Knights of Solamnia
The Knights of Solamnia were once the greatest order of chivalry in all the history of Krynn. This historic organization was founded approximately 2,000 years ago, by a human named Vinas Solamnus, a noble warrior visited by the gods Paladine, Kiri-Jolith, and Habbakuk, the patron gods of the Knighthood. Now their entire way of life shifts in precarious balance between the Code of Honor and the truth of what the world has become.
Disclaimer
The Oath and Measure
Organization of the Knighthood
The Order of the Crown
The Order of the Sword
The Order of the Rose
Some famous and (infamous) Knights of Solamnia
The Oath and the Measure
The organization of the Knights has not changed substantially in the last 1,800 years. The Knights subscribe to two codes: The Oath and the Measure. The Oath is simply: "Est Sularus oth Mithas"--"My Honor is My Life." The Measure is an extensive set of codes, many volumes in length, the purpose of which is to define "honor." The Measure is complicated and exacting, consisting of thirty-seven 300-page volumes.
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The Organization of the Knighthood
The Knights are led by the Grand Master, who sits in judgement on matters of importance to the Knights and, subsequently, the nation of Solamnia as a whole. Below him are three posts: the High Warrior, the High Clerist, and the High Justice, each representing the three major Orders of the Knights. They are, according to the Measure, the embodiments of honor, Wisdom, and Loyalty. All three rule the entire knighthood jointly, though they govern the tree orders of Solamnia.
There are three orders of knights. All knights start out as Squires of the Crown. After they actually achieve knighthood, they may move onto the Order of the Sword if they meet certain requirements. After they reach a certain skill level as a Knight of the Sword, some few may move onto the Order of the Rose.
Each order has a specific Virtue which the knights must study and adhere to. They are detailed below.
Knights of the Crown
This is a training order. Along with general knighthood training, Knights of the Crown study they Virtue of Loyalty. This is the least demanding order.
Knights of the Sword
Knights who wish to enter the Order of the Sword must first complete a quest. This is the most popular order. The Virtue of the Order of the Sword is Honor.
Knights of the Rose
Knights who wish to enter the Order of the Rose must go before a council and relate tales of himself and his family. The political power of the Knights rests within the Order of the Rose. The Virtue of the Order of the Rose is Justice.
The three Orders of the Knights of Solamnia are named the Rose (honor), the Sword (wisdom), and the Crown (loyalty). Squires accepted into the Knights of Solamnia enter under the Order of the Crown, learning the laws and codes of loyalty first. They then must demonstrate their acceptance of the codes of that Order before progressing to the Order of the Sword. Entry into the Order of the Rose, the highest-ranked order, can be attained only by nobility; however, this rule has become more lenient in recent years.
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The Order of the Crown
All knights begin here with training in the virtue of loyalty. The Order of the Crown takes its Measure from affairs of Loyaty and obedience to authority of the greater Knighthood through its Hight Councils and commanders. Examples of such acts: unquestioned obedience to those whose authority is maintained in the Knightly Councils; dedication to the ideals of the Measure; loyalty to Knights of all Orders; and all other acts that cause the strenghtening of loyalty among the Knights. Loyalty is the unquestioned promise of a Knight to a higher power and authority. Loyalty is a treasure valued only when it justly given. Those to whom loyalty is due include the following: Habbakuk and all that is good, those oppressed by evil, and those monarchs who by decree and common consent of the Dnightly Councils are in good standing with the Knighthood and deserving of its honorable loyalty and protection.
Responsibilities of a Knight of the Crown: forfeiture of 10% of all wealth accrued by the Knight, service and aid to any fellow Knight who is about the business of his order and requires assistance, service to the kingdoms on the List of Loyalty as compiled by the Grand Circle of Knights.
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The Order of the Sword
Upon completing his squire duties in the Order of the Crown, each Knight candidate has the option of either entering that order and continuing allegiance to that group and its ideals or of entering into the Order of the Sword. A knight who wishes to advance into the ranks of the Order of the Rose must first rise through the Order of the Sword. In addition, every candidate who wishes to join the Order of the Sword must first complete a quest. According to the Measure, the test must be a witnessed deed of heroism and valor that upholds the virtues of a Knightly honor and good.
The Order of the Sword takes it Measure from affairs of curage and heroics. Examples of such acts are: facing evil without regard to personal suffering; accepting the challenge of combat for the honor of the Knighthood; defending the honor of Knighthood; defending the honor of a fellow Knight; protecting the defenseless. Courage is sacrifice to the ideals of honor; it is the well from which true honor draws its life. Heroism includes acts of might in defense of sacrifice and honor. Those to whom honor is due include the following: the weak and the oppressed, the enslaved, the poor, the falsely imprisoned, fellow Knights in need, and the defenseless.
Responsibilities of Knight of the Sword: forfeiture to the coffers of the Knighthood of all wealth save that required for upkeep, pay homage to the gods each day (though in times of great hardship, once in a quartermonth is still a seemly practice), never decline combat with an evil opponent nor flee from such combat regardless of the strength of the enemy, protect the weak and the defenseless wherever the need arises, abstain forever from the use of Knightly powers for unrighteous reasons.
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The Order of the Rose
The Order of the Rose takes its Measure from deeds of wisdom and justice. Examples of such deeds are: taking compassion on the less fortunate; sacrificing one's life for the sake of others; taking no thought to one's own safety in defense of the Measure; protecting the lives of fellow Knights; seeing that no life is wasted in vain. Wisdom is the strength of honor and ability applied in the service of just causes. Justice is the heart of the Measure and the soul of a Rose Knight. All beings regardless of their stations, positions, or beliefs have equal claim to compassion under the Measure.
Responsibilities of a Knight of the Rose: forfeiture of all wealth accrued as a Knight save for that needed for the upkeep of any principalities under the protection of the Knighthood, to honor the gods of good at all times and in all acts, tofight for justice without regard to personal safety or comfort, to never submit to any evil foe, to sacrifice all in the name of honor.
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Famous (and Infamous) Knights of Solamnia
Bedal Brightblade
A knight from the Age of Dreams, Bedal was a hero said to have fought the desert nomads to a standstill, holding a pass into Solamnia singlehandedly until help came. His sword Brightblade was said to be of dwarven make and never rusted or dulled despite much use. It is rumored that Bedal will return to aid Solamnia in its time of need.
Sturm Brightblade
Tragic hero of the War of the Lance, Sturm died in the battle of the High Clerist's Tower. He was a member of the party that recovered a Dragon Orb from Icereach, and some have credited him with restoring some of the glory to the Knighthood, which had fallen into ill-repute following the Cataclysm. It is possible that he was a distant relative of Bedal Brightblade.
Huma Dragonbane
Huma, known as the most perfect of the Knights, gathered together a group of heroes to detroy the dragons and drive them from the lands of Solamnia during the Second Dragon war, in the Age of Light. Much of Huma's story is now fragmented, and Huma is a character of legend. Many now doubt that he even existed. The story of Huma's last battle with the Queen of Darkness is still told, however, along with the tragic love Huma bore for a silver dragon.
Huma was able to slay the evil dragonleader with the silver dragon's help, but in doing so he sustained a mortal wound. With the use of a legendary dragonlance, Huma was able to seal Takhisis into the Abyss, preventing her from entering Krynn.
Rennard the Oathbreaker
Rennard trained Huma in the ways of the Knighthood, after the death of Huma's father. It was discovered that Rennard was in fact a member of the secret cult of Morgion, god of disease and decay. Rennard was responsible for the mysterious deaths of one Grand Master and attempted to murder his successor in addition to spreading cases of the plague throughout various areas of the Knighthood. Rather than face a trial by a Knightly council, Rennard slit his throat with his own blade when confronted by Huma.
Lord Soth of Dargaard Keep, Knight of the Black Rose
Lord Soth was a Knight of the Rose in the perilous years prior to the Cataclysm. Although he wore the bright armor of the Order of the Rose, he had dark secrets to keep. Having fallen in love with an elven woman, he secretly murdered his first wife, claiming she had died in childbirth. The child of the elven woman became his heir, and he claimed the elf as his lawful wife. When warned of the impending Cataclysm, Soth and his knights rode forth. Waiting for him were a group of elven clerical women who knew of his dark deeds and persuaded him to turn back with taunts of the unfaithfulness of his elven bride. As Soth reached his castle, the Cataclysm struck...in a mad rage, Soth allowed his wife and young son to perish in the flames that consumed his castle.
Soth was cursed with undeath, sentenced to spend eternity in the form of a death knight. His Knights, blind in their obedience to his will, remain with him still as skeleton warriors. The elven clerics reside there as well--banshees who sing each night to the fallen Knight of Solamnia, telling of his fallen and never-ending punishment.
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Information on this page has been borrowed from varous DragonLance resources, all copyrighted by TSR. No copyright infringement is intended. The sole purpose of this page is to provide people with information for the DragonLance campaign setting. No profit, or gain is earned by the keeper of this page.
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