¤ The Knights of The Holy Blood

Another minor faction that hails from Armorique is that known as the 'Chevaliers du Sang Sacré'; the 'Knights of the Holy Blood'. They are violently opposed to the Granvelle and their like, and will defend to the last breath their (often impoverished and ill-kept) estates.

Every one of the Knights of the Holy Blood is a noble of the old school, brought up in all the social and military graces so loved by the upper classes and with centuries of blue blood flowing in their veins. The Knights claim a history going all the way back to the crusades in Araby, but have only arisen in their present form in the last fifteen years. They make a habit of wearing white surcoats atop old fashioned suits of armour; they claim the armour is symbolic of their holy brotherhood, but it is rather to hide the fact that they simply cannot afford to keep up to date with the more expensive fashions preferred at court. Another of their peculiar practices, but far from universally followed, is the worship of Ulric, god of battles, and of the Lady of the Lake. Both are invoked and cited by the most fervent and traditionalist Knights as a sign of martial glory and knightly chivalry, but several take a less ardent stance as far as his worship goes, seeing it as a slightly anachronistic hangover from the distant past, too outdated even for the Knights.

Leading the Knights of the Holy Blood is Leoncoeur, Baron d'Ouistre, whose ancient family castle is perched on a high cliff overlooking the northern coast. Leoncoeur exemplifies the Knights' attitude; he is not especially intelligent, and if he finds himself in a situation beyond his reckoning resorts to oaths, threats and violence - not necessarily in that order. Many hopeful duellists at the Oisillon Palace and in l'Anguille have learned to fear his broadsword, which is reputedly one of the oldest and best wielded in the land. Certainly King Charles III was convinced of Leoncoeur's boasts when he became the first knight ever to win two Grand Summer Tournaments in a row, and was selected as the King's official champion. It is largely due to this position that the Knights of the Holy Blood have any clout at all.

Behind Leoncoeur's bluster and blades, however, there lies a small but very committed faction who do heir best to make themselves heard at court. Sometimes the unpredictable Alf-Andre de Negrepelisse gives them his nominal support, but even the Knights have learned to accept his aid with reservations. Always in the background, apparently directing their affairs, is a shadowy figure who goes by the name of Père Laquette, said to hail from the City of the Damned, Moussillon. According to those close to the Knights, Laquette is Chaplain to de Leoncoeur and extremely learned in the 'old lore' as he calls it; this includes heraldry, ancient epic poetry and genealogy. Others claim that his knowledge extends much further back, and that at nights he slips out of the Oisillon Palace and Leoncoeur's castle for reasons unknown. Although the Knights of the Holy Blood make a lot of noise and, in the opinion of the richer, more dapper aristocrats from elsewhere in Bretonnia, take themselves a bit too seriously, they represent a conservative reaction to the threat that is slowly appearing to challenge the nobility throughout Bretonnia; that of becoming displaced and outshone by parvenu businessmen and lawyers and falling back on ancient, tarnished glories.