Greetings

I have recently been expanding some details about a particular Knight Order in my Thandor world. I thought about how important and inspiring the hstorical Knight's Oath is!

THE KNIGHT'S OATH

A Knight is Sworn to Valour.
His Heart Knows Only Virtue.
His Blade Defends the Helpless.
His Might Upholds the Weak.
His Word Speaks Only Truth.
His Wrath Undoes the Wicked!

Does Chivalry play a meaningful role in your game campaigns? Have you embraced the Knight's Oath for knight orders in your campaigns? Certainly, there are some variations, though all are related. Have you had any Player Characters that have sought to embrace the Knight's Oath in play? Or perhaps yourselves, with your own characters?

I have found such characters always bring the campaign to the next level of intensity to the campaign. Even the non-knight characters really perk up--they know that the journey for sure is going to be an interesting one with a Knight around!

I also think having Knights around--as well a Paladins or Templars--also expands the role-playing miliue in many ways. Noble Tournaments, court diplomacy and court ntrigue, as well as court-inspired parties and romances all take on a different texture when there are Knights involved. Having just some grubby thieves or brutish, fur-clad barbarians doesn't have the same kind of social, religious, and even political cache.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Greetings!

Here is an example of a Chivalry Events Table I created for a region of my Thandor World.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Chivalry: The character is knowledgeable and trained in the Code of Chivalry, the Tenets of Chivalry, and the Culture of Chivalry. The Code, Tenets, and Culture of Chivalry are deeply cherished by noble knights, champions, and heroes everywhere, and form an essential foundation to whole sections of culture, law, social codes, tournament laws, and expectations of commoners and nobles alike. For many people in medieval cultures, especially people of aristocratic status and the members of the nobility, Chivalry is a critically important ideal and social value. Individuals unfamiliar with Chivalry or who are lazy or negligent in practicing Chivalry in the proper manner, can easily end up being arrested, persecuted as a villain, or killed. The character may make Chivalry Checks in a variety of social situations and encounters, and may make rolls on the Chivalry Events Table, as deemed appropriate. Prerequisites: Leadership, Esprit de Corps, History, Philosophy, Mythology and Folklore, Religion, Nature, Persuasion, Classical Lore, Classical Mythology.

Chivalry Events Table
The Chivalry Events Table can be used as an event-generator for a character that is a knight of some kind. Occasionally, a non-knight character may possess the chivalry skill, whereupon using the special chivalry events table may also be appropriate. For example, especially pious Clerics devoted to chivalry, or similarly-minded righteous Wizards or even Rangers. Nonetheless, the Chivalry Events Table is most appropriate for characters that are themselves chivalrous Knights, Paladins, and Templars. Also, some entries from the Chivalry Events Table should be ignored, rerolled, or otherwise modified, depending on how often the GM is allowing the chivalrous character to roll on the Chivalry Events Table, such as when an entry describes the chivalrous gaining new skills. Other than such judgments, the table can be useful for various preferences, whether such is something like 1/Week, and the like. It is probably best to restrict rolls on the Chivalry Events Table to 1/Week, unless the particular circumstances warrant more frequent rolls on the Chivalry Events Table.

Roll D100 Percentile Dice, and consult the table below:
   01-04%: The chivalrous character awakes one morning, remembering a stern dream from the night where a beautiful, white-furred wolf spoke to them, and admonished them for being lazy and negligent in following the Code of Chivalry.
   05-08%: The chivalrous character receives word that one of the chivalrous character's friends—or a henchman—has either acted in a manner unchivalrous, or given voice to attitudes or philosophies that are contrary to the ways of Chivalry.
   09-12%: The chivalrous character gains knowledge of a friend, associate, or henchman—has behaved in some exemplary fashion that defends or celebrates the Code of Chivalry.
   13-16%: The chivalrous character encounters an attractive and alluring NPC that engages the character in a very charming and friendly manner.
   17-20%: The chivalrous character somehow gains lore concerning a strange, foreign land that supposedly has bright, lush grassland and herds of magnificent and beautiful horses. Such magnificent horses would more than likely serve as outstanding steeds.
   21-24%: The chivalrous character discovers a finely-crafted book, featuring an excellent cover and strong binding, that contains scholarly commentary and observations on the appearance, habitats, and properties of several kinds of benevolent and wondrous plants.
   25-28%: The chivalrous character becomes inspired to read a mystical book of holy scriptures. In the process of studying the holy book, the chivalrous character is blessed with insight. The chivalrous character becomes inspired to learn a new skill. The skill gained is likely from a religious or academic field, as appropriate. However, other kinds of skills can also be considered, such as social skills, nature skills, military, or crafting or trade skills.
   29-32%: The chivalrous character becomes enthused about increasing their physical fitness and health. The chivalrous character learns a new athletic or martial-arts related skill.
   33-36%: The chivalrous character has become concerned about their skill with weapons and armour, and has set out to strengthen their training regimen, to keep their weapon and armour skills strong. The character learns 1D3+3 skills related somehow to weapons, armour, martial combat, athletics, military, or possibly crafting or trade skills related to armour and weapons.
   37-40%: The chivalrous character has recently embraced some kind of new hobby. The chivalrous character may choose an appropriate hobby skill, or the gm may determine what hobby skills are available, based on the region and culture, as deemed appropriate.
   41-44%: The chivalrous character has been attending religious services at their local temple or church. On a recent occasion, the chivalrous character met a new friend. The new character that has befriended the chivalrous character is a religious character of some kind.
   45-48%: The chivalrous character has set out into the forest. The chivalrous character may be exploring, on a hunting expedition, or simply seeking the refreshing solace and comfort of connecting with nature. The chivalrous character encounters a mysterious creature of the forest. Such mysterious creatures of the forest may potentially be an ally, or an enemy. Such creatures may be monsters, beautiful, supernatural creatures, or different kinds of faeries or other mythological races.
   49-52%: The chivalrous character has set out into the forest. The chivalrous character may be exploring, on a hunting expedition, or simply seeking the refreshing solace and comfort of connecting with nature. The chivalrous character encounters a mystical, enchanted grotto.
   53-56%: The chivalrous character has set out into the forest. The chivalrous character may be exploring, on a hunting expedition, or simply seeking the refreshing solace and comfort of connecting with nature. The chivalrous character encounters some ancient ruins. The ancient ruins are covered in moss and overgrown vines, and shrouded in a cool, thick cloud of mist.
   57-60%: The chivalrous character is enjoying a good meal and the festive atmosphere at a local inn or tavern. During such an occasion, the chivalrous character encounters a minstrel, seated close to the warm, crackling fire. The skilled minstrel is singing, playing a lute, and socializing with the locals gathered around in a warm and jovial manner. The minstrel also intersperses their performances with episodes of storytelling. The chivalrous character learns of a noble adventure of some kind.
   61-64%: The chivalrous character is out walking about in the local village, town, or city. While traveling about on some ordinary business, the chivalrous character is confronted and attacked by a group of ruffians. During the confrontation with the ruffians, the ruffians flee from the encounter, running off into the shadows of an ancient stairway. Upon closer inspection, the chivalrous character discovers that the ancient stairway leads down into a shadowy, subterranean labyrinth.
   65-68%: The chivalrous character has been invited to attend a noble party at the castle of a local nobleman. Attending such noble parties and festivities provides numerous opportunities to meet other chivalrous knights, as well as to promote the righteous ways of Chivalry to others, from different stations in life.
   69-72%: The chivalrous character has encountered a group of barbarians, that are seeking to become friends. The friendly barbarians may also know lore involving some kind of noble quest or heroic adventure.
   73-76%: The chivalrous character has encountered a group of friendly knights, that are also eager to befriend the chivalrous character. The friendly knights are well-equipped, and know interesting lore concerning strange, foreign lands, and heroic adventures.
   77-80%: The chivalrous character gains an enemy. The enemy npc has embraced an enmity against the chivalrous character for any number of reasons or causes. The enemy may be religiously or politically opposed to the character, or there may be some other issue, involving family history, friends, or some kind of romantic interest, past or present.
   81-84%: The chivalrous character is traveling about some urban location, and encounters an amphitheater. The amphitheater is filled with crowds of people listening intently to a passionate debate going on at the center stage. The chivalrous character enjoys an opportunity to befriend an attending academic character. The academic NPC is more than likely a philosopher, though other kinds of scholars are certainly possible.
   85-88%: The chivalrous character somehow comes into possession of a strange and intriguing book. The strange book seems to be a journal of some kind of heroic adventurer, wherein the author describes many wondrous journeys and heroic adventures. The journal includes extensive details on the exploration of 1D6+3 mystical locations.
   89-92%: The chivalrous character encounters a young adolescent, fleeing in terror from some dire circumstance. The young adolescent's family has been brutally murdered, and the family home has been plundered. A ruthless and powerful group of evil villains are even now, searching for the fleeing adolescent. It is clear to the chivalrous character that if the evil band of villains find the young adolescent, such an event will bring absolute doom.
   93-96%: The chivalrous character encounters a highly-skilled and talented craftsman or tradesman of some kind. The craftsman or tradesman becomes quite impressed with the chivalrous character, and offers to provide a considerable discount on various goods or services. Furthermore, as appropriate, the NPC may also offer to provide the chivalrous character with a crafted item of exceptional quality.
   97-00%: The chivalrous character encounters a devout priest or other kind of religious figure—as appropriate—who proceeds to inform the chivalrous character about great missions being embraced in the church—and that the church needs the help of valiant, heroic champions. Alternatively, a powerful nobleman that rules over the local region is challenged by some important mission, and seeks aid from such heroic champions. Such a powerful nobleman may also be a member of a renowned order of knights.

Quote from: SHARK on March 16, 2023, 03:34:31 PMDoes Chivalry play a meaningful role in your game campaigns? Have you embraced the Knight's Oath for knight orders in your campaigns? Certainly, there are some variations, though all are related. Have you had any Player Characters that have sought to embrace the Knight's Oath in play? Or perhaps yourselves, with your own characters?

I think for a good many D&D-type fantasy campaigns the paladin code of conduct is probably the closest most get; it was certainly the only time such kinds of codes of behaviour played more than a passing role in my games, back when I was still running stuff.

Part of the challenge of involving chivalry in a game is that a large element of chivalry, in historical practice, was as a political construct: it was a tool designed to keep the most powerful martial forces available (armored cavalrymen) in line, both as liegemen and as enemies. This in itself doesn't necessarily contradict the code of virtue it's also designed to uphold*, but in the context of an RPG it poses one very basic obstacle: it ties any PC sworn to uphold it to a specific liege lord and demesne, from whose territory he will usually find it very difficult to travel away from for any distance or time. This naturally kind of spikes most of the peregrinating adventure parties of most games.

If I were designing a way to get around this I would probably create a situation where the knight (or other form of chevalier) is on permanent detached assignment to some kind of mission that would require him to travel (ironically, not too far off from what the historical Knights Templar actually did). This would also give lots of ways to tie the PC into whatever campaign plotline is going on.

* - Without getting into George R.R. Martin levels of deconstruction, it's also a great adventure hook to take someone who is tied into the oath-swearing structure of most feudal social/legal systems and catch him squarely between them: being ordered to do something unchivalrous by your liege lord, set up a situation where defending the weak or speaking the truth is going to cause tremendous trouble for your liege's liege lord, etc.