Following the sweeping reforms of Charles Armatellum at the onset of his Conquests, the ceremony of dubbing can only be performed by an Imperial noble of at least the rank of Margrave or Count palatine. The anointment, moreover, can only take place after a battle in which the prospective knight has blooded his blade. These mandates were established to ensure that only men of true prowess earned the rank of Knight. Even with the Empire dissolved, those mandates are well preserved traditions and those who ignore them meet ridicule. In fact, a recurring article presented in the Imperial Conclaves is the appointment of Counts palatine, to replace those who may have fallen in battle or died of old age. The massed charge of Household Knights is one of the most powerful weapons at the disposal of a Hundred Kingdoms commander. Hundreds of pounds of obdurate metal and muscle, forged through years of training and experience, they have shattered men, formations, and kingdoms throughout the ages.
