The Dragon Chronicles, Part 9

Every knight has his own personal gear...weapons and armour he has collected over the course of his adventures that mark him as unique. For some, the gear is perfectly matched, beautiful, cohesive, obviously designed to work together as a synchronous whole. For others, the gear is mis-matched and haphazard, pulled together coercively by need and happenstance rather than by design. For most, however, it is some combination of design and happenstance that brings the amalgamate collection together, the collecting being driven by the dynamics of still being on the journey and having distance yet to go as well as not having started off with enough resources to create a matching set initially. Resources for gear most often come only after the questing brings experience and measured success.

The real proof of the knight, however, is not in the gear, no matter how matched or mismatched that gear may be. The real proof is in the knight having to stand and face the trials of the quest stripped of all protection and weaponry, naked to the forces coming against him and only his cunning and brute strength to give him the edge to overcome. In that circumstance it is instantly obvious whether or not the knight has achieved the level of fitness and physical prowess to properly wield any gear effectively, let alone that which he has come to acquire. Muscle and sinew, strength and power, dexterity and agility, stamina and speed...all these elements are needed in quantity and perfect dynamic balance...or else all the gear in the world would not gain the knight the victory in the end. These elements are the foundation of the knight's power and the key to any victory he seeks to attain. His gear then simply becomes an enhancement to his true qualities...enabling him to extend his power and abilities to bring a swifter and more complete finality to the victories he is capable of achieving. They are literally extensions of himself and his abilities...undergirding and empowering the already developed skills of the master warrior.

But strength and power alone are not all that is needed for the knight to conquer in his battles. Stripped of any protection, the knight must also use great cunning to identify and exploit weakness and vulnerability in his foes and protect himself from having his enemies do the same to him and thereby gain the advantage. As is true with physical prowess, instinct and mental ability can only be enhanced, not replaced, by the addition of gear. Knowledge and experience, craftiness and cunning, foresight and discernment, calculation and determination...these are the mental, intellectual and spiritual foundations of the knight's power. Without them, gear is only so much metal and adornment, worthless in attaining victory at any level.

This is why effective training for the knight always begins with no gear...leaving him completely open and vulnerable to onslaught. Only after mastering his physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual core can the knight hope to succeed. Only after attaining that mastery...and not before...will gear become any kind of help to the knight in his questing. The victorious knight is therefore born in the wrestling pit...coming to know himself in the raw so to speak...and there he discovers his true worth and mettle.

"Know thyself, O knight, and thereby attain the mastery!"
--Romayo, Grand Master Rogue

The Dragon Chronicles, Part 8

The success or failure of most questing is heavily dependent upon a knight’s questing companions. How should he go about choosing compatriots to assist him with the tasks which lie ahead, especially the difficult ones? Is it better to choose according to bravery, skills, wisdom, charisma, experience, intuition, strength, or some other factor?

Most quests are not completely understood from the outset. Some quests are not even apparent until the knight is thrust upon them. How anyone in the party will respond to circumstances encountered on the quest is always somewhat of an unknown. Some quests develop and evolve in extremely unexpected ways, making pre-planning pretty much superfluous. Given these truisms, just how is a questing knight supposed to equip himself with the right companions, anyway?

I have spent much of my questing career trying to figure out the answer to this most perplexing dilemma. I have tried questing alone, to no avail. I have tried a variety of combinations of fellow knights and their abilities, but never really succeeded in creating a workable group. Then one day, quite by accident, I stumbled across the answer.

It came in the form of a rogue knight who was sent to me by a friend for assistance with a quest of his own. That led to other quests, some his and some mine, through which we discovered that we worked pretty well together. We were surprised to discover that this was not so much because we were very much alike or because we were at the same place on our questing journeys, or because we ever would have purposefully chosen each other to be questing companions. So what exactly did connect us so firmly?

It turns out that the things which make us different are completely complimentary. The areas in which I am weak, he is strong and vice versa. We understand and empathize with each other in ways we never imagined until the questing forced us to deal with situations that unmistakably brought out the true nature and character in each of us. When we discover a flaw in one or the other, we are motivated to compensate and help each other until the weakness becomes a strength. We each know the other better than we know ourselves…and that has been okay…even beneficial! We find joy in honing each other’s rough edges and helping each other learn and grow. Most of all, we never seem to tire of the joint questing and even seek out reasons to join forces whenever possible.

Does that mean we never quest without each other or with others? Certainly not. Does it mean we never disagree or struggle? Negatory. But we have made a pledge to honor the connection between us and work together whenever and wherever possible for our mutual benefit. The bottom line is that he is my friend in the truest sense and I trust him implicitly and completely. I find great strength and confidence in the knowledge that he feels the same. Funny thing, too…I find myself acting much more like a rogue these days. I wonder if he is rubbing off on me?

The Dragon Chronicles, Part 7

Every knight, rogue, squire, mercenary, page, or freeman has a gift...a special talent for affecting power and/or change in the world around them. This gift may be recognized or unrecognized, developed or undeveloped, appreciated or unappreciated...but can never be denied or abdicated. The talent is truly a gift...given to bring uniqueness to the individual...to give them a purpose...to make them necessary, resourceful, even vital. This gift is given from outside the individual and originates beyond their power or knowledge...indicating a purpose, an intelligence greater than the individual themselves.

It is the very existence of this power that creates a sense of urgency in the individual to make use of their gift, for the better if possible. After all, can such a power not remove such a gift as easily as giving it? And if so, should not one feel a responsibility to be accountable, at least in part, for the proper cultivation and use of their gift? The answer to that timeless question provides the foundation to the adventure of a lifetime...a journey of purpose and meaning...which is every man's fulfillment and destiny. An epic quest always begins with an epic question...and the answer to that question comes through the living of the journey...the experiencing of life.

The Dragon Chronicles - A Rogue's Response

Dear Knight Gallant,

I really fail to see the reasoning behind your classification, my good knight! You knights are all the same, grouping the rest of us adventurers with you in everything we do -- though we are really nothing like you. Certainly I am nothing like you! Sleuth, Secrecy, Covertness...yes, there you have a point...but to call me a knight only shows me how naïve your mind is. My battle, sir, is not with evil or dragons -- no, my battle as a rogue is with myself.

I hold nothing dear to me. For, you see, everyone who encounters me and parts paths with me is an asset, nothing more. Whether it is wealth, laughter, sinful lust, or desire...I pick and choose that which I warrant as important. If it just so happens that I pick a goal that meets up with yours, then of course we become brothers. But, don't take for granted the joint direction we share. In an instant my short blade might find a home between your own ribs!

My struggle is with that at which I am best. My talents are looked upon as scandalous. I know right from wrong...and yet to be good at so many wrongs -- does that determine and justify the definition of what you think that I perceive as right? Then to hell with you and your virtues, your impeccable character and your wholeness of heart!! You disgust me, oh righteous knight!! Do not think for an instant....

Wait... I apologize... In fact... ARGGH! Now at last you see! I do not understand that of which I speak...or do I? My companions have learned to love me -- even my spectacles -- HA! Therein lies the battle, knight! See that? That which makes me rogue? Now let's shut up and go get some mead and women... By the way, do you recall where that brothel is again??

--Romayo, Grand Master, Rogues Guild

[Submitted by my very dear friend, from whom I learned all the roguish arts and by whom I was inducted as an honorary member into the Rogue's Guild...]

The Dragon Chronicles, Part 6

Rogue Knights... Knights who are addicted to the adventure in life. Knights who love the questing almost more than the quest itself. Knights who specialize in stealth and secrecy and covertness and the element of surprise. Knights who love to win in the unexpected way. Knights who may well be called the "special forces" of knighthood...

Every questing knight has need now and again for the covert. Either the dragon is too crafty, or the quest is too complicated, or the goal is too elusive... The knight who champions the right and boldly strides forth to face the dragon head-on can often find himself flat on his back, well-singed, and wondering just what happened. Dragons are sneaky and dishonest and not at all afraid to use the "back door" to fell an unsuspecting knight. Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to employ stealth tactics to overcome a particularly crafty dragon.

It is here that the rogue knight operates at his best. Trick for trick, stealth for stealth, cleverness for cleverness, the rogue knight is the dragon's mongoose, hitting him in the very places where he himself attacks the gallant and unsuspecting knight. For a rogue is able to think like a dragon and act like a dragon when need demands. And most importantly, a rogue understands that the dragon, clever as he is, can still only think in one dimension...and that is his weak point. The dragon is usually so bent on the knight's destruction, that he fails to realize when he gives away all his own best secrets by employing his covert tactics. Turning a dragon's tricks back on him is often the most effective way to find his soft underbelly and the very best time to strike. This a rogue knows almost instinctively and employs most ruthlessly...

This most useful skill can often get the rogue into trouble with his fellow knights, however. The order of knighthood, after all, seems to champion only truth, justice, forthrightness, and honesty. Using the covert tactics of the rogue can seem somewhat out of joint with those most righteous virtues, so the others claim. And the rogue is very often caught drinking in life with gusto (sometimes literally!) and consequently disregarding rules, regulations and propriety in his "off-duty" escapades. And it doesn't help that the often handsome, dashing, cavalier, yet mysterious 'scoundrel' rogue seems so deft at attracting the most desirable women...much to the virtuous knights' chagrin. So the rogue is often ridiculed and scorned, even though it is he that so often saves the day when those 'righteous virtues' keep the other knights confused, disoriented and off-guard in the face of relentless dragon fire...

The truth is, though, that the rogue is most fiercely loyal and trustworthy in his allegiances. For just as the rogue can see to the true heart and mind of the dragon when others can not, so can he see to the true heart and mind of a fellow knight when others can not. Therefore, the rogue knight whose allegiance has once been earned truly makes the very best of friends...and that can make all the difference.

The Dragon Chronicles, Part 5

...Dragons are unpredictable. Some dragons come with fire and rage and ruin, and you know well before they arrive that your life is going to quickly take a turn for the worse. Some dragons are content to scare you with their presence and only occasionally spout flame and fume at you to remind you that they are there and that you should be very, very afraid. Some dragons are already grown fat and lazy by the time you encounter them and are content to let you starve to death in the wasteland they have created around them without bothering to confront you directly.

...But SOME dragons are very, very dangerous! They have a full arsenal of the weapons described above and use them individually and corporately as the mood strikes. Their most fomidable weapon, though, is their ability to completely curse your existence. They coax you into believing that you have a chance to stand and fight them. Yet, while you face them with all your courage they are weaving wicked, cursed magic behind your back to bring rack and ruin upon your family, friends, community, and kingdom. They undercut your supports one by one. They don't just kill them, they visit slow, cruel torture upon them using every wile of hate, deceit, cruelty, wickedness and ruthlessness. And when they finish, you suddenly realize that the real fight was behind you, not in front of you, and there is now no longer anything left to fight for. So fighting becomes robbed of its sweetness and reward and every offensive stroke becomes riddled with futility.

...Pretty bleak picture, huh! Kinda makes you feel like not bothering to fight at all. But, ah, therein lies the real key to victory. You see, dragons are incapable of seeing anything positive. They only see the potential for ruin and despair in everything. They only win so long as they are able to push you backwards into the crippling futility of despondency. They are incapable of understanding the knight who has already pledged irrevocably to press forward with the fight no matter what lies behind.

...Such a knight fights for an ideal, a dream of what can be in a dragon-less world. They fight for all the other knights and families and friends and kingdoms which will come after them. They believe, in the words of Samwise Gamgee, "...that there is some good in this world...and that it's worth fighting for!"

...Knights gallant see all the opportunities to give up as touchpoints for steeling the resolve, grasping the sword more firmly, and standing strong when all around seems on the verge of annihilation. They understand that the true danger is to look a dragon in the eye and lose sight of all that's really important. And they know instinctively that a shield can also be used as a mirror to turn a dragon's evil and wickedness back upon itself. For the one thing a dragon cannot withstand is the unavoidable truth that all the evil in the world cannot conquer the steadfast heart and the noble spirit. The true knight is a knight in every fibre of his being and no amount of dragon fire can ever burn that essence from him.

...So steel your resolve, fellow knights. Keep your eye on the true treasure and never, never forget your shield!

The Dragon Chronicles, Part 4

This week, I find myself extraordinarily busy pursuing quests and fighting dragons. I've encountered some bigger dragons than usual and, as a result, I am having less than the usual amount of success in conquering them. Therefore, naturally, I find myself revisiting the means by which I choose to measure my success at questing. Such difficult times tend to make this "cup-half-full" warrior-knight do that.

I believe that to measure the final success of a quest by too high of a standard is to invite frustration, despondancy and resignation. To measure by too low of a standard is to invite mediocrity, complacency and indifference. Somewhere between those extremes is a place where success is measured by direction, determination and forward progress. All with an eye towards the supra-natural, of course.

"Success" has, I believe, many elements to it, as far as questing is concerned. The very act of donning armor and taking up sword and shield is in and of itself a measure of success. Pledging honor and honoring the pledge is, after all, the very essence of being a knight. Sallying forth on the journey with no complete understanding of the nature and scope of the path (or of the outcome!) is also a measure of success. Valor and uncompromising bravery are very knightly virtues. Continuing to confront and wrestle the various challenges of the quest, even though the journey seems endless and the requirements impossible, also qualifies. Perseverance and determination are intrinsically knight-worthy. Being willing to deviate from the path in order to protect and serve those who are weaker counts, so long as the warrior remains true to the quest and resumes the journey at the earliest possible opportunity. Unselfishness and chivalry are knightly qualities held in high esteem by all.

Ah, but herein lies the true essence of success. It isn't just in the accomplishing of the end goal of the quest, it is in the nature of the questing and the nature of the questor as well. After all, to slay the dragon at the cost of the damsel in distress, the townsfolk, the kingdom, and one's own virtue is hardly a victory at all. The knight who fails at the quest, yet returns to fight another day stronger, wiser, and more mature is better for it. And the knight who ultimately surrenders his life in battle with the dragon is certainly no less a knight than the one who stands victorious beside the slain beast, triumphant and exultant.

I think, therefore, it is safe to say that true success lies in the soul of the valiant warrior-knight, not in the outward circumstances. Outward accomplishment is nothing if not accompanied by a virtuous and upright heart. Therefore, I determine to daily take up armor, sword, shield and the heart and soul of a true warrior-knight, all dragons be damned!....