Faction [Faction] Knights of Sol

Background:

The Order of Children of the Light of Sol

Better known as "The Knights of Sol" by inhabitants of the Milky Way Galaxy.

After the Styx encounter, several wealthy business leaders with widespread interests both in the core colonies and on frontier worlds gathered to pool resources and fund a new mercenary outfit with the intention of combating any Xeno incursion or threat to the stability of their business. A large stake was also provided by the League of Triton, a minor collection of moons and bases that had formed a data analytics empire based on "Human Intelligence" to counter what they saw as a heavy reliance on sentient A.I. software growing across the galaxy.

The Order's founding was directed by a Coordinator Herth from the League of Triton, who calculated that a "noble" calling and cause would attract more dedicated mercenaries than what was typical of the time. The results were quite good, and a large following from across the galaxy was gathered for the inaugural induction of Knights a mere 6 weeks after Styx. While most of the members certainly had the best of intentions, more than a few were likely former pirates eager to take advantage of an amnesty clause that forgave past indiscretions for Knights that would serve 5 years.

While the Knights began to consolidate their numbers and begin training, the League of Triton was able to secure several stations in frontier systems to act as "Chapter Houses" for forward command and observation. Knights would be stationed at these Chapter Houses and provide escort for trade in the region while keeping scanners trained beyond the frontier for anomalous activity that might indicate the next Xeno invasion. The primary recruitment and training House, however, was the Jupiter House, set up on a station on level with Jupiter's orbit within the Sol System.

Within 8 months, the Knights of Sol had begun to field the first of their own warships, opting to change away from many of the borrowed and converted ships that saw them through their infancy. Along with their own designs, they began to develop unique tactics in ground combat and ship-to-ship fighting that would make their Medieval period forbears proud. Fringe scientists looking for more applications-based research and fewer restrictions came to the order with many concepts and designs, and a few of them even worked well enough to incorporate into the standard field kits of the Knights. Many more remain on the drawing board, not quite ready to see combat.

As the Knights came into their stride, they saw numerous battles and skirmishes with border pirates and honed their skills. They began seeking out Pirate Dens to stem the attacks at the source, and with a variety of A.I. and human systems, they were quite successful. An encounter in the Falglaive system, however, changed the way the Order would operate. After numerous A.I. analyses had placed threat levels at low levels, an assault was mounted on the Pirate Den. Falglaive was home to a wide range of fortune-seekers that had harassed 3 nearby shipping routes for years, and a new Chapter House of the same name was established in the outer asteroid field to serve as a forward base against the pirates. Initially, the Knights were able to infiltrate the pirate facility and secure a stable docking point supported by 3 corvettes. Inside the facility, the battle began to heat up as several sentient A.I. joined the fight. Brutally efficient, and apparently impervious to the gunfire that the Knights were showering them with, the A.I. advanced and began tearing apart the Knights. The arrival of 2 frigates shortly after nearly had the Knights surrounded, and in all about 8 of the ground troops and the crew of one corvette are all that survived. Reinforcements arrived later that week to pulverize the Pirate Den, but it is suspected the raiders moved on and are now holed up in a new system, ready to continue their pillaging.

With the failures within their A.I. systems to account for the true threats at the Falglaive Pirate Den and the inhuman actions of the sentient A.I. pirates, the Knights of Sol began to rely more on their League of Triton allies and their Human Analysis techniques. While not always as speedy as A.I. systems in their analysis, a good League team of Analysis Experts could replace the A.I. systems in their warships. Members of the Falglaive chapter house were especially eager to leave A.I. systems in the past and lumped them in with the Xenos as "threats to humanity."

Owned Territory:
No territory is claimed by the Knights of Sol, but they have chapter houses in 7 frontier systems as well as a home chapter house 200 degrees behind phase with Jupiter in its orbital path.

Owned Installations:
The Jupiter Chapter House is a primarily administrative and training station, while the frontier houses deploy Knights regularly to patrol unregulated space and important trade routes. The frontier houses are (from newest to oldest): Falglaive, Harosh, Brynt, Ulannic, Prosi, Lannit, and Kiwa.

Kiwa was established 1 month after the Styx incident, in a converted mining base located one system removed from Styx itself. Having the most time to mature, the base has expanded and grown to support the largest contingent of Knights outside the Jupiter station itself.

Lannit was established 6 weeks after the Styx incident, in a frontier system bordering a fairly well-regulated trade route. The base facility was formerly being built for the League of Triton, and most assume that the Knights' residence there was simply a matter of convenience rather than the "need" that other chapter houses appear to fill. It is the 3rd-least populated station, and does not see many combat operations.

Prosi was established 11 weeks after the Styx incident, at the same time as Ulannic. Prosi is situated on a moon in the 4th system removed from Styx, in the direction opposite Kiwa House. Prosi has had less build-up than Kiwa, and most house members from both stations see themselves as members of the Kiwa chapter.

Ulannic was established at the same time as Prosi House, 11 weeks after the Styx incident, but it was a newly-constructed station on the opposite frontier from its twin. Also situated upon a moon, Ulannic House supports several less-regulated trade zones and routes, and has grown to house a population rivaling that of Kiwa House. It boasts some of the best medical treatment and research facilities within the Order, and is home to their advanced enhancement technologies. In addition, Ulannic House boasts the Order's latest and best suite of remote-guided ships to maximize coverage over its surroundings.

Brynt was established a full 5 months after the Styx incident, after a second wave of Knight recruits was ready for deployment. Although it was a converted mining outpost on the edge of a dense asteroid field, the time dedicated to its re-fit construction left it shiny and bright, and it has become a source of pride for the industrial workers of the sector. The Knights stationed here have a good working relationship with the miners and freighters that do business here, and the protection they represent has only helped their reputation.

Harosh was established 6 months after the Styx incident to support a long distance, well established trade route. While the route is fairly low risk, the Order's management sought to strengthen its protection of what is mostly empty space. The station itself is not near anything of note, and as such sports the lowest resident population of any Chapter House. Most Knights assigned here prefer to patrol along the length of the route in one of the numerous patrol boats assigned here rather than stay "home" with nothing to do. As a result, the pilots from Harosh probably know the Knights' ships better than any other.

Falglaive was established just under 7 months after the Styx incident to combat raiding and piracy in the area, and to counter a large Pirate Den that was entrenched nearby. Many resources were forced in quickly to establish a foothold, and a lightning raid was planned to coincide with the founding of the station. The raid did not go well; however, following the raid and the introduction of a new wave of Knights to the station, the Pirate Den was abandoned and Knight patrols have brought some stability to the area.

 

Important Personnel:

---Colonel Edgar Rolloth: The leader of Knight ground forces from the Falglaive Chapter, Col. Rolloth was a survivor of the failed den raid in the Falglaive system prior to the Chapter's establishment. After the Falglaive incident, he received prosthetics to replace his shattered legs and left arm, and a neural control interface to directly interface with them as well as any of the Knights' advanced powered exo-suits. As one of the first to join the Knights, and one with a growing amount of real battle experience, he has become a recruiting model for the organization. He has become a model for the Knightly Charge of Service.
---Captain Hirran Yol: Col. Rolloth's right hand, Cap. Yol was also a survivor at the Falglaive incident. She is an expert in countless forms of martial arts, and prior to joining the Knights owned a training center specializing in adapting ancient techniques to low- and zero-gravity environments. After the Falglaive incident she received advanced optical implants to restore her vision. She is the model for the Knightly Charge of Discernment.
---Lieutenant Branson Hurst: A survivor at Falglaive with Yol and Rolloth, Branson Hurst has been taking over much of the training duty Captain Yol once performed. With their injuries and subsequent recovery, it became apparent Yol would not be as effective in training new recruits, so she passed much of her expertise to the more reserved Hurst. He was born into the Viridian Institute, but could never really call it home. While highly intelligent like his parents, he gravitated toward military service; unfortunately a general lack of respect within the faction for the military made his service too much of a chore and he left. Following a few stints with private policing units in the core worlds, he was recruited by the newly formed Order and became a Knight of Sol.
---Lieutenant Colonel Pratt Holland: Squadron leader aboard the Chateu Gaillard, Lt. Col. Holland is one of the most decorated pilots in The Order. While most of the medals were earned with the Mercin Republic Space Defense Force prior to his recruitment into the Knights, his skill and service since have catapulted him into the upper ranks. He is the model for the Knightly Charge of Sentinel.
---Lieutenant Colonel Sigurt Knutson: Captain of the Lionheart, Knutson is a highly experienced freighter pilot who frequently coordinated defensive convoy formations with his fellow captains on the dangerous "Huajin Run." With his tactics, he regularly turned pirate bands away with nothing more than space bricks with a few pea shooters aboard. Recruited into the Knights largely because he is the father of Gyrda Knutson.
---Specialist, Dr. Gyrda Knutson: Recruited into the Knights along with her mentor, Dr. Chelios Kirovic, she is conducting research in applying miniaturized gravity manipulation to the boots and hand weapons of the Knights. Dr. Knutson has chosen to work firsthand with a ground squadron in order to assist and gather data on field issues with the technology. She is embedded in Col. Rolloth's squad.
---Master Sgt. Bremen Cullhearth
---Sgt. Frank Laramie
---Cpl. Raquel Fostin
---Dr. Chelios Kirovic (Gravity Manipulation Research and Theory)
---Dr. Alanna Tohiro (Body Armor and Suit R&D)
---Dr. Monika Kabamba (Armor R&D)
---Data analysts: Myoperith 'Mip' Ullerssines, Junarallis 'Juna' Helere, Soprisussius 'Sopris' Faissile, Tristr Na, and Brikkulianitunnar 'Brik' Waring. All from the League of Triton, the data analysts are extensively trained and work as a team for duties typically handled by artificial intelligence systems.
---2nd Lt. Matias Deos (Rides second-seat in Lt. Col. Holland's Squire)
---Maj. Thomas Rinkepollithelus 'Rink' (Pilots the second Squire in Holland's squad)
---Lt. Daniel Heath (Rides second-seat in Maj. Rink's Squire)
---Lt. Sebastian Paulo (Pilots the single-seat Scoutman in Holland's squad)
---Sgt. Haufmann (Col. Rolloth's foot squadron)
---Cpl. Ferrel (Col. Rolloth's foot squadron)
---Spc. Singla (Col. Rolloth's foot squadron)
---Spc. Starfinder (Col. Rolloth's foot squadron)
---Spc. Matthews (Col. Rolloth's foot squadron)
---Pfc. Ferrel (Col. Rolloth's foot squadron)
---Pfc. Hodge (Col. Rolloth's foot squadron)
---Pfc. Dozhak (Col. Rolloth's foot squadron)
---Pvt. Hollis (Col. Rolloth's foot squadron)
---Pvt. Williams (Col. Rolloth's foot squadron)
---Pvt. Banerjee (Col. Rolloth's foot squadron)
---Pvt. Hare (Col. Rolloth's foot squadron)
---Lt. Alexander 'Xander' Ellison: Fresh from his training at the Jupiter Chapter House, Lt. Ellison is a highly skilled fighter pilot with extensive experience in space and atmospheric environments. He acts like a typical "Top Gun" hot-shot, going so far as to call himself 'Maverick' over the comms. Luckily, his peers never encouraged that call-sign and it has yet to stick. His recruitment into the Knights of Sol was huge, as countless other mercenary and defense forces have been lined up at his door throughout his three seasons of top-5 finishes within the Inner Planets racing circuit.
---Lt. Marcus Harrison: Another fresh recruit from the JCH, Lt. Harrison has been a great complement to the brash nature of his wingman, Lt. Ellison. As 'Iceman,' Lt. Harrison has gained respect and full Knighthood within the order. His position allowed him to bring Lt. Ellison along to provisional active status in a recon detachment outside the more rigid squadron system, and the pair will be able to continue honing their skills. While growing up on Earth, Lt. Harrison was fascinated by fighter design and development, and planned to become a designer. When he showed skill as a test pilot for a small start-up, he started taking online courses in fighter tactics and training, thinking it could land him a test pilot job with one of the larger companies outside the Sol system. When the news from Styx arrived, along with a call for recruitment into the Knights of Sol, Marcus hesitated; 6 months later, Mr. Harrison became Lt. Harrison.
---Captain Leira Joun: Born on a border asteroid station and shuffled from ship to ship since the age of 7, Leira has a firm grasp on Spaceship life. Although she is one of the few that admits to being part of a raider band, she has dedicated herself wholeheartedly to the Knightly Charges, even becoming recognized as a model for 'Humility.' She refuses to admit that she is afraid of planets or crowded stations, but she has a knack for finding a way to stay aboard the ship at every opportunity. Her crew aboard the Lancer-class Frigate Retribution has been ready to accept her past and appear to be quite loyal.
---Lieutenant Orson Cassilas: As unlikely as it may seem, Lt. Cassilas has gotten along well with Cpt. Joun despite their vastly different histories, and is now one of her most loyal supporters. Lt. Cassilas had been assigned trade patrol duties along the lucrative, and relatively quiet, "Trans-Ursa" lines; his 18 years of experience in common law enforcement helped reinforce his strict formality and code-driven philosophy.
---Cadotte Montreaux
---Charlotte Montreaux
---Seamus Ettu
---Callie Prelios
---Mollie Prelios
---Craig Bryant
---William Van Gosein
---Yuna Bito
---Matias Crawford
---Benjamin Arlington
---Wedge Hyat
---Biggs Oberon
---Storm Goodman
---Silas Lowe

 

Technology:

Standard Field Dress for the Knights:
The body armor worn by the knights is very similar to this image:



The Armor is a Metal-Composite-Non-Newtonian-Liquid (MCNNL) system which consists primarily of sets of metallic and composite plates with non-newtonian fluids within that respond to high-velocity impacts and energy weapons fire by distributing the energy throughout. Thermal energy managed by the fluid is cycled through the armor into dedicated vent sections and storage units, depending on the situation. Hard sections on the suit are designed to stop conventional weapons fire at all but perpendicular point-blank conditions, and deflect or slow higher kinetics by at least 75% of nominal velocity. Under the armor sections is a form-fitting biosuit that functions as a full-fledged space EVA suit for periods of up to 30 minutes. The compression action of the biosuit regulates temperature, pressure, and other life support functions for the wearer, with the help of a backpack unit that fits underneath the hard armor pieces. The Knight is equipped with a multifunction helmet that ties into the re-breathing apparatus of the biosuit, provides conventional radio-wave communications, and has an optical range shift device that allows the user to shift the entire spectrum seen on the inside of the helmet into the infrared or low UV ranges. The armor is typically outfitted with Mag-Boots, that allow the wearer to maintain a connection on station or aboard a ship without requiring the excess bulk of an RCS or dedicated EVA pack.

Some Knights have taken it upon themselves to reflect their heritage and add psychological intimidation to their suits with the addition of "wings" such as in the images below:



Typical armament for the Knights during ground operations is a handheld "Rail Rifle," which is actually a miniature coil gun. It fires small dense mag-jacketed rounds at velocities exceeding 2000 m/s, and a trailing stabilization field of energetic plasma helps to reduce recoil drift as the rifle is fired. It adds minimal energy to the round on impact, but gives the impression of an energy weapon just the same.

Also carried by the Knights is a fairly standard 9mm pistol with a 20-round conventional ammunition magazine. What often sets them apart, in addition to their distinctive armor, is the Mace looped at their belt. In appearance, it is a fairly typical mace, but the Iridium in the head lends a massive amount of mass to any blow from the weapon.

The various systems available to the Knights of Sol use standardized Capacitor Cartridges that offer single-use high-output energy. A "Rail Rifle" can exhaust a CapCart within the same number of shots as the ammunition magazine (40). The Life Support System in the Biosuit runs off the same CapCarts for its 30 minute EVA limit (which is also affected by oxygen availability in the breathing system), and the Mag-Boots typically last from 45 to 60 minutes per boot while the system is active.

Supplemental Devices:

In addition to the standard field dress, some missions require specialized equipment. Heavy weapons are typically Squad Assault Weapons firing conventional ammunition, and laser designator-guided shoulder launch missiles. A massive two-handed Hammer has been developed for augmented Knights to wield , as well as a deployable MCNNL Shield (Shield has spikes that can be hammered through most metals, and tines that retract to allow it to be pulled out).

Backpack units are available as well. The Medic's pack contains first aid and combat-ready field dressings, repair kits for biosuits, helmets, and an armor patching system to keep battle-damaged plating contained.

A Tachyon Receiver is available as a mobile unit, weighing in at well over 40 kg, and can provide real-time status updates from ship-borne sensor arrays. The on-board battery can provide about an hour of continuous monitoring after being calibrated for operation. The calibration requires between 2 and 5 minutes, depending on the skill of the operator, and must be performed each time the unit is moved relative to the local gravitational field. The benefit of the unit is that it provides an instant and secure way to receive intel or orders from distant command ships, but return communication will still require radio transmissions either through a Tachyon relay ship nearby or the old-fashioned way.


Enhancements and Augmentations:

Some Knights, either through battle injury or by choice, have augmentations that allow superhuman strength or sight. Inspired by Commander Rolloth's courageous comeback after the Falglaive encounter, hundreds lined up to undergo the neural implanting that would allow them to attach to limb exo-enhancements and double their strength. Although Rolloth's actual limbs are now prosthetic representations, they doubled his baseline strength, and when tied into his own exo-enhanced limbs he has the strength of four men. Lieutenant Yol, also a Falglaive survivor, was forced to undergo excruciating procedures to repair broken eye sockets and tie her optic nerves to a pair of prothstetic "Eagle-Eyes." Able to see all EM spectrums at will, Yol has become a figurehead for optic Augmentation, although not nearly as popular as exo-enhancement. Still, the Augmentation is popular among fighter pilots, who often elect to change over only a single eye.

Enhancement and Augmentation were expected to see resistance following the backlash against A.I. systems, but the designers of these systems were able to show their systems are passive and leave the user in complete control of their bodies. Coupled with the popularity of Yol and Rolloth, Enhancement and Augmentation procedures actually saw a slight boost in popularity after Falglaive. Knights sporting such body modifications still number around 10%, however.

Ship Technology:

The ships fielded by the Knights of Sol almost exclusively rely on conventional ammunition Gatling and Missile turrets for the bulk of their armament. Also popular are coil gun technologies and heavy conventional cannons. Fighters are typically equipped with heavy and medium cannons, and are borrowed technology from the League of Triton. Also available on bomber variants are "wakebombs" that are semi-guided munitions that detonate at just-below-nuke power levels and without the radioactive signature.

A "Beam Lance" was developed by some designers, and fielded on the Lancer class Frigates, to effect high-energy penetration at short range. From roughly 500 meters, the combination of laser energy and accelerated plasma tracks a target and bombards it with very high amounts of charged particles, photons, various EM energies, and at the end of the burst a coil gun round. The effect was designed to overload armor and/or shields by limiting the focus of fire, and take out a targeted system well within the ship.

Hull Shields are common on Order-designed vessels, which are effectively multiplied versions of the ship's hull that a captain can direct toward the heaviest incoming fire or threat.

FTL capabilities are provided by Hyperspace drives. A spherical "window" is opened for the ship to enter into hyperspace, where spatial travel occurs much differently from normal space. Unfortunately, communication in hyperspace is separate from regular space, and exits from hyperspace are blind. Ships have reported seeing Knights of Sol ships appear within great "halos," commenting on the bright afterimage created by the hyperspace window that extends from microwave wavelengths through the lower x-ray bands of the EM spectrum.

 

Assets:

Small Ships:
---Paricia Strike Fighter (Borrowed from the League of Triton)
---Phorcys Gunship (Borrowed from the League of Triton)
---Scoutman Interceptor (Adapted from League of Triton Nix Interceptor)
---Squire Fighter/Bomber (Adapted from League of Triton Morgawr Fighter/Bomber)
---Falconer/Falcon Drone Fighter System*
---Dagger Heavy Gunship*
---Slinger Specialist Craft*
---Seneschal Escort Fighter
---Shieldbearer Strike Fighter
---Watchman Defense Patrol Fighter
---Templar Fighter
---Huntsman Interceptor
---Turcopoli Interceptor
Large Ships:
---Cetus Patrol Boat (Borrowed from League of Triton)
---Opochtli Intercept Corvette (Borrowed from League of Triton)
---Footman Patrol Boat
---Fencer Corvette
---Lancer Frigate
---Pikeman Line Frigate*
---Rampart Scout Carrier*
---Gens d'arme Destroyer
---Harbinger Destroyer
---Tower Battle Carrier*
---Morningstar Battlecruiser
---Bastion Support Carrier*
---Castle Assault Carrier*
---Zweihander Flagship Dreadnought
---Durga Flagship Carrier*
---Trebuchet Specialist Craft
---Longbow Specialist Craft
---Shield Specialist Craft

* Denotes planned ship

<<https://forums.keenswh.com/threads/k...-by-kovendon-images-rp-fluff-and-fun.7271194/>>

 

<<Faction form as submitted 14 August, 2015>>
Full Faction Name:
The Order of Children of the Light of Sol

Faction Aliases (If Applicable):
The Knights of Sol
The Order (uncommon outside the faction)
The Order of Sol

Historical Notes:
After the Styx encounter, several wealthy business leaders with widespread interests both in the core colonies and on frontier worlds gathered to pool resources and fund a new mercenary outfit with the intention of combating any Xeno incursion or threat to the stability of their business. A large stake was also provided by the League of Triton, a minor collection of moons and bases that had formed a data analytics empire based on "Human Intelligence" to counter what they saw as a heavy reliance on sentient A.I. software growing across the galaxy.

The Order's founding was directed by a Coordinator Herth from the League of Triton, who calculated that a "noble" calling and cause would attract more dedicated mercenaries than what was typical of the time. The results were quite good, and a large following from across the galaxy was gathered for the inaugural induction of Knights a mere 6 weeks after Styx. While most of the members certainly had the best of intentions, more than a few were likely former pirates eager to take advantage of an amnesty clause that forgave past indiscretions for Knights that would serve 5 years.

While the Knights began to consolidate their numbers and begin training, the League of Triton was able to secure several stations in frontier systems to act as "Chapter Houses" for forward command and observation. Knights would be stationed at these Chapter Houses and provide escort for trade in the region while keeping scanners trained beyond the frontier for anomalous activity that might indicate the next Xeno invasion. The primary recruitment and training House, however, was the Jupiter House, set up on a station on level with Jupiter's orbit within the Sol System.

Within 5 months, the Knights of Sol had begun to field the first of their own warships, opting to change away from many of the borrowed and converted ships that saw them through their infancy. Along with their own designs, they began to develop unique tactics in ground combat and ship-to-ship fighting that would make their Medieval period forbears proud. Fringe scientists looking for more applications-based research and fewer restrictions came to the order with many concepts and designs, and a few of them even worked well enough to incorporate into the standard field kits of the Knights. Many more remain on the drawing board, not quite ready to see combat.

As the Knights came into their stride, they saw numerous battles and skirmishes with border pirates and honed their skills. They began seeking out Pirate Dens to stem the attacks at the source, and with a variety of A.I. and human systems, they were quite successful. An encounter in the Falglaive system, however, changed the way the Order would operate. After numerous A.I. analyses had placed threat levels at low levels, an assault was mounted on the Pirate Den. Falglaive was home to a wide range of fortune-seekers that had harassed 3 nearby shipping routes for years, and a new Chapter House of the same name was established in the outer asteroid field to serve as a forward base against the pirates. Initially, the Knights were able to infiltrate the pirate facility and secure a stable docking point supported by 3 corvettes. Inside the facility, the battle began to heat up as several sentient A.I. joined the fight. Brutally efficient, and apparently impervious to the gunfire that the Knights were showering them with, the A.I. advanced and began tearing apart the Knights. The arrival of 2 frigates shortly after nearly had the Knights surrounded, and in all about 8 of the ground troops and the crew of one corvette are all that survived. Reinforcements arrived later that week to pulverize the Pirate Den, but it is suspected the raiders moved on and are now holed up in a new system, ready to continue their pillaging.

With the failures within their A.I. systems to account for the true threats at the Falglaive Pirate Den and the inhuman actions of the sentient A.I. pirates, the Knights of Sol began to rely more on their League of Triton allies and their Human Analysis techniques. While not always as speedy as A.I. systems in their analysis, a good League team of Analysis Experts could replace the A.I. systems in their warships. Members of the Falglaive chapter house were especially eager to leave A.I. systems in the past and lumped them in with the Xenos as "threats to humanity."

The organizational structure within the Knights of Sol is highly militarized and regimented, with full-Oath Knights in the Order spread throughout the ranks. It is possible to have a provisional rank within the Knights without committing oneself to the Knightly Charges (Service, Character, Humility, Truth, Sentinel, Justice, Loyalty, Discernment, Charity, Forgiveness, and Honor). Only full-Oath Knights, however are allowed to command and lead operations. As with any military branch, combat personnel are supported by administrative, logistics, medical, and other support personnel within the Knights of Sol. Also in common with many military organizations, the Knights answer to Civilian authority provided ultimately through the League of Triton, Coordinator Herth, and by request of the Common Peacekeeping Court. (Note: the CPC has not yet officially recognized or exercised their authority over the Knights).

Controlled Territory (If Applicable):
The Knights of Sol claim no territory apart from the space taken up by their Chapter House Facilities. Much of the land or space surrounding these facilities is claimed by the League of Triton, however, and the separation between the two factions is difficult to discern.

Owned Installations (If Applicable):
The Jupiter Chapter House is a primarily administrative and training station, while the frontier houses deploy Knights regularly to patrol unregulated space and important trade routes. The frontier houses are (from newest to oldest): Falglaive, Harosh, Brynt, Ulannic, Prosi, Lannit, and Kiwa. (More information about the Houses can be found on the Faction thread)

Available Assets:
Small Ships:
---Paricia Strike Fighter (Borrowed from the League of Triton)
---Phorcys Gunship (Borrowed from the League of Triton)
---Scoutman Interceptor (Adapted from League of Triton Nix Interceptor)
---Squire Fighter/Bomber (Adapted from League of Triton Morgawr Fighter/Bomber)
---Seneschal, Shieldbearer, Watchman, and Templar Fighters
---Huntsman Interceptor
---Turcopoli Interceptor (available after key diplomatic events with B.R.S.)
Large Ships:
---Cetus Patrol Boat (Borrowed from League of Triton)
---Opochtli Intercept Corvette (Borrowed from League of Triton)
---Footman Patrol Boat
---Fencer Corvette
---Lancer Frigate
---Rampart Scout Carrier*
---Gens d'arme Destroyer*
---Harbinger Destroyer
---Morningstar Battlecruiser
---Bastion Support Carrier*
---Zweihander Flagship (first of this Dreadnought class is under construction at mobile shipyard near the Brynt Chapter House)
---Durga Flagship Carrier*
---Trebuchet Specialist Craft*
---Longbow Specialist Craft
---Shield Specialist Craft

* Denotes ship not yet modeled

Sub-Faction Divisions (If Applicable):
-----The League of Triton: Technically, the League of Triton is the parent faction over the Knights, though operations between the factions are highly divided to the point where only League oversight and adviser personnel are present in The Order of Sol. The League has been a loose collection of people aboard stations, installations, moon bases, and the occasional planetary government since branching out from their parent groups on Neptune's Moon in 2093. Since their founding, groups have come and gone from the League, but the basic freedom of governance has kept the overall population claiming membership in the League of Triton on a steady path of growth. Known by most for their unique approach to data analysis through "Humysis" techniques, the League has developed a strong and diverse financial base that can support widely separated operational facilities. Because of their loose affiliations within the League, and their commitment to data analysis and civil pursuits, they develop other groups or contracts to handle security and military operations. After the Styx incident, they developed the Knights along with several other wealthy business leaders to increase visibility and response capability against threats across known space.

Named Characters:
Many characters named here in the Faction thread, with varying levels of background.

Current notable characters:
---Colonel Edgar Rolloth: The leader of Knight ground forces from the Falglaive Chapter, Col. Rolloth was a survivor of the failed den raid in the Falglaive system prior to the Chapter's establishment. After the Falglaive incident, he received prosthetics to replace his shattered legs and left arm, and a neural control interface to directly interface with them as well as any of the Knights' advanced powered exo-suits. As one of the first to join the Knights, and one with a growing amount of real battle experience, he has become a recruiting model for the organization. He has become a model for the Knightly Charge of Service.
---Captain Hirran Yol: Col. Rolloth's right hand, Cap. Yol was also a survivor at the Falglaive incident. She is an expert in countless forms of martial arts, and prior to joining the Knights owned a training center specializing in adapting ancient techniques to low- and zero-gravity environments. After the Falglaive incident she received advanced optical implants to restore her vision. She is the model for the Knightly Charge of Discernment.
---Lieutenant Branson Hurst: A survivor at Falglaive with Yol and Rolloth, Branson Hurst has been taking over much of the training duty Captain Yol once performed. With their injuries and subsequent recovery, it became apparent Yol would not be as effective in training new recruits, so she passed much of her expertise to the more reserved Hurst. He was born into the Viridian Institute, but could never really call it home. While highly intelligent like his parents, he gravitated toward military service; unfortunately a general lack of respect within the faction for the military made his service too much of a chore and he left. Following a few stints with private policing units in the core worlds, he was recruited by the newly formed Order and quickly became a full-fledged Knight of Sol.
---Lieutenant Colonel Pratt Holland: Squadron leader aboard the Chateu Gaillard, Lt. Col. Holland is one of the most decorated pilots in The Order. While most of the medals were earned with the Mercin Republic Space Defense Force prior to his recruitment into the Knights, his skill and service since have catapulted him into the upper ranks. He is the model for the Knightly Charge of Sentinel.
---Lieutenant Colonel Sigurt Knutson: Captain of the Lionheart, Knutson is a highly experienced freighter pilot who frequently coordinated defensive convoy formations with his fellow captains on the dangerous "Huajin Run." With his tactics, he regularly turned pirate bands away with nothing more than space bricks with a few pea shooters aboard. Recruited into the Knights largely because he is the father of Gyrda Knutson.
---Specialist, Dr. Gyrda Knutson: Recruited into the Knights along with her mentor, Dr. Chelios Kirovic, she is conducting research in applying miniaturized gravity manipulation to the boots and hand weapons of the Knights. Dr. Knutson has chosen to work firsthand with a ground squadron in order to assist and gather data on field issues with the technology. She is embedded in Col. Rolloth's squad.
---Lt. Alexander 'Xander' Ellison: Fresh from his training at the Jupiter Chapter House, Lt. Ellison is a highly skilled fighter pilot with extensive experience in space and atmospheric environments. He acts like a typical "Top Gun" hot-shot, going so far as to call himself 'Maverick' over the comms. Luckily, his peers never encouraged that call-sign and it has yet to stick. His recruitment into the Knights of Sol was huge, as countless other mercenary and defense forces have been lined up at his door throughout his three seasons of top-5 finishes within the Inner Planets racing circuit.
---Lt. Marcus Harrison: Another fresh recruit from the JCH, Lt. Harrison has been a great complement to the brash nature of his wingman, Lt. Ellison. As 'Iceman,' Lt. Harrison has gained respect and full Knighthood within the order. His position allowed him to bring Lt. Ellison along to provisional active status in a recon detachment outside the more rigid squadron system, and the pair will be able to continue honing their skills. While growing up on Earth, Lt. Harrison was fascinated by fighter design and development, and planned to become a designer. When he showed skill as a test pilot for a small start-up, he started taking online courses in fighter tactics and training, thinking it could land him a test pilot job with one of the larger companies outside the Sol system. When the news from Styx arrived, along with a call for recruitment into the Knights of Sol, Marcus hesitated; 6 months later, Mr. Harrison became Lt. Harrison.
---Captain Leira Joun: Born on a border asteroid station and shuffled from ship to ship since the age of 7, Leira has a firm grasp on Spaceship life. Although she is one of the few that admits to being part of a raider band, she has dedicated herself wholeheartedly to the Knightly Charges, even becoming recognized as a model for 'Humility.' She refuses to admit that she is afraid of planets or crowded stations, but she has a knack for finding a way to stay aboard the ship at every opportunity. Her crew aboard the Lancer-class Frigate Retribution has been ready to accept her past and appear to be quite loyal.
---Lieutenant Orson Cassilas: As unlikely as it may seem, Lt. Cassilas has gotten along well with Cpt. Joun despite their vastly different histories, and is now one of her most loyal supporters. Lt. Cassilas had been assigned trade patrol duties along the lucrative, and relatively quiet, "Trans-Ursa" lines; his 18 years of experience in common law enforcement helped reinforce his strict formality and code-driven philosophy.

Unique Technology (If Applicable):
-The Knights field a body armor that is a combination of metal, ceramic and fiber composites, and a non-Newtonian liquid chamber (shortened to MCNNL). The metals used help conduct thermal and electrical energy through the outer layer of the armor, as well as perform low-level penetration prevention. A ceramic-metal-fiber matrix backing also helps to insulate and redirect energy throughout the outside of the armor. Below these layers, a non-Newtonian liquid (typically called "quick-stop" fluid) helps to further absorb impact energies and distribute thermal energy throughout the suit. Joints are protected by a composite fiber/quick-stop fluid layer and maintain a high degree of flexibility for the wearer. Underneath the armor, the Knights wear a form-fitting compression-control biosuit, which functions as a full-fledged short-term EVA suit when paired with the power and fluid management backpack and an appropriate helmet. The backpack of the biosuit is fitted underneath the thick armor cuirass. The helmets offer quick-connects into the biosuit functions, and offer short-range communications, wide-spectrum vision, a full field of view via sensors (in addition to clear composite eye-slots that allow power-off forward visibility).

-The MCNNL construction of the body armor is also present in hand-held shields and various other protective equipment. A scaled-up version has also been adapted for use on many of the spacecraft designed for the Knights of Sol. Many Knight-specific ships also employ a specialized and reinforced hull plate with this technology resembling a shield and displaying the symbol of the Knights.

-Relatively common coil-gun technologies have been developed for hand-held rifles as well as kinetic weapons on Knights of Sol spacecraft. In addition, chemically-propelled "conventional" weapons are common to see due to their wide availability and low cost.

-Mace: The Knights of Sol are the beneficiaries of some massive Iridium deposits near the Brynt Chapter House, which has led to the creation of super-dense hand weapons that can deliver devastating amounts of kinetic energy in the right hands. Coupled with exosuit enhancements, a blow from this mace will easily damage or breach most door seals, dent or shatter armor, and pound one of the Knights' Tower Shields into virtually any surface for cover. Ongoing research into stabilizing denser elements is ongoing and promises to provide even more mass in the hand-held package.

-Mag-boots: Electromagnets are fitted into the soles of the standard kit boots for the Knights. These can keep them grounded on station or within ships without the need for full-EVA thruster gear, and special tactics using the magnetic properties have been developed within gravity as well.

-Neural enhancement: advanced biological growth techniques coupled with electronic interfaces allow those who undergo neural enhancement to have direct control and feedback when paired with a variety of technologies. This includes prostheses, implants, exosuits, and exoskeleton vehicles. Since the neural connections are low-range and are based on biological rather than pure electronic interfaces, they are not vulnerable to remote disruption or "hacking." The devices truly act as an extension for the brain to learn and grow with, like any other limb or body system. That said, the devices themselves may have multiple electronic-only systems, but the control and feedback pathways are as isolated and shielded from interference as an arm or leg encased in an armor shell.

-FTL travel is achieved through conventional hyperspace travel, though the drive system selected for use on Knights of Sol ships has a remarkable effect upon real-space re-entry dubbed the "White Knight Halo," which concentrates excess energy accumulated through travel into a spherical layer that emits at wavelengths from high in the radio range through low level X-rays. As an organization dedicated to protecting humanity, this design choice may help the Knights divert enemy attention away from friendly ships upon entry. Stealth or observation ships in development for the Knights of Sol will use more conventional and quieter hyperspace drive systems and will be specifically named. The FTL drive systems are not available on any "Small Ships" fielded by the Knights of Sol.

-"Beam Lance": Researchers developing a weapon for the Knights of Sol opted to use a combination of technologies to provide pinpoint attacks on the enemy. Beginning with a laser, the target is saturated with pure energy. Armor not developed for sustained thermal shock may fail under this load, but few installations or spacecraft fall under this category. Because of this, an accelerator was fitted alongside the laser, consisting of a series of powerful electromagnetic coils. When the weapon system is within close range, the coils guide accelerated charged particles at the target in a concentrated 2-second burst. If the target is close enough (500m or less), the particle divergence is lessened and the damage potential increases dramatically. Typically the laser and particle accelerator are able to overwhelm the capabilities of armor to the point where the systems within are at risk of failing. In order to ensure a mission kill, however, the coils are cycled once more to propel a kinetic slug into the energy-overloaded target.
<<Faction form as submitted 14 August, 2015>>

 

Knights of Sol Small Ships- Military


Falcon Combat Drone
Scoutman Interceptor
Squire Fighter/Bomber
Huntsman Fighter
Shieldbearer Fighter
Seneschal Fighter
Watchman Fighter
Templar Fighter
Turcopoli Fighter
Paricia Strike Fighter (League of Triton)
Phorcys Gunship (League of Triton)

 

Knights of Sol Large Ships- Military (Patrol, Corvette, and Frigate classes)


Footman Patrol Craft
Fencer Corvette
Pikeman Line Frigate
Lancer Frigate
Cetus Patrol Craft (League of Triton)
Opochtli Intercept Corvette (League of Triton)

 

Knights of Sol Large Ships- Military (Destroyer, Cruiser, Battleships, and Specialist Craft)


Harbinger Destroyer
Gens d'arme Destroyer
Mace Destroyer
Morningstar Battlecruiser
Zweihander Flagship
Trebuchet Specialist Craft
Longbow Specialist Craft
Shield Specialist Craft
Quartermaster Deep Space Specialist

 

Knights of Sol Non-Combat Vessels


Signifer Diplomatic Transport

 

Knights of Sol Military Carriers


Rampart Scout Carrier
Bastion Support Carrier
Tower Battlecarrier
Castle Assault Carrier
Durga Flagship Carrier (WIP shown above)