What is the history and editorial focus of the Substack 'Outlaws of Chivalry' prior to the Riley publication?
Executive summary
Outlaws of Chivalry is a reader-supported Substack run by Lisa Noelle Voldeng that bills itself as “ultramissives…from the frontiers of honour,” and which has published a mix of long-form interviews, commentary and recommendations since at least 2023 [1] [2] [3]. Prior to the viral Sasha (Sascha) Riley audio publication that thrust the newsletter into broader attention, its editorial pattern favored sensational survivor interviews, allegations of child trafficking and abuse, and promotion of allied Substack voices rather than conventional newsroom sourcing [2] [4].
1. Origins and platform identity
The Substack identifies Outlaws of Chivalry as a reader-supported publication helmed by Lisa Noelle Voldeng and uses branding that frames its output as militant, honor‑driven “ultramissives,” language that signals an ideological as well as literary identity for the project [1] [4]. Public records on the Substack site show a sitemap with posts dating back through 2023, indicating the newsletter was active and publishing multiple items before the Riley material appeared [3]. Media profiles list Voldeng’s location as Vancouver Island, Canada, further personalizing the authorial voice behind the publication [5] [6].
2. Editorial focus: long-form survivor narratives and allegations
A consistent editorial pattern on Outlaws of Chivalry prior to— and including— the Riley postings was long-form interviews with people described as survivors of trafficking and abuse, often with graphic detail and claims about elite networks; one central example is the multi‑part Sascha Riley interview and associated audio that appeared on the Substack [2]. The newsletter’s pieces often read as advocacy-investigations that amplify survivor testimony and name alleged perpetrators, a choice that foregrounds personal narratives over independent corroboration within the posts themselves [2].
3. Tone, themes and rhetoric
The publication’s rhetoric skews toward urgent, conspiratorial and moral‑outrage framing: posts and notes echo themes such as organized child trafficking, elite complicity and media “psyops,” and the editor’s own language has warned of suppression and the need to alert allies and authorities in multiple jurisdictions [7] [2]. That tone aligns with the “frontiers of honour” branding and with activity on Substack’s community tools where notes and comments extend the same themes [8] [9].
4. Network-building and editorial practice
Outlaws of Chivalry curates and recommends other Substack creators and appears to operate as both publisher and amplifier for like‑minded voices, maintaining a recommendations page and using Substack’s discussion features to engage readers and collaborators [4] [8]. Journalistic norms such as sourcing, independent verification and editorial vetting are not evident in the available site materials; instead the editorial practice emphasizes first-person interviews, selective outreach to “allies, churches, police and government officials” as described in one post about responding to alleged threats to a source, and public disclosure on the Substack itself [2].
5. Reputation, amplification and limits of the record
Outside coverage frames Voldeng as a “popular” Substack creator whose account was used to release the contested Riley audio, generating wider media attention [5] [6]. At the same time, the publicly accessible archive and the media summaries provided here do not allow a full reconstruction of every past editorial decision, the extent of fact‑checking practiced, or how often the newsletter published other topics beyond trafficking allegations; those are limitations of the available reporting [3] [2]. Alternative viewpoints exist: some readers and commentators present the newsletter as necessary whistleblowing, while others raise concerns about amplification of unverified, graphic allegations—both perspectives are evident in the Substack community notes and in media reporting about the Riley releases [8] [5].