“Honor does not preclude tactics, and glory is not won through foolishness.”
The chevaliers are an elite military Orlesian organization. Only nobles can serve in their ranks. They are addressed as either Chevalier or Dame.
Background
Many of the nobility in Orlais are members of its famous/infamous knightly order, the chevaliers. Joining the chevaliers is a good way to improve social standing, a useful path for lesser, landless nobles and noble children not in line to inherit. The chevaliers include both men and women, although women are not often encouraged to take up arms. Those who do follow in the footsteps of the first female knight, Aveline. They are often posted as the Champion of the Emperor or Empress of Orlais.
The legendary training of the chevaliers at the Academie des Chevaliers in Val Royeaux is harsh, instilling in its knights a fierce discipline and code of honor that surpasses even value in their own lives. The chevaliers are said to be fearless and their loyalty to the empire absolute. The penalty for dishonor is death, something a chevalier should welcome if they have failed the order.
Chevaliers hold absolute power over those of commoner rank. The brutality of certain members of the chevaliers is infamous, and considering that the knighthood is above legal reproach, the lower Orlesian classes fear the knighthood as much as those of higher standing adore it. Indeed, chevalier privilege often leads to abuses against the common classes. The poor and powerless must tread carefully in the wake of such license or risk great danger to themselves and their loved ones.[1]
One of the main predecessors of the chevaliers was the Empress' Arm, an elite guard created by Empress Jeaneve I.[2]
Training
Chevalier training is brutal and effective, and involves relentless training and honing of one's strength and skill. In addition to the history of the order, students learn proper form and breath control, and how to exercise their muscles to keep them limber as well as ascertain strength in a wounded limb, keep limbs from going numb from being bound, and even fight off the effects of magic or drugs.[3] Chevaliers are also taught to identify different types of pain, by way of determining life-threatening injuries.[4] Chevaliers began training from a very young age. Gaspard de Chalons[5] and Michel de Chevin began their instruction when they were only thirteen years old.[6]
Exercises at the Academie include fully-armored endurance training such as tree-climbing followed by melee training with weighted weapons. [7] One of their most grueling tests of skill includes sparring with moving, bladed pells. Students also learn horsemanship and how to care for their warhorses.[8]
Melee training provides a student with tremendous prowess in light and heavy armors and in all forms of melee and horse combat, including two-hander weapons and sword-and-shield, and the use of a longsword and shortsword or dagger in tandem as well.[8] Additionally, though chevaliers prefer to fight in armor, they are quite capable and resourceful without it, as well as against opponents – like the lightly armed duelists of Rivain and Antiva – who may eschew armor all together.[9] Additionally, chevaliers also learn some of how templars battle mages, how Grey Wardens combat darkspawn, and how to slay the undead.[10]
Honor is paramount to a chevalier, to the point that one may defend the life of a hated foe to prevent their dishonorable death. Torture of an opponent, or condoning torture, is also prohibited.[11] It does not, however, preclude tactics and a certain opportunism.[12] Indeed, a chevalier will likely make note of an any defects or nicks in an opponent's weapons or armor and seek to exploit them.[13]
Forms
The on-foot fighting style of the chevalier is tailored to the situation, and involves a multitude of forms given the enemy and type of weapon at hand. A few include:
- Duelist Catches an Apple-the chevalier unsheathes a sword for a quick strike[14]
- Second Shield-the chevalier takes an opponent as a shield and skewers multiple enemies at once[14]
- Bear Mauls the Wolves-a move to be employed when outnumbered; properly done with a weapon in both hands[14]
- Wolves Take the Bear-a team effort against a larger opponent, with quick strikes and withdrawals[15]
- Spear-fisher-a defensive position to conserve strength or else to face an intimidating opponent[16]
- Testing the Blade-a series of stretches to identify sore muscles and ligaments that the chevalier's tolerance of pain has already dismissed[17]
Duels
Duels are extremely serious affairs for chevaliers. A test of skill to the death is often used to settle arguments or provide "satisfaction" to a party's sullied honor in public situations.[18] It is considered a serious breach of conduct for a chevalier to use magic to augment their abilities, especially when participating in a duel. Despite this, the practice of using enchanted masks was commonplace among chevaliers for a time. Masks could not be easily checked for magical enchantments, as people of worth could not be forced to remove their mask unwillingly, and so the risk of discovery was low. However, the practice was revealed to the public and banned in 8:10 Blessed.[19]
Traditionally, chevaliers salute one another with the phrase "Death before dishonor" before they begin fighting.[20]
Notable chevaliers
- Ser Auguste – former chevalier; deputy leader of the Freemen of the Dales[21]
- Ser Aveline – first female chevalier
- Marshall Bastien Proulx – commanding officer of Fort Revasan
- Ser Bastien Voclain[22]
- Ser Benoit du Lac – former chevalier; father of Aveline Vallen
- Ser Ducet – the head of the Imperial Army[23][24]
- Grand Duke Gaspard de Chalons – leader in 9:40 Dragon; challenged Celene I's rule, sparking a civil war
- Ser Gaston de Montfort – led the cavalry at the final battle of the Fourth Blight[25][26]
- Ser Honorine Chastain[22] – winner of the Grand Tourney of Tantervale[27]
- Ser Jean-Gaspard de Lydes – brother of Duke Remache and a capable military leader; Duke of Lydes[28] (conditional)
- Ser Jean-Marc Stroud – prior to his enlistment with the Grey Wardens
- Commander Jehan – commanding officer of Citadelle du Corbeau
- Ser Kaleva – dueled Ser Aveline[29]
- Lord LaMarche[30]
- Lady Losaneta – a decorated Chevalier in the Blessed Age[31][32]
- Ser Luis – youngest son of Lord Aurelien of Montsimmard; appointed command of the Chevaliers in Denerim in 8:98 Blessed[33]
- Commander Marcel Corbin
- Ser Michel de Chevin – the champion of Empress Celene I
- Ser Michel Lafaille – Ruler of Kirkwall and its liberator from the Qunari occupation
- Duchess Yvonne Blanchard – Duchess of Val Montaigne; fought at the battle of White River during the Fereldan Rebellion[22]
- Ser Robert Chapuis – a supporter of Grand Duke Gaspard's claim to the throne; he was involved in the assassination of Lord Vincent Callier—one of Empress Celene's staunchest allies—and his entire family[34]
- Ser Rodolphe Varley[35]
- Ser Blaen – former chevalier; later regained influence through a Lyrium smuggling operation with the Carta
- Ser Forsard Malecot[36][37]
Codex entries
Note texts
Trivia
- In Orlais, an informal final test of a Chevalier's training involves roaming the streets, intoxicated, and testing one's blade by killing City elves.[38]
- Though a cause of great scandal, commoners can sometimes surreptitiously buy their way into the chevalier order through a scribe by the name of le Mage du Sang, or "the blood mage," infamous for his reputation of being able to "conjure noble blood out of thin air."[39]
- A yellow feather is the mark of a Chevalier in Orlesian Society.[40]
- The helmets worn by the Chevaliers, and by Orlesian soldiers in general, all feature a visor sculpted to resemble a mask. This is reminiscent of some of the facial helmets worn by elite Roman soldiers.
- In the French version of the games, the Chevaliers are not called "Chevaliers" (which is already a French term) but "Berruier", a Middle French term used towards the end of the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance, this term could refer to a "valiant warrior".
Gallery
