The Imperial Knights

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Calixis

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THE IMPERIAL KNIGHTS

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Where there is Darkness I will bring Light.
Where there is chaos I will bring order.
Where others refuse to act, I will.
Without hesitation, without anger, and without mercy,
Through my actions I honour the will of the Force,
And bring peace to the Empire.

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Overview

The Imperial Knights, also known as the Knights of the Empire, are a group of Force-practitioners formed thousands of years ago during the reign of Jagged Fel. Unlike previous Imperial Force-based organisations, the Imperial Knights rejected the dark side of the Force, though they were were viewed as "Gray" by the New Jedi Order. In contrast to the Jedi, who believed strongly in meditation and introspection, the Imperial Knights had a far more pragmatic view of the Force. A powerful tool, but one that required great care and respect. Within the Empire they served as an analogue to the New Jedi Order, albeit in a more militant capacity, acting both as bodyguards and elite agents of the Emperor. Although the Imperial Knights ultimately served the Force as embodied through the Emperor, this was only true if he himself served the light side of the Force. If he were ever to turn to the dark side then it was their duty was to either bring him back to the light or remove him from power. Ultimately, the Imperial Knights owed their allegiance to the Force.

Following the successful Sith coup of the Empire the Imperial Knights were left without an Emperor, nor an heir, to follow. Hunted down mercilessly by the Sith the few surviving Knights suffered a string of vicious defeats that further crippled their already meager numbers. At a critical turning point, a number of these survivors re-formed themselves as the Imperial Marshalls after joining forces with a newly revealed Galactic Rebellion. Those who chose not to aid the Rebellion went on instead to persecute a futile and ultimately suicidal assault upon the Sith leadership.

Now, the pendulum begins to turn and a revitalized Rebellion begins to push back against an Imperium that threatens to tear itself apart from the inside. It is time for the true servants of the Imperial throne to make their proud name heard. As the Empire's citizens suffer under the tyranny of a self-serving and monstrous regime, it is the continued duty of the re-organised Imperial Knights to usher in a society loyal to the ideals of benevolent Emperors past.

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Doctrine

Disciplined, obedient and loyal to their cause, the militant Knights of the Empire differ greatly from other Force-practitioners. Although each Knight is expected to act with a great deal of initiative given the nature of their operations, they are nonetheless required to follow any and all orders without hesitation and without question. The Imperial Knights understand better than most that war is seldom a clean and glorious affair, and that more often than not; sacrifices must be made for the greater good. They are not ignorant of the risks posed by the dark side, and it is their strict discipline that allows the Knights of the Empire to continue to fight the war as they do.

As a result of their limited numbers, as well as the Imperium still actively hunting down the remnants of their order, the Imperial Knights still operate as a largely cloak-and-dagger force. As they find themselves operating within Imperial-space with increasing frequency, this doctrine has only become more paramount to their survival. With that being said, due to the growing territory that the fledgling Republic has begun to claim, the Knights at least have allies with whom they can receive relatively-safe sanctuary. Seldom will the Imperial Knights take to the field in open warfare, but as the campaign against the New Sith Imperium intensifies, conventional warfare is more frequently waged between the two powers. Imperial Knights are encouraged to use discretion, but aiding other elements of the Rebellion remains permitted; skilled though they may be, the Knights have never been, nor should be, glorified spies and assassins.


In recent months, the Imperial Knights have begun operations focused primarily upon the further destabilisation of the New Sith Imperium. Many of their numbers have personal ties to the regions and cultures in which they serve, if not vital intelligence on the internal workings of military and civil affairs. Many remain wanted fugitives however, particularly deserters and known absconders from Imperial law, though even the Imperium lacks a tight enough grip to catch every single absconder from justice within their own jurisdiction. Following their recent series of sudden and public defeats to the Rebellion, more - if not particularly great - dissidence has begun to appear within the Imperium. Sith rule may not be so infallible after all, and their ascension was permitted largely out of a desire for a stronger, better, society than out of any unifying belief in the Sith doctrine, at least among the vast majority of non-Force sensitives. Younger generations may have been raised knowing only fealty to their Sith overlords, but billions still remember the benevolent rule of the last Light-sided Emperor.

To this end, the Imperial Knights actively seek, support and encourage dissident groups within the New Sith Imperium. Whether these are paramilitary groups that may be brought under the Rebellion's fold, officials within planetary governments and even members of the Imperial Armed Forces. When the New Sith Imperium falls, there must still be an Empire left for the Imperial Knights to rebuild and protect. It is not enough to merely remove the Sith from power, lest its worlds be swallowed whole by the Republic, the Hutt Cartel, or whatever other faction might tear the remnants apart. By sowing the seeds now, the Empire might just be able to survive these dark times and rise once more as a benevolent power in the galaxy.

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Structure & Support

The reformed Imperial Knights are structured not unlike previous incarnations of their order. Their numbers remain few, thus an overly complicated series of titles and ranks is unnecessary. This, coupled with their Knights often operating as individuals or in small teams has resulted in a simple, but clear chain of command. Upon being deemed ready to be called such, the majority of their order are given the full title of Knight of the Empire, most often referred to simply as 'Knight'. In theory, these should form the mainstay of their order, however as a result of their numbers (or lack thereof) as many Apprentices are now numbered among them. Knights and Apprentices serve under the leadership of Masters.


In an ideal situation, an Apprentice would study and train under a specific Master, however the realities of their fractured state mean that Apprentices are actively encouraged to seek out and learn from Masters and Knights with the ability and willingness to instruct them. A favoured pupil may be taken under a certain Knight's wing, but this is not yet an official practice. Lacking the extensive libraries of the Sith or even compared to the New Jedi Order, this emphasis on learning from ones superiors and comrades is not just a formality but practically a necessity. The Imperial Knights have always been a proud group, even in their current form, but they do not outright oppose 'cooperation' on matters of learning

The Imperial Knights are not the only group to believe in a better Empire. Indeed, what makes the Knights of the Empire stand-out is their Force sensitivity and history, but they do not fight alone. Though relatively small when compared to other branches of the Rebel Coalition, a nonetheless sizable number of defectors loyal to the True Throne assist the Imperial Knights and by extension the Rebellion in its war against the Sith. Comprised largely of disillusioned personnel from the Imperial Armed Forces, these defectors work closely alongside of the Imperial Knights, providing additional logistical support and transportation and even heavy firepower when subtlety alone will not suffice. It is one of the long-term goals of the Imperial Knights to increase the scale of this now-small 'True Empire'.



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Additional Reading



    • Creating an Imperial Knight
    • Imperial Knight Roster
    • Imperial Knight Missions



 
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