Calix Animi

## Who are the Calix Animi?

The Calix Animi is an order of Dish knights whose power used to be legendary, their magic even considered on par with Demons and Angels. While it is publicly believed that the Calix Animi died out after the Angel-Demon War with much of the rest of Dish Culture it seems that the order is still operating in the shadows in the modern day.

It is important to note that, despite them being the most well known, the Calix Animi is not the only order of Dish knights. They are specifically the knights hailing from the Inkwell Island rejoin. Other Dish islands, during the hay day of Dish culture, would have had other forms of organization for their warriors and different names. It is unknown if any of these other Dish orders have survived to modern day or if the Calix Animi is the only one left (Ch 273).

## History

As stated above, The Calix Animi are specifically the Dish knights hailing from the Inkwell Islands. Cuphead describes them as a sort of emergency task force. Back in the old days they would have worked for whatever ruler ran their island (Ch 273).

Knights of the Calix Animi fought in the Angel-Demon War on the side of the Angels. They participated in many battles, which ended with many knights becoming injured or killed. Dish knights were also targeted by certain members of the Demons forces, most notably Lukahd aka the Lady of Despair, whose souls she would steal in order to perform inhumane magical experiments on (Ch 221)

At some point near the end of the War the last of the Demon's barriers fell and a genocide occurred. Many Demons rushed to hide evidence of the various crimes they had committed, such as killing the captives they were experimenting on. Many of these poor test subjects were successfully killed before their Angel allies could get through to save them. Those captives that survived this mass killing were able to eventually recover their souls thanks to the work of the Dish knights, who used a combination of their magic and the Demon's own notes to return the some of their souls. However, it is important to note that knights of several orders were credited with returning these souls so it is unknown exactly how big a role the Calix Animi played in this (Ch 221)

In modern day they are the closest to thing to leaders the Dish community have, operating as helpers and heroes to the local Dish communities (Ch 273). According to Cannikin, the Calix Animi were also some of the people responsible for originally helping to hide the Ink Machine Parts. Specifically, the Calix Animi handled the hiding of The Brush and the Ink Machine itself (Ch 199) After helping to hide them the knights of the Calix Animi continued to check up on the various Parts every few generations as guards all the way up until the modern day. Since they acted as guards for the Parts the members of the Calix Animi were aware of both the Ink Machine and Ink Illness before it became common knowledge (Ch 186)

## Known Knights

Cannikin (Deceased) - The Beast Tamer

Demitasse - The Spear of Lightning

Lord Winsor (past)

Sir Flaskhead (past)

Mazagran the Bold (past)

## What Do They Do?

The Calix Animi is a global Dish organization sworn to protect and serve the innocent. The knights of this order are meant to fight and defend others from any dark creatures or other enemies that may be threatening them. Like Angels, they deal with magic threats that regular toons are not able to handle (Ch 218). One of the most notable of these duties is that of hunting down monsters. Dish knights were notorious for their thoroughness when it came to hunting down and eliminating monsters, Horror stories that circle around dark creatures to this day report how a Dish knight would hunt down every member of a family to kill them, including children. Dark creatures considered Dishes the biggest threat to their existence second only to Angels and witches (Ch 261).

In addition to battling magical threats the order also just generally tries to help out the local Dish communities. They are often considered local heroes and almost every young Dish goes through a phase of wanting to be a knight (Ch 273).

The Calix Animi is an old organization that has been performing certain duties for generations, such as the protection of the Ink Machine parts (Ch 186). They also continue to guard the secrets of the Dish race, such as the ways to create their most powerful magical potions (Ch 273).

## Membership Qualifications

Any Dish is able to begin their training for the Calix Animi at age thirteen if they choose too. This training involves learning about Dish magic, history, and combat. Once they have completed their training, usually around ages eighteen to twenty, the Dish will be able to be officially knighted and join the order (Ch 218)

Membership is not limited to just those with the liquid magic systems. Those Dishes without the magic system are still able to join as they are able to use weapons to make up for their lack of magic as well as the fact that there is some Dish spells that can still be performed without the liquid magic system. Even non-dish children born from an interracial dish marriage have a chance to join the order. These non-dish children are allowed to train for, and eventually join, the order as long as the are able to use the Dish spells that don't require the liquid magic system to perform (Ch 218)

## Internal Organization

Those in training to become knights are known as apprentices and will study under official knights until the day they are officially brought into the order (Ch 218) It is important to note that the ghost of a knight is not able to officially knight another Dish and bring them into the order (Ch 219)

Once officially part of the order knights are organized as either senior or junior knights. As they serve they are distinguished by various acts of bravery and medals. Knights will also usually earn titles during their time with the order and can change throughout a knight's career. A knights title is related to whatever is considered the knight's most impressive accomplishments. However, when a knight commits a dishonorable act, their title changes to reflect this loss of face (Ch 218)

## Trivia and Notes

### Trivia

* The name and crest come from the Cuphead game.