Knights of the Sundered Oak

KNIGHTS OF THE SUNDERED OAK:

Origins of the Order:

Founded by Kenneth F. McGregor in 1975 as an orphanage/half way house for runaways. Kenneth had always been a  closet King Arthur/crusades fan, so when he started the Knights, he based it on on Arthurian Knighthood/Chivalry and  Knightly Orders of the Crusades with modifications for modern life and current life styles. To include equality of gender  But the basic premise is still the same.. Quests and all.. Also the knights are non-religion specific.

DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATION:

• • NORMAL: Your normal run of the mill orphanage/halfway house.

  • ENGINEER: Research and Development (non-knights).

  • SERGEANT: Person not members of the Order but provide  a service. Or members who act as trainers, especially of the non-member orphans. Or a person who has not been apprenticed as a Squire but does serve in a crime fighting capacity.

  • HERALD: Communication and Heraldry.

  • KNIGHT: In many ways like the Guardian Angels of New York crime fighting fame.. All are normals or minor powered metas.

  • HOBILAR: Scouts, They are Knights, but wear lighter armor and perfom special projects.

  • QUESTOR: Those who quest. Your basic Super Powered individuals but with a common theme of knighthood (archaic looking body armor and such Meta/Low Level Powered Superheros, in basically arcahic armor but looks are decieving.

  • AVATAR: This would be your Lancelot, or your Roland, or some other knight/samurai or whatnot, of myth history that, being semi-immortal in the best "Once and Future King" mode, join the Order in the interests of furthering the ideals they served in their more "normal" existence on Earth. Often these are super-powered before they become knights. Or are some crime fighter who the order feels exemplifies what the order is about and sort of adopts them, most times with the consent of the "idol".

ORGANIZATIONAL MAKEUP OF THE ORDER:

The Round Table: Inner circle of the Knight Hood, made up of Kenneth McGregor (As Grandmaster), Select members of the Knights/Questors and also of average non-metas acting as advisers/supporters. Normal Round Table members are Grand Master, order office holders, branch/chapter commanders.  Each branch/chapter has a similar inner circle.

 Branches (Geographical Areas):

 Commanded by a Branch Commander. Organization is much the same as the order, with local differences.

 Chapter:

 In cities/small geographic areas, and may be more than one per city (depends on how large the city is).

 Langues 'tongues':

 Groups of Chapters based on language and area the  knight was residing in (Being discussed in council).

 Lance: (Basic Crime Fighting/Combat Team):

• • Knight Commander: 1

  • Squire: 1+

  • Sergeants: 2

  • Hobilar: 1

 RANKS IN THE ORDER:

• • BABE(Age 0-10): Foundlings, children of order members.

  • PAGE (Age 10-15): Are members who are learning the ways of knighthood while they serve. By observing the ways of their elders and doing those tasks assigned to them. Mostly to learn othger skills than ones for warfare.  After serving as pages, most become apprenticed and become squires. Those who are not sponsored by knights become Sergeants or potential Laurels.

  • FOSTER Persons who have been adopted out, most times the order keeps tabs on them, and may later ask them to join.

  • SERGEANT: Most times a person who is not apprenticed to a knight will be come a Sergeant to prove they can do the job.A Sergeant can be a former member who for what ever reason has given up active duty and is now a trainer.  Also can be a hireling, hired by the order to give support.

  • SQUIRE (Age 15-21+): Are members who are learning the ways of knighthood while they serve. Those who are confident in themselves, who show promise may become a knight. Normally a Squire is apprenticed to a knight. Basically when the squire is deemed ready to be a knight by their sponsor knight, the local will hold a council and decide who will become a knight. As there is  only so many positions for knight, competition is stiff.

  • CONFRERE KNIGHT (short timers): Who join as adults who are on a probationary tour for full Knighthood. 

  • KNIGHT (Age 21-whenever): Most aspirants must wait until age 21 to be knighted after serving six(6) years as squires. Persons knighted earlier are not unknown. But many never even become knights, and stay as Squires or as Sergeants.

  • LAUREL: Person who declines to become a member of the knighthood, but learns a skill other that being a knighthood (Doctors and  other necessary professions that are needed by the Order). Also is a person who is contracted to teach skills needed by the order, but which it does not have  resources to teach its self (sometimes called a Confrere Laurel).

  • MASTER AT ARMS: Person who is contracted to teach knights in skills necessary for their crime fighting development. Most time of  a combat nature, but not always.

  • KNIGHT BACHELOR (Non Gender Specific): Not a member of a Lance or of a Chapter House. Normally a person who was adopted out as a foster, but who still maintained contact and became a knight, but who can't be a normal member of the order (job,  geography and such).

  • KNIGHT BANNERET:: Member of a lance or chapter house. Also used for a person who acts as the Banner holder for the  Lance/Chapter house. Of this is a sign the person has done well in the order. It basically is an honorarium. 

  • KNIGHT COMMANDER: Head of a Lance.

  • CHAPTER COMMANDER: Head of a Chapter.

  • BRANCH COMMANDER: Head of a Branch. Normally in charge of all chapters in his/her area. 

  • GRAND MASTER: Head of the Order.

 OFFICES OF THE ORDER:

 (all office holders must be knights/laurels):

• • Grand Master: Head of the Order (Kenneth McGregor, but can be anyone of any gender).

  • Grand Commander: Commander of the forces of the Order.

  • Deputy Master: Takes care of the day to day matters of the Order.

  • MARSHAL: Personnel/Training Officer.

  • TREASURER: Treasurer.

  • HOSPITALLIER: Medical/Hospital.

  • QUARTERMASTER (TRAPIER): Supply and Logistics.

  • PASTOR: Religious/Psychological.

  • CONSTABLE: Law Enforcement.

  • TURCOPOLIER:   Charge of Sergeants.

  • Vogt of the Order: In charge of Orders property that is not used directly by chapter/branches. (stocks/bonds/land/etc..).

  • Techno of the Order: Charge of Research and Development.

 (All offices are repeated in a minor compacity in branches and chapters.) 

Connections to other groups and companies owned/operated by, founded by and associated with Kenit McGregor. Orphanages are often used to recruit potential knights. Securitron (Secure Inc) and its normal security, super powered security, robotic and cybernetic security and hiring agency for supers and like.

1988/2002/2013