Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom
Encyclopedia
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting
for the Dungeons & Dragons
roleplaying game, the Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom (also known as the Order of 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. However, many other knightly orders of the Flanaess have modeled themselves after the Knight Protectors of old, including the Knights of Holy Shielding
and the Knights of the Hart
.
The order's old heraldry consisted of the crowned sun of Aerdy guarded by a red arrow and a white axe, but this device is no longer used.
In earlier times, the order was headquartered at Morshaldin Castle in the Great Kingdom
, but now most of the order dwells in Ratik.
The code of the Knight Protectors is known as the Rules of Parslin. The order values law, honor, and valor.
Unlike other chivalric orders of the Great Kingdom at that time, whose ranks were filled through royal appointment or by selling knighthoods (such as the Knights of Medegia), the Knight Protectors chose its own members via contests of courage and skill. Hextor
ians and Heironeans
alike were welcome to join the ranks. Though there were strong rivalries among the two groups, violent conflicts were rare, as the order foster a common goal of a safe and united Great Kingdom under a lawful and honorable ruler.
from the modern-day Bone March. This campaign culminated in 109 CY when Caldni Vir of Edgefield, a young Heironean Knight Protector, led a large force of Aerdi cavalry
to victory at the Battle of the Shamblefield. For his service, the Overking raised Vir up as the first marquis of the Bone March.
, a paladin of Heironeous and the greatest knight of his day, as Nidramon's successor. Much to everyone's surprise, the Council proclaimed Sir Benedor Monlath of Chathold as the best example of the tenets of the order. Kargoth, emboldened by fawning cronies, nobles, and schemers who had assured him of his elevation, was incensed.
In 203 CY, at Benedor's investiture, Lord Kargoth challenged Sir Benedor to a duel. Though Kargoth was the more skilled of the two, Benedor managed to hold his own until sunset, at which time the challenge was declared over and Benedor was named the victor, as Kargoth had failed to defeat his opponent in the allotted time, as required by the Rules of Parslin. Rejecting Benedor's overtures of reconciliation, Kargoth rode off in anger and shame.
On the way back to his castle, Kargoth discovered an ancient shrine, where he was seduced by the demon prince Demogorgon
, who transformed the former paladin into the first death knight.
As ordered by his new master, Kargoth assembled thirteen of his staunchest allies and fellow Knight Protectors to plot revenge. These were Lord Monduiz Dephaar, Lady Lorana Kath of Naelex, Prince Myrhal of Rax, Sir Maeril of Naelax, Sir Farian of Lirtham, 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.
Kargoth led his allies on a raid of the Temple of Lothan near Rel Deven, in order to seize an ancient Oeridian artifact known as the Orb of Sol. Using foul magic granted to him by Demogorgon, Kargoth used the Orb to deliver his allies to his master, transforming them into death knights as well, and also to unleash a great demonic horror known as Arendagrost, Maw of the Abyss upon the land.
The beast began making its way toward Rauxes, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Sir Benedor and the other Knight Protectors rushed to intercept the creature, and eventually slew it, though they were too late to save some members of the imperial family, who had been caught near Carnifand. Many of the order also fell to Arendagrost, and Benedor and the surviving Knight Protectors vowed vengeance on Kargoth, Demogorgon, and the other death knights.
In 443 CY, Ivid I gave orders to have the last of the Knight Protectors hunted down, as the order opposed his reign due his gaining the throne through assassination. Though the order survived Ivid and his successors, the remaining Knight Protectors were widely dispersed. many found refuge in the Bone March, where their order was welcome, while others fled to Almor. When the Bone March fell in 563 CY, those resident knights fled further north, to Ratik. When Almor fell during the Greyhawk Wars
, the knights there moved to Rel Deven. Others are said to dwell in the Adri and Grandwood Forests, while others joined the Iron League
in Sunndi
.
The future of the Knight Protectors is uncertain. Though Ivid V's passing has brought much talk of a revival, none of the successor states of the Great Kingdom
seem to have an interest in supporting the order.
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...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
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...
roleplaying game, the Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom (also known as the Order of Knight Protectors of the Great Kingdom) is the most fabled chivalric order
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
in the Flanaess
Flanaess
The Flanaess is the eastern part of the continent of Oerik, one of the four continents of the fictional world of Oerth in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game. The Flanaess has been the setting of dozens of adventures published between the 1970s...
. Once well-respected, powerful, and influential, the order is now regarded as but a shadow of its former self. However, many other knightly orders of the Flanaess have modeled themselves after the Knight Protectors of old, including the Knights of Holy Shielding
Knights of Holy Shielding
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Knights of Holy Shielding is a chivalric order in the Flanaess.-References:...
and the Knights of the Hart
Knights of the Hart
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Knights of the Hart is a chivalric order in the Flanaess. They are one of the least militant orders in the Flanaess, although that reputation is changing since the end of the Greyhawk Wars.-Structure:The...
.
The order's old heraldry consisted of the crowned sun of Aerdy guarded by a red arrow and a white axe, but this device is no longer used.
Structure
The titular head of the Knight Protectors is known as the Knight Commander. The Knight Commander is chosen from the ranks of the Knight Protectors by the Council Gallant, made up of the eldest and wisest knights of the order.In earlier times, the order was headquartered at Morshaldin Castle in the Great Kingdom
Great Kingdom
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Great Kingdom, or the Great Kingdom of Aerdy, refers to an empire that varied in size at various points in its history.-History:...
, but now most of the order dwells in Ratik.
Tenets
The Knight Protectors are the greatest defender of the common weal in the Great Kingdom, striving to embody all the greatness of Aerdy. The order seeks to restore the Great Kingdom to its former glory, under the just hand of a lawful monarch.The code of the Knight Protectors is known as the Rules of Parslin. The order values law, honor, and valor.
Founding of the order
Originating in the Great Kingdom of Aerdy, the Order of Knight Protectors was founded in 537 OR (or -108 CY) when a group of young men, mostly farmers and woodsmen, foiled an attack on the traveling train of Grand Prince Almor II. A winged horror had been released by Ur-Flan insurgents, who ordered the beast to attack the royal tent city, in hopes of assassinating their conquering overlord. The beast was slain and Grand Prince Almor II was saved, but most of the young men perished in the battle. Almor II, impressed by the courage of his saviors, raised the survivors up as his "Knight Protectors."Unlike other chivalric orders of the Great Kingdom at that time, whose ranks were filled through royal appointment or by selling knighthoods (such as the Knights of Medegia), the Knight Protectors chose its own members via contests of courage and skill. Hextor
Hextor
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Hextor is the Oeridian god of war, discord, massacres, conflict, fitness, and tyranny....
ians and Heironeans
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...
alike were welcome to join the ranks. Though there were strong rivalries among the two groups, violent conflicts were rare, as the order foster a common goal of a safe and united Great Kingdom under a lawful and honorable ruler.
Caldni Vir of the Shamblefield
In 108 CY, during the reign of Overking Manshen, the Knight Protectors were at the vanguard of Aerdi forces in a campaign to uproot the Frost BarbariansFrost Barbarians
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Frost Barbarians, properly known as the Kingdom of Fruztii, is a political state of the Flanaess...
from the modern-day Bone March. This campaign culminated in 109 CY when Caldni Vir of Edgefield, a young Heironean Knight Protector, led a large force of Aerdi cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
to victory at the Battle of the Shamblefield. For his service, the Overking raised Vir up as the first marquis of the Bone March.
Kargoth the Betrayer
In the autumn of 202 CY, during Overking Jiranen's reign, the esteemed Knight Commander of the order, Lord Nidramon the Hextorian died. Most Aerdi assumed that the Council Gallant would choose Lord Kargoth of MansbridgeMansbridge
Mansbridge is a suburb on the northern perimeter of Southampton, England. The area is named after the Mans Bridge which spans the River Itchen. For a considerable time, this was the southern-most crossing point of the river, before the construction of Woodmill in Swaythling...
, a paladin of Heironeous and the greatest knight of his day, as Nidramon's successor. Much to everyone's surprise, the Council proclaimed Sir Benedor Monlath of Chathold as the best example of the tenets of the order. Kargoth, emboldened by fawning cronies, nobles, and schemers who had assured him of his elevation, was incensed.
In 203 CY, at Benedor's investiture, Lord Kargoth challenged Sir Benedor to a duel. Though Kargoth was the more skilled of the two, Benedor managed to hold his own until sunset, at which time the challenge was declared over and Benedor was named the victor, as Kargoth had failed to defeat his opponent in the allotted time, as required by the Rules of Parslin. Rejecting Benedor's overtures of reconciliation, Kargoth rode off in anger and shame.
On the way back to his castle, Kargoth discovered an ancient shrine, where he was seduced by the demon prince 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...
, who transformed the former paladin into the first death knight.
As ordered by his new master, Kargoth assembled thirteen of his staunchest allies and fellow Knight Protectors to plot revenge. These were Lord Monduiz Dephaar, Lady Lorana Kath of Naelex, Prince Myrhal of Rax, Sir Maeril of Naelax, Sir Farian of Lirtham, Lord Andromansis of Garasteth, Sir Oslan Knarren, Sir Rezinar of Haxx, Lord Thyrian of Naelax, Sir Minar Syrric of Darmen, Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
Urkar Grasz of Torquann, Sir Luren the Boar
Boar
Wild boar, also wild pig, is a species of the pig genus Sus, part of the biological family Suidae. The species includes many subspecies. It is the wild ancestor of the domestic pig, an animal with which it freely hybridises...
of Torquann, and Lord Khayven of Rax.
Kargoth led his allies on a raid of the Temple of Lothan near Rel Deven, in order to seize an ancient Oeridian artifact known as the Orb of Sol. Using foul magic granted to him by Demogorgon, Kargoth used the Orb to deliver his allies to his master, transforming them into death knights as well, and also to unleash a great demonic horror known as Arendagrost, Maw of the Abyss upon the land.
The beast began making its way toward Rauxes, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Sir Benedor and the other Knight Protectors rushed to intercept the creature, and eventually slew it, though they were too late to save some members of the imperial family, who had been caught near Carnifand. Many of the order also fell to Arendagrost, and Benedor and the surviving Knight Protectors vowed vengeance on Kargoth, Demogorgon, and the other death knights.
Aftermath
In 213 CY, an Age of Great Sorrow, proclaimed by Selvor the Younger in 198 CY, was confirmed by the Royal Astrologers of Rel Astra. Overking Jiranen's successor, Zelcor, distanced himself from the order, perhaps blaming the Knight Protectors for the chaos wrought by Kargoth. A century later, the order had declined significantly, while Kargoth and the other death knights had only grown more powerful. Many more Knight Protectors were lost as Kargoth and his fellows began hunting them down.In 443 CY, Ivid I gave orders to have the last of the Knight Protectors hunted down, as the order opposed his reign due his gaining the throne through assassination. Though the order survived Ivid and his successors, the remaining Knight Protectors were widely dispersed. many found refuge in the Bone March, where their order was welcome, while others fled to Almor. When the Bone March fell in 563 CY, those resident knights fled further north, to Ratik. When Almor fell during the Greyhawk Wars
Greyhawk Wars
In the Dungeons & Dragons World of Greyhawk campaign setting, the Greyhawk Wars raged across the whole of the Flanaess from 582-584 CY.-History:...
, the knights there moved to Rel Deven. Others are said to dwell in the Adri and Grandwood Forests, while others joined the Iron League
Iron League
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Iron League is an affiliation of states that opposed the Great Kingdom of Aerdy. It formed in late 447 CY as a reaction to Ivid V becoming Overking of Aerdy...
in Sunndi
Sunndi
In the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Sunndi is a political state situated in the region of the Flanaess. Sunndi was originally given a very brief description by Gary Gygax in 1980's World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting...
.
The future of the Knight Protectors is uncertain. Though Ivid V's passing has brought much talk of a revival, none of the successor states of the Great Kingdom
Great Kingdom
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Great Kingdom, or the Great Kingdom of Aerdy, refers to an empire that varied in size at various points in its history.-History:...
seem to have an interest in supporting the order.