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Kroashent - World of Alvez - The Silverblades
🕑 Added 2021-09-28 15:40:17 +0000 UTCPictured: Uniforms of Gallian Silverblade Paladins.
Alvez is home to a large number of peoples, cultures, places and organizations. This series is intended to put a spotlight on small bits of lore to share that world with you.
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Purpose of the Silverblade Company
The Royal Company of the Silver Blades, AKA, the Silverblade Company is an elite force of soldiers, diplomats and arkanists organized under the authority of the Kingdom of Gallia to counter threats against the Kingdom and its peoples from the supernatural elements of Faerie and the Bleed, a spiritual successor to the Knights of the Crossroad (Urzh Kroashent) under Royal control. The Paladins defend Gallian interests from threats such as Sluagh, Garwaf and Finfolk, as well as larger monsters like the fearsome Lou Carcohl or the savage Drakes. They recover or destroy cursed or powerful arkane artefacts, and occassionally recover persons or property lost to the Bleed. The Company largely operates in Gallia and its direct vassals, but have a presence that is felt in all nations of Kornôgel, the Northern Continent.
Unlike the fully autonomous Urzh Kroashent, the Silverblades are forbidden by Royal Decree from constructing castles, waystations or other structures, save for temporary, emergency situations. Instead, they are garrisoned at properties owned and maintained by the Crown, or from rented properties in large urban centers. The majority of its wealth is held by the Gallian Crown or its noble membership, which pays a large tithe for entry into the prestigious Company, and most equipment is owned privately by the noble members of the organization. Lodging and operations of the Order are typically of a high quality, befitting the Royal personages who theoretically could reside in the buildings.
Organization of the Company
The Silverblades answer directly to the King of Gallia, who plays a direct role in the oversight of the Company, controlling finances, appointing high officers and even overseeing tribunals of High Justice involving the membership of the organization. Directly under the King is the Silverhand, typically a high noble of Gallia and a full member of the Royal Court. While acting as the leader of the Company and receiving numerous perks and benefits, including sumptuously furnished apartments within the Crystal Palace of Per-Ys itself, they are also symbolically subservient to the king, symbolized by a pair of lightweight, finely crafted silver manacles that the Silverhand is required to wear at all times. The Silverhand is forbidden to leave the walls of Per-Ys without special permission from the King himself.
The Silverhand is supported by the Lords of Silver, who operate regional commands adhering to the political boundaries of states, as interpreted by the Gallian crown. They operate with a high level of autonomy as authorized agents of the Silverhand and are typically drawn from Gallian, Anjevin or Flandrezed noble stock. They are allowed a personal retinue and lifestyle befitting their noble rank. They wear a pair of silver bands on their wrists like the Silverhand, but with no chains attached to them.
The main body of the Company are the paladins, who operate as local overseers and field commanders, authorized officers to maintain control over key military strongholds or major settlements within a region. Others operate as Knights Errant, tasked with the investigation and countering of threats, both magical and mundane, against the Gallian Crown, and, to a lesser extent, its subjects. Paladins may operate in groups of up to 5, but require permission from the Silverhand for larger operations. Paladins are typically accompanied by one or more (up to 3) squires and a small retinue of peasant foot-soldiers and servants, as many as befits their noble rank. They wear silver bands on their ring fingers.
Culture of the Company
The Silverblades have strong ties with both the Gallian Crown and the Noble Houses of Gallia, infusing the order with both a sense of national pride and an air of authority and affluence. Serving in the Order is considered a great honor and privilege, one sought out by both nobility and wealthy bourgeois seeking entrance to the world of the Nobles. It is common for second children to attempt to obtain membership as a stepping stone to gain their own lands and titles through service to the Crown. Befitting this high status, the Order is outfitted with the latest and most high quality equipment, often supplementing the already generous flow of coins from the coffers of Gallia with personal fortunes. The Silverblades have a reputation, not always deserved, of chivalry and professionalism, largely tied to their flashy uniforms and noble heritage, rather than their actual actions, but many within the company strive to maintain this reputation. However, younger Silverblades can also have an air of haughty entitlement, overconfidence and ill-preparation compared to veterans or their equivalents in the similar organizations. The company membership were sworn not to retreat or move more than four arpents (about six acre's breadths) from a battle. The relationship between the Silverblades and the Gallian Crown can strain relations between errant paladins and parties hostile to Gallian rule, especially outside of Gallia. The Silverblades are typically better received in more Faerie-influenced societies than their religious counterparts as a result of their secular nature and the organization strikes a cooperative tone, but anti-fae sentiment, especially against the Korrigan and the Fomorian peoples, is often rampant in the large segments of the company's membership. After serving for a set time, members in retirement receive a small payment and the order provided housing.
The Silverblades have a complex relationship with their "sister" orders, ranging from regular cooperation to rivalry and outright hostility. The Company considers its primary rivals, organized along similar structures, to be the Lethan Order of the Ermine and the Arled Knights of the Golden Fleece, but this is largely restricted to formal and diplomatic settings. They often work directly the with Black Order, even granting control of the Blackstone Vault of Kastell-Angers to the religious order. They often exist in contention with the Inquisitorial Order of Albi, viewing the Church's power as an infringement on sovereignty of Gallia and the Chasseurs de Sang Noir, viewing them as outlaws and enemies of the Crown. However, both groups are treated as allies of convenience in dire circumstances.
History of the Company
The Silverblades were created during the Black Crown Affair under the Orders of King Phillipe "le Bel" IV of Gallia, to continue the mission of the Knights of the Crossroads after that organization was purged by the King, while also countering the influence of the Church-backed Black Order. Phillipe, an avid Staunchist (Anti-Faerie Political Doctrine), with an intense hatred for the peoples of Faerie, saw the Company as a way of enacting a harsher response to Fae activity, more similar to the Order of Albi than the Crossroads Knights in goal and tactics. The Company was first chartered in the suburb of Santouen, in a disused granary that would become its primary administration headquarters. Before Philippe could reorganize the new Company to carry out a planned purge of Fae influence from Gallia, the Battle of Nesle Tower and the King's subsequent imprisonment in the Blackcrown ended his scheme. His successor, was quickly coronated and the charter of the Silverblades was altered, removing overt references to Faerie and the declaration of open warfare on its peoples. Several Staunchist allies of the King were removed from their positions, with more moderate leaders put in place. The charter was signed along with peace treaties with several Fae entities. The Silverblades initially did not allow the inclusion of women or fae in their ranks, but changed this following the success of their Lethan imitator, the Order of the Ermine, which allowed both, and began to draw nobles into the Ermines rather than the Silvers. The Silverblades were quick to capture the public imagination with their shining uniforms and careful linking to Heroes of Legend, but have never reached the same level of influence of the Knights of the Crossroad.
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The Silverblade Company on the Kroashent Wiki: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/alvez-kroashent/a/the-silverblade-company-article?preview=true
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