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Greetings, noble reader. I, Peltander, humble scribe to His Majesty, King Drin Truehart the Kind, do write these words in order that future generations might know and understand the circumstances surrounding the founding of our noble order. I will not touch upon the history of Nepeth, or the many Orc-Human wars, as those conflicts have been dealt with in other works. I direct the inquisitive reader to the Library of Tantallon should they desire more information on this subject. The only conflict that has relevance to the topic at hand is that of the War of Faith, the last great struggle between the foul orcs and our glorious Realm. |
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In the year 484, the disgusting mountain orcs banded together into a great, stinking mass, and swept down into the lowland villages around Tantallon like wildfire. Led by a repulsive half-breed named Alzarov, the orcish horde represented the strongest challenge the Trueheart line had ever faced. For three long years, King Arnog (father to King Drin) led the massed human armies (with elven and dwarven allies, such as the forces led by Gralain) against the orcish tide. Many villages were laid waste, and the corpses of men and orc were too many to be counted. At last, the unified armies of the good races laid siege to the orcs in their mountain stronghold, and despite the unfortunate (but valiant) death of King Arnog in the fields before the citadel, the power of the fecund orcish tribes was broken. Arnog's second son, Drin, ascended to the Trueheart throne and led the armies to their final victory. (In a tragic accident, Drin's older half-brother Wynn had been lost at sea several years earlier in an ill-fated attept to sail across the eastern sea, leaving Drin to take the throne.) In the titanic last battle for the orcish stronghold, it is said of King Drin that he slew nearly two hundred orcs by his own hand.
In the aftermath of the battle, Alzarov disappeared (likely fleeing and abandoning his servants, in keeping with brave orcish custom,) and the victorious forces of good compelled the new orcish leader, "King" Kazarov (who is really no better than a petty chieftain) to sign a treaty of peace and swear fealty to the Trueheart line - to this day, a representative of Drin's court dictates policy to the orcish "monarch." In celebration of the victory, and in memory of his father and lost elder brother, King Drin created the Noble Order of the Knights of Drin.
"In order that our kingdom might never again suffer the depredations of such foul beasts as these orcs who lie defeated before us on this day, it is our intention to form an order of knighthood, that the noble sons and daughters of the realm might aid the kingdom and stand watch against any future attacks. The Knights of Drin shall have the charge of protecting the innocent from the pillaging savages who still wander our forests, of defending the helpless against oppression, and delivering justice to miscreants and wrong-doers who hope to gain a profit from the hard labours of our subjects. It is our hope that the Knights of Drin will ever be inspired by the valorous memory of our father, King Arnog, and will endeavour to remain vigilant against the encroachment of evil for all time."
-King Drin Trueheart,
Dedicatory speech, H.E. 487
The sons and daughters of nobleman and commoner alike flocked to the banner of Drin's army, and those men who served Arnog as knights and thanes also pledged their loyalty to the new Order. Soon the Knights of Drin were the strongest and most influential force in the area. Despite the rise of such forces as the detestable Scythe, the comical Courts of Chaos, or the nefarious Society of the Raven, the Knights of Drin remain the premier power in the region. No one can stand against the united might of the King's chosen defenders, and no matter the odds, the Knights of Drin shall always prevail!
May thy sword stay ever sharp.
Peltander the Learned
Scribe to the Trueheart Court
