Hall of Anointed

“Loyalty to the Throne and King.

Honour sworn in by the name of our mothers.
Valour in battle with our weapons held high.
Glory in victory standing on the bodies of our enemies.”
- Battle Chant of the Anointed

Origins and Roles.

After the War, a separate anointment ceremony was held for the surviving fighters from the original regiments formed before the Unification War and those who performed exceptionally well during the war. They were anointed by the Xath as Knights and First Knights. Harlek himself was anointed as a Grand Knight. Harlek and his knights become the symbol of Zegon and its Grand Army ever since. Their presence alone boost morale and lift spirits.

The Knights are the elite unit of the Grand Army of Zegon. They serve as the leaders and vanguard of the army, and also as the Army's troubleshooters for defending a siege or taking a strategic position. They are sent on missions too difficult or too costly for the Army to deploy troops. They are also often requested to support the Protectorate in quelling internal strife.

Structure of the Anointed.

Despite their roots being in the Grand Army, the knights are a loose unit. Each knight can choose how they want to serve the king and the kingdom. Regardless of their choice, they must make their intentions known to the Hall of Anointed, the home of the Anointed situated in the Capital. Most knights choose to serve in the Army or be stationed in the Hall. Some knights put glory and valour above their loyalty to their sovereign. These knights can be found in adventuring bands exploring Zegon or in the employment of nobles and merchants.

The Hall of Anointed is under the administration of the Circle, a group consisting of 12 knights including the High Commander. The Circle is the decision maker for all operations regarding the management and deployment of the knights.

Knights that are stationed in the Hall of Anointed are under the direct command of the Circle. They are responsible for training and assessing would-be knights. They are also required to execute missions and tasks assigned to them by the Circle. Knights deployed to the various regiments for combat support will be under the direct command of the Regiment Commander. Knights assigned to the Royal Guard will be under the direct command of the Protectorate's High Commander.

Titles of the Anointed.

There are 4 titles of the Anointed; Knight, First Knight, Grand Knight, and Pendragon.

Before a person can be anointed as a Knight, she must first become the squire of a First Knight. Squires are usually handpicked personally by the knights. They can be anyone that the knights deemed worthy to become an Anointed. It is also common for the children of knights, nobles, and rich families to become squires. Squires will train under the knights until the knights felt that they are ready from their final assessment at the Hall of Anointed. Assessments are held every 3 months. If a squire fails her final assessment, she is allowed to continue to train at the Hall of Anointed tutored by resident knights until the next assessment. If she fails the assessment three times, she will be deemed unworthy and will never be able to become a knight. If a squire passes the assessment, she will become a Knight-in-Waiting until the next annual Anointment Ceremony, where she will be knighted by the king and receive the title of Knight.