v. dante's prayer

The Ritter-Knight Family

Martin Ritter (1190 - 1253)

Jürgen Ritter (1403 - 1461)

[?] Ritter (1520 - 1553) - All we know is that there was a Schattenjäger who lived in this period. Gabriel sees his diary in the Schattenjäger library.

Günter Ritter (1660 - 1693) - "Dear Father, I offer these final words as apology for the harm done to our sacred office. The woman I wrote of, Tetelo, was the witch I sought. I have committed terrible crimes. I loved this witch, then betrayed her, and then used our sacred family power to free her and aid in destroying this colony. The talisman is gone -- Tetelo took it. I can but pray thy forgiveness, for thy swift recovery of the talisman, and that my punishment in Hell will be long and bitter. Thy undeserving son, Gunther"

Victor Ritter (1720 - 1753) - Lived till he was 33. An entry dated 20 April, 1750 describes how Victor trapped a black wolf that was supposedly a werewolf. Victor wounded it in the chest. It was brought to Rittersberg. Not sure what happened next. The Schattenjäger didn't involve themselves in the trials, it seems: "Numerous deaths at the hands of a marauding wolf being recorded in a neighboring county, I set out to see if I could determine the cause. There had been rumors of a werewolf, and the dark signs did indeed seem to be present. The deaths had all occured within a fourty kilometer range of woods, and at the heart was the village of Alfing. My assistant and I set a trap a short distance from the village. Though the beast had shown a prospensity for human flesh, livestock had also been taken. It was a newling lamb we loosed in the thicket as a lure. We awaited down-wind. For two nights, the lamb blisted to no purpose and once we had to fend off a hungry fox. But, at last, the beast himself took the bait. I might have missed him -- the night was so dark and the wolf himself was black, but my assistant saw the light of his eyes and I heard the lambs cries turn fearful. He had the poor dumb lamb by the throat when we sprang. He was swift and might have escaped, but his fatal mistake was to attack rather than run. My dagger struck through his chest and into his right lung. As I had agreed, we bound the wolf and teed shut its jaws. We brought it home to Rittersberg still breathing, and turned it over to the magistrater. I pray for the mans unfortunate soul. May the law be swift and merciful. God be praised for aiding his servant. From his hand came the strenght and wisdom to end the killing." --Victor Ritter, Schattenjäger 20, April 1750

[?] Ritter (ca 1820 - 1870+?)

Christian von Ritter (January 10 1838 - 4 March 1864) - Christian was hunting a killer-wolf in the year of 1864. There is an entry dated 3. January that year where he describes his first meeting with the wolf in Prussia. He writes that the beast is secretive and skillful. There had been three new killings then, but Christian was yet to prove that it was the work of the wolf. On March 3rd, 1864, Christian reveils the secret of the Black Wolf. In his diary he says that he is not a beast, but a monster! That day he returned to Rittersberg for assistanse. This was the last entry in Christians diary. 4 May 1864, he wrote a letter to King Ludwig II of Bavaria, telling him he was in great danger. Quote: "I have hear that the one they call the Black Wolf is close to your highness..." "...I beg you only this -- please do not see this man alone nor even with your servants only to guard you. March 1864, he found out that his beloved king was in great danger, and wrote him another letter on the day he died (4 March 1894). Unfortunatly (or part of the Ritter curse?), the letter never reached Ludwig, and Christian Ritter died that day, only 26 years old.

[?] Ritter (ca 1845 - 1900)

Karl Ritter (1870 - 1934) - Father of Wolfgang and Heinz.

Wilhelm Ritter (1880 - 19xx)

Heinz Ritter (1904 - 1940) - Heinz Ritter, brother of Wolfgang RItter, immigrated to america from Germany when he was 21 and changed his name legally to Harrison Knight. He worked his way through school and met and married Rebecca Wright. Harrison wanted his sons to remian ignorant to the role as Schattenjäger . He wanted his son Philip to have a normal life, and was obsessed by that thought. He pushed Philip to go to law school. Heinz supported the family with bookkeeping. But he hated every minute of it. Didn't like bookkeeping one bit. But he was a great poet. He wrote the most beautiful poetry. Rebecca always thought he should do something with that gift, but he was such a practical man. Didn't believe in chasing after dreams. He had the worst luck with jobs, and often had to come home at night telling Rebecca (Gabriels grandmother) that he had lost another one. Harrison was only thirty-six when he died. He was hit by a streetcar in the buisness district. Philip was only eight then.

Ester Wright

Wolfgang Ritter (May 10. 1923 - June 25. 1993) - Wolfgang was a truly wise and good man who dedicated his entire life to the role of Schattenjäger. But his life was full of disappointments. His only son died in infancy, so there was no one to carry on the family line. And the family's financial troubles were hard to him. Wolfgang wanted to do so much for the world, but because of the poor situation the Ritters were in in that period, all he could do was to hold on toSchloss Ritter. He knew the history of the Ritter family from many centuries past. Wolfgang thought he was the last in the Ritter line, -until he found Gabriel Knight . Together they collected the talisman from Tetelo''s remains in Benin, but Wolfgang gave his life to get it back. He cut his heart out, because the altar needed a fresh heart to open. Gabriel could do nothing about it, but scream for revenge over Tetelo. Wolfgang Ritter was the brother of Heinz Ritter (Gabriel's grandfather). Unlike Heinz, Wolfgang wanted to fight for the Schattenjäger-family. Heinz escaped to New Orleans. Wolfgang also had a "girlfriend", the Schloss Ritter housekeeper, Gerde. She's still crying for him. Wolfgangs body lies in the Schattenjäger cemetary in the St. Georgs Kirche, Rittersberg.

Philip Knight (1932 - 1968) - Philip was the only child of Heinz Ritter and Ester Knight. Philip suffered from terrible nightmares, just like his father and son did. Heinz wanted Philip to have a normal life (trying to end the Schattenjägers-line ). He was obsessed by that thought. He pushed Philip to go to law school, but Philip was driven to art. He painted almost in a daze, he would get so inside himself when he worked. When Philip met Gabriel's mother Margaret Templeton, it was love at first sight and they got married two weeks later! But Philip always hated that it was Margaret's money that supported the family when his painting couldn't. His work was just too dark and disturbing for the public. When Gabriel was eight years old, Philip and Margaret were killed in a car crash. The police say Philip swerved off the road after being frightened by something. Perhaps a deep in the road--or a wild cat.

[?] Ritter (ca 1950 - 1952) - Wolfgang Ritter got a son who died of infancy at young age. Wolfgang thought this was the end of the Schattenjäger, but then he had the dream about Gabriel.

Gabriel Knight (1960 - ) - Gabriel was the only son of Philip Knight and Margaret Templeton. Sadly, his parents died in a car accident when he was only seven years old (one, according to the book). Gabriel grew up with his grandmother Rebecca (Ester) Wright in New Orleans, and became an author living in the studio of his bookshop "St. George's Rare books". One day, while investigating voodoo for his new novel, his assistant Grace Nakimura got a phonecall from Wolfgang Ritter in germany. Gabriel, who knew nothing about the Schattenjäger-business at that time, ignored the phonecall the first days. Gabriel had some strange dreams in that period, and after a few days he realized who his grandfather was. He called Wolfgang, and together they got back the Schattenjäger talisman which had been gone for 300 years. Gabriel became Schattenjäger on June 25, 1993. He broke the curse on the Schattenjägers when he tried to rescue Malia Gedde from falling into a fire started beneath the cult's headquarters and didn't betray her like his ancestor Gunter Ritter had done 300 years before. After this case, Gabriel moved into his family's castle in Rittersberg, Germany. About a year later, (March, 1994) the towns people in the village came to see the Schattenjäger to investagate a werewolf. During the case he was bitten by the werewolf von Glower and changed into one himself. To rid himself of yet another curse, Gabriel had to kill Baron von Glower (also known as the Black Wolf).