“Walk in the Light.”
- Common saying among the Children of the Light
HISTORY
The Children of
the Light were founded in FY 1021, during the War of the Hundred Years, by
Lothair Mantelar, as a priesthood dedicated to proselytizing against
Darkfriends. Over the turbulent century that followed, the group evolved from
preachers to fighters. At first they only fought as needed to defend themselves
while preaching, but as the chaos of the wars grew, so did the perceived need
for military intervention against Darkfriends. The Children gradually turned
from preaching against Darkfriends to actually fighting them, until by
approximately FY 1111 the Children of the Light had become a full military
society dedicated to the defeat of the Dark One and the destruction of all
Darkfriends. Little has survived from these early formative years to tell how
gentle preachers became the ruthless crusaders of the current day.
PURPOSE
Also known disparagingly as “Whitecloaks,” because of their trademark white cloak, the Children of the Light believe they have been called to the Light to do battle with the Shadow. These men follow very strict ascetic beliefs, and usually give the impression that they alone know the truth and the path to righteousness. They seem determined to inflict their version of the Truth on any who disagree with either their philosophy or their methods.
Though they would be offended to hear it, the organization of the Children has some similarities to that of the Aes Sedai. Each society is controlled by one high-ranking individual; each owes allegiance to know nation, and is therefore not limited to one kingdom or region. The central headquarters of the Children, the Fortress of Light, is located in Amadicia’s capital city of Amador.
Unlike the Aes Sedai, the Children have no oaths to prevent them from taking lives or harming ordinary people. Though they are sworn to do battle only against Darkfriends and creatures of Shadow, each individual captain or commander is left to decide what actually constitutes the difference between a Darkfriend and an innocent, and to determine the guilt and the punishment of the former. According to Whitecloak definitions, all Aes Sedai are Darkfriends, as are any who support them.
The Children do not openly rule a given city or province. Whereas no Amyrlin Seat has ever denied her rule of Tar Valon and its territory, the Children of the Light insist that Amadicia is a sovereign nation, answerable only to its reigning king or queen. However, while the monarch may rule the country in name, it is the Children and their Lord Captain Commander who rule it in fact, through their military and political might.
THE HAND OF THE LIGHT
The majority of the Children are soldiers, dedicated to battle for the Light. They face death as part of their duty. Members of the Hand of the light, however, spend most of their time serving instead as interrogators or occupation forces. Known amongst themselves as the Hand that digs out the Truth, they are more often known to others as the Questioners. Members often act as if they are a law unto themselves, entirely separate from the rest of the Children.
THEIR APPEARANCE
The Children of
the Light, or Whitecloaks, always wear a pure white cloak or tabard over their
clothes and armour. The left breast of
each has a golden sunburst worked into it, a symbol of the Light they are sworn
to follow. All officers’ cloaks and tabards are further adorned with silver
lightning bolts for under-officers, and golden stars or knots in increasing
quantity to indicate rank for higher officers. Each Child is armoured with a
conical metal helm and plain breastplate. It is a matter of great pride to each
member of the order to keep his white cloak spotless and his armour bright.
Members of the Hand of the Light order
wear the same white cloak or tabard, but these “Questioners” have a blood-red
shepherd’s crook emblazoned behind the sunburst.
SIGIL OF THE CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT
The Golden Sun; the Sunflare.
SPECIAL RULES
Captives: If a Whitecloak warband
captures a Darkfriend, Shadowspawn or channeler of any type the captive's
companions have one game to rescue their friend before he is executed. The
Children have no choice in this matter - they must kill the captive and take
his equipment. Fund raising at the execution will gain the Whitecloak warband
D6´5 gm.
Choice of Warriors
A Children of the
Light warband must include a minimum of three models. You have 500 gold marks
to recruit your initial warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband
may never exceed 15.
Commander: Each Children of the Light
warband must have one Commander: no more, no less!
Hand of the Light: Your warband may include up
to one Hand of the Light.
Bannermen: Your warband may include up
to three Bannermen.
Archers: Your warband may include up
to five Archers.
Children: Your warband may include any
number of Children.
A Commander starts with 20 experience.
A Hand of the Light starts with 12
experience.
Bannermen start with 12 experience.
Henchmen start with 0 experience.
Children of the Light equipment listsThe following lists are used by
Children of the Light warbands to pick their weapons:
|
|
|
CHILDREN EQUIPMENT LIST Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons Dagger ............................. 1st free/2 gm Mace/Hammer ................ .. 3 gm Axe .................................. .. 5 gm Sword .............................. 10 gm Spear ............................... 10 gm Halberd ........................... 10 gm Double-handed weapon .. 15 gm Lance ............................... 40 gm* Armour Helmet ............................ 10 gm Light armour ................... 20 gm Heavy armour ................. 50 gm* Barding ............................ 80 gm* Mounts Horse .............................. 40 gm Warhorse ......................... 80 gm |
ARCHER
EQUIPMENT LIST Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons Dagger ............................. 1st free/2 gm Sword .............................. 10 gm Spear ............................... 10 gm Missile
Weapons Bow ................................ 10 gm Crossbow ........................ 25 gm Armour Helmet ............................ 10 gm Light armour ................... 20 gm Mounts Horse .............................. 40 gm Warhorse ......................... 80 gm Items marked with a * can only be bought by mounted warriors. |
Children of the Light skill table
*Riding skills can be found in
the riding rules section.
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Heroes
65
gold marks to hire
Children of the Light
Commanders have usually been committed to the order for quite some time, and
pursue Darkfriends with a singular zeal. They generally command the respect -
or at least fear - of their fellow soldiers, and the result is highly
disciplined bands of Children.
|
Profile |
M
|
WS |
BS |
S |
T |
W |
I |
A |
Ld |
|
Commander |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
9 |
Weapons/Armour: A Commander may
be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Children Equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Leader: Any warrior
within 6” of the Commander may use his Leadership characteristic when taking
Leadership tests.
Blasphemers!: A Commander hates all models that can channel, is
Shadowspawn, or is a Darkfriend.
Sword
Forms: The Children of the Light are a military organisation, and their
commanders are highly skilled warriors. They may choose three sword forms when
first recruited, and may take an additional form instead of a new skill.
45
gold marks to hire
The Hands of the Light,
better known as Questioners, are feared across the known world. Their task is
to obtain confessions from suspected Darkfriends, and they are not adverse to
the use of torture to get what they want. Though they often travel with
Children bands, they can come into conflict with Commanders as they consider
themselves outside the usual hierarchy.
|
Profile |
M
|
WS |
BS |
S |
T |
W |
I |
A |
Ld |
|
Questioner |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
Weapons/Armour: A Hand of the
Light may be equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Children
Equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Blasphemers!: A Hand of the
Light hates all models that can
channel, is Shadowspawn, or is a Darkfriend.
Sword
Forms: The Children of the Light are a military organisation, and their
commanders are highly skilled warriors. They may choose three Sword Forms when
first recruited, and may take an additional form instead of a new skill.
Skills: In addition to
the ordinary skill tables that a Hand of the Light has access to, there are
several skills unique to him detailed below. He may choose these skills instead
of normal skills. Note that these special skills can only be acquired through
experience - they are not possessed by a new recruit.
QUESTIONER
SKILLS
Chilling
Reputation: This Questioner is known for taking his time when 'questioning'
suspected Darkfriends. He inspires fear
in all humans (including Aiel).
Fanatical
Devotion: The Questioner is so devoted to rooting out evil wherever he goes that
he does not fear any foe. He is immune to all psychology, including All Alone
tests but excluding the hatred he
feels for Shadowspawn, Darkfriends and channelers.
Denounce
Darkfriend: Once per battle, the Questioner may declare one enemy model a
Darkfriend (even if this model is not Shadowspawn, cannot channel, or isn’t
really a Darkfriend). From this point
forward all Children of the Light will hate
this model.
40
gold marks to hire
Bannermen are the lowest
ranking officers in the forces of the Children of the Light. Their
personalities and hence how they treat their fellow Children can vary wildly,
but all are committed to purging Darkfriend filth from the streets, cities and
villages of the west.
|
Profile |
M
|
WS |
BS |
S |
T |
W |
I |
A |
Ld |
|
Bannerman |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
Weapons/Armour: Bannermen may be
equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Children Equipment list.
SPECIAL RULES
Blasphemers!: Bannermen hate all models that can channel, is
Shadowspawn, or is a Darkfriend.
Commander
of the Bow: if you wish, one Bannerman may be named Commander of the Bow, for no
extra cost. This model gains -1WS, +1BS, access to shooting skills instead of
combat skills and must choose his equipment from the Archer Equipment list.
Henchmen
25
gold marks to hire
As a military organisation,
the Children of the Light make use of small formations of archers to harass the
enemy before battle can be joined by the ordinary Children. More lightly
equipped than their combat-oriented companions, the Archers of the Children of
the Light are a useful part of any warband.
|
Profile |
M
|
WS |
BS |
S |
T |
W |
I |
A |
Ld |
|
Archer |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
7 |
Weapons/Armour: Archers may be
equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Archer equipment list.
SPECIAL
RULES
Blasphemers!: Archers hate all models that can channel, is
Shadowspawn, or is a Darkfriend.
25
gold marks to hire
The Children are the
rank-and-file of the Children of the Light. They are the warriors most often
met in cities and villages and form the bulk of the organisation’s fighting
force. Devoted to their cause, they are quick to suspect anyone of the taint of
the Dark at the slightest suggestion from their superiors.
|
Profile |
M
|
WS |
BS |
S |
T |
W |
I |
A |
Ld |
|
Children |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
7 |
Weapons/Armour: Children may be
equipped with weapons and armour chosen from the Children equipment list.
SPECIAL
RULES
Blasphemers!: Children hate all models that can channel, is
Shadowspawn, or is a Darkfriend.