OK, so I just came up with an idea for some NPC's: A vigilante gang of Christians (with maybe a Theurge or two) who just try to make their part of the sprawl a safer place.... They're all trained in martial arts (Krav Maga and Kenpo) at various levels, they have a strict moral code; basically, they're a gang because it's better than letting someone else take over their territory. Anyway, the name I've come up with so far is
Paramilitary
Assault
L(?)
And
Defense
Internal
Network

The problem is, I need a good L word....or another fitting name, if one is not apparent. I plead your aid, Dumpshock, in creating this group of hopefuls.

(If you have any suggestions for stats, please, send those as well)

Hmm... a group of christian crusaders...

'The Templars'

Have them wear hard clamshell body armor and PPP add-ons... or just the PPP.

If the acronym thing isn't really a dealbreaker there are a ton of powerful images to invoke in Christian mythology. What if they just called themselves the Saints, and played a creepy or metal version of 'When the Saints go marching in' when they marched - the song's about Revelations, so it shouldn't be hard to make it a battle hymn.

<<EDIT>>

I just remembered a sci-fi novel I read once - the heroes were undercover as a circus(hear me out), and they used the orchestra to pass coded messages to each other. There was no 'trouble alarm', but if the band started playing a certain song everybody got ready for trouble. Another number was the signal to cut and run.

If the gang used hymns, they could be a creepy way of passing information - if the bad guys roll into the gang's territory, and somebody on a street corner starts singing a hymn...then other voices join in from all the buildings and alleys as the gang shows up.

Lesbians!

Or is that not the direction you're wanting to go with this?

Looking for a Paladin bacronym, eh?
Why not just call them the Salvation Army?
Maybe just keep it at PAL. People's Army of Life-everlasting.


How big is the group, and where are they located? Are there hierarchies like Shepard, Physician, or Doomsayer?



edt: actually, People's Army of Life Everlasting, would probably work better as a sort of vampire cult. The PALE. hahaha.

Paramilitary
Assault,
Logistics,
And
Defense
Initiative
Network

Acronyms aren't necessary, PALADIN was just what popped into my head first. Interesting ideas so far, thanks a lot!

maybe liberation....if they're fanatics they might see themselves as liberators

When you say "gang", what do you mean?

It's perfectly possible to deal with thuggish intruders in your neighborhood without having "colors", funny hats, selling drugs, extorting shop owners and all the things that people think of a a street gang.

I'd suggest a Ruger 100 with a silencer myself.....

I was having difficulty finding a better word than "gang" for an organized, illegal group trying to protect and bring order to their turf...

Vigilantes?

They might be a militia (an illegal one) Don't don't forget the state guards that comprize the national guard are also called militias.

Well, "gang" is technically correct, but it has connotations (not shown in the definitions below) in SR that don't seem right.

"a gang can be considered to be a loosely organized group of individuals who collaborate together for social reasons"

"A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity."

Like a group of people who gather weekly to plays shadowrun.

Your group technically might be a gang, but they would probably see themselves as a community protection group.

The real nit-picking might begin when they start asking for donations from local businesses. "We're awfully sorry your store got hit by those hooligans last night, but we just don't have the funding to cover everywhere, all the time... <hinthinthint>

....I figured this would probably get derailed somewhere, but this wasn't it. Thank you for helping me make their concept more concrete (especially kudos to you, Ed), but if anyone else has ideas for names or probable stats, I would greatly appreciate the help.

Given the christian motif, I still think 'Templars' is good, especially with clamshell armor and PPP for lieutenants and just the PPP for the rest. As for stats, well, give them between 2 and 6 for unarmed combat (2 for newbs, 3 for most, 4 for the rest, and a 5 or 6 for the boss and a few of his lieutenants). Their physical attributes should be slightly above normal for most because of their martial arts training, with the lieutenents' and boss's being significantly higher. Probably very little cyber. A few adepts, maybe. Mental stats as normal. Possibly make one or two ex-mil for the extra nastiness. Sorry, guidelines are the best I can do right now, I dont' have time to stat them for you, to much homework to do.

Neighborhood watch ?

I think a little bit of an Angelic flavor could work well. The different choir's of angels could easily be used to make up the different ranks within the militia's hierarchy, and the idea of the hymn's that were presented earlier was just plain cool. They could simply call themselves the Arch Angels, the Holy Choir, one of a millions things like that. They could even go with Genesis (the origin of protection and good in the neighborhood...and there better be no Phil Collins references...).

For stats, you could always modify the Halloweener's stats provided in the 4e rulebook, which is what I did for my Khorne-cult gang. (Why I had a Khorne-cult in a Shadorun game is a long story.)

As for names, I like the Templars, but that's already taken by an already existing group in-universe. The Paladins is a good name if you've got Thurges in the group the focus on combat. Aside from that, there's always stuff like God's Fist, or (as suggested above) the Salvation Army.

Taken? News to me.

Good day, sirs. I am a representative of the Paramilitary Assault, Logistics, And Defense Initiative Network. We at PALADIN have determined that enough is enough. Trollkillers, Humanis, Bugs, Knight Errant, and the other scum of this world have been messing with us for far too long. Our patron, the free spirit Seraphim has provided us with the information, equipment, and training required to protect this sprawl. My friends, I come only to inform you that you are now under Seraphim's wing, and PALADIN's protection. Have a good evening.

</ic>
PALADIN is led by a free Guidance spirit (force undetermined) by the name of Seraphim; they have 7 ranks:
Acolyte
Initiate
Knight Errant
Guardian
Avenger
Paladin
Champion

I'm gonna use the hymn suggestion, with the hymns being sung in latin (For bonus creepy/cool points)...the Theurges are going to use light-element magic, all the ranks have requisite martial skill levels (so even the mages aren't particularly squishy)....the mundanes will obtain the Lone Star Watchman suite so as to not fall *too* far behind their comrades at Knight Errant rank, and the standard weapon for Knight Errants and above will be the H&K 227-X. Below that point will have only a Fischetti Security 600. All will have FFBA, with Knight Errants and below having half-suits, Guardians and above having the full suit, and Paladins and Champions getting the full PPP suit. Each will get further equipment dependent upon his particular skillset, and they're all trained in close-combat, firearms, and social skills. Obviously, these are not going to be low-end gangers.....

I do believe my group is going to be seeing a little bit of this group

You Know, I really like that... it is interesting and evocative... Might just yoink them for a game in the future...

Keep the Faith

Nice.

I'm glad you like it :JD
Feel free to yoink it....if you want to hear some of my further ideas on the group, I'd be glad to help....once I started this little project, I'm getting a flood of inspiration

Two comments on what is otherwise a very cool idea.

1. Why is one of the ranks Knight Errant, when one of the groups they feel has failed them is Knight Errant ?
2. A rank of Paladin, in a group called PALADIN is bound to cause some confusion.

I would just go with "Knight" as a rank, and drop Paladin as one.

Just as an aside, the old AD&D level names for Paladins were:

1. Gallant
2. Keeper
3. Protector
4. Defender
5. Warder
6. Guardian
7. Chevalier
8. Justicar
9. Paladin

They might not exist any more, but the was a reference to a group called the Templars in the 3e Shadows of Asia book. Give me about two weeks to slog through the book again, and I can give you the page number, but I remember it was somewhere in the section on the Middle East. Or possibly Russia.

It is described in Threats 2 I think.....though they could be affiliated. Templars support and in turn they get new foot soldiers.

Other suggetions: Trinity, Holy Order of <insert name of neighborhood), or WOG (Wrath of God). Go watch Pulp Fiction, one of the characters had a religious attitiude (he was an assasian) mostly for show. Might give an idea or two for the gang leaders personality.

Why take a new name when so many actual christian and white separatist/supremacist groups out there? Reality is almost always cooler than fiction.