OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on Kaida's group.
Image Credit: Here.
Role: Public order force. They are a national gendarmerie charged with maintaining law and order aboard the Defiance, the Shadow Knights' worldship, as well as the rest of the nomad fleet.
Permissions: N/A.
Links: Eldorai, Kaeshana, Kar'zun, To Hell and Back, Kaida, The Defiance, Vashyada, Eldorai Exodus, Twin Exiles, Xioquo, Qadiri.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Unit Name: Vigiles.
Affiliation: Shadow Knights, Court of the Shadows, Asuran Star Combine.
Classification: Gendarmerie.
Equipment:
Armour:
- Stormtrooper Armour (Equivalent)
- Headbanger
- E-11D Carbine
- Concussion Rifle
- SWE/2 Sonic Rifle
- R-88 Suppressor riot rifle
- SX-21 Scatterblaster
Melee:
Vehicles:
Explosives:
- Concussion Grenades (Sonic), Flashbang Grenades, Glop Grenades, EMP Grenades, Smoke Grenades, and Breaching Grenades. Sometimes equipped with coma gas and tear gas grenades.
Description: The Shadow Knights are a group of Eldorai renegaded and dissidents that was formed in response to the desolation of Kaeshana. The basis of the Shadow Knight society is a heavily militarised nomad fleet. In Shadow Knight society, service guarantees citizenship. Only those who have performed military service are considered full citizens and have the right to vote, and only those who have served with distinction can run for high office. This has produced a highly stratocratic society and makes military service very prestigious. The Shadow Knights are focused on the protection of their migrant fleet, and lack the resources to conquer large planetary domains.
Within this framework, the Vigiles perform the duties of a gendarmerie and public order force. The group is very militarised, but has policing duties. The Defiance, as the Shadows call their worldship, is essentially a city on the move with several million inhabitants. This means that they need a force to deal with crime, especially from armoured groups, riots, civil unrest and so on. Having a specialised force for this that has more punch than a civilian police force frees up regular soldiers. They have the equipment and training to deal with hostile armed grooups. The selection process is quite stringent, though this also restricts recruitment a bit.
In contrast to regular army units, the Vigiles answer to the Court of Justicars rather than the Court of War. Their Court is responsible for all law enforcement personnel. In Shadow Knight society, the head of a Court holds the title of Magister. They are indirectly elected by the people they govern. In short, all members of a Court elect a body of voters, who then pick the Magister. This is in keeping with the Shadows' corporativist beliefs, based on which segments of society are organised into holistic bodies and integrated into the government. Service guarantees citizenship in Shadow Knight society, and serving in the Vigiles counts as equal to military service. Fittingly, they have military-style ranks.
The bulk of the corps is concentrated on the Defiance, where the gendarms maintain various local offices. The Vigiles typically patrol in pairs and are always armed. However, they are supposed to exhaust other options before utilising lethal measures, unless this is necessary to protect themselves and the community. For this reason, they have access to potent, but nonlethal riot suppression gear such as Headbangers and coma gas. They also handle security at civilian hangars. Visitors who enter the worldship will commonly be vetted by them, as the gendarms act as a customs and point of entry control of sorts. The gendarms greet any visitors, and make sure they are aware of the laws of the community. This included laws against assault, brandishing weapons in public, slander, threats and vigilantism. The Shadow Knights do not accept anyone's jurisdiction other than their own on the Defiance. Vigilantes who refuse to acknowledge this are treated as criminals. This would also include Jedi, in the very rare event that any are let aboard in the first place.
In keeping with this, the Vigiles are charged with fighting trafficking, smuggling and so on. While they are primarily an internal security force, they can be placed under the command of the Court of War in case of an emergency, such an attack on the Defiance. They also provide security during public events, such as parades, rallies and memorials. Likewise, they combat crimes such as slavery and other forms of exploitation. Aside from their headquarters on the Defiance, the Vigiles have a presence on other vessels of the nomad fleet. Moreover, they have access to starfighters and shuttles.
Befitting their policing role, many of their weapons are nonlethal, but they also have access to lethal weapons. Sonic weapons are particularly effective against other Eldorai due to their sensitive hearing. In addition, sonics are good against Force-Users. This is important because the elves tend to produce a higher proportion of Force-Users than humans. Some of the Vigiles' duties can overlap with those of the regular armed forces, which has been the cause of friction between the Courts. Moreover, the Shadow Knights are a rebel coalition and so certain leaders resent being controlled by the centre. Factions have tried to sway the corps to their side. In order to maintain the trust of the community, the conduct of the Vigiles must be beyond reproach.
COMBAT INFORMATION:
Unit Size: Large
Unit Availability: Rare
Unit Experience: Trained.
Combat Function: The Vigiles are a militarised police force responsible for maintaining law and order, crowd control, riot suppression, combating crime and profiteering in the Shadow Knight nomad fleet. Their remit is focused on the Defiance, but they can also be found on other vessels that constitute the nomad fleet. The Vigiles patrol the vessels and deal with disturbers of the peace, as well as more serious threats such as rioters, armed criminal groups, gangs and terrorists.
They are the primary law enforcement organ, though the Shadows also have more specialised groups. The Vigiles are also responsible for the safety of prisons and securing prisoners, excluding special ones handled by the army. They also have specialists responsible for the disposal of explosive ordnance. They provide security at points of entry, vet newcomers and inform them of any pertinent laws. Moreover, they provide security at public events and key locations.
If need be, the Vigiles can be mobilised to defend the nomad fleet against external aggressors. The Vigiles maintain an aerospace arm of sorts, though they obviously lack big ships. The members of the group receive military training and equipment, but are also trained in policing duties. However, a lot of their equipment is army surplus and thus tends to be older than what galactic militaries often field. They are gendarms, and while brave suffer in sustained, front-line combat. The Vigiles have been deployed in military operations. When this occurs, they tend to operate in an auxiliary capacity to the regular soldiers. They also provide military police services then.
Strengths:
- The force is trained to keep the peace in the nomad fleet, suppress civil unrest and eliminate criminal elements, while avoiding collateral damage. Its members are militarised police, not frontline soldiers, but well-trained and equipped to fulfil their duties. They are trained in both lethal and nonlethal conflict resolution.
- They can be deployed in large numbers and are good at crowd control. If need be, they can be mobilised to defend the worldship against external aggressors, assisting the regular soldiers. They are disciplined, loyal and mobile.
- While the force includes several reservists and combat veterans, they are a public order police force, not frontline soldiers. This has implications when they face enemies that go beyond their usual remit. They lack tanky armour, heavy weapons and the training for pitched frontline combat. They are gendarmns, nothing more, nothing less.
- They are meant to keep the peace in the nomad fleet. This means they are deployed in the confines of starships and space stations as well as urban environment. They are not a good for unconventional warfare in a jungle, guerrilla warfare or similar.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The Shadow Knights were born in the hour of cataclysm, namely during the devastation of Kaeshana and the Eldorai Exodus. Composed of Eldorai rebels, survivalists and dissidents, they sought to build a new future for their race unbound by the three pillars of crown, temple and nobility. Electing to stay behind on war-ravaged Kaeshana rather than flee to Tygara, they provided protection to surviving Eldorai communities, defending them against slavers, warlords and other menaces. The events of the Kaeshana Rebellion and the subsequent First Order takeover of the planet forced the rebels to leave the ancestral homeworld and seek out a new home in the stars.
From then onward, their efforts would be centred on a nomadic migrant fleet. It was apparent to the leaders of the survivalist movement that they would need to rebuild their military forces, which had taken significant losses during the conflicts back on desolated Kaeshana. Composed of hardened partisans, ex-soldiers who had deserted from the Eldorai army, volunteers and conscripts, the Caerith Darin represented the common troopers of the Eldorai exiles.
The Vigiles came into being during the Long Night on Kaeshana. Disparate forces of Eldorai insurgents, Naesala's personal strike force, deserters from the Eldorai army and militias formed by the Forsaken were brought together to create a protective force. The origins of the group were humble. Settlements of survivors and wandering caravans formed militias to protect themselves from attackers, maintain law and order and guard supply depots. Some of them were composed of honest defenders, others were corrupt criminals. Many were a mixed bag. Quite a few were beholden to local revolutionary leaders. The Shadows tried to centralise policing in the areas under their protection. By order of the Council, the Vigiles were founded to enforce the law, protect the people, combat slavers, banditry and profiteering. They would also enforce rationing. Equipped with army surplus gear and staffed with a mixture of former militia, civilians who had taken up arms as well as deserters and former revolutionaries, they faced many hurdles.
Regular payment was a serious issue. Some groups that were nominally part of the Shadow Knights' coalition refused to accept outsiders as a police force, others tried to corrupt it. A number of officers and rank and file members had to be purged for corruption and other offences. Though meant for policing, the Vigiles also had to face combat on the front, acting as a reserve force where needed. An example would be the Battle of Kaeshana. They were also deployed during natural disasters such as flood and quakes to rescue survivors. The methods the Vigiles used to bust up criminal gangs were harsh, but it was a harsh time where survival took priority. They built small outposts and blockhouses to provide safe zones. The Vigiles were also deployed to clamp down on hoarding.
In the aftermath of the Kaeshana Rebellion and the formation of a nomad fleet, the Vigiles were reformed. Per official decree, all police forces and public order forces in the fleet were to be brought under the control of the newly formed Court of the Justicars. This led to friction and indeed mutinies. Loyal Vigiles were deployed to suppress the unrest. The Vigiles were restructured as a force that could enforce the law and also act as a military police where needed. Deployed throughout the Defiance, the worldship and 'capital' of the Shadows, they became a visible presence. New regulations were issued to stop abuse of power and make the force more accountable.
After the Shadows conducted a recruitment drive on Tygara, several of the Eldorai's 'cousins' entered the corps. There was a logic to this, as the Tygaran elves were not connected to any Eldorai faction and could thus be considered more neutral. Racist Eldorai took offence at being policed by them. Nonetheless, Qadiri in particular soon became common among the members of the Vigiles. The Vigiles were deployed in large numbers after the Defiance received an influx of new inhabitants. Long story cut short, Kaeshana was dragged through the warp due to aftershocks of the Netherworld Event. This cataclysmic event devastated the already desolate planet even further. When the planet emerged from the warp, it was on the other side of the galaxy. The Shadow Knights dispatched a task force to investigate and rescue any survivors.
The rebels were able to evacuate scattered bands of survivors, such as the Harrowed and the Sicarii. Then they left Kaeshana. It forced them to acknowledge that if they wanted a home, they would have to build it, for the old was lost forever. A solemn ceremony was held on the Defiance to mourn the dead. The Archon gave a speech that was broadcast to the nomad fleet. Kaeshana was lost. The elves could overcome their squabbles and build a better future, or follow it into the pit. The Shadow Knights were the vanguard of the Asuran people. It was their mission to safeguard and protect their people, for no one else would. They had to be the sword and the torch, protecting the Asurans against threats and guiding them to freedom. Only then would they be honouring those who had been lost on Kaeshana. However, the reunion was accompanied by riots.
During the evacuation, the Forsaken and the Shadow Knight task force sent to rescue received visions of the past. These showed that the Eldorai had enlisted the aid of humans to defeat the Kar'zun, and then covered it up. This made their victory over their hereditary enemies a lot less glorious. However, the visions also showed that Ariane had been less of a butcher than the Kar'zun remembered her as. Eldorai nationalists, angered by what they regarded as an insult to their people, rioted in the streets.
Protesters who believed the visions were true and that the Eldorai should denounce the lies of the Queens of yore and join with the Kar'zun clashed with those who believed the visions were lies that spat on the sacrifices of Eldorai patriots. Fighting broke out in the streets. Some of the refugees were attacked. There were cases of arson and looting, as some disturbers of the peace tried to take advantage of the unrest, seeing it as a chance to loot. The Vigiles were deployed in large numbers to quell the disturbances. Many of those who were mobilised to keep the peace were Qadiri. The Tygarans were less disposed to be concerned about ancient Kaeshana history. Their own very nasty history of war was fresher, and they had no intention of getting wrapped up in the Eldorai wars.
After all, for the Qadiri and Vash at least...the outsiders had helped them. Either way they set to work dispersing the crowds, with speeches if possible, with stun and sonic if not. Sonic weapons especially on a low setting were extremely effective against Eldorai for crowd control. The Court banned marches and public protests, and the Vigiles remained alert throughout the night. Several arrests were made. Eventually calm was restored.
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