Knights of Hyrule

The Knights of Hyrule is a military force to be featured in the Legends of Time Lost RP. They are dedicated to protecting the  Royal Family  and the kingdom of Hyrule, also aiding other nations if in the kingdom's best interest. Although the faction's title states the obvious, common soldiers make up the force as well.

History
The Knights of Hyrule trace back to the establishment of the Knight Academy during the Sky Era, where the sword did not yet taste evil's blood and iniquity. However, the knights' true mobilization began as early as the Imprisoning War during the Era of the Hero of Time. The hearts of mankind were fundamentally corrupted by greed and the lust for power, more potent than today's evil. Tales of a beautiful, holy sanctum called the  Sacred Realm  spread throughout Hyrule like wildfire. The golden power known as the Triforce resided here, left behind by the three Golden Goddesses before they left the world they created.

Before long, a gateway to the Sacred Realm was established by a band of thieves skilled in dark magic, led by the King of Gerudo Thieves. This and the masses of greed-laden Hyruleans entered the Sacred Realm to claim the Triforce. However, Ganondorf proved the greater contestant and murdered his followers. The Triforce then granted Ganondorf his deepest desire; to become emperor of the world. His wish was acknowledged, and the once heavenly Sacred Realm reflected his nature and transformed into a withering, demonic version of Hyrule. Dubbed the  Demon King Ganon , Ganon returned to Hyrule with a monstrous army. To counter the threat, the King of Hyrule sent the Knights of Hyrule, a fairly young guild of warriors. They engaged Ganon's minions in a bloody bout until a handful of knights were left standing.

Their efforts allowed the Seven Sages to create a seal on the Dark World, banishing Ganon and his army back to the tainted realm. Peace spread throughout Hyrule, and within time, the Knights of Hyrule expanded their numbers after immeasurable loss. An institute was established, one that would test the mettle of brave men and women through trial. Once they proved ready, their achievements would be recognized by the Royal Family, granting them the title of "knight".

The Knights of Hyrule prevailed from the Era of the Hero of Time to the Era of Time Lost, where their downfall was soon to come. Strife had divided those

Structure
The rank structure is not explored within The Legend of Zelda series. However, RP-wise, recruits join the army and train to become soldiers. During their campaign, they may advance to Corporal, Sergeant (NCO/man-at-arms), and most notable, Knight. Those who attend the academy graduate to become knights, and may act as high officers, commanding large divisions close to the ranks of Master Sergeant and High Constable. The  Knight Grand Master  resides above the rest as the commander-in-chief and high councilman, answering only to the Royal Family.

Warrior types
Within the Knights of Hyrule are many warriors versed in various arts of combat. The organization trained pupils since its earliest establishment, and after individuals passed their trials as Squire, they move up as soldiers. They are then given personal titles and weapon choice based on their skill and personality. Below is a short example of the warrior types:


 * Sentinel: The basic soldier well-balanced in many abilities. The jack-of-all-trades, though they are no masters of them.
 * Fighter: Melee experts and champions of strength. They often don heavy weaponry or armor and possess exceptional endurance on the battlefield.
 * Ranger: Experts of ranged combat and precision. Most rangers have a knack for speed and stealth, giving them an unrivaled rate of fire with the bow.
 * Mage: Any practitioner of magic. These mystical warriors wield powers allowing them to cast a variety of spells, sense the supernatural, and enhance their own or others' attributes. They prefer brains over brawn.
 * Mystic Warrior: Combatants skilled in both magic and melee or ranged weaponry. They infuse magic into their weapons to deal great damage to enemies.
 * Black Knight: Once passed down as a fable, Black Knights were the very few warriors to show up on the battlefield and were summoned as heavy reinforcements. They donned black armor from head to toe and wielded heavy weaponry and dark powers.

Possible squads
Here are the types of squads, along with possible names for them:


 * Megaton Squad: The raiding party of the Knights of Hyrule and one of the most renowned units. It is comprised of talented fighters both versed in melee combat and weapon-enchanting. They are similar to the Marine Corps. division of the United States military, often sent in as the first wave to counter threats.


 * Longshot Squad: The sniper party of the Knights of Hyrule. The most skilled archers and assassins belong to this squad. They carry out missions requiring them to be unseen and precise in their work, hesitating not even the slightest to eliminate their targets and suspected traitors within the kingdom.


 * Nocturne Squad: A unit of powerful mages who practice many types of magic. Insightful and open to the supernatural, Nocturne members investigate supernatural disturbances and relieve areas of demonic activity, putting their souls at risk as they spiritually expose themselves to the dangerous energies of the entities they battle. Nocturne Squad works closely with Megaton Squad and backs them up as the rearguard when archers aren't available. Nocturne healers of course tend to the wounded.


 * Bombchu Squad: The demolition team. This unit holds some of the most talented engineers and pyro-technicians seen in Hyrule. Engineers fine-tune and ready ordnance (cannons and traps) on the battlefield. Pyro-technicians craftily make devices such as bombs and elaborate explosives capable of clearing obstacles and demolishing certain spaces in enemy strongholds, usually for points of entry and invasions.