Order of Dragon Knights
Overview
The @Order of the Dragon Knights stands as humanity’s most formidable and least understood brotherhood — an elite fellowship of infused warriors who wield the raw essence of demons bound within crystalline Demon Cores. Each Knight acts as a weapon unto themselves: lone heroes who walk the frontier and the wilds where no army can stand.
They are not soldiers or commanders but living calamities, instruments of will and survival, answering only to the Dragontyrant, their supreme leader. Their existence is both salvation and blasphemy — for the same cores that empower them whisper of corruption and ruin.
---
Origins
Birth of the Demon Cores – A century ago, the @Mage Guild learned to draw demonic essence from the Veil and crystallize it into Demon Cores — vessels capable of granting impossible power at terrible risk.
The First Binding – When knights of the realm volunteered to bear these cores, most perished in agony. Those who survived emerged as something more than mortal — stronger, faster, and attuned to the world’s elemental forces.
The Dragon Reborn – The surviving few called themselves the Dragon Knights, their power seen as the rebirth of the dragons’ might, now wielded for humanity’s defense.
---
Structure
The @Order of Dragon Knights has no standing army or hierarchy beyond its leader. Each Knight operates as a solitary guardian, called upon only in times of great peril.
Dragontyrant – Supreme commander of the Order. Commands all Knights directly and holds the mightiest Demon Core ever bonded. His word is absolute law.
Dragon Knights – The infused champions of the Order, each bonded to a unique Demon Core that defines their abilities. Though technically equals, they differ wildly in power and temperament.
Initiates – Rare candidates chosen through grueling trials. Few survive the binding ritual; fewer remain sane.
No garrisons, banners, or armies follow them. When a Dragon Knight rides to war, it is known — for the land itself changes at their arrival.
---
Demon Core Classifications
Each Demon Core manifests uniquely, altering the bearer’s body, magic, and soul. The cores are categorized as follows:
Elemental Cores
Infused with primal forces drawn from the Veil.
Amplification Cores
These amplify aspects of the body or mind to superhuman levels.
Abstract Cores (Rare)
The rarest and most dangerous. Their effects defy known magical laws.
---
Methods & Beliefs
The Core Is the Soul – Every Dragon Knight believes the bond between bearer and core is absolute; to separate them is to die.
Discipline Above Corruption – Every Knight maintains rigorous mental and physical control to resist demonic whispers.
No Brotherhood in Battle – The Order does not fight as a unit; each Knight’s duty is personal and divine, sworn directly to the Dragontyrant.
Balance Before Power – True mastery lies in restraint; those who lose discipline become monsters worse than those they were created to destroy.
---
Presence
Castle Ardentia – The Dragontyrant’s seat of command. Only summoned Knights gather here, and never more than a handful at once.
Frontier and Beyond – Dragon Knights act independently, moving through frontier strongholds, @Crimson Standard outposts, and desolate regions to confront threats too great for mortal armies.
The Great Wall – Some serve as guardians of the Wall itself, stationed where Veil fractures are most active.
---
Relations
@Crown of Thalossa – The monarchy funds the Order but fears its autonomy. A single Dragon Knight equals an army — and no king controls that willingly.
@Order of Dawn – Distrust and moral opposition. The Dawn sees the Cores as corruption incarnate.
@Order of the Crimson Standard – Respect and reliance. The Crimson Standard relies on Dragon Knights to secure expansion beyond the Wall.
@Order of Last Light – Grim alliance. The Last Light fears the Cores could cause another Gloomdeep, yet they recognize their necessity.
@Ashen Vigil – Kindred purpose. Both Orders embrace fire and destruction to stave off worse horrors.
@Mage Guild – The creators of the Cores. Once in control, now overshadowed by the Knights’ power and independence.
---
Role in the World
The Dragon Knights are:
Lone Titans – Each a walking cataclysm who answers only to the Dragontyrant.
Weapons of Balance – The first and last line of defense when Veil fractures or monster outbreaks threaten civilization.
Humanity’s Gamble – Living proof that mankind will harness even corruption itself to survive.
Where they walk, the world bends — and when they fall, even the earth remembers their names.