Archive import/Sir Roland

The Scarlet Lion


 * An unstoppable knight with a beard so magnificent, even the gods took notice. - Mallhalla purchase description

Sir Roland is an Arthurian knight legend of Brawlhalla, featuring the Sword and Rocket Lance as his weapons. He can be unlocked for 2300 gold. Roland, amongst other things, is one of his kingdom's greatest knights, one the world's most charming men, and the owner of one of history's most legendary and splendid beards. Roland brings his hardened physique, full armor, and knightly experience to become one the eternal tournament's most resilient legends.

As the story goes...

 * "Have pity. Not all men thrust to center stage find they have the heart of Roland, nor the soul to do great deeds." -Shakespeare, Henry IV part 3 (lost manuscript)

As a young knight, bold Sir Roland vanquished the fabled Jade Knight, and for a brief moment his eyes pierced the veil between worlds. He beheld the Valkyrie Hypernia as she lifted up his defeated foe. Overcome by her beauty, Roland dedicated his life to gaining glory in hopes of seeing the Valkyrie again.

For the next fifty years, the proud, bullheaded, and charming Roland won more victories, made more enemies, and broke more hearts than any knight of his time. His single-handed storming of the Fortress of Alsburg inspired forty-seven epic ballads and a Lifetime miniseries.

Bards wrote songs about the song he wrote commemorating his victory over the Bilious Fire Drake. As an old man on his deathbed, Roland finally beheld Hypernia again. She could not allow a natural death to keep such a warrior from Valhalla, so, with a ghost of a smile, she punched him herself so he could die in battle and she could offer him a seat in the hall of glory.

No one in Valhalla feels a greater thirst for victory in the tournament than Sir Roland. He rejoices with every win and rages at every loss.

"'How's my hair?' -Lord Sir Roland Somerset Montgomery, Duke of the Three Isles, Lord of Havershant, Slayer of the Bilious Dragon, Protecter of the Illythians, Victor of the Siege of Alsburg, Haver of a Great Beard, Defender of the Danes, Conqueror of Guilardia, Prince of the Glorious Summer of '14, Knight of the Order of the Exalted Lion, Honorary Abbot of Canterbury Cathedral, Champion of the City of Bath, Marshall of the Eastlands, Knight of the Crimson Buckle, Admiral of the Northern Seas, etc."

Appearance
By far and away the most striking aspect of Roland's appearance is his luxurious orange beard - indeed, it is the greatest beard to be bestowed upon man, woman, or beast of his era, and arguably of all time. The beard covers his broad, stoic chin and, like his hair, is meticulously groomed. Roland's hair is the same stand-out orange color as his beard and has a centre parting that splits his fringe evenly, creating a bold arc above each eye. Impressively, his eyebrows also share this orange color.

Aside from the marvel of human achievement that is Roland's hair, the knight is clad in the full armour of glinting steel befitting his title (save, of course, the helmet, lest it ruins his daily hair routine). The Griffin rampant symbol emblazoned on his chest piece is a symbol of divine power, as well as denoting Roland's legendary status. While the chest piece bearing the Griffin is dark grey steel, the rest of Roland's armor (the gauntlets, greaves, pauldrons, embraces, and sabatons) is a shining steel color resembling bright silver.

The determined and strong-willed nature that made Roland the stuff of legend is apparent in his expression, visible if the onlooker can tear their eyes from Roland's magnificent beard. Notably, Roland has a broad nose jutting from above his mouth, which is in the self-assured grin of a medieval celebrity. His eyebrows are furrowed, and his eyes alert, implying the readiness and attentiveness of this mighty warrior.

Roland fights with a typical knights weaponry - the lance (modernised to a Rocket Lance) and Sword. Each is made of steel, although whereas his Long Sword has a shining silver glint to its blade, the lance has a darker, colour. Both are gilt in gold at the handles and have small and simplistic, yet elegant, decorations to them. The sword, for example, has a small diamond-shaped bulge near the hilt of the sword, and the rocket lance has a spiraling colour at its head and a latticed effect at the other end.

Overall, Roland's appearance shows both the magnificence and self-confidence of such a capable fighter and legendary historical figure. Oh, and did we mention the beard?

Strategy
Sir Roland is a well balanced and polyvalent character. This is reserved mostly for players looking for attack and defense strategy at the time. His weapon of choice makes him resistant, agile, and powerful enough. With his blade, it is recommended to switch between heavy and quick attacks to keep a regular alternate combined with dodge and to make him untouchable. Don't forget to throw your weapons at your enemy to prevent him from ejecting you, as his attack speed with his sword seems to be a little slow compared to Bödvar or Hattori. His rocket lance is also here to help you not falling from the stage.

Skins
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Trivia

 * Sir Roland's default weapons are the Tourney Lance (Rocket Lance) and the Long Sword (Sword).
 * Sir Roland's bot name is Sir Rolbot.
 * Roland has a beard. It's rather good.
 * Many interpretations of the lore place Sir Roland as the father of Brynn.
 * Some of Sir Roland's decorative skins leave him without his beard. Interestingly we then see his chin, which is just as impressively large.
 * The quote attributed to Shakespeare regarding Roland isn't written in iambic pentameter, historically Shakespeare's most common writing style. Some reasonably suggest that perhaps Shakespeare was distracted by Sir Roland's marvelous beard.
 * Sir Roland's honorifics name him as a member of the Order of the Exalted Lion, giving him a place in the legacy started by Jhala and eventually continued by Diana.
 * Sir Roland is called "Hotspur" in the games files.