Imperial Orders of Knighthood

[AlHazred]

IMTU, I've tried to go into more detail on the Imperial Knightly Orders. In my older campaigns, I never really paid much attention, but it occurred to me in my current campaign that I was missing an avenue for rolplaying. In the Real World, knightly orders are social clubs, basically, for the upper crust -- they have balls and ceremonies and all the pomp and circumstance you would expect. That is actually a great way to introduce players to interesting NPCs, have complex situations where they can try to exert influence (or be influenced by a social superior), and so on. These groups will also have facilities on a few worlds where they host parties and maybe more: there are frequently pubs or restaurants in the headquarters (possibly run by a hired third party), trophy rooms where the Order can show off the trophies members have won, and possibly a small administrative office (because there's always paperwork in the Imperium). That's a fabulous setting for all kinds of the shenanigans and hijinks that PCs frequently get up to.

So, in my current playthrough, I tried to be more elaborate and put together enough details so I could run something off-the-cuff if it became necessary. I have the following list of Imperial Orders of Knighthood in my campaign (Sector Orders and Subsector Orders undoubtedly frequently exist, but there are too many for me to figure them out beforehand except in a few exceptional cases).

This is a list I've compiled in order of seniority. Orders in red are defunct. Orders with !!! at the end I'm still noodling with specifics; I believe all of the Orders are canonical, but some of them have very little canonical information provided. Orders that are indented are equivalent in seniority to each other; the three Orders of the Empire, the Third Imperium, and the Knights Imperial are considered "Knights Ordinary" and are the normal Orders that PCs would get to join when the reach SOC 10, but many nobles become members of multiple Orders to extend their influence as far as they can. Members sometimes have to fulfill requirements (the Order of Ashurgash is only open to Imperial Army and Marine officers of Vilani extraction) and it's always possible to be blackballed if you've made enemies of other members of the Order.

• Order of the Starship and Crown est. 17 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Honorable Order of the Emperor's Guard est. 52 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of the Arrow est. 62 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Ancient Order of Vland est. -2000 headquarters: Vland (Vland 1717)
• Ancient and Preeminent Order of Sylea est. -500 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of Gateway est. 76 headquarters: Annapabar (Ley 1936)
• Order of Ilelish est. 76 headquarters: Dlan (Ilelish 1021)
• Royal Order of Antares est. 76 headquarters: Antares (Antares 2421)
• Order of Solest. 1002 headquarters: Exeter (Diaspora 2729)
  • Order of Gvadakoung est. 642 headquarters: Antares (Antares 2421)
  • Order of Hlyuea est. 642 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of Muan Gwi est. 1005 headquarters: Muan Gwi (Solomani Rim 1717)
• Order of Wampallally est. 53 headquarters: Marhaban (Empty Quarter 0426)
• Order of Eerynaaia est. 317 headquarters: Daramm (Ley 0812)
• Order of the Tower and Sword est. 620 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of Ashurgash est. 0 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of The Cross of Arlea – !!! est. 0 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of the Iridium Throne est. -5 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of Distinguished Merit – !!! est. headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of Fusion – !!! est. headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of the Cube – !!! est. headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of the Plume – !!! est. headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of the Sword – !!! est. headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of the Victor– !!! est. headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
  • Order of the Empire est. 630 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
  • Order of the Knights Imperial est. 575 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
  • Order of the Third Imperium est. 47 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Order of Alpha Crucis – !!! est. headquarters: Wulfe (Alpha Crucis 0303)
• Order of Core – !!! est. headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of Corridor – !!! est. headquarters: Kaasu (Corridor 1209)
• Order of Dagudashaag – !!! est. headquarters: Medurma (Dagudashaag 2124)
• Order of Daibei – !!! est. headquarters: Warinir (Daibei 0507)
• Order of Delphi – !!! est. headquarters: Anaxias (Delphi 1724)
• Order of Diaspora – !!! est. headquarters: Libert (Diaspora 1109)
• Order of Fornast – !!! est. headquarters: Shumduur (Fornast 2334)
• Order of Gushemege – !!! est. headquarters: Usdiki (Gushemege 1015)
• Order of Ilelish Sector – !!! est. headquarters: Dlan (Ilelish 1021)
• Order of Ley – !!! est. headquarters: Dukh (Ley 1210)
• Order of Lishun – !!! est. headquarters: Tephany (Lishun 2719)
• Order of Massilia – !!! est. headquarters: Keum (Massilia 0815)
• Order of the Empty Quarter – !!! est. headquarters: Nulinad (Empty Quarter 0338)
• Order of the Old Expanses – !!! est. headquarters: Vaward (Old Expanses 1106)
• Order of the Reft – !!! est. headquarters: Cyril (Reft 2738)
• Order of the Solomani Rim – !!! est. headquarters: Dingir (Solomani Rim 1222)
• Order of the Spinward Marches – !!! est. headquarters: Mora (Spinward Marches 3124)
• Order of the Trojan Reach – !!! est. headquarters: Pax Rulin (Trojan Reach 2204)
• Order of the Verge – !!! est. headquarters: Tripolis (Verge 2612)
• Order of Zarushagar – !!! est. headquarters: Liasdi (Zarushagar 0928)
• -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Order of the Imperial Sunburst est. 0 dis. 17 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of the White Star est. 640 dis. 824 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)
• Order of Deneb est. 589 headquarters: none (presumably Deneb (Deneb 1925), if the Order is ever activated)

How have you used Knightly Orders in your game? I did all of this prior to my current campaign, but for once, none of my players rolled a SOC 10; it figures...

 

[AlHazred]

What's extra confusing is, there are Imperial Orders for each of the Domains (where the Emperor is the "Sovereign of the Order" and in charge of the membership), and then Sector Orders for each sector (where a subsector duke is in "Sovereign of the Order"), but some of the Sectors share their names with the Domain they're in, leading to two Orders whose names are very close. In Real Life they modify the name a little, to make it clear which is which; for instance "Royal Order of Antares" versus the Sector Order of Antares. It's a built in easy source for rivalry between characters, if you have a PC whose a member of one but not the other...

 

[kilemall]

Court or country club pecking orders, the death of a thousand social slights. To be worth the effort, has to have consequences.

 

[kilemall]

Maybe we need SOC combat rules?

 

[AlHazred]

Court or country club pecking orders, the death of a thousand social slights. To be worth the effort, has to have consequences.

Oh, for PCs the consequences are definitely going to be financial. Who do you think is buying passages on their ship, or shipping their cargo? "Hey, you're a member of the Order of the Plume? So is the Director of the Archaeology Department here at the University of Giliim! We have to ship some equipment to Boughene for a dig, and the Order is on our list of 'preferred vendors.' What do you say? I'm authorized to throw in a bonus!"

Or, a member of the Order of the Third Imperium takes passage on the PCs' ship, and immediately begins a professional rivalry with the PC member of the Order of the Knights Imperial for the duration of the flight; does it remain friendly, or is the knight a vengeful sort?

 

[whulorigan]

. . . there are Imperial Orders for each of the Domains (where the Emperor is the "Sovereign of the Order" and in charge of the membership), and then Sector Orders for each sector (where a subsector duke is in "Sovereign of the Order"), . . .

Actually, the Archdukes are the Sovereigns of the Orders of their respective Domain Orders, and perhaps a few others in a few special cases. Sector Orders might have either the Emperor or the local Archduke as Sovereign; the system is unclear here. Sector Orders likely have the Subsector Duke who is acting as Sector Duke (and a member of the Order) in the position of Grand Master of the Order, appointed by the Sovereign.

(Remember that there is a difference between the "Sovereign of the Order" and the "Grand Master" of the Order, who is it's leader. The Sovereign is the one to whom the Order rightfully belongs (the "Liege Lord") and who makes or approves the appointments. Sometimes, the Sovereign is also a member of the Order, and is also the Grand Master.)

Subsector Dukes of course would effectively be "Sovereigns" of their own local Retainer Orders (but these do not generally have official recognition outside the Duke's sphere of influence, save by courtesy, of course).

 

[whulorigan]

• Ancient Order of Vland est. -2000 headquarters: Vland (Vland 1717)
• Ancient and Preeminent Order of Sylea est. -500 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)

Perhaps a note that these two Orders formally had their beginning in Year 0, but we're based on much older Orders descended from earlier Polities, and therefore a source of rivalry between the two (hence the descriptive adjectives in the Orders respective names, which were only added with the establishment of the Domains and their subsequent reorganization in year 76).

• Order of the Tower and Sword est. 620 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)

Is your date for this Order one that you invented, or did you find a source for this Order? I remember Commander Truestar mentioning he had seen it in a publication, but I had never been able to locate it.

• Order of the Iridium Throne est. -5 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118) .

The Iridium Throne was established at the founding of the Third Imperium by Cleon I in Year 0. The Order should probably should not have a date before Year 0.

 

[McPerth]

In Challenge #47 the Order of the Blue Feather is also described. Being ependent on the DUches of Massilia, I guess its headquarters are there, but I didn't find the date of establishement...

 

[whulorigan]

In Challenge #47 the Order of the Blue Feather is also described. Being ependent on the DUches of Massilia, I guess its headquarters are there, but I didn't find the date of establishement...

That one if I recall was established by the Duchess of Delphi in her Domain/Stronghold during the Rebellion.So it is not technically an Imperial Order.

 

[AlHazred]

In Challenge #47 the Order of the Blue Feather is also described. Being ependent on the DUches of Massilia, I guess its headquarters are there, but I didn't find the date of establishement...

That one if I recall was established by the Duchess of Delphi in her Domain/Stronghold during the Rebellion.So it is not technically an Imperial Order.

Yeah, the Order of the Blue Feather has as one of its tenets, "Restore the Third Imperium," so it's not going to predate the Shattering. It's plausible she created it in the shell of a previous order, but the canon doesn't specifically support that, and if she did it was more likely to be a Sector Order.

Actually, the Archdukes are the Sovereigns of the Orders of their respective Domain Orders, and perhaps a few others in a few special cases.

When I said "subsector duke," I meant the subsector duke who was the Archduke of the Domain, but I was trying to make sure I got all of the other details right and I flubbed it. My apologies.

• Ancient Order of Vland est. -2000 headquarters: Vland (Vland 1717)
• Ancient and Preeminent Order of Sylea est. -500 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)

Perhaps a note that these two Orders formally had their beginning in Year 0, but we're based on much older Orders descended from earlier Polities, and therefore a source of rivalry between the two (hence the descriptive adjectives in the Orders respective names, which were only added with the establishment of the Domains and their subsequent reorganization in year 76).

From Milieu 0 page 58, we get "The closest equivalent to knight in the Vilani nobility was the kiduunuuzii (literally “holder of special privileges”)... When the Vilani became part of the Third Imperium, all kiduunuuzii became members of the Order of Vland, with specific criteria determining which rank within the order each individual kiduunuuzii assumed." I've assumed the Ancient Order of Vland and the Ancient and Preeminent Order of Sylea would date their respective Orders to the initial founding of whatever organization predating the Third Imperium originated their "knighthood" (or cultural equivalent). They'd certainly insist on the earlier date as their Order's official founding date, and what I posted came from my Library Data document for my players.

• Order of the Tower and Sword est. 620 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)

Is your date for this Order one that you invented, or did you find a source for this Order? I remember Commander Truestar mentioning he had seen it in a publication, but I had never been able to locate it.

I got it from Commander Truestar. I've never found a canonical mention of this Order in a publication I have access to (CT, MT, TNE, T4, T5, G:T, MGT1, MGT2). It's the least-canonical Order on this list!

• Order of the Iridium Throne est. -5 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)

The Iridium Throne was established at the founding of the Third Imperium by Cleon I in Year 0. The Order should probably should not have a date before Year 0.

I'll be honest, I don't remember why I have it as -5. I know this Order's only evidence is the patent cards, but I don't think full details have come out about them beyond that. I've adopted GypseyComet's explanation for the Order of Third Imperium, Order of the Knights Imperial, and Order of the Empire, and two of those come only from the patent cards. Until we get more guidance from Marc Miller (and we're unlikely to do so) or Mongoose comes out with a canonical explanation, I will feel free to use it. Among other things, it fits my campaign's vision of "monolithic, excessively-bureaucratic galactic empire" for the 3I.

 

[AlHazred]

Looks like there was more information in a thread on the topic of the patent cards, located here (http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=29681), but it seems to be a dead link.

 

[AlHazred]

• Order of the Iridium Throne est. -5 headquarters: Capital (Core 2118)

The Iridium Throne was established at the founding of the Third Imperium by Cleon I in Year 0. The Order should probably should not have a date before Year 0.

I'll be honest, I don't remember why I have it as -5.

I think I have retraced the steps that led me to that. IMTU, I think I had Cleon "create" the Order of the Iridium Throne from a group of military veterans he had recognized from his war against the Chanestin Kingdom, which turned wildly against the Kingdom in about year -3.