Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Kits and Things: The Knights of Miles

Knight of Miles (fighter kit)

Description: This character is a second or subsequent son of the Heartland nobility of the Empire. Knights of Miles swear allegiance directly to the Emperor and are in turn knighted by him. They are generally given residences in the city of Miles as well as access to rents provided by tenancies in the countryside. Knights of Miles are always addressed as Sieur. In order to become such a knight, a character must have a strength and constitution of at least 14—there are no weaklings amongst the emperor’s chosen.

Role: In a campaign, Knights of Miles serve as a distinctive arm of the emperor; they are, along with the imperial tagmata, his personal and private army that he relies on no feudal lords to raise. They are a boisterous fraternity of men and women who practice the martial art together and often enact the emperor’s personal will on the battlefield and off.

They are well-heeled and educated, the children that might otherwise go on to cause a baronial succession crisis in their home baronies. Characters starting out with this kit are likely to begin as squires aspirant in the Knightly Order, assigned to a more important knight who will show them the ropes, give them tasks, and accompany them.

While most Knights of Miles are generally upright and at least moderately honorable men (after all, they are knights), not all are. The DM will secretly roll for the level and alignment of the PCs patron on the following table:

1-4. Lawful Good
5-7. Neutral Good
8-9. Chaotic Good
10-13. Lawful Neutral
14-16. Lawful Evil
17-19. Neutral Evil
20. Chaotic Evil

Level: 1d4+1

Secondary Skills: We don’t use these

Weapon Proficiencies: All knights of Miles must take the following WPs: arming sword, lance, horseman’s flail or horseman’s mace or hand axe. While Knights of Miles may train in bows, they will only use them as a last resort.

NWPs: Bonus: (Miles) Etiquette, Heraldry, Riding (Land-based). Recommended: Dancing, Gaming, Hunting, Tracking, Local History, Musical Instrument

Equipment: Pages begin the game with a free shirt of chain armor and a weapon of their choice.

Special Benefits: +2 reaction bonus to anyone who is pro-imperial. The possibility for intimidation of others exists. Pages are automatically knighted when they reach level 3 and may be knighted earlier for valor. Upon receiving a knighthood, they are granted a townhouse in Miles and a farm-rent as well as a host of minor functionaries to deal with it. Income can be calculated here, with most knights receiving 1-2 households of rent upon promotion and more as they serve their emperor.

Special Hinderances: Pages must go where their masters go. Knights must adhere to the chain of command. Those who stand against the imperial expansion of power (particularly local Dynasren/Dukes) resent the Knights and are much less likely to help them and indeed may attempt to detain or hinder them.

The Order
The Grandmaster
The Chapter Houses (of which there are 3)—Sword, Lance, Axe
Chapter Captain
Lance Captains
Conrois

Pages

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