Crux Metropolitan Police, City Watch and the Skull Guard.
One of the more byzantine parts of Crux is its police forces. Although the concept of a civil police force is relatively new, the city has always had some sort of armed force maintaining law on the streets. Of course, almost always any City Watch or Skull Guard were also in the pocket of somebody, and never worked purely to maintain the Law.
Crimsonspire: The Crux Metropolitan Police
The creation of the Metropolitan Police was done against the will of the civil government of Crux altogether. The government of Ith created the Metropolitan Police. Because the Commissioner and most of the Metropolitan Police work out of Crimsonspire in Havershill, the organization tends to get known as Crimsonspire by most.
The Metropolitan Police has some restrictions on it and how it can work within Crux. They have been banned from performing actual investigations- instead they are only allowed to enforce law and detain others for crimes they actively observe. In reaction, the Commissioner of Police maintains a secret, illegal detective agency within Crimsonspire.
The Metropolitan Police wear gray uniforms. Their badges are blazoned with the seal of Ith: a pentagram of fire, water, earth, air and spirit bound around a eye of gold and silver. All Metropolitan police are also issued some form of firearm, but are required to pay for their own arms.
The City Watch
The first policing force of Crux, the City Watch were created by the Prince and the city council millennia ago. The City Watch enforces all the municipal laws of Crux. Of course, it's also the most corrupt police force in Crux.
The pocket that City Watch tend to belong to tends to be the Prince and his criminal organization. The City Watch has control over the management of the Port of Crux, often overlooking specific cases of smuggling or other illicit trafficking. Of course, not all City Watch follow the same line. Some will work for the Archwitch.
The City Watch uniforms tend to vary, although most often it is some form of blue. Almost all City Watch have steel badges. Each badge bears the seal of Crux itself: a skull on a cross. All city watch have to provide for their own uniforms and arms- but are paid barely enough to get by. Yet most City Watch can afford masterwork arms and expensive uniforms. Bribes and other illicit means keep the City Watch fed.
The Skull Guard
The Skull Guard are a policing force located on the Skullmount. They were created two centuries ago by Othebea, when that nation took control of Crux. Tasked originally with maintaining strict controls over magical study and research at the university, the Skull Guard have evolved into the campus security. They don't answer to the Chancellor of the University, however, a long standing point that the university has been trying to change since their formation.
Many university students know that the Skull Guard aren't as corrupt as the City Watch, but they are biased. Some of the Skull Guard can be bought off, but others feel strong loyalty to the main reasons they were created: to keep tabs on some of the actions of the university as a whole. The Skull Guard still is managed mostly by the Church of the Twins, even enforcing some older policies that the Chancellor disagrees with to this day.
Skull Guard wear white and black uniforms, emblazoned the skull symbol and seal of the university. Skull Guard live and work out of homes in Old Crux, and always have to commute into the campus each day. The Skull Guard use no lethal weapons of any kind, instead relying on a mix of unarmed abilities and specializing in identifying arcane or bizarre occurrences. The Skull Guard is trained to handle the strange happening of the University, but can't always determine with certainty the best course of action. So the Skull Guard often will hire adventurers to investigate cases beyond its understanding or skill.
Of course, the Chancellor and professors will also hire their own investigators. Because the Skull Guard remain outside his control, the Chancellor looks for others to double-check them. He and other professors also look for those more willing to support... more controversial subjects the Skull Guard would otherwise stop.
New Trait: Constable (Pathfinder)
No matter which force you belong to, you've been trained as a Constable- someone who enforces the law. You always know the law or city ordinances, and can name them off the top of your head. You also know whose beat a particular part of town is- you can name the officer, which police force they belong to, and know a bit about them. In addition, you gain a +2 bonus on Initiative checks so long as its out in the streets or in pursuit of a criminal.
Fate Core: New suggested Class Aspects: Crimsonspire Detective; Metropolitan Constable; City Watch Constable on the Take; Skull Guard Constable;
New Stunt: Constable: No matter which force you belong to, you've been trained as a Constable- someone who enforces the law. You always know the law or city ordinances, and can name them off the top of your head. You also know whose beat a particular part of town is- you can name the officer, which police force they belong to, and know a bit about them.
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Thanks for reading! Comments are appreciated, so long as they aren't promoting bigotry. Good ideas are praised, bad ideas ignored and great ideas stolen outright. See ya around the bend...
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