The White Knights

After the evil Queen Yocasta was toppled from power, Queen Amber promised not to follow her evil path, and she spoke of human rights. The prisons were emptied of political prisoners, the borders were opened, and the death penalty was abolished for all crimes except murder. Unfortantly the revolutionaries went too far too fast, and by mistake they set free a large number of robbers, rapists, gangsters and never-do-wells along with the innocent people. Crime exploded upwards. Murders, extortion and rapes happened every day. The killers and rapists did not hesitate to target City Guards, nobles, women and small children. Somthing had to be done if Valermoore City were not to become a pit of hell.

In desperation, the children of some of the murdered City Guards formed the 'White Knights', their stated aim being to help the City Guards crack down on crime. These first knights wore black leather jackets with their *colours* upon them, which were two crossed batons and the helmet of the City Guards. Jewelrey of that symbol became common and not only the knights wore it.It became a symbol of support.

Even in those early days some of the knights went over the top, manhandling and beating criminals and even occasionly murdering them, but such was the problem with crime that a blind eye was turned to it. Six months passed and the crime wave was brought to an end at last. Two thirds of the knights had a final parade and disbanded, but there were those who, through zeal or enjoyment, did not want to give up, and, with genuine criminals now far harder to catch, began picking on ordinary citizens who smoked, drank, or committed minor breaches of the law.

As you can imagine, the support they had enjoyed rapidly vanished. After they ended up beating a girl so hard that she died, everybody from Queen Amber at the top to the poor at the bottom were furious. The knights were declared illegal. A few, who had murdered people,ended up on the gallows, whilst many more were thrown into prison or thrown out of town.No more could they openly wear their *colours* in public.

The honest knights had long since disbanded, those that remained in secret chapters were bitter and twisted. Five chapters remain to this day, two in Pier Point, two in Valermoore City and one in the Crystal City. Some have parents who are City Guards, others are City Guards or prison warders,and one or two of the chapter heads are nobles. There are wizards within their ranks, who cast spells on the tankards of drinkers to make the alcohol super strong, or cast spells to strengthen the effects of drugs to deadly levels. Others assault or even murder people and make it look like a *normal* crime.

None now wear their colours although a few keep them secretly at home in locked chests and look at them occasionly. They wear hidden amulets which help identify a knight to another knight. None will drink alcohol or take drugs-those citizens who do are considered the enamy. Where once they were loved by the citizens, now they are hated and despised by nearly everybody. The different chapters only come together once a year to decide what to do and what types of people to target.