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The following is based on material from the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer and the work of the triads of Gran March and Keoland (both past and present). Learn more in Knights of the Watch (Part 1).
Joining the Organization: Prior to becoming a Knight, a candidate must be invited to squire by a current member of the Order. They must serve a full term in the ranks of the squires and senior squires (known respectively as Junior and Senior Obedient Masters). Once knighted as a Watcher or Dispatcher, they may progress through the hierarchical ranks. Living Greyhawk PCs from the regions of Gran March, Geoff, Bissel, and Keoland who meet the organization’s other requirements are eligible for membership in the Knights; contact the appropriate region’s triad for further information.
Character Benefits: The in-game benefits for membership in the Knights of the Watch and Dispatch are detailed in the Knights of the Watch and Dispatch campaign documentation, available from the triads mentioned above.
 Roleplaying Suggestions: Most Knights conduct their activities based on their own consciences and goals, as tempered by the Twelve and Seven Precepts. All are expected to be staunch defenders of the Sheldomar Valley and available to be called upon by their Order when needed. Individual Knights have great latitude in determining the best course of action in achieving their goals. But all Knights are still expected to assist in the maintenance of the Order, especially as they achieve the higher ranks of the Knighthood. Knights must devote time each year to maintaining the strongholds, training squires, updating the Order’s records and archives, undertaking missions for the Order, and similar tasks.
Typical Member: Most Knights serve in the militaries of the nations of the Sheldomar Valley, particularly in Gran March. Others operate independently as adventurers or in small armies that assist where needed throughout the Sheldomar Valley. Some Knights also hold other positions of authority or are titled nobles; these Knights frequently find their time consumed by the duties of these positions. Typical members of the Knights of the Watch are fighters, paladins, marshals (Miniature’s Handbook), or clerics and favored souls (Complete Divine) of militant gods. Typical members of the Knights of Dispatch are fighters, rangers, rogues, marshals (Miniature’s Handbook), scouts (Complete Adventurer), and clerics and favored souls (Complete Divine) of militant gods. Knights of both branches are of Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, or Neutral Good alignment and of human, half-elven, or dwarven stock.
Prestige Classes: Knights often pursue militant prestige classes; this includes (although some of the following are favored more by one branch than the other): Dwarven Defender (Dungeon Master’s Guide), Cavalier (Complete Warrior), Justiciar (Complete Warrior), Knight Protector (Complete Warrior), Order of the Bow Initiate (Complete Warrior), Church Inquisitor (Complete Divine), Divine Crusader (Complete Divine), Hospitaler (Complete Divine), Pious Templar (Complete Divine), Shining Blade of Heironeous (Complete Divine), Warpriest (Complete Divine), Highland Stalker (Complete Adventurer), Tempest (Complete Adventurer), Wild Plains Outrider (Complete Adventurer), Battlesmith (Races of Stone), Cragtop Archer (Races of Stone). However, most who pursue a prestige class choose to pursue levels in the Knight of the Watch and Dispatch prestige class. Details on this prestige class are only available to players of Knight PCs and DMs who run sessions with PCs with levels in this prestige class. Rumor has it that those Knights who pursue this special prestige class are promoted faster within the Order.
Lore of the Guild: The Order observes a single sacred event each year. Called the Fast of the Murder of Bethané, it occurs each Sunsebb 4th. In the week preceding this fast, Knights don simple clothes, repent their failings of the last year, and seek out any they may have wronged to make restitution. Knights who miss this fast for good reason (duties, war, illness, etc.) must, on the first opportunity, seek out a member of the Order’s leadership who can assign the Knight a task to achieve atonement. Knights who ignore this sacred event and the duties it entails are dishonored and thrown out of the Order. During the Fast, the allies of the order are called upon to ensure that no enemy can take advantage of the observance.
Detailed below are the Twelve Precepts of the Knights of the Watch and Dispatch. The two highest precepts are the Grand Precept and the Precept of Judgment. The other ten precepts define the behavior of a Knight, but all ten are shaped by how the two highest precepts define such behavior. Only the Knights themselves know the true wording of the Twelve, but most scholars of knightly orders agree that they are:
The Highest Precepts
The Grand Precept: A Knight is known by his actions and will lay down his life rather than violate a Precept.
The Precept of Judgment: The Precepts are of mortal hand; a Knight remains true to the spirit of the Precepts and never contrives to find excuses for his actions.
The Precepts of Duty
The Precept of Duty to One’s Order: A Knight remains true to the rules of his Order and the commands of his Order’s leaders.
The Precept of Duty to One’s God: A Knight must remain true to the teachings of his God and those who represent his God on Oerth.
The Precepts of Courage
The Precept of Bravery: A Knight may never flee battle unless failure to do so would place his charges in mortal harm. A Knight shall not allow another to take his place before danger nor dishonor his companions by failing to allow them their rightful share of glory.
The Precept of Chivalry: A Knight must never doubt his prowess or his worth nor give the appearance of such. A Knight mustn’t take unfair advantage of an opponent, striving to show the righteousness of his cause by the fairness by which he fights.
The Precepts of Demeanor
The Precept of Deference: A Knight must pay appropriate honor to those above him and see to it that those below him witness such actions.
The Precept of Mannerliness: A Knight’s manner, behavior, and etiquette must be beyond reproach.
The Precepts of Honor
The Precept of Oath-Taking: A Knight must never violate an oath he has sworn nor swear an oath he cannot keep.
The Precept of Retribution: Knights who have broken an oath must be brought to justice.
The Precepts of Charity
The Precept of Service: The poor, oppressed, widowed, orphaned, and those seeking justice are all worthy of a Knight’s service.
The Precept of Property: A Knight owns nothing; he merely holds items in trust to fulfill the purpose he serves for the Order. A Knight must be generous and never seek the accumulation of wealth for its own sake.
Sample Knight of the Watch Member
Sergeant Watcher Dathryn Kalavrian, Loyal Ram: male human (mixed-Oeridian) Ftr4/Pal3; medium humanoid (human); HD 7d10+21; hp 69; Init +1; Spd 20 ft.; AC 22, flat-footed 21, touch 12 (+1 Dex, +8 armor, +2 shield, +1 deflection); Base Atk +7; Grp +10; Atk +12 melee (1d10+6/19-20, +1 bastard sword); Full Atk +12/+7 melee (1d10+6/19-20, +1 bastard sword); SA smite evil (1/day, +3 Atk, +3 damage); SQ aura of courage, aura of good, divine grade, divine health, lay on hands (9 hp/day), detect evil; AL LG; SV Fort +14, Ref +7, Will +6; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14 (16), Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14 (16).
Skills and Feats: Craft (armorsmith) +1, Craft (weaponsmith) +5, Diplomacy +10, Handle Animal +4, Profession (soldier) +5, Ride +11; Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword), Leadership, Mounted CombatB, Power Attack, Ride-By Attack, Weapon Focus (bastard sword)B, Weapon Specialization (bastard sword) B.
Possessions: amulet of health +2, cloak of charisma +2, +1 bastard sword, ring of protection +1, vest of resistance +1*, wand of cure light wounds (CL 1st, 10 charges), oil of bless weapon, full plate, heavy steel shield, lance, spiked gauntlet, dagger, 2 silver holy symbols of Heironeous, 2 javelins, traveling gear, heavy warhorse with tack.
*Complete Arcane.
Languages: Common.
Description: Watcher Kalavrian is a promising young Knight who serves in the 2nd Battle of the Gran March military as a cavalry sergeant. He is a solid leader and a competent if unimaginative soldier. His one vanity is his personal assistant, Heddrak, a woodsman originally from Geoff (cohort, middle-aged Flan male Rgr5). He is a man of action, and heartily embraced the recent reorganization of the Gran March military that put the 2nd Battle on patrol assignment.
Sample Knight of Dispatch Member
Dispatcher Callyn merch Denna, Vengeful Vigil: female human (Flan) Rgr2/Clr6 of Ehlonna; CR 8; medium humanoid (human); HD 8d8+16; hp 60; Init +3; Spd 40 ft.; AC 20, flat-footed 17, touch 14 (+3 Dex, +6 armor, +1 deflection); Base Atk +6; Grp +8; Atk +9 melee (2d6+4/19-20, +1 adamantine greatsword) or +11 ranged (1d8+4/x3, +2 bane (giant) composite longbow (+2 Str bonus)); Full Atk +9/+4 melee (2d6+4/19-20, +1 adamantine greatsword) or +11/+6 ranged (1d8+4/x3, +2 bane (giant) composite longbow (+2 Str bonus)) or +9/+9/+4 ranged (1d8+4/x3, +2 bane (giant) composite longbow (+2 Str bonus)); SA spells, turn undead, turn plants, favored enemy (giant +2); SQ aura, spontaneous casting, wild empathy; AL NG; SV Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +8; Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10.
Skills and Feats: Concentration +5, Craft (bowmaking) +3, Diplomacy +10, Hide +15, Knowledge (nature) +3, Move Silently +15, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +5, Spot +5, Survival +6; Combat Casting, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Point Blank Shot, Practiced Spellcaster (cleric)*, Rapid ShotB, TrackB.
*Complete Arcane.
Cleric Spells Prepared: (5/4+1/4+1/2+1, Base DC = 12 + spell level, Caster Level 8th): 0 - create water, guidance, light, mending, purify food and drink; 1st – bless, entangleD, hide from undead, obscuring mist, protection from evil; 2nd – align weapon, bull's strength, cat's graceD, resist energy, spiritual weapon; 3rd - blurD, dispel magic, prayer.
D Domain spell.
Domains: Celerity* (+10 speed in light, medium, or no armor), Plant (turn/rebuke plant creatures).
*Complete Divine.
Possessions: +2 silent moves mithral chain shirt, ring of protection +1, +2 bane (giant) composite longbow (+2 Str bonus), +1 adamantine greatsword, cloak of elvenkind, quiver of Ehlonna, vest of resistance +1*, traveling gear, hand axe, 2 wooden holy symbols of Ehlonna, 2 spell component pouches, 10 alchemical silver arrows, 10 cold iron arrows, 40 normal arrows, spear, longbow.
*Complete Arcane.
Languages: Common, Flan, Giant.
Description: Dispatcher Callyn merch Denna is a Flan woman of middle age. She fled Geoff when the giants invaded, and spent many years as a refugee in Gran March. When parts of Geoff were liberated, she returned to fight, and discovered a talent with the bow. She has since been blessed by Ehlonna and invited to join the Knights of Dispatch. She came to the Order late in life, and her age and gender have slowed her rise through the ranks. She barely notices the slight as she dedicates her life to striking down the giants that have caused so much misery in her homeland, and her training to become a Warpriest of the Forest Goddess.
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