
Necromancer Games was an American publisher of role-playing games. With offices in Seattle, Washington and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, the company specialized in material for the d20 System, with most of its products being released under the Open Game License of Wizards of the Coast.The company's...
in their Tome of Horrors. This publication preceded Wizards of the Coast's own publication of the Death Knight in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#290 (December 2001) and #291 (January 2002), and subsequent printing in Monster Manual II (2002).
Upon the release of the d20
D20 System
The d20 System is a role-playing game system published in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast originally developed for the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons...
SRD
System Reference Document
The System Reference Document, or SRD, is a set of reference role playing game mechanics licensed under the Open Game License by Wizards of the Coast and based upon their Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. The SRD forms the basis of WotC's various d20 System role-playing games, including the...
other publishers began to write books on various topics. Death Knights, along with most undead, have been a favorite enemy of heroic characters. Details on how to fight these creatures were included as part of the Lich entry in the Slayer’s Guide to Undead. Green Ronin later expanded this treatment in their Secret College of Necromancy which features role-playing notes for the Death Knight giving him more and unique spells, discussing other classes and races that the Death Knight may come from, and detailing the creature's background.
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
The death knight is detailed in "The Ecology of the Death Knight", in Dragon #360 (October 2007).The Dragonlance Campaign Setting (2003) details the Death Knight of Krynn.
Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition (2008-)
The Death Knight is one of the creatures announced by Wizards of the Coast for the new Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition game. It will gain a significantly increased backstory and has been featured in the new 4th Edition preview book Worlds and Monsters.The death knight appears in the Monster Manual for this edition (2008), including the death knight human fighter and the death knight dragonborn
Dragonborn
The dragonborn are a fictional race in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy tabletop role-playing game.-Publication history:The dragonborn was originally introduced in the Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 supplement book Races of the Dragon, published by Wizards of the Coast in 2006...
paladin.
Influences on other games
The Death Knight, as it originally was stated in the Fiend Folio has made appearances in other RPGs. For example, the Death Knight appeared in the generic Role-Aids supplements from Mayfair GamesMayfair Games
Mayfair Games is a publisher of board, card, and roleplaying games. They also license German-style board games and publish them in English throughout the world...
. One named Death Knight, Theodros, appeared in the 1985 Lich Lords. Theodros plays a stereotypical role for a Death Knight, acting as a second in command to a more powerful Lich. Here his statistics and description are nearly identical to the entry in the 1st Ed. Fiend Folio.
The anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
inspired Big Eyes, Small Mouth
Big Eyes, Small Mouth
Big Eyes, Small Mouth is a roleplaying game that was designed to simulate the action of anime and manga. It is frequently referred to by the acronym BESM. The title alludes to the common anime drawing style of characters with huge, expressive eyes and comparatively small mouths.BESM uses a...
RPG had a horror gaming supplement called Cold Hands, Dark Hearts in 2003. It also featured a skeleton warrior archetype that has the same background and powers of the Fiend Folio Death Knight. This creature was described as a fallen holy warrior in service to one of the many Demon Lords. The relative strengths and weaknesses of the two creatures in their respective game systems were equal.
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, often referred to as WotLK, WLK or Wrath, is the second expansion set for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft, following The Burning Crusade...
also features Death Knights as a playable character type. Additionally, death knights are an undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
Hero class in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos is a real time strategy computer game released by Blizzard Entertainment on July 3, 2002 . It is the second sequel to Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, and it is the third game set in the Warcraft Universe...
, and a Horde magic-using unit in Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness
Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness
Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness is a fantasy-themed real-time strategy game published by Blizzard Entertainment and first released for DOS in 1995 and for Mac OS in 1996...
.
DragonFable
DragonFable
DragonFable is a free-to-play, online, browser-based, single-player fantasy role-playing game developed by Artix Entertainment and updated on a weekly basis...
and AdventureQuest
AdventureQuest
AdventureQuest is an online flash based single-player RPG developed by Artix Entertainment in 2002. As of June 14, 2010, aq.battleon.com, the game's hosting website, and www.battleon.com, the game's homepage, have an Alexa rating of 3,041...
from Artix Entertainment
Artix Entertainment
Artix Entertainment, LLC. is a game development company that works primarily with browser-based role-playing games. As of September 2010, the company has over 110 million users in their games.-History:...
both contain Deathknights. In DragonFable, it is a playable class.
The Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic or AOW:SM is a turn-based, strategy PC-game in a fantasy setting.Shadow Magic is the third incarnation of the Age of Wonders series, and is a direct sequel to Age of Wonders 2: The Wizard's Throne...
game features the Death Knight as a medium-level cavalry unit for the Undead race.
Ecology
Death knights are usually created by demon lords or evil deities. These evil undead warriors are most commonly raised from the ranks of blackguards, fightersFighter (Dungeons & Dragons)
The fighter is one of the standard playable character classes in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A fighter is a versatile, weapons-oriented warrior who fights using skill, strategy and tactics....
, rangers
Ranger (Dungeons & Dragons)
The ranger is one of the standard playable character class in most editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. They are protectors of nature, skilled woodsmen, and often live reclusive lives as hermits....
, and barbarians
Barbarian (Dungeons & Dragons)
The barbarian is a playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Creative origins:The barbarian is based on Robert E...
, but a paladin
Paladin (Dungeons & Dragons)
The paladin is one of the standard playable character classes in most editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The paladin is a holy knight, crusading in the name of good and order, and is a divine spellcaster...
who falls from grace near the moment of death may also become a death knight. Paladins who become death knights are subject to the same modifications as are presented for the blackguard in Chapter 2 of the Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide
Dungeon Master's Guide
The Dungeon Master's Guide is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
.
In Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition (and Version 3.5), a death knight has an aura of fear that will rout groups of low-level enemies, can channel powerful negative energy with a touch, and the ability to project explosions of fire and unholy energy.
Environment
Death knights are rare but may be found in any environment. They often choose fortified lairs such as old castles and towers.Typical physical characteristics
The original Dungeons and Dragons Fiend FolioFiend Folio
Fiend Folio is the title shared by three products published for successive editions of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons...
indicates that death knights are "lich-like
Lich (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the lich is an undead creature; a spellcaster who seeks to defy death by magical means.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
". A death knight's physical form is that of its decayed body. The face is a blackened skull with patches of rotting flesh with two pinpoints of orange light in the eye sockets. The voice of a death knight is chilling, seeming to echo from deep within. Death knights were powerful people in life, and so they often wear expensive or magic clothing and armor. They are fond of wearing flowing capes to mark them as figures of importance.
Society
Though death knights rarely work with their own kind, they often have a variety of undead servants such as skeleton warriorSkeleton warrior
Skeleton warriors are a common fictional monster archetype common in western fantasy literature, television, and video games. They consist of animated human skeletons with human weapons and armor such as swords and shields. Because they are already dead, skeleton warriors can be very difficult to...
s, liches, and banshees. Death knights often ride nightmares
Nightmare (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the nightmare is an outsider that comes from the Gray Waste of Hades.-Publication history:The nightmare was introduced to the D&D game in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons....
into battle. Given the nature of their creation they are also often in the service of some demon lord or god of evil.
Death Knights in Dragonlance
The most famous of all death knights is Lord SothLord Soth
Lord Soth, the Knight of the Black Rose , is a fictional character in the fantasy realms of Dragonlance and later Ravenloft...
, a disgraced Knight of Solamnia, from the Dragonlance
Dragonlance
Dragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of popular fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job application...
and Ravenloft
Ravenloft
Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. It is an alternate time-space existence known as a pocket dimension called the Demiplane of Dread, which consists of a collection of land pieces called domains brought together by a mysterious force known only as "The Dark...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
s. Loren Soth was cursed after he murdered his wife and child and failed to prevent the Cataclysm
Cataclysm (Dragonlance)
In the Dragonlance books, the Cataclysm was a catastrophic event that occurred when the Kingpriest of Istar demanded to be given godlike powers in order to eliminate evil from the world.-Background:...
. He is attended by the skeleton warriors of his fallen troops and a cadre of ghostly banshees.
Soth is the most published Death Knight and is featured in all three editions of the Dungeons & Dragons game, the New York Times best selling
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
Dragonlance Chronicles and Dragonlance Legends Trilogies, other novels of the Dragonlance mythos and outside of it, and various computer games.
Death Knights in the Forgotten Realms
A similar type of undead warrior was seen in the Forgotten RealmsForgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
campaign setting. A paladin by the name of Miltiades was condemned by Tyr to exist as an undead knight for using dishonorable assassination tactics to kill his enemy Zarl. Miltiades retained his sense of good and fought by the sides of good heroes, helping to defeat the forces of Bane
Bane (god)
Bane , is the god of hatred, fear, and tyranny and one of the main evil gods in the fictional Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting, Forgotten Realms....
. He was eventually restored to life by Tyr after helping the heroes destroy a pool of darkness and a pool of twilight.
While Miltiades possessed an enchanted sword and armor, he did not have the ability to cast the magical spells mentioned above. He did still retain his "normal" paladin abilities like curing and turning the undead.
Shan Nikkoleth, a Death Knight of otherworldly origin, used to reside in Hellgate Keep (The Savage Frontier, page 42) but was blasted when the keep was destroyed.
An unnamed death knight, dressed like a vampire, also resides in Zhengyi's citadel (the Witch King of Vaasa) as described in module H4 "The Throne of Bloodstone
The Throne of Bloodstone
H4 - The Throne of Bloodstone is an Official Game Adventure or "module" for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.-Plot summary:In The Throne of Bloodstone, the player characters take a trip to the Abyss to steal the wand of the demon prince Orcus....
". In that same adventure, an additional twelve death knights are also stated as dwelling in a city of liches in Orcus
Orcus (Dungeons & Dragons)
Orcus is the fictional demon prince, and lord of the undead in many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. He is named after Orcus of Roman mythology. His symbol is a mace with a human skull as the head...
' realm.
Death Knights in Greyhawk
The first death knight identified by name in a Dungeons & Dragons product was Saint Kargoth, "KingMonarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of the Death Knights," who first appeared in Scott Bennie's Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
article, "Setting Saintly Standards" in 1983.
Kargoth appears in the World of Greyhawk
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
campaign setting. Thirteen of Kargoth's fellow and contemporary Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom
Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, the Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom is the most fabled chivalric order in the Flanaess. Once well-respected, powerful, and influential, the order is now regarded as but a shadow of its former self...
join him in becoming death knights: Lord Monduiz Dephaar, Lady
Lady
The word lady is a polite term for a woman, specifically the female equivalent to, or spouse of, a lord or gentleman, and in many contexts a term for any adult woman...
Lorana Kath of Naelex, Prince Myrhal of Rax, Sir Maeril of Naelax, Sir Farian of Lirtham (destroyed 209 CY, but soul now powers the deathblade Astrosus), Lord Andromansis of Garasteth, Sir Oslan Knarren, Sir Rezinar of Haxx, Lord Thyrian of Naelax, Sir Minar Syrric of Darmen, Duke Urkar Grasz of Torquann, Sir Luren the Boar of Torquann, and Lord Khayven of Rax. All are transformed by the power of the demon prince
Demon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
Demogorgon
Demogorgon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Demogorgon is a powerful demon prince. He is known as the Prince of Demons, a self-proclaimed title he holds by virtue of his power and influence; which in turn, is a title acknowledged by both mortals and his fellow demons...
.
Four other death knights of Oerth
Oerth
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Oerth, pronounced as "Orth" or "oyth", is the name of the fictional planet on which one of the earliest campaign settings, the World of Greyhawk, is located...
are known by name. The first is Saint Ferrante, a fallen paladin of Heironeous
Heironeous
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Heironeous is the Oeridian god of Chivalry, Justice, Honor, War, Daring, and Valor. His holy symbol is a silver lightning bolt, often clutched in a...
. The second is Sir Loran of Trollpyre Keep, a former knight of Sunndi. The third death knight's real name is unknown, but he calls himself, Kas the Bloody-Handed
Kas the Bloody-Handed
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Kas the Bloody-Handed was the most trusted lieutenant of the despotic arch-lich Vecna, who wielded the Sword of Kas in his master's name.-Kas the Betrayer:...
. Oerth's newest death knight is Vanthus Vanderboren, a former nobleman of Sasserine
Sasserine
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the fictional city-state of Sasserine is a locale in the Amedio Jungle that serves as the starting point for the Savage Tide Adventure Path currently being published in Dungeon Magazine.-History:Sasserine was...
and servant of Demogorgon. Sainte Ferrante appears in Bastion of Faith, while Loran and "Kas" appear in Die Vecna Die!
Die Vecna Die!
Die Vecna Die! is an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons module released in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.. The module is divided into three sections, each taking part in a different campaign setting: Greyhawk, Ravenloft, and Planescape...
as servants of Vecna
Vecna
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Vecna was a powerful wizard who became a lich. He was eventually destroyed, and his left hand and left eye were the only parts of his body to survive...
. Other death knights also appear in the later adventure but are not identified by name. Vanthus Vanderboren appears in the Dungeon
Dungeon (magazine)
Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...
magazine's Savage Tide
Savage Tide
The Savage Tide Adventure Path is the third and final Adventure Path for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game published in Dungeon Adventures...
adventure path
Adventure Path
Adventure Paths are serial adventures for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. Though originally applied to the series of Third Edition modules beginning with The Sunless Citadel, the phrase has more recently come to apply nearly exclusively to several lengthy series, each consisting of...
, but he does not become a death knight until late in the campaign.
Additional reading
- Bennie, Scott. "Setting Saintly Standards." DragonDragon (magazine)Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#79 (TSR, 1983). - Cordell, Bruce R., and Steve MillerSteve Miller (game designer)Steve Miller is a game designer and editor who has worked on a number of products for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from Wizards of the Coast, and other role-playing games.-Early life and education:...
. Die Vecna Die!Die Vecna Die!Die Vecna Die! is an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons module released in 2000 by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.. The module is divided into three sections, each taking part in a different campaign setting: Greyhawk, Ravenloft, and Planescape...
(Wizards of the Coast, 2000). - Holian, Gary, Erik MonaErik Mona-Career:Erik Mona served as the editor-in-chief of Dragon magazine since 2004 and Dungeon magazine from 2004 to 2006; at the time, both magazines were published by Paizo Publishing, until the license through Wizards of the Coast expired in September 2007...
, Sean K. ReynoldsSean K. ReynoldsSean K Reynolds is a professional game designer who has worked on and co-written a number of D&D supplements for Wizards of the Coast, as well as material for other companies. He does not put a period after his middle initial.-Background:...
, and Frederick WeiningFrederick WeiningFrederick Weining is among those credited for design of the Dungeons & Dragons Gazetteer and the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, both published by Wizards of the Coast. He has also authored or co-authored a number of Greyhawk articles for the Living Greyhawk Journal, the Oerth Journal, and...
. Living Greyhawk GazetteerLiving Greyhawk GazetteerThe Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is a sourcebook for the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Despite the title, the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is not exclusive to the Living Greyhawk Campaign...
(Wizards of the CoastWizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
, 2000). - Stark, Ed. "The Death Knight." Dragon #222 (TSR, 1995).