The @Eldritch Knights were a legendary order of magical warriors in Veridian's ancient past, an order whose unique power was both their greatest strength and their ultimate undoing. Unlike traditional spellcasters who drew upon established magical schools, the Eldritch Knights forged deeply personal, one-of-a-kind bonds with magic. Each knight's power was a direct reflection of their individual soul and will, allowing them to perform feats of magic and martial skill that were both unparalleled and unpredictable. Their magic was not uniform; it was a bespoke art form. One knight might be able to conjure blades of living flame, while another could phase through solid stone, all without a single shared spellbook or ritual. The @Kingdom of Veridian was once a hub for these knights to train and grow, and in return they protected the kingdom with all their strength.
Their downfall began under @King Kaelen the Unyielding, a ruler obsessed with order and control. Kaelen saw the knights' personalized magic not as a gift, but as a dangerous and chaotic threat to his authority. He feared what he could not categorize or command. In a move of calculated tyranny, he declared the order a rogue faction and systematically hunted them down. He feared not just their power, but the very idea of it—the unpredictable nature of magic tied to individual will. The knights, never a united army, were picked off one by one, their sacred texts and relics destroyed. The order was almost completely eradicated, and their unique magical ways were lost to history.
@King Kaelen the Unyielding 's own grandson, @King Alaric, the Verdant Hearth , came to regret his ancestor's actions. A paladin who followed the Oath of the Ancients ( @Paladin - Oath of the Ancients) , Alaric dedicated his life to preserving life, beauty, and wisdom. He made it his personal Quest to seek out the last surviving @Eldritch Knights, to learn their ways, and to honor their memory. Alaric became a beacon of nurturing wisdom, inspiring and protecting his people like a warm hearth. His efforts led him to uncover fragments of their lost knowledge, which he meticulously recorded in his journals, believing that the truth of their history was too precious to be forgotten. This wisdom and the tragic history were passed down to his granddaughter, @Princess Seraphina of Veridian , igniting her lifelong quest to find the remnants of the Eldritch Knights, become one herself, and restore a part of Veridian's lost magic.