According to The Elder Scrolls lore, the Knights of the Nine were once a legendary brotherhood of holy warriors. They were formed to commemorate the semi-mythical Pelinal Whitestrake, a fabled paladin from the First Era. The history of the Knights is a storied one in which both triumph and tragedy mark its pages.

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The organization itself is featured heavily in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The DLC pack Knights of the Nine gives the Hero of Kvatch the opportunity to reform this celebrated band of heroes. And, when it comes to Elder Scrolls lore, there's always something more to learn for both new and veteran players alike.

4 Pelinal Whitestrake Is Their Idol

Skrim 10 Warriors Pelinal Whitestrake

The Knights of the Nine take their inspiration from Pelinal Whitestrake, the so-called Divine Crusader. Whitestrake was once the champion of Queen Alessia, the founder of the First Empire. Pelinal assisted Alessia in freeing the early Cyrodiilic people from slavery at the hands of the Ayleids. The Eight Divines bestowed upon Whitestrake a special suit of armor imbued with their power, signifying his status as a champion of the gods.

Whitestrake's hatred of the elves was extreme and he was known to have cut huge swathes of destruction across Cyrodiil. Although the exact date of his death is uncertain, it's generally accepted that Pelinal was killed after slaying the Ayleid sorcerer-king Umaril the Unfeathered. The Divine Crusader's body was reportedly hacked into eight different pieces by the vengeful elves as payback to their hated enemy. Nevertheless, it was due in no small part to Pelinal's actions that the Ayleids were driven to extinction.

3 The Order Guards The Crusader Relics

Helm Of The Crusader From The Elder Scrolls IV Knights Of The Nine

The central objective of the original Knights of the Nine was to protect the Crusader relics. The founder of the Order, Sir Amiel Lannus, made it his mission to collect and preserve the artifacts associated with the Divine Crusader. He established the Priory of the Nine in Cyrodiil and recruited similarly dedicated men to his cause. Their heroic exploits eventually made them famous throughout Tamriel. Interestingly, one of these adventures involved the slaying of a dragon, known as the Wyrm of Elenglynn, so that the Cuirass of the Crusader could be reclaimed.

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Initially, the Knights managed to recover a few of the Crusader relics. The Cuirass, Gauntlets, Greaves and Sword were all claimed by various members of the Order. Unfortunately, the Knights of the Nine soon experienced debilitating internal strife during the War of the Red Diamond. Many of the Knights turned on each other and, as a result, most of the recovered relics were lost once again. Sir Amiel himself perished trying to restore the Order's former reputation in a quest that involved claiming the Helm of the Crusader.

2 Reformed By The Hero Of Kvatch

Divine Crusader Armor From The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim

After the Order's dissolution, the organization remained dormant for almost three centuries. Then, during the events of The Elder Scrolls IV: Knights of the Nine, the Chapel of Dibella in Anvil is desecrated. When the Hero of Kvatch investigates the matter the player is informed that Umaril the Unfeathered has returned to exact his revenge on the gods. Only the Divine Crusader reborn possesses any hope of stopping him. The responsibility, of course, falls to the player. The Hero is deemed worthy by the Divines after completing a pilgrimage to nine holy wayshrines.

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Once the pilgrimage is completed the real work begins. The Hero must succeed where the original Knights failed by collecting all of the Divine relics. Sir Amiel's legacy, the Helm of the Crusader, needs to be recovered first. After that, the player must travel to the Priory of the Nine, where he will be tested by the apparitions of previous Knights. Afterward, the remaining relics need to be found until the full set is complete. The player is then able to recruit like-minded individuals to the Order in preparation for the final battle against Umaril.

1 Must Defeat Umaril The Unfeathered

Umaril The Unfeathered - Elder Scrolls Bosses

It's the duty of the reformed Knights of the Nine to finish what Pelinal Whitestrake started. Umaril needs to be killed once again, only this time it needs to be permanent. The Hero has to assemble his loyal knights and travel to Garlas Malatar. Dozens of Umaril's minions, known as Aurorans, stand in the player's way. Umaril himself needs to be fought one-on-one in the final chamber of the dungeon.

The villain will attempt to escape back to the waters of Oblivion as he did after his battle with Pelinal. With a little divine assistance from Talos the Hero is able to follow Umaril to the spiritual plane between life and death. There, Umaril must be defeated a second and final time. The player is returned to the Priory of the Nine having redeemed the Order's reputation and restoring it to its former glory. Sir Amiel will then congratulate the Hero for fulfilling the Divine Crusader's noble legacy.

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