Knight

"When we fight with honour, we bring honour to our house."

## Advanced

(Core) Knights are professional Soldiers, generally, but not always of Noble blood. They specialize in fighting in heavy armour while using large weapons, often from horseback, and comprise a general’s most elite shock troops. Many Knights have a duty to protect the lower classes, though not all of them acknowledge it. There are a large number of knightly orders hailing from both the Empire and Bretonnia, such as the Knights of the White Wolf, the Knights Panther, the Reiksgard Knights, and the Grail Knights. Religious orders of Knights are known as templars.

### Secondary Profile

**Skills:** Academic Knowledge (Genealogy/Heraldry or Religion), Academic Knowledge (Strategy/Tactics), Dodge Blow, Perception, Ride, Secret Language (Battle Tongue), Speak Language (any two)

**Talents:** Specialist Weapon Group (Cavalry), Specialist Weapon Group (Flail), Specialist Weapon Group (Two-handed), Strike Mighty Blow

**Trappings:** Flail or Morning Star, Lance, Heavy Armour (Full Plate Armour), Shield, Religious Symbol, 25 gc, Destrier with Saddle and Harness

### **Career Entries**

Noble Lord, Pistolier, Sergeant, Squire, Vampire Hunter

### **Career Exits**

Captain, Initiate, Knight of the Inner Circle, Noble Lord, Vampire Hunter

## A Day in the Life

The knight lives wakes in luxurious surroundings, as he is typically a member of the nobility or amongst the most valued retainers of the gentry. He is attended to by his Squire, a young man who hopes to earn a knighthood himself one day and acts as a Knight’s personal assistant until such time.

He spends much of the day in training, practising on foot or horseback whilst wearing a suit of armour. The knight practises combat on foot, honing his skills with sword and shield, or he will mount his horse to charge at a quintain, a training dummy designed to improve his accuracy with the lance.

In the evening the knight attends to courtly matters, socialising among the aristocracy at dances, feasts, and other entertainments. The knight plays a relatively minor role at such occasions, usually there simply to flatter the lords and flirt with the ladies. Should talk turn to military matters he will take a more active role, giving his opinions and advice to any who who listen.

From time to time the knight will be called to fight. This will often be the mock battles of the tourney field, where the knight will pit himself against others using blunt swords and hollow lances. Despite the many precautions taken tournaments are still dangerous tests of skill, leading some unkind commentators to draw a comparison between knights and pit fighters. However, it is when war breaks out that the Knight proves his worth. Knights that are otherwise engaged may pay scutage (or shield duty) to avoid military service, but many proudly and ably join the elite shock cavalry of the armies of the Old World.

## Affiliations

Knights walk in two distinct circles, the military and the aristocracy. They provide the soldiers of the Old World with leadership drawn from the nobility (which a great many consider important and proper), as well as devastating cavalry charges known to break entire armies with their fury. Knights earn the respect their more courtly peers do not by demonstrating a willingness to appear on the field of battle and play an important part in the swirling melee of combat.

At court, knights provide the nobility with military advisors who speak their own language and sympathise with the concerns of statecraft. Whilst common soldiers may have more battlefield experience than many knights, they usually lack the education and perspective requisite to see the bigger picture of warfare and politics, and so are rarely called on to act as advisors.