Dread Knights
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Dread Knights are creatures created from Blood Magic, which is considered grey regarding it's moral alignment. These hulking creatures made from stolen and tormented souls are now shackled to unusually large suits of armour, sometimes still containing the rotting corpse that they once were. Their every waking moment involves naught but service to the Blood mage or Dread Lord whom rules over their mind and body, forced to fulfill their every order to the letter.
Dread Knights were created by the Blood Mages and were used by them to attack the free folk of Asulon. They're commonly known without the moniker as simply armour animate. However in recent years the workings of Dreadknights have evolved and changed minutely, advancing into what is known as the second generation.
Contents
Appearance
Dreadknights appear as hulking suits of armour, perhaps first considered merely an overly large Human or Elf, perhaps an Orc wearing plate from head to toe, covering every inch of what is considered their "body". However in truth the armour is hollow, the inside coated in blood runes that allow this literal walking suit of armour to function and exist. On certain occasions an additional rune is visible on the Knight's hand, which allows for the draining of blood from a victim to keep the runes within it's body functional.
Strengths
- Physical strength between that of an Olog and a Golem
- No need to consume food or drink in any form
- No need to breathe, allowing for indefinite periods underwater
- Immortal, unless their blood runes die out
Weaknesses
- Susceptible to Holy and Fi Magic, as well as some evocations, blunt objects, and aurum.
- Slow movement speed due to their bulky size
- Rusting armour must be kept up by their Dreadlord
- Required to have the blood runes inside them kept fuel'd or they will perish
History
Their creation came near to the beginning, after the first emergence of the Bloodmages. These men and women were one of the first few to make their stand, like many against the Bloodmages. Unfortunately for them... they got more than they bargained for. They were rash, some. Even going as far as to challenge Bloodmages in single combat. Going even as far as accepting the terms of combat that the mages gave... “If I was to so win this bout... Your soul will be forfeited to me until release.” So sure were these men and women of their own combat prowess that they accepted without hesitation, and the duel of fates ensued.
Upon losing the combat, the Bloodmage performed a rite of sealing upon the unfortunate near death warrior, binding his/her soul to the Bloodmage’s whim and freezing the warrior in place. A gaunt face overtakes their once proud looks as they become living statues. Doomed to watch over the Altars of the creator until needed.
In all retrospect, this is a fate worse than death itself. The unfortunate Warrior is allowed to effectively “die” a slow and painful death within its own sealings. Flesh and bone allowing to decay as they stand dormant. But due to the sealings place upon them in life... they do not escape their fate in death. Their souls become bound to the armour they once wore, even as it rusts and stains with age. Until, effectively, the Dread knight becomes the armour. The process is a form of “breaking” within its own right as well. Turning them until they are nothing more than harsh, life hating drones; “The perfect soldier“ it seems.
They hate and, love life with a passion. For they are not truly evil, just lost. They hate those that they once called kin out of jealously, that they should be able to live out their lives to the fullest whilst the Dread knight must live a submissive life as a slave. Bidden to do whatever his/hers masters tell it. But love it also, for they know that deep down, behind all the torment and bloodshed. They know that one day... it shall be life that sets it free from its’ shackles. It shall be life that challenges it to single combat, and it shall be life that slays it.
They are relentless warriors, much like that of the fabled Paladins. Some even say that they are, or at least were paladins. Pushed into service as warriors of undeath. They will make up the main stay of militarian officer might within the Order of blood’s armed forces. Making blunt, horrific decisions that most right minded people would not. For the Bloodmages are still of our kind after all... they still feel emotion of all kinds. Granted there are some among them that have different ideas and morals, but that comes with individuality.
As said before, the Dread Knight is a suit of armour. A walking suit of armour. Hollow within it walks this world as doom driven servants of the Order. So they do not take damage as how any normal person might. They will still feel the pain deep inside of them, that instinctive feeling of still being whole ever so mocks them. To the better part though, they cannot truly be killed by having their helmet taken off through decapitations or being stabbed with sword lunges etc… For if disassembled only slightly, but allowed to endure, the knight, with relentless zeal to carry out its’ master’s orders, shall rise again, rebuilding itself slowly, re-gathering the pieces of armour that make up its’ body and soul. Until it is finally again renewed.
It stands to reason then that the only real effective way to “kill” a Dread Knight is to disable and separate each piece of the Knight. Until you are left with but a pile of broken armour. Allowing you time to escape, but slowly, and over time, it shall reform again anew... and ready to kill once again.
Time went slowly in lythien, the plotting of the Bloodmages and the toil of their servants continued onwards, it was not until the Dread knights started to regain control of themselves that the tide changed. Rising up, they broke free of their shackles, a great battle rouse up within lythien as all things were put to the slaughter. Once the dust and fires died down, the remained but a few knights left standing, and no mages to be seen. Corpses littered the landscape around and little life was left to be seen.
It was then that the knights departed back to their home land within the south of Asulon. It was not to be though, they were cast out by their kin, named "traitors" and "Heretics" and "unclean" by the new [religion of this Empire called "Holy Oren Empire". With a roar of rage they left the sounds of the life that was Oren. Left it far behind before coming across the forest path into Greywise.
They vowed their revenge upon Oren, and swore upon themselves they would gain vengeance upon the simple beauty of life itself. The three existing Dread Knights made the trip to Anthos, and gathered slaves of mortal men to build a base of dread. It was there “Dread Lord Vladius Bile” passed on the sacred information of the Dread Knight ritual to the new Emissary of Dread, Aelor Dread.
Aelor Dread ruled over the Knights for a long period of time, before finally resigning. Putting his life aside, he passed his information onto another Dread Knight, and froze himself to his own throne. Rusting his very body down to it.
The new Knight, with the transfer of information, now has created a formidable force of Knights. There are ten in total, each ranging in size, shape, and figure. The new era of Knights follow mysterious purposes, and are all controlled by The Dread Lord, as it calls itself. It will usually be seen in company of several knights, and the current Dread Lord is larger than it's knights.
In recent decades since the rise of the new Dread Lord, it can be seen that the majority of those knights which were in his service became dull, weary. Orders were carried out though the usual tyranny of the Dread Knights seems to have subsided to a degree. Dread-Knights in a large band as was seen in the days of Early Asulon and Anthos, are usually far rarer then to be expected. The reasoning for this is unknown though more and more Dread-Knights have been seen about nearing the beginning of the fringe, still a shadow of former supremacy it is to be seen that something has dispelled their dormant state.
-History written by Jax(I think)-
