Post by Josh on Nov 22, 2014 14:05:37 GMT -5
The Code of Chivalry
All knights swear to uphold the following code:
- To serve the liege lord in valor and faith
- To protect the weak and defenseless
- To give succor to widows and orphans
- To refrain from the wanton giving of offense
- To live by honor and for glory
- To despise pecuniary reward
- To fight for the welfare of all
- To obey those placed in authority
- To guard the honor of fellow knights
- To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit
- To keep faith
- At all times to speak the truth
- To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun
- To respect the honor of women
- Never to refuse a challenge from an equal
- Never to turn the back upon a foe
Any knight who fails to uphold the code or gives gross offense to the code may be imprisoned and/or dismissed from their knighthood.
All knights swear to uphold the following code:
- To serve the liege lord in valor and faith
- To protect the weak and defenseless
- To give succor to widows and orphans
- To refrain from the wanton giving of offense
- To live by honor and for glory
- To despise pecuniary reward
- To fight for the welfare of all
- To obey those placed in authority
- To guard the honor of fellow knights
- To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit
- To keep faith
- At all times to speak the truth
- To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun
- To respect the honor of women
- Never to refuse a challenge from an equal
- Never to turn the back upon a foe
Any knight who fails to uphold the code or gives gross offense to the code may be imprisoned and/or dismissed from their knighthood.
Obtaining Knighthood
Potential knights are usually selected from nobility and at a young age and start as a page to their knight mentor. The training the page includes fighting styles, use of weapons, military history, strategy and tactics, the Code, diplomacy, reasoning skills, courtly graces, and horse riding. The page will also be responsible for maintaining his mentor’s horse, weapons and armor. As the page grows older and more skilled, they will earn the rank of squire.
As a squire, they will continue their education and responsibilities. It is during this time that a squire selects his or her weapon of choice and becomes accustomed to their own armor. When the mentor feels the squire is ready, he or she is put through a rigorous series of tests that will examine the extent of their knowledge and skill. If successful, the squire becomes an apprentice knight.
At this point, the apprentice knight shall have their weapon, their armor and their horse. The mentor has no more to teach them and the apprentice must earn their spurs. This is typically accomplished through an act of gallantry, but an extraordinary service not involving combat may also be considered. Once a noble of appropriate rank has deemed them worthy, the apprentice knight receives pledges their loyalty and has earned their spurs.
From this point, a knight has a few options. They can remain in service to their lord, defending his or realm and carrying out justice. Another option is finding service elsewhere within the Kingdom, such as within the Order of the Clavigers.
The Order of the Clavigers
As stated elsewhere, the Royal Army is a small standing force devoted to the protection of the royal family and Bordelaix. The bulk of the Royal Army consists mostly of commoners, trained for their appropriate role. Within the Royal Army lies the Order of the Claviger, an elite order of knights that not only protect the royal family, but assume leadership roles within the Royal Army. Inductees into the order are either invited to join or apply to join. Regardless of which, they undergo a rigorous exam and if accepted, they are assigned to a senior knight of the Order.
During this time, the knight shall confirm their specialty within the Order. Each specialty is headed by a Knight Captain, who reports directly to the Lord Marshal. The specialties include:
- Infantry leadership
- Royal Guard leadership
- Siege leadership
- Archery/Scout leadership
Once the knight has chosen his or her specialty, they are assigned to the appropriate mentor to complete their training. Once the training is complete, the apprentice knight undergoes another series of trials to prove their mastery. If they succeed, they are admitted into the Order. Knights of the Order are often given command positions pertaining to their specialty where they are responsible for the command, administration and training of companies.
Potential knights are usually selected from nobility and at a young age and start as a page to their knight mentor. The training the page includes fighting styles, use of weapons, military history, strategy and tactics, the Code, diplomacy, reasoning skills, courtly graces, and horse riding. The page will also be responsible for maintaining his mentor’s horse, weapons and armor. As the page grows older and more skilled, they will earn the rank of squire.
As a squire, they will continue their education and responsibilities. It is during this time that a squire selects his or her weapon of choice and becomes accustomed to their own armor. When the mentor feels the squire is ready, he or she is put through a rigorous series of tests that will examine the extent of their knowledge and skill. If successful, the squire becomes an apprentice knight.
At this point, the apprentice knight shall have their weapon, their armor and their horse. The mentor has no more to teach them and the apprentice must earn their spurs. This is typically accomplished through an act of gallantry, but an extraordinary service not involving combat may also be considered. Once a noble of appropriate rank has deemed them worthy, the apprentice knight receives pledges their loyalty and has earned their spurs.
From this point, a knight has a few options. They can remain in service to their lord, defending his or realm and carrying out justice. Another option is finding service elsewhere within the Kingdom, such as within the Order of the Clavigers.
The Order of the Clavigers
As stated elsewhere, the Royal Army is a small standing force devoted to the protection of the royal family and Bordelaix. The bulk of the Royal Army consists mostly of commoners, trained for their appropriate role. Within the Royal Army lies the Order of the Claviger, an elite order of knights that not only protect the royal family, but assume leadership roles within the Royal Army. Inductees into the order are either invited to join or apply to join. Regardless of which, they undergo a rigorous exam and if accepted, they are assigned to a senior knight of the Order.
During this time, the knight shall confirm their specialty within the Order. Each specialty is headed by a Knight Captain, who reports directly to the Lord Marshal. The specialties include:
- Infantry leadership
- Royal Guard leadership
- Siege leadership
- Archery/Scout leadership
Once the knight has chosen his or her specialty, they are assigned to the appropriate mentor to complete their training. Once the training is complete, the apprentice knight undergoes another series of trials to prove their mastery. If they succeed, they are admitted into the Order. Knights of the Order are often given command positions pertaining to their specialty where they are responsible for the command, administration and training of companies.