Introduction
The Knights of Lorien have existed as a distinct order since nearly the foundation of the Kingdom, beginning as an elite retinue for House Reizend before the introduction of Hollows, which largely eliminated the majority of living warriors from the battlefield. It was quickly discovered, however, that Hollows without guidance were a sprawl of ineffective beasts that would ravage and rampage with little care for victory or logistics. In the wake of the first century since the Hollow's introduction, the Argent class was reformed, and the Knights of Lorien were re-introduced to act as commanders of the battlefield - and a troop so exceptional so as to shame all others.
A Brief History
The Argent Knights were founded near the founding of Lorien, in the year 179 of the Fourth Age. Originally serving as cavalry and commanders for the then-human infantry of the Kingdom, they were once selected from the Nobility before the Argent class (derived from their name) was created as a separate collective in the year 242. Since then, they have been the face of the Argent warrior-class and have evolved through time to adapt to each technological innovation made; the onset of Dragonshard weaponry into the Kingdom at first, and then ultimately Hollows which completely changed war and Lorien's infrastructure.
The history of Lorien is the history of Knights, and throughout that history they have honorably served the Lords they were sworn to without fail. If there is one continuous trend set by the Knights throughout their nearly two thousand years of tenure, it is that they are fiercely loyal and scarcely ever stray from the ideals they are meant to aspire to.
Operations
The operations of the Argent Knighthood are largely determined by their effective ranks, with each ascension through the ladder allowing for more privileges as well as responsibilities. To begin with, all members of the Argent Knighthood begin as Errants, one born into the Argent class who wishes to devote themselves to the order. Errants are responsible for very little: often they will attend to a higher ranking Knight, learning from them by acting as a Squire of sorts and accompanying them throughout daily life. From this superior, they are taught to fight and to command Hollows, and one of his or her Hollows is given to the Errant. Once the Errant is considered sufficiently skilled and capable of commanding their Hollow adequately, they are promoted to the rank of Errant Knight, preliminary to full Knighthood.
An Errant Knight continues to receive orders and instructions from their Officer, the Knight they trained under, but are allowed to act with more independence. In wartime they may be given a small command of a dozen or so Hollows, and Errant Knights fulfill much of the low level martial tasks required of their order, such as felling bandits or investigating smaller scale issues. Errant Knights are still considered the absolute bottom barrel of the order however, and will often be commanded even by completely unfamiliar Knights to whatever ends they see fit to delegate.
Beyond the Errant Knight is the first true ranking of Knights, Knight-Argent, the face of the order where vows are taken and unique armors and weaponry are commissioned. Knights are, interestingly, referred to as Lord by others and are given a false name to identify them, such as “Lord Vogel” - largely to signify the change upon taking the vows, and to distinguish them from their former selves as well as the general public. These Knights see their first major transformations, via their mutagens - their eyes become a pure white with no irises, and they generally grow around a foot taller in height. Their body becomes thick and durable like a light plate of armor, and their endurance is enhanced considerably.
These Knights are the primary living combatants in war and may command several hundred Hollows in wartime, while also commanding and delegating - as well as mentoring - Errants and Errant Knights in daily life. Above the Knight-Argent are the Apostles.
There are only up to twelve Knight-Apostles at any given time. As the true elite of the Argent Knighthood, they are a terrifying and graceful order of warriors who go down in the annals of history through each generation; they are remembered for how they fought, “Gaelan the Vortex” or “Luca the Mindreader” or “Elise the Boreal”. So skilled are they and so powerful that they leave a permanent impression upon those who witness them in action, and as a result of their valor the fearful Hollows fall into line. As generals of the armies of Lorien, Knight-Apostles command tens of thousands of Hollows, even hundreds of thousands in large scale battles. They are also given a regional fortress to command their local Knights from, directing based on their expert tactical wisdom. Knight-Apostles are given enchanted weapons by Von Rabe himself, generally with frost properties of considerable power.
In general, the Apostles act as the leadership for regional sectors of the Knighthood and operate with great autonomy. Like Knight-Argent, they are given immense respect in daily life and are often considered to be above even most Celebrant in station. In fact, many Knight-Apostles are given land and may be offered the title of Margrave for their service.
Finally, at the very top of the Knight's hierarchy is the Dread-Arbiter, the leader of the Knighthood of Lorien who has utmost authority on military matters. He is capable of commanding any and all Hollows to an unlimited degree, as well as tasking and delegating any other Knight regardless of rank or tenure. While the King may override a military decision made by the Dread-Arbiter, it is easily said that in practical terms the Dread-Arbiter is the second most influential individual of all of Lorien, particularly in times of war - such as now. For this reason, he is offered rule from within the Obsidian Redoubt, one of the largest military fortresses on Ransera. He is given the ability to conscript any and all outside of the nobility during wartime or even not, and even the Omen strays from his path due to the immense power he wields over the Hollows.
The Dread-Arbiter is made a Wohlricht by Von Rabe, allowing him potential beyond what man can regularly achieve.
As a final operational note, the Obsidian Redoubt is located not far outside of Nivenhain to the south, at the core of a wall that runs from coast to coast and regulates movement into the capital from either the southern realms of Turoth or from either of the great bridges connecting Lorien by rail. The Redoubt and its walls are truly massive; they are ebon colored and always coated in snow, and as a result of their colossal majesty are considered a wonder of the world.
Knights in Civil War
While the specifics listed above (regarding the ranks and their numbers) are accurate, there are differences in the current climate of civil war that reflect on this information. As Lorien is currently divided into four fractured segments, the Argent Knighthood has also been divided. Only House Revenlow has a Dread-Arbiter, while the three Dukes are acting as the interim commanders to their own armies. Each of the four factions does have Knight-Apostles currently, though varying in number. The structure and operations are roughly the same otherwise, only with Duchies tending to allocate more control to individual Apostles as they tend to divide the responsibilities of the Dread-Arbiter.
David
Race: Human (Wohlricht)
Date of Birth: 44th of Searing, Year 53
Title: Dread-Arbiter
Details: David, the leader of the Argent Knighthood, is a powerful if solemn man. He speaks low and with little inflection in his voice, scarcely speaking too loudly or with too much emotion expressed. David is an old Knight, one who has spent his entire time in the Knighthood under the duress of civil war, a war that he was born into that has seeped into every aspect of life. Perhaps due to this he has always been cynical, and though his loyalties fiercely lie with King Lucien he often laments the fragile history of Revenlow and the things they have brought upon the realm.
David's origin was not all too uncommon for an Argent. He was born to a father and mother in Nivenhain-2, and was sent to the Knighthood for training and development by his fifth year of life. David, always a scholar at heart, at first lamented the Knighthood and often spoke of how miserable he was confined to such a life of rigorous physical training and nothing more. He spoke of how he loathed the Hollows, who acted as the sole companion to many Knights, for their inability to think or do anything save for follow orders or instinct.
The vow changes so many things, however, and eventually as David accepted his life as a Knight he learned to thrive through it. He found ways to keep more company than just the Hollows - to build bridges with the others stationed at his barracks, and he came to respect the people he worked with, their order and what it all meant. And then a great battle occurred, and many of the Knights he came to love died, as well as the Apostle who commanded him. David took this opportunity to become a leader, and found that he was a good one at that.
Since becoming Dread-Arbiter, the Knight has managed to keep Revenlow's army in top condition, fending against the possibility of foreign incursions as well as keeping a steady grip on the civil war. He has placed a great deal of pressure on House Alderset, and believes that the civil war should end within the next half-decade, and will resign if not.
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Tancred
Race: Human
Date of Birth: 19th of Frost, Year 85
Title: Knight-Apostle
Details: Tancred is the Knight-Apostle commanding the forces of the Lower-Outer Nivenhain region, and he is generally throughout the order considered to be David's second-in-command. He ensures that order is kept throughout the civil war, acting as a sort of Quartermaster for the Knighthood; he keeps the Hollows spread out based on the current needs of Lorien, rations for the Knights and civilians well stocked and ultimately presides over the security of the capital Duchy. Tancred is a sort of macro-strategist and planner of great skill, one who has helped stop several nautical invasions as well as secret strike attempts through the southern hills. A very young Knight-Apostle, he has always been a bright and well-loved member of the order and was nominated for his role by many.
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