The Knightly Order of the Dragon

Primitive form of the coat of arms of the Dragon Order

In 421 ABD the Knightly Order of the Dragon was established by Empress Sylostra with the goal of strengthening the Imperial Army. The order was made on the principals of loyalty and efficiency. The order consisted of a Grand Master ten Imperial Knights, and a few thousand Imperial foot soldiers. After the Strix incident, the Knights got divided with some even left the Empire all together. Eventually with the Knight of Fear becoming the Grand Master the order in itself was molded into 'The Imperial Order of the Dragon'. This new order would have most of their highest rankings changed.

## History

### Prehistory

The order of the Dragon was one of the latest orders to be made. Knightly groups such as the Order of the Burning Oak and the Order of the Grook were around long before. After the great conquest, during its golden age, the Empire had no need for a large organised army. Against smaller threats the Empire backed certain official adventurers guilds, the larger were entrusted to newly created Knightly Orders. These groups were usually ruled by a high ranking Imperial and financed by wealthy merchants and landowners. Many of these groups started to notice that they were the shield of the Empire and decided to use this to gain more influence in the court. This practice grew so much that the most prestigious orders barely had knights who specialised more in combat than in diplomacy and court manners, having several mercenary companies doing their dirty work. Corruption grew eventually as these orders grew more powerful, wealthy and influent. At a certain moment, one could argue that the grand masters of these orders were more powerful than the Emperor himself.

### Creation

When Empress Sylostra inherited the throne from her brother, she was sickened at the state of the court. She hated that the Empire was fully dependant on these orders in times of need. The knights had enough influence and funds to make sure that the Empress could not dissolve the orders. It took many years but eventually she found a solution. She created an order that would be only loyal to her, having the order not only officially funded by the crown but also named as the Empire's most trusted and patriotic heroes. The Empress contacted an old teacher, Chronicallus, to be the leader of a group of young men and women and to turn them into powerful fighters, indoctrinated to be only loyal to her.

### The brothers

The first members of these orders would be generic troopers recruited by coin or prestige. It wasn't until 425 ABD that the Grand Master found his first apprentice. A young boy from a quiet, remote village. The Grand Master found this boy to have a talent for acquaring whatever he wanted trough whatever means possible. He was trained by the master to become the first knight and the boy quickly fell into his element with the imperial court, making his own personal cult with his own followers. The First knight, later dubbed the Knight of Lust, was a fan favorite around the Empire's citizens. During a trip to the frozen mountains in 432 ABD the Empress, the Grand Master and his pupil, and an escort of soldiers the second Knight was found. In the slave pits of Kazar, the Empress watched disguised as how a young man took down several others, just for a scrap of food. After the battle the boy managed to escape and made his way to the Empress who found him to be cunning, recourse full and ruthless in his actions. Both boys were now trained together under the Grand Master. They quickly saw each other as brothers and developed a brotherly rivalry. This only got amplified when it was clear that the Grand Master preferred the work of Trennor over that of his slave brother. The Empress on her turn took a larger interest in the slave and took the young boy as her accomplice to learn the fine ways of politics. Eventually the distrust between the Grand Master and Slave grew so large that on a patrol, Chronicallus did not save the boy who fell down an ice cold lake during an ambush. With the second apprentice missing, Alex became the leading knight of the Empress who still send search parties throughout the Empire for her lost apprentice.

### First generation

After the second apprentice went missing, Chronicallus took full command of the tutelage of the knights in training. He gathered four more apprentices who all were taught under his careful eye. They were trained in the ways of combat, tactics, magic, and diplomacy and most eventually become high ranking individuals in the Empire at a very young age. When the second apprentice was found in 441 ABD, the Empress was overjoyed and gave him the first knightly title as Knight of Fear. The other five quickly followed suit, receiving their titles as their characters bloomed. Eventually these six knights were portrayed as the Empire's elite and they were put in charge of the state troops, thus becoming a rival against even the strongest of other knight orders.

### Second generation

Around 450 ABD Sylostra and Chronicallus decided to once more enlarge the order by adding six more knights. Due to this decision all the knights, who now were well in their adulthood, took youngling apprentices for themselves. They were to teach them the ways of the order however this system made it so that it was very easy for the knight to bring his apprentice into his own version of the order's believes. Eventually this would lead to bitter rivalry between certain groups inside the order. The Grand Master no longer had full control of all his pupils as more than once the knights faced off against each other for either personal glory or to settle a debate.

### Immortality

After many more years the knights grew apart. Each followed their own way, either with their student or completely alone. They acted as generals of huge armies or ambassadors to unstable regions. As they grew older they gained more fame and power, they believed that their life was to be filled with this glory. As soon as Sylostra started to get sick, the Knight of Fear, her personal bodyguard and closest friend, became obsessed with finding a cure to her illness. After torturing members of the Wayfarer Gild he found out about an immortal being. He found and captured their leader called the Voyager and had his scientists run tests and experiments on him. During the Feast of Drasten the Knight of Fear presented the Empress a cure, an elixir that was extracted from the blood of the Voyager. When she drank it she did not only feel the sickness fade away, she felt her years returning to her as the fatigue of ageing had been swept away. Sadly it did not last for at that same feast, combatants of the Gild attacked the palace and managed to retake the Voyager, as well as succeeding in assassinating the Empress. After the disaster the knights gathered to all drink the few potions left after the attack, becoming the first knightly order to have immortal leaders.

### The silver rebellion

Until the final part of the silver era the knights would be loyal to the Emperor, serving the crown in whatever way was necessary. Eventually some grew weary of their cause and saw themselves as slaves to the Emperor's words. They would cause tragedies and massacre's just to counter whispers of rebellion or heresy. A few knights of the order had enough and decided to figure out a way to leave the order. The Knight of War managed to revoke his knighthood by becoming an Imperial Governor however the seventh knight, the knight of wisdom, couldn't take it anymore and not only revoked his knighthood but gathered people who would be willing to fight for his cause. The knight, now renamed back to Owen Slythe would be the first man to officially bring a civil war to the Empire. He took large area's of woodland in the west and made preparations to attack the southern trade routes. This rebellion did not last long as Owen overestimated the amount of people willing to join his rebellion. He was eventually caught in Raslu Fortress where he was defeated by the Knights of the Grook and some Knights of the Order of the Dragon. He was trailed and found guilty for high treason and executed in 782 ABD by the Knight of Fear.

### The division

After the first civil war, the knights grew weary of each other. They became divided and spread across the far corners of the Empire, doing their own things, often ignoring Imperial requests. Some decided to stick with their teacher or pupil, but most decided to go solo. From this point the knights only gathered once in history. When Chronicallus was bestowed the honour of being the first Archive Keeper, in charge of knowing the truth about the History of Mythica. It is said that in this time, many of the knights made their homes at the regions who now were slowly thinking of independance however the knights were still bound by honour to the Empire and they continued to supress any notion of rebellion. Some say that they did this because they knew the price of rebellion.

### The Strix incident.

After several years of chaos and rebellion, it was not rare for people to disrespect the knightly orders. The knights were mostly seen as the butchers of the Emperor who would kill thousands at his command. However when the previous Emperor died and his son, Kristoff took over most people were surprised that this new young man was very eager to win back the trust of his people rather than his own power. The oppression was tuned down tremendously and trade and welfare were encouraged. Kristoff knew that he was very close to a civil war and all the death and sorrow that it would bring with it. It looked like the empire was going to go back into a golden age as people were slowly regaining their trust in the crown. However it wasn't to last. At the young age of 21, Emperor Kristoff was assassinated by a group of extremists. He is now remembered by all factions as a martyr for the common good.

### The Traitors

With the Emperor assassinated, the entire empire fell. Revolution and civil wars were rampant. The people started to speculate which of the Knights was the first to betray the Empire. No one would have guessed that the first would be the Knight of Fear. The second knight was known for being only loyal to the crown, bringing death and despair to anyone who would dare talk ill of his ruler. He often was the very own bodyguard of the throne almost seen as a co-Emperor. It came as a shock to everyone when he took his large imperial army and besieged the great Library, a citadel in the heart of the Empire. Although he was widely feared and somewhat hated across the world, the imperial soldiers respected him for his dedication and thus they didn't put up a fight. It is still unclear why the second knight rushed this place however a leading theory is that he wanted revenge for his abandonment centuries ago as at this battle. The Knight of Fear killed his old master, Chronicallus in cold blood and claimed himself as the new Archive Keeper and Grand Master of the order of the Dragon. Afterwards he appointed a new Emperor and gathered all the loyal knights remaining under his leadership. Most of the Knights quickly left however, believing that the second knight was nothing but a traitor. They all joined rivalling factions and more often than not revoking their knighthood as a sign of rebellion.

## Power and resources

### First generation

In the earlier periods of the order, there was much debate about what was property of the order and what belonged to the main Imperial army. Historians believe that the number of troops solely loyal to the order ranged from 100 to 300 with at least half of it being horsemen. Castles were plentiful for the order, since with the political system in place. The Empress had to divide land between herself and her vassals. She then tried to keep much more power loyal to the crown so she started giving many castles and fiefs to the Dragon order and had her own army garrison them. The order gained its first fliers around 440 ABD. At this point flying units were very rare and it was therefore considered an honour to be gifted these units. At firsts it consisted of soldiers with some sort of wings strapped on their back but it quickly grew to Pegasus and falcon riders ready for battle.

### Second generation

When the second generation came into play, the Empire reached its military peak. As generals of these powerful armies the knights had an increased number of retainers and guards sworn only to the order. The amount of troops under the order would now range 2OOO with an extra 1000 mercenaries who fall under special contracts with the order. The usage of these mercenaries varied strongly in race and numbers, the knights were divided on their usage, some finding non-humans untrustfull. The Dragon knights were now the strongest, largest and most influential group in the Empire's inner circle. The troops wer still largely consisting of flyers and cavalry, however the ratio of footmen began to grew during the silver era.

### Peak

When the Empire was starting to lose its centralised power, the order took its chance to grab more power for itself. Many of the Imperial soldiers under the most active of knights were adopted as acolytes and foot soldiers. At this point the largest armies had over a thousand men. The total would be around 7000 men and 2000 extra specialised mercenaries. Most knights preferred mixed armies however there is proof of at least one Imperial army consisting entirely out of humans. The most uncommon army at this point would be "The Empress' Spirits" the army led by the second knight who would have found a way to bend the chaotic undead to his will and had it replace 95% of his army. At its peak the order controlled a total of 25% of all Imperial land and had a collective 49 strongholds.

### Downfall

During the last years before the Strix incident, Emperor Kristoff had lowered the govermental support for the knightly orders aswell as the military in general. Many soldiers retired and settled down, decreasing the combative power of the knights. The only armies worth considering were those led by the knights themselves. This made so that ultimately the order could not send more aide when the Horny Revolution came, leading to the Empire's innevitable downfall.

## Titles and ranks

The ranks and titles associated with the order were very dynamic due to the constant shifting power and focus. New ranks were made and old ones removed almost every decade. However it appears that there is a base rank system and it expands on that.

### Supreme command

The inner circle of the order, these are seen as the highest ranks in the order. Usually commanding entire armies and regions.

**Emperor**

The highest being in the order is the Emperor, not only on paper like other orders did, but the crown often had a final impact in all decesions in the Dragon Knights.

**Grand Master**

The Grand Master is the practical leader of the Dragon Knights, not only training but commanding them as well. He protects the Imperial Capital region with his army and controls the positioning of all order troops.

**Knight of 12**

The 12 individuals were the key members of this order. They often led entire regions and armies. It is unsure if there was a hierarchy within this circle but it is likely that the first generation held more power than the second.

First generation These are the first six knights of the order, a generation older than the next and they were hand trained by the Grand Master himself, these often have the larger armies or regions compared to their younger students.

Second generation Altough not powerless by any means, the second generations act as students to the first even if they often don't see them for multiple years at a time. It is believed that they are not to follow the orders of the first but they should take their advise very serious.

### High command

The top of the order are in command of other regions, cities and military campaigns not led by the 12 knights. These men are not always combat related as their title would suggest. Normal untrained governers were often knighted to this order's high command to give the order more land. Thus, altough the high knightly ranks such as Templar started as brave and valiant fighters, over time they were mixed with individuals who just were performing high ranking tasks without necessarily ever taken a man's life. High Command existed of three ranks with similar power but different roles.

**Templar**

The Templars of the order were often seen riding huge armoured horses or even mythical creatures. They were easily identified by thier red crossed helmets as the forges where the Templar knights got their armour were located at the salt lakes. Years of exposure turned the metal into a deep red colour but enhanced it durability greatly. The Templars were some of the richest men of the order, often being able to afford their own private groups of lower classed knights and owing their own keeps. They often took military roles on the battlefield, leading specific branches of an official Knight or having their own following. They often were seen for upholding the virtues of the new order and were widely used in the first half of the order.

High Templar These were the richest of the templars, they were highly skilled combatants and warlords. The Emperor's enemies feared the High Templars just as much as the Knights of 12. It is therefore not rare for an high Templar to be executed for treason as the Templars would start to vie for a spot on the 12. These men were skilled in combat but their biggest boon was in their efficiency, not being scared to move aside their chivalrous code to get a mission done. These factors made them excellent bodyguards and agents for the more paranoid and brutal of knights.

Low Templar These were often younger men who served as generals and admirals of the smaller knightly companies or armies. Under this term fell the men who got knighted for their position such as leaders of major cities and regions as well as diplomats and advisors.

**Paladin**

According to most non-imperial sources, the Paladins are one of the few things that the Imperial military does well. These men were often champions of the order. Being excellent agents and duellists. They are often linked with the knightly virtues of honour and mercy as they do not participate in some of the gruesome deeds that are committed by the order. The Paladins are famous across the land of Mythica and its ranks attacks many different species and personalities. Although the top of the order has some cases of xenophobia against these other species, there are still several examples of non-human Paladins.

High Paladin These were the top combatants of the order in duels and tournaments. Many having never lost an official match. Although the title of Paladin is not that rare to be seen. High Paladin had very harsh criteria. You had to win a huge amount of tournaments without losing, all the while performing noble deeds. This often made that many lesser Paladins who had the skills were stuck there as they lost a single battle. This made it so that only a handful of individuals ever made it to High Paladin.

Low Paladin This is by far the largest group in the higher command. The skill level of the Paladin ranks varied greatly in the different styles they excelled. However some notable names come out of history and some of these Paladins even earned themselves the honour of drinking from the extract of immortality.

**General**

A general of the order often was in charge of Imperial armies. These were often looked down upon by the other high ranks as the Imperial armies were much less refined than the knightly armies. They were in command of legions of standardised soldiers.

**Admiral**

Altough the small pressence of the orders on the oceans, since the Dragon Knights eventually had control of a high percentage of the Imperial army, they also got some of their fleets. Since the knights found ranged or naval warfare dishonourable to their code, usually other high sitting Imperials take the rank of admiral to steer these fleets.

### Noble ranking

During the silver era, the noble class grew exponentionally. Originally they served as cavalry and veteran soldiers but they quickly developed into a social class. Imperial nobles would benefit from several perks such as collecting tax and owning a military following. The knightly orders, much as the name suggest, were highly favoured by the noble knights. They were funded by them and the nobles often joined their ranks to get more prestige and legitimacy. The Order of the Dragon was one of the few where those of common birth could enjoy a chance at rising to these noble positions and being knighted due to their services.

**Commander**

The position of the Commander is the lowest that is legally allowed to host a party larger than a few hundred. These were often of minor nobility but there are enough occassions of veterans being promoted to the position of Commander. This rank is the most versitaile as their function depended on the function the men they command was.

Imperial Commander These are often in charge of minor armies and war parties. They are in charge of imperial soldiers and these armies seldom had knights with them, often preferring the cheaper and bureacratically easier to handle cavalry and riders.

Imperial Commodore The minor fleets protecting coastal villages usually consisted of a few ships. More than not, these fleets were commanded by the eldest Captain, if one of these fleets were to excell in their tasks or combat these elder Captains were granted an honourary title of Commodore of the fleet.

Garrison Commander The garrisons of the numerous forts and towns loyal to the order are overseen by a Garrison Commander. These have a final say in all administrative, logistical, and military matters of the fortification or settlement they are commanding. Only High Command can overrule them. This rank is often filled with veteran soldiers or administrative personnel who often were trained by their predecessors.

Mercenary Commander Often strong fighters or wealthy young noblemen, these commanders are in charge of controlling the countless mercenary parties that are specifically tied to the Order with special agreements. The mercenaries may be expensive and a bit less skilled than the knights but they are very effective and do almost all tasks without question.

**Knight**

The knights were a part of the imperial elite class. They were wealthy men who could afford to own a horse and armour. They often write togheter with their acolythes and squires. They form elite cavalry units in servitude to their commanders and general.

Noble Knight The members of the middle elite class are those who often have the most lucrative straps of lands. They can afford a full armour, a warhorse, and several foot soldiers as their following. They often were the most experienced of the knights, being skilled with lance, bow and sword.

Foot Knight Altough by definition members of the higher class society, these knights were often less well off financially than their noble counterpart. They were looked down upon by those that could affort a horse and seen as lesser knights. However it would be a mistake to underestimate these men in combat. Altough they lack the powerful war horse, they still have a severe degree of martial prowess.

Knight Youngling When the younger firstborn of the nobility grew tired of their daily life at home they tried to seak glory by signing up with knightly orders. Using their father's or mother's status to gain a rank in many of them and fight for the glory and plunder. Altough most orders do not distinct between full fledged knights and their sons, the Dragon order does put them behind the knights as they are protected by them so they can learn the ways of the order.

**Officer**

Ironically, these ranks are often being the one with most combat experience. Since the ranks are not dependant on financial well-being or status, the commoners occupying them often have served for a long duration and with unrivalled skill. The sad fate in most of the Empire is that this position is usually the roof for most commoners.

Captain The highest ranking officers are the Captains. Most often used to command individual vessels as the Captain rank was not used in the Imperial Armies and thus in the Order until the latter part of the civil war. By then it was used as honourary titles for elite groups inside of the Order. (ex: Captain of the Blood Garde, Captain of the serpentines.)

Imperial Officer Mounted commoners who often led the charge or a group of 70-100 soldiers. These were often trained in combat by the Order from a young age and often were educated. Making it possible for imperial, more modern Officers, to create and devise new tactics and even war machines. The most common Officers were those in charge of the artillery as it became much more common to fight battles in cities rather than fields.

Mercenary Officer Mercenaries were employed in great number by the order for multiple reasons. In later stages of the Empire when the order was at its peak, many of the nobles were not that often employed in the wars as they had a chivelrous code wich made that they often refused orders if they deem them non honourable. The mercenaries and their captains, had no problems with this.

Centurion The Empire is known to have armies who closely resemble the old ranks from when the first Emperor took the lands after the battle of Drasten. Around 700 ABD, these armies as well fell in the hands of the order. Centurions used to be in charge of hundreds of men but with time their power dwindled to mere officers in these ancient armies.

### Low ranking

The Dragon Order is the only knightly order that allowed commoners and peasants to join their ranks as foot soldiers. Most of the Knights of 12 were commoners themselves after all and they inspire the lower ranks. The skill and expertise of these ranks often varied on what general or commander they were under as it was their duty to set their training.

**Sergeant**

Sergeants where heavily armoured footmen who were often placed in the centre of the battlefield. They were seen as the top of the peasantry as they either rivalled the higher rankings in experience or training. They earned themselves a place in the order and the order paid them back in a home to protect.

Squire Knights often took peasants with them to the fight. These younglings were handtrained by them. They did not only learn the ways of combat but those of literature and court as well. Squire's were not always footsoldiers as some were given ponies or horses but it is the norm to have them on foot either with spear or sword and shield to aid their lord with his battles.

Imperial Sergeant It is not uncommon to see a fully armoured enemy knight being pushed out of his horse by an Imperial Sergeant. These heavy soldiers do not only survive on foot but learned to excel with it. Their broad weaponry and thick mail or plate armour make for an impregnable wall that can hold off a charge of knights. The Sergeants are a delight to have in combat for it will often mean victory, but a sore when you have them under your command for all they do is grumble and oppose the rulings of the nobles.

**Cavalier**

Men at arms Common folk who ride, occasionally armoured, horses into battle are called the Men-at-arms. These often accompanied the knights in battle or acted as raiders against the enemy. These were widely used in the Imperial armies and the knights of the Dragon Order quickly took many of them among their ranks as well. During the rise of the order, these common soldiers were seen as the norm for their strong effectiveness against bandit groups and local riots due to their strong armour and speed.

Yeoman Although referring to the senior rank of the peasantry, the Yeomen class was most often used by the Order as light cavalry and Guerrilla fighters in the civil wars. Since these were seen as peasants without much to go for they often had no standard in weaponry which made it hard to form strong units of them. In the famed battle of Stristral the commander formed many groups of bow armed, spear armed and sword armed yeomen. They are most useful when accompanying other units, attacking lightly armed units or as a distraction.

Air riders With the silver era came an entire new and complex battlefield. The air, previously just occupied by projectiles flung at the enemy, now held a wide array of fighters. Winged soldiers, pegasus riders, wyverns and even demi-dragons can be seen above the head of the foot folk. The order were one of the first to get these new soldiers. Air riders have only increased in variety and size since their beginning.

**Infantry**

Footmen Commoners who can afford a halbert, speak, bow, sword or shields are the backbone of any army. They are versatile, sturdy and know how to stick it to a knight. The order uses a wide arrange of Footmen in their armies. Ranging from pike men to garrison infantry. The infantry of the Dragon Order were often mocked due to them being merely commoners, signalling the poor financial state of the order that they had to revert to footmen to fill the ranks.

Mercenaries Even more used as an insult to the Empire's most revered order was the excessive use of mercenary forces. The 12 knights ignored these insults as it was often a welcomed sight to see mercenaries arrive at a hard battle or to leave the capture of an enemy warlord over to a self sustaining group of experienced fighters.

Peasant While technically only the Yeomen are officially part of the order. The lowest peasants working in the villages and around the castles from the knights are often used in war to form the most basic of militia and emergency patrol. They often possess little to no weaponry aside from makeshift spears and clubs and sport no combat experience.

## Religion

### Under Chronicallus

The Order of the Dragon was relatively very acceptance of religious ideals and sects. Accepting many of the established versions of the Imperial Cult and even hiring non-believer mercenaries. This reflected on their ideals of upholding a large, inclusive military force. Ultimately the order consisted mostly of Imperial Cultist, many of them looking up to the Knight of Faith who was the Imperial High Priestess. There are several accounts of infighting due to religious differences however they are kept to a minimum.

### Under the Knight of Fear

During the great war, many who believed in deities other than the Imperial Cult allowed, would meet banishment or execution. Although the Second Knight never showed that much devotion towards the faith of his own, let alone the others. He protected the right of his men to believe in what they want. This baffled the inquisition but this was, like many things, a move for more power. The new Grand Master now had established the Dragon Order as a means to preserve your faith and lifestyle. The choice was now clear. Convert and leave your lifestyle and brothers, face banishment or execution, or sign up at the Order of the Dragon to serve while upholding your own religion. Many took the latter.

### Special Doctrine

The order believed that when a great Emperor died, his soul would be brought towards the final paradise by an ancient and powerful beast. The last remaining dragon. The Order strives to find this dragon and hope to learn from his wisdom and power so they can serve their Emperor's in death. After the conquest of the ancient Library of Gilles, it appears that the Second Knight has found its location. Making preparations to depart.

## Trivia

* The order has the similar name to the Christian order. It shares some other Christian aspects (Templar, Paladin..)
* The Dragon mentioned in the Doctrine and coat of arms of the order most likely refers to the Minecraft Enderdragon.
* Most of historical events are started or influenced by the participation or presence of one of the Knights of 12.
	+ Every faction in the Great War has one of the original 12 Knights, with exception of the United States and the Wayward gild.