The following orders can be chosen by both cavaliers and samurai. In some lands, cavaliers are referred to as "xia" - this term is interchangeable with "cavalier", and serves mainly to distinguish members of these orders from other orders.
Order of the Ancestors
These xia value the memories of the departed and ind the knowledge of past generations precious. They act as the caretakers of graves, ancestral shrines, old buildings, museums, and libraries. They preserve the works and wishes of the ancestors and protect the future by defending the succeeding generations. To a xia of the ancestors, the greatest crime is to erase all that previous generations worked and stood for. These xia despise undead as perversions of the natural order that disgrace all ancestors.
The xia of the ancestors enjoy wearing clothing from older and more conservative days. They particularly like to wear antique items with a history that bear personal significance to themselves or a loved one. They do whatever they can to preserve antiquities they come across.
Edicts: The xia must protect sites where dead are laid to rest(crypts, graveyards, and shrines), sites of historical significance (monuments), and sites that preserve items of antiquity and knowledge (museums and libraries) from those who wish to destroy or check or roll.
Challenge: Whenever an order of the ancestors xia issues a challenge, he receives a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls made against the target of his challenge if it is undead or threatens an item or location of antiquity. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the xia possesses.
Skills: An order of the ancestors xia adds Knowledge (history) (Int) and Knowledge (religion) (Int) to his list of class skills. An order of the ancestors xia can make Knowledge (history) skill checks untrained. If he has ranks in the skill, he receives a bonus on the check equal to 1/2 his xia level (minimum 1) as long as the check involves an item or location of antiquity.
Order Abilities
A xia belonging to the order of the ancestors gains the following abilities as he increases in level.
Ancestral Guidance (Su)
At 2nd level, an order of the ancestors xia listen to the spirits of the past as a standard action, giving him guidance as how best to use his abilities. At any point in the next minute, he can receive an insight bonus on an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check equal to his Charisma modifier. He must declare that he is using this bonus before the roll is made. He can use this ability up to four times per day, once for each type of check or roll.
Ancestral Feat (Su)
At 8th level, an order of the ancestors selects a daily bonus feat, provided she meets the prerequisites. This feat can be a General (i.e. untagged), Combat, or Teamwork feat. The xia picks the feat as a standard action, and retains it for the rest of the day. After he rests for eight hours, ancestral feat disappears, allowing him to choose the same or a different feat. If the xia spends a hero pointAPG, he may gain the use of a new ancestral feat as a swift action (instead of waiting until having rested to choose a new ancestral feat).
Ancestral Channeling (Su)
At 15th level, an order of the ancestors xia gains the supernatural ability to channel positive energy like a cleric. He may use this ability a number of times per a day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. A xia uses his level as his effective cleric level when channeling energy. This is a Charisma based ability.
Order of the Creed
An order of the creed xia defends its people, interests, and rights in all situations. The xia is usually—but not always—a member of the organization. She dresses in their commonly recognized colors and garb. To count as an organization, the group must have a specified cause or dogma, a stated mission, and number at least 20 at the time the xia joins or takes up their defense.
Changing Organizations: Since an order of the creed xia need not necessarily be member of the organization he is championing, he may choose a new organization to champion as long as he has first fulfilled whatever commitment he made to the previous organization. For example, if he has pledged to guard a caravan to its destination, then he must wait until it has safely arrived at its destination before taking his leave of them.
Edicts: The order of the creed xia must protect the life and lands of his chosen organization at all costs. He must obey the commands of the recognized leaders of his chosen organization without question. He must strive to expand the power and prestige of his chosen organization.
Challenge: Whenever an order of the creed xia issues a challenge, he receives a +1 circumstance bonus on attack rolls made against the target of his challenge if it is an individual or part of a group that has been declared an enemy of xia’s chosen organization (usually by a recognized leader of the xia’s chosen organization). This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the xia possesses.
Skills: An order of the creed xia adds Knowledge (local) (Int) and Perception (Wis) to his list of class skills. Whenever an order of the creed xia uses the Perception skill to identify enemies of his chosen organization, he receives a bonus on the check equal to 1/2 his xia level (minimum +1).
Order Abilities
A xia belonging to the order of the creed gains the following abilities as he increases in level.
Implacable Resolve (Ex)
At 2nd level, when an order of the creed xia is defending a creature, place, or object or in direct pursuit of an organization’s goal, the xia gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus on all saves to resist any effects that could deter or hinder him.
Rallying Cry (Ex)
At 8th level, an order of the creed xia can spend a standard action to grant one of a number of bonuses to all allies within 30 feet (including himself). The allies must be able to see or hear the xia to receive this bonus. The xia can grant a +2 morale bonus on all attack rolls for 1 round, a +2 morale bonus to all saving throws for 1 round, or a +2 morale bonus to all combat maneuver checks for 1 round. The xia can grant a different bonus to each ally within range, but allies can only beneit from this ability once per combat.
Fortifying Presence (Ex)
At 15th level, an order of the creed xia can protect those around him. Allies that are adjacent to the xia gain DR 1/-. In addition, as an immediate action, the xia can redirect an attack made at a creature adjacent to himself, as long as the creature making the attack is within the xia’s reach. This ability must be declared before the attack roll is made. The attack is made against the xia’s AC and defenses, even if the creature could not normally reach or attack the xia. The xia loses any cover or concealment bonuses when subject to the redirected attack.