Cavalier

Colum Asht and his necromancer, Silas Octakiseron, illustrated by avalencias

> *"Some of them [the ten disciples] took up the sword and became the first cavaliers, in the hope that their strength of arms might prove useful..."*
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**A Cavalier** is an inhabitant of the Nine Houses System, trained in combat and weapons, who has sworn themselves to defend and serve a particular necromancer. The cavalier-necromancer bond is an honored tradition that forms the basis of both cultural and military history.

## **History**

A myriad ago, following the extinction of the First House, The Emperor resurrected first his guardian, A.L, and then the Planets themselves-- permanently changing their character to thanergetic, or planets that produce death energy on a stable basis (i.e.: without dying), in nature. With this shift that the inhabitants of the Nine Houses began to birth necromantically capable children.

> *"They were disciples to begin with.Ten normal human beings, though half were blessed already with necromantic gifts. [...] They realized in the first hundred years how difficult their situation was, even as necromancy spread through the Nine Houses."*
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Necromancers were born frail and slight, and unable to use necromancy away from their thanergetic home planets or a sufficient source of thanergy; whereas their non-adept counterparts could train, fight, and kill to create fresh thanergy, but lacked the innate ability to sense and manipulate the world around them through necromancy required to use it. The pairs pledged to each other to protect and serve, to *"take their togetherness as assumed,"* and became the first necromancer-cavalier bonded teams. Though the nature and definition of this bond has shifted over time, cavaliers remain a staple of Nine Houses society.

## **Characteristics**

In most Houses, anyone may choose to apply for training to become a cavalier, but the most successful cavaliers tend to be physically strong fighters with an aptitude for combat strategy. As in any partnership, the cavalier's physique should match their necromancers style of work-- Camilla Hect is a smaller, more agile, and highly intelligent fighter to compliment her necromancer's generally non-violent and communication-driven approach to conflict; whereas Protesilaus Ebdoma is an immensely strong and large man in order to serve his necromancer's physical limitations that are exacerbated by her illness and protect her from those who might target a "weak" opponent.

A cavalier must also have a natural inclination towards service and obedience. Though the bond works both ways, and in a balanced partnership the necromancer will be equally obedient to their cavalier, cavaliers with a penchant for risky and dramatic ploys, untempered aggression, or extreme hubris are unlikely to make effective matches.

## **Abilities**

### Schooling

Cavalier status is trained and award by each House in accordance to their own specifications, although most Houses take the form of some military academy for non-adept fights and dueling ranking system. Traditional cavaliers favor the rapier and the dagger, but many cavaliers train in a wide variety of weapons and select specialized primary and off-hand weapons. A swordsman may not be considered a cavalier until they have sworn an oath to a necromancer.

#### **Categories of Cavalier**

* *Cohort Cavalier -* a military soldier bonded to a cohort necromancer, these cavaliers tend to have a greater focus on dueling ranking and military service history when establishing quality.
* *Social Cavalier* - A cavalier bonded to a noble necromantic heir to a House, these cavaliers tend to have less of a focus on specific training accomplishments, and often include family ties in the pairing process.
	+ *Cavalier Primary* -the lead cavalier of a House, attached to the premiere necromancer.
	+ *Cavalier Secondary* - a second most skilled cavalier, often also attached to the premier necromancer (or in some cases a close relative, such as the child and heir to the premier necromancer).

## **Known Cavaliers**

### Lyctoral Cavaliers

* Pyrrha Dve
* Valancy Trinit
* Titania Tetra
* Alfred Quinque
* Nigella Shodash
* Loveday Heptane
* Cristabel Oct
* Samael Novenary

### Canaan House Cavaliers

* Marta Dyas
* Naberius Tern
* Jeannemary Chatur
* Magnus Quinn
* Camilla Hect
* Protesilaus Ebdoma
* Colum Asht
* Gideon Nav

### Other Cavaliers

* Alecto
* Ortus Nigenad
* Mortus the Ninth

### **References**

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Harrow the Ninth," Act I, Ch. 8
2. ↑ "Gideon the Ninth," A Semon on Cavaliers and Necromancers