Knight orders for tribes and clans

BJ Swabb · Aug 2, 2023

Hello everyone. So I just currently read a forum I believe was from Orc Knight on Knight Orders. My question is this, I have two main councils: The White Council and the Shadow Council in which represents the clans and tribes of those who honor either the King of The White Pearl (who is the good king of Granderhill) or the Demon King Narlyx. Anyways each council has many clans / tribes that represents them. Such as the Taurans (centaurs, alcetaurs, etc) of the Rolling Hills, The Minotaurs of the Forgetful Valley, and even the Troll of the Traveling Tavern. Would it be wise to have Knight Orders for each clan/tribe and someone other than their chieftain or chief to represent them in council meetings?

skip.knox · Aug 2, 2023

Personally, I'd go for variation. I don't associate knighthood with clans or tribes at all, so it would be a bit of a sell for me, but I am burdened with historical knowledge that's sometimes hard to suspend.

Maybe go at it a different way. Try a whole bunch of different ways in which your clans might sent representatives to a Council. Hetman, shaman, war chief, bravo, chairman of the board, president, mayor, prince ... we humans got a million of 'em. Some will feel right, some won't. Go with the former.

It just seems to me there are more story opportunities in variety than in sameness.

pmmg · Aug 2, 2023

I would not expect clans and tribal types to have knights. They might have important warriors, and maybe bands of them, but I would expect them to have a name out of their culture for them.

BJ Swabb · Aug 2, 2023

skip.knox said:
Personally, I'd go for variation. I don't associate knighthood with clans or tribes at all, so it would be a bit of a sell for me, but I am burdened with historical knowledge that's sometimes hard to suspend.

Maybe go at it a different way. Try a whole bunch of different ways in which your clans might sent representatives to a Council. Hetman, shaman, war chief, bravo, chairman of the board, president, mayor, prince ... we humans got a million of 'em. Some will feel right, some won't. Go with the former.

It just seems to me there are more story opportunities in variety than in sameness.

I do like what you have said here as far as having representatives. Just thinking about how these clans would be forced with loyalty to Torman or to the Demon King besides a treaty or just saying they are bound to them. Thought maybe a kinghthood like order for each clan / tribe would be responable for them to be part of it. IDK something that came to me while reading Orc Knights Forum.

Gurkhal · Aug 3, 2023

I can't speak for the council and such but I can speak some of the concept of knightly orders.

The problem or "problem" with a knightly order is like skip.knox said is that there's alot of historical luggage and expectation around things like knights and knightly orders. You can still use the term for something other than the historical term in your own world but I personally think you'd add extra work for little benefit.

What it seems to me is that you're looking for essentially a warrior fraternity, as a band of warriors bound together in some form of institution beyond the normal organization of the society's military. Correct?

If so I would advice to make up your own term for it and look beyond feudal Europe for such things to get more inspiration and material to work with in designing your own stuff that goes better with their intended role in your setting.

Here are a few suggestions of warrior fraternities, organizations or retinue which were somewhat similar to knightly orders but not exactly the same, and mostly beyond feudal Europe.

I hope it helps somewhat.