D O M I N U S
"Order Before Peace.
Duty Before Passion.
The Empire, Above All."
-The Imperial Creed
In times long since past, an Order existed as the sole force that held its Emperor accountable. Although supreme power rested in the monarch's hands, it was their duty to keep him aligned with Imperial ideals and far away from the Dark Side of the Force. Should he falter in any way, the Order swore to return him to the "Light"...or to execute him.Duty Before Passion.
The Empire, Above All."
-The Imperial Creed
In the modern era, the Galaxy has seen numerous Empires rise and fall. Each was crippled by a variety of shortcomings. Each saw philosophies and ways of being emphasized before their respective collapses. Then, when the Unknown Regions saw the remnants of these shattered empires gather under a single banner, the remaining Knights of the Fel Empire were there for the founding. These Knights rallied the loose-knit masses of force sensitive warriors to their cause with a renewed hope and a shining purpose. The Empire was to stand as a shining beacon of hope in a troubled Galaxy, and they were to uphold its sense of Order, Honor, and Imperial Soul.
They were the next generation...of Imperial Knights!
Basic Overview
As an Empire without an Emperor, the Galactic Empire's Imperial Knights expanded their responsibilities from protecting the Emperor from his enemies and from himself, to protecting all members of the higher councils from their enemies, each other, and themselves. They exist outside the chain of command and will help each member of the Empire, from a Clone Sergeant to an Imperial Admiral, to better serve the light of the Empire.
Their primary task is to keep those in power accountable. They will see that Moff and Admiral alike hold fast to what it means to be an Imperial; and are charged to strike down any who allow corruption, greed, or the Dark Side to enter their hearts and minds. Their secondary purpose is to honor the title they carry: Knights. The order is dedicated to the service of the Empire, as both a police and military force. To their midst is granted the authority to act as judge, jury, and executioner to those found acting in a manner contrary to Imperial Law. Theirs is the power to protect and serve the proud citizens of the Empire, but also to enforce order and root out corruption.
In order to fulfill this momentous duty, the Imperial Knights are granted a unique niche within the Empire's inner workings. They are not subject to the standard military or governmental hierarchies, but can temporarily carry applicable ranks should the situation call for it. On the battlefield, a Knight can command the same authority as a General or only that of a Sergeant. Off the battlefield, they can stand at the levels of the Moffs, or work at the level of common police officers. Whatever their duty or level of authority, it is considered a treasonous offense for any man, Moff or Admiral alike, to stand in the way of an Imperial Knight's mission.
The power and authority of the Imperial Knights does not go unchecked. Members of this sacred order are held to the highest standards by their own Council of Barons. Outside of their own council, any member of any council can call to question the actions of an Imperial Knight. Should the Knight's actions reveal themselves to have been an overstepping of bounds or, worse yet, reveal themselves to be detrimental to the Empire as a whole, said Knight will be dealt with in the same manner of Emperors of old. He will be brought back to the path of Law and Order and Light, or he will be struck down as the Cancer to the Empire that he is.
Structure
Unlike traditional "force orders", which epitomize usage of one alignment over the other, the Imperial Knights focus on a much more militant state of being. As such, the organization as a whole thrives on uniformity, discipline, and adherence to a standard based on honor and Imperial values.
At ground level, the Knights are populated by the aptly-named Imperial Squires. These individuals are largely new recruits to the organization and are assigned to a Squad for training. Each Squad consists of three or four members and is typically overseen by a Knight or Academy Instructor.
Above the Squires are those who have proven themselves worthy of the title Imperial Knight. To these full-fledged members of are given full rights and authority therein; including the honor of wearing the Order's iconic Armor.
Next, Imperial Barons are those who can be considered veterans by their peers. These are Knights who have fought with valor and bravery for quite some time; and have distinguished themselves by service and skill. Imperial Barons are the sole members authorized to sit upon the Council of Barony which oversees the operation of the entire Order.
"Religious" Views
The Imperial Knights despise the most heinous users of the Dark Side and strive to see their followers exterminated, should they threaten or enter the Empire. Proclaimed Sith are considered the greatest threat to the lawful order of the Galaxy and the survival of the Empire. As such, Imperial Knights will lay down their lives to hold back the taint of the Sith from tarnishing their shining Empire. Imperial Knights will expend all efforts to bring a blind follower of the Dark Side to reason, as not all tainted souls are lost to the light of the Empire. But those who cannot adapt to the standards of the Imperial Knights and threaten the Empire from within will be dealt with harshly.
Imperial Knights do not worship the Force as other orders do, though they do owe their allegiances to the Light Side of it. They view it as a tool and a weapon. One to be harnessed and respected. And though other force using cults view the Imperial Knights as a gray sect, members of the Imperial Knights view devout followers of the light as trusted, but distant, allies. The Imperial Knights, though more prone to wield destructive powers than their Jedi counterparts, shun the Dark Side just as strongly. Similarly, Imperial Knights do not shun emotions in the manner of the Jedi, and are thus less vulnerable to corruption when experiencing extremes of sorrow or rage.
Why Should I Join? How Do I Join?
If you are a fan of the traditional, Imperial spectrum of the SW universe and also happen to enjoy writing force wielders, this is the place for you! If you want to face down the Rising Darkness with a capable band of warriors, this is the place for you! If you are looking for something simply other than the standard Red vs. Blue, this is the place for you!
Also, the Dark Side may have cookies, but we have rich, moist, Red Velvet Cake.
If you would like to join the Knighthood, simply click here to join the Galactic Empire faction! Questions? Comments? We welcome you to share them below! (Keep it constructive folks!)
Mandatory Signature Bling
