Type of quest: big and rather linear quest for the early game
Why to implement: after completion you get to choose a symbol for your clan banner. Currently there is no story behind the player's banner.
Quest requirement: After starting a new campaign, the player does not have a clan banner. The banner is blank, only color can be selected. After completion of the quest Rebuild your clan, this one is triggered. Notification in the menu informs the player to speak to a ruler of any faction to become a knight.
The quest also requires to create a new vassal to the Vlandian King: Beritor dey Jelind, nephew of Vartin dey Jelind. [Initially the quest was meant to be between Hecard dey Molarn and Peric del Molarn, but Usanc Castle is located too close to the border and there is a risk it will be captured by another kingdom before the quest is completed]
@MArdA TaleWorlds: Could you pass it on to the quest team? Is there a plan to implement player's quest suggestions to the game?
1. Beginning
The player meets any ruler and mentions that they wish to become knighted. All rulers explain that it is a great honor to be granted a knighthood and they do not need more knights at this moment. However, they know that King Derthert dey Meroc of Vlandia is always looking for skilled warriors who have potential to become knights.
The player travels to Vlandia and meets King Derthert dey Meroc and mentions that they would like to know what is required to become knighted.
King Derthert dey Meroc replies that if the player demonstrates the 7 Knightly Virtues to him, he would consider to knight the player. The virtues are: Courage, Justice, Mercy, Generosity, Faith, Nobility and Hope.
There is actually something that the player can help King Derthert with. Ruling a kingdom is not easy as all of the Nobles have their own agendas. Nobleman loyalty is uncertain at times and can be weakened if a ruler directly influences affairs of their vassals. Therefore, he wants for the player to swear to speak to noone about the true purpose of their mission.
The player swears it.
2. Courage, Justice and Mercy
King Derthert informs the player that one of his vassals Vartin dey Jelind is a cruel lord. Peasants in his villages and castle go hungry and abused. Anyone who protests is taken for tortures into the dungeon. The King does not approve of such practises so does Beritor dey Jelind. He is a nephew of Vartin dey Jelind. Beritor is a good vassal and will definitely be a better ruler of Hongard Castle. King Derthert learned that Beritor is preparing to overthrow Vartin. The King and his vassals will not get involved in the family affairs of the dey Jelind clan. However, aiding Beritor dey Jelind in this endeavour would prove the player's Courage, Justice and even other virtues. Courage is more than bravado, a knight must have the courage of the heart necessary to undertake tasks which are difficult, unpopular and accept the sacrifices involved. For sure Vlandian lords will not be happy with overthrowing a lord, one of their own. Bringing to end the rule of the cruel lord and liberating his subjects will be an example of Knightly Justice.
[Should the player want to talk with Vartin dey Jelind, he would stop the player from sharing anything saying that he is not interested in whatever they have to say. The player is a lowborn and as such their point of view is irrelevant.]
The player travels and meets Beritor dey Jelind. The player informs Beritor that they have heard of his disagreement with Vartin. Beritor laughs and says that everyone in the Calradia already knows about it. He is actually preparing his band to ride against Vartin dey Jelind.
The player asks if they can help.
Beritor dey Jelind agrees and says that the player should ride to Hongard village and start raising levy warriors to prepare for the siege of Hongard Castle. He gives his ring to the player if they need to convince anyone that they are working on Beritor’s behalf.
The player arrives at Hongard and talks with any of the village headmen. Village headman is ecstatic to hear that finally this day has come, the day of liberation from the cruel Vartin’s rule. He asks why they should believe the player. The player shows Beritor's ring. Headman needs some time to raise the levy. The player needs to stay in the village to oversee their preparations. As the player waits in the village out of Hongard Castle comes out a patrol (~50-90 soldiers, depending on player’s renown/part size) and attacks Hongard village (defended by ~40-60 militia and player’s party). Battle of Hongard village begins.
After winning the battle the player can pick from prisoners escorted by the patrol. Shortly after, in Hongard village arrives Beritor dey Jelind. He congratulates the player on their Courage and standing their ground in face of the enemy. Beritor is happy that the fight took place in the village as this means that the castle garrison got smaller. He has an agent in the castle who informed him that castle militia will not participate in the castle defence. This gives him a great advantage and he asks the player to join his army. Beritor dey Jelind creates an army outside Hongard village. Militia party joins his army. The player is forced-joined into the army and it marches to besiege Hongard Castle. The army is (~90 soldiers of Beritor dey Jelind party, ~80 militia and player’s part). The castle is defended by ~100 soldiers. Battle of Hongard Castle begins.
After winning the battle the player can pick soldiers from prisoners. Dialogue with Beritor dey Jelind begins. He is furious as Vartin dey Jelind slipped out of the castle and escaped in the direction of Galend. Vartin’s party is small and very fast. The player travels to Galend and enters the city. They need to speak with people in the streets who inform the player that Bartender in the Tavern might know something. The Bartender says he knows that Vartin has a place outside town where he organised parties. He brought there once some wine and whores. He explains where it is. A mountain bandit hideout appears on the worldmap near mountains. The player waits until nightfall and attacks with selected troops. Inside there are no mountain bandits, but very view vlandian soldiers. After clearing the hideout appears Vartin dey Jelind who challenges the player for a duel.
The player captures Vartin dey Jelind and escorts him to Beritor dey Jelind. Beritor states that he should chop off his uncle's head. The player can protest and demonstrate Mercy or approve of the decision. Regardless of the player's action Beritor kills Vartin. If the player approves of killing Vartin it will give a huge (+20?) relationship boost with Beritor and all headmen of dey Jelind villages, it will also cause -2 to all Vlandians nobles and -4 with King Derthert. Disagreeing to kill Vartin should give moderate (+10?) relationship boost with Beritor and all headmen of dey Jelind villages, it will also cause -1 will all Vlandians nobles and -2 with King Derthert (It is Courage of the heart necessary to undertake tasks which are difficult, unpopular and accept the sacrifices involved). Beritor dey Jelind becomes new head of dey Jelind clan.
The player travels to King Derthert to inform them that they helped Beritor dey Jelind. The King is happy and confirms that the player demonstrated Courage, Justice and Mercy or only Courage and Justice (if the player approved of killing Vartin dey Jelind). He is not proud of the player not being Merciful. After all this was a trial! He will let the player continue with demonstrating further virtues. He hopes that this was an important life lesson and the player will never again be merciless. This is what separates knights from bandits.
3. Generosity
King Derthert informs the player that as a next step in their journey to knighthood they need to prove their Generosity. It is sharing what is valuable in life. It means not just giving away material goods, but also time, attention, wisdom and energy - the things that create a strong and rich community. The King wants the player to help Etirburg village grow. The player arrives in Etirburg and talks with any of the headmen asking what are the problems that the village have. It turns out that the place is regularly flooded and militia is untrained. As a first task the player needs to bring 10 units of hardwood to the headman and depending on the player's engineering skill it takes 3-5 days to complete repairing the river's bank. As a second task the player and ~5 of the player's troops have a sparring fight using wooden swords/axes with 20 pesents. A battle in the village is triggered. The Headman thanks for player’s generous help. The player improves relation with the village and gets exp and skill points to stewardship and engineering. The player travels to King Derthert.
4. Faith and Nobility.
King Derthert congratulates the player on demonstrating Generosity. He will now test the player's Faith and Nobility. In the code of chivalry, “faith” means trust and integrity, and a knight is always faithful to his or her promises, no matter how big or small they may be. The King asks the player to promise to protect his caravan with the player's life.
The player swears it.
King Derthert informs the player in Sargot his caravan is gathering. The player travels to Sargot and talks to a caravan that is just outside the town. The Caravan Master asks the player if they are ready. When ready, the caravan starts travelling. After visiting 2-3 towns a dialogue with Caravan Master begins. He tells the player that there is a small fortune in this caravan, it must be worth at least 200.000 denars. He proposes to the player that they split it 50:50, all they need to do is kill some caravan guards. The player can: a) agree, fight and get precious loot, fail quest with King Derthert, be hated by him (-20?) and the player will never have a banner symbol, only can have a banner color b) disagree with the Caravan Master. Stating that they are faithful to the king and it is their duty to apprehend the Caravan Master. The Caravan Master becomes a prisoner (not possible to sell) and the caravan heads back to Sargot (it does not have a Caravan master to lead it). On the way the caravan gets attacked. After reaching Sargot the caravan disappears. The player needs to find King Derthert.
5. Hope
King Derthert congratulates the player on demonstrating Faith and Nobility. He asks what should be done with the Caravan Master. Player answers that they should be spared as this is an act of Mercy. The King is happy with the reply. He asks if the Caravan Master should be released. The player says no. King Derthert is happy again: Mercy and letting people go unpunished is something different. He will have him thrown into a dungeon.
The King says that he regrets to inform the player, but he cannot knight the player. They are lowborn and it would not be proper to knight them.
The player can: a) be angry that after all they did they have been cheated and used. In this scenario the King says that they are disappointed to see the player fail the last test. It appears that the player is not a knight material after all. Quest is failed and the player loses relation with King Derthert.
Or The player can: b) say that they are sad to hear it, but they are grateful for a life lesson on the 7 Knightly Virtues. Even if they were not knighted, the player hopes to learn more about the Knightly Virtues and live by them. The King is proud of the player. The King says that the player passed the last test. Says that he is sorry to test them in such a way, but it had to be done to see the player's true character. The player just demonstrated hope. That is a knight's shield in times of tragedy. Hope is present every day in a knight’s life. No matter the odds, it shines on them as a “shining armor” that shields him or her and inspires people all around. King Derthert dey Meroc of Vlandia is proud to award the player with knighthood. He asks the knight to kneel.
King Derthert knights the player. He says that he will inform other lords of Vlandia and rulers of other factions of the player's new status.
