Those familiar with the nation of Lastwall will know of the Knights of Ozem, stalwart crusaders who took up the legacy of the Shining Crusade. In honor of all who had sacrificed themselves to defeat the Whispering Tyrant and seal him within the prison of Gallowspire, the Knights of Ozem swore themselves to keep vigil for all eternity, ensuring Tar-Baphon never threatened Golarion again. The nation of Lastwall drew warriors of good to its shining white walls, each one proud of their support of a righteous cause.
When Tar-Baphon rose once more, they didn’t even have the chance to fight.
Illustration by Rogier van de Beek
A magical blast of unfathomable power vaporized Lastwall’s capital of Vigil in an instant. By the time the survivors rallied, there was no victory to be found, only bitter efforts to evacuate civilians and desperate pleas to prevent comrades from throwing their lives away for a nation that was already dead. It was in the wake of utter failure—some of which was undoubtedly the fault of the knights themselves—that the Knights of Ozem proved their courage and character. They stood back up again and rallied once more, knowing they were doomed to fail again in countless battles to come, yet still holding faith that their efforts would make a difference.
Illustration by Will O’Brien
With the loss of Lastwall weighing on them, what remained of the Knights of Ozem fell apart. The fraction of knights that remained soon found themselves at a crossroads. Do they flee Lastwall, their ultimate mission a failure, or do they stand and fight once more? Well, if evil roams the world, it must be stopped. And with that, many of these knights discarded the formal structure they were once committed to and chose to put the fight against evil and the dedication to righteousness above all things. (Check out Liane Merciel’s fiction from a weeks ago for a stirring rendition of this dedication!)
Illustration by Sergio Cosmai
While the Knights of Lastwall are more decentralized than ever, lacking an official headquarters and official leaders, the knights still maintain a semblance of structure. The knights move in groups, mostly made up of anyone willing to fight the hordes of the Whispering Tyrant, with leadership falling to whomever among the group has earned the most respect or influence among their fellow knights. In large scale conflicts, some knights take on roles as strategic leaders, only to return to the status of an everyday knight once the battle is done.
Illustration by Emile Denis
Even in this more informal structure, the Knights of Lastwall break up into two large subfactions. The first are the Shining Sentinels, they are the crusaders and defenders of the knights, committed to the defense of innocents and stemming the spread of undeath. They are the heirs of Lastwall’s cause and are hoping to rally forces to a new Shining Crusade against the Whispering Tyrant. Characters who affiliate with the Shining Sentinels can take the Knight Vigilant archetype, a 6th-level dedication. The archetype is focused on defense, allowing you to provide cover to allies, increase your proficiency with heavy armor, and gain resistance against attacks from undead. The Knight Vigilant also gains access to the Aegis of Arnisant feat.
The other subfaction within the Knights of Lastwall are the Crimson Reclaimers. The Crimson Reclaimers are less concerned with defending the already protected bastions of civilization and instead seek to take the fight to the undead directly. If the Shining Sentinels are the shield that defends the innocent, the Crimson Reclaimers are the blade that cuts down the forces of evil. They travel directly into the Gravelands to fight toe to toe with the countless undead that roam the region, rescuing any civilians that may still be trapped beyond the front lines. In addition to their great skill at combat and infiltration, every Reclaimer swears the Crimson Oath, a mysterious rite that grants additional power against the horrors of the undead.
Illustration by Michele Esposito
Characters that wish to join the Knights of Lastwall, but aren’t necessarily dedicated to either the Shining Sentinels or the Crimson Reclaimers still have a number of options available to them. As many of the Knights of Lastwall are champions and fighters, the section offers a selection of feats for both of these classes, some of which grant new focus spells like the sun blade focus spell for champions. The spell allows champions to fire a ray of sunlight from their weapons, dealing fire damage, good damage, and positive damage to evil undead, and even grows more powerful when the sun is in the sky. Beyond that, the knights have access to a variety of equipment to aid in their fight against evil such as the armored skirt and the fauchard. The knights even make use of magical equipment like glorious plate, full plate armor that can blind a knight’s enemies, and the deadly serrating rune!
If you want more information about the Knight of Lastwall or want to take up arms against the forces of the Whispering Tyrant, make sure to check out Isabelle Thorne’s entry in the Lost Omens Character Guide! The Knights of Lastwall aren’t the only ones trying to good in Avistan, however. In fact, the Knights of Lastwall sometimes fight alongside the scholars of the Magaambya Academy. If you’re interested in how you can use your magical acumen to improve the world, stay tuned for our preview of the Magaambya next week! However you decide to fight against evil, make sure to check out the Lost Omens Character Guide when it releases on October 16th!
Luis Loza
Developer
Lastwall Knights, All Right!
Friday, September 27, 2019
