The way of the Knight

[azazel1024]

I was looking back through some PF stuff recently and found my Way of the Knight. I thought I'd share it. It is an alternative look at becoming a knight, what it entails, etc. Just some optional game material.

The way of the knight

Training to become a knight is much more arduous then many people think at first. When a knight comes charging through the battle field slaying foes all around him few stop to think of what went in to his training, though one must be willing to admit the observers generally have more on their mind at the time, especially if they are on the receiving end of that deadly and talented weapon’s work. Knights are supremely trained warriors who are brought up from an early age to protect the realms that they are charged with. This extends beyond the world of warfare, though this is arguably the primary focus of their training. A knights training includes diplomacy, or at least tact, chivalry, law, literacy, schooling and of course horsemanship and warfare.

In the following sections we will discuss the training a knight receives, what it entails and what it imparts. Not all people, noble or ignoble complete their knight training and go on to be dubbed knights of a realm. That does not mean that a person does not learn from their training, just that they have not become full knights nor learned all that there is to being a knight. Also many a knight starts training at a later age, especially among ignoble knights and may have missed earlier training.

A Page, early training
When a person chooses the path of becoming a knight or it is chosen for them as the case maybe they become a Page. A person typically becomes a page at about the age of 7. They are typically sent to a noble for training where the wife of the noble will normally be primarily responsible for a Page’s training. A Page’s training includes decorum, social skills, literacy and law, at least as it pertains to the realm in which they are training.

The skills imparted by this training are:

1st year: Literacy (Elven), Language (Elven)
2nd year: Dance, Heraldry
3rd year: Dance (+5%), Language (Elven +10%), Literacy (Elven +5%), Mathematics: Basic
4th year: Law (kingdom of training), Mathematics: Basic (+10%)
5th year: Heraldry (+10%), Law (kingdom of training +10%)
6th year: Language (one of choice), literacy (one of choice)
7th year: Language (Elven +10%), Court Intrigue*
*New Skill

Bonuses imparted:
3rd year: +1 on initiative
5th year: +1 to M.E.

Squire, introduction to war
Once a page reaches 14 years of age they will become a squire, assigned to a knight to begin their training in war. A squire is responsible for a knight’s armor, weapons, horse, tent and campsite when on campaign and for their sword arm in combat. A squire in return receives training in swordsmanship, unarmed combat, shields, horsemanship, tactics and physical training. A squire’s life is often hard and brutal, but it is excellent training.
1st year: WP: Knife, WP: Sword, WP: Shield, Running
2nd year: WP: One of choice, Horsemanship: General
3rd year: First Aid, Military Etiquette, Hand to Hand: Basic, Climb/Scale walls
4th year: Intelligence, Sing, Body building
5th year: Horsemanship: General (+10%), Strategy and Tactics
6th year: Intelligence (+10%), Forced march, WP: Lance
7th year: Horsemanship: Knight (supersedes horsemanship: general), WP: One of choice

Bonuses imparted:
1st year: +1D4 to S.D.C., +1 to parry
2nd year: +1 to S.D.C., +1 to dodge
3rd year: +1 to S.D.C., +1 to P.S.
4th year: +1 to M.E., +1D4 to S.D.C., +1 to S.P.D.
5th year: +1 to P.E., +1 to initiative
6th year: +1 to save vs. horror factor, +1 to pull punch, +1 to roll with punch/fall
7th year: +1 to P.S., +1D6 to S.D.C.

Knight, entry to a Chivalric order
Upon the 21st year of age a Squire is generally dubbed in to the order. This consists of the noble in charge of training the person to swear them in to service and strike them with an open hand across the neck at the end of the swearing in. This swearing is often the swearing of fealty to the lord, sometimes it is to a chivalric order and sometimes it is to up hold simply the principals of chivalry. This of course doesn’t mean that all knights uphold their vows and many strike off on their own to uphold their views of chivalry and attempt to protect the weak. In some cases the knight in question and his lord are evil villains not interested in chivalry at all. Upon becoming a knight the knight’s lord typically gifts the knight with certain things.

For knights’ errant not swearing fealty to the lord, they are typically gifted with a warhorse of some quality, medium armor (Chain mail or scale armor), a sword, knife, shield, a (common) weapon of choice and 500 gold to begin their quest.

For knights entering the service of their lord or to the kingdom they are typically gifted with all of the above as well as a land grant over which they are the warden and protector as well as a warrant as one of the noble’s or kingdom’s military officers, generally a junior officer who must work his way up in rank. The land grant is generally small and is based upon the bountifulness of the land; generally several hundred acres of very fertile land, possibly many times larger for land that is poor and unproductive. It is left to the knight to oversee the law within his fief as well as to protect the residents and collect taxes for his noble. From these taxes the knight will receive his income, generally keeping a small portion of the taxes for himself and for the administration of his fief and household.

Knights of a kingdom or noble generally have small households composed of several armsmen, a bailiff to oversee his holdings while he is away, any family members and several servants. The income from their lands varies depending on the size of the holding and its productivity. After paying the knight’s retainers and the taxes to his lord, the knight is generally left with 400-500 gold per month.

[Amberjack]

I like it, although I would have squire learn Horsemanship: Knight right of the bat, not General.

I will use this myself, thanks

[gaby]

Will you show Knight Ranks? and How to set up a Knightly Order?

[azazel1024]

If anyone is interested in it I can. Its going to take more more research to be able to write something up about it.

Hmmm, maybe a rifter article?
-Matt