Dragon Knights

"'The sun was reflected in the seastone, turning the keep into a glowing mass of cold stone and iron, its walls dotted with dragon knights, their capes like wings billowing in the winds.' - The Plight of Steel, Chapter 25"The Dragon Knights are the military force of Riverfall, under the command of Virion Vendyros. In all the Known World, there are none more skilled in combat, nor feared for their prowess. The Burned Captain is their chief - a general and close friend of Virion since they were boys. His training is what equips his underlings with their deadly aptitude with a blade.

Biography
In the kingdom of Riverfall, young boys who wish to become soldiers are trained as knights from a young age. Nobility is not a prerequisite to training, as there are few noble families in Riverfall, the children of which are typically conscripted into more well-to-do positions. Those who are accepted have the humanity beaten out of them over decades of hard training, until they become unfeeling living weapons, driven by a lust for blood, and devotion to their king and general.

Luthor Vendyros, after claiming his kingdom, began recruitment of peasant men and boys with the intention of creating an unstoppable military force. He dubbed them Dragon Knights, as they served the House Vendyros, and amassed a great number of them after a few years. They improved with age, becoming more vicious.

After Virion Vendyros took the crown, he asked his childhood friend, who was training to become a knight himself, to lead the force and thereby alleviate the pressure of taking charge over the warriors. At a young age, during a battle, the man was burned severely to within an inch of his life. He survived miraculously, but retained a grotesque scar across half of his body and face. He took on the moniker of "The Burned Captain" after the knights began to refer to him as such.

Appearance
The Knights wear dark metal plating, edged in gold, and long, black cloaks. These are often described as their "wings", fluttering around them in combat, as a dragon's wings might. Helmets, wrought into the shape of dragon heads, hide their faces, though their captain often keeps his off - a mystery when considering his ravaged countenance.

In The Plight of Steel series, they are described as being tall and intimidating, striking fear into enemies with only their presence.