Order of the Oak

The Order of the Oak is a knightly order within the Kingdom of Almeron, dedicated primarily to the defense of the peasantry and farmers of the nation. They are looked down upon by other knights for their chosen specialty, as serving the poor and downtrodden exclusively is seen as a bastardization of chivalric values. They are not very wealthy due to the inability of those they defend to pay them in coin and are thus often equipped in lower quality or aged armor. They are mocked as 'penny knights' and 'the Order of the Dirt' by their critics, though they take this criticism willfully and use the terms themselves. In general, the Knights of the Oak are considered friendlier than most, ever willing to assist those of the lower classes. The nature of their payment usually boils down to a gift by those they have served, either something made by a craftsman or, more typically, a hot meal.

Knights of the Oak are sometimes more portly than other knights due to the food they are frequently paid with, often appearing more like old men in bedraggled cloaks and rusted armor than true knights. One would be a fool to assume them weak, however, as Knights of the Oak spend their days singlehandedly fighting off brigands and corrupt guardsmen with little benefit to themselves. They are beloved by the common folk for their commitment and are the only knightly order in Almeron to actively recruit members from the peasantry, a practice that is considered highly controversial yet is firm in its legality. Knights of the Oak can be identified by the wooden pendant they all wear, a carved oak tree looped about a rope and worn around the neck.