Chivalric Orders

A military order is only considered chivalric if it adheres to a knights code, has the political backing of a state, and receives recognition from other orders. If a military order also harbors secrets then it is considered a guild.


 * 1) Origin: The first knights emerged from the primordial chaos and were given their mandate by Jesus through his servant, St. Clotilda. St. Clotilda named her order the Knights of Jerusalem and charged them with protecting her people. Under the Clotildans, the order's soldiers were the only warriors considered knights. It was a warrior elite that rapidly outgrew its original mission while simultaneously unable to effectively safeguard the many problem areas of the empire. The original order was split into many different orders all sharing the same code of conduct.
 * 2) Diffusion: Over time many chivalric orders expanded, went extinct, or no longer had a mission to fulfill. The Blessed Knights originally functioned as a bodyguard for the Clotildan royal family. However as the line declined the knights found themselves with few tasks. Because of their closeness to the empress, they were frequently tasked with diplomatic missions or as guards for visiting dignitaries. By the time the last Clotildan died they were formally dedicated to functioning as a diplomatic core and guard for diplomatic affairs. In sharp contrast to this was the Order of Wayfarers, who aided pilgrims en route to the Heart's Cradle. However by the start of the High Clotildan era pilgrims were safe inside the empire and the order quickly lost relevance. Some orders became defunct while still retaining their political power. For example, the Redhill Knights were charged with guarding Clotildan relics that were later relocated to the capital. The fortress of Redhill had grown into a city and the title of grand master was passed on hereditary.

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