The Black Knights of the Baltimore Commonwealth
By: Linwood Foster
The Black Knights of Baltimore are the crusaders of the Baltimore Knighthood.
These are the knights you are most likely to run into out in the wildernesses of
Maryland. From the age of 12, they are trained in survival tactics and how to
recognize evil in all of its forms. Only at the beginning of the fall semester
of their 17th year do they learn to use their psychic abilities to their full
potential. It is during that 17th year that they learn how to form a Psi-Sword
and Psi-Shield and to use their minds to fight evil. It is only after their 2
year apprenticeship to an Errant Knight that they are allowed to bear the mantle
of a full fledged Black Knight, to go out in the world to right wrongs and
defend the Commonwealth of Baltimore from outside forces.
The Black Knights are a variant of Cyber-Knights who have been trained to use
their considerable psionic abilities to fight evil. Unless noted differently below, they have all the abilities and skills of Cyber-Knights as detailed in Coalition Wars: Cyber-Knights. Like all Knights of Baltimore, they can form both a Psi-Sword and Psi-Shield with no ISP costs. The Black Knights are considered major psionics.
Psionic Abilities
1. Initial psionic ability: mind block auto-defense, object read, sense evil, meditation, sixth sense, and empathy. They do not pay activation costs for these abilities, only maintenance and usage ISP is used.
2. Permanent base ISP: 1D4x10 + ME attribute number. Add 2D6 per level of experience.
3. Learning new abilities: At levels three, six, nine, and twelve, two additional abilities can be selected from the Physical and Sensitive abilities. At levels four, seven, and eleven, one Super ability can be selected.
4. Permanent base P.P.E.: 4D6 + P.E. attribute number. Unlike a Techno-Knight, a Black Knight cannot draw additional PPE from ley lines and nexus points.
Attribute Requirements: High MA, ME, and PE attributes are required (13 or higher).
Special Bonuses:
Add +1D4 to MA, ME, PE, PS, and Spd attributes. Also add 1D4x10 SDC, +3 to
initiative, +2 to pull punch and disarm, +1 vs. HF at levels 2, 5, 8, 12, 15, and one additional attack per round. These are in addition to other attribute or skill bonuses.
O.C.C. Skills:
Literacy (+10%)
Mathematics: Basic (+10%)
Lore: Demons, Faerie (+25%)
Lore: General Law (+15%)
Lore: Religions (+15%)
Language: English, Gobblely (+15%)
Land Navigation: (+20%)
Detect Ambush (+15%)
Intelligence (+20%)
Tracking (+20%)
Wilderness Survival (+20%)
First Aid (+10%)
Horsemanship: Cyber-Knight (+10%)
Robot Combat Elite: Squire, Dragoon, and Errant
Acrobatics
Athletics
Swimming
Prowl (+20%)
WP Ancient: Sword, Archery
WP Modern: Energy Rifle, Energy Pistol
Hand-to-Hand: Martial Arts
O.C.C. Related Skills: Select 6 other skills. Plus select two additional
skills at levels 3, 6, 9, and 12. Also select WP: Shield at level 2 and 3 WPs at level 5. All new skills begin at level one proficiency.
Communications: Radio: Basic only (+10%)
Domestic: Any (+10%)
Electrical: None
Espionage: Any, except Disguise, Forgery, Pick Locks and Pockets
Mechanical: None
Medical: Holistic Medicine only
Military: Any
Physical: Any, except Gymnastics
Pilot: Any
Rogue: None
Science: Anthropology and Astronomy only
Technical: Language (+10%), Art, and Writing only
W.P.: Any
Wilderness: Any (+10%)
Secondary Skills: The character also gets 4 secondary skills from those
listed. All OCC restrictions apply for these as well. These are additional areas
of knowledge that do not get the advantage of the bonus listed in parentheses.
All secondary skills start at the base skill level.
Standard Equipment: While in the city, a suit of light body armor (in
their school colors). A suit of Knight's Armor (if on assignment). A Squire
Power Armor. One set of civilian dress clothing, one dress uniform, 2 utility
jumpsuits, 2 sets of black clothing, a Black Knight All-Weather Jacket,
traveling cloak, back pack, goggles, a nightstick flashlight, pocket flashlight,
canteen, six stakes and a mallet, binoculars, air filter, gas mask, one tool kit, and one IRMSS kit.
Weapons will include an energy rifle and pistol, vibro-sword, a modern crossbow or compound bow, survival knife, and a few quarrels of SD and MD-explosive arrows or bolts. He may also carry a powder weapon of some sort.
Money: A Black Knight starts with 2D6x100 credits. He also receives a stipend of 2000 credits a month for as long as he is in active service with the Knights of Baltimore.
Cybernetics: Starts with Cyber-Armor (A.R. 16, 50 MDC).