Description
No Master But Gold
By the West Gate of the Old City rose the hall of Syr Kobolt, a seat not without repute but of fortunes that waxed and waned.
Once a wandering sellsword, his prowess caught the eye of a wealthy merchant prince eager to contrive from the knight’s skill a bastion of influence and from that a bridge to the chambers of power throughout the realm. With near-boundless coin to drive his cause, Kobolt’s rise was swift.
With that wealth he gathered a host from many lands, tongues and creeds — mercenaries owing loyalty to the richest purse, but whose skill was beyond question. Though their swords were bought, their art was a marvel, and their battles were fought with a brilliance that stirred both fear and admiration. And though his ranks were recast each harvest none could deny the finesse they flaunted nor the triumphs secured.
Upon his standard roared the lion, blue on white — ambition made manifest. To allies it promised ascent and triumph; to foes, a sign that wealth and will together could rival even the oldest houses. Many whispered his glory was but the reflected light of his patron, yet Kobolt stamped their coin with his own craft, forged splendour from gold, drew glory from strife, and proved it in battle — he bested the greatest lords of the realm and carved a dynasty not inherited, but won by his own hand.
Thus was Syr Kobolt known: once a gildknight, now a lion at the West Gate. His strength lay not in ancient lineage, but in the gold he marshalled so deftly.
This artwork is part of the Knights of Football series. It is an independent creative work and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by Chelsea FC or the Premier League.
