........One might think that an army clad in medieval plate armour and wielding swords as their weapons of war would be so anachronistic that the modern world wouldn't even take them seriously, let alone have any trouble defeating them in combat. Such thoughts discount two all-important complications, however; One, this army, for an army it is, has the blessings of supernatural evil on their ranks, on their weapons, even in their very flesh and blood. Two, the army in question is the long-ago displaced Cult of Shub-Niggurath, a vicious band of fanatics that has waited for nearly a millenium to exact their vengenace upon those who will not bow down to the Hell Mother.
........The Cult has roots in an ancient order of swordsmen and horsemen loosely united under the banner of faith. The original name of this gathering is lost to the mists of history, although there is solid eveidence to earmark them as a precursor to the Knights Templar. It is most ironic that some of the descendants of the Cult-to-be were the most instrumental in routing the diseased brotherhood, and doubly so that these same descendants were tried, falsely or not, for essentially the same crime as the lost Cult.
........As previously discussed, the brotherhood was subverted and reinvented as the chosen zealots and harbingers in the mortal world for Shub-Niggurath. If it were not for a purely chance uncovering of their activities, they would have been able to use their considerable influence and power to corrupt the nations of Europe and then to have completely and openly subjugated them as one great, demented theocracy. As it was, they had grown to a dire threat by the time of their discovery. Church and states promptly united in a great campign to destroy the Cult, and the devastation was supposedly so incredible that it was erased from all but the most esoteric historical tomes so that such horrors might never be repeated. But with the Witch Goddess and her eleventh hour rescue of her faithful human pawns, the threat was not defeated, only scattered.
........Throughout the Quake conflict, the Cult gleefully marshalled itself as a great legion of fanatical Knights led by the unholy Death Knights. They were dismayed and outraged by their relegation away from the initial strikes, particuarly when the inferior and unclean Modern Vanguard was being used in their stead. As they were more trusted by the supernatural masters of the Hordes of Quake, they were found in great abundance around sites of importance, a fact which they took to heart and rubbed itno the faces of their modern counterparts whenever possible. When they were occasionally allowed to raid Earth, they attacked with a ferocity and cruelty that matched even their demonic allies, as they revelled in skewering, butchering and terrorizing the unbelievers on modern society.
The Infrastructure Theory
........The myriad dank and gloomy sections of the netherworlds are also veritable treasure vaults of architectural and historical treasure. Surrounded by nightmares and monsters, the landscapes are dotted with magnificent buildings. Churches, fortresses, castles, towers, dungeons and manors, all professionally crafted and built. Furthermore, the architecture is most definitely a haunting variation on the Gothic theme, a style that most definitely corresponds to the time period that the Cult haunted when it was on Earth. These edifices are most definitely the work of the Cult of Shub-Niggurath.
The Fiends were almost certainly incapable of masonry, and the idea of Shamblers constructing churches is so ridiculous to those who know of them that early explorers of the netherworlds were at a loss to explain the cities and sprawling fortifications until the Cult was rediscovered. Certain proof has now cemented what is known as the Infrastructure Theory: The Cult of Shub-Niggurath, in devotion and gratitude to the Hell Mother for giving them a new home among her brood and slaves, began to populate the countrysides with grandiose monuments in Her name. As appropriate to their zealous, martial nature, by far most of the structures built were vile temples and towering fortresses.
Armament and Equipment used by the Cult of Shub-Niggurath
Armour: The Cult warriors always wore well-crafted ancient armour when entering battle. The rank-and-file Knights were given rather plain armour, but individuals often decorated it with sweeping designs and bizarre scriptural quotations lavishing praise on Shub-Niggurath. The Death Knights wore far more ornate protection, complete with horned helm and other hellish additions, and thus were in fact each individually distinguishable to those who understood their particular brand of heraldry.
........Knight: Plate and Mail (AR 15, SDC 100, 23.6 Kg/52 lbs)
........Death Knight: Plate (AR 16, SDC 150, 26.3 Kg/58 lbs)
Knight's Sword: Knights of the Hell Mother were given well-crafted swords with a lightweight enchantment/consecration placed upon them. Only a devotee of Shub-Niggurath could properly wield one of these artifacts, and they glowed with an ethereal blue light when in the hands of such a fighter.
........Weight: 2.25 Kg (5 lbs)
........Damage: 4D6+5 + PS
........Abilities
Will damage any invulnerable opponents.
Blinding Flash: Whenever the sword strikes or is struck, the effects are the same as the spell of the same name.
........Bonuses: +1 Strike, +1 Parry
Death Knight's Sword: Far more ceremoniously and conservatively doled out were the Death Knight blades. These mighty and unholy arcane weapons take great time and energy to construct and enchant, and only the mightiest of Her human champions were even allowed near a finished sword. If anyone who was not one of the order of the Death Knights should try try to wield these weapons, the sword itself wiould burst into flame (Causing 4D6 damage to the holder).
........Weight: 3.6 Kg (8 lbs)
........Damage: 6D6+9 + PS
........Abilities
Will damage any invulnerable opponents.
Fire Spread: Twice a melee, the Death Knight may invoke the power of his sword and send a flurry of fireballs at an opponent. The spread acts like buckshot, doing 3D6 damage to 1D6 targets within the swing arc.
Blinding Flash: Whenever the sword strikes or is struck, the effects are the same as the spell of the same name.
........
Bonuses: +2 Strike, +2 Parry
Knight
Description: The Knights were the product of rigourous training and culling programs instituted from a very young age. Particularly pious, strong and aggressive boys were handpicked at a young age, and then subjected to rigourous squirehood for full-fledged knights in order to train for their destined roles. Although not as warped as the Death Knights, like all humans who have lived in the Netherworlds for generations they have begun to take on a distinctly...peculiar appearance. Together with the Ogres, Knights were the elite rank-and-file of the Quake hordes. They tended to work in groups of their own kind, often commanded by a Death Knight, although they would suffer the presence of almost any other creature if such was the will of the Hell Mother... Profile:
........Average Experience Level: 2 - 6 (Profile assumes 3rd level baseline)
........Alignment: Aberrant or Diabolic
........Stats: IQ 9, ME 12, MA 8, PS 18, PP 16, PE 16, PB 6, Spd 20
........Effective OCC: Knight (As seen in Palladium Fantasy RPG)
........Notable Skills: HtH - Expert, WP Sword, Horsemanship, 3 Physical and 2 Ancient WP of choice
........Disposition and Behaviour: Knights are true fanatics, single minded and totally devoted to their dark goddess. Although they do speak english, their dialect is difficult for terrestrial folk to follow. The Knights are not stupid and understand the value of discretion and valour, but prefer glorious death in service of Shub-Niggurath to skulking like cowards. Only rarely will they ever condescend to speak to those not of their religion on equal terms. Knights treat their modernized counterparts like scum and Denizen minions as if they were dumb animals, but hold the Brood of Shub-Niggurath in the very highest respect.
........Having been raised on a diet of melee combat and twisted codes of chivalry and honour, the Knights are direct indeed in combat. Their berserker charges at foes have been attributed to stupidity or suicidal zeal, although these statements are only partially correct. Equipped and armed as they are, the Knights must close at speed to be of any effect in pitched battle. On occasion Knights will engage in more tactically sound manuvers, but they much prefer mindless hacking and slashing.
........Combat Abilities: 4 Attacks per Melee, +4 Initiative, +3 Strike, +4 Parry, +4 Dodge, +2 Roll, +3 Pull (+5 Strike, +6 Parry with Sword); +4 vs. Horror Factor, +3 damage in melee combat, +4% vs. Coma/Death, +1 vs. Magic/Toxins
........AR: 15 (Plate and Mail Armour; see above)
........HP: 27
........SDC: 140 total (Plate and Mail Armour; see above)
........PPE: 24
........Equipment: Knight's Armour, Knight's Sword, Secondary Weapon (Always ancient), 25% chance of having some sort of mount (Equine or otherwise...)
Death Knight
Description: Standing even among the Knights as true champions and leaders, there was the order of the Horned Skull. The order of the Death Knights. Only the most elite of Knights were even considered, the unspeakable entry tests and rites of passage killed many of the worthy off, and those that remain stood as true pillars of insanity, spiritual and temporal lords of the Cult and of the Quake horde. By this stage of devotion, the Death Knight was twisted into a veritable mutant, given a more resilient body in exchange for their bloody and unspeakable services. Death Knights were often found in command of small armies, able to inspire servitude even in some of the lesser Brood. Profile:
........Average Experience Level: 6 - 12 (Profile assumes 6th level baseline)
........Alignment: Aberrant or Diabolic
........Stats: IQ 12, ME 16, MA 14, PS 24, PP 20, PE 19, PB 7, Spd 20
........Effective OCC: Palladin (As seen in Palladium Fantasy RPG)
........Notable Skills: HtH - Martial Arts, WP Sword, Horsemanship, Heraldry, 2 Lore, 3 Physical and 3 Ancient WP of choice
........Disposition and Behaviour: Death Knights, although as frenzied and single-minded as any other Quake minion in the heat of battle, are in fact highly intelligent. As they must also serve as the High Priests of Shub-Niggurath, they are eloquent scholars and charismatic leaders as well as bloodthirsty fighters. Which is not to say they are friendly by any stretch of the imagination, on the contrary, Death Knights are easily the most depraved and monstrous humans imaginable.
........Fearless and absolutely confident in their divine favour, Death Knights can universally be found on the front lines of combat, heading the hordes they have been charged with. Of all the minions, Death Knights are the most strategically minded, and can cow their subordinates into fairly complex tactical and strategic manuvers when they see an advantage in doing so. They taunt their foes freely in battle, mocking and cursing those they see as eternally inferior and damned in the sight of the Hell Mother.
........Combat Abilities: 5 Attacks per Melee, +3 Initiative, +5 Strike, +6 Parry, +6 Dodge, +3 Roll, +5 Pull (+5 Strike, +6 Parry with Sword); CS on Nat. 18-20, +8 vs. Horror Factor, +1 vs. Mental Attack, +9 damage in melee combat, +8% vs. Coma/Death, +2 vs. Magic/Toxins
........AR: 16 (Plate Armour; see above)
........HP: 48
........SDC: 215 total (Plate and Mail Armour; see above)
........PPE: 36
........Equipment: Death Knight's Armour, Death Knight's Sword, 1D4 Secondary Weapons (Always ancient), 65% chance of having some sort of mount (Equine or otherwise...)
