| Knights of the Fold | |
|---|---|
| About | |
| Examples | Chen |
| Associated With | |
| Gods | Obelis |
| “ | The Knights of the Fold gave me a fresh start and a new life. It will do the same for you was well.
— Chen on the benefits of being a Fold Knight that everyone can enjoy
|
” |
The Knights of the Fold (also known as Fold Knights) are a sacred faction in the lore of Dota 2.
Description
The knights of the Fold are the troopers or martial branch of a congregation simply known as “the Fold” who all worship Obelis as their sole god. Based on what they do to others, they are holy crusaders who seek out potential converts for the Fold and purge all unbelievers. Beyond this, most of the info in this page is based off of one Fold Knight named Chen, so the below info about the Knights of the Fold might not be general.
Not exactly a religion of peace, the Knights of the Fold are on a crusade where violence is an option. The purpose of the crusade is a global persecution of unbelievers.[1][2][3] It is also a holy inquisition or judgment in which unbelievers are presumably sought out by the Fold Knights to be investigated on their beliefs, before being punished or converted according to what they find out about their faith.[4][5][6]
Traditions
The Knights of the Fold are a very solemn and thus a dull organization. It is said they hesitate to include fun in their recreation.[7]
Promotion
Chen earned the armor that he wears now from every bloody conversion he has done in the name of the Fold and their god Obelis.[1]
Faith and worship
Obelis is the one and only god that the Knights of the Fold worship with zealous obedience.[8] Everything they do is according to his will.[9][10][11][12][13]
Armory
Although Chen wields a staff, there are Fold knights who wields swords as well, which they wield against anyone who opposes them.[1][14][15]
Sorcery
Assisting them in the Fold knights' inquisition is their fanatical Test of Faith spell, a brand of magic unique to them. As its name says, the spell tests an enemy's faith,[16] but it is said to be unwieldy and random, barely making it a fair and just test of faith as it randomly harms anyone (regardless of their faith) under this spell[17] and punishing them for sins that they may have never had.[18]
Those who repent before the Fold knights are recruited by Holy Persuasion, another magick unique to their group.[19] The means by which it works its conversion seems to be quite ambiguous: it infuses others with what might be the spirit of Obelis himself,[20] it persuades them by prayer,[21] or the light of Obelis is revealed to them.[22]
Notable Members
Heroes
Chen is a Fold knight who was recruited from the Hazhadal Barrens as a heathen tribesman. A skirmish between his clan and the knights left him the sole survivor of his clan and he struggled against the knights until he could no longer fight back. Tired and within an inch of his life, he faced his execution with courage and humility by baring his neck to the blade of his executioner, moving the knights who subsequently offered him an ultimatum: a place in their knighthood or death. Choosing the former without second thoughts, he joined the knights in their bloody inquisition as he seeks out both potential converts to bolster the Fold's numbers and bold unbelievers to bring judgment.[1]
- He is a proud knight of the Fold with a high opinion on his knighthood, thinking of them as a force to be reckoned with[23][24][25][26][27][28] and a peerless organization.[29][30] Chen is a knight filled with confidence and pride in his knighthood's ability to save and redeem those who meet them.[31]
Relationships
Enemies
Below is a list of aspects that the Fold Knights deem worthy of receiving the "final reward" for their defiance, this reward basically being a death sentence.[32][33][34][35][36]
- The sinful and the wicked[37][38]
- The recusant[39][40][41] and the heretical[42][43][44]
- The irredeemable[45] and the impenitent[46]
- Pagans to the Fold's beliefs like Shadow Shaman are put to oblivion.[47]
- False god worshippers and idolaters like Witch Doctor are also slain.[48][49][50]
- False demagogues are punished by death.[51]
- Apostasy is forbidden and punished by death.[52]
Heroes
In her journey of dreadful retribution, the Drow Ranger has slain several Knights of the Fold, recording each one she kills with notches.[53]
Grimstroke calls the Fold Knights “charlatans” in comparison to Chen's true self.[54]
As Chen's enemy, Omniknight disagrees with the vicious ways of the Fold Knights' faith.[55] Even as his ally who genuinely appreciates the help he brings with his thralls,[56] he feels uncomfortable with the way he converts people,[57] even having doubts that Chen is not controlling him in his presence.[58] Nevertheless, he is surprised with what it's like being a Fold knight after experiencing it for himself with Chen around.[59]
Besides hating Chen, Wei also dislikes his knighthood. She thinks they are simply a "cult with a pretty name" possibly because of their fanaticism and conversions.[60]
Races
As expected of a monotheistic faith characterized by holy light and righteousness, demons are rejected by the Knights of the Fold.[61][62]
Factions
The ancient order of the Aeol Drias are at war with their ancient nemeses the Knights of the Fold. To this end, they raised Nortrom in hopes of destroying them all.[63]
Travelling through the Hazhadal Barrens in caravans, the Fold Knights were once ambushed by the local godless tribes and their locuthi, both of which they easily vanquished.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Chen's biography.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ So begins the persecution.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ The persecution starts now!
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ The Inquisitor has arrived.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Test your faith.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ The Judger is judged.
- ↑ Taunt: Joyless Pleasure description.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ For Obelis, the one God.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ As Obelis directs.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ God willing.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Act of God.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Heme, Obelis calls me to service.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ In the name of Obelis, I fight again.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ You can learn faith at the end of a sword.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ The sword teaches lessons that cannot be unlearned.
- ↑ Test of Faith description: If cast on enemy, will deal variable damage based on the unit's faith/Deals random damage to test an enemy unit's faith.
- ↑ Test of Faith lore: Knights of the Fold possess a fanatical form of magic that is considered quite unwieldy by most other users of arcane arts.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Punished for your sins.
- ↑ Holy Persuasion lore: Although they may not be knights, Chen incorporates beasts into the Fold in the same way he himself was converted.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Infused with the spirit.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Persuaded by prayer.
- ↑ Artifact Card: Chen
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: The Knights of the Fold are always ready for the front lines.
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: The Knights of the Fold are capable of anything!
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: Trust in the Knights of the Fold.
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: What chance do you have against a Knight of the Fold?
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: What hope do you lot have against a Knight of the Fold?
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: This is but a taste of the Knights of the Fold's power.
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: The Knights of the Fold know no equal!
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: The Knights of the Fold are unmatched.
- ↑ Artifact Card: Hand of God
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ You go to your final reward.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Condemned to death.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Found unworthy.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Judged lacking.
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: Convert! Or die!
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Punishment for your sins.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Ye of little faith.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ The recusant shall pay!
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: Those who won't join us will die.
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: If you're not with us you're against us!
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: Death to the heretics!
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: Your heresy will be punished.
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: You will join or you will die!
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: You were beyond saving!
- ↑ Artifact - Chen response: You should have repented.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Shadow Shaman, your pagan ways die with you.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Witch Doctor, where are your false gods now, hm?
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ False idolatry.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Your idol falls!
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ False demagoguery.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Vile apostate.
- ↑ Dread Retribution response: ▶️ r Add another Fold knight to my notches.
- ↑ Grimstroke response: ▶️ r You act the honorable part, Chen. But you betray your true self in the service of charlatans.
- ↑ Omniknight response: ▶️ Chen, faith is a tool, not a bludgeon. You would have done well to learn this.
- ↑ Omniknight response: ▶️ r Bring the forest to our aid, Chen.
- ↑ Artifact - Omniknight response: I've seen worse means of conversion, Chen.
- ↑ Artifact - Omniknight response: We're friends by choice, right Chen?
- ↑ Artifact - Omniknight response: So THIS is what being a knight of the Fold feels like...
- ↑ The Disciple's Path response: ▶️ r The Knights of the Fold are just a cult with a pretty name.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ Back to hell, you succubus.
- ↑ Chen response: ▶️ u Doom Bringer, be damned.
- ↑ Silencer's biography: ...a war-mage who would bring glory to the order, and destruction to their sworn enemies, The Knights of the Fold.