Warlock Knights

The Warlock Knights, also called the Warlock Knights of Vaasa, were the feudal lords of Vaasa in the 15th century DR with aspirations of conquest beyond their borders. Their order was brutal and heavily militaristic, and the Knights drew their power from from an otherworldly entity they called Telos.

Abilities
Warlock Knights were expected to be skilled warriors first and foremost, but all were also required to have some aptitude for arcane magic. The secret to their power, as their name implies, was from forming a kind of warlock's pact with the comatose primordial Telos, although this was more akin to siphoning its essence rather than making a deal with it. When a Knight wielded Telos' power, it manifested as radiant and searing light.

Possessions
Worlock Knights wielded weapons and equipment made of ironfell, a metal-like crystalline substance harvested from the body of Telos through which a Warlock Knight could channel the primordial's power. Every Warlock Knights wore a simple ring made of ironfell as a symbol of their status, and higher ranking Knights were known to enchant their rings or to adorn them with magical jewels. These rings could serve as the foci for ritual magic, such as the Pact of the Iron Ring or the raising of shardsouls.

Warlock Knights were also known to own distinctive ceremonial armor which identified them as Knights.

Organization
The Knights were ruled by the Ironfell Council, who in turn served the Voice of Telos.

Hierarchy and rank were extremely important to the Warlock Knights. While all landed nobles in Vaasa were members of the Warlock Knights by 1479 DR, it was uncommon for their titles to be hereditary. Instead, most Knights earned their rank through hard work, raw power, or by undermining their rivals. They saw themselves as an elite fighting force, and only a few were considered worthy to join their ranks.

Ranks

 * Jack
 * Little more than common infantry, members of this rank were forbidden to wear the Warlock Knights' ceremonial armor or to refer to themselves as "knights." Jacks were often conscripted from the Vaasan serf population.


 * Lancer, Halberdier, or Bombardier
 * Beginning with these ranks, members were referred to as "knights" and this designation could be added onto their title (e.g., Knight-Lancer, Knight-Executor, etc.). As true Warlock Knights, members of these ranks would have been expected to have at least some arcane aptitude.


 * Executor
 * Landless Knights and petty nobles. Knights of this rank served as emissaries, assassins, spies, and soldiers for higher-ranking knights. Additional ranks of landless Knights included Myrmidon and Brigadier.


 * Fellthane
 * Landed knights who exercised absolute dominion over their fiefdoms and who maintained their own fighting forces.


 * Vindicator
 * High ranking Knights to whom the Fellthanes served as vassals. Although they were the equivalent of politically powerful nobles in other realms, they were known to lead squads personally.


 * Councilor
 * The twelve greatest Vindicators served on the Ironfell Council. This was the highest rank a Warlock Knight could achieve.

Bound Ones

 * Nishaadhri
 * These warlocks served similar roles in Vaasa as wizards did in other realms by advising high ranking Knights and supporting them in battle. As a rule, any arcane practitioner in Vaasa had to swear fealty to the Warlock Knights in exchange for the freedom to pursue their magical study.


 * Luminary
 * The greatest of the nishaadhri were recruited to join an elite sect independent of the Warlock Knights created by the Voice of Telos. They performed a function similar to that of priests in other lands.

History
The Warlock Knights were founded sometime shortly after the Spellplague when Telos fell from the sky and crashed into the Vasaan tundra. The primordial was discovered by the one who would go on to be called the Voice of Telos, and it was quickly determined that ironfell could be harvested from the body and used to enhance magical and martial abilities. Using the power of Telos, the Warlock Knights began a war of conquest across Vaasa in 1460 DR, and sacked the former capital at Bloodstone City in 1470 DR before declaring their independence from the Kingdom of Bloodstone.

Under the Warlock Knights, Vaasa was restructured as a brutal feudal society with its capital at Telos City, which was built on top of the sleeping primordial. The source and true nature of the Warlock Knights' power was kept a secret and was obfuscated with an almost religious-like veneration of Telos that prohibited the worship of any gods with the exception of Bane.

As of 1479 DR, the Warlock Knights still held Bloodstone Pass with a garrison in the ruins of Bloodstone City, and were seen as an existential threat by Damara. As of 1489 DR, the Moonsea had grown wary of them as well.

Notable Members

 * The Voice of Telos, the leader of the Ironfell Council
 * Mansard Kanaoth, a Knight-Vindicator and member of the Ironfell Council who claimed the title of Witch-King
 * Ivor Chernin, a Knight-Vindicator known as "the Grinder"
 * Kardhel Terov, a Knight-Fellthane active in the Moonsea region in 1479 DR
 * Kaggen Entreri, a prommising young Knight-Bombardier deployed to investigate relics relating to Zhengyi the Witch-King in 1479 DR

Related

 * Pact of the Iron Ring