The Argentum Order is an Anti-Knightly Order, meaning that it has the appearance and trappings of a Knightly Order like one might see the Viridian Order in the Regalian Empire, but it is not legally sanctioned or backed by the same state. The Argentum Order is a decentralized collection of anti-Regalian dissidents, saboteurs, and separatists who have some problems with the Regalian Empire and want to see it diminished/weakened/destroyed. In essence, the Argentum Order is a Knightly Order of "Dark Knights", who fight against the other Knights and the state apparatus to see their own goals and plans met. The Argentum Order is not a recommended Character Design for new Players. Argentum Knights will frequently be attacked on sight by law-abiding citizens, who are in the majority. It will be hard to find allies or safe spaces for social Roleplay, but it can still be rewarding if the intention is to play an antagonist or experience this type of lore of the world.
Knight Repository
The repository of all played Knights can be found here. When you make a new Knight character, please file a ticket in the Discord Ticket Bot to have them recorded. You only need to provide their name and Order.
Argentum Order
Order
Pronunciation
Ar-gen-tum
Origins
Decentralized
Grandmaster
Lady Sirramevh
Design
Argentum Knights don't have a clear design ethos like many other Knights, because they are such a varied group of individuals with slightly different motivations for hating Regalia. Argentum can range anywhere from using heavy or light armor, ranged or melee weapons, or magic or none. The Argentum Order does not have a Knightly Code to abide by officially, but it has an internal Glory Code that is optional.
Argentum Knights can be of any people or culture, so long as they have beef with the Regalian Empire.
Argentum Knights are by definition criminals for being Argentum, and thus will be hunted down.
Argentum Knights have no usage limitation on Magic, Afflictions, Sinistral Magic, or Alignments.
Chapters
All Argentum Knights are members of a single Chapter, which grants them a free non-combat-related Mechanic. Changing Chapters (unlike in other Orders) is not permitted due to their backstory niches.
Silverwatch Chapter
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The Silverwatch Chapter is a Chapter of Dread Empire fanatics and supporters. These Knights have thrown their lot in with the Kathar Dread Empire, and do the work that is commanded of them by their warlords and empress to destroy the Regalian Empire from within. Their motivation to be part of the Argentum Order is purely Empire versus Empire conflict, and their tendency to inflict heavy violence and show no mercy, usually sets them apart as the more radical of the Chapters that would not stop short of the utter implosion of the Empire and the decimation of the royal family. The Silverwatch Chapter is mostly dominated by Kathar loyalists, but accepts anyone willing to support the claim of the Kathar Empire to be the greatest and most powerful political entity in the world, and to seek the approval and benevolence of the Kathar Empress to their name and glory before the Evolist Gods. The Silverwatch Knights show little regard for life.
Silverwatch Mechanic: Silverwatch Knights can have Wings (Demonic/Bat only), allowing (Elytra) flight (+use of Rockets). Combat or Ability usage immediately disables flight.
Rustbound Chapter
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The Rustbound Chapter is a Chapter of Death-God Machinist fanatics and supporters and their unfortunate victims. The Rustbound Chapter has a minority of members who are called Machinepriests, adept at technological grafting of machine and flesh to create cyborg-like beings. The majority of the chapter is filled with these cyborgs called Machinebound, who were often forcibly conscripted by the immoral Machinepriests to do their bidding and that of their master. The Rustbound Chapter works to undermine the Regalian Empire due to its held belief that Regalia monopolized technological progress, and hid inventions from the wider world (and more importantly, their Death-God patron). The Rustbound Chapter is primarily motivated by stealing Regalia's blueprints and inventions, so their goal isn't the penultimate destruction of the Empire, but certainly its weakening so it can no longer hold a monopoly on all technological progress.
The Ascended Chapter is a Chapter of Evolism fanatics who are equal part Evolist priests and holy warriors. Evolism isn't strictly banned as a Religion in Regalia, but proselytizing it is, and Ascended Knights seek to spread the faith of Evolism among the common population either by their compelling word or by force of sword and Magic. The Ascended Chapter is primarily motivated by religious repression but also wants to live out a more radical version of Evolism that devalues the lives of the individual as a weak stepping stone to the truly strong and deserving, desiring for a society that is strength-based instead of rule of law based. It is debatable if they actually want to supplant the ruling family of the Empire with an Evolist one, instead of destroying the Regalian Empire, so they tend to be fairly ambiguous about their eventual plan. Out of all the Chapters, they also happen to engage more in Demonic subterfuge.
Ascended Mechanic: Ascended Knights can choose one Mechanic from any other Religion and apply it to their own list of Mechanics for perpetual use.
Truth Hound Chapter
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The Truth Hound Chapter is a Chapter of general anti-Regalian separatists who believe the Empire by its very nature is tyrannical and should be decentralized, or disintegrated in favor of forming many autonomous states. This usually includes Velheim separatists, Gallovian nationalists, Girobaldan rebels, Sarnan revanchists, etc. This Chapter is a large coalition of conquered and minority cultures that want regional independence for their own people and are willing to make Dark Magic pacts for power with Dark Gods to achieve it, essentially having crossed the threshold of anti-colonial resistance, into outright indiscriminate terrorism. Truth Hound Knights often use the guide of deniability to hide their membership of the Argentum Order which is considerably easier for them due to their otherwise legal presence in the Regalian Empire. Truth Hound Knights are singularly obsessed with national freedom whatever the costs.
Truth Hound Mechanic: Truth Hound Knights are not limited to Knighthood only, they can be a member of a Guild while hiding their Argentum Status. They also cannot be discovered from the Knight Registry.
Old Ones Chapter
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The Old Ones Chapter is a Chapter of Draconism and Triton radicals who have a distinctly heretical view of Dragons towards the Regalian Empire. Despite the Denial of Immortality, the Old Ones Chapter believes that this event was a mistake and that the Regalian Empire has usurped the Mantle of Creation from the Dragons and is a false pretender to world domination. They believe that Dragons should take a more authoritative stance towards their creation and that Regalia is an obstacle to this goal because it requires Dragons like Regulus to maintain a presentable affability for the sake of stability. They desire to cause as much chaos and calamity as possible with the ultimate goal of confronting Dragons on their indolence, and forcing them into a more harsh and forceful attitude to deciding things for the world. The Old Ones Chapter is rejected by the wider Draconism community as heretical, though it includes dissidents from all versions of Draconism.
Old Ones Mechanic: Old Ones Knights gain the Deathless Invocation Pack for free, but their mortality is anchored to the Leynetwork meaning any Draconic Mage could threaten their immortality.
Darkstar Chapter
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The Darkstar Chapter is a Chapter of Vampiric radicals who don't want to destroy the Regalian Empire, but supplant the ruling family and administration with Vampires, and use Dark Magic to create an eternal night in the Empire to create a true Sanguine Empire. Darkstar Knights use Vampirism to its fullest and are equal parts dissident towards Regalia as Dorkarth, which they hate also as a weak and feeble nation. The Darkstar Chapter is seen as the least committed to the Argentum Order as a whole, and likely the first to betray the Order when it becomes convenient to them, but the Argentum Order as a whole has collectively decided to keep them around because they would be worse enemies than half-committed allies, given the habit of Vampires to spread their influence with mind control and manipulation. Darkstar Knight hold particular regard for Inth, who they consider the Prince of the Dark Star, who will herald an Age of Darkness to his own Enlightenment.
Darkstar Mechanic: Darkstar Knights must be Vampires, and can choose one Mechanic granted by either the Huntess or Glacial to Mortisphages for themselves, which become Void Aligned/Vampiric.
Vilecrest Chapter
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The Vilecrest Chapter is a relatively new addition to the Argentum Order almost entirely comprised of Death Isldar fanatics who have a grudge to settle with Regalia for supporting and ultimately saving the Life Isldar in their civil war, which they believe they would have won without that intervention. Vilecrest Knights have a secondary objective to kill especially Life Isldar or Death Isldar who have betrayed the cause, but are primarily motivated with destroying Regalia's military apparatus so that when the time comes, the Death Isldar can march on the Life Isldar and destroy them once and for all. As such, the Vilecrest Chapter primarily focuses on the military means of the Empire, whether that is to blow up military installations, attack military personnel, or fight Regalian Knights in the streets, who would most likely be leading the assault on the Death Isldar if the two nations would come to blows over the Isldar Civil War again.
Vilecrest Mechanic: Vilecrest Knights gain Mechanic 2 as listed on the Deathveil Undead Mechanics, however Vilecrest Knights cannot ever be Undead themselves.
Oathbreaker Chapter
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The Oathbreaker Chapter is the quintessential Regalian traitor, exclusively a Chapter made up of Knights from the legal Regalian Knight orders who have betrayed their Order and sided with the Argentum Order for no other reason than spite, or because they felt forced to, to save themselves from execution. Oathbreakers were usually expelled from their chapter for high treason against the Empire, or for inflicting evil in the eyes of their former allies to such a degree that it would warrant their death. Most Oathbreakers have joined out of spite to take revenge of their former compatriots, but some Oathbreakers also genuinely have nowhere else to go, because their soul and body has already become corrupted by Dark Magic, and only the Argentum Order will take them. Oathbreakers still wear their old allegiance armor and sigils in a damaged and marred state, as a point of mockery or derision to the polished false perfection that Knights express.
Oathbreaker Mechanic: Oathbreaker Knights generate 1 Auto-Divinium every 2 Months, which does not stack, and refreshes every second first day of the Month, even if unused.
Internal Conflict
The Argentum Order, while ostensibly unified in their desire to destroy or dethrone Regalia as the world's pre-eminent Empire, is not always as cohesive as the strictly disciplined other Orders. For example, some of the Chapters want to outright destroy the Regalian Empire, while some only want to change its policies and culture to fit their own preference. Naturally because of the time-span of the server and the general player population, the goals set for each of these chapters is a dead-end, these things will never happen in Roleplay. That being said, the Characters can still impact the Empire and make it unstable at times, but how they go about this, may differ from Chapter to Chapter. It is not unthinkable that some Chapters may even sabotage efforts of the others, or side with gray-morality pro-law Characters (not other Knights, because they would be committing treason) against a particular Chapter. Fighting among the Chapters is also possible because while they are ostensibly allied for the same goal, there is a great deal of ego and vanity among them that sometimes causes them to duel for honor or brawl for the sake of it. Whatever happens, at the very least, Argentum Order Knights never kill each other. That is the one unspoken rule that if anyone crosses, they become an enemy of the Order at large.
Glory Code
The Argentum Order Glory Code is similar to the Honor Code of the other Regalian Knight Orders, but different in that it is optional. Argentum Knights have a concept of Glory that applies to how venerable or respectable their actions are. Generally, they praise bravery and brazen disregard for self-preservation in the face of pure ideological adherence. While they are certainly capable of subterfuge, they are less keen on skulking and sneaking, being a total unknown non-threat to anyone, or worse, failure. There is no real consequence to not following this Glory Code, aside from the fact that Order Leaders/Gods may positively interact with those who stand by the Code.
All Argentum Knights should ensure that harm comes to the Regalian Knights of all Chapters, and especially the Viridian Knights when an opportunity arises.
All Argentum Knights should ensure their name, or that of their pseudonym, are widely known and feared or respected by their adversaries, and not to be an unknown.
All Argentum Knights should ensure a drive and ambition to achieve, and to have achieved even small things leading to big things, and to not be a nothing-doer.
All Argentum should disavow dirty tactics like stabbing in one's back or pocket-sand because only weak people have to resort to weak gestures to win.
All Argentum should disavow attacking the weak, the ill, the infantile, and the defenseless, for priding to defeat weaklings is in itself weak. Unless they give lip.
History
The Argentum Order is about as old as the Kathar Empire itself, though its very nature has changed over the centuries. What once started as a collective to gather all the highly praised Kathar military orders, eventually broached beyond by the inclusion of many disparate groups that wanted to ensure the Kathar Empire's supremacy. Eventually, these groups became so numerous, that their unifying gesture had less to do with the Dread Empire, and more to do with breaking the Regalian Empire down, which at the time continued to be the biggest competitor to the Dread Empire. The Rustbound were the first to join, disgruntled by the Regalian Empire's claim over several lost Skyborn treasures. The Truth Hounds followed during the Skagger Wars as Velheim separatists became more prominent, and the Darkstar Chapter somehow wormed their way into the Order without anyone even noticing. The Old Ones and Oathbreakers joined together around the same time and continue to be the two most reluctant members who shy away from their more murderous counterparts. The last to join was the Vilecrest Chapter in recent years, which formally separated the Order from Dread interests due to the overwhelming diversity. The Order is still led by a Dread Empire Silver Tear Paladin, but no actual Silver Tear Paladin is a member of the Order, and this Paladin is more like a diplomatic figurehead who tries to keep the peace for the sake of the common mission, rather than hand down orders from the Dread Empress herself, which is only obeyed widely speaking by the Silverwatch Chapter.
Mechanical Activities
Mechanical Activities are loose descriptions of plots that Players can engage in, where they will most likely end up on the losing side, but receive some kind of reward for it in the long run and hopefully good roleplay from the people who they do it with. As expected of antagonist characters, the majority of the law-abiding characters will likely outnumber and defeat them anytime they do something, so Mechanical Activities allow a kind of pseudo-railroaded activity with a clear and assumed outcome that will feel like a strategic defeat, but a tactical victory. If Players have ideas on how to expand this list with additional activities, they are welcome to make a Ticket and discuss it with Lore Staff.
Noble Abduction: A group of Argentum Knights commits to abducting a Noble Character for a number of days, while law-abiding Knights will try to negotiate for their release instead of sacrifice/murder. It is not necessary, but recommended to take in a noble who OOC consents to being abducted for a period of time, and inform Knights who to try and interact with for negotiations. The expectation is that negotiations fail, and that the position where the Argentum are imprisoning the noble, will be assaulted by Knights or other Nobles and their House Guard. To use a safehouse, Argentum Knights are encouraged to squat/occupy Noble Estates in the Regalian countryside. The Argentum Knights are obligated to provide roleplay to the abducted Noble. When the Argentum have been defeated, the present group will be given a Wealth Token to be used at whatever soonest convenient server Progression/Event that includes them, at the discretion of the DM, to emulate that the Knights used this distraction to break into a bank and rob them blind while the Regalian forces were distracted. If no Nobles are willing, Ticket Lore Staff for potential Staff actor throw-away Nobles.
Krakenburg Assault: A group of Argentum Knights commits to attacking Krakenburg in an attempt to break out a Seer or Oracle of some kind of Dark God. Before doing this, the group must Ticket Staff to agree on some kind of information they would ask this Seer or Oracle about their Dark God (which can be any Pagan, or Evolist God). If an agreement is made, an event time must be agreed upon, and then any Regalian Knights or law-abiding mercenaries can come to the defense at that given time. The expectation is to have one large group CRP, followed by the Argentum likely being repulsed from breaking into Krakenburg proper. Then after they retreat, Lore Staff will communicate what they have learned from the Seer or Oracle they failed to break out, to emulate the idea that the assault was a failure, but that they managed to get a familiar inside who manages to at least get the information from the prisoner they failed to release.
Palace Infiltration: A group of Argentum Knights commits to disguising and worming their way into the Regalian Palace during an event. Before this can take place, some kind of Event at the Palace must be agreed upon, and it is encouraged that the Argentum Knights contact Noble Players for this to organize any kind of Event at the Palace. The Event should continue for about an hour, after which the Argentum are meant to un-mask, or be revealed by the guests (whatever they decide they want to happen), and fight their way out of the guards/protectors at the end. The likely outcome is that the Argentum will retreat to the Palace Garden, and then jump/fly off the side of the Palace and all of them escape. Then, Lore Staff will grant the group a one-time use Prized Mechanic that they must decide to give to one person in the group, to emulate that they used the chaos at the Palace to steal something from the Vault.
Trivia
The Irony of the Argentum Order, is that the more threatening it actually becomes due to the acquisition of new Chapters, the less threatening Regalia pretends it is. As a result, the Order often gets falsely mocked.
Argentum Knights go largely unnoticed by Dragons. Why the Dragons are blind to them is unclear, though the expectation is that Triton is protecting them somehow from the Dragons who literally cannot see them.
Argentum Knights are in many ways the anti-Knight, but they do consider themselves a social caste in and of themselves. Few Argentum Knights for example marry outside the Order, as outsiders are weak.
