H E G E M O N
Valor. Honour. Tradition.
Overview
The Knight Orders of Vandemar are the premier guardians and protectors of the Vandemarian civilisation. They were the first to take up arms in defence of the fledgling colonies, keeping them from vile raiders and the vicious beasts of the deep forests. Bound by oaths to their land and people, they are unfaltering in their ancient traditions of upholding the classic values of chivalry.Vandemarian Knighthood is defined through service, hierarchy and a sense of lawful pragmatism. Their ideals are first and foremost defined by the duty to their realm, to its inhabitants and its institutions, making them one of the bedrock foundations upon which the Hegemony was built. Their skill at arms is not merely focused on the hunting and slaying of the wild fauna and Great Beasts, but also to wage war in protection of the realm.
Pageantry and honour are highly valued in Vandemar, deeds of arms celebrated, courage cheered and valor rewarded. The Knight Orders all share similar traditions and determination, though can vary widely in culture and aesthetics. Heraldry can be personalised to the individual Knight or uniform among an entire Order, weapon preferences can range from fine songsteel swords to starfighters and heavy cruisers. It is a versatility that developed through centuries, that makes the Knight Orders so successful. Vandemar has no standing army and navy, only theater and branch commands which are taken up by respective Orders.
Out Of Character Inspirations
The Knights of Vandemar draw from Bretonnia of Warhammer Fantasy, from the Breton culture of Elder Scrolls, from the Knights of Caliban from Warhammer 40.000, from Arthurian legend and from Witchers as well as Touissant from the Witcher universe.
Organisation and Structure
At the head of each Order stands a Grandmaster, titles may vary, but the rank remains the same. Vandemar is deeply hierarchical and has no taste for democracy, therefore shared leadership is extremely rare and viewed with suspicion.
Serving the Grandmaster is the Order Council, a body of seasons Knights that have proven their worth in the light of the Order's tasks. Their duties can be manifold from senior instructors, quartermasters, champions, armourers and whatever else the Order prioritises to make itself be led and ruled effectively. An Order that lacks effectiveness and strong leadership might be questioned in its legitimacy and right to claim the defence of a fief.
Duty and Power
Every Knight Order has its fief, its specific portion of the Hegemony that it is sworn to protect. This feudal Oath of Watch is a sacred tradition, first implemented during the early settlements of Vandemar and is upheld to this day. The Oath is made to the local populace and to the Hegemon himself, representing the entirety of the realm.In the recent times, where stability is almost unchallenged, the Knights of Vandemar are primarily working to uphold peace, refine their skills and occasionally venture to protect against the lethal wildlife of Vandemar. Yet despite this seemingly growing sense of peace, the Knight Orders vigilance must be unchallenged, undivided. With the opening to the rest of the Galaxy, the risk of subversion, of invasion and other schemes has grown exponentially.
Every Order has a designated group of Knights which are referred to as Questing Knights. These are sent forth from the Order Fortresses to roam the land, help the locals, protect against wildlife and investigate crime. It has taken root over time that Knights will not receive martial training but also statecraft and trade education. This is to further ensure that locals can rely on the Knights not only as protectors but also mediators, engineers, accountants and other more pragmatic tasks.
From Order to Order, the strength of manpower and assets varies based on their fief and their age. A remote polar province may have a few very small Knight Orders, numbering only dozens of members each, while one that protects a spire-city will have several thousand of them and one that is responsible for an important port or trade hub might field several capital ships.
A handful of Grand Orders exists, these are responsible for the most important strategic locations for the Hegemony. One of them is the Grand Order of the Palatine Praetorians, the protectors of High Vandemar - not the largest Order by numbers, but by far the most prestigious and potentially the most powerful among them. The status of Grand Order is only granted by the Palatine Council and Hegemon in recognition of both grand achievement and a certain need in the realm for it.
All Orders have limited local authority, they are not a governing body, but one that is first and foremost there to ensure that the local government is working without interuptions and disturbances. Yet due to their age and importance, every Order will have a seat on the High Curia to represent itself and its fief. This is equal for any Order, independent of their size.
It is also within the Order's jurisdiction and duty to maintain balance. Woods may not be chopped at will, hunters may not kill a local species to the last, quarries may only dig so deep. Knights are as much guardians of order as they are keepers of balance.
The Orders At War
Despite the Hegemony's stable and prosperous civilisation, it is not without threats, now more than ever.The first and foremost threat to the planet and rule itself, is the Netherworld, a rift to this other-plane that spawns as much shenanigans as it does viable and lethal threats. Mutations in local fauna, crazed populace and those that abuse the rift for travel are the primary and elemental adversary of the Knight Orders. Fighting ghosts, spirits and specters is among the most common occurences the Knights of Vandemar have to contend with, before a Great Beast even appears.
Then there is the fauna itself. Vandemar is a death world by any means, its creatures and beasts are dangerous, with many of them lethal for the average sentient individual. Villages, pastures, livestock have to be protected to sustain life, people have to be guarded or else they perish on their way to their workplace. The Orders' vigilance must never falter or Vandemar's ruralty itself might claw its way back to dominance.
Among these are the Great Beasts, mutations and otherworldly phenomena given fleshmade form. They are the greatest natural threat to the people of Vandemar and every time one is spotted, a hunt is called to bring it down. They are not part of the natural order, but are spawn of the Nether and Dark side itself. They can ravage entire provinces if left unchecked and often require entire Orders to be taken down.
