Knight Errant character - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Knight Errant character

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Charles_Phipps
Mar 09, 2005 17:26:14 An interesting situation has occurred in my campaign. There's always been an assumption in my games that the Knights of Solamnia are taken as 'normal' characters and Knight Errants are abnormal characters to be treated elsewhere.

However, I'm playing a Knight of the Crown in our campaign who has just has been definitely "errant" and while honorable, noble, and good...he's definitely been out of the Knighthood for the duration of the War of the Lance. now that its time to reveal his casting out story....I just realize I'd forgotten why.

I was curious what you'd think would be good way to good way to create Knight Errant's backgrounds that nevertheless kept the spirit of the Knights of Solamnia.

Basically, this is a thread for talking about "rogue" Knights of Solamnia and their benefits/flaws.
#2
Charles_Phipps
Mar 09, 2005 18:19:06 Some classic reasons to become a Knight Erranta are....

1. Accused of a Crime you didn't commit.

2. Committed a crime that needed to be done

3. Disobeyed an order that was outrageous

4. Committed a crime but are attempting to recant

5. Became deeply disillusioned

One of my personal inclinations is interested in those Knights of Solamnia who were corrupted to fight for the Dark Queen during the War of the Lance or may have joined the Knights of Takhasis. Other questions are those whom began to fight in an "unacceptable" manner during the Wars of the Lance and various other periods.
#3
cam_banks
Mar 09, 2005 20:29:01 In the time of the War of the Lance, being any sort of knight was difficult enough. There were very few left openly active in Solamnia at the time. Many had already fled their ancestral homes, which had been turned over to the commonfolk or burned down. There were only sixty-three knights by the time Sturm was brought before the council and held to judgement. That's a really, really small number. Small circles of knights and their squires and retainers, men-at-arms and cavalry officers, that was pretty much the might of Solamnia right there. Being an errant knight is far from unlikely - I'm certain it was the status quo outside of Sancrist.

Cheers,
Cam
#4
Charles_Phipps
Mar 10, 2005 16:36:14
In the time of the War of the Lance, being any sort of knight was difficult enough. There were very few left openly active in Solamnia at the time. Many had already fled their ancestral homes, which had been turned over to the commonfolk or burned down. There were only sixty-three knights by the time Sturm was brought before the council and held to judgement. That's a really, really small number. Small circles of knights and their squires and retainers, men-at-arms and cavalry officers, that was pretty much the might of Solamnia right there. Being an errant knight is far from unlikely - I'm certain it was the status quo outside of Sancrist.

Cheers,
Cam

You know, I always wondered why thi was. What WAS the reason why the Knights of Solamnia were under attack by the common folk. I know Sturm's house was under attack and his mother fled but I couldn't guess what the reason was. The perils of the Cataclysm were 400 years in the past and the knighthood survived through the initial attacks against them.

So I'm still a bit puzzled.
#5
zombiegleemax
Mar 10, 2005 17:07:55 In addition to a number of things I would guess, the one specific reason that is given repeatedly is many people blamed the Knights for the Cataclysm. They were for the most part reviled for a long time after the Cataclysm.
#6
zombiegleemax
Mar 10, 2005 20:37:37 Before the WoS the Measure was terribly long and I would guess contained many strict rules. One reason for being thrown out of the Knights would be an infringement of one or more of those rules. What they could be, anyone could guess at. We only have to look at old laws in our own world that no longer make sense to imagine why obscure parts of the Measure were created.

For example, in Lang, Kansas, it is illegal to ride a mule down Main Street in August, unless the animal is wearing a straw hat. Ridiculous, right? Similar things may have existed in the old Measure and it would be interesting to create some in the spirit of examining how stifling it was to be a Knight in the old days.

That said, there are a number of other reasons why you could become a Knight Errant.

* Sir Smythe and his group of Crown Knights, disenchanted with their bretheren being slaughtered by Draconians, start to believe that they should start a Holy Crusade against the evil creatures and slaughter them all. As far as my beliefs go, genocide is an evil act, so they would be outcast from the Knightly Order even though they think they're doing the right, honourable thing.

* Sir Haverhill's castle is overrun with goblins and all inhabitants are killed. Haverhill manages to kill a great deal of gobbos but in the end, he's the last man standing. In the last few moments of his life, driven to despair by the loss of his family, he breaks and begs for his life. Unfortunately, right at that moment, a group of Sword Knights arrive and drive the goblins away. The leader of the Sword Knights saw Haverhill on his knees, begging without honour, reports him for cowardice and Haverhill becomes an outcast - always regretting his fateful moment of weakness.

Just a few examples off the top of my head :P
#7
zombiegleemax
Mar 10, 2005 20:41:40
You know, I always wondered why thi was. What WAS the reason why the Knights of Solamnia were under attack by the common folk. I know Sturm's house was under attack and his mother fled but I couldn't guess what the reason was. The perils of the Cataclysm were 400 years in the past and the knighthood survived through the initial attacks against them.

So I'm still a bit puzzled.

Old habits die hard, don't they? The common folk needed someone to lash out at and in the past it had been the Knights of Solamnia, who were seen as protectors that did not protect.

Not only that, but many knight families had expensive heirlooms such as plate mail and even magic weapons. Those would fetch a pretty penny, something that a poor commoner doesn't see very often. Bandits would also target the knights for the same reason.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Charles_Phipps Mar 09, 2005 17:26:14	An interesting situation has occurred in my campaign. There's always been an assumption in my games that the Knights of Solamnia are taken as 'normal' characters and Knight Errants are abnormal characters to be treated elsewhere. However, I'm playing a Knight of the Crown in our campaign who has just has been definitely "errant" and while honorable, noble, and good...he's definitely been out of the Knighthood for the duration of the War of the Lance. now that its time to reveal his casting out story....I just realize I'd forgotten why. I was curious what you'd think would be good way to good way to create Knight Errant's backgrounds that nevertheless kept the spirit of the Knights of Solamnia. Basically, this is a thread for talking about "rogue" Knights of Solamnia and their benefits/flaws.
#2 Charles_Phipps Mar 09, 2005 18:19:06	Some classic reasons to become a Knight Erranta are.... 1. Accused of a Crime you didn't commit. 2. Committed a crime that needed to be done 3. Disobeyed an order that was outrageous 4. Committed a crime but are attempting to recant 5. Became deeply disillusioned One of my personal inclinations is interested in those Knights of Solamnia who were corrupted to fight for the Dark Queen during the War of the Lance or may have joined the Knights of Takhasis. Other questions are those whom began to fight in an "unacceptable" manner during the Wars of the Lance and various other periods.
#3 cam_banks Mar 09, 2005 20:29:01	In the time of the War of the Lance, being any sort of knight was difficult enough. There were very few left openly active in Solamnia at the time. Many had already fled their ancestral homes, which had been turned over to the commonfolk or burned down. There were only sixty-three knights by the time Sturm was brought before the council and held to judgement. That's a really, really small number. Small circles of knights and their squires and retainers, men-at-arms and cavalry officers, that was pretty much the might of Solamnia right there. Being an errant knight is far from unlikely - I'm certain it was the status quo outside of Sancrist. Cheers, Cam
#4 Charles_Phipps Mar 10, 2005 16:36:14	In the time of the War of the Lance, being any sort of knight was difficult enough. There were very few left openly active in Solamnia at the time. Many had already fled their ancestral homes, which had been turned over to the commonfolk or burned down. There were only sixty-three knights by the time Sturm was brought before the council and held to judgement. That's a really, really small number. Small circles of knights and their squires and retainers, men-at-arms and cavalry officers, that was pretty much the might of Solamnia right there. Being an errant knight is far from unlikely - I'm certain it was the status quo outside of Sancrist. Cheers, Cam You know, I always wondered why thi was. What WAS the reason why the Knights of Solamnia were under attack by the common folk. I know Sturm's house was under attack and his mother fled but I couldn't guess what the reason was. The perils of the Cataclysm were 400 years in the past and the knighthood survived through the initial attacks against them. So I'm still a bit puzzled.
#5 zombiegleemax Mar 10, 2005 17:07:55	In addition to a number of things I would guess, the one specific reason that is given repeatedly is many people blamed the Knights for the Cataclysm. They were for the most part reviled for a long time after the Cataclysm.
#6 zombiegleemax Mar 10, 2005 20:37:37	Before the WoS the Measure was terribly long and I would guess contained many strict rules. One reason for being thrown out of the Knights would be an infringement of one or more of those rules. What they could be, anyone could guess at. We only have to look at old laws in our own world that no longer make sense to imagine why obscure parts of the Measure were created. For example, in Lang, Kansas, it is illegal to ride a mule down Main Street in August, unless the animal is wearing a straw hat. Ridiculous, right? Similar things may have existed in the old Measure and it would be interesting to create some in the spirit of examining how stifling it was to be a Knight in the old days. That said, there are a number of other reasons why you could become a Knight Errant. * Sir Smythe and his group of Crown Knights, disenchanted with their bretheren being slaughtered by Draconians, start to believe that they should start a Holy Crusade against the evil creatures and slaughter them all. As far as my beliefs go, genocide is an evil act, so they would be outcast from the Knightly Order even though they think they're doing the right, honourable thing. * Sir Haverhill's castle is overrun with goblins and all inhabitants are killed. Haverhill manages to kill a great deal of gobbos but in the end, he's the last man standing. In the last few moments of his life, driven to despair by the loss of his family, he breaks and begs for his life. Unfortunately, right at that moment, a group of Sword Knights arrive and drive the goblins away. The leader of the Sword Knights saw Haverhill on his knees, begging without honour, reports him for cowardice and Haverhill becomes an outcast - always regretting his fateful moment of weakness. Just a few examples off the top of my head :P
#7 zombiegleemax Mar 10, 2005 20:41:40	You know, I always wondered why thi was. What WAS the reason why the Knights of Solamnia were under attack by the common folk. I know Sturm's house was under attack and his mother fled but I couldn't guess what the reason was. The perils of the Cataclysm were 400 years in the past and the knighthood survived through the initial attacks against them. So I'm still a bit puzzled. Old habits die hard, don't they? The common folk needed someone to lash out at and in the past it had been the Knights of Solamnia, who were seen as protectors that did not protect. Not only that, but many knight families had expensive heirlooms such as plate mail and even magic weapons. Those would fetch a pretty penny, something that a poor commoner doesn't see very often. Bandits would also target the knights for the same reason.