Knights of Solamnia
Encyclopedia
In the fictional Dragonlance
universe, the Solamnic Knights are a chivalric
order
, a "brotherhood forged when Krynn was young". The Solamnic Order is dedicated to the forces of light and live by a strict code of honor. The Knights of Solamnia are aligned as Lawful Good.
of the army
of Empire of Ergoth, who fought for them until he was sent to subdue a rebellion
in Solamnia, which was at the time eastern Ergoth. After months of fighting, winter bogged down the campaign. In the months of inactivity, Solamnus studied the cause of the rebels, and found it to be just. He marched to Daltigoth, capital of Ergoth, he led his army in the Rose Rebellion or the War of Ice Tears. After defeating the Empire, he spent some time alone meditating
. The gods Paladine, Habbakuk and Kiri-Jolith then sent Vinas a vision, in which he thought about an army divided in three orders, each of the three orders associated with a god. The Knighthood was born.
The Knighthood requires the help of a conscripted army, footmen, usually local guards, militia and mercenaries, acting under the commands of a Knight. They are not part of the knighthood itself.
conducting the life of a knight. In those books it is explained how a knight should react in different situations ranging from peace to war times.
During the time right before the Cataclysm, there were only 63 known Knights of Solamnia in Ansalon. These Knights worked for the good of Ansalon against the mounting problems arising from the Kingpriest of Istar.
During the time after the Cataclysm the Knighthood was shattered, with no Grandmaster, High Clerist or Justice. After the War of the Lance, Gunthar Uth Wistan, voted Grandmaster of the Knights of Solamnia, took as his goal to revise the Oath and the Measure, considering such strict rules were the ones that made the Knighthood fall in decay with time. The Revised Measure was presented by his successor, Lord Liam Ehrling, on the year 9 SC. The spirit of the Measure changed from being a strict set of rules to a set of proposed rules, which suggest what the knight should do, but not impose them.
The Oath of the Knights of Solamnia is Est Sularus Oth Mithas (My Honor Is My Life).
The Knighthood is ruled by the Grandmaster of the Knights of Solamnia and a Conclave, formed by representatives of each order. This Conclave is reunited during certain times in a year to discuss matters concerning promotions, guidelines, information gathering, war councils, talk with allies, etc. The Conclave may have extraordinary sessions if the situation is exceptional.
When the Grandmaster dies, the new Grandmaster is chosen between the members of the Conclave. Although a Knight of the Rose is usually chosen due to his experience, there is no known rule stating that must be the case, and there have been known situations when the Knight of the Sword has been chosen instead.
located in Solamnia. As the empire of Istar grew stronger and their fight against evil
became an obsession, the number of recruits diminished. This forced the Knighthood to send spies
to different organizations, including the Thieves Guild in Palanthas, looking for people that, if not from nobility, held solid concepts of honor that may fit in their ranks.
In more recent times, squires can enter the order so long as they are honorable. A Knight already in the order must sponsor them. Once they have received sufficient training, the squire must be approved by a Council of Knights. If the Council has no valid reason to believe that the squire had performed a dishonorable action, they are accepted into the Knighthood. If their honor is questioned, the issue is worked out in the Council, until the time the squire is either approved or turned away.
) and Sturm Brightblade. Habbakuk was the patron of this Order until Kiri-Jolith was made patron of all Solamnic Knights. The head of the Crown is known as High Warrior of the Knights of Solamnia'.
The representative of the Order of the Sword on the council is known as the High Clerist of the Knights of Solamnia, Sword knights are known for their devout faith.
in Paladine, the patron deity of this Order, they are able to banish undead
by praying. They are also immune to any form of fear. In times before the Cataclysm, Knights of the Rose were able to cast specific minor spells for keeping maps up to date, weapon edges sharpened and the like. These spells were granted by Paladine, not a god or goddess of magic, and are actually advanced forms of clerical powers. The practice became less and less common as the Kingpriest began its campaign
against the Order of High Sorcery. It is unknown if the practice survived the Cataclysm, though. For a Knight of the Sword to become a Knight of the Rose, besides finishing the quests the High Justice requests, he must obtain the positive vote of all existing members of the Order. Knights of the Rose practice the virtues of forgiveness, redemption and wisdom at this time.
The representative of the Order of the Rose in the Conclave is known as the High Justice of the Knights of Solamnia. Rose Knights are taught justice and fair administration of judgement.
Lord Gunthar's idea was to have the Knights of Solamnia absorb the Knights of Takhisis in a single unit, the Honorable Knights of Sancrist Isle, without Orders to differentiate members, only Knights of Sancrist Isle or Knights of Sancrist, and the single white Moon as symbol. However, the Knights of Takhisis plotted against it, murdering Gunthar Uth Wistan and taking over both Knighthoods. The plot was discovered, the Knights of Takhisis were repelled, and Lord Liam Ehrling became the Grandmaster of the Knights of Solamnia.
Dragonlance
Dragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of popular fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job application...
universe, the Solamnic Knights are a chivalric
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
order
Military order
A military order is a Christian society of knights that was founded for crusading, i.e. propagating or defending the faith , either in the Holy Land or against Islam or pagans in Europe...
, a "brotherhood forged when Krynn was young". The Solamnic Order is dedicated to the forces of light and live by a strict code of honor. The Knights of Solamnia are aligned as Lawful Good.
Background
Vinas Solamnus was a generalGeneral
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
of the army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
of Empire of Ergoth, who fought for them until he was sent to subdue a rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
in Solamnia, which was at the time eastern Ergoth. After months of fighting, winter bogged down the campaign. In the months of inactivity, Solamnus studied the cause of the rebels, and found it to be just. He marched to Daltigoth, capital of Ergoth, he led his army in the Rose Rebellion or the War of Ice Tears. After defeating the Empire, he spent some time alone meditating
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
. The gods Paladine, Habbakuk and Kiri-Jolith then sent Vinas a vision, in which he thought about an army divided in three orders, each of the three orders associated with a god. The Knighthood was born.
The Knighthood requires the help of a conscripted army, footmen, usually local guards, militia and mercenaries, acting under the commands of a Knight. They are not part of the knighthood itself.
The Oath and the Measure
The Measure is a set of rules, written by Vinas Solamnus and held in thirty-seven 300-page volumes,conducting the life of a knight. In those books it is explained how a knight should react in different situations ranging from peace to war times.
During the time right before the Cataclysm, there were only 63 known Knights of Solamnia in Ansalon. These Knights worked for the good of Ansalon against the mounting problems arising from the Kingpriest of Istar.
During the time after the Cataclysm the Knighthood was shattered, with no Grandmaster, High Clerist or Justice. After the War of the Lance, Gunthar Uth Wistan, voted Grandmaster of the Knights of Solamnia, took as his goal to revise the Oath and the Measure, considering such strict rules were the ones that made the Knighthood fall in decay with time. The Revised Measure was presented by his successor, Lord Liam Ehrling, on the year 9 SC. The spirit of the Measure changed from being a strict set of rules to a set of proposed rules, which suggest what the knight should do, but not impose them.
The Oath of the Knights of Solamnia is Est Sularus Oth Mithas (My Honor Is My Life).
Basic structure
The Knighthood is divided into three suborders of increasing rank: the Orders of the Crown, Sword, and Rose. A knight can also become a Lord Knight, thus dropping the title of 'sir' and replacing it with 'Lord'. Entry into the higher orders requires attainment of rank in the lower ones. Every order is based in a different set of concepts that the knight must understand.The Knighthood is ruled by the Grandmaster of the Knights of Solamnia and a Conclave, formed by representatives of each order. This Conclave is reunited during certain times in a year to discuss matters concerning promotions, guidelines, information gathering, war councils, talk with allies, etc. The Conclave may have extraordinary sessions if the situation is exceptional.
When the Grandmaster dies, the new Grandmaster is chosen between the members of the Conclave. Although a Knight of the Rose is usually chosen due to his experience, there is no known rule stating that must be the case, and there have been known situations when the Knight of the Sword has been chosen instead.
Squirehood
During several centuries, the Knighthood only accepted squires coming from noble familiesNobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
located in Solamnia. As the empire of Istar grew stronger and their fight against evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
became an obsession, the number of recruits diminished. This forced the Knighthood to send spies
SPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
to different organizations, including the Thieves Guild in Palanthas, looking for people that, if not from nobility, held solid concepts of honor that may fit in their ranks.
In more recent times, squires can enter the order so long as they are honorable. A Knight already in the order must sponsor them. Once they have received sufficient training, the squire must be approved by a Council of Knights. If the Council has no valid reason to believe that the squire had performed a dishonorable action, they are accepted into the Knighthood. If their honor is questioned, the issue is worked out in the Council, until the time the squire is either approved or turned away.
Order of the Crown
The Knights of the Crown are the most inexperienced and generally young knights. They make up the bulk of the Solamnic Army. It is at this time they are taught to be loyal and honorable, and also they are taught to serve the gods of good and to further their cause. They are also taught obedience to their superiors. An ideal Knight of the Crown is humble. Some of the most notable and respected Solamnic Knights were Knights of the Crown, including Huma Dragonbane (Named for the Persian Phoenix HumaHuma (mythology)
The Huma , also Homa, is a legendary bird especially of the Persian branch of Iranian mythology and Sufi fable. It is said to never come to rest, living its entire life flying invisibly high above the earth, and never alighting on the ground .-Etymology:The word Huma which has a Persian origin is...
) and Sturm Brightblade. Habbakuk was the patron of this Order until Kiri-Jolith was made patron of all Solamnic Knights. The head of the Crown is known as High Warrior of the Knights of Solamnia'.
Order of the Sword
Knights of the Sword have proven themselves skilled fighters in sword, bow, spear, etc. It is possible for a squire to achieve this rank right from the out-set; however they must demonstrate a considerable degree of skill. Some Crown Knights choose to move up to the Sword but others choose to stay with the Crown. They are granted minor healing abilities by Kiri-Jolith, their patron, and are valuable in a battle as they are both great fighters and can heal in a pinch. At this time in the Knighthood, Sword Knights are taught courage and heroism. Sword Knights constantly fight evil, and through this struggle they further themselves in goodness.The representative of the Order of the Sword on the council is known as the High Clerist of the Knights of Solamnia, Sword knights are known for their devout faith.
Order of the Rose
The Order of the Rose is the highest rank in the Knighthood. Knights of the Rose have proven themselves in peace and battle, and are taught the importance of faith and other virtues. Due to the great requisites for becoming a Knight of the Rose, they are the smallest branch of the Knighthood and are rarely seen in battle except in command roles. In battle, the members of this Order are the most formidable. Due to their extreme faithFaith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
in Paladine, the patron deity of this Order, they are able to banish undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
by praying. They are also immune to any form of fear. In times before the Cataclysm, Knights of the Rose were able to cast specific minor spells for keeping maps up to date, weapon edges sharpened and the like. These spells were granted by Paladine, not a god or goddess of magic, and are actually advanced forms of clerical powers. The practice became less and less common as the Kingpriest began its campaign
Lost Wars
The Lost Wars is a fictional war occurred in the Dragonlance universe.-Causes:One of Fistandantilus' goals was to be able to study, prepare and work very powerful spells. However, his status as a renegade mage made him subject to the Conclave of Wizards' attacks, as renegade mages are hunted and...
against the Order of High Sorcery. It is unknown if the practice survived the Cataclysm, though. For a Knight of the Sword to become a Knight of the Rose, besides finishing the quests the High Justice requests, he must obtain the positive vote of all existing members of the Order. Knights of the Rose practice the virtues of forgiveness, redemption and wisdom at this time.
The representative of the Order of the Rose in the Conclave is known as the High Justice of the Knights of Solamnia. Rose Knights are taught justice and fair administration of judgement.
Knights of Sancrist Isle
With the coming of the Dragon Overlords during the Fifth Age, Lord Gunthar Uth Wistan of the Rose decided the Knights were not strong enough to stop them, and invited the evil Knights of Takhisis to discuss the possibility of merging both orders. Miriella Abrena (responsible for obliterating any honor left that Lord Ariakan, founder of the Knights of Takhisis, planted in the order), Commander of the Knights of Takhisis, sent a small party to parlay.Lord Gunthar's idea was to have the Knights of Solamnia absorb the Knights of Takhisis in a single unit, the Honorable Knights of Sancrist Isle, without Orders to differentiate members, only Knights of Sancrist Isle or Knights of Sancrist, and the single white Moon as symbol. However, the Knights of Takhisis plotted against it, murdering Gunthar Uth Wistan and taking over both Knighthoods. The plot was discovered, the Knights of Takhisis were repelled, and Lord Liam Ehrling became the Grandmaster of the Knights of Solamnia.
Other books
- Tales of the Lance
- Dragonlance Campaign Setting
- War of the Lance