Knights of the Void

Backdrop

In the darkness of space, the light of freedom is dimming. Once, a great republic spanned galaxies, uniting all sorts of people of different shapes, sizes, and colors with their shared freedom. The guardians of that freedom were the Knights of the Void, men and women that accessed immense power by becoming one with the void of space, removing everything from their minds except the threads of Animus. In their ships, they traveled the starways solving problems and eliminating threats to the republic.

In these dark days, though, a tyrant has risen. One Knight ventured too far for too much power, and destroyed an entire sun with his insane experiment, turning it into a black hole that he claims his newfound dark powers come from. The Knight, Ghalen, has declared himself God-King of the Universe, and the armies he commands have spread throughout the galaxy, enforcing his rule and killing all true Knights they can find.

Organization, Faith, and Charter

You and your brethren are the last true Knights left that you know of. You believe in Animus as the life and the freedom that all sentient beings have a right to. Light Animus is freedom; Dark Animus is a chain to bind people.

The Knights have no organization to speak of - they have always been a body of equals. Even inductees into the Knights - apprentices - have an equal voice. Now that the numbers of the Knights have been so diminished, you and your brethren (the party of player characters) must make decisions for yourselves.

Code

Minor Laws

A Knight must empty his heart and fill it with Void, rather than base decisions on emotion.
A Knight must never use his abilities for personal gain.
A Knight must respect life in all its forms.

Major Laws

A Knight must fight tyranny wherever he finds it.
A Knight must never act out of love, fear, or hate.

Unbreakable Law

A Knight must never exert his power in order to rule others.

Arms

Knights all carry holo-swords, lightweight rods that can, with the flick of a button, emit a holographic image of a sword. This image is reinforced with tremendous amounts of positive ions, charging the air enough to let it rip through metal, flesh, and bone. These swords are cannot be used by anyone but a Knight - without their control over Animus, the ions scatter freely and harmlessly.

The swords' characteristic hum is known throughout the galaxies, though, and is thought of as either the voice of freedom or the harbinger of death.

Power

The Knights' connection to the Void allows them to perform acts impossible to other beings. They can:

Perform amazing feats of strength, agility, and endurance.
Move objects (including themselves and others) using only their concentration.
See the emotions that cloud hearts.
Inspire others and release them from their bonds.
Ignore the perils of the physical Void, space.