Atlantic:Death Knights

The Death Knights are the elite fighting force of the Order of the Ebon Skull. They are the ultimate combination of sword and sorcery. Combining this with the stamina that comes of Undeath, these warriors are nearly unstoppable.

Death Knights hate the living more than any other type of Undead. They have a special hatred for paladins and the Virtue Guards of British and Blackthorn; perhaps due to the fact that they, themselves, were once of the same ilk. They have abandoned the righteous sense of honor they displayed as mortals, leaving them black and twisted in body, mind, and spirit. Everywhere they trod, land withers and decays. Nature itself trembles when the Death Knights approach.

The typical uniform of the Death Knight is bone armor supplemented by various pieces of black platemail according to rank. The more Entropic energy a warrior's corporeal form can harness, the more steel its skeletal frame can support-- rumors of very powerful Knights wearing full suits of blackened steel persist. The dark armor represents the tarnished remnants of the silver and golden armor worn by the Great Lords of Britannia. Now tainted by Oblivion, it is blackened and corrupted beyond recognition.

Rank Structure

Death Knights are the ultimate fighting machine. Not only do they possess strong combat skills, they also have a comprehensive grasp of the Arts of Necromancy. Aside from the listed requirements, all Death Knights must maintain an ability to converse with the dead. It should be noted that the below requirements are but guidelines-- advancement will be based on many intangible factors in addition to those mentioned. Before promotion is granted, a quest will often need to be completed by the candidate, as per the Codex of Revenance.

Deathsworn

The Deathsworn are the slaves of the Death Knights. Deathsworn are rankless and serve all those within the Order. As this position is rankless, there are no requirements.

Cadaver

The first form taken on by any Undead is that of Cadaver. After the Unbirth, the Cadaver begins to decay rapidly and shows a great deal of decay. This position is the first step towards becoming a Death Knight. To advance to Cadaver a Deathsworn must complete a quest assigned to him by the Daemon Lord, Entropic Knight or the Entropic Maiden.

Zombie

After undergoing the transformation to Zombie, the Undead nature of the former Cadaver is quite apparent. What flesh remains is putrid and rotting, and the creature has begun to take on the unholy strength of the Undead. To be eligible for this position, one must be an active member of the Order and complete yet another quest that is assigned to him to show that he is capable of using the power that has been granted to him already well. Zombies must have be Grandmaster of tactics and their chosen weapon. Skeleton The restless Skeletons have shed the remaining vestiges of their humanity, enabling them to harness more negative energy. A Zombie cannot progress to take on the form of a Skeleton until it shows it is capable of using the powers that have been granted to it and attained the status of Expert Mage or an Expert in the art of Anatomy.

Skeletal Knight

In its exalted form, this bone warrior has begun to take on some physical manifestations of the dark forces that course through its being. It appears as a great Skeleton with some traces of hard, pale flesh forming upon its structure. To evolve to this status, an Undead must have spent a minimum of a month as a Skeleton and developed a grasp on the Arcane Arts equal to that of an Adept Mage or be Adept in the art of Anatomy. Without this level of competence, it cannot control enough Entropic Force to take on the negative matter that makes up the flesh of a Skeletal Knight.

Revenant Knight

This dread creature has almost completely reconstructed its body from the baneful matter of Oblivion. Pale, hard flesh is stretched taught against all of its bones and its skull, from which crimson points of hateful light peer forth, serving the monster as eyes. To attempt transformation to this form, one must have spent a month as a Skeletal Knight and become a Master in either the art of Magery or spent two months as a Skeletal Knight and achieved Master in the art of Anatomy.

Death Knight

The fully evolved Death Knight is the penultimate Undead horror, comparing in raw power only to the terrible Necromancer Liches. Because of its mastery of all forms of combat and its axons of experience, it is all but invincible. Death Knights are completely consumed by the power of Oblivion, and radiate a palpable aura of terror. In order to attempt this pinnacle of achievement in the service of Entropy, the Undead in question must have spent at least two months in the form of a Revenant Knight and achieved the status of Grandmaster Mage or three months and achieved Grandmaster status in Anatomy.