#t.i.c knight ranks

[luckywolfsbane]

Kingsword

These knights are directly responsible for the safety of the sitting monarch. As such, they outrank every other class of knight listed–unless the other knight in question is a member of the royal family.

They also outrank sitting advisors, whether they were formerly kingswords or not. The only people above them are the royal family themselves. “They answer directly to the king.” Think knights of the round table.

These knights must be adept in espionage, as they are often utilized as assassins to prevent attempted coups. They are also expected to be weapons experts with highly strategic minds.

Their tabard is similar to that of the knight attendants. This tabard, however, is hemmed with gold. It bears the royal insignia under a double peaked line. Below the insignia, there is a single, thick v-shaped line. Below the first line, surrounded by a darker blue, is a second gold v-shaped line, going all the way to the edges of the fabric. The back of this tabard is a double pointed, tapered swallowtail hemmed with gold.*

*They do not wear the tabard during espionage missions

[luckywolfsbane]

Lumian Emperial Knight Ranks

Lowest through highest(excluding the nobility, strictly military ranks)

Guards

Guards are the lowest ranking officers across the entire order but have rankings within them. Their tabards are squared off and have no split in the back.

Recruit / Red Tail

The tails of their tabards are red to denote that they’re new recruits

Officer of the Guard

No red on the tails, but no embellishments. Proves continued dedication to the order beyond a year.

Lieutenant of the Guard

Commander over 20 officers, and up to 40 red tails. A total of 60 maximum. Tabard bears the three downward triangles atop the royal crest, underlined by a geometric shield.

Guard Commander (GC)

Responsible for 20 Lieutenants and subordinate ranks underneath them. Each GC has a maximum of 1,200 guards under their command. Tabard is reminiscent of the lieutenant of the guard’s tabard, with the addition of a v-shaped golden stripe under the insignia.

Head of the Guard / Grand Guard Commander

Leader of the guard, appointed by the sitting monarch. Must be a Guard Commander prior to appointment. Takes orders from officers within the knights as well as orders from the nobility.

Tabard bears a shield with the royal crest on the chest, as well as three underlining, v-shaped, gold stripes.

Knights have higher standards than the guards regarding battle readiness and capability. As such, they have higher honor and outrank the guards. Their tabards are tapered to a point in the front. The back is rounded and split down the middle as if cut in half.

Knights

Knights are also knighted as per tradition, therefore acknowledged by the sitting and future monarchs for their skill and dedication.

A guard can prove themselves worthy of knighthood, and a knight can be stripped of knighthood and reduced to a guard.

Knight

Standard soldier. A recruit that tests high enough to receive this honor needs not prove their dedication by wearing a red tail for their first year of service. Once knighted, they are on the same level as other knights on day one. Their tabard bears the royal crest.

Cavalier

A cavalry officer or a knight specializing in horseback combat. Does not outrank standard knights on technicality, but does outrank them on the battlefield. Their tabard bears the royal crest and wing on either side of the collar.

Knight Lieutenant

Ranking knight. This knight has accomplished something significant for the empire and is worthy of respect and a secondary command over any lower ranking knights–but not cavalier. Tabard is reminiscent of the knight’s tabards, but with two diagonal, gold stripes near the collar.

Cavalier Lieutenant.

Ranking cavalier. Much like the knight lieutenant, only for the cavalier ranks instead of the standard knights. The tabard is the same as their counterpart but with a pair of stacked wings on either side of the collar instead of stripes.

Knight Captain

Highly competent knight who is recognized for their leadership abilities and sheer force. This knight has command over a brigade–500 knights and knight lieutenants.

Often commands cavalier and cavalier lieutenants as well, though brigades are not often made up of both knights and cavaliers, rather one or the other. This is because the moniker of knight and cavalier merge at the rank of captain. Though still separate classifications of knights, whether they specialize in horseback combat or not is irrelevant at this level of command.

Grand Commander / Knight Commander

Depending on the era and whether or not the kingdom is at war, both terms are used. Knight Commander is often used in eras of peace, while Grand Commander is often used in eras of conflict, upheaval, and war.

This distinction prevents confusion within ranks, the change of initials keeps straight as to where the orders are coming from.

The tabard bears the royal crest on a shield, backed by a pair of crossed embellished broadswords. There are also four diagonal, gold stripes on either side of the collar. The back of the tabard tapers to a point, but is not split.

Head of the Knights / Knight Polymath

Often called “the polymath” in casual settings. This knight is appointed by the sitting monarch. They must first be a minimum rank of captain and have at least one significant feat that would qualify them for rank of “Knight Lieutenant.” Most who have held this title in the past have had at least two significant feats prior to appointment, though that is not a requirement or expectation.

This tabard is the only one of the standard knight tabards to have gold hems. The royal crest is placed on the chest. The seal of the sitting monarch is placed on the back, just below the nape of the neck.

Royal Sector

The third and final sector of the order is the royal sector, or Royal Guards/Royal Knights. These knights have gone beyond skill in impressing the sitting monarch and have gained their unfettered trust and respect as people, not just warriors.

A knight bearing this honor has the immense responsibility of the direct safety of the royal family as a whole, and by extension the empire. As such, they are often appointed in their early 20s and serve until they’re no longer physically able. Upon retirement, these knights become direct advisors to the sitting monarch where they often remain for life, barring resignation. The youngest (officially appointed) in this section was 12 years old, while the youngest to unofficially serve in this section was 8.

Attending Knight/Knight Attendant

While this term is often used for all ranks within this section, it specifically applies to knights appointed to protect a child, sibling, or other family member of the sitting monarch. These knights have no command, but they outrank every knight and guard previously listed.

Their tabard is a plain hemmed blue, bearing the royal insignia under a double peaked line. Below the insignia, there is a single, thick v-shaped line. The back of this tabard is a double pointed, tapered swallowtail.

Kingsword

These knights are directly responsible for the safety of the sitting monarch. As such, they outrank every other class of knight listed–unless the other knight in question is a member of the royal family.

They also outrank sitting advisors, whether they were formerly kingswords or not. The only people above them are the royal family themselves. “They answer directly to the king.” Think knights of the round table.

These knights must be adept in espionage, as they are often utilized as assassins to prevent attempted coups. They are also expected to be weapons experts with highly strategic minds.

Their tabard is similar to that of the knight attendants. This tabard, however, is hemmed with gold. It bears the royal insignia under a double peaked line. Below the insignia, there is a single, thick v-shaped line. Below the first line, surrounded by a darker blue, is a second gold v-shaped line, going all the way to the edges of the fabric. The back of this tabard is a double pointed, tapered swallowtail hemmed with gold.*

*They do not wear the tabard during espionage missions.