Knight Orders (Galia)

In Galia Circles and Knight Orders are social organizations open to citizens. Each order or circle serves a specific purpose and maintains their own unique traditions and rituals. Joining an order or circle is one of the primary methods of social-climbing in the Galian Social System, as the only requirement to rise in prominence is ones ability and tenure in the organization.

Orders
Knight Orders are paramilitary organizations created for a specific purpose. Usually Orders expect their members to dedicate a certain amount of time each year to the organization, either through attending events or ceremonies, or by performing knightly service. While all orders have their own rank structure and hierarchy, most follow the standard Knightly hierarchy (Initiate, Squire, Knight, Officer, Commander, Knight-Commander, Lord-Knight, Lord-Commander). Membership in an Order provides substantial social influence and clout (corresponding to one's rank in the order and the prestige of the order itself), and is typically open to all citizens, though certain orders maintain stringent membership requirements. Most orders also require an annual membership due, which is used to help subsidize the order's operations along side donations and paid services.

Some Knight Orders offer their services as elite military-units to corporations and governments, and several Galian Knight Orders operate as functionally special forces units for-hire. Several Knight Orders are part of the Pay roll of the Galian Admiralty and form a core component of its special forces units.

Circles
Circles are non-military organizations which serve some specific social purpose. Unlike Knight Orders, Circles do not typically expect combat expertise or martial prowess (Though some exceptions exist), however skill or expertise in a specific area may be desired. Circles serve a much wider variety of purposes than Knight-Orders and come in greater variety, ranging from social clubs, to political interest groups, activist organizations, and professional organizations. The majority of Galian Citizens are member to at least one Circle, and most allow for membership in multiple. Many but not all circles charge membership dues to fund their operations, while some offer exclusive services to their members in return for payment or a share of profit derived from these services.

Knight Orders:
The Knights Errant

Order of the Emerald Knights

Order of the Imperial Cross

The Seraphs of Avelania

Circles:
The Imperial Combat Society

The Rose Circle