Death Knight

An elf in half-plate strides toward an orc warchief. His spear lashes out and keeps the orc distracted while his mount, a great wyrm of lightless scales, flies down to take the orc from behind.

A brass dragonborn sits in meditation as she focuses upon inscribing a new rune upon her warhammer, which will grant her the edge in her upcoming battle.

Two heavily armored knights face off: one a half-orc bound by a Solar, the other an aasimar assassin of Asmodeus. Their weapons glow with runes of green fire, which flare with flashes of energy as they clash, each intent on their opponent's doom.

Death knights are attuned to death in an intimate manner. Each death knight has died, then been brought back to life by their patron. Sometimes these resurrections were part of a bargain struck, sometimes an act of necessity, sometimes as spite, and on rare occasions the long deceased are brought back to serve a new purpose. The ritual used to create death knights is taxing upon the patron, but each one is a powerful avatar, whether they are willing or not.

Returned from Death The experience of being brought back to life is often a difficult one. Some suffered in their final moments, and the thought of reliving it can break some, resulting in an insane weapon for their patron to wield. Others have been returned from another era, and they must learn of the world that has passed them by as they lay in the ground. Whatever the cause of their death, one thing remains certain: a death knight is changed from their first life.

Warriors of their Patron Death knights are created when an entity needs a hitman. Whether they bargained for it or were forced into it, death knights serve as the hand of their patron. When there is a threat, they strike out. When there is an insult, a blade of necrotic magics corrects the slight. Death knights are rare and meeting another is rarer still, but often, when two meet, it is with weapons drawn and spells ready. This is due to the wide range of patrons who create death knights. Oftentimes, the purpose of one is counter to the other, so it is rare for both parties to walk away unscathed from even a casual meeting.

Disciplined and Patient As ones who have experienced death and usher others into its embrace, death knights learn that being at peace with one’s lot is important. The purest expression of this attribute is their rune-scribing. The focus and time needed to properly write a single rune is both soothing and demanding. The trance they enter to attune their focus and imbue their inks with the energy needed to inscribe a rune of power brings a tranquility that lets them cope with their nearness to death.