The Knights of the Tower

The Knights of the Tower were an organisation of warriors sworn to protect the Mythanorian Empire. After the fall of the Mythanorian Empire, Athîn tasked the order with protecting Carg-Athîn.

> Akhdaar akhaYotuun lahaamatu tasaghriiratu tazayiiratu
>
> - Motto of the Knights of the Tower

## The Knights of the Tower

The flag of the Tower Knights while under the Mythanorian Empire

## Membership

### Race(s)

Mostly Humans (Cityborn) with a moderate number of High Esmerans and half-Esmerans

## Relationships

### Allies

League of Seven Cities, Carg-Athîn (former), Mythanorian Empire (former)

## Organisation

When they were founded, the Knights were led by their founder, the Mythanorian king, Arshama the Great. However, upon his death, he created a new office: the King's Own. This position was occupied by whoever located the sword Wayfinder, which Arshama hid. It was three years before the first King's Own found the blade. While the King's Own was the leader of the Knights, he was also charged with personally serving the Mythanorian crown. Periodically, Wayfinder would lead its wielder to a location it deemed important. During the War of One Thousand Storms, there was no King's Own, leading to much internal political strife.

After the Slaughter of the Keredhwain and the loss of Wayfinder, the King's Own was appointed by the emperor. When Athîn rebuilt the order, he maintained this procedure. It remained this way until the fall of Carg-Athîn, when the Knights of the Tower became members of the League of Seven Cities. Since there was no ruler to appoint the King's Own, it became the task of the King's Own to appoint his successor. In the case of the King's Own being slain in battle, the Knight Elders would vote amongst themselves on their new leader.

The council of Knight Elders served as a secondary method of leadership. If a Knight Elder disagreed with the course of action ordered by the King's Own, he could raise a vote among the other Elders. If they were unanimous in their disagreement, they could override the King's Own's commands. In addition, if the King's Own could not be consulted (e.g during a siege), the Knight Elders present were granted full authority over other members of the order present.

After the death of Arshama, the position of Relickeeper was created by the council of Elders. The task of the Relickeeper was to take care of Arshama's shield, Light's Protector. However, since it was Arshama's wish for his son to inherit the shield, it became customary for the Relickeeper to loan the new ruler the shield until his death. Over time, the order acquired other relics, which were given to the Relickeeper for protection.

## Activities

During times of peace, the Knights of the Tower served as mediators across the land, dealing with disputes and putting down minor rebellions. Also, two knights were always assigned to the imperial palace to serve as the emperor's bodyguards.

During wartime, the Knights served as one of the most elite units in the Mythanorian army. Usually, they were scattered and assigned to many different divisions, but for crucial battles, they would be united as fight as their own company.

## Tactics

The Knights were often dispatched in groups of one to five, with any group of three or more being led by a Knight Elder. They focused on fighting against larger numbers while protecting their weaker allies.

## Base of Operations

Early in the days of the Mythanorian Empire, the Knights were based in Avasa-Adar, but they soon decided to rebuild the Dwarven stronghold of Duraak Gil.

## Possessions

Under Arshama's watchful eye, the scholar Alkhiir bin Qayaam created the first Warden's Shield, an animated shield that could be sent to protect beings other than its wielder. These were given to the Knights of the Tower. However, sometime shortly before the fall of Carg-Athîn, when the order's ranks were rapidly expanded, the shields fell out of use. Instead, massive tower shields designed to be planted in the ground behind the wielder were issued to the Knights.

### Wayfinder

Arshama's sword, Wayfinder, was given to the order as the means of determining the King's Own. While it was considered a relic of the order, it was never placed under the protection of the Relickeeper.

### The Fragments of Eyegouger

Soon after Arshama's death, a merchant approached the Knights with a box he claimed to have purchased from a treasure hunter. The box contained a broken spear which matched the description of Arshama's spear. According to legend, his spear was destroyed by Zayiir after it blinded the god in one eye. The fragments were purchased by the order, who affixed the box to a standard and named the spear Eyegouger. In the darkest of times, the Relickeeper would carry the standard into battle to inspire morale in the Knights. The relic was nearly lost in the War of One Thousand Storms when Duraak Gil fell to the Gar Dor Confederation, but the Relickeeper used the fragments to fight his way out of the city. This only strengthened the belief that the fragments contained divine power.

## History

### Swearing Allegiance to Carg-Athîn

After the fall of the Mythanorian Empire in AA2037, the surviving Knights went into hiding among the cairns and barrows of the Dwarves, led by Relickeeper Umran. For three years, they argued over how to drive the invaders from their home. The discussions reached a climax when the Zathi Empire invaded Carg-Athîn. The Knights were overjoyed by this event. They could aid their old allies and rebuild the empire. However, Umran received a vision from the goddess Saerni, begging him for peace. She told him that the remnants of the empire were too weak to ever build a lasting nation again. If they drove the Athînians from the land, the land would be in constant turmoil. Carg-Athîn had the potential to be strong and bring prosperity to the land for many years. The next morning, Umran revealed his vision to the other Knights. When he told them he planned to protect Carg-Athîn from the Zathi invaders, they were dismayed. Despite this, they were not willing to stand against a goddess's word. They rode to the southern coast, where Athîn and his bodyguard were trapped by a Zathi company. They arrived just in time, using their shields to deflect a blow that would have killed Athîn. As they raised their battlecry, both sides waited to see whose side the newcomers were on, afraid of the Knights' fervor and zeal. As the Knights charged towards the Zathi, Umran raising the fragments of Eyegouger high, Athîn rallied his men, and their combined forces forced the Zathi to retreat. Umran approached the king and knelt, causing his men to do the same. They swore an oath to protect Carg-Athîn for as long as it should stand. Athîn accepted their oath and commanded them to follow it to the best of their ability. In gratitude for saving his life, he gave them permission and the resources to rebuild their headquarters at Duraak Gil. Finally, seeing as they no longer had the means to determine a new King's Own, he appointed Umran to fill that role.

## Members

### Leaders

• Arshama the Great

• Namiki

• Tadaam ben Waarun

• Umran of the Cairns

• Uzbar Pyke

• Lynandor the Immortal