Montguard

> **"For honor and glory, I would take up my lance. For peace, I would take to the skies."**
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## House History

### Motto

By our steeds we take flight, by our virtues we soar.

### Members

Ser Winston

As if frozen in time, the human House Montguard serves as a reminder of the once-glorious noble houses of Taldor from ages past. Rooted in an assortment of castles nestled high in the World's Edge Mountains above the Taldan City of Maheto, Montguard lords over its fiefs below with chivalry and vigilance. Acting as a beacon of hope from above in dire times, the knights of Montguard strive to protect their people from the savage orc tribes lurking beneath the mountains. They are aided in this task by mighty pegasi, allowing them to survey threats from the skies before swooping down to deliver justice in decisive blows.

The earliest of Montguard's history details a large tribe of humans who migrated to the cloud-piercing peaks of the World's Edge Mountains and successfully befriended the pegasi native to the region. This was long ago, when the human-dwarven city of Maheto was not quite the robust contributor of profound metallurgy that it now is. Over time, the tribe that would become known as House Montguard slowly integrated itself into the society below, before eventually becoming ingrained as a supplement to Taldor military in the area. The tribe was progressively civilized by its many interactions with Maheto, its members soon appearing culturally indistinguishable from Taldans. Once they earned enough favor from their exploits, they were granted noble status, their name, several small lands across the mountain range's border, and access to Maheto's finest equipment and wares. Grand castles were promptly erected in the mountains above, looming over their newfound fiefs, from which the knights of Montguard serve their people. House Montguard saw the peak of their power during the Golden Age of Taldor, though they have steeped little thanks to their relative seclusion from the rest of the Empire. Raised from birth as staunch followers of Iomedae, members of House Montguard hold themselves to the virtues of valor, justice, and honor, as well as the belief that the greatest glory is in expunging any and all forms of evil. Because of this, many knights of Montguard in times of relative peace will seek their glory elsewhere, making treks across Golarion and often establishing themselves wherever they believe their influence or their martial prowess to be necessary.

Though highly prized as aerial steeds, pegasi are wild and shy creatures not easily befriended. A pegasus is, despite its appearance, as intelligent as a human. As such, those who try to train a pegasus to serve as a mount find the pegasus to be recalcitrant and even violent. The ability to gain the willing companionship of a pegasus and train it to be worthy of battle is seen to be a crucial part of knighthood training for Montguard, as well as a mark of personal worth. Although not all of its knights possess the patience and temperance to befriend these majestic creatures, House Montguard holds the practice of pegasus-riding as its most time-honored tradition.

## Winston of House Montguard

### Affiliation

The Empire of Taldor, The Church of Iomedae, Maheto

## Physical description

### Weight

243 lbs.

Currently the youngest of his house sworn to knighthood, Winston carries himself with pride in his heritage and an eagerness to display his mettle in full view of the world. Many of his older peers are well off on their path of knighthood, and have long since left The World's Edge Mountains to spread the will of their house. Driven by the imposing accomplishments of his family, Winston strives to earn his glory and fame with almost reckless abandon whenever he recognizes the opportunity, leaving himself prideful to a fault and oblivious to that which does not concern his goals. His mind's ambitions are anchored only by his oaths and his discipline, the latter being limited and imperfect in his young age, though his youth also affords him optimism and self-confidence envied by those more jaded in his line of work.

Recently having accomplished his knightly training and sworn his oaths, Ser Winston travels to Absalom with repressed anticipation, his family having recently purchased a pristine manor in the Petal District from which he may personally enact their will as an ambassador of Taldor and The World's Edge Mountains.

Winston rarely doffs his armor in public, as he would rather maintain the visage of a shining knight than betray his youthful, unscarred features to those who may think lesser of him for it. However, he stands at average height with a robust build, carrying himself with exaggerated swagger.