| The Willow Sourcebook |
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Hounded by the minions of Nockmaar and their Death Dogs, tracked by a hundred hidden messengers, hunted, besieged, blockaded, assailed, encircled, and outnumbered 15 to 1, the knights of Galladoorn endured. They lacked horses, arrows, food, fresh water, and safe shelter. But they endured, for the oath of knighthood says, "I shall fight injustice with all my strength, nor falter if my strength fails before my life departs me." They moved endlessly, exhaustingly, with Kael's minions never far behind. Airk Thaughbaer, their commander, could not afford direct confrontation with Nockmaar. The knights had no hope of allies, of victory, even of survival. Yet they endured. They felt - not sorrow, but mature resignation, a lightness of spirit that made them more dangerous in battle. For the oath of knighthood says, "Through direst peril, of body or of spirit, I shall hold true." Their strength baffled Queen Bavmorda and astonished General Kael. No wonder; for the source of that strength was unknown to Nockmaar. The oath of knighthood says, "Always will I come when my fellow knights call. Every knight is my brother; the cause of one is the cause of all." Even in desperation, they remained true to their nickname - the Shining Legion. ORGANIZATION Galladoorn, like most of the kingdoms of the world prior to Bavmorda's ascent, had no standing army. The knights of Galladoorn, the cream of its fighting forces, were a chivalric body - warriors, to be sure, but serving often as peace officers, administrators, and circuit judges. In time of war, each landed noble (many, but far from all, of the knights qualified as such) was bound by his oath of allegiance to arrive at Castle Galladoorn with horse and sword. Depending on the size of his lands, each was expected to supply also a body of trained "landsmen," yeomen trained in the arts of war. Such training varied greatly in quality; some nobles took their duties seriously, and trained their men weekly, while others hardly bothered. In time of war, this mixed bag of nobles and yeomen, some well trained, others unable to tell one end of a spear from another, would be taken in hand by the knights of Galladoorn. The knights would separate out the soldiers from the chaff, and send the latter home to their fields. The remainder would be drilled and formed into formal units - files of a dozen men, each commanded by a knight; companies consisting of a dozen files. Organization above the company level was rare, but in major battles, companies were organized into battles (sometimes "battalions") of anything up to 2,000 men, each under the command of one of Galladoorn's greatest notables. THE KNIGHT'S ROLE There were rarely more than a few hundred knights at any time. While Bavmorda built up Nockmaar's army, Galladoorn made every effort to increase knightly training - but at its height, the knights of Galladoorn numbered fewer than a thousand. The Army of Galladoorn, before the fall of Castle Galladoorn, numbered 6,000 men and slightly more than 1,000 horses; in addition to the knights, it contained much of Galladoorn's nobility, and many of its yeomen. It was the largest army the nation ever fielded... but it was not large enough. The Shining Legion suffered awful defeats in battle at Land's End (see MADMARTIGAN) and at Castle Galladoorn (See AIRK THAUGHBAER). Its remnants, led by Airk, withstood hardships unprecedented in their history. Defeat looked inevitable, until Elora arrived. When Airk, their leader, decided to pursue Willow and Madmartigan to Tir Asleen, they had little trouble following the Nockmaar army's trail through the canyon maze. The knights arrived just in time to rescue Willow and his friends from the Nockmaar assault - though the Eborsisk helped. Airk's knights helped even more at Nockmaar Castle, when Willow's ploy got them inside the castle walls. While they kept Nockmaar's soldiers busy, Sorsha led Raziel and Willow to the tower, just in time to rescue Elora from Bavmorda's Ritual of Obliteration. With Bavmorda's fall, the knights of Galladoorn face an awesome task. They have resolved to rebuild Castle Galladoorn, and are recruiting new applicants to succeed the fallen heroes. The Shining Legion has reinstated Madmartigan with honor, and Willow Ufgood is now an honorary member. (They waived the height requirements.) But the knights drew the line at Franjean and Rool. Brownies are not looked upon kindly by most Daikinis, a prejudice the knights might have overlooked - but the two brownies went through their camp one night and filled everyone's empty boots with cooking oil. "It was just a little joke," Franjean said. "Stupid Daikinis! We didn't want to be knights anyway, did we, Rool?" Rool said, "If they're called knights, why are they out in the daytime?" GAMING NOTES 5th skill-level fighters SKILLS Swordsmanship, archery, and other appropriate weapon skills, combat tactics, riding, chivalric and courtly skills. POSSESSIONS Weapon, shield (only with one-handed weapons), leather or chain armor, dagger, bedroll (often improvised), flint and steel, sharpening stone. Cavalry have horses, saddle and gear, and cleaning tools. |
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