Major Richard Henderson: Major Henderson the the CO for the Dark Knights. He is in his early 30's and has an extensive history as a FedCom veteran. He's a tall dark and ruggedly handsome man. He is the heir to a considerable amount of money and so is personally funding the startup of the Dark Knights. His goal is to have an elite mercenary unit that will help settle the situations in the Chaos March. He pilots a Black Knight 'mech and leads the Command Lance. Major Henderson is played by Bane, who is also the GM of the PBEM. Major Henderson is essentially the most prominant NPC we have met to date.
Mechwarrior James Steele: A mechwarrior in his late twenties, James Steele has a confident air about him at all times, often accented with a grin. He favors military fatigues while on duty with a black beret to top it off. Often has a smoldering cigarette sticking out of his mouth. He is currently in the Command Lance, piloting his Marauder named "Tempest". James Steele is played by Endosteel.
Mechwarrior Paul Zyles: This dusty-blonde-haired, blue eyed warrior is an obvious FedCom expatriot. He is often seen wearing his leather jacket which has a few choice opinions stuck to or sewn onto it, including the FedCom logo, and a Word of Blake logo that's crossed out with the words "Free Terra" under it. He has also been known to wear a tee-shirt with the FedSuns logo dominating the torso. The small limp his left leg has doesn't diminish his 'mech fighting capabilities in the least. He chooses his shots well, and places them where they count, often watching out for his comrades as well as himself. He and his Caesar: "Retribution" are a welcomed site on the battlefield to any Knight in trouble. He partakes of battle while stationed in the Command Lance. Paul Zyles is played by Tarq.
Lt. Jarek: Jarek is a mechwarrior who takes the ideals of the Dark Knights upon himself. Assigned to the Command Lance, he immediatly took the company owned Archer given to him and made it look the part of a Dark Knight. It's dark metalic paint catches the local system's sun, often glinting majestically. A band of the Dark Knight's livery wraps around each arm and leg, in addition to a band across the chest of the massive machine. On its right shin appears a sun with long rays being blotted out by the silhoette of a fully armored knight, holding his sword above his head. Below the knight the glistening name "Galahad" is painted. A fitting mount for the Dark Knight XO. Jarek is played by Ravezero
1st Lt. Jake Kell: Jake Kell is a distant cousin of Phelan Ward/Kell of the Wolf Clan in Exile. This does not mean an easy ride for Jake, however. He goes through life on his own merits and owes nothing to his famous cousin's name. A highly compitent infantryman, he commands the foot platoon. He's also Chief of Security for any residence the Knights might currently occupy, whether it's the hold of a dropship or the northern hemisphere of a planet. He and most of his men are ex-special forces, well trained in modern infantry warfare. Kell himself was NIAS trained. You can feel the energy of the young man the moment he walks in the room. He often uses this energy to make the ladies notice him. Among his "confirmed kills" in this area is an on-duty Wolf's Dragoon's Lieutenant. (so he claims) Jake Kell is played by Banshee.
Mechwarrior John Hamilton: An average man by all accounts, John is just another face in the crowd. His pale complexion gave the Dark Knight medical personnel a start however, worrying if there was a possible health issue, or just a lack of sun. (He assures us it's the latter...so much time spent behind the solarized canopy of a 'Mech tends to do that to some) His short cropped hair is a testiment of his devotion to being a mechwarrior. While it isn't shaved off, the crew-cut is short enough to give him the better connection to his neurohelmet so many pilots swear by. Almost never seen without his maroon cloak while off duty, it's become somewhat of his symbol among the Knights. Whether or not it's a fasion statement or has a meaning to him isn't known, but if you ask, we're sure he'll tell you. The two things he is most adamant about (and the easiest way to start a conversation with him) is following in his mechwarrior-father's footsteps (from where his passed-down handle "The Count" springs) and being a loyal Davionist. So loyal in fact that when asked about his AFFC background, he refers to it as "The Davion Military."
John Hamilton is played by The Count
Pilot Benjamin M. Pryde: The unit's only Free Worlds League ex-patriot is also one of the only two aerospace pilots currently in the Knights. Callsign "Eagle's Pryde" harolds his days in the FWLM, and the Knights know well why the Eagle was proud. His Stingray fighter is still adorned with the parade colors and the symbol of the 3rd Free Worlds Guards, except for the Dark Knights emblem on his wing. His impressive kill score is stenciled under and in front of the canopy, currently at 8 aerospace fighters, 4 'mechs, and 6 vehicles, all confirmed. His colorful battlespeak can be heard over all of the Knights tacticle frequencies whenever the Eagle's Pryde is in the air. Benjamin Pryde is played by Medron
Lt. Tokugawa Hiroshi: The other of the unit's invaluable aerospace pilots, Tokugawa is a master of strategy and multi-tasking. He continuesly is monitoring his radar, not only for himself, but to transmit information to his ground-based comrades. He does this simultaniously with conducting strafing runs on enemy units, and keeping the sky clear of danger. His Slayer fighter is perfectly suited for a recon mission since an optional booster seat can hold a field commander high above the battlefield. He is an unimposing man of average highth and slight build, but one can clearly see great character in his peircing eyes. His goatee is as trim as his fighting style, a style which is purely functional. He leaves the flares to his comrades and concentrates on the mission, often giving up adding to his kill board to ensure a successful mission if the need is there. The only things that denotes him of his DCMS history is the Kurita-style flight suit and small dragon symbol of the Draconis Combine pendant made of peirced stainless steel he wears. His callsign "Kinkaku" is harold to the reasurance his comrades have when they know he is above them. Kinkaku translated means "Faithful Service". Tokugawa Hiroshi is played by Hat
Lt. Yoshido Akai: Not many would mistake this man for an expert warrior by first glance. He walks with a cane and has a limp. However on a closer look one will realize that the limp is quite light and he is definetly not handicapped. A warrior's blood flows in his veins, and he shows it on the battlefield. His career in the DCMS was mostly spent in the cockpit of a Panther, although now he pilots a unit-owned Wolverine in the Strike Lance. Initially, others felt he might take some time to acclimate to the new 'mech, and for the first few moments those others seemed to be right. He soon proved them wrong though, learning to master his new machine within mere minutes of first turning the reactor on-line. People not used to the Japanese language or life around those with accents will have a tough time first understanding Yoshido, for his accent is thick and his english is stilted. This proves to be no drawback, however, for his body-language on the battlefield is strait-forward skill. Yoshido Akai is played by Athos
Mechwarrior Alistair Gunan:KIA When most people hear the name Alistair, unbidden images of pampered royalty spring into their mind. Alistair Gunan, however, is far from that image. The 6 foot tall mechwarrior's thin face is scar-laden, most prominantly around his left eye. He claims no House loyalty, as almost any nobility would, and he pilots a 'mech like he was born in one. His Wraith which he lovingly refers to as "Roach", acts as if his body fuses into it up opon reactor startup. He's known for his risk-taking, often making his commanding officers miss a heartbeat or two. While his risks fail as often as they succeed, he has yet to fail to pull out of danger and win in the end. An admirable trait for a member of the Strike Lance. Alistair Gunan was played by Randgar
Mechwarrior Richard Monroe: Rick appears to be approaching his third decade of life...prime time for an Inner Sphere mechwarrior! A man of average heighth, short brown hair (for neurohelmet contact), and green eyes, he and his Orion "Ares" joined the Knights after the Innova Contract. They could have used him earlier. A man who likes to keep it simple when not in the cockpit, his attire is usually a plain shirt, pair of jeans and some black boots. While simple, none of them are tattered...in fact they usually look to be new or at least kept up. The topper to the ensamble is his brown jacket...the jacket who's tell-tale jingle lets the other Knights know just who it is that walked in the room without looking. A former Leftenant in the AFFC, when in the cockpit his simplisity fades. Taking his job seriously, especially when in a position of command, many Knights value his opinion. His tactics, if necesary can have a tinge of recklessness in them, however he takes the situations very seriously, never considering war a game. His values fit well within the Knights, as is apparent by his disgusted reaction when learning of the Innova incident in where a now disbanded Knight shot and killed an unarmed child in the head with a improperly-set stunner while attempting to extract information.
Rick Monroe is played byBJ
Lt. Satoro Takashi: While his name might indicate a Draconis ancestry, this young man is born and bred in the Federated Commonwealth. His father was an ex-patriot of House Kurita and his mother was a native FedCom citizen. This mix gives him a unique euro-asian blend of features that most women refer to as "exoticaly handsome", a look that his wireframe glasses only add to. While his callsign "Sakurabe" may be Japanese for Scarab, his affection for his friends to call him Sato marks him even further as FedCom. His 'mech of choice is a Spector, however the Dark Knights have yet to feild one. In the mean time, he commands the Recon Lance in the unit owned Pheonix Hawk. Satoro Takashi is played by Wombat
1st Lt. Kyle Mathis: A taller than average man, standing 6'4" with dark brown hair, Kyle has a hard look in his eyes and a look of concentration always on his plain face. A cigar either protrudes from his mouth or his breast pocket at all times. A nasty burn scar starts at his left jawline and dissapears into his collar, although he doesn't seem to move with any limited motion. Sharp observers notice the burn is also protruding from the wrist cuff on his left arm, covering his hand, leaving to the imagination the extent of the injury. His voice is gravely, but not to the point of irritation, rather to the point of a growl, and he occasionally winces before he talks, although the reason may not be pain. In addition, he doesn't talk much, possibly loosening up once he gets settled, or once placed in a combat situation. He is always looking at people, sizing them up with what looks to be an experienced eye. Kyle wears three visible weapons, one semi-autopistol on his right hip, one revolver on his left, and a vibro-blade on the back of his belt. Sharp observers also note a small silver studded earing in his left ear. It has a symbol on it, but it isn't recognizable. On the field he tries to think many steps ahead of the current situation from both his unit's and the enemy's point of view, often stalking or sitting in wait of his current prey. In his former FedCom unit, this earned him the callsign "Orion", the name of the Great Hunter in ancient Terran mythology. Kyle commands the anti-mech jump infantry of the Knights, a relatively new section of Inner Sphere militaries, and almost unheard of except in the more prominant mercenary units. He himself owns a suit of battle armor he claims to have purchased with his entire estate. The battle armor, a standard medium suit, is painted all black with flames reaching up from the ankles and wrists, the tonges of the flame just barely reaching the knees and elbows. The only other feature on the suit is the golden halo painted on the suit's helmet, a testament to the suit's name given to it by Kyle: "Archangel". Kyle Mathis is played by Orion
Mechwarrior Qolen Kurita: KIA Definetly one of our most colorful member histories, Qolen is an ex-Smoke Jaguar, made bondsman by a Kuritan mechwarrior while fighting on Luthien. He has left his bondservice and now seeks to honor himself once more on the battlefield, with a unit that will expand his horizons, not narrow them like oppresive clan or Kuritan society. Obviously, a Clan-trained mechwarrior has an edge on the battlefield, and Qolen shows it. He has shown that while his 'mech prowess is impressive, his tactical mind looks only a short distance ahead, as is normal Clan doctrine. He is slowly, but surely, changing his mindset. The rest of his mind, however, was never deeply ingrained into Clan society. This oportunity is something he couldn't pass up. He pilots a unit-owned Blackjack in the Strike Lance Qolen Kurita was played by Kennyslayer
Master Tech Droopy Melvin Stenk: Relieved of Duty Until Further Notice That's his real name, folks, and it makes you instantly realize why he refuses to answer to anything but his callsign, "Smoke Bunny". Upon first look, a twinge of madness can be seen in his eyes and upon further inspection, it's even more apparent. Don't let that fool you however, Smoke Bunny is one of the greatest techs many will ever see. He is in strict command of his tech underlings (if not his senses), demanding utmost quality from thier work. If asked about any item that has anything close to a tech standpoint, his eyes glaze over and he can go on for hours about the little details and philosophical meaning in every nut and bolt. In fact, he has, on a number of times, driven his students away with such a method, however we do not know if this is intentional, ensuring only the absolute best stay, or if he's just unwittingly being himself. Suffice it to say, he's an integral part to the Dark Knights and without him or his master techs, our machines would be falling apart at our heels. Just remember if he wants to "try something" to your machine, say no. While the results will no doubt be amazing, it may not be what you were after. He's an endering member of the unit, and someone that is well protected by his warrior comrades. They consider him one of them, after all, if you give him a wrench and welding torch, he'll take to the battlefield himself and start dissasembling enemy 'mechs as they battle around him. Smoke Bunny was played by Adrian
2nd Lt. Devin Thomas: If it wasn't for this man's immence muscular bulk, he wouldn't be someone that you would remember in passing. His plain features and hair don't seem to fit his thick body, but this matters little to him. Often mistaken for rude, his blunt dimeaner has gotten him into, and out of, a lot of trouble. During the times he isn't being blunt, he is usually joking, but the comical nature of his words seem to pass over most peoples' heads due to the fact that he is known for speaking his mind. Therefor, they believe if he says it, he must mean it. He seems to fit in just right with the Knights, however. While many speculate at the nature of his obtaining the battle armor he wears into combat, none argue that it isn't a valuable addition to the unit. Careful listeners will notice a decidedly FedCom accent behind his words. His large stature make him perfect for his role as the unit's only other Armored Infantryman. His official role is the Second in command of the Anti-Mech Platoon, however he is often actually used as the unit's wild card, either at 1st Lt. Mathis' or Major Henderson's request. In addition, while officially the Second in command, Kyle has never considered Devin to be anything less than equal, often attributing his placement as Platoon Leader to the simple fact that Devin didn't want it.
Devin Thomas is played by Blake
Mechwarrior Chris Cauldwell: KIA Often one to go incognito and assess a situation before he enters it, Chris seems to always be a part of the background. Studied eyes peer from beneath his brow and sharp ears pick up scant sounds. Small details are things Chris notices almost without effort. Most Knights consider him someone they want with them if they are entering a situation they know nothing about. Once you get to know him, the sharp awareness that Chris has seems to creep into you by the way you can read his subtleties. More than a few consider him their auxilary "eyes and ears". Chris got his start in the Dark Knights by substitute piloting the company's Wolverine in the Strike Lance while Yoshido Akai was on other duties. Chris Cauldwell was played by Randy
Mechwarrior Viktor Suvorov: Viktor is an unassuming man, normally softspoken and polite. His looks, often described as "intriguing" rather than handsome, give him the look of a trueborn Davion with his dirty blonde hair and rich blue eyes. However this Mechwarrior in his late twenties hails from the Saint Ives Compact, a realm so recently torn assunder by a vicious war. He is a man of average stature, not one that stands out in a crowd. Unless he's in the cockpit or talking of the Capellan Confederation's attack on his home (a story better told with a few bottles of vodka, according to the man), it is hard to get a rise out of him. And many of the other Knights have tried! He fits in well, often meeting their jibes and jokes head on and with well-directed parries. His command skills are obvious when looking at his former career; he commanded a company in the First Lancers and fought along side Duke Allard-Liao himself. He decided upon the reunification of the two waring nations that he would be happier as a Dark Knight rather than as a warrior of House Liao in the CCAF. The Knights, for one, realize thier benefit in his decision.
Viktor Suvorov is played by Chris
