The King's Messengers

[Rainbow Six]

Inspired by Mr Langham's work...a short stand alone article that should fit any version of canon and is intended to give an option to include a British PC (or NPC) into various locations / groups.

Comments welcome...

Cheers

[Raellus]

This is a great way to explain lone British military personnel far afield. It's also a great way to introduce a side or main mission/objective to a wayward, wandering PC group. Well done, sir.

[LVI]

I love it. So much that I've already created an NPC and plan on using him tomorrow!

Thx

[mikeo80]

I enjoyed the description. Especially the part where you describe that the "Messenger might have one or two escorts.....

probably Gurka's

If that doesn't tell you how important the King's Messengers were to HRM....

my $0.02

Mike

[atiff]

Nice one - good work!

[James Langham]

Inspired by Mr Langham's work...a short stand alone article that should fit any version of canon and is intended to give an option to include a British PC (or NPC) into various locations / groups.

Comments welcome...

Cheers

Absolutely brilliant (and not just because you name me!). A few suggestions:

* mention that the documents are carried in special red leather boxes (of various sizes) with the royal coat of arms on it

* mention coded documents are NEVER sent with the key

* should escorts come from RMP as they have the close protection role?

* L2A3 would probably be more useful than an SLR due to small size as would an SA80K (and M18A1 if using that)

* I might use a new cap badge of a greyhound either worn on a new colour beret (maybe grey) or on the original unit's colour

* A Shakespearean quote from Henry V may give an unofficial motto "I see you straining like greyhounds in the slips."

[Rainbow Six]

Thanks for the feedback guys - much appreciated.

James, I'll look at working some of those suggestions into a second draft - I really like the Shakespeare quote.

Re: the escorts, I'd imagine you're right, the RMP would initially be the logical place to get the escorts from, but I think by the summer of 2000 it would be a case of using whoever was available (also, from a gaming point of view, it gives a reason to include Gurkhas (or whatever else takes the player's fancy) into a campaign).

Cheers

[James Langham]

Thanks for the feedback guys - much appreciated.

James, I'll look at working some of those suggestions into a second draft - I really like the Shakespeare quote.

Re: the escorts, I'd imagine you're right, the RMP would initially be the logical place to get the escorts from, but I think by the summer of 2000 it would be a case of using whoever was available (also, from a gaming point of view, it gives a reason to include Gurkhas (or whatever else takes the player's fancy) into a campaign).

Cheers

Thanks

Maybe the answer is an RMP Kings Messenger escort school who will take volunteers and train them as escorts.

[WallShadow]

Do I detect the stirrings of "Imperial Stationery" in this, combined with a soupcon of "Carte Blanche"?

"It is by my order and for the good of the state that the bearer of this has done what he has done. Richelieu"

Which should go hand in hand with:
"One should be careful what one writes. And to whom one gives it."

[Rainbow Six]

Do I detect the stirrings of "Imperial Stationery" in this, combined with a soupcon of "Carte Blanche"?

"It is by my order and for the good of the state that the bearer of this has done what he has done. Richelieu"

Which should go hand in hand with:
"One should be careful what one writes. And to whom one gives it."

The bearer of the letter does quite literally hold the King's authority in his (or her) hand so it certainly does provide a sense of carte blance.

There would probably also be a number of people falsely claiming to be a King's Messenger, thus making the letters themselves highly valuable.

[Rainbow Six]

Attached an updated version which incorporates a few of James' suggestions...

Cheers

[B.T.]

Very nice!

For some time I was playing with the idea, to let my player group have an encounter with a small group of Brits. Now I'm quite sure, the British will be a group in His Majesty's service ...
Bet, my players will mock the British, because of the red leather bag :D

Two questions:
1) Is the Lady a real life person and does she know about her role in T2k?

2) I am not so firm in canon-knowledge. So, who is the King in canon?

Very nice work, Rainbow! And some very nice finishing touches by James.

[Rainbow Six]

Very nice!

For some time I was playing with the idea, to let my player group have an encounter with a small group of Brits. Now I'm quite sure, the British will be a group in His Majesty's service ...
Bet, my players will mock the British, because of the red leather bag :D

Two questions:
1) Is the Lady a real life person and does she know about her role in T2k?

2) I am not so firm in canon-knowledge. So, who is the King in canon?

Very nice work, Rainbow! And some very nice finishing touches by James.

Thanks, BT - glad you like it!

To answer your questions...

1. No, the character is entirely fictional - there has been no real life Duke of Kendal for several hundred years (although I'm not currently gaming, I still enjoy creating characters, and she is one I have been working on in conjunction with this piece, hence the reason I gave her a namecheck).

2. In canon the Sovereign is King Charles III (the current Prince Charles IRL), who ascended to the Throne in 1994 following the abdication of Queen Elizabeth II.

Cheers