Lords of Darkness (WHF CK2-Ish Quest)
[X]Plan: We have literally Millions Of Undead and Tens Of Thousands Of Army Killing Dragons. Lets Use Them!
We have the Numbers. Let's strike everywhere at once!
We have the Numbers. Let's strike everywhere at once!
- Location
- Anchorage, Alaska
[X]Plan: We have literally Millions Of Undead and Tens Of Thousands Of Army Killing Dragons. Lets Use Them!
you know this makes sense...lets also make sure our armies are kept in check as we transport them to their destinations.
All the buff spells, all the fuck-you spells.
you know this makes sense...lets also make sure our armies are kept in check as we transport them to their destinations.
All the buff spells, all the fuck-you spells.
[X]Plan: We have literally Millions Of Undead and Tens Of Thousands Of Army Killing Dragons. Lets Use Them!
Although, @AlphaOmega, may I suggest to sent one more of our Knights to the first two Targets, so two to each? Just in case?
[X] Next Target? (You Can Split Your Forces If You Want To)
-[X] Lyonesse: Lyonesse is currently leaderless and is the most weakened of the dukedoms currently thanks to the rot tide, it will be a easy picking.
Splitting our army will cause us to get a lot more causalities than we would if we did it one at a time.
-[X] Lyonesse: Lyonesse is currently leaderless and is the most weakened of the dukedoms currently thanks to the rot tide, it will be a easy picking.
Splitting our army will cause us to get a lot more causalities than we would if we did it one at a time.
- Location
- Poland
They are Undead. If we lose some we can just raise the enemy dead.
- Location
- Poland
That's a good idea I admit, but on the other hand they are essentially just doing clean-up. Although if some Grail Knights show up to fight them there would need to be back up that can command the army... Alright I'll change it, it's good to have some redundancy at least.
Edit: Changed it.
Last edited:
We only raised 20,000 in the last battle and that was with Aleskandar there. Without him there will probably be a lot less raised. We can afford to lose a lot, I just want to lose as little as possible. It's just personal preference.
- Location
- Anchorage, Alaska
hmmm i would have it be 3 each of those two
we ourselves can handle the third one against the beastmen wherever we go.
Ninjapanda
The lazy ninja
That one zombie must feel left out
- Location
- Poland
Honestly I think I prefer it this way. In L'Anguille there are only raids so it's unlikely a large unified force is there and Lyonese is just clean-up duty. On the other hand in Artois there are attacks witch suggests a large warherd at least with very likely possibility of a herdstone, in that case it would be beneficial to have lieutenants to command parts of our forces in the deep woods.
- Location
- Anchorage, Alaska
and if the woods are a problem...well its not like we cant plant SUPERIOR woods that can defend itself from beastmen raids along with dark creatures now can we?
not to mention once we conquer our turf we will need time to reclaim in...
and until we get a confirmation by the QM on how many undead can be raised per purchase (and not like 10 gold a zombie, but maybe 10 gold for 100 zombies or something? repeat for further notice.)
So @Alucard Vampiry since what was the leaders of the Chaos tide thinking they n this battle before they died
[X]Plan: We have literally Millions Of Undead and Tens Of Thousands Of Army Killing Dragons. Lets Use Them!
- Location
- UK
[X]Plan: We have literally Millions Of Undead and Tens Of Thousands Of Army Killing Dragons. Lets Use Them!
E.g.
[]Plan: We have literally Millions Of Undead and Tens Of Thousands Of Army Killing Dragons. Lets Use Them!
-[] Lyonesse: Lyonesse is currently leaderless and is the most weakened of the dukedoms currently thanks to the rot tide, it will be a easy picking.
If you include a hyphen in front of each of the sub-options of your vote, then they'll all be counted under the plan vote, rather than being tallied separately.
E.g.
[]Plan: We have literally Millions Of Undead and Tens Of Thousands Of Army Killing Dragons. Lets Use Them!
-[] Lyonesse: Lyonesse is currently leaderless and is the most weakened of the dukedoms currently thanks to the rot tide, it will be a easy picking.
- Location
- Oklahoma
[X]Plan: We have literally Millions Of Undead and Tens Of Thousands Of Army Killing Dragons. Lets Use Them!
Love this plan.
Love this plan.
The Dragon Knights - History, Organization, Rituals?
- Location
- Anchorage, Alaska
well, heres my latest omake people, hope you all like it!
]The Dragon Knight Order of Bretonnia
Part 1
HistoryWhat is a dragon knight? What does it mean to be one? How can you a newly christened knight of bretonnia join such a glorious order under our Lord Dracul? You my dear reader ask very good questions if you had thought of them in your empty little skull. Allow me to educate you on these matters. A Dragon Knight is one who is beholden not to just noble dark bretonnia, but to our lord Dracul's Commands. We are his defenders of his children, the dragons of old. Now you may ask, why would we need to protect those beasts?!? Can they not send armies screaming into the abyss themselves? Have they not migrated to Noble Dark Bretonnia to join with The Father of Dragons? I would call you an idiot if you asked these questions and damned fool if you had not.
Not every dragon can protect themselves, despite what you may think, there are MANY threats to the Great Ones. From eager adventurers looking for a quick gold coin, to armies of chaos gods, to the rat men of the depths, to even brutish Orks, and finally just plain stupidity. Our duty is to not only safeguard our people, but also the dragons as i mentioned beforehand. This means diplomacy between the mighty Lords of Old and of Young Man, and Elder Dwarves. Many grudges have been made in Dracul's absence from the scene, and it is up to us to negotiate with the outsiders, or failing that to either defend them with our lives and ensure their purity of spirit and flesh.
To begin with our noble history goes back to the reunification war, where Dracul (HAIL), led our armies out to crush the Rot Tide after the ravages of bretonnia. Where the original Dragon lords, former grail knights, offered their eternal service and souls to his being. Each of them a warrior unparalleled in might and magical arts, thanks to no doubt the draconic heritage each of the lords have gained since then. Those were simpler times, and very few if any grail knights switched allegiances, and even then, regular knights tended to be foolish enough to try and stop our lord from his conquest.
If i recall Lord Druk himself personally executed the Former duke of the time for wasting the lives of his peasants and his general idiocy despite the Dragon Lords Mercy. A pity really...Druk was always the more...excitable one, though quick and efficient. Had it been any of the others their deaths would not have been quick. Though their armaments were taken, so many silverite weapons and armor. Enough to help fund the order when necessary and outfit them properly once Dracul Reforged the weapons himself to a more proper standard for the military orders.
Each of the Dragon Lords are only subservient to Dracul and obey his orders due to the connection they have with him, no matter the distance or time. They in turn are respected even by the mightiest Emperor Dragons of their respective lineages. Yes...i know, Emperor Dragons whose glare can send off entire swarms of highly outfitted adventurers equipped with the most powerful magical objects. The reasons for this respect have been a question by many scholars of bretonnia, yet not have ever gotten the guts to simply ask the dragons or the Dragon Lords themselves of such matters. I myself might know of it, but i shan't put the answer down in this book. Nope dear reader, that's for you to figure out yourself if you ever meet a Dragon Lord...a rarity if ever, you would be more likely to meet a True Dragon Knight or Rather a Dragon Seeker.
Now where was i? oh yes, the unification wars. Nasty business of that, the mess afterwards a truly shuddering response. Still in those days Dracul was able to raise many of the dead from Orks, beast men, and filthy traitors to humanity. Not to mention a swarm of Rat-men were buried under the weight of the dead and risen after interrogations. That would eventually lead to the cleansing of the black chasm by the Dracul eventually...but for now we focus on the events to come. After the taking of Bretonnia, Lord Dracul worked LONG and hard to assimilate the lands, a thoroughly done census was taken as well as restoring the roads to the dwarf quality (standard I've heard from my dwarven contacts, about a decent attempt by a journeyman stone cutter...which had them grumbling about Umgi finally getting proper roads in or some sort.). Afterwards the old villages that had once been overlooked were...moved...to more secure locations and rebuilt into proper towns and eventual cities. This had a small series of unrest of the time, but this consolidation was needed to ensure the living continued to not only be productive, but also alive from the chaos of the times.
Especially once the chaos tides of the north came...it was only pure luck the oceanic dragons came as they did to ward off any of the north-men's attacks from the seas, which allowed the Dracul to send his army of the dead north along with himself to stem the tide of chaos that came while his agents helped a young man named Magnus unite the empire once more and smooth out the transition of power. This aid allowed Dracul to send his army through the mountains during the times, and afterwards negotiated with the young emperor to talk with his Vampiric Kin (before he had awakened his godly self of course he had been a member of the Von Carstien bloodline...more of that in other books foolish reader.) Naturally if it meant less blood and loss of the empire, the Young emperor agreed but with a hefty price to ensure compliance and neutrality to the Cult of Morr.
Our lord heeded this agreement, and spoke with his distant kin...though many were too arrogant for the Dragon's Taste, the few who swore loyalty to him were spared of his coming rage, and what a sight to behold...he had not only stolen the dead from Sylvania that were not of Morr's get or under his protections, but also ripped the foundations of the castle drakenholft to the ground after looting it thoroughly. The necromancers who had not left the service of the vampires were either forcible recruited or handed over to the empire as agreed with the cult of morr.
This ended the time of Blight for the empire as Sylvania was emptied of the hostile dead. This also meant that the armies of the dead had swollen to an honest ridiculous degree that the dragon lord sent the dead to hunt the vermin below his cities and of the skaven-holds across the grey mountains. This not only allowed for the reconquest of the dwarven holds but opened the doors for more dwarven contacts and of course more trade deals with the clans in those mountains.
This also served as a way to clean the grudge's the dwarves held against his children as Dracul began a long, tense, and often times hair ripping and hair raising circular argument negotiations with the dwarven kingdoms...this all ended as the Dracul then swore that Karak Eight Peaks would be cleaned of all that lived there not of Orderly Dwarven Blood as a final payment to the dwarven kingdoms. This campaign would last for a decade in preparations as the Father of Dragons studied the forces there and began to plot and twist the tides of fate until he finally led the campaign.
Now you ask where the dragon knights came into play? why they came in during the cleansing of the Karak's. Where Knights who swore their allegiance to the dragon lords each followed their lord into the depths of the karak's to cleanse them of beastmen, orks, and other foul things from the face of the world and beyond. These knights, having endured the ordeal of such a campaign each came back as a veteran of dozens of harsh and cruel battles...and each of them earned the Blood Right.
This Blood Right will be covered in a later chapter, but needless to say the Seekers that followed the Dragon Lords into the depths all came out as Dragon knights, each with the ability to change if for a short time into a wyvern style dragon of their respective traits and dragon lines. Now, these transformations aren't that of a true wyvern, but more akin to a hybridization of the two forms, bringing the wyverns to a more noble status in bretonnia if they could be managed to be raised there. More of this shall be talked about later on.
With this transformation, Dragon knights can cover what takes men days or weeks of travel to merely hours or several days time. This effectively makes attempting to raid Bretonnia a fools errand, as the forces of destruction, ruin, and chaos have found when they attemp to strike a blow to Dark Bretonnia. That's if the very lands and beasts within themselves don't simply cull you from existence. Not to mention the Patrols of The Dark Kings Rangers, Grim and tall folk each, they are the huntsmen of Dracul, charged with retaking the forests from the beastmen and keeping them clean. They have been known to deal with Fae, either through negotiation or intimidation. Though dangerous, these mortal men are terrifying to behold as they have been known to even sneak up upon Wood Elves in their own forests, they are also blessed with long lives and tougher bodies then mortal men.
Why do you ask reader am i talking about these Rangers? Its because they and the Dragon knight Order's have a special relationship, these Rangers act as trip-wires for the Orders, either slaying small problems or reporting changing situations that will require a Dragon Knight or even a Warband of Them to deal with. Again, the relationship the Orders have with other facitons and empires will be covered later.
To say that a Dragon Knight can obliberate you for speaking out of turn or disrespect is no mere simple word or saying. It is the truth of things, for their pride is that of Dragon-Kind, their memories that of the great Wyrms of the Sky and Earth. Their Grudges run as deep as the Blood of the Father of Dragons and have been known to simply slay random folk that have been connected to the slaying of a dragon, whether "innocent" or not. The only exceptions to this seems to be Dwarven folk with whom the grudges have been settled, or if it was to put down a maddened Dragon that could not be reasoned with. This grudge also extends to vampires and of other races, sometimes beings that have never even been seen by mortal eyes and yet were fought with all the ferocity of a enraged Emperor Dragon that decided that the neighboring province just stole its favorite gem or somthing and wanted it damn back to hell with the province.
Now for the real meat on the bones of the Dragon Knights, there are several tiers of rankings each Dragon Order has. The starting is where usually knights begin as, recruited by a Dragon Knight or a Dragon lord for some quest through some means unkown to scholars...what little i can tell it has something to due to the connection of some innate primal connection to dragon-kind that allows the knights or lords to pick out from seemingly random who can follow and who they shall leave behind. Usually this leads to said knights that are chosen to living to becomming a Dragon-Knight after some unkown period of time, usually from what i in my knowledgeably intellect have narrowed down between ten to twenty years of service under the Dragon Knights Service, or having done somthing so momumental that they are allowed acsension to the ranks of the Knight-hood after some ceremony or another.
From what i undestand, the Dragon Seekers as they are called after being chosen by the selection spend their time fighting, traveling, aiding, and of course adventuring with their Patron untill given leave or if by some small cursed issue their Dragon Knight perishes (which case a new one would show up soon afterwards to take up the Seekers on their efforts). Only the Seekers that have worked with the Dragon Lords have ever become Dragon Knights in under a years service, something to do with the sheer potency of their being that allows the transformation into Dragon-Knights to be sped up.
Of course such a thing could be seen as ridiculous, or as something as dark as the Dracul's realm. Either way, what little is known is that the Dragon seekers may be capable as a Grail Knight seeker (those called to the former Grail quest), Dragon Knights are far, far, far more deadly then the Grail Knights of Old. Each one by estimates can Handle at least 5 Grail Knights on their own, and if not more of them if conditions are right. Then there is the fact Each Dragon Knight is a Poor choice for a Grail knight to fight against, as the usual weaknesses of the Prey of the Grail Knights arent inherit of the dragon Knights, as they know when its time to transform into their Dragonic Form, and when to stay in mortal form. This way they can easily switch between diffrent forms, usually taking a few heartbeats to complete the transformation which case a experianced Dragon Knight can utilize to their advantage of Suprise.
To further their empowerments, the Dragon Knights Emit a seemingly unconscious arua of dread about them similar to the Great Dragons themselves, which case should make recruitment a impossibility if each knight cannot so much as look at their patron in the eye. Yet those that are seemingly compatible can do so with some effort, perhapes some form of magic connection is made? Nevertheless, When a selection is done, it doesnt mean the end for a potential Dragon Seeker, as they simply train harder and study more untill the next grand selection is done.
It is often said that if the Goddess of Old Bretonnia was working to the extreme of quality over quantity, then Dracul of New Bretonnia is working with Quantity and Quality in equal measure. The recent decades have seen more knight potentials and Seekers then any Knight Errant from old bretonnia. Not to mention they are FAR more disciplined then before and can actually care for something besides their next glory hunt or fair maiden to seduce. I have even heard rumors of a all female Knightly Order being created as a sort of watch-force for the Church, and most likely to ensure the Church's purity, a watch dog for the watchdog that is watched by the watch-dog so that all three can ensure stability of bretonnia as they may say.
Anway back to our original topic, Needless to say That the Dragon Seeker's are better then the knight errants of old is true on all accounts. But they also rarely leave the lands of bretonnia unless sent on a special mission with their Patron Knight outside the borders of bretonnia. Not because of some prejudice or nationalization, but rather that Dracul has not the forces that the older nations have that can insure stability for these recent times. Not to mention that merely paying a Dragon-Knight alone without Seekers following him is worth a entire Mercenary company's contract for up to six months of service, half front half at the end, and that is only just him ALONE, with Dragon seekers that price is enhanced that it seems only the greater elector counts, Emperor, or dwarven holds could pay for them to deal with a issue or another.
While this may seem mercenary in value, it is seen as a fair trade by the dragon knights and seekers as they have many duties and for their to shirk that duty requires a equal price either in wealth, knowledge, or strong favors to their home-land. Which case each Dragon Knight will exploit the deal with utter ruthlessness, though a still a fair trade, one should beware of them...for to try and cheat a dragon knight out of a deal is to invite a grudge upon your line. One elector count had tried his luck before, having killed several Dragon Seekers and wounded a Dragon Knight with a ambush of cannons and gunfire...which case while driven off the elector count celebrated his kept wealth, his new arms and armor, and of course whatever prizes the dragon seekers held. Then nearly a month later a warband of Dragon Knights Supported by a "Small" flight of dragons Ravaged the entire province in search of the sold arms and armor.
What little is known is spoken that the emperor of the empire had demanded the reason why Dracul had allowed his children and knights to ravage a entire province...which case the reply sent had sent the emperor of the time into a pale gasping terror. It is not known what was said as the letter was quickly destroyed and the emperor rallied the elector counts, especially once the Lector of the Sigmarite church all but demanded the return of the tools of the Seekers. The resulting small army that marched found a heavily damage but not totally destroyed province (something i am told is EXTREMLY lucky for the province, as one DoomFire Dragon had been sighted in the small flight of dragons that had arrived with the Dragon Knights to reclaim what was theirs). The negotiations once the army had found the Warband laying "seige" to the elector counts capital had needed quite the bribe of ten times that what was agreed to drawn from the other elector counts coffers...of course the majority was taken from the one who had broken the pact he had made with the dragon knights and was all but handed over to them for justice.
Needless to say he did not die well after being swallowed whole the Doom Fire Dragon, a fate not many would rather endure...the negotiations of those times had been tense, but eventually left having claimed more treasure from the rampage to safely ease the fury of The Father Of Dragons Wrath.
What is next from the Dragon Seekers is that after either by deed or time, the Dragon Knight takes the Seekers to some hidden place, possible a holy-site or fortress dedicated to their particular Order's Line of Dragons. Which case under the Light of Mansleib or something or another a ritual is done, and out of the temple/site/fortress emerges a Dragon Knight in their first transformation...they are...only the size of a particularly large Wyvern during those times, and quite wild to boot. It is there that the Dragon lords Make their appearance for their orders. Needless to say their own transformation and that of the Knights causes a event that is rarely recorded, if only out of respect and of course not wanting to anger the castle-sized angry elemental breathing dragons that also join in it.
It is known as the Dragon-Dance, a event that happens only once a year, it is...marvelous...to even be allowed to witsness the flight of such beasts as they journey from one end of bretonnia to another...it si also the known time when Dragons from their respective species would gather for courtship rituals. Those that dwell on the ground only have their own festiles, and while not as intriquit as that of their flying brethren, they are no less wonderous if you find dragonic fights, nearly hellish storms of magic and brute muscle and domination across the lands of bretonnia a wonder.
Towards the end of such a Dance, comes the Flight Of Dracul...where every dragon within bretonnia follows their master from one end to another...and of course such a dance usually means that there is a massive need to feed...and so under mansleibs light the dragons descend upon the lands HUNTING for any evil creature that dares to walk out of their holes...herds stones of beastmen burnt and molten, holes of ratfolk dug into and torn apart, hordes of orks seemingly disappear overnight as the beasts go into a frenzy of hunger and fury.
Then after the flight of the Dragons Dance and the night comes to a close, all dragons head back to their dens and the new dragon knights and Fabled Dragon Lords return to their realms/fortresses/temples/holy sites while Dracul returns to his realm to rest.
The only other notable thing for both a holy day and part of the organization is the legendary Dragon Festival. Something only reserved and whispered about from Dragon Knights to the very Emperors of the Draconic Species. This festival is supposedly another similar ascension process for Dragon lords in which they become more pure beings of power then what they were once before. Living avatars of Draculs Full Might and Power, these Dragon Princes/ess are indeed almost as majestic as the very Dragons they immate, some retain a more mortal form, taking on few of the dragonic attibutes, while others become more akin to dragons shaped as men...other still go further becomming almost entirely a dragon themselves if not a living entity of their respective element. from what little i have learned from the emperors (from great bribes of meat and luxuries), is that these Princes are the Heralds of their Fathers will, Great Commanders of his Armies within the Realm of Souls awaiting the find days to unleash their full might against the terrors of the four in what is called a "Order-Tide" that is being organized by Dracul.
As it is, the rituals of the Dragon Knight Orders are very closely guarded...and even if this was true, how would one even BEGIN to plot to enter the fortress that bretonnia has become?!? nevertheless the limited time the regents are even available of the time?
]The Dragon Knight Order of Bretonnia
Part 1
History
Not every dragon can protect themselves, despite what you may think, there are MANY threats to the Great Ones. From eager adventurers looking for a quick gold coin, to armies of chaos gods, to the rat men of the depths, to even brutish Orks, and finally just plain stupidity. Our duty is to not only safeguard our people, but also the dragons as i mentioned beforehand. This means diplomacy between the mighty Lords of Old and of Young Man, and Elder Dwarves. Many grudges have been made in Dracul's absence from the scene, and it is up to us to negotiate with the outsiders, or failing that to either defend them with our lives and ensure their purity of spirit and flesh.
To begin with our noble history goes back to the reunification war, where Dracul (HAIL), led our armies out to crush the Rot Tide after the ravages of bretonnia. Where the original Dragon lords, former grail knights, offered their eternal service and souls to his being. Each of them a warrior unparalleled in might and magical arts, thanks to no doubt the draconic heritage each of the lords have gained since then. Those were simpler times, and very few if any grail knights switched allegiances, and even then, regular knights tended to be foolish enough to try and stop our lord from his conquest.
If i recall Lord Druk himself personally executed the Former duke of the time for wasting the lives of his peasants and his general idiocy despite the Dragon Lords Mercy. A pity really...Druk was always the more...excitable one, though quick and efficient. Had it been any of the others their deaths would not have been quick. Though their armaments were taken, so many silverite weapons and armor. Enough to help fund the order when necessary and outfit them properly once Dracul Reforged the weapons himself to a more proper standard for the military orders.
Each of the Dragon Lords are only subservient to Dracul and obey his orders due to the connection they have with him, no matter the distance or time. They in turn are respected even by the mightiest Emperor Dragons of their respective lineages. Yes...i know, Emperor Dragons whose glare can send off entire swarms of highly outfitted adventurers equipped with the most powerful magical objects. The reasons for this respect have been a question by many scholars of bretonnia, yet not have ever gotten the guts to simply ask the dragons or the Dragon Lords themselves of such matters. I myself might know of it, but i shan't put the answer down in this book. Nope dear reader, that's for you to figure out yourself if you ever meet a Dragon Lord...a rarity if ever, you would be more likely to meet a True Dragon Knight or Rather a Dragon Seeker.
Now where was i? oh yes, the unification wars. Nasty business of that, the mess afterwards a truly shuddering response. Still in those days Dracul was able to raise many of the dead from Orks, beast men, and filthy traitors to humanity. Not to mention a swarm of Rat-men were buried under the weight of the dead and risen after interrogations. That would eventually lead to the cleansing of the black chasm by the Dracul eventually...but for now we focus on the events to come. After the taking of Bretonnia, Lord Dracul worked LONG and hard to assimilate the lands, a thoroughly done census was taken as well as restoring the roads to the dwarf quality (standard I've heard from my dwarven contacts, about a decent attempt by a journeyman stone cutter...which had them grumbling about Umgi finally getting proper roads in or some sort.). Afterwards the old villages that had once been overlooked were...moved...to more secure locations and rebuilt into proper towns and eventual cities. This had a small series of unrest of the time, but this consolidation was needed to ensure the living continued to not only be productive, but also alive from the chaos of the times.
Especially once the chaos tides of the north came...it was only pure luck the oceanic dragons came as they did to ward off any of the north-men's attacks from the seas, which allowed the Dracul to send his army of the dead north along with himself to stem the tide of chaos that came while his agents helped a young man named Magnus unite the empire once more and smooth out the transition of power. This aid allowed Dracul to send his army through the mountains during the times, and afterwards negotiated with the young emperor to talk with his Vampiric Kin (before he had awakened his godly self of course he had been a member of the Von Carstien bloodline...more of that in other books foolish reader.) Naturally if it meant less blood and loss of the empire, the Young emperor agreed but with a hefty price to ensure compliance and neutrality to the Cult of Morr.
Our lord heeded this agreement, and spoke with his distant kin...though many were too arrogant for the Dragon's Taste, the few who swore loyalty to him were spared of his coming rage, and what a sight to behold...he had not only stolen the dead from Sylvania that were not of Morr's get or under his protections, but also ripped the foundations of the castle drakenholft to the ground after looting it thoroughly. The necromancers who had not left the service of the vampires were either forcible recruited or handed over to the empire as agreed with the cult of morr.
This ended the time of Blight for the empire as Sylvania was emptied of the hostile dead. This also meant that the armies of the dead had swollen to an honest ridiculous degree that the dragon lord sent the dead to hunt the vermin below his cities and of the skaven-holds across the grey mountains. This not only allowed for the reconquest of the dwarven holds but opened the doors for more dwarven contacts and of course more trade deals with the clans in those mountains.
This also served as a way to clean the grudge's the dwarves held against his children as Dracul began a long, tense, and often times hair ripping and hair raising circular argument negotiations with the dwarven kingdoms...this all ended as the Dracul then swore that Karak Eight Peaks would be cleaned of all that lived there not of Orderly Dwarven Blood as a final payment to the dwarven kingdoms. This campaign would last for a decade in preparations as the Father of Dragons studied the forces there and began to plot and twist the tides of fate until he finally led the campaign.
Now you ask where the dragon knights came into play? why they came in during the cleansing of the Karak's. Where Knights who swore their allegiance to the dragon lords each followed their lord into the depths of the karak's to cleanse them of beastmen, orks, and other foul things from the face of the world and beyond. These knights, having endured the ordeal of such a campaign each came back as a veteran of dozens of harsh and cruel battles...and each of them earned the Blood Right.
This Blood Right will be covered in a later chapter, but needless to say the Seekers that followed the Dragon Lords into the depths all came out as Dragon knights, each with the ability to change if for a short time into a wyvern style dragon of their respective traits and dragon lines. Now, these transformations aren't that of a true wyvern, but more akin to a hybridization of the two forms, bringing the wyverns to a more noble status in bretonnia if they could be managed to be raised there. More of this shall be talked about later on.
With this transformation, Dragon knights can cover what takes men days or weeks of travel to merely hours or several days time. This effectively makes attempting to raid Bretonnia a fools errand, as the forces of destruction, ruin, and chaos have found when they attemp to strike a blow to Dark Bretonnia. That's if the very lands and beasts within themselves don't simply cull you from existence. Not to mention the Patrols of The Dark Kings Rangers, Grim and tall folk each, they are the huntsmen of Dracul, charged with retaking the forests from the beastmen and keeping them clean. They have been known to deal with Fae, either through negotiation or intimidation. Though dangerous, these mortal men are terrifying to behold as they have been known to even sneak up upon Wood Elves in their own forests, they are also blessed with long lives and tougher bodies then mortal men.
Why do you ask reader am i talking about these Rangers? Its because they and the Dragon knight Order's have a special relationship, these Rangers act as trip-wires for the Orders, either slaying small problems or reporting changing situations that will require a Dragon Knight or even a Warband of Them to deal with. Again, the relationship the Orders have with other facitons and empires will be covered later.
Part 2
Organization
Each dragon order, ranging from the "Higher" intelligent Dragons to their more Animalistic Kin, all have a singular united purpose. To protect Dragon-kind from extinction or Corruption, To protect Bretonnia, And to Protect Bretonnia's citizens from those that mean them harm, even if its a threat from within. To call forth a Dragon Knight is to call a force that can wipe out small armies themselves, warriors of unending might and stubbornness to rival the dwarves at their height. Each Dragon Knight is a Arcane warrior, able to cast both simple cantrips of all the winds of maigc and their species best specialization or rather attunement to the winds of magic.Organization
To say that a Dragon Knight can obliberate you for speaking out of turn or disrespect is no mere simple word or saying. It is the truth of things, for their pride is that of Dragon-Kind, their memories that of the great Wyrms of the Sky and Earth. Their Grudges run as deep as the Blood of the Father of Dragons and have been known to simply slay random folk that have been connected to the slaying of a dragon, whether "innocent" or not. The only exceptions to this seems to be Dwarven folk with whom the grudges have been settled, or if it was to put down a maddened Dragon that could not be reasoned with. This grudge also extends to vampires and of other races, sometimes beings that have never even been seen by mortal eyes and yet were fought with all the ferocity of a enraged Emperor Dragon that decided that the neighboring province just stole its favorite gem or somthing and wanted it damn back to hell with the province.
Now for the real meat on the bones of the Dragon Knights, there are several tiers of rankings each Dragon Order has. The starting is where usually knights begin as, recruited by a Dragon Knight or a Dragon lord for some quest through some means unkown to scholars...what little i can tell it has something to due to the connection of some innate primal connection to dragon-kind that allows the knights or lords to pick out from seemingly random who can follow and who they shall leave behind. Usually this leads to said knights that are chosen to living to becomming a Dragon-Knight after some unkown period of time, usually from what i in my knowledgeably intellect have narrowed down between ten to twenty years of service under the Dragon Knights Service, or having done somthing so momumental that they are allowed acsension to the ranks of the Knight-hood after some ceremony or another.
From what i undestand, the Dragon Seekers as they are called after being chosen by the selection spend their time fighting, traveling, aiding, and of course adventuring with their Patron untill given leave or if by some small cursed issue their Dragon Knight perishes (which case a new one would show up soon afterwards to take up the Seekers on their efforts). Only the Seekers that have worked with the Dragon Lords have ever become Dragon Knights in under a years service, something to do with the sheer potency of their being that allows the transformation into Dragon-Knights to be sped up.
Of course such a thing could be seen as ridiculous, or as something as dark as the Dracul's realm. Either way, what little is known is that the Dragon seekers may be capable as a Grail Knight seeker (those called to the former Grail quest), Dragon Knights are far, far, far more deadly then the Grail Knights of Old. Each one by estimates can Handle at least 5 Grail Knights on their own, and if not more of them if conditions are right. Then there is the fact Each Dragon Knight is a Poor choice for a Grail knight to fight against, as the usual weaknesses of the Prey of the Grail Knights arent inherit of the dragon Knights, as they know when its time to transform into their Dragonic Form, and when to stay in mortal form. This way they can easily switch between diffrent forms, usually taking a few heartbeats to complete the transformation which case a experianced Dragon Knight can utilize to their advantage of Suprise.
To further their empowerments, the Dragon Knights Emit a seemingly unconscious arua of dread about them similar to the Great Dragons themselves, which case should make recruitment a impossibility if each knight cannot so much as look at their patron in the eye. Yet those that are seemingly compatible can do so with some effort, perhapes some form of magic connection is made? Nevertheless, When a selection is done, it doesnt mean the end for a potential Dragon Seeker, as they simply train harder and study more untill the next grand selection is done.
It is often said that if the Goddess of Old Bretonnia was working to the extreme of quality over quantity, then Dracul of New Bretonnia is working with Quantity and Quality in equal measure. The recent decades have seen more knight potentials and Seekers then any Knight Errant from old bretonnia. Not to mention they are FAR more disciplined then before and can actually care for something besides their next glory hunt or fair maiden to seduce. I have even heard rumors of a all female Knightly Order being created as a sort of watch-force for the Church, and most likely to ensure the Church's purity, a watch dog for the watchdog that is watched by the watch-dog so that all three can ensure stability of bretonnia as they may say.
Anway back to our original topic, Needless to say That the Dragon Seeker's are better then the knight errants of old is true on all accounts. But they also rarely leave the lands of bretonnia unless sent on a special mission with their Patron Knight outside the borders of bretonnia. Not because of some prejudice or nationalization, but rather that Dracul has not the forces that the older nations have that can insure stability for these recent times. Not to mention that merely paying a Dragon-Knight alone without Seekers following him is worth a entire Mercenary company's contract for up to six months of service, half front half at the end, and that is only just him ALONE, with Dragon seekers that price is enhanced that it seems only the greater elector counts, Emperor, or dwarven holds could pay for them to deal with a issue or another.
While this may seem mercenary in value, it is seen as a fair trade by the dragon knights and seekers as they have many duties and for their to shirk that duty requires a equal price either in wealth, knowledge, or strong favors to their home-land. Which case each Dragon Knight will exploit the deal with utter ruthlessness, though a still a fair trade, one should beware of them...for to try and cheat a dragon knight out of a deal is to invite a grudge upon your line. One elector count had tried his luck before, having killed several Dragon Seekers and wounded a Dragon Knight with a ambush of cannons and gunfire...which case while driven off the elector count celebrated his kept wealth, his new arms and armor, and of course whatever prizes the dragon seekers held. Then nearly a month later a warband of Dragon Knights Supported by a "Small" flight of dragons Ravaged the entire province in search of the sold arms and armor.
What little is known is spoken that the emperor of the empire had demanded the reason why Dracul had allowed his children and knights to ravage a entire province...which case the reply sent had sent the emperor of the time into a pale gasping terror. It is not known what was said as the letter was quickly destroyed and the emperor rallied the elector counts, especially once the Lector of the Sigmarite church all but demanded the return of the tools of the Seekers. The resulting small army that marched found a heavily damage but not totally destroyed province (something i am told is EXTREMLY lucky for the province, as one DoomFire Dragon had been sighted in the small flight of dragons that had arrived with the Dragon Knights to reclaim what was theirs). The negotiations once the army had found the Warband laying "seige" to the elector counts capital had needed quite the bribe of ten times that what was agreed to drawn from the other elector counts coffers...of course the majority was taken from the one who had broken the pact he had made with the dragon knights and was all but handed over to them for justice.
Needless to say he did not die well after being swallowed whole the Doom Fire Dragon, a fate not many would rather endure...the negotiations of those times had been tense, but eventually left having claimed more treasure from the rampage to safely ease the fury of The Father Of Dragons Wrath.
What is next from the Dragon Seekers is that after either by deed or time, the Dragon Knight takes the Seekers to some hidden place, possible a holy-site or fortress dedicated to their particular Order's Line of Dragons. Which case under the Light of Mansleib or something or another a ritual is done, and out of the temple/site/fortress emerges a Dragon Knight in their first transformation...they are...only the size of a particularly large Wyvern during those times, and quite wild to boot. It is there that the Dragon lords Make their appearance for their orders. Needless to say their own transformation and that of the Knights causes a event that is rarely recorded, if only out of respect and of course not wanting to anger the castle-sized angry elemental breathing dragons that also join in it.
It is known as the Dragon-Dance, a event that happens only once a year, it is...marvelous...to even be allowed to witsness the flight of such beasts as they journey from one end of bretonnia to another...it si also the known time when Dragons from their respective species would gather for courtship rituals. Those that dwell on the ground only have their own festiles, and while not as intriquit as that of their flying brethren, they are no less wonderous if you find dragonic fights, nearly hellish storms of magic and brute muscle and domination across the lands of bretonnia a wonder.
Towards the end of such a Dance, comes the Flight Of Dracul...where every dragon within bretonnia follows their master from one end to another...and of course such a dance usually means that there is a massive need to feed...and so under mansleibs light the dragons descend upon the lands HUNTING for any evil creature that dares to walk out of their holes...herds stones of beastmen burnt and molten, holes of ratfolk dug into and torn apart, hordes of orks seemingly disappear overnight as the beasts go into a frenzy of hunger and fury.
Then after the flight of the Dragons Dance and the night comes to a close, all dragons head back to their dens and the new dragon knights and Fabled Dragon Lords return to their realms/fortresses/temples/holy sites while Dracul returns to his realm to rest.
The only other notable thing for both a holy day and part of the organization is the legendary Dragon Festival. Something only reserved and whispered about from Dragon Knights to the very Emperors of the Draconic Species. This festival is supposedly another similar ascension process for Dragon lords in which they become more pure beings of power then what they were once before. Living avatars of Draculs Full Might and Power, these Dragon Princes/ess are indeed almost as majestic as the very Dragons they immate, some retain a more mortal form, taking on few of the dragonic attibutes, while others become more akin to dragons shaped as men...other still go further becomming almost entirely a dragon themselves if not a living entity of their respective element. from what little i have learned from the emperors (from great bribes of meat and luxuries), is that these Princes are the Heralds of their Fathers will, Great Commanders of his Armies within the Realm of Souls awaiting the find days to unleash their full might against the terrors of the four in what is called a "Order-Tide" that is being organized by Dracul.
Part 3
Rituals?
This part of my precious records are unforetunly small as the Rituals dedicated to Dracul can range from startling complex to stunning simplicity, it can range from simply greetings to even more inane talks. I dont know what to tell you reader, but unless we have a confirmed reasoning i cannot even begin to tell what little i have learned. All that i know is it is conected to the waystones of bretonnia, the winds of magic, some knowledge or another from ablion, Rune-craft, blood given freely by the emperor dragons, and from what little i know powered shed scales, shavings of horn and claws, and even perhaps regents from Dracul himself for the rituals. of course this is all speculation, and most likely false rumors spread by the intellegnce network of bretonnia.Rituals?
As it is, the rituals of the Dragon Knight Orders are very closely guarded...and even if this was true, how would one even BEGIN to plot to enter the fortress that bretonnia has become?!? nevertheless the limited time the regents are even available of the time?
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So @RandomDwarf how goes the dwarf gods omake
- Location
- Anchorage, Alaska
patience, ill have it out in a day or two...
- Location
- Poland
Thanks's! I'll edit it in a moment.
Edit: Changed it.
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- Location
- Castlevania
Cursing the unfairness of it all.
This omake can be considered to be a 'Future canon' type of omake so...
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