Roland

Castle
Knights
Orrin
Valeska
Edric
Sylvia
Beatrice
Lord Haart
Sorsha
Christian
Tyris
Catherine
Roland
Sir Mullich Sir Mullich
Clerics
Adela
Cuthbert
Adelaide
Ingham
Sanya
Loynis
Caitlin
Rion
Towns

Roland the Knight
Basic information:
	Class:	Knight
	Gender:	Male
	Race:	Human
Recently freed from the Kreegans, Roland respectfully serves as a general in Erathia's military under his wife Catherine. Someday soon these conflicts will end, and he and Catherine will return to Enroth. However, both must decide what will happen to the Erathian throne.
Specialty: Swordsmen
Increases the speed of any Swordsmen or Crusaders by 1 and their Attack and Defense skills by 5% for every 4 levels (rounded up).
Starting Level:
Level
Starting primary skills:
2 2 1 1
Starting secondary skills:
Basic Leadership
Basic Armorer
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Starting troops:
Pikeman 10–20 Always  Archer 4–7 88% (Always )  Griffin 2–3 25% (Always ) [[File: Creature portrait {{{troop_4}}} small.gif|{{{troop_4}}}|link={{{troop_4}}}]] [[{{{troop_4}}}|{{{troop_4}}}]] Always [[File: Creature portrait {{{troop_5}}} small.gif|{{{troop_5}}}|link={{{troop_5}}}]] [[{{{troop_5}}}|{{{troop_5}}}]] Always [[File: Creature portrait {{{troop_6}}} small.gif|{{{troop_6}}}|link={{{troop_6}}}]] [[{{{troop_6}}}|{{{troop_6}}}]] Always [[File: Creature portrait {{{troop_7}}} small.gif|{{{troop_7}}}|link={{{troop_7}}}]] [[{{{troop_7}}}|{{{troop_7}}}]] Always
Starting movement points:
1560

Roland the Knight is a Castle hero.

He is not an original Restoration of Erathia hero, but was added in Armageddon's Blade and is also available in Shadow of Death.

By default, Roland is not playable, but he may be enabled in custom scenarios in the map editor.

Story

Roland as he appears in Heroes II.

King Roland Ironfist is married to Queen Catherine Ironfist.

Letters to Catherine

The following letters from Roland Ironfist to his wife, Catherine Ironfist, were added to the manual of Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven. Note, that the text used in the manual was formatted poorly, and as a result some parts of the text are difficult to read or may appear to have ortographical mistakes (such as a lack of apostrophes).

July 28, 1152

My Beloved Catherine,

It is my sincere hope that this letter will lay to rest the fears you have expressed for my safety and that of my men. As you must understand, this trip could not be avoided. Both the Kilburn investigation and the Blackshire appointment require my personal attention, and I haven't visited the Northwest in ages. It troubles me that you should fret over my welfare during my absence, however short it will be. So please, dear, accept my promise that I will return by September without mishap.

After all, what could go wrong? I have five hundred armed men in my expedition, all of them veterans of the Archibald campaign. I am a popular king travelling in lands no one disputes as mine, and we have heard no news of rebellion or unrest. Many people flock to watch us pass through their hamlets and villages, eager to get an admiring glimpse of their king and his men.

Nothing stands in our way and no dangers beset us. Even the monsters are scarce. We've seen but a handful of goblins and ogres, and not even one dragon. The only trouble we ve had was a freak snowstorm that struck as we entered the village of Rockham. Even that - peculiar as it was - was of little consequence, as the villagers put us all up for the night in their houses and barns.

Of the devils that some say plague towns in the Northwest, we have only rumors. We have not yet encountered a soul who claims to have seen one himself, nor anyone who has found the bodies of Lord Kilburn and his Rangers. The only devils we have seen are these huge mosquitoes that love the swamplands so much. Wretched pests! My place in history would be assured if I could only think of a way to rid the world of such nuisances.

No, Catherine, Lord Kilburn was probably slain by something much more mundane than devils - perhaps a pair of dragons or a large band of highwaymen. Either way, we shall resolve his disappearance in short order, bringing any human culprits to justice or slaying any monsters. I cannot have my men attacked with impunity !

Now, once again, put your fears to rest and believe me when I say that I will return come September. Tell our son Nicolai that I love him, and know that I love you with all my heart.

Forever Yours,

Roland Ironfist

August 4, 1152

Dear Catherine,

Due to the snowstorm in Rockham, of which I wrote you last week, we have reached Blackshire one day behind schedule. By the time you receive this letter we shall once again be on our way, following the leads we discovered while in town. Kilburn's expedition disappeared a few days march west of here, so we shall soon reach the site of his last stand and begin tracking the killers.

Blackshire received us enthusiastically, and a few hours consideration was all I needed to select a new town magistrate. His name is Acton Spindler, formal replacement for my previous magistrate and old friend Aaron Hampton. I have reason to suspect that Hampton was murdered - poisoned to be specific - but there is no time for me to conduct another investigation personally. Instead, I am leaving Fineous Hogworth behind to look into the matter.

Ordinarily, I would not involve myself in local criminal matters, but Hamptons death fills me with a vague unease. It is probably a much simpler matter than that, but I am nonetheless anxious to learn the results of Hogworth s inquiry.

In the meantime I am proceeding with my investigation into Kilburn's death. Yesterday evening, at the inn in Blackshire, I received a letter from a rather nervous messenger who said he was paid to bring it to me by a mysterious stranger who didn't look quite human. Pressed for a description, he could only say that the stranger was very tall and broad shouldered: You know, BIG - like he barely fit into his own body. And that he wore a hat that could have concealed inhuman ears.

The letter turned out to be a map showing a location near Kilburn's last-known camp with the name Kilburn circled in red ink. I smell a very obvious trap, which could, of course, conceal a more devious plan, but I cannot see exactly how. Or perhaps the stranger is honestly trying to help anonymously. Either way, no trap set by man or monster can overwhelm the fighting force I have with me. Caution will see us through this safely.

I will, of course, write you when we arrive in Edenbrook. You are always in my thoughts, and I miss you dearly. Please convey a father s love to Nicolai.

Love,

Roland Ironfist

August 11, 1152

Dear Catherine,

I cannot honestly say that our trip to Edenbrook was uneventful. As we approached the town we encountered a trickle of refugees fleeing Edenbrook that gradually increased to a flood. When questioned, they told us that an army of devils had been spotted walking and hopping toward Edenbrook - a town with no wall and no standing garrison. I immediately increased our pace to reach the town before the monsters could sack it.

It was well that I did, for our arrival was but hours ahead of the enemy. Exhausted and ill-prepared to fight against an unknown enemy, my men nonetheless girded for battle. I ordered archers to the hilltop overlooking the town, and infantry to hide amongst the houses near the road, with flanking cavalry out of sight around the hill. Thirty men on horseback were sent on ahead to lure the enemy into the trap.

It worked. The devils must have lacked even rudimentary discipline or intelligence, for they immediately gave chase to my men. The horsemen raced past the archers hiding below the crest of the hill, and passed into town with the devils hot on their heels; the bait was taken, the trap sprung. As hundreds of the most filthy, vicious, and stupid beasts ever to draw breath filled the road beneath the hill, I gave the archers the signal.

Arrows rained down upon the devils from above while the infantry sprang from their hiding places to bar entrance to the town. Before the first shock of the two armies clash faded, the light cavalry rode around the hill, charging into the main mass of devils with lance and sword. Then the battle began in earnest, and it was all we could do to hold our lines against the demonic horde.

Though the battle was short, the tales of valor and bravery are many. Sir Ragnar rescued Chief Sorcerer Tanir from certain death, when he was set upon by no less than five devils, after his fireball spell failed. Ragnar charged into the group swinging wildly and screaming like a barbarian. His first swing lopped one head clean off while the next skewered an enemy through its black heart.

The other three devils quickly overcame him, but a recovered Tanir slew all three with his famed insides out spell in time to save Sir Ragnar. You'll be happy to hear that he is recovering nicely at the House of Healing in Edenbrook and will be out of bed in no time.

Unfortunately, many were not so lucky. Others who survived the combat itself contracted a disease our healer says was caused by the filthy condition of the devils claws. In all, eighty-three men fell in the fight against these devils. Yet, we have providence to thank that our fortuitous arrival in Edenbrooks hour of need prevented the death of hundreds more. The devils suffered much heavier losses - 272 dead. The survivors, - much less than half, thankfully - fled as one, on some sort of unseen signal, and we were too exhausted to give chase. After a short rest here we will hunt them down and finish them off.

I know you will want to know that I have survived the battle unscathed. I fear that what I have just written may be disquieting, but you would never forgive me for telling you anything but the truth. I am entrusting my advisor Sulman to take care of the detail of informing the families of the fallen as I have entrusted him with so many other things, including the delivery of these letters to you. He will handle the matter with tact, and can be relied on to select the speediest messengers for my letters!

Eternally,

Roland Ironfist

p.s. I will send another letter after we have caught up to that demonic army and dispatched it. You and Nicolai should hear from me in about a week.

Alternative biography

The following biography appeared on the official (now-defunct) 3DO website:

As a young man Roland was far too trusting of other people. While his brother, Archibald, plotted and killed several seers, Roland did not believe these deaths could be anything but accidents. Betrayed by his brother, who accused Roland of killing the seers, he was forced to flee in order to escape imprisonment. Mustering together loyal followers, the beloved Roland led a revolution against his brother. Roland won the war. Archibald became a stone statue and was placed in the Library.

Following the Succession Wars, Roland received an offer from King Gryphonheart of Erathia to marry his daughter, Catherine. Impressed by her beauty and incredible skill as a warrior and leader, he accepted. They soon wed and happiness became his. Not until the birth of his son, Nicolai was this happiness topped. For Roland, life had become perfect.

For ten years all was peaceful until the appearance of devils on the Enrothian border, and Roland was forced to drive their presence from the land. Taking a company of well-trained men he attempted, and failed, to drive the Devils out. Instead, he was captured and transported to Erathia. Roland was not freed until seven years later when a group of adventurers came to his aid. He then rejoined his wife and son for a brief reunion.

Appearances

Armageddon's Blade

Return of the King as a player hero.

To Kill A Hero as a player hero.

Oblivion's Edge as a player hero.

Specialty

Roland's specialty is bugged. It does not give bonuses to Swordsmen, only to Crusaders. (This bug has been fixed in Horn of the Abyss ).

The in-game description "Increases the Attack and Defense skills of any Swordsmen or Crusaders for each level attained after 4th level." is erroneous in "each level attained" moment, and lacks the speed bonus information. (Description is fixed in HotA ).

Unlike the native terrain speed bonus, the creature specialty speed bonus can affect the hero's movement points in case the creature is the slowest one in the army.

Level	10	12	12	12
4	+1	+1	+1	+1
8	+1	+2	+2	+2
12	+2	+2	+2	+2
16	+2	+3	+3	+3
20	+3	+3	+3	+3
24	+4	+4	+4	+4
28	+4	+5	+5	+5
36	+5	+6	+6	+6
44	+6	+7	+7	+7
48	+7	+8	+8	+8
56	+8	+9	+9	+9
64	+8	+10	+10	+10
68	+9	+11	+11	+11
75/88	+11	+14	+14	+14

Official Renders

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User commentary

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King Roland is an exact copy of Sorsha the Knight, except he has Armorer secondary skill instead of Offense.

See also:

• List of campaign heroes
• List of heroes
• Hero class
• Hero biographies
• Hero specialty
• List of hero specialties
• Heroes from previous games