Also called Demon Knights, these men and women have been recruited from the most deadly and dangerous of the humans sympathetic to the Host’s cause. Created by the Unholy over 600 years ago, the Order of the Demonhead was meant to provide a sense of purpose and order to his human minions, very similar to that which is provided by the knightly orders under the sway of the Cathedral.

Seeing the value of creating a knighthood that would hold similar loyalties to the Host, the Unholy formed the Order of the Demonhead so that those humans who showed promise would have a proper place within his armies and would have something worthwhile to aspire to. The humans masses enslaved within demon controlled cities saw the Order as a way to better their miserable lives, even if it was at the service of their conquerors (to whom their lives belonged anyway, so why not at least gain something from the situation?).

Shortly after its creation, the Order of the Demonhead released into the armies of Darkness its Demon Knights, many of whom turned out to be more ruthless and dangerous than most of their non-human comrades. It was not long before the Forces of Light realized that something new had been unleashed upon them - unfortunately, their teacher was an increased death toll in battle.

Hardened by the extreme training methods that proved to be the end of nearly 90% of their recruits (after all, the Unholy has tens of thousands of conquered humans to "recruit" from), the ones who complete their squireship go on to be some of the most feared warriors upon the field. As their training forges their bodies and skills with deadly precision, so to does it forge the squires' personality and beliefs into vile, deranged tools of evil.

Often used as warlords and commanders of important operations and armies, such is the devastating skill of the Demon Knights that the Unholy is reluctant to squander their small number in fruitless, random battles or upon the frontlines. Many of the Host's non-human minions see this favoritism (earned though it is) as unfair and misplaced, inferior as the humans are to their supernatural might. This sense of superiority over humans, even over the Demon Knights, has forced more than one Demon Knight to make a brutal example within his command to ensure that his orders are followed.

Through the long centuries of their service, the Demon Knights have gained recognition and a grudging respect from the Knightly Orders of Light who have been forced to acknowledge the ability and skill of their evil counterparts. Many a Templar and Hospitaller has met his or her end at the hands of these evil humans, causing the knights of the Cathedral and of Dark to be the bitterest of enemies.

Although there have been no confirmed cases of any Demon Knights turning against the Unholy, either to attain power for himself or to return to the Light, there have been rumors that several Apoks were once of this evil order.

Note: These characters are meant to be used only as NPC villains and not as player characters because of their ultimately evil nature.

1. Special Hand to Hand Combat: The Demon Knights have developed their own school of martial training, combining hand to hand and weapons knowledge into a deadly, unique art.

Level

1 Starts with two attacks per melee round, body flip/throw, body block/tackle, +1 to parry and dodge.

2 +2 to initiative, +1 to strike, +3 to roll with punch/fall/impact, +2 to disarm.

3 +One additional attack per melee, paired weapons, +1 to all combat bonuses (including damage) with a selected W.P.

4 +2D6 M.D.C., Karate kick attack (2D6 damage), +2 vs horror factor.

5 Advanced understanding and training grants a +1 bonus to the A.R. of any worn armor, up to a maximum of 18. +1 to initiative, parry and dodge, and +3 to pull punch.

6 +One additional attack per melee, automatic dodge, +1 to body flip/throw and body block/tackle.

7 +1 to all combat bonuses (including damage) with a selected W.P. This may be the same W.P. as chosen at level 3. Critical Strike on a natural 18 to 20.

8 +2D6 M.D.C., +2 to damage, +2 to disarm, +2 to automatic dodge.

9 +One additional attack per melee, +2 to roll with punch/fall/impact, jump kick.

10 +1 to initiative, +1 to strike, Death Blow on 19 to 20.

11 +1 to all combat bonuses (including damage) with a selected W.P. This may be the same W.P. as chosen at levels 3 and/or 7. +1 to automatic dodge.

12 +One additional attack per melee, +1 to damage, +1 to disarm.

13 +1 to parry and dodge, +2 to roll with punch/fall/impact, + to pull punch.

14 Advanced understanding and training grants a +1 bonus to the A.R. of any worn armor, up to a maximum of 18. +1 to automatic dodge.

15 +One additional attack per melee, Critical Strike on a natural 17 to 20!

2. O.C.C. Bonuses: 1D4x10+50 M.D.C. (S.D.C. in other environments), +4 to save vs horror factor, +1 to initiative, +1 attack per melee, +2 P.S., and +1 to all bonuses with one weapon type of their choice as decided at level one (e.g.: swords, knives, axes, etc.).

3. P.P.E.: 4D6+10, plus 1D6 per level of experience.

Attribute Requirements: P.S. and P.E. of 15 and a P.P. of 13. Unlike the Orders of the Cathedral, Demon Knights are made through the survival of a harsh training program and not by the luck of heredity rights.

Alignment Requirement: Evil or anarchist; note that those who are aberrant often follow a twisted code of honor and battlefield ethics that parodies those held by the Templars.

O.C.C. Skills:

Language: American (+10%)

Language: Demongogian 98%

Language: Gobblely (+15%) Literacy: American (+10%)

Lore: Monsters and Demons (+20%)

Horsemanship: Templar

Prowl (+15%)

Select one Rogue or Physical skill of choice (+15%)

W.P. Sword

W.P. Knife

W.P.: Select three weapon proficiency (modern or ancient)

Hand to Hand: Special

O.C.C. Related Skills:

Select five other skills, plus one additional skill at level three, six, nine, and twelve.

Communications: Any

Cowboy: Any

Domestic: Any

Electrical: None

Espionage: Any (+10%)

Mechanical: None

Medical: First Aid only

Military: Any (+10%)

Physical: Any, except acrobatics (+15%)

Pilot: Any

Pilot Related: None

Rogue: Any (+10%)

Science: Any

Technical: Any (+10%)

W.P.: Any

Wilderness: Any

Secondary Skills: The character gets to select four secondary skills from those listed. These are additional areas of knowledge that do not get the advantage of the bonus listed in the parentheses (). All secondary skills start at the base skill level.

Standard Equipment: Traveling clothes, a set of dress clothes or dress body armor, a pair of boots, a pair of gloves, 1D8 small pouches, 1D4 saddlebags, a backpack, 1D4 utility belts, 100 feet of rope (made from angel hair), a grappling hook, 2D4 resin spikes, 3D4 weeks of rations.

Weapons: One sword, a knife, two magical weapons and 1D4+1 other weapons. Most prefer intimidating weapons that cause as much fear as they do bloodletting. Demon Knights also start with 2 slime ointments.

Armor: Most Demon Knights prefer armor no lighter than light plate or scale mail, with most often opting for medium or full plate. Each suit of armor tends to be dark (most often black) and covered in demonic symbols and carvings. This customizing of their armor usually results in things such as shoulder plates shaped like bony claws or helms made to look like demon faces.

Transportation: Most Demon Knights ride parasites, alien beasts or TW converted motorcycles. There is a definite preference among the Demon Knight for riding beasts that are almost as deadly as them.

Money: The Demon Knights demand respect and expect their inhuman and human soldiers alike to recognize them as their superior. These evil humans call for the nicest places to live, the best food and insist upon being treated like royalty when not in the field. Their greed is also increased by their constant exposure to the creeds of the evil around them, meaning that they will stockpile items such as gems, gold and other such trinkets (2D6x1000 credits worth).

Cybernetics & Symbiotes: The Demon Knights tend to prefer their own abilities to such enhancements as may be gained through the use of symbiotes, but one or two are not unheard of. Because of the lack of any means on Wormwood to maintain or repair such things, bionics and cybernetics are seen as last resorts only.

Level of Experience: Most Demon Knights will be of 1D4+1 levels of experience, with the Warlords being of at least 6th level. Demon Knights use the same Experience tables as do Dark Priests.