The Blackguard


Awnsheghlien » Anuire » The Gorgon's Crown » The Blackguard

The Gorgon was once the (illegitimate) son of the lord of the Andu, he was the greatest servant of Azrai amongst the Andu and led a great host against his brothers Haelyn and Roele during the War of the Shadow and at the battle of Mount Deismaar.

Not all of those knights who followed the Gorgon, then known as Raesene Andu, deserted his service after Deismaar, or when his transformation into an awnsheghlien began shortly after. Some remained loyal throughout the centuries making the city of Kal-Saitharak one of the greatest in all Cerilia until its destruction at the hands of Michael Roele - now only the great fortress itself remains.

Shortly after he slew Michael Roele and destroyed the Anuirean Empire the Gorgon ordered the loyal knights who had lived in the city of Kal-Saitharak before fleeing its destruction to settle the near empty lands between the Gorgon's Crown and Markazor (which had been scoured clean by Michael Roele's vengeful army) and they now oversee his domain in the Gorgon's Crown as his sworn vassals with each knight overseeing vast numbers of peasants and slaves who labor in the service of the Gorgon. Life for these knights and their families is good, for they are prized by the Gorgon even above the orogs and great goblins who provide the remainder of the Gorgon's elite.

The knights are sworn to the Gorgon's service, and from their number and the tiny middle class of the Crown are drawn the Blackguard - also known as the Gorgon's own and as the dark knights. These fell knights form the elite core of the Gorgon's cavalry - two elite units of knights and two more of ultra-heavy foot.

Also from their number are drawn a number of the Gorgon's champions such as Sir Kalthist, Hammer of Mhoried and the dreaded Baron Stiele, said to be possessed by a demon from the Shadow World. The Blackguard have a twisted code of honor that focuses on the rights of the strong and the deserved submission of the weak, they are true to their word however and hold to much of the chivalric code - most of the time. Many of the Blackguard worship the Gorgon as a god and a number are (usually weakly) blooded.

The Blackguard are almost pure-blooded Anuireans - even centuries of life outside the empire have not caused them to 'pollute their blood with that of inferiors', they speak a highly accented form of Anuirean which they claim to be pure Andu - the most common difference to modern Anuirean is the almost total absence of common Rjurik, Brecht and Khinasi words and phrases which flooded into the Anuirean language after the formation of the empire.


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