Knightly Orders

## Galloglas

The Galloglas are one of the oldest knightly orders on Undriel. Dating back to the Empire of Uildía, they were the guardians and protectors of the Empire, tasked with ensuring peace and prosperity for all of the people. The Galloglas were famous for the great two-handed swords that they carried with them. The Galloglas suffered greatly during the great fall, the combination of having to try to stem the plagues combined with the constant rampages of the Fomori. The Galloglas lost a great many during the battle and could not guard the people as well as they should have. The people were angered by this and for a time the Galloglas fell out of favour. Their chance to redeem themselves in the eyes of the people came when Dechtíre led them to victory against the Fomori.

The Galloglas left with Dechtíre to form Caer Wyde and became the protectors of her domain. To this day the Galloglas maintain constant vigilance against intruders, waiting for the day that they will be called once again to protect the land from the evil of Balor and the Nechtan.

The Galloglas are easily identifiable by the great two-handed claymore that they carry, as much a symbol of their Order as their coat of arms. Their preferred colours are white and red, symbolic of the purity of their mission and their willingness to spill blood in the protection of the realm.

The Galloglas followed a very strict hierarchy, with both warriors, paladins and mages answering to the High Marshall, the master of their order. The order is then broken into three suborders, each with a specific focus.

The Legion of The Broken Sword are the largest order. They protect the cities and roads of Caer Wyde. They also act as bodyguards to dignitaries.

The Legion of The Owl are predominantly made up of scholars and mages. Their focus is defending the realm against threats of a magical nature as well as chronicle the history of the Galloglas. They also act as diplomats and representatives for the Galloglas.

The Legion of the Pyre are the monastic order of the Galloglas. It is primarily made up of worshippers of Dian Cecht and are specialists in the healing arts. They travel around Caer Wyde seeing to the sick and needy.

## Red Branch Knights

The Red Branch Knights are the knightly order of the Kingdom of Reynes. They serve the senate and the goddess Macha. The order is sworn to keep the lands of Reynes free from Fomori, a constant problem for them, given their proximity to one of the entryways to Teach Duinn. After The Great Fall, many Fomori fled into the dark forests that cover the land. The Red Branch Knights spent centuries working towards clearing them out, a challenge they have still yet to complete.

The Red Branch Knights are a comparatively small order, especially in comparison to the Galloglas.   However, they are a diverse group, taking in any who wish to defend the land from her enemies. Members of the order are encouraged to spend time outside the Kingdom of Reynes so that they can better understand the importance of their mission and to gather intelligence as to the plans of the Fomori.

A prospective applicant to join the order must prove themselves in battle with the Fomori. They must go deep into the forest and seek out an enemy worthy of the order. Once they have killed it, they return with the creature's head as proof.

The Red Branch Knights are respected throughout the land of Undriel as honourable warriors. There are a high number of Milesians as part of the Order, a result of the first meeting between the people of Reynes and the Muntaner clan in particular have a very strong presence in the order.

The order follows the Seneschal, who is the chosen representative of the Order. She is required to be one of great versatility, being competent in the arts of magic and the blade, as well as a competent negotiator, one who can speak with confidence on behalf of the Order and the Kingdom of Reynes.

## Fianna

The Fianna are a loosely affiliated group of warriors that came together during The Great Fall. They were groups of disparate warriors and mages, who began to attempt to protect the people from the violence and plague that had spread over Undriel. While Dechtíre and the Galloglas faced down the armies of the Fomori, the Fianna protected the people from those roaming bands that roamed the land.

The Fianna became the heroes of the people, and as their reputation increased others joined their cause. They focused on guerrilla tactics over the more standard forms of battle, often ambushing patrols and causing discord amongst the enemy. While there were a number of noble houses that were members of the order, the majority were from the towns that needed protection, the people who had stood up and said “no more!”. This created a very diverse group able to deal with a wide variety of combat situations.

The Fianna were identified by their banner, a crest worn on their clothing or shields. Their assistance was invaluable in helping keep the tides of the enemy at bay and allowing Dechtíre to focus on defeating Fódla and Clíodhna. In return for their work, Dechtíre petitioned the noble houses to recognize the Fianna as an Order of Knights.

To this day the order has continued to protect the people throughout Undriel. The descendants of those original members still populate the order, which remains relatively small in relation to the other orders of knights. They still continue to use the same tactics that were so successful during The Great Fall and focus heavily on scouts and rangers as the backbone of their force. They have surprisingly few cavalry troops and often prefer to dress in more versatile armor than the other orders.

Unlike the other orders, the Fianna are not as formalized as the other orders. The Council of Nine oversee the duties of the Fianna, each one in command of the knights in each city state. They work carefully so as not to come into conflict with the other knightly orders that are active within a given region. This has causes strain between the Fianna and the Galloglas around Caer Wyde, especially when both arrive to deal with the same problem.

## Knights of Glin

The Knights of Glin can trace their beginnings to the formation of the city-state of Hybrasil. This orders reputation is a dark one, rumours of their induine acts in the name of the King have spread amongst the other city-states. They are grim people, hidden behind the masks of their armour, which is redolent of the armour of the feared Conand during The Great Fall.

The Knights of Glin are merciless warriors, who show no mercy to their enemies. Indeed, there have been numerous occasions where they have faced off against other knightly orders for their excessive violence and acts of wanton slaughter.  They have ensured that few leave Hybrasil without permission of their lord.

It is said that the Aspirants of the order are put through a series of brutal tests, each one designed to strip their moral away and turn them into the ideal killing tools that are needed to perform the duties demanded of them by their King.

The Knights of Glin follow a very strict hierarchical system, where they spend periods

of time as apprentices to the various masters of the temple. They are required to have the skill to forge their own armour. The order believes that each knight must be self-sufficient and as their armour reflects this. If their armour fails them it is no one's fault but their own.

## The Order of The Morrígan

The Order of the Morrígan dates back to the beginnings of the Aes Sídhe and the Fomori. Certain Fomori embraced the art of violence to such an extent that they were blessed by the Morrígan, seen as a gift to the art of war. The Morrígan cared not for whom the war was committed, only that war is fought. These warriors were formed into an Order, dedicated to the worship of all aspects of warcraft and gifted with terrible skills and abilities by their patron deities.

Those that excelled were taken into the Dullahan, the elite cavalry of the Fomori. These dark paladins were the epitome of the ideals of the order, fighters without peer, capable of great feats of violence and warcraft. They were the front line during The Great Fall, leading their troops to victory time and time again.

Such is the strength and influence of the Order that it is said the aspirants for the Carman are chosen strictly from their ranks. This is because it is believed that they represent the most likely candidates to succeed in the brutal trials ahead.

The Order of The Morrígan follows a very strict code of conduct in and both out of the theatre of war. They cannot lie, their word is more than just a bond, if they make an oath, they must fulfill it or risk the displeasure of their patron deities. Those warriors who have broken their bonds are destined to fall upon the sword in their next battle. It is said that as long as a member of the Order of The Morrígan keeps their word, they can continue to fight, even when those wounds would have crippled a lesser man.