- Joined
- Dec 28, 2011
- Messages
- 6,905
- Reaction score
- 233
The Imperial Knights
History
History
The Imperial Knights have a long, proud history of serving the Empire and its Emperors and Empresses. Formed sometime after the ascension of Jagged Fel to the Imperial Throne, the Imperial Knights were formed as the Emperor’s elite body guards and most trusted allies. They served the Force as embodied through the Emperor. If the Emperor ever strayed from the light side of the Force, it was the Imperial Knights' duty to bring him back or remove him from power.
They remained loyal to the true Emperor, Roan Fel, during the Second Imperial Civil War, serving Roan Fel and the Empire-In-Exile faithfully for the duration of the war. In the peace that followed, the Imperial Knights remained loyal to the Fel Dynasty and the subsequent dynastic changes up until the resurgence of the Sith and the coup d'état led by the Sith and Sith-sympathizers, who took the Empire by storm, killing most of the Imperial Knights in a move reminiscent of Palpatine’s Order 66 a thousand years ago, as well as the true Emperor.
The few that survived the purge fled their home on Bastion, remaining scattered, hiding from the Sith, until they were gathered by Knight-Commander Peller, the Emperor’s former second-in-command. Peller organized the Imperial Knights into a rag-tag band of guerrilla fighters armed with the Force, a hatred for the Sith, and an intimate knowledge of Imperial systems.
Peller herself fell some time later in a daring operation which left a gravely wounded Darth Judicar vulnerable to being overthrown, which he was by his apprentice, Darth Exodeus. Bellatrix La Rouge took over the reins of the Knights and some progress was made in finding new safe-houses and building the alliances that would serve the IK well. Unfortunately, Bellatrix was killed in a terrorist explosion in the Coruscant Temple in the Jedi Order. She was succeeded temporarily by Zsaekriel Dtoahfre’Vuun who resigned after a short interlude to join the Jedi Order. Zsaekriel was then succeeded by Ayumi Pallopides who took extreme security measures relocating the Knights to Cyrillia and HOMEFRONT a secret base deep underground in SEOUL V.
Unfortunately, the Sith found the secret base and broke the back of the main IK resistance there, taking most prisoner.
The Knights are currently led by Balthazar "Pendragon" Gallo, a legendary Marshall returned miraculously from regions far beyond Wild Space. An unorthodox and pragmatic man, he has recruited many new Knights and instituted a decentralized and far more mobile Imperial Knights faction.
Forces
After the great attack at Seoul V, the Imperial Knights were greatly depleted as an organization. New recruiting with more liberal standards and the personal favors of some of the great figures in the New Imperial Knights (including Balthazar Gallo and some of the elder Knights) has meant that the Knights can count on an effective network of sympathizers and agents across the galaxy. Numbering a bit over a few hundred in total, the organization is mobile, secretive, and stealthy.
The Knights are themselves divided into retinues, usually numbering a few knights supported by a few more non-knight supporting forces. These retinues are semi-independent and only in semi-regular contact with HIGHCOM 1 (the retinue the Knight Commander leaders) and HIGHCOM 2 (the retinue the Lancer leads.) No retinue, including HIGHCOM knows the exact location of any other retinue at a given time.
If necessary, the IK can contact each other via dead-drops, sympathizers, etc. to organize Enclaves. These enclaves are attended only by duly appointed representatives of the retinues and never contain more than 5-7% of the Imperial Knights.
Philosophy
The Imperial Knights, despite what some Jedi believe, are an order that staunchly follows the light side of the Force. They hunt down any trace of the dark side, lest it grow into a threat to the welfare of the galaxy. With the return of the Sith, the Imperial Knights have been faced with a jarring fact: they were too forgiving. The Jedi had been complacent and the Imperial Knights had been too focused on their duties as guards to the Imperial Family. They had let the Sith rise up and take control of the Empire.
In response to this, the Knights have turned to look harshly on the dark side of the Force and its followers. They are much less forgiving than they were and are ever vigilant. Though the Imperial Knights are trained similarly to the Jedi, they view the Force as a tool - a powerful tool to be revered and respected, rather than contemplated and meditated on as the Jedi do. They believe that the Force can never be used in anger or selfishness, as the Sith use it. Controlling one's emotions and fears are of paramount importance in Imperial Knight philosophy.
They are given intense mental training to follow orders and keep a strict mentality that make them less susceptible to the allure of the dark side than a Jedi. Though they reject the dark side, the do not always rely solely on the light side either; for this reason, the New Jedi Order labels the Knights as "Grey Jedi."
The Imperial Knights have long since been a resilient organization. The current Dark Times after the destruction of its facilities at Seoul V and other areas is simply, as many would tell you, another trial the Imperial Knights must face. Reemerging under the leadership of legendary lost Marshall Balthazar Gallo, who was thought to have long since disappeared in a quest far beyond the Wild Regions of Space, the New Imperial Knights are more closely committed to serving the Force rather than focusing on the Imperial Throne and are a more ideologically committed and decentralized faction.
A new focus on personal honor which exists to some degree in conflict with their methods (which could be described as terrorism) motivates the Knights who have an esprit de corps that rivals any organization in the galaxy. The old requirements on service and hunting down wayward knights is gone. Imperial Knights believe that honor should be enough to hold a Knight to service and should a Knight fall or falter, the secretive nature of the Imperial Knights will mean that the IK will move on.
In terms of values, the Imperial Knights believe in discretion, valor, personal honor, and a warrior's proactiveness tempered with a soupcon of pragmatism. They are also egalitarians who focus greatly on team-work and the power of a committed organization to overcome powerful individuals.
Above all, they seek to serve the people of the Empire by throwing off the Sith yoke. To do so will require considerable (and often unsavory) effort
Hierarchy
Pendragon or Knight Commander: Under Balthazar Gallo, the Knight-Commander is the nominal leader of the Knights, a figurehead as well as an organizer and a first among equals of the retinue leaders. Leads HIGHCOM 1. Can call Enclaves by himself.
Einharjar: The Second in Command. Leads his own retinue. Can issue missions alongside Knight Commander. Can call Enclaves if seconded.
Lancer: The Third in Command. Usually accompanies the Knight-Commander and is a trusted fellow warrior. The Knight-Commander's customary envoy.
Justicar: Experienced Knights who lead their retinues. For most Knights these are their most immediate and pertinent authorities. They develop security protocols, missions, etc. for their retinues. Through CAMELOT order, retinue leaders (with the backing of two more retinue leaders or any of HIGHCOM) can also call Enclaves.
Knights-Errant: Independent operatives who operate independently of retinues. These operatives report to either HIGHCOM 1 or 2 or the nearest retinue. Only experienced Knights are granted this opportunity which has commensurately greater risks, privileges and responsibilities.
Knights: The backbone of the organization The New Imperial Knights are inclusive and non-force users can become Knights as well as anyone else. A Knight is expected to both adhere to the personal code of honor of the Imperial Knights and to be a great and shrewd soldier and warrior. They operate most frequently in a team capacity, as is the ethos of the Knights.
Squires: All initiates to the Imperial Knights start with this rank (barring veteran status, etc.) After successfully serving out missions, a Squire may be Knighted by his retinue leader. For reasons of security, independent cells keep their own rosters and HIGHCOM is only kept aware of rough number of available knights and not their particular composition and identity.
Executive Orders
AVALON order: This is the order establishing the structure of the New Imperial Knights. They are to decentralize and to begin to both provision for themselves and their faction whenever possible and to methodically and brutally attack the Sith Empire and its collaborating factions. Civilian and military structures are considered of equal value. No target is off-limits.
LE FAY ORDER: All Imperial Knights are to assume discretion and hide their identity as Imperial Knights. Only fellow Imperial Knights shall know of our existence. Outsiders are not to be trusted until made allies.
CAMELOT ORDER: Knights of the Round meeting to be called by retinue leaders or HIGHCOM. Caution and representatives to be sent. No more than seven percent of IK to be in any single place at one time.
Laws
Imperial Knights are expected to serve the Light and the Greater Good. They are not to murder wantonly or with hatred. They are not to use degrading methods to interrogate their enemies (because torture is both ineffective and morally dubious.) They are to keep the covenants and secrets of the Imperial Knights. They are to accept the surrender, whenever legitimate of their enemies, and to put off thoughts of personal revenge in service of the Greater Good.
On pain of punishment to be dispensed by due process (whenever possible) and the will of the Retinue Leaders or the Pendragon himself, Knights must walk the Path. It may lead to many winding roads for different Knights but so long as their hearts are true and the Knights are a united family, the Good shall prevail over the Bad.
Last edited by a moderator: