URBAN KNIGHTS

By Mike Dawson (med12@cornell.edu) (20 November 1995)

Description

This kith was born when people watched police dramas, beginning with the mid-century mysteria dramas to recent, gritty shows and movies like Hill Street Blues, Homicide, NYPD Blue, Lethal Weapon, and Die Hard. The police are shown either as samurai and cavaliers of the modern age or ronin and knights errant fighting on the edge of the law to protect the innocent. These larger than life representations gave rise to this kith. Although they can come from all over the globe, they are most prevalent in America where the only thing that distinguishes the heroes from the villains is the badge on their jackets and the intents in their hearts. (And says my cynical, banal self, the size of their guns, who live to tell the story, and who have the best parts.) This kith tend towards steadfast determination and a nearly obsessive dedication to work, protecting the innocent and bringing the guilty to justice. However, when the Urban Knight does relax, he devotes equal energy to play, often resulting in brushes with the same law he represents. They also show sex drives bordering on that of the Satyr and often have trouble separating personal and professional relationships, as the witnesses they are guarding become ever so much more.

Seelie and Unseelie are very similar among the Urban Knights, as a kith that is sworn to protect can not hurt those they serve. Seelie tend to be honest, truthful, law abiding, and with a strong sense of integrity. The Unseelie follow more the archetype of the rogue cop, where the results are more important than the methods, and they often take punishment into their own hands, becoming judge, jury, and executioner. (Ouch, cliche!) If any corruption exists amng these kith, it is most likely in the few unseelie who take bribes, sample and sell confiscated drugs, and run mob-like protection rackets. This is unlikely, but still an everpresent risk in the WoD and characters of this sort are even more prevalent in the dramas of this world.

When an Urban Knight is in his home city, and to a lesser extent other major metropolitan areas around the globe, he is connected to a web of contacts rivaling the gossip circles of the boggans. Seelie are more likely to follow official channels, and chimerical radios offer information that even they don't know. Unseelie are more disposed toward the use of snitches and threats, but the end results are the same and the Urban Knights are exceedingly well informed.

Urban Knights are typically in peak physical condition. Even the over-weight, heavy drinking, chain smoking, donut eaters among them show surprising stamina and excellent aim. They are able to pursue better armed criminals who are much younger and seemingly more physically fit, fight them, and win. However, these abilities are not used simply for the benefit of the changeling; they are used for the good of mankind. Where the Seelie tend towards the protection of individuals and furthering of law and order, the Unseelie are primarily focused on vengeance and retribution. Still both attempt to perpetuate their own perception of justice.

The Urban Knight tends to live in run down neighborhoods in the worst part of town, even though their salaries generally should indicate better. Whether this is due to personal preference, spending large amounts of their income on disposable items, or simply the influence of the Dreaming in their lives is still unkown.

Appearance

Urban Knights appearances vary, but all possess intense, piercing eyes and an aura of strength and determination. Beyond these common features several variations are possible. Male archetypes range from the blonde, crewcut, Nordic-looking, cleft-chinned, J Crew model to the overweight balding and mustached. Woman range from the intensely and supposedly unstereotypically beautiful to manly, short haired, and tall. Unseelie tend to exhibit similar archetypes, but with an unshaven, dirty, underslept quality to them. They are less likely to wear uniforms, although they possess the same chimerical badge possessed by all Urban Knights, identifying them as keepers of the peace and patrons of justice.

Urban Knights,as traditional faeries, have a marked predisposition for the Irish.

Seemings

Childlings play cops and robbers and are the arbitrers of playground disputes. They protect the weaker children against bullies, but are sometimes tattletales revealing other children's misdeeds to the teacher.

Wilders are like stereotypical rookie cops, bright eyed and idealistic; sure they can change the world and are ready to do it. Urban Knights often remain at this stage for long periods of their time, as their connection to the Dreaming allows them to retain their beliefs in the face of towering obstacles and corruption both within and without the force.

Grumps are often sergeants and higher officials. Often parked behind the desk, they still occasionally leaving to avenge long unsolved cases or protect foolish, naive rookies from themselves. They settle for desk jobs to attempt to combat internal evils and to pass on their knowledge and experience to the younger generation.

Lifestyle

Urban Knights work in the field of law enforcement. Although most prefer the city, some may take up residence in a smaller town or undeveloped area somewhere and play the role of the sheriff or cowboy lawman.

Glamour

Urban Knights gain glamour by inspiring people to lead better lives, begin crusades against social ills and injustices, and by starting innovative and effective neighborhood watch programs. The more cowboy, edge of the law cop, also tends to create glamour through death defying stunts and last minute valiant life threatening acts of courage and bravado, getting the bad guy and reminding people that good does indeed triumph over evil.

Affinity

Actor

Birthrights

Every Dark And Dirty Alley: The Urban Knight is aware of the dynamics of the city and its underside. Given time, he can discover the locations of the mastermind behind the crime wave and the kingpins of the drug ring supplying school children with harmful substances. A successful Perception+Streetwise, against ST difficulty, allows the Urban Knight to determine one piece of information per success, along with correspondingly increased accuracy. This natural affinity prevents the Urban Knight from botching any Streetwise or Investigation roll.

Strength Of The Just: All Urban Knights are heartier than the average citizen and receive an extra dot of stamina, even if this raises it past five. Also, an Urban Knight will never botch an Athletics, Brawl, or Firearms roll in any action in "the course of duty." (Storyteller's Discretion.)

Frailty

Keeper Of Justice: No Urban Knight, no matter how Unseelie can stand to see an injustice being commited and all have an elaborate code of crime and punishment, rights and restrictions. An Urban Knight must make a willpower roll to not to punish a crime or protect the innocent, and even if the roll is successful the Urban Knight receives a point of temporary banality as he has abandoned his cause, his dream, his very reason for existence just to make his mundane life easier.

Quote

"Drop the cold iron and put your hands up. Step away from the dragon, and remember anything you say can and will be used against you..."

Outlooks

Boggans: Good citizens, quick to report anything suspicious, and usually the first to know. They too help those in need.

Eshu: Shifty bastards, and untrustworthy informants. Keep an eye on them.

Nockers: The things they can do with our guns, squad cars, and CB's...I guess it's worth putting up with their attitude.

Pookas: Disturbing the peace and violating leash laws; we should take them in before they hurt themselves.

Redcaps: Police Brutality is such a subjective term... Some scum can benefit from more direct punishment.

Satyrs: Stoned, libidinous hippies, they loiter and are always guilty of possession. But generally they don't hurt others.

Sidhe: Politicians. (spits) They make laws without realizing the effects on the streets and the real world.

Trolls: Like us, but stuck in the past and becoming irrelevent. Still good to have on your side, and they're in blue too.

Other People

People In Trenchcoats: Who do they think they are, budding into our jurisdiction? UFOs and aliens aren't responsible for every crime. The perpetrator's are usually human; no one else is that twisted.

Spies: How come they get laser pens and I just get a gun. Why do their cars fly? It's not fair, government spending on foreign affairs always exceeds what they spend at home.

What other Kith think of Urban Knights

They don't understand them. The concept of modern kith confuses them and in many ways scares them as they wonder what strange new unseelie folk might result from the troubled dreams of the modern age. They are often initially confused by the glamourous aura of the urban kith, assuming them mortal or some strange prodigal breed. However, once the Urban Knight gets past these initial barriers, he is quickly accepted by the more noble and honorable of the Kith, especially the Trolls. Many Sidhe find the Urban Knight's urban and modern age survival skills a definite boon and they may indeed become real knights of the kingdom.

Variant Kith Rules

Urban Knight (boggan variant)

An Urban Knight's craft is his marksmanship, and he can fire three times the normal number of rounds in a round. Also he can never botch a Firearms roll.

His social dynamics applies more to the city and can also use Perception+Streetwise.

Frailty can stay the same, and they just look different.