The Legion of the Broken Chain

his heart knows only Virtue.

His blade defends the Helpless,

his might upholds the Weak.

His word speaks only Truth,

his wrath undoes the Wicked.

NAME: The Legion of the Broken Chain

KINGDOM AT A GLANCE:
The Legion is an Order of Knights supported by faithful men-at-arms that believe that any man or woman from all walks of life can be a hero if given the opportunity. It is their goal to offer that opportunity to as many people as possible, recruiting pauper and prince alike if they will only swear to follow the Code. Because of this, they have attracted many former peasants and those poor displaced by the fall of the Empire.

SIZE AND LOCATION:
The Broken Chain has a Castle in the mountains South of Ashan and north of Aida known as the Arx Imperator as their primary gathering place, however they maintain numerous small keeps that house a dozen or so Knights across Ardell. It is not uncommon for a keep or walled building to be located near kingdoms for the purpose of recruitment and to act as waypoints for the Legion's members.

WEALTH: Low
The Broken Chain spends what money it gains on its Knights; armor, weapons, food, horses all cost money. Many Knights pay tribute to the Order but keep some for themselves in order to ensure their supplies are paid for. The Legion survives on dues, tributes, and offerings from both pauper and prince.

STABILITY: High
The Lady-Marshal commands the Broken Chain with absolute authority and loyalty, and they are indoctrinated to uphold the ideals of the Knight's Code first and foremost. The Knights by extension are expected to behave in an honorable fashion, defending the weak, guarding the helpless, and destroying the wicked where ever they find them.

DANGER TO TRAVELERS: Low
The Legion of the Broken Chain believes in the protection of the weak and helpless and will often ride alongside caravans and groups of travelers in small numbers, providing a guard if there is none.

FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Totalitarian Dictatorship
Grand Marshal Gywnevere, the Knight-Imperator of the Order, is the sole ruler who commands the militarized people with absolute authority, using her Knights Exemplar to enforce her will and ideals throughout the Order. She is a young Knight of prodigal skill and upheld as a beacon of what the Legion is capable of, having raised a young girl from Ashdell into their most influential Knight and Commander.

Beneath her command is a council of eight Lord Marshals, Knight-Praetorian, who oversee the different regions of Ardell, maintaining supply lines, attempting to keep accurate numbers of Knights and Men-at-arms, commanding the Legion's forces, and advising the young and relatively inexperienced Grand Marshal in leadership. 

FREEDOM AND OPPRESSION:
The Legion of the Broken Chain promotes Freedom, under the ideals of its Code. Those that swear to it are considered to have sworn to it for life and are unable to leave the Legion without repercussions, however most Knights enjoy relatively little oversight from their masters and are able to wander the country side or reside at the many small fortifications that house the Legion throughout Ardell during their quests and missions.

COMMON SPECIES:
Humans dominate the Broken Chain, making up well over half the Legions numbers by all accurate accounts. Elves and Dwarves are both obvious minorities within the Legion but not unheard of. Draconians are a rarity, but usually hold high rank within the Legion when seen.

MILITARY FOCUS:
The Legion focuses on elite heavy infantry and cavalry with formidable experience and proficiency in close combat. Each knight often carries a Sword, Shield, small light mace, Crossbow or bow. Those that own horses will carry lances as well for mounted combat.

The Knights Militant is the military order of battle the Broken Chain follows beneath the Marshals of the Order. Knights are awarded higher ranks as a meritocracy, based on their merit and deeds compared to those of the rank they seek, meaning that a Knight that has done deeds comparable to most Knight-Captains will likely be promoted to Knight-Captain, rather than a lower rank.

Pages are the youngest members of the Legion, children who are either the child of a Knight or an orphan taken in by the Legion to begin training and serve the Knights with menial labor and tasks. Squires are selected by the Knights of any rank to begin training alongside a Knight and learning in the field, normally as when they are in their late teens. Knights will take their squires with them when they travel and fight in skirmishes as well as tend to camp when the knights go to pitched battle.

Normally at least one Knight-Praetor resides at each keep to act as the keep's master and lord, though it is a rotating position with Praetors swapping out and moving around Ardell as they please. Besides the ranks their are also honorary titles given to individuals aside from their ranks of varying importance, such as Master being granted to a member of any rank who has taken six squires and trained them until they were knighted by the Legion; or Champion given to a member who has been declared victorious in a dozen honor duels involving opponents outside the order. 

Knight-Centurion
Knight-Captain
Knight-Praetor
Knight
Squire
Page

Knight Arcanus are members of the Broken Chain that are proficient with magic in some fashion, allowed to practice their rituals and spells under the supervision of the Knight Exemplars, as well as train their future members in the art of magic. There are relatively few Knight Arcanus within the Legion, though those that are often proficient with healing and aiding their fellow Knights in battle.

The Knight Exemplars are a small subsect of the Broken Chain that serve the Grand Marshal directly, answering only to her and often speaking with her authority throughout the Legion's realms. Chosen for their loyalty and fervent adherence to the Grand Marshal's interpretation of the Code and ideals she believes in, not all of the Knight Exemplars are the unmatched warriors the sect is proclaimed to be. They enforce the ideals and code of the Legion in her name, enacting punishments for breaking the Code as they see fit. Only a Knight Exemplar or the Marshals are able to perform the Knighting Ceremony to raise squires into full-fledged Knights of the Broken Chain, granting the Exemplars an air of authority and reverence among their fellows. They second as her personal guard or unit commanders in battle.

TECHNOLOGY LEVEL: Medieval

RELATIONSHIPS:
Relationships are not forbidden in any manner, however if a man Sire's a child he must support that child and its mother to the end of their days as best as he is able. Some few knights are said to have bastard children in a half dozen villages, which is only frowned upon if they do not lend their names and the offerings of the Legion to their children and lovers. Most of the time children fathered by a Knight will live at the closest Legion Keep.

EDUCATION:
The Legion of the Broken Chain takes all comers into its ranks, providing training in arms and combat, education so that all its members may read and write, and some survival skills. Everything else is learned through experience.

DAILY WEAPONS:
The Knights and Men-at-Arms are always armed and usually armored in some fashion in public. Visitors to their castle or keeps might be requested to leave arms at the gatehouse, but this is usually only for those they consider hostile or unfriendly, or if the keep has been attacked recently.

HISTORY:

PLAYER CONTROLLED: NO