1. Overview
The Knights of Fireoath were once a storied and formidable order, created to defend Siar’Morrin from demonic corruption and the influence of the Vices. In their early years they were hailed as noble protectors, a beacon of hope in times of chaos. Over the centuries, however, their methods grew increasingly harsh and xenophobic. By the dawn of the Age of Darkness (AoD), their once-gallant reputation had been eclipsed by fear, as they pursued their mission with ruthless fanaticism. Their dramatic fall from grace ended in their presumed destruction, leaving only ruins and legends of their firebound zeal.
- Type: Knightly Order
- Base of Operations: Fortress Pyrehold, eastern edge of the Ridgeback Mountains
- Core Purpose/Focus: Eradication of demonic influence and the corruption of the Vices, often through uncompromising violence.
- Reputation: Once admired as heroes, later reviled as zealots whose methods sowed fear as much as they offered protection.
- Symbol: A flaming sword buried in a black heart.
2. History
Founded during the Age of War, the Knights of Fireoath arose to battle the growing spread of the Vices amid an age of suffering and strife. Their strict code of conduct and early victories brought them widespread admiration, earning the trust of kings, priests, and common folk alike. For centuries they embodied the ideal of righteous defence.
Yet with time, their cause darkened. Their campaigns became marked by brutality, their code twisted into a justification for excess zeal. The burning of Nordholt and the near-extermination of the Centaurs of Hybla Gratis stand as grim examples of their descent into mercilessness. By the Age of Darkness, the order’s name evoked fear as much as faith. Many believe their fortress and their order alike were consumed in that era’s chaos, destroyed by the very forces they had once sworn to resist.
3. Structure & Organization
The Knights were governed by a rigid and hierarchical command system:
- High Paladin: The supreme leader of the order, chosen for zealous devotion and uncompromising adherence to the creed.
- Paladins of the Flame: Senior commanders responsible for overseeing crusades and maintaining doctrinal purity.
- Firebound Knights: The backbone of the order, sworn warriors who dedicated their lives to the eradication of perceived corruption.
- Initiates: Aspirants trained in both martial discipline and ideological doctrine, gradually hardened into the order’s fanatic worldview.
4. Culture & Practices
The Knights of Fireoath cultivated a culture of fanatical devotion and unyielding discipline. Their guiding creed held that the eradication of evil justified all means, no matter how severe. To them, mercy was weakness, and compromise an opening for corruption to spread.
Life within the order was harsh and ascetic. Members trained relentlessly, purged worldly attachments, and embraced fire as both a weapon and a symbol of purification. Over centuries, this creed hardened into zealotry, transforming once-honourable traditions into rituals of uncompromising severity. While their origins lay in noble intentions, the relentless pursuit of their cause drove them to extremes that alienated allies and horrified those they once defended.
5. Key Figures
- High Paladin Solomon Khalifa: The final known leader of the Knights during the Age of Darkness. Following the burning of Nordholt he became a despondent leader, relegating duties to the paladins beneath him.
Most names have been forgotten, or purged from history following the Age of Darkness.
6. Geographic Influence
- Areas of Operation: Primarily active around the borders between north and eastern Siar’Morrin, launching campaigns north and south from their mountain stronghold.
- Allies & Enemies:
- Enemies: Any that would give quarter to the Vices in any regard.
7. Resources & Capabilities
- Military Strength: Unknown
- Economic Power: Unknown
- Special Assets: Accounts claim the Paladin wielded relics imbued with holy fire, capable of incredible destruction.