Mech Knights - adanter/PetroviaWorldbuilding GitHub Wiki
Note: This page is a work in progress. No content here is considered final.
Overview: Mech knights are Petrovian melee spellcasters who use their spell power to fuel their combat exosuits. Mech knights are divided into different chapters, each of which reports to the College.
Each chapter is unique, and inter-chapter rivalries are common.
Basic component is the "mech" itself (technically an exoskeleton and not a true mech, but "mech knight" caught on as the popular term anyway). All mech knight exoskeletons are powered by a thaumatic battery that the operator can charge by expending a spell slot. The battery drives a hydraulic or pneumatic system that in turn powers the suit's movements.
The primary advantage of an exoskeleton is to support the weight of bullet-resistant armor plating that would practically immobilize an unaided soldier. Frequently combined with leg extensions for faster movement, this allows mech knights to cross a battlefield to storm enemy trenches or attack the legs of enemy mechs. Conveniently, it also allows squishy humans to go toe-to-toe with powerful night creatures such as werewolves and batkin brutes.
First chapter among equals. Based in Petrovia's capital. Members are recruited from senior mech knights of each other chapter. Capital branch is in charge of capital/College security as well as coordinating the other chapters.
The oldest and dirtiest chapter. Developed the first modern exosuits with St. Petrov herself, but refused to fight in the Unification and lost their chance for both prestige and military funding as a result. Currently continues to work as "monster hunters", but critics say they're really just a bunch of backwoods gear heads doing the bare minimum work needed to support their twin addictions of tinkering and booze.
Chapter founded by some of the most famous veterans of the Unification. Where other chapters spend much of their time hunting monsters, the Giant-Slayers made their name killing capital mechs in the Unification and have continued to specialize in human-on-human conflict ever since. At present, most of the Giant-Slayers are deployed to the newly annexed region, where they've been mired in an ugly asymmetrical war alongside other coalition troops against Sylvan extremists armed with dark science.
Based in the heartland region. Mostly made up of second sons and daughters of noble families. Chevaliers put an even stronger emphasis on the old traditions of chivalry than the other chapters. They also tend to have the most expensive equipment, though the mech knights themselves might need support staff to handle the actual maintenance.
Specialist chapter assigned to Petrovia's industrial belt in the name of protecting the coalition's most vital infrastructure... though some worker advocates say they really protect the industrialists' bottom lines. Tends to be armed with the latest materiel from the weapons labs and generally drops aesthetics in the name of modularity and simplicity. Unlike other chapters, VI division is trained for policing and counterintelligence in addition to normal chapter duties.
Another chapter distinguished in the Unification. Entire chapter went missing on a mysterious expedition into the deep forest over 20 years ago. If the College knows what happened, it's keeping the details firmly classified.
Small chapter dedicated to long-ranging extended missions through the wastelands, keeping an eye on the horizon for potential threats. Some knights like the long, solitary patrols through the wilderness; others get temporarily transferred to the scout division as a punishment duty. The scout division rarely sees serious action, but has started to take on a semi-formal peacekeeping role among the scattered inhabitants of the wastes.
Elite chapter comprising only a handful of knights, each hand-picked for their skill as monster hunters. The XI Division is on a multi-year assignment to an allied neighboring state with a massive monster problem, and is expected to be disbanded upon the completion of its tour.