Knights of Tyr

**The Knights of Tyr** are a military organization based on the extremists ideologies of Volkair Rikliv. They rose to prominence rapidly after their inception during Poker Night and rose to the height of their power after the Red Crusades when the Kingdom of Ruthwalker was established. They served as the Elite guard for the royal family for the duration of the Kingdom's existence. After the fall of Ruthwalker, they survived by operating in tiny uncoordinated cells that became nothing more than fringe groups by the end of the Mad Menagerie.

During the Red Crusades, believe that all monstrous races should be purged. enemies of the Everwatching knights

During the events of The Mad Menagerie, it was revealed that they were one of the groups under the influence of Estoshan.

## Formation and Red Crusades

The order was formed from the first iteration of the Everwaching Knights and other powerful individual such as Valrin, Alexandros, And by Volkair Rikliv during Poker Night. After a baron of Avernus claim for Robin Banks, a then-member of the order, convinced the knights to attack and slay the demon in a surprise counterattack.

They then mustered and sailed east from Valteria in a quest to claim the keep Volkair gained due to his draw from Robin's Deck of Many Things. During this quest, the order came into direct conflict with the original peoples, kingdoms, and powers inhabiting the lands that would become Ruthwalker. These powers were supported by the efforts of Noire, Zamia, and other individuals who opposed the order.

Over the course of three years, the Knights defeated these powers and formed the kingdom of Ruthwalker during The Red Crusade. After the formation of the order, the Knights began enforcing their theology upon the people of the kingdom. Some of these 'enforcement campaigns' were often called 'crusades', and were so numerous that any attempt to differentiate or label them was rendered virtually impossible. These crusades against what was considered 'unpure' were constant and lasted virtually until the end of the kingdom.

The order retained this role as royal enforcers to Ruthwalker's Crown until the Last Queen of Ruthwalker was overthrown by Revolution, and were largely exiled from Ruthwalker.

## After The Fall of Ruthwalker

After being largely cast out from Ruthwalker, the demoralized Knights became a scattered fringe group, Their ranks were scattered to the Menagerie Coast, Valtrria, and other places. During this period, members of the order. Despite maintaining the original command structure, the order was but a shadow of its former self. The order's goals shifted largely from enforcing their beliefs on heresy and purity upon the world to reclaiming it's former glory. This gasping for relevance often lead to reckless and self-destructive endeavors, such as Callistus Serriarios's actions during and before the events of The Mad Menagerie which lead to the return of Everwatching Knights and the destruction of his family.

## Theology and Orginization

The Knights follow the initial teachings of Volkair Rikliv. The core tenet of the order was that 'Heresy and Evil must be purged, no matter the cost'. Volkair's exact definition of these words was only vaguely defined, often simply consisting of whomever was opposed him at the moment. However, constant targets of these accusations were directed at races considered to be more monstrous or such as Tieflings, Dragonborn, Lizardfolk, dark elves, and more. Any practitioner of unauthorized religions or magics were also targets. Even if there is no evidence mounted against a person, they would become suspicious of heresy for even being a member of one of the 'less pure' races. 'Half-breeds' were also viewed with this suspicion. Targets of the Knights of Tyr were summerly killed. Those suspected of heresy or members of more monstrous races were treated harshly and were targets of abuse, suspicion, and slavery at the hands of the order.

The official mission of the order seemed to be 'spreading a purifying light that purges the darkness'. However, this was almost exclusively corrupted to purge enemies of Ruthwalker's crown. Despite a thin façade of nobility that many of it's members devoutly believed in, the Knights were functionally nothing more then attack dogs for the radical Volkair and his those who succeeded him on the throne of Ruthwalker.

The order has reputedly shown to have a tight chain of command throughout the entire structure of the organization. Orders handed down by a superior in the chain must immediately be executed under threat of extreme punishment. Should a division of knights find themselves without higher orders, the highest ranking member takes command and is expected to take the initiative to follow through enforcing the orders beliefs and eradicating enemies.

## Notable Members and Former Members:

* Volkair Rikliv (ex-member) (converted from helm, became leader, then after life abandoned)
* Valrin: (ex-member) A Silver Dragon who joined Volkair N Co, and served the Knights during the Red Crusades. Left the order sometime before the events of The Mad Menagerie.
* Robin Banks (ex-member): An early member who used the order to fend off the effects of his draw during Poker Night before immediately betraying them.
* Callistus Seeriarios (ex-member). Former high ranking member of the Order. Left the order during The Mad Menagerie.
* Maximus (ex-member). Born into the order, and deserted shortly before The Mad Menagerie.
* Fulchrum (suspected)