"The bravest of the brave, the noble Lords of Bretonnia will fight for the Lady until the bitter, bloody end."
- —Description of Bretonnia's Lords.
A Bretonnian Lord, mounted atop a ferocious Hippogryph.
Bretonnian Lords are the elite warrior-generals of Bretonnia, made up of the wealthiest and most powerful nobles.
Overview
Lords are the replete heroes and landed nobles of Bretonnian nobility. Despite the exceedingly high standards these knights set for themselves, there are mighty individuals who live up to these goals and become legend. They are the heroes who have performed great deeds on the battlefield and defeated particularly dangerous foes. Their reputation precedes them, and their names and Heraldry are known throughout all the dukedoms. Whenever one of these mighty heroes enters a town, his presence will be known within minutes, news of his arrival spreading through the crowded streets like wildfire amongst the commoners, who will flock to get a glimpse of the heroic individual.[1a]
Many of these mighty heroes are Grail Knights, having drunk from the Grail and become the epitome of chivalric knighthood. However, there are many other legendary individuals who have never attained the station of Grail Knight, but are in no way lesser heroes for that. Sometimes the responsibilities of governing may hold a knight back from embarking on his quest, though this would surely cause him much pain. The Dukes themselves are all-powerful and renowned warriors, for they could not retain their station were they not.[1a]
Birth in itself does not guarantee success, and the sons of the dukes must earn their honour and renown as any other knight. Indeed, a knight of any echelon of birth (though obviously never a peasant) can attain heroic status through great deeds and acts of bravery, rising rapidly through the ranks. The dukes of Bretonnia are the most powerful nobles in the land after the King himself. They owe their loyalty to the King and also have the task of defending their own domain against invaders. The Duke's army is made up of all the barons and knights within his dukedom plus his own retinue of knights, squires and men-at-arms from his castle and also bowmen raised from among the peasants on the barons' lands.[1a]
Unlike the lords of other armies, Bretonnian Lords have to be on horseback as it is unseemly for the leader of an army to be down with the lower classes, fighting on foot only in the most dire circumstances. In battle it is these mighty heroes who lead the knights from the front, inspirational leaders that take the fight to the very heart of the enemy. Many of them follow one of the Paths of Virtue, the fighting styles and traits passed down by the Grail Companions, they are both masterful warriors and noble leaders. They can sustain wounds that would kill a lesser man, and kill many foes with one sweep of a sword or thrust of a lance. Indeed the Lords of Bretonnia will truly live on forever, for tales of their great deeds will be recounted long after they have passed from the world...[3]
Famous Bretonnian Lords
- King Louen Leoncoeur - King of Bretonnia, Duke of Couronne and Grail Knight.
- Repanse de Lyonesse - Formerly a Paladin blessed by the lady herself, became the Duchess of Lyonesse.
- Duke Bohemond Beastslayer - Grail Knight, descendant of Gilles le Breton and Duke of Bastonne.
- Duke Alberic of Bordeleaux - The ruler of Bordeleaux. Famed for his courage and exacting standards.
- Lord Calard of Garamont - Lord of Garamont and Castellan of Bastonne.
- Lord Balderin Beastslayer - Hero of the Seige of L'Anguille.
- Baron Lucus of Brilloinne - Hero of Bretonnia who founded a famous Grail Chapel within his mighty castle.
- Guillaume de Grenouille - Castellan of Quenelles who was known for his brutality in battle.
- Baron Aloys de Montjoie - A Grail Knight and Baron of Quenelles.
- Baron Marcel of Parravon - A Bretonnian Lord who led a large expedition into Lustria.
- Jaques de Beaumarchais - Baron of Beaumarchais and one of the few peasants to have been granted knighthood.
- The Legendary Grail Companions.
