Cavaliers belonging to this order have joined the Hellknight crusade against chaos, adopting a life of ironclad discipline and swearing to thwart disorder by any means. Through intimidation and strength of arms, these severe warriors embody the grim fist of law, pursuing and crushing disorder wherever it festers. Many strike out from one of the Hellknights’ stark, black citadels. Others roam between cities and villages, serving as judges and emissaries of a harsh vision of justice (see page 32 for the circuit judge cavalier archetype). Like other Hellknights, most members of this order begin their service by undergoing training at a Hellknight citadel or instruction from a true Hellknight. Most eventually pursue levels in the Hellknight prestige class, looking ahead to the day when they will face their lethal test against the forces of Hell. Until then, members of the order of the Ennead Star are typically Hellknight armigers or other initiates with dispensation to quest and quell disorder wherever they might find it. Regardless of his own goals, each cavalier is associated with a specific group of Hellknights and rigidly follows its unbending strictures. Members of the order of the Ennead Star are most commonly found in the lands of Absalom, Cheliax, Isger, Rahadoum, and Varisia, but the cavaliers’ goals might take members anywhere across the Inner Sea region.
Edicts: The cavalier is a merciless champion of the law, and if he must crush dreams, coerce obedience, or slay in the name of law, that is a small price to pay for peace and progress. The cavalier must bring lawbreakers to justice, and when that is not possible, he must serve as executioner of that justice. He must also uphold the tenets of his Hellknight order.
Challenge: An order of the Ennead Star cavalier gains bonuses when he challenges a creature of chaotic alignment with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher or one that the cavalier has witnessed committing a crime against local laws within the past hour. Against such a targets of his challenge, he receives a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls. He also gains this bonus on Intimidate checks to demoralize such targets. This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 class levels that the cavalier has.
Skills: An order of the Ennead Star cavalier adds Knowledge (local) (Int) and Perception (Wis) to his list of class skills. Additionally, he gains a circumstance bonus on Perception checks to act in a surprise round equal to 1/2 his cavalier level (minimum +1).
Order Abilities: A cavalier belonging to the order of the Ennead Star gains the following abilities as he increases in level.
Oppress (Sp): At 2nd level, when the cavalier deals damage to an opponent with his Hellknight order’s favored weapon, as a swift action he learns whether that creature’s alignment is chaotic, as if he had cast detect chaos and studied the creature for 3 rounds. Additionally, if he learns that a creature is chaotic by using this ability, he gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls against it. This bonus does not stack with itself, but it does stack with the bonus from the cavalier’s challenge.
Subjugate (Ex): At 8th level, whenever the cavalier confirms a critical hit with a melee weapon against a creature of chaotic alignment with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher, or against a creature that the cavalier has witnessed committing a crime within the past hour, he adds his Charisma modifier to the total critical hit damage. If the critical hit kills the creature or renders it unconscious, as an immediate action the cavalier can attempt an Intimidate check to demoralize all foes within 15 feet who can see him. This ability can be used only once per combat.
Hand of the Law (Ex): At 15th level, the cavalier can declare himself an enforcer of martial law as a swift action. For a number of rounds equal to his Charisma modifier,
the cavalier can ignore difficult terrain and gains an additional +2 bonus on attack rolls while charging. Any creatures the cavalier demoralizes while this ability is in effect are shaken for a number of additional rounds equal to the cavalier’s Charisma modifier. Additionally, when these creatures attack the cavalier, attempt saving throws against the cavalier’s abilities, or attempt opposed skill checks against the cavalier, they take a –3 penalty for being shaken (instead of –2). A cavalier can use this ability only once per combat.
