During the War of the Five Kings, under the regency of Lady Lysa Arryn after the death of Jon Arryn, the Vale followed a strict policy of neutrality until the very last stages of the conflict and was thus able to keep its resources and army, the formidable knights of the Vale, nearly intact. The young Lord Robin Arryn, under the wing of the manipulative Lord Protector Petyr Baelish, consented to join the war when they came to the aid of their old allies of House Stark in their campaign to retake Winterfell and the North from House Bolton at the Battle of the Bastards. In the aftermath of the battle, the lords of the Vale and the North hailed Jon Snow, bastard of House Stark, as the King in the North, thus seceding from the sovereignty of the Iron Throne and joining the Kingdom of the North until Jon pledged himself to Daenerys Targaryen during her invasion. Robin chose to recognize Bran Stark as the new king after her assassination.
The Vale soldiers are outfitted with silver plated armor with possible chainmail beneath, adding further protection to the wearer. Furthermore, they are equipped circular or kite-shaped shields emblazoned with House Arryn's moon-and-falcon sigil. The armor is often accessorized with blue or white cloaks resembling a falcon's wings. This design, while not aesthetically impressive, is symbolic since the Vale soldiers are often referred to as the "knights of the Vale". The design also provides practicality in warfare with the combination of wool and steel plates allowing considerable protection and mobility for the wearer. This makes them nimbler than other soldiers who might be wearing heavy plates of armor, while retaining the defensive properties of armor. Vale infantry helmets are comparable to Northern helm's in terms of appearance with the lack of cheek guards and intricacy in design.
Who Are The Knights Of The Valel
Due to Lysa Arryn's decision to maintain the Vale's neutrality, the Vale forces were not affected by the War of the Five Kings and remained at full strength. Thus, the Vale gained significant leverage both politically and militarily compared to the weakened regions caused by the war. The knights of the Vale appear to be well-trained, experienced, and well-organized especially in times of conflict, like during Robert's Rebellion, fighting and prevailing in several battles, like the Battle of the Bastards, where the Vale cavalry was able to easily defeat the Bolton phalanx, apparently without significant losses to their own side.
Unlike the Lannister or Tyrell armies, the knights of the Vale have significant experience battling in ice and snow, due to their homeland's mountainous landscape and cold winter temperatures. This makes them natural allies for the Northerns, who regularly face the harshest winters in Westeros.
Following King Knight's addition to the Enchantress's cause, her top enforcer Specter Knight forcibly recruited more knights to the dark sorceress personal inner circle, the Order of No Quarter, making the army strong enough to conquer the Valley. Specter Knight, who himself had been coerced into subservience, tried to rebel and defeat the mistress of dark magic, but he was hopelessly unsuccessful.
It's a surprise attack because Ramsay had no clue that the army of the Vale was going to join the battle. Hell, even Sansa was not sure that they'd respond to her request till they actually arrived. Think of an actual medieval battlefield, where there are no advanced technology to know if more enemies are approaching. The battle has already started and halfway through when the knights of Vale arrived, so there's not enough time for Ramsay to retreat even he wanted to.
Pass through the kitchen, the prep room and the large ballroom. There are three Silver Knights, one on the ballroom floor and two above on the mezzanine. The ground floor knight behaves similarly to the prior knights you've encountered. The challenge is being able to take the fight to a part of the map away from the views of the sniping knights on the mezzanine. You can lure the knight as far away as the kitchen you passed through. After you've taken care of all the knights, explore the mezzanine for three items: a Divine Blessing, Smough's Great Hammer, and the Leo Ring. The exit is behind the large painting of the woman.
2ff7e9595c
Comments