The Knight of Fear

The Knight of Fear during the Silver Age of the Empire

The Knight of Fear(, the second Grand Master, the second Knight or the Knight of Bonk) is one of the original 12 Knights. Regarded as one of the most terrifying and deadly forces in the Mythican world, the Second Knight is often seen as the main antagonist of anti-Imperial factions. His first notable position was as bodyguard of the Emperor's throughout the ages, afterward he started leading an army of undead.

## Biography

The life of the Knight of Fear is shrouded in mystery. Unlike other knights, who often have written about their life's or have appointed clerks or allies who have written about their feats, the Second did not allow people to publish anything about him. Thus most information available about the knight are from 3 specific sources.

**The Codex Draconian:** Emperor Kristoff wanted to inspire the population with the tales of the 12 knights of the Order. The Second Knight attempted to resist the idea of information about him spreading but the Emperor could not be stopped. This work gives basic information about the Knight's exploits in the latter half of the Imperial History but does not touch a lot of his personal history and seemed to be filled with propaganda, leaving the dark pages of his feats.

**The Knight of Bonk, the devil of the north:** Written by many expert Snurch and Anarchs of Mother Nature. This work speaks of the Second Knight as the Dark Devil. It is specifically made to exploit the evil achievements he has committed. Although once more very biased, there is truth in the pages.

**The story of a broken man**: Unlike the previous two, this piece is more narrative based. Written by a very unlikely source, Sir Xander Drake, the first captain of his cavalry. Although the information in there is often from first hand basis it is very unlikely that this source is correct.

### Early life

#### Pre-Slavery

There is no proven information about the earliest years of the Second. The only thing we have close to a fact is that a doctor of Empress Sylostra concluded that the young boy was of Northern origin, most likely from the deep Canidaen territories who were some of the last to submit to Imperial Rule. This would also explain how the Second stumbled into slavery, seeing as these territories still had wide ranged slave hunters. From this information, Imperial historians are able to vaguely describe the youngest years of the Second. A young boy who at a young age would either join marauders and slave drivers or continue the work as his father. However Xander Drake writes that the Second lived in a peaceful fishing village, together with his parents and small brother he was to fish for a living. This all concluded when bandits and slave drivers arrived at the town, and took the boys prison, killing their parents brutally.

#### Life as a Slave

The fact the Second lived as a slave fighter is a point where all sources agreed to. This is because Sylostra's travels were documented in detail. The differences in the sources is clear, the Codex Draconian speaks of a man who would be in slave tournaments, winning all competitions and slowly saving his earnings to buy his freedom. The Devil Document speaks of an adult male gladiator as well, this time the fighter fought for carnage and glory. Destroying all fighters who faced him. He would have been the sensation of the northern fighting pits and refused freedom on several occasions to keep dabble in the blood sport. The records of the Empress however contradicts these. The records and the diary of Sylostra herself points out that the Second was but a small and fragile child when they found him during a trip to the northern regions. He would have been put into tournaments specifically designed to watch slave children fight. After examination the closest fighting pits and interrogating the speakers and guards it appears the boy caused a ruckus as after the fight he started running towards the cages where his sick brother was dying. The young child rumoured to be the brother had already passed away when the Empress' doctors arrived. Around the body where those of guards, killed by the raging Second. Thus at only the age of 5 or 6 the slave was taken in as a knight in training.

### Life in Palace

#### Knight in Training

This is the first phase in the second's life which was closely documented. During this era, the Imperial scholars cared greatly for the legacy of the noble houses and knightly orders were a part of that. The court advisor, Steno Grastrius, has written a lot about the young Second knight. In his works Steno describes the boys as a "Individual who would rather slit the necks of all who talked to him than finding a proper response to their questions." He and some other individuals noted that the boy did not speak in his first few years. He would communicate with his trainer Chronicallus via simple nods or grunts. According to Steno this was because the boy simply did not know the language of the Empire. He occasionally took lessons with the Empress to learn the language. Steno further claimed that the second knight would only speak with the Queen in "A crude and twisted Canidaen tongue." After a few years he started to grow accustomed and learn from the court tutors. Chronicallus would note in his diary that, while he did show good progress for the mental aspects of a Knight. The boy would never have the social skills to become a full fledged Imperial Knight. Chronicallus would urge the Empress to replace him with a better suited man from the nobler circles. The Empress refused after much consideration. She felt that the young man would sprout into a great warrior who would push the Empire to its largest corners. The Second Knight would often spar with the First, the Knight of Lust, they seemed to have an equal playing field. While pure combat and magical capabilities where the strong suit of the, Empress tutorred, Second Knight. The Knight of Lust was the better in diplomacy and strategy thanks to the favour of the Grand Master and his natural talents. While the knights felt competitive to each other they quickly became friends and due to the rigorous training, they looked at themselves as brothers.

#### Approaching adulthood

"According to all imperial scholars and doctors employed by the great holy Imperial court, the boy would have succumbed by the rigorous training employed by the Grand Master. The slave's body was not suitable to be tested in such a merciless manner. He was very thin at first, he didn't eat a lot of things, and he never accompanied his majesty in her prayers. Thus the Imperial Spirits cursed his body. And yet the boy grew on." Court doctor and high priest Lestrani Cristra.

As an apprentice, the second knight became more interweaved in the politics. He spoke more, however he was still silent most of the time. Standing proud and tall behind the Empress, seldom leaving her side. Giving him the nickname of Sylostra's boot. A satirical play on his official title as Sylostra's Sword. He did not have any allies against the endless tide of court politics. The only friends he had and often conversed with was his brother the First Knight and some men of the Empress' guards. Due to his cold expression and unwavering dedication to his master his first official work was as successor to the Royal Executioner. In contrast to the First Knight, who had a well documented and popular social life. There are no stories of young lovers or parties in his name. The Second Knight was described by the soldiers as a boy who inherited the hatred and pain that the a system of slavery where he was exposed to on his young age.

One of the more notable dates in his youth was in the year 423 where the knight was dragged before the court. It was well known that the nobles looked down on him for his origins, his dishonourable stance as executioner, and his power. The commoners despised the boy, seeing that the clergy spread around the information that he did not believe in any god. That he would drench the kingdom in blood for more power and sell his soul to the evil demons of old. The court took place when her majesty was sick and not able to quickly intervene. Many nobles brought for so called a line of 'proof' and even bought his own friends against him and this most likely had an impact on the developing boy. He was instantly pardoned by the Empress and he was not seen outside the palace in years.

### The lost knight

#### Varnilska Swamps Mission

Critics argues that the Varnilska Swamp Mission, where the two young brotherly knights escorted the Empress and Grand Master Chronicallus, was the cathalyst in the Second's Knight turn to darkness. The Empress was on her way to inspect the newly acquired regions in the North-Western regions of Varnilska. Her safety was paramount in this mission took place on the mountainous swamps filled with undead. Rumours suggested a nightlord, a rare breed of vampire, had established a camp in the region. As Night came close and Chronicallus dismissed suggestions of setting up camp in such a dangerous area, the convoy found itself on a cliffside road overlooking one of the largest lakes in the swamp. The caravan was attacked here by skeletal soldiers. While the initial charge took many imperial guards down, another problem arose as torches started to be lit on the other side of the lake. Catapults were prepared to shoot down the convoy. In a split second, Chronicallus made the decision to protect the Emperor and ordered the convoy to push trough and escape from the range from the catapults. He ordered many of the Empress' protector's to hold of the waves of undead now spewing from the darkness. The first knight would lead the convoy trough the final stretches. When the young second knight rushed to the front he was cut off as the path in front of him gave in with the constant fire of the catapults. He stretched his hands to his master and brother, begging for help but Chronicallus believed there was no time nor possibility to save the young man. He pulled the shocked First Knight away as they retreated further with the Empress, leaving the Second Knight alone to fend of the tide of zombies and skelletons. Eventually the ground broke further and he dropped into the lake quickly sinking to the bottom.

#### Welp of the wyvern fanged

Once more the sources vary enormously. Most imperial officials do not discuss of this and even some damaged reports mentioned the knight would die here. The famous Anarchist poet Jaq Grow believed that the last flickers of humanity in the young man where put out during this period. According to stories, it was when he was sinking to the bottom of the lake that the water took red with a hateful magic. Here he would meet the famous Kelpie he would later call Rapier. According to the devil book, this beast would follow the scent and magic of the rage right to the drowning boy. Instead of eating the helpless prey, the kelpie would take the boy out of the water and declared it, its master. After the rescue the Second Knight found himself at the banks of the lake where the catapult that fired on him was placed. He could hardly catch his breath before undead soldiers had surrounded him and picked him up, taking him to their master. The knight was soon faced with the undead vampire.

## DND Stats

### General Information

Status: Immortal.

Permission to use: King-Luca

Permission to kill: King-Luca