Fade Knights

*"I threw my phone across the entire fucking state when i saw these fucking ass faces on my phone." - Brandon Camden*

*"They became the reason for Zikore's coming nightmares, his anxiety, and his lost youth" - Dustin Sochacki*

 A mysterious band of phantasmal knights Elder Dragon Rider Kaiden Armov refers to as Fade Knights. Their origins originally unknown, but later discovered to be *Chaordic*. Their appearances began after the conjuration of the Divination anomaly during the *Dark Age* resurgence of *Tiamat*. They travel in small groups of roughly 6 to 12 and spread throughout the land while traversing the *Fade*. These knights could only be encountered in the Fade and they expressed extreme interest in purging all wisps, wraiths and other spiritual entities in the Fade.

*Arizu Valbis* and *Ghrolok Stonecrusher* first encountered a few Fade Knights while returning to Kaiden from an assignment in the *Cursed Barrens*. The two were traveling in the *Material Plane* at the time, but could see the knights with the use of their *Lens of Fade Sight*. The knights had followed the group for a short while before turning their attention elsewhere. A larger band of knights were encountered once more during the *Assault on Mount Spire*. Arizu and Ghrolok were being chased down by wraiths which the knights intervened and saved them. One of the knights turned to the group and whispered “Devourer” in sylvan tongue after extending its hand to grab them, but was cut down by a sudden appearance of Kaiden. Kaiden transported the two to safety and exterminated the knights that had saved them. The knights were seen once more after Arizu, *Darius Leopold*, Ghrolok and *Lucian* were exiting a temple near *Mount Spire* where a knight mysteriously materialized into the Material Plane after the nearby vicinity iced over in a winter cold. The knight appeared confused, but instantly noticed the party and charged to attack them. Their engagement revealed that the knight was impervious to many different attacks and the already weakened state of the group caused them to flee from the knight. Darius expressed that these knights were master swordsman for he could not land a single blow against them when he lured the knight away for the party’s escape. Kaiden later confirmed that these knights are extremely dangerous and should be avoided if encountered.

While tailing *Elder Dragon Rider Cassandra Teth*, Kaiden encountered the Fade Knights once more as they sprawled the *Hollow Islet*. Kaiden enabled *Faeynala*, *Talon* and *Zikore Raug* to escape before him which Cassandra ensured was a challenge. The Fade Knights delivered several blows to the party before they escaped the island. The Fade Knight’s sudden appearance is a mystery, but Kaiden began to believe that the Phoenixborn’s presence attracted them no matter where they were in the world.

The Fade Knights were attracted to the Phoenixborn's location after they initiated a ritual in *The* *Scar* where *Elder Dragon Rider Eras Yothyr* attempted to create more *Vithari*. The ritual resulted in catastrophe which lead the Fade Knights to sprawl the caves in massive numbers. The group only managed to escape the Fade Knights due to Eras teleporting them to the safety of *Caelum*.

During the transmutation anomaly, the Fade Knights appeared behind *Alexander Anderson*, *Alkil*, *Lanu Tengo* and *Zirilante* while observing the cataclysm from a vantage point. It was unknown to the group at the time, but the "blue guy" in their company was *Bhelumzar*. The Fade Knights fought with the party for a brief time where they eventually ceased to be diplomatic with Bhelumzar. They quickly transferred their material energy into him which restored Bhelumzar to his true material form: a Chaordic tryant and leader of the Fade Knights. It was revealed in this moment that the Fade Knights are actually agents of the Chaordic. The two forces clashed for a short time before the building they were on collapsed and the Phoenixborn teleported away to safety.