Young men with no children, or shamed old men whose children fled. They weep from armour-pressure on their knots. The Knights are one of the few Veins travellers to wear heavy armour. The barbed quarrels of their metal crossbows carry ultra-thin fishing wire. Instinct: to serve

• Obscure vision with smoke bombs

These are adult male Knotsmen with living children in the clan. They have not yet been crippled by twists of flesh. They make up the expeditions you are likely to meet. The ones sent out on child-hunts in the dark. Instinct: to kidnap

• Break bones
• Capture with barbed nets and clawed chains