These notes are a somewhat sketchy description of how the three Orders of the Solamnic Knights work. I've tried to include some idea that the Orders as they are now have developed over the two thousand years that the Knights have existed, and also how they have changed post-cataclysm.

The Three Orders.

Originally, there were two Orders as laid down by Vinas Solamnus. These were the Crown (Ordo Barusi) and the Sword (Ordo Paxari).

The Order of the Crown was the basic Order of Knighthood. Those who wished to become Knights would enter as Squires of the Crown, to be trained in the ways of Knighthood. Once they were found worthy, they were given a Knights Errand (usually guard duty in a castle or on patrol). Until this Errand had been completed, they were known as Defenders of the Crown, and upon completion they were granted the honours of full Knight of the Crown by the Knight's Council.

The Order of the Sword was only open to those who were already full Knights. Tasks more dangerous and difficult than those given to Defenders were allocated to Knights who wished to join the Order of the Sword, and were termed Sword Quests. These were typically of the monster vanquishing variety. Knights upon a Sword Quest were termed Novice of Swords, and upon completion of the Quest to the Knight Council's satisfaction, they were given the title of Knight of Swords.

The Order of the Rose came in much later, after Vinas Solmanus' death. Members of Solamnia's ruling families disliked the idea of having to enter Knighthood on an equal footing with their social inferiors, and so brought about the formation of a third Order, in which only those of noble blood were eligible for membership. Entrance into the Order of Roses begins as a Novice of Roses, a position essentially the same as Squire of the Crown. Induction to become a full knight again involved a Knights Errand (known in this case as a Rose Errand). These typically involved the settlement of some legal dispute, or perhaps leading men into battle. Whilst on an Errand, the Knight was known as a Defender of Justice, and completion gave them the title of Rose Knight.

Rose Knights could also go on to enter the Order of the Sword, although upon completion they became an ArchKnight.

Over time, these positions became formalised. The Crown became the commoners' Order, and was the most numerous. Although in theory the Rose was equal to the Crown, in practice Knights of the Crown tended to be led by a Rose Knight. Knights of the Sword were supposed to be above all politics and such matters, being considered almost god-like in their dedication to the Oath and the Measure. In practice, however, they answered to the Rose and were used a free-roaming agents of justice, or took on symbolic roles.

Allocation of Errands and Quests.

Errands and Quests were dealt out by a yearly Knight's Council. Citizens within the Knight's jurisdiction could bring petitions to the Knights, concerning problems or injustices that they felt they had. The Council would then divide these into Crown Errands, Rose Errands and Sword Quests, and deal them out to Novices or Squires who they felt suitable for the task. At the next yearly Council, the Errands and Quests so allocated were reviewed, and full Knighthoods awarded accordingly.

Knight Companions.

Sometime pre-cataclysm, during a time when funding for the Knighthood grew scarce, it was decided that only those who could bring their own horse and arms could join the Knights. This had the effect of closing the Knighthood to the common folk, and was the start of the hereditary Knight families (and the beginning of the tradition of handing down arms and armour from father to son).

To compensate for the drop in manpower, the status of Companion was created - this was open to common men, and was basically a means of creating foot-soldiers and archers to back up the armed and armoured Knight cavalry. For administration purposes (and to provide a bit of competitive inspiration during training), these were divided into Companions of the Crown, Sword and Rose although the actual position was the same in all three.

Organisation of the Orders

Although the above positions of Knighthood are based upon progress to full Knighthood, there are a series of politically based ranks. From a full Knight, the next position is Knight Commander, where the Knight has command over a full squadron of Knights (usually 12, but sometimes 6 where numbers are scarce). Above Knight Commander is Lord Knight, ruler of a castle or caergoth. When a Knight's Council is called, one representative speaks officially for each Order - these are termed Shield Knight (Crown), Blade Knight (Sword) and Keeper of Roses (Rose). One of these is usually also the local Lord Knight, but not always.

At the top of each order, once forming the inner circle of the High Council of Knights, are the three heads of the Orders - the High Guardian (Crown), High Justice (Rose) and High Clerist (Sword).

Also once upon a time, but now all but forgotten, there was an additional rank, normally awarded to Sword Knights but sometimes to the other Orders, awarded on merit and personality alone because those awarding it were creatures who could see into men's hearts, and who knew the right people to pick. Those creatures were Dragons, and the rank of Knight of the Lance was awarded to men who rode dragonback and fought with Dragonlances.

The Knighthood today.

Even before the fall of Istar, the Knighthood had become stuck in its ways, bound by the great volumes of rules that had grown over the centuries to form the Measure. Politics came to govern the allotment of Errands and Quests, and so good and noble men were passed over in favour of obsequious courtier types who knew how to play favourites but not how to act with honour. The rule of Rose over Crown also meant that men often unsuited to lead were put in charge of armies simply by virtue of their birth, and not through any skill.

After the fall of Istar, membership in the Knights dwindled away. No-one wanted to know any more. Some Knightly families changed their names, turned their backs on the traditions of their ancestors so as to avoid the blame and scorn being heaped upon the Knights. The problems of the past grew worse - Some Lord Knights became tyrants clinging to power rather than protectors of their charges.

And so today the Knighthood, the soaring dream of Vinas Solamnus, consists of a small number of heretidary families locked into archaic rules, military commanders ill-suited for the job and a body of men indoctrinated to the ideals of following orders with blind loyalty. The Order of the Sword has lost its ties with the ideals of old, and the Knights of the Lance are just a forgotten passage buried deep in the volumes of the Measure.