Laira Darkhold
Well-Known Member
KNIGHTS OF ALDERAAN
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: To add a bit of flavor to Alderaan's military and culture
Image Source: Here | Here | Here | Here
Role: The Knights are a military/warrior component of the developing culture of Alderaan
Links:
Group Name: The Knights of Alderaan
Classification: Military Organization
Headquarters: Alderaan | New Aldera Royal Palace
Loyalties: Monarch of Alderaan | Royal Houses of Alderaan
Sigil: N/A
DESCRIPTION
The Knights of Alderaan are a professional military drawn from Alderaani citizens with who volunteer and take the oaths of Knighthood. The title is granted to them upon completion of training and an individual's Knighting and they will hold it for their lives under most circumstances. The Title of Knight is prestigious enough and one held in such high regard that even some high ranking nobles and heads of houses prefer use Ser rather than Duke or Count once they have earned the prefix to their name. In many cases, the service of a Knight is often very long and many never return to their houses either because they have no inheritance to accept from their parents or because they prefer the honorable military service to politics. Those that do return to their Houses or families are sought after by their nobles as officers and leaders of their House guard, or to mentor their heirs. Many find retirement restless and seek out some form of peacetime duty to occupy themselves such as training militia or the children of the noble family.
The Three Orders
In battle, the Knights are organized by their orders, their duties handed down to them by the Order's creed and the Knight-Commanders organizing the Circles of knights. In peacetime, Knight Circles are much more loosely organized, often questing as they please on Alderaan and in the wider Galaxy so long as there is a presence of Knights on the Planet and in the system.
The Order of the Sword, the largest Order of Knights, patrols the system and the planet's surface, trekking into the wilderness to fight Yuuzhan Vong remnants, Killik hives that have become dangerous and hostile to the Alderaanian people, and fight other such beasts. They will sally forth from the cities to defend Alderaan, fighting in space and on the plains against their enemies, sometimes leading battalions of soldiers into combat.
The Order of the Shield claims protection over the Cities of Alderaan, primarily its people. In battle, they remain vigilant on the walls, in the streets, in the skies above, fighting to protect the homes and populations of the planet. They do not leave the city when it is under attack, remaining as the last and strongest line of defense for the people of Alderaan.
The Order of the Lance is responsible for defending Alderaan's heritage, defending the history of the planet, its monuments that represent the people of Alderaan and all those that have sacrificed before them to ensure it lives on. The Knights of the Lance are the most notorious questing Knights, known for riding out to slay a beast and return its head as a trophy. Because of this, they have an aura of pride around them, preferring to bask in the fanfare of their comings and goings from a city rather than the more humble knights.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Hierarchy: Officially, they are commanded by the reigning monarch of Alderaan though the planet and population holds their ultimate loyalty. However in practice the Knights are commanded by a small unofficial Knight Council consisting of several of the most experienced members of each order, Commanders, Captains, sometimes even scribes or elderly members no longer able to join in combat. This Council elects one of their own to serve alongside the Monarchy, the Knight-Marshal, as an adviser and commander in times of war, and as a mentor to the ruler during peace. Often the Knight-Marshal will sit on an advisory council to the reigning queen or king for their entire term, even during peace time. It is their duty to ensure the Knights are properly funded and trained, that they have the equipment and experience to defend the planet, and to organize and prioritize the three Orders in battle.
Knight-Commanders are the battlefield commanders, officers of the Knight Order who see to the direct defense of the Planet and its people, guarding its heritage. They are often elderly by the time they attain this honored position, however it is not unheard of for young men to display such an aptitude for knighthood that they rise through the ranks swiftly. The duties of the Knight-Commanders are split, having to fulfill their Order's needs by overseeing logistical processing, maintaining the armory and strongholds the Knights use, ensuring the training the next generation is receiving is exceptional, as well as their battle duties. In battle a Knight-Commander may lead from the front, gathering up Knights and soldiers to fight or they may find themselves in a Mission Control Room, directing forces from afar.
Knight-Captains are normally temporary positions granted for a single battle or campaign, though it is not unheard of for a particularly skilled or veteran Knight to maintain this position for a considerable length of time. Knight-Captains are senior officers placed in command of several Circles of Knights and auxiliaries from the Royal Army. Knight-Captains are sometimes taken as apprentices by their more senior counterparts to assist as a second-in-command.
Additionally, some Knight-Captains receive special ranks or titles in regards to their specific duty to the Order. Knight-Seneschal is often regarded as the second-in-command of a Stronghold or Fortress, normally responsible for seeing to the daily operation of that Stronghold. The Knight-Champion would be considered the greatest warrior or combatant of the Order, recognized for their talent with the title and having a sword added to the background of their heraldry. Master of the Armory, Master of Lore, and Master of Rites see to the preservation of the Order's weapons, history and deeds, and the training and recruitment of new Neophytes respectively.
A Knight-Praetor is the leader of a single Circle of Knights in battle. They may be assigned command over elements of the Royal Military, they may be ordered into battle or patrol alone, or they may have other responsibilities. Additionally, some Knights are dubbed Paladins instead of Praetor, preferring to operate individually rather than leading units.
The Knights of Alderaan are full-fledged members of one of the Three Orders, veterans in their own right from rigorous training and experience in the field during numerous conflicts that have taken place on Alderaan. Each warrior is trained in unarmed combat, mounted combat, with lances, swords, rifles, shields and a number of other weapons. Some show natural talent for Starfighter combat and are pulled in that direction, making use of Alderaanian fighters in combat and on parade. However, outside of combat many are artists of some sort, writing poetry, painting, making music in an attempt to be well rounded, showing the noble side of Alderaan just as they represent the martial side of the people as well. In fact the Knights place an emphasis on being more than just warriors, encouraging their members to do so, incorporating it into their training. They are organized into Circles, a small group of knights, between eight and thirty-six Knights rather than large companies of warriors.
Neophytes are the uninitiated members of the Knights of Alderaan. Normally younger men and women, though sometimes pre-teens and teenagers also join the order for one reason or another. Unlike the Knights themselves, Neophytes are not separated into the three orders but are trained as whole groups and allowed to focus on those things they show talent or aspiration for, such as mounted combat, sword-fighting, or starfighter piloting during their youth and lengthy training. When they have completed their training they are allowed to seek out a Knight Master to squire under. Some are approached by Knights, others must seek out a willing master, and some choose to prove themselves to a specific Knight. At this point they are joined to the Order of their Master and serve under that Order and Knight in battle and in peace time until they are knighted.
Membership: The Knightly Orders of Alderaan are open to anyone wishing to attempt to join and struggle through the ordeals as a Neophyte. Each Fortress and Stronghold has its own traditions, but the concept of weeding out the weak of will within the first few days is common place. While technically volunteers are the only ones permitted, some younger children of nobles are forced to strive for Knighthood by their families.
The rigorous training, education, and trials of conduct normally take place over years rather than months starting during a child's puberty, though it is not unheard of for older men and women to seek entry to the Orders. After completing the many obstacles, both physical and mental, a young warrior is then taken as a squire or apprentice to an experienced Knight where they received one on one mentoring in and out of combat. Once the Knight Master is satisfied, the apprentice must then complete a trial of Knighthood, which has traditional components and components their Knight Master designs to test them on the weakest parts of their character and ability.
Doctrines: The Knights of Alderaan, while a professional military with some members who bear the title for their lifetimes, are not the typical standing military soldiers normally associated with modern armies. Instead they are known to receive fanfare, go questing, and hold tournaments more akin to Medieval or Feudal cultures interpretation of Knighthood. Their creed in combat is to defend the planet of Alderaan, its people, and its heritage through their military service, rather than the waging of war and destruction of the Monarchy's enemies. In this they are ultimately loyal to Alderaan itself rather than the Throne, however they have formed a close relationship with the planet's monarchs. Unlike many, the Knights of Alderaan strive to uphold a style of traditional chivalry and honor, conducting themselves in such a manner, even going so far as to refuse orders that may act against their warrior's code and morals.
In battle they will form small units of heavily armored cavalry or heavy infantry, making use of speeder bikes in most cases to traverse cityscapes, wilderness, and mountains. Destrier-class Speeders are able to preform high-altitude missions allowing the Knights to be light escorts alongside diplomatic visitors or personnel within the planet's atmosphere as well as perform lightning strike attacks against enemy formations. They will also form Starfighter squadrons, patrolling the system, flying air support, or as escorts for important ships.
For more ceremonial purposes the Knights wear more ceremonial garb over their traditional armor. Pieces of heraldry and favors often adorn the Knight's themselves, their combat mounts are replaced with Horses or Thranta fitted with barding and caparisons bearing the Knight's colors, the sigil of their House, and their own personal heraldry.
Equipment:
Goals: Each Knight strives to defend the cultural honor and nobility of the Planet they represent, the people they serve, and the monarch they are commanded by, be it on the soil, in the sky, or among the stars.
MEMBERS
Order of the Wolf-Cat
Order of the Flame
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
After the destruction of Alderaan the surviving Alderaani became estranged, many leaving and wandering the galaxy without a home. Some settled on New Alderaan while others became members of the New Republic such as Leia Organa and Tycho Celchu. Tycho Celchu, a renowned pilot for the New Republic who served in Rogue Squadron throughout the Galactic Civil War, Yuuzhan Vong, Swarm, and Second Galactic Civil wars, was said to be the first Knight of Alderaan, though much of its traditions can be traced back to the Old Republic.
When Alderaan was rebuilt in 424 ABY, the ideal of the Knightly Orders remained in a small percentage of the populace and for the following centuries provided some effort to maintain order throughout the Gulag Plague under many regimes, nobles, and attempts to rule over the plague stricken planet. The Long Night saw the rise of the Knightly Orders but they were not unified for years to come. Several cold wars between houses during the Long Night were fought by the Knights until they coalesced into a single group under the Monarch of Alderaan just before the end of the Gulag Plague era.
Originally numbers were very low, more or less small groups of professional soldiers aligned to each of the Great Houses. Even during the wars leading up to the One Sith's invasion of the planet, the Knightly Orders were few in number. Following Queen Arianna Organa's re-establishment of the Monarchy after the occupation of the One Sith there was a local renaissance which included a explosion of volunteers to the Knightly Orders which were reorganized into three main groups each with their own doctrine in how to defend and protect the people and culture of the planet holding ultimate loyalty to the Throne.
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: To add a bit of flavor to Alderaan's military and culture
Image Source: Here | Here | Here | Here
Role: The Knights are a military/warrior component of the developing culture of Alderaan
Links:
- Independence Day (Royal House of Alderaan vs Mandalorian Clans)
- Investing in the Future
- Don't let me be Misunderstood
Group Name: The Knights of Alderaan
Classification: Military Organization
Headquarters: Alderaan | New Aldera Royal Palace
Loyalties: Monarch of Alderaan | Royal Houses of Alderaan
Sigil: N/A
DESCRIPTION
The Knights of Alderaan are a professional military drawn from Alderaani citizens with who volunteer and take the oaths of Knighthood. The title is granted to them upon completion of training and an individual's Knighting and they will hold it for their lives under most circumstances. The Title of Knight is prestigious enough and one held in such high regard that even some high ranking nobles and heads of houses prefer use Ser rather than Duke or Count once they have earned the prefix to their name. In many cases, the service of a Knight is often very long and many never return to their houses either because they have no inheritance to accept from their parents or because they prefer the honorable military service to politics. Those that do return to their Houses or families are sought after by their nobles as officers and leaders of their House guard, or to mentor their heirs. Many find retirement restless and seek out some form of peacetime duty to occupy themselves such as training militia or the children of the noble family.
The Three Orders
In battle, the Knights are organized by their orders, their duties handed down to them by the Order's creed and the Knight-Commanders organizing the Circles of knights. In peacetime, Knight Circles are much more loosely organized, often questing as they please on Alderaan and in the wider Galaxy so long as there is a presence of Knights on the Planet and in the system.
The Order of the Sword, the largest Order of Knights, patrols the system and the planet's surface, trekking into the wilderness to fight Yuuzhan Vong remnants, Killik hives that have become dangerous and hostile to the Alderaanian people, and fight other such beasts. They will sally forth from the cities to defend Alderaan, fighting in space and on the plains against their enemies, sometimes leading battalions of soldiers into combat.
The Order of the Shield claims protection over the Cities of Alderaan, primarily its people. In battle, they remain vigilant on the walls, in the streets, in the skies above, fighting to protect the homes and populations of the planet. They do not leave the city when it is under attack, remaining as the last and strongest line of defense for the people of Alderaan.
The Order of the Lance is responsible for defending Alderaan's heritage, defending the history of the planet, its monuments that represent the people of Alderaan and all those that have sacrificed before them to ensure it lives on. The Knights of the Lance are the most notorious questing Knights, known for riding out to slay a beast and return its head as a trophy. Because of this, they have an aura of pride around them, preferring to bask in the fanfare of their comings and goings from a city rather than the more humble knights.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Hierarchy: Officially, they are commanded by the reigning monarch of Alderaan though the planet and population holds their ultimate loyalty. However in practice the Knights are commanded by a small unofficial Knight Council consisting of several of the most experienced members of each order, Commanders, Captains, sometimes even scribes or elderly members no longer able to join in combat. This Council elects one of their own to serve alongside the Monarchy, the Knight-Marshal, as an adviser and commander in times of war, and as a mentor to the ruler during peace. Often the Knight-Marshal will sit on an advisory council to the reigning queen or king for their entire term, even during peace time. It is their duty to ensure the Knights are properly funded and trained, that they have the equipment and experience to defend the planet, and to organize and prioritize the three Orders in battle.
Knight-Commanders are the battlefield commanders, officers of the Knight Order who see to the direct defense of the Planet and its people, guarding its heritage. They are often elderly by the time they attain this honored position, however it is not unheard of for young men to display such an aptitude for knighthood that they rise through the ranks swiftly. The duties of the Knight-Commanders are split, having to fulfill their Order's needs by overseeing logistical processing, maintaining the armory and strongholds the Knights use, ensuring the training the next generation is receiving is exceptional, as well as their battle duties. In battle a Knight-Commander may lead from the front, gathering up Knights and soldiers to fight or they may find themselves in a Mission Control Room, directing forces from afar.
Knight-Captains are normally temporary positions granted for a single battle or campaign, though it is not unheard of for a particularly skilled or veteran Knight to maintain this position for a considerable length of time. Knight-Captains are senior officers placed in command of several Circles of Knights and auxiliaries from the Royal Army. Knight-Captains are sometimes taken as apprentices by their more senior counterparts to assist as a second-in-command.
Additionally, some Knight-Captains receive special ranks or titles in regards to their specific duty to the Order. Knight-Seneschal is often regarded as the second-in-command of a Stronghold or Fortress, normally responsible for seeing to the daily operation of that Stronghold. The Knight-Champion would be considered the greatest warrior or combatant of the Order, recognized for their talent with the title and having a sword added to the background of their heraldry. Master of the Armory, Master of Lore, and Master of Rites see to the preservation of the Order's weapons, history and deeds, and the training and recruitment of new Neophytes respectively.
A Knight-Praetor is the leader of a single Circle of Knights in battle. They may be assigned command over elements of the Royal Military, they may be ordered into battle or patrol alone, or they may have other responsibilities. Additionally, some Knights are dubbed Paladins instead of Praetor, preferring to operate individually rather than leading units.
The Knights of Alderaan are full-fledged members of one of the Three Orders, veterans in their own right from rigorous training and experience in the field during numerous conflicts that have taken place on Alderaan. Each warrior is trained in unarmed combat, mounted combat, with lances, swords, rifles, shields and a number of other weapons. Some show natural talent for Starfighter combat and are pulled in that direction, making use of Alderaanian fighters in combat and on parade. However, outside of combat many are artists of some sort, writing poetry, painting, making music in an attempt to be well rounded, showing the noble side of Alderaan just as they represent the martial side of the people as well. In fact the Knights place an emphasis on being more than just warriors, encouraging their members to do so, incorporating it into their training. They are organized into Circles, a small group of knights, between eight and thirty-six Knights rather than large companies of warriors.
Neophytes are the uninitiated members of the Knights of Alderaan. Normally younger men and women, though sometimes pre-teens and teenagers also join the order for one reason or another. Unlike the Knights themselves, Neophytes are not separated into the three orders but are trained as whole groups and allowed to focus on those things they show talent or aspiration for, such as mounted combat, sword-fighting, or starfighter piloting during their youth and lengthy training. When they have completed their training they are allowed to seek out a Knight Master to squire under. Some are approached by Knights, others must seek out a willing master, and some choose to prove themselves to a specific Knight. At this point they are joined to the Order of their Master and serve under that Order and Knight in battle and in peace time until they are knighted.
Membership: The Knightly Orders of Alderaan are open to anyone wishing to attempt to join and struggle through the ordeals as a Neophyte. Each Fortress and Stronghold has its own traditions, but the concept of weeding out the weak of will within the first few days is common place. While technically volunteers are the only ones permitted, some younger children of nobles are forced to strive for Knighthood by their families.
The rigorous training, education, and trials of conduct normally take place over years rather than months starting during a child's puberty, though it is not unheard of for older men and women to seek entry to the Orders. After completing the many obstacles, both physical and mental, a young warrior is then taken as a squire or apprentice to an experienced Knight where they received one on one mentoring in and out of combat. Once the Knight Master is satisfied, the apprentice must then complete a trial of Knighthood, which has traditional components and components their Knight Master designs to test them on the weakest parts of their character and ability.
Doctrines: The Knights of Alderaan, while a professional military with some members who bear the title for their lifetimes, are not the typical standing military soldiers normally associated with modern armies. Instead they are known to receive fanfare, go questing, and hold tournaments more akin to Medieval or Feudal cultures interpretation of Knighthood. Their creed in combat is to defend the planet of Alderaan, its people, and its heritage through their military service, rather than the waging of war and destruction of the Monarchy's enemies. In this they are ultimately loyal to Alderaan itself rather than the Throne, however they have formed a close relationship with the planet's monarchs. Unlike many, the Knights of Alderaan strive to uphold a style of traditional chivalry and honor, conducting themselves in such a manner, even going so far as to refuse orders that may act against their warrior's code and morals.
In battle they will form small units of heavily armored cavalry or heavy infantry, making use of speeder bikes in most cases to traverse cityscapes, wilderness, and mountains. Destrier-class Speeders are able to preform high-altitude missions allowing the Knights to be light escorts alongside diplomatic visitors or personnel within the planet's atmosphere as well as perform lightning strike attacks against enemy formations. They will also form Starfighter squadrons, patrolling the system, flying air support, or as escorts for important ships.
For more ceremonial purposes the Knights wear more ceremonial garb over their traditional armor. Pieces of heraldry and favors often adorn the Knight's themselves, their combat mounts are replaced with Horses or Thranta fitted with barding and caparisons bearing the Knight's colors, the sigil of their House, and their own personal heraldry.
Equipment:
Armor
Primary Weapon (One per Knight)
Primary Weapon (One per Knight)
- Energy Lance
- Force Pike
- AE-BR1 Pulse Carbine
- Heavy Weapon (Optional)
- Lightfoil
- Dinu'ul
- PDW-M1 "Neutralizer"
- Up to Six Grenades
Goals: Each Knight strives to defend the cultural honor and nobility of the Planet they represent, the people they serve, and the monarch they are commanded by, be it on the soil, in the sky, or among the stars.
MEMBERS
Order of the Wolf-Cat
Order of the Flame
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
After the destruction of Alderaan the surviving Alderaani became estranged, many leaving and wandering the galaxy without a home. Some settled on New Alderaan while others became members of the New Republic such as Leia Organa and Tycho Celchu. Tycho Celchu, a renowned pilot for the New Republic who served in Rogue Squadron throughout the Galactic Civil War, Yuuzhan Vong, Swarm, and Second Galactic Civil wars, was said to be the first Knight of Alderaan, though much of its traditions can be traced back to the Old Republic.
When Alderaan was rebuilt in 424 ABY, the ideal of the Knightly Orders remained in a small percentage of the populace and for the following centuries provided some effort to maintain order throughout the Gulag Plague under many regimes, nobles, and attempts to rule over the plague stricken planet. The Long Night saw the rise of the Knightly Orders but they were not unified for years to come. Several cold wars between houses during the Long Night were fought by the Knights until they coalesced into a single group under the Monarch of Alderaan just before the end of the Gulag Plague era.
Originally numbers were very low, more or less small groups of professional soldiers aligned to each of the Great Houses. Even during the wars leading up to the One Sith's invasion of the planet, the Knightly Orders were few in number. Following Queen Arianna Organa's re-establishment of the Monarchy after the occupation of the One Sith there was a local renaissance which included a explosion of volunteers to the Knightly Orders which were reorganized into three main groups each with their own doctrine in how to defend and protect the people and culture of the planet holding ultimate loyalty to the Throne.
