The Storm of War: A Medieval Fantasy Nation RP [OOC]

[Valor]

Inspired by the Warhammer Fantasy Series by Games Workshop
GM: Valor
Co-GM: Karakui
- Currently ACCEPTING New Players! -

---

​

Welcome to the world of Heironia, a high fantasy world engulfed by a storm of warfare. This is a dark, bloody age, an age of demons and sorcery. An age of warfare and death and of the world's ending. Amidst the fire, flames and fury is a time, too, of mighty heroes, of bold deeds and great courage. The world needs heroes now more than ever, to unite the world under one, glorious banner. While the Lords of Heironia each squabble and vie for ambitious bids for power, little do they know an even greater threat looms high over the horizon...

At the heart of Heironia sprawls the Empire of Wessex, the largest and most powerful of the kingdoms of Heironia. Known for its engineers, sorcerers, mercantile and last but not least, its professionally trained and beautifully equipped armies, the Empire has always stood as a bastion of order and peace within the human realm. Ruled by the Golden Throne of the Emperor, the throne has now fallen vacant after the mysterious death of Emperor Clausewitz. Now, the Empire has been divided. Dozens of kingdoms within Wessex have raised arms in an attempt to either secede from the Empire, or claim the throne for themselves. While mankind may rely on its great populations and powerful armies, internal strife brews a dark time for the age of mankind.

To the east of the Empire and the realm of Heironia lay the mountain regions of Kyjal. An inhospitable, vast mountain range which stretches across the eastern border of the Empire. Within great walls lined with marble and gold stand the Dwarf Lords of Mount Kyjal. Unified by the Dwarven King, the Dwarf Lords control the greatest mountain fortresses ever seen, with sprawling tunnel networks that unite the kingdom together. For over a thousand years they have ruled from their mountain holds, defending their keeps with rigor and pride. However, their lands are now under the greatest threat they have ever been. The mountains are under siege, an Orcish Horde of immeasurable size besieging the mountain kingdom. The Dwarves had once been old allies with the Empire, standing alongside mankind to repel the Orc Hordes from previous incursions. Now, with the Empire divided, the Dwarves stand alone against the greatest Horde the world has ever seen...

To the south, lies the Southern Kingdoms. Home to many realms, the Southern Kingdoms are inhabited by Elves and other fantastical creatures of all kind, each Kingdom controlling its own territories and land. Although somewhat peaceful compared to the civil wars of the Empire and without the desperate situation of the Dwarves, the Southern Kingdoms must deal with the fact that they are not a unified realm. While the Empire fights within itself and the Dwarves hold out in desperation, the Southern Kingdoms plot to take control of the realm, or find ways to ensure their independence.

In the world of Heironia, you will take control of one of these Kingdoms, each with their own political and military interests and lead them in a time of never ending warfare. Will your kingdom unit the realm when the Storms of War come? Or will your steel shatter, your lines broken as you feel darkness grip at the heart of your kingdom?

---

The Empire of Wessex

"United they have stood proudly, divided they may fall in disgrace. In the name of Heironeous, God of Law and War, I will unite these Kingdoms under one banner!"
- Emperor Francis, First Emperor of Wessex

The Empire of Wessex is a powerful, autocratic Empire that is home to the humans of Heironia. Although once a single, united entity, the Empire of Wessex are now formed by a dozen, now independent kingdoms vying for control of the Golden Throne. The Empire was founded with the Unification Wars nearly a thousand years ago, where the first Emperor, Emperor Francis, united the realms of man into a single, proud Empire. The Empire stands as the most powerful realm of the world of Heironia, vastly outnumbering the strength of the Southern and Dwarven Kingdoms combined. When they were unified, it was the Empire of Wessex that protected the realm from all external threats, forging legendary tales of heroism on the battlefield.

The Empire is blessed with some of the greatest engineers, sorcerers and professional armies found in the realm of Heironia. Imperial armies are typically well-equipped and incredibly versatile, fielding large numbers of heavy infantry supplemented by well-armored cavalry and effective archers. Even on their own, a single kingdom within the Empire have populations much larger than the entire Dwarven Kingdom and even larger than the independent nations found in the Southern Kingdoms. It is without a doubt that collectively, the Empire and the realm of men makes up more than half the size of the entire world's population. While Imperial Armies favored heavy infantry and knights, the Kingdoms under its banner are incredibly diverse, bringing many different armies that represent their culture.

A kingdom within the Empire will start off with a large army and strong economy, allowing them to quickly wage war from the beginning. However, they will also be surrounded by other hostile kingdoms which seek to claim the Golden Throne for themselves. They must either make peace or seek to underhandedly manipulate the other kingdoms if they wish to succeed, as continued warfare will only lead to a mutually assured destruction for all kingdoms within the Empire. Will you choose to secede from the Empire, attempting to make your way as independent? Or will you wage war in order to unite the kingdoms under one banner once more?

Special Rules:

"Empire Invicta!" - A King who manages to get eight of the twelve kingdoms to bend the knee will be crowned Emperor of Wessex, adding the military strength of all NPC kingdoms to their armies. (Player controlled kingdoms remain autonomous and may choose to serve or continue fighting for the throne, however this will be essentially suicide once an Emperor has been crowned.)

"For the Empire!" - All kingdoms within the Empire receive a 30% boost to their population.

Military Vassalship - Imperial kingdoms may subjugate other Imperial kingdoms, forcing them to recognize them as their ruler. For NPC controlled armies, this means they gain the entire NPC's military strength. Players will still remain autonomous, but are obligated to respect their liege. A player under military vassalship may no longer claim the throne for themselves.

The Sins of Our Fathers - Imperial kingdoms suffer from a severe civil war penalty. They are constantly at war with rival, NPC kingdoms and any Lord who comes close to being crowned Emperor will almost certainly have to deal with a coalition army that seeks to bring them down.

Player Limit: Unlimited Players

The Dwarf Lords of Mount. Kyjal

"We sons of Mount Kyjal may have drunk deep from the bitter waters of misfortune, but we yet survive. And let me tell you something, craven, whilst a single Dwarf still draws breath, we will fight any evil that dare come steal our lands from us. Dwarves do not surrender!"
- A Dwarven Commander when asked to surrender his besieged garrison

The Dwarven Kingdom under Mount. Kyjal represents the unified Kingdom of the Dwarven People. They have ruled the mountains for a thousand years, building fortresses and illustrious caverns in the mountains for centuries. The Dwarves are a proud, strong people that have enjoyed economic prosperity and isolationist solitude at the same time. They are blessed with the strongest fortresses and mines which provide them with precious gems not found anywhere else within the realm of Heironia. Over the past 400 years, the Dwarven Realm has fallen under constant siege, threatened by the Orcish hordes which number in the hundreds of thousands. The Dwarves, formerly backed by the virtually limitless manpower resources of the Empire, have always managed to defend the realm from an Orcish incursion, but now that the Empire is locked in a bitter, civil war, the Dwarves must face their most recent threat, alone...

Unlike the Empire and the Southern Kingdoms, the Dwarves are a single, unified people. Led by their King from the throne of Mount Kyjal, the Dwarven people are smaller than a single kingdom of the Empire, and smaller than most kingdoms to the south. Despite their small size (literally and figuratively), the Dwarves are a force to be feared, their armies made up of some of the finest soldiers in the realm.

Special Rules:

Dwarf Fortress - The Dwarves feature some of the greatest stone masonry in the realm and while they are often made of beautiful marble, they function even better than they look. Their fortresses allow them to defend their territories despite inferior numbers, making any campaign in Dwarven territory nearly impossible. Plus, they are built for Dwarves, so anyone that tries to fit through their entryways will have more than armored Dwarves to deal with. Dwarves will receive a 20% point-value buff when fighting in their own territories (Even when attacking).

"We are Dwarves!" - The Dwarves are a unified, single race. Meaning that they do not have to deal with civil war or political enemies. Nobody seems to have many qualms against the Dwarves yet, either. This also means there can only be one player who plays this faction, you hipster, you!

"I Prefer My Feet on The Ground!" - Dwarves will almost always fight on foot, meaning that their armies can not field any cavalry. (Excluding Heroic Cavalry, for those who want War Bears)

"OOOOOOOOORCS!" - Being next to an Orcish horde has its downsides.

Player Limit: One Player

The Southern Kingdoms

"We are the High Elves of the South, sons and daughters of the Old World. Our dynasties have lasted for more millenniums than you can possibly imagine. Your petty Empire has no power here."
- High Elven King Malekith upon meeting an Imperial Delegate

The Southern Kingdoms are home to many different races and cultures, the most predominant of races being the Elves. Each race rules their own, independent kingdoms which have maintained autonomy for many years. Unlike the Empire, no kingdom has yet sought dominance over the others due to the major differences in cultures and species. Essentially, any Kingdom that isn't human or dwarven that resides in Heironia is part of the collective that is the Southern Kingdoms.

While many of the species and kingdoms that reside in the Southern Kingdoms have little or no history, the High Elves of the South have quite an expansive record, their history predating the founding of Heironia itself. The most renowned race in the Southern Kingdoms, the High Elves of the South trace their lineage back to the Old World, an immortal plane outside the realm of Heironia brewing with magic and power. The Old World was a realm where people did not die of age, a place where magic was an infinite and easily replenished source of power. This all changed when the Forces of Darkness, a manifestation of Elven greed and pride, plunged the Old World into chaos, causing death and destruction through all facets of civilization. The survivors managed to create a portal to the realm of Heironia and became the first settlers in the New World to begin civilization.

High Elven Armies are as fearsome as they are graceful. Deploying almost exclusively elite units, High Elven Armies are known for unmatched skill and versatility. Their long ages allow them to become masters of several weapons and it is not uncommon for a detachment of Elven Rangers to fire accurate volleys of arrows before they draw swords and join the fray with the skill of any trained swordsmen. They field little unit variety, but their troops make up for this by being able to fulfill many roles.

This does not mean that High Elves represent all of the Southern Kingdoms, however. There are many species that reside in the South, including other denominations of Elves and many other creatures, each with their own, autonomous Kingdoms and armies.

Special Rules:

Our People Are One - After rolling for population, the player may choose to re-roll once. The second roll will be taken over the first, regardless of value. (Values of 10 or less on the second roll may still be re-rolled. The value must be higher than 10 to count as the first roll. )

Extra Positive - Depending on the race/kingdom chosen, you will be assigned an extra positive trait tailored to your Kingdom. (You may design these yourself, but it is up to a GM or Co-GM to approve them. Otherwise, they will be assigned for you.)

Extra Negative - Depending on the race/kingdom chosen, you will be assigned an extra negative trait tailored to your Kingdom. (You may design these yourself, but it is up to a GM or Co-GM to approve them. Otherwise, they will be assigned for you.)

Player Limit: Three Players

The Orcish Horde (NPC)

WIP - Will be finished sometime tomorrow.

The Coming Darkness (NPC)

WIP - Will be finished at a later date.

---

The Military Codex

The Military Codex is the acting rulebook for The Storm of War. Here, there will be a basic introduction and explanation of how combat is to be conducted in The Storm of War, along with any other rules that must be followed. If there is any confusion, please refer to a GM or Co-GM to better explain any features for you. This system was created to be as simple as possible, yet still provide a rewarding experience for players. These rules are in place for a reason; to keep the game a balanced and fun environment for everyone. Please remember that while this game is governed by rules, the main objective of the RP is for a fun and interesting roleplaying experience. Attempting to deceive or find loopholes in the system to gain an advantage is not fun for anyone. Please respect other players and the rules of Iwaku at all times as well.

But Valooooor, why such complex rules?: Because Nation RP's tend to be plagued by metagaming and cheating due to their imaginative and competitive nature. Playing a Nation RP without rules would be like playing Chess against a pigeon. Utterly pointless but amusing.

Now shut up and please click on an article from the drop-down menu to get started:

Creating Your Army

Creating your army is a massive creative opportunity to bring your Kingdom to life. After all, what is a Rohan without its awesome Rohirrim Riders? To create an army in The Storm of War, it is based off of your Kingdom's Population. So in order to get an army, we must first calculate our Kingdom's population. To calculate the population of our Kingdom, we must use the Iwaku Dice Roll System. After posting your Kingdom's application, you must go to the bottom right of your post.

Next to the "Reply" button, you will find "More options". Click on More options and then click "Throw a dice"

Write "Population" in the entry box and then roll for a 90 faced die. (They don't make these in real life, do they?)

If you roll a 10 or under, re-roll.

Once you have a number that is 11 or higher, take the number you get and add 10.

You now have your base value!
Example:

\[ 50+10=60 \]

Grab a calculator and multiply your value by 10,000.
Example:

\[ 60 * 10,000=600,000 \]

This is now your population! (600,000 in this case)
Great, now how the hell do I get my army value?

Your army point value is 25% of your population, no matter what faction you are, we assume that at best, 25% of the civilization is capable of fighting. So in our case it would be:

\[ 600,000 * .25=150,000 \]

With 150,000 points, we can now spend these points on the army point system. You can choose whatever army combination you want using 150,000 points, even taking 150,000 light infantry if you so choose! (Though taking a balanced army makes it more interesting for everyone involved...)

Calculating Combat

Now that we have discussed how to put your army together, let's talk about how to get it killing! Combat in The Storm Of War is conducted when two armies agree to combat. (Yes, they must actually agree. Forcing another player to fight you when you want would be considered metagaming. Though, if you do something such as march into their lands or ambush their armies, they should fight you, or else they're not very good roleplayers...)

Both players decide how many troops are appearing at this battle. For example:
Army One decides to send 10,000 Light Infantry (10,000 Points)
Army Two decides to send 2,400 Elite Infantry (12,000 Points)

Army Two has a tactical advantage due to their army being more effective value wise on the battlefield. This will mean that Army One must make up for the 20% difference in strength.

Before combat even begins, before an arrow is fired or a sword is swung, both armies must roll a 90 sided die to decide who will win the fight.

After you receive your result, add 10. (Damned Iwaku doesn't allow for 100 sided die rolls)
Example: Army One rolls a 20+10 = 30, Army Two rolls a 10+10 = 20

Because Army Two was 20% stronger in point value, Army One must subtract 20 from their roll. This leaves Army One at an outcome of 10 while Army Two has 20. This means that Army Two is victorious!

If both numbers end up the same, the battle ends in a draw

Sometimes, there will be extra variables. For example, if Army One was a Dwarven Army fighting in their own territory, their 10,000 point army would actually be worth 12,000 points, meaning they take no penalty! Things such as castles and other bonuses may be assigned by a GM or Co-GM before a battle which may change the course of a conflict.

Roleplaying Combat and Calculating Casualties

After the winner has been decided, it is up to the players to actually roleplay the engagement, knowing who is going to win. In the previous example, Army Two (2,500 Elite Infantry) beat Army One (10,000 Light Infantry). So then Player Two can write about how his troops valiantly held their ground against a stronger enemy, slaughtering the enemy army until Army One broke apart and routed. Player One can then talk about how his commander disciplined his troops and cursed Player Two's name as he ran away. This is where the imagination and role playing aspects come into play.

So now that combat has been resolved, we must calculate casualties, or the losses for both sides. This is actually where the most important number takes place, since a winning army could have strategically lost more bodies than the loser.

To calculate casualties, the winner must roll a 30 sided die, the loser must roll a 50 sided die.
Example: Army One lost so rolls a 10, Army Two won and rolls a 20. Army One loses 10% of its army while Army Two loses 20%

This is the percentage of points lost during that battle through death or wounded soldiers. You cannot lose more than half your army in a battle, since we assume that at least half of them escape the battlefield.

This is it for the Military Codex! Hope this wasn't too confusing. if you have any questions, please post a question in the OOC thread or send a PM to Valor.

Unit Classifications

Here, you can read about unit types and what constitutes their classification. This will help you design your troops in a way that makes sense for the realm of Heironia. Click below to see some unit types and descriptions.

Light Infantry - 1 Point

Lightly armed rabble march across the battlefield in a mob.

Light Infantry are numerous infantry units that, along with Light Skirmishers, can be used to fill up the remaining points in an army. Light Infantry are any unit that is incredibly lightly armored, often times being sent into battle with minimal training or equipment. They represent the cannon fodder of your army, generally being sent out to die in droves. In some cases, they make up the rank and file of the army, other times they are scouts or units formed out of peasants eager to defend their homes.

Naming Examples:
Elven Rabble
Imperial Scouts
Armed Peasantry
Dwarven Light Infantry

Heavy Infantry - 2 Points

Imperial Legionnaires hold the line in an exemplary display of bravery.

Heavy Infantry are generally the rank and file troops in a army. They are well-equipped, well-trained and battle hardened. They will fight savagely. Generally equipped with heavy armor and/or large shields, these are the men (or women) tasked with holding the line. They can be equipped with a variety of weapons, such as swords, spears, pikes or hammers to name a few and come in all shapes and sizes.

In the Armies of Heironia, specifically the Imperial Armies, they tend to be composed of mostly Heavy Infantry.

Naming Examples:
High Elven Shield Bearers
Imperial Legionnaires
Heavy Spearmen
Dwarven Armored Warriors

Elite Infantry - 5 Points

A lone knight stands victorious on the battlefield.

Elite Infantry represent the life-long warriors that have been bred and raised to warfare through a lifetime of warrior culture and indoctrination. Elite Infantry have seen countless battles and are equipped with the finest armor and given the finest training possible of their stature. They march into battle with their heads held high. While Heavy Infantry are glad to die for their Kingdom, Elite Infantry much prefer to slaughter for theirs.

In the Empire, Elite Infantry tend to be Knights from a dedicated Order, warriors that have been raised from noble warrior houses to fight and serve their Kingdom. However, certain Kingdoms rely on other forms of troops to make up their Elite core of units.

Naming Examples:
High Elven Swordmasters
Imperial Knights of the White Rose
Landed Knights
Dwarven High Borns

Heroic Infantry - 10 Points

Paladin of the Blazing Sun

Heroic Infantry represent the finest Heroes within a Kingdom. Warriors that have proven themselves time and time again, to the point where they have become legends among their people. Their reputation is so great that they have become demoralizing just to see on the battlefield. They stand above their Elite counterparts due to an even more awe inspiring presence. When the Heroic Infantry fall, it means that all has been lost.

The Empire of Wessex once had a Knightly Order that produced such men, but they have all but disappeared after the mysterious death of the last Emperor. Known as the Paladins of the Blazing Sun, they stood as a beacon of light during the darkness, facing against the most impossible odds at every turn. They were so legendary that they would often serve as the Emperor's personal bodyguard and legion in times of war.

Naming Examples:
High Elven Sea Guard
Imperial Royal Guard
Paladins of the Blazing Sun
Dwarven King's Guard

Light Skirmishers - 1 Point

A Female Elven Archer

Light Skirmishers are numerous Skirmisher units that, along with Light Infantry, can be used to fill up the remaining points in an army. They tend to represent the light missile units in an army that run around and harass the enemy line before falling back behind the safety of the main line. They are generally unarmored or very lightly armored, and equipped with either a missile or throwing weapon to shoot towards the enemy.

In the case of the Empire, these Light Skirmishers may take the form of archers or peltasts (javelin throwers). They are not heavily armored due to not fighting in melee combat, their lack of armor allowing them to escape and evade melee threats in the thick of combat.

Naming Examples:
High Elven Archers
Imperial Archers
Imperial Peltasts
Dwarven Light Crossbowmen

Heavy Skirmishers - 2 Points

A High Elven Guardian standing at attention.

Heavy Skirmishers generally represent the heavier Skirmisher units within an army. But this doesn't always constitute in heavier armor, but sometimes also in heavier armament. For example, while a Light Skirmisher may simply be an Elf armed with a bow, a Heavy Skirmisher could be an Elf armed with both a bow and a spear, allowing them to shoot like a standard skirmisher unit before charging in and fighting on the front line. In some cases, Heavy Skirmisher can mean as little as having a heavier weapon to hurl towards the enemy.

In the case of High Elves and unlike other conventional armies, their armies tend to be compromised of mostly multi-role archers, which are equally as skilled with the sword or spear as they are with the bow. They can fire off a volley of arrows at a charging enemy before switching weapons and engaging with finesse and grace. In the case of an Imperial legion, this may simply be an archer or a peltast (javelin thrower) equipped with heavier armor.

Naming Examples:
High Elven Guardians
Imperial Heavy Archers
Armored Peltasts
Dwarven Armored Crossbowmen

Elite Skirmishers - 5 Points

A High Elven Ranger leads the battlefield, killing all in his path.

Elite Skirmishers represent the exceptionally talented missile troops of an army. Typically units who can aim across wide distances with deadly precision and accuracy, they can also be missile troops that are more talented with the blade than they are with their actual missile weapon. This was the case in Alexander the Great's Army, where his elite bodyguard was comprised of Royal Peltasts, who would toss javelins to harass a line before drawing swords and become fearsome sword infantry. They have excellent training, excellent equipment and they are often even capable of handling themselves in a close quarters engagement, despite being missile units.

The High Elves are known for having great Swordmasters and excellent archers. Sometimes the two find a happy medium, creating the Elven Rangers, expert bowmen who have also had extensive knowledge using the sword. They operate as excellent, versatile and independent units that can hold their own in any pitched battle.

Naming Examples:
High Elven Rangers
Imperial Royal Peltasts
Imperial Elite Rangers
Dwarven Elite Crossbowmen

Heroic Skirmishers - 10 Points

High Elven Lord Imranil standing tall with his pet eagle.

Like Heroic Infantry, Heroic Skirmishers represent the ranged heroes of an army. More often than not, most armies will not have any Heroic Skirmishers, since fighting at a distance is considered dishonorable. However, the High Elves have proven time and time again that their best Heroes are in fact those armed with a bow. These Heroic warriors have lived through their trial by fire and have emerged a beacon of skill and finesse unmatched by any of their class.

For the High Elves, they have several Rangers that have achieved Heroic status. Travelling across the bitter snow of Northern Heironia, Lord Imranil has scored over 500 confirmed kills with a yew longbow bow during a High Elven campaign against the Empire.

Naming Examples:
Elite High Elven Rangers of The Swan

Light Cavalry - 2 Points

Light Cavalry rush to position across a river.

To fight on horseback is considered a symbol of status. A well-trained horse being often worth more than a soldier's life. Because of this, even the lightest form of cavalry are worth considerably more than the cannon fodder that makes up the bulk of an army. Light Cavalry generally represent either the poorest of cavalry and/or the most lightly armored. Their horses unprotected by any sort of armor, they are unable to deliver the devastating charges of heavier cavalry. However, they make up for this for their cheaper cost and higher mobility. Light Cavalry make excellent scout troops while on the battlefield, while Cavalry in general are the greatest of offensive troops, able to exploit gaps or holes in an enemy formation that infantry cannot.

Naming Examples:
Imperial Scout Cavalry
High Elven Light Cavalry
Orc Wolf Riders

Heavy Cavalry - 5 Points

A line of Imperial Winged Hussars deliver a devastating charge.

Heavy Cavalry act as the heavy shock arm of any army. Equipped in heavy armor and riding well-trained steeds, Heavy Cavalry are generally trained to deliver heavy charges into enemy lines, causing severe casualties for the receiving end of their devastating charge. The rider themselves are generally well-armored or the horse is, occasionally both, to protect from incoming missiles and pointy spears. Heavy Cavalry are a large part of many armies, human ones especially.

Naming Examples:
Imperial Winged Hussars
Elven Heavy Cavalry
Imperial Knights

Elite Cavalry - 10 Points

Imperial Great Knights charge into the enemy with great zeal, armored head to toe in golden armor.

Standing above the rest of the front line troops are the Elite Cavalry, the greatest of shock troops found in any army. Heavily armored from head to hooves, a member of the Elite Cavalry is generally armored in the finest plate armor and their horses as well. They carry the largest of lances, so that they may deliver the most devastating and demoralizing charge possible. Elite Cavalry serve as the elite of the elite in the armies of man, their finest knights riding into battle on horseback.

In an Imperial Army, the Elite Cavalry were generally the most important, decisive force on the battlefield. They were tasked with breaking up heavy formations, covered head to toe in the finest armors the realm could forge. They charge fearlessly into the enemy, breaking them apart under the stampede of a thousand horses. Generally drawn from the most noble knight families, the Imperial Knights are bred from a young age to fight in all aspects of combat.

Naming Examples:
Great Knights of the Golden Sun
Elven Royal Cavalry

Heroic (Flying) Cavalry 25 Points

Here, a Knight stands tall with... holy sh** is that a f****ng dragon?!

At the helm of heroes are even greater heroes. Legendary warriors that make up the Heroic Cavalry. The Heroic Cavalry represent the legendary, fantastical flying and other mounted units that charge into battle for their Kingdom. Gryphon riders, Demigryph riders, Dragonknights, Dwarves mounted on war bears, Heroic Cavalry are for those warriors that make the enemy run upon seeing them.

Naming Examples:
Anything that rides something goddamn majestic.

---

Application for Kingdomship

Here is the information that you need in order to be accepted as a Kingdom in the realm of Heironia. You are free to make it look as fancy-shmancy as you'd like, (Please, this application looks like crap right now.) but please keep at least the following information in place. Please ensure you have read all subsequent articles before starting on the application. GM's reserve the right to deny any applications which do not meet sufficient writing standards. (Intermediate Level)

Kingdom Information
Kingdom Name:
Coat of Arms/Flag/Logo: (Needed for graphic work.)
Local Faction: (The Empire, The Dwarves of Mount. Kyjal or The Southern Kingdoms)
Primary Race: (A Southern Kingdom may be made up of many races, but the Empire may only be Human and the Dwarves may only be Dwarven.)
Kingdom Population: (See Rulebook.)
Political Leader(s): (The Main Character(s) of your Kingdom.)

Kingdom History: (Please be as detailed as possible here. This is where your Kingdom will really come to life. Write about the local politics, the biographies of the leaders, the hopes and dreams for the Kingdom, etc. GM's may or may not be biased towards incredibly detailed factions )

Military Information
Complete Point Value: (25% of Population Value.)
List of Units and How Many: (Example: 1,000 Imperial Conscripts, 1,000 Imperial Legionnaires, 500 Imperial Knights, 20 Heroic Gryphon Riders, etc. You can be incredibly detailed here as well, writing small descriptions of each unit that is in your army!)

The Kingdoms of Heironia

Here, you can see the accepted Kingdoms of Heironia.

There is a planned maximum of 8 players, 4 Empire, 1 Dwarven and 3 Southern.

---

@Karakui @Heyitsjiwon @Honorific @Zombehs @Grif ♥
If you were linked it is because you expressed interest in the Interest Check Thread.

 

[Karakui]

This all changed when the Forces of Darkness, a manifestation of Elven greed and pride, plunged the Old World into chaos, causing death and destruction through all facets of civilization.
^ This all changed when the Dark Nation attacked

The second dice roll was a mis-click. My mouse moved, I was trying to click Edit.

Italics represents the word for something in the local language. Non-italics is what people who don't speak the language usually call them.

Basic Information

Kingdom Information
Kingdom Name: Seiraten / Land of the Stars / Land of the Shining Nights

Coat of Arms/Flag/Logo: The Taiyo

Spoiler

Local Faction: Southern Kingdoms

Primary Race: Seito / Celestials / Star-tamers (Mainly by those with a talent for magic)

Kingdom Population: 455000 (650000 * 0.7)

Political Leader(s): Hierath Keikaru


Nation Attributes: (see detailed descriptions below)
+Hieramathis / Star Magic: During the night, Seito armies gain a 10% point boost. During the day, Seito armies lose 10% fewer soldiers as casualties.

- Small Population: Seiraten has a 30% reduction in overall population size, applied after the roll is calculated.

Kingdom History: (see detailed descriptions below)


Military Information
Complete Point Value: 113750
List of Units and How Many: (see detailed descriptions below)
56,875 points Heroic Cavalry: 2275 units.
10,000 points Heroic Infantry: 1000 units.
24,125 points Elite Infantry: 4825 units.
22,750 points Elite Skirmishers: 4550 units.

Nation History

The Seito are an ancient race, almost as old as the High Elves, however, they only recently came to the continent. Originally, the Seito made their home upon a series of island chains, where they acted as guardians, binding and watching over ancient demons they believed to live within the volcanoes. But, as volcanoes do, they erupted, forcing the few remaining Seito off the islands to find home someplace else. Now, they have been part of the southern kingdoms for 200 years. Due to their political beliefs of tranquility, they tend not to make any enemies for themselves, although their Heroic Cavalry units are beyond compare and are a high source of envy among other nations.

The Seito have always been known as great magicians, even superior to the High Elves. Their magic system is incredibly advanced in comparison to most, and they are the only race capable of casting Nation-type spells - spells so large that their effects can be felt across an entire nation. In order to do one of these spells, however, they require very specific conditions, which only come around once every 85 years. The last time a spell of this scale was cast was 23 years ago, so the nation must wait a further 62 years before being able to cast another.

The Seito have two particular magical attributes that are the most sought after: Ethereal Armor and Constellar Birth. The first of these is the spell responsible for their 10% increase in abilities during the night, in which every Seito warrior gains a lightweight glimmering aura that reinforces their armor and weapons. The second is the most highly kept secret in the world, and allows them to build their Heroic Cavalry units: Aerex.

In terms of politics, the Seito are a peaceful race who have no intention of world domination - they are fully aware that they do not have the population to do it. They interact with other nations mainly through trade, and are friendly to all who would request an agreement with them. They run an open border policy, meaning that any individual person is free to come and go as they like, however, they do not tolerate the presence of other nation's military forces within their domain and will respond to this quickly and without mercy. An exception from this is made for the military forces of allies and for personal guard of important people. They request that the leader of a nation come and speak for themselves if at all possible, rather than a messenger doing it.

Should another Southern nation request, they are willing to lend a portion of their military strength to aid in the defense of their ally, but they will not help with any potential counter-attacks.

Seiraten

Seiraten's kingdom consists of 2 major cities and several smaller villages surrounded by a beautiful ever-autumn forest. The terrain is relatively mountainous and almost entirely covered in trees, making use of cavalry very difficult anywhere besides the few great roads that link the cities and towns. The two cities are built like fortresses, with very narrow streets that get sunlight only during the peak of the day. These streets are often single-file, and because of this, most of the trade markets are set up on the roads that hug the inside of the walls, which is the only place where carts can be driven.

Town guards are usually mages recruited from the general populace who use binding magic to prevent a criminal from moving while someone finds a soldier to deal with them. Because everyone is responsible for their own collective safety, there is a very communal feel to the towns and very little civil unrest. Additionally, this means that should a Hierath (A Seito king or queen) be corrupt, the townsfolk would have no problem overthrowing them. The Hierath is forced to accept this, and the current one has actually given ownership of 95% of the military to the people, retaining only 5% as their own personal guard, as a sign of goodwill. Though the nation is officially a monarchy, it functions much more like a republic in practice and the general population have a very large influence in the politics of the nation. The Hierath does still get the final say, though.

There is one further location, which is the most important location of all: Helios Temple

This is where the Aerex are born and where the riders of said Aerex are trained. It is a hidden fortress located deep within the mountains, and even the Aerex riders themselves are not entirely aware of its location.

Culture

Seito are not officially religious, however, a recent trend in worship has sprung up that idolises the constellations. Despite having no religious attachments, the Seito are still very fond of their festivals, and have a very packed calendar, with 20 official celebrations every year and hundreds of further, casual events.
Seito have only recently developed the idea of currency, since previously, it was too easy for people to use magic to conjure riches. The current coin is made of a complex alloy of gold, silver and mercury, and contains a magical "ID tag" that means only a single forge within the central bank is capable of producing them. You can tell a Seito coin is real by performing a short, one syllable incantation that anyone is able to use even without a gift for magic, and the coin will glimmer in response, if it is real.
The Seito speak their own language, although all have the option to learn commontongue from a young age. Many choose not to, though warriors and nobles have no choice and are taught enough to get by in most situations. The spoken language is very fast and hard to learn: Each word can mean many different things and what you understand it to mean is based upon the context of the conversation. The written system looks complex to begin with, but can be learnt easily. Each character represents a certain sound, such as " t ", " k " or more complex ones such as " sh " or " th ". The same is true for vowels, in the same pattern. One symbol for " a ", one symbol for " e ". The complexity rules apply here too, such as when two vowels follow each other. " ae " has a different symbol to " a " " e ". Most citizens are relatively illiterate and cannot read or write, so a secondary pictogram-based language has been developed by them. It uses the same spoken system but relies on the use of pictures to portray key concepts. Many words and tenses are omitted, making it hard to read.

Military

Elite Infantry: Gildsteel Warriors

The Gildsteel Warriors form the bulk of the infantry within the army and also serve as part of the town guards. They are clad head to toe in armor crafted from steel with a thin coating of gold, and usually wield a spear or a longsword, and a shield. All of their equipment is imbued with the spells for Ethereal Armor. Individually, Ethereal Armor strength varies, but it averages at around a 10% increase in toughness and sharpness. They are all capable warriors and can adapt easily to the battlefield, but prefer to fight in groups. Many Gildsteel Warriors and all Gildsteel captains have several spells beside Ethereal Armor in their repertoire, though most of these continue along the lines of defense

Anyone has the potential to become a Gildsteel warrior, however, new recruits are usually chosen form those who have shown both a slight affinity for magic and have served in the voluntary town guard to ensure quality. After being chosen, recruits spend 2-5 years in training before being ready for deployment. Gildsteel warriors have a naturally high morale and most have a respect for all warriors, making as clean kills as they can without endangering themselves. They have many internal traditions, such as incinerating the bodies of the dead, which they believe turns their soul into a star to aid the strength of the nation.

Heroic Infantry: Warlocks

Warlocks - powerful magicians clad in impenetrable steel armor. While not as magnificent as the golden armor worn by the Gildsteels, the fact that the armor is physically impossible to move in without the aid of magic makes them an intimidating force to behold. Warlocks work alone and will spread themselves out across the field to best show off their power. Warlocks have very powerful light-based magic at their disposal, and particularly talented ones can disintegrate a foe completely. The sheer strength of a warlock commands respect from even the strongest of foes.

Warlocks are only recruited from those who show a strong affinity for magic. These typically join training academies during their early childhood, but exceptions have been known to be made. Warlocks have a high sense of rivalry within them, and not a day goes by without a tournament of some kind or other being hosted within their courtyards in an attempt to prove strength. Normally this would probably be unhealthy, but since they fight alone, it makes them aim to fight at their best.

Elite Skirmishers: Warpriests

Warpriests essentially act as the archers of a Seito army. They stay a considerable way behind the melee troops and rain hell upon the battlefield from afar with bombardment-type light spells, while creating projectile-resistant wards above melee infantry in response to the enemy's archers. Warpriests earn a lot of respect from their comrades, who trust them to give them covering fire and protection. Warpriests are trained for 3-4 years, and are selected from those who show a moderate affinity for magic.

Heroic Cavalry: Aurex Riders

^Image may not be to scale :P

Aurex: great beasts that resemble four winged dragons. They are the signature unit of the Seito army and are renowned across the land. The "rider" part of "Aurex Rider" is very much unnecessary. The Aurex is fully capable of functioning on its own, the rider is simply there to act as an extra pair of eyes. They utilise Light magic in a far greater capacity than even the greatest Warlocks.
Aurex are 'built' in the Helios Temple, where the strongest magicians in the land bind celestial mana in it's rawest form to do their bidding.
Riders of the Aurex are trained from almost birth for up to 20 years, and are considered among the most elite.

Important People

Name: Altor Keikaru
Age: 44
Position: Hierath (king)

A very intelligent and calculating man who serves as the hierath or king of the Seito people. Many people outside of Seito would look at him with distrust and disgust, mainly because of his incredible good fortune that people put down to corruption. In actuality, Keikaru is a just and fair man who in his 2 years of service has already revolutionised Seito society. Keikaru is currently one of the most popular Hieraths ever, perhaps primarily due to the fact that he is the first Hierath in 500 years to earn his position instead of inherit it.










________________________________________________________

Name: Reii Keikaru
Age: 17
Position: Heir to the throne

Reii is calm and calculating much like her father Altor, but she is also very bad at putting her thoughts into words. While she would likely make a good hierath in theory, her inability to explain what she means would make it very problematic in practice. Reii has a natural talent for magic and has practiced from a very young age. She acts mainly as the champion of the royal family and represents the Hierath should combat ever be a necessary decider of politics.









________________________________________________________

I'm sure more will be added here when new politicians come into use.

 

[Zeebo]

I would like to join this. Looks detailed and interestin'.

 

[Zeebo]

WIP​

[fieldbox="Rishi, seagreen, solid, 10, Georgia"]

Sun Kingdom of Rishi

Kingdom Information
Kingdom Name: Rishi d'nar Njma Faiz - Sun Kingdom of Rishi

Coat of Arms/Flag/Logo:

Spoiler

Local Faction: The Southern Kingdoms

Racial Makeup:

• Niran - Sand Demons (89%)
• Sehar - Elves (5.5%)
• Kazime - Dwarves (2%)
• Sihr - Wizards (.5%)
• Other Races - (3%)

Kingdom Population: 820,000 (82*10,000)

Political Leader(s):

• Maa'iz Nejem - The "Melik", or king, of the realm of Rishi as well as the "Ramira", or commander, of Rishi's military forces.
• Zaray Nejem- The "Melike", or queen, of the realm of Rishi as well as the "Khouriy", or chief priestess, of the Niran Unity Church.
• Rajab Izmir - The "Izaam", or first general, of the Heavenly Army as well as the "Nasheera", or vizier, of Anjum, the capital of Rishi.
• Rafiq Mazin - The "Safir", or special envoy, of the League of Kalee Cities as well as the "Shahar", or mayor, of the city of Maram.
• Salih Alfarsi - The Safir of the Desert Merchants of the Siyam, as well as the "Abhala", or factor, of the Nahid Cartel.
• Jabir Wassim - The Safir of the Magic Guild of the Wizards of Barzaq, as well as the "Mudir", or director, of Jabr Sharif University.

Player Character(s):

• Maa'iz Nejem
• Zaray Nejem
• Rajab Izmir

Nation Attributes:

• Asosiiy Sehr Harbi - Rishii mages are well versed in manipulating the Magics, receiving a 15% point bonus during combat. (+)
• Sahr Siyid - Due to it's location in the brutally dry Siyam Desert, Rishi is incapable of deploying elite and heroic cavalry units. (-)

Military Information
Complete Point Value: 205,000 points
Complete Army Strength: 106,900 soldiers

List of Units and How Many:

• 25,000 Light Infantry (25,000 points)
• 39,500 Heavy Infantry (79,000 points)
• 3,800 Elite Infantry (19,000 points)
• 650 Heroic Infantry (6,500 points)
• 16,000 Light Skirmishers (16,000 points)
• 9,750 Heavy Skirmishers (19,500 points)
• 2,500 Elite Skirmishers (12,500 points)
• 375 Heroic Skirmishers (3,750 points)
• 7,625 Light Cavalry (15,250 points)
• 1,700 Heavy Cavalry (8,500 points)

History of Rishi

Founded by the Great Desert Saif (chief), Bahiy af-Fadir, nearly a thousand years ago the land now belonging to the Sun Kingdom of Rishi used to be a prosperous trading kingdom populated by humans, elves, and the myriad of other races that live in the southern kingdoms. Once the jewel of the Siyam Plains, the then merchant kingdom of Qurhah was a political and economic powerhouse that had the strength to easily defeat any of the Southern Kingdoms without breaking a sweat. As its power continued to grow and its armies marched further and further away from the capital of Na'im, Qurhah began to slowly fracture internally as the Order of the Heavenly Light, led by Khouriy (priestess) Mujur Issa, and the merchant cartels, led by Qusayim Azzam of the powerful Azzam merchant cartel, started fighting each other for political control of the regions and provinces that made up the merchant kingdom.

The growing number of incidents began to grow more and more violent until, one summer evening, Qusayim Azzam and the heads of Qurhah's most powerful merchant cartels were killed in a raid carried out by agents of the Order of the Heavenly Light. Azzam's death sent shockwaves throughout the Qurhahn political establishment. As the merchant cartels scrambled to elect a new leader, Mujur Issa moved quickly to consolidate the Order's political power. Through careful lobbying of central government officials and the discreet assassination of the most important of the remaining merchant cartel heads, Issa placed loyal members of the Order into key political positions ranging from the chief advisor to Qurhah's Saif at the time, Hakim Raza, to lords of the frontier provinces. After nearly four years of cajoling and threatening, and with loyal allies in control of the military, Mujur Issa overthrew Hakim Raza in a bloodless coup and reformed the merchant kingdom into a theocratic kingdom.

In the centuries following Bahiy af-Fadir's founding of Qurhah, the merchant kingdom rarely used its military for any reason beyond defending the frontier provinces, suppressing peasant rebellions, and protecting its foreign trade investments. Warfare with neighboring kingdoms and cities was rare and outsiders were encouraged to visit the kingdom's many trading cities. This all changed when Mujur Issa took over. With the full backing of the Order, Issa embarked on a radical campaign of racial persecution, political restructuring, and autocratic rule. Entire districts of Na'im were cleared of their non-human residents, foreign ambassadors from non-human nations were expelled, and soldiers protecting Qurhah's foreing trade properties were brought home. Known as the Great Revelation in the history books, Mujur Issa's reign saw the establishment of the Order of the Heavenly Light as Qurhah's most prominent political faction and the disbandment of Qurhah's most powerful merchant cartels.

Even as she expanded both her own, personal political power and the political power of the Order, all was not well in Mujur Issa's own house. While the Order did officially support her rule, and tried it's hardest to implement her new decrees, laws, and edicts, certain leaders within the institution were growing wary of Issa's increasing megalomania and narcissism. By the sixth year of her reign three factions had taken root in the religious and political establishment of Qurhah. The first faction, colloquially known as the "Asfurh" and led by Mujur Issa and Ayyub Saqqaf, her cousin and the Marjur (archpriest) of Na'im, was dedicated to Issa's policies of exclusion and religious purity and merely wished to live isolated from the rest of the world. The second faction, known as the "Firanh", were led by Sa'id Karim, the Marjur of Majinib, and wanted to transform Qurhah from an autocratic theocracy into a less religious and more trade-orientated kingdom. The third faction were known as the "Mudribh" and led by Yaziz Ghanim, the Kojha (abbot) of the well-known Jarajir Monastery. While supportive of a more active Order, the Mudribh rejected the autocratic and isolationist policies of Mujur Issa and pushed for the increased study and application of magic.

The slow fracturing of the Order, which took place over a period of a decade, erupted from the level of low-level flame to that of a raging firestorm when Mujur Issa was nearly assassinated and Ayyub Saqqaf was killed by deviant followers of Sa'id Karim. Scarred both physically and mentally by the attack, Issa was left paralyzed from the waist down and removed from power by the Ziyim (elders) of the Order. With Issa out of the picture the three factions began a sharp lobbying effort among the Order's elders to choose their favored candidates for leader of the Order. After a contentious, month-long period characterized by threats and blackmail, Asad Darzi, the new leader of the Asfurh faction, was selected to become the Ra'is (leader) of the Order of the Heavenly Light. While brief, he died two years after being chosen as the Ra'is, Asad Darzi proved to be even more polarizing a figure for the Order than Mujur Issa ever was. Whereas Issa had allowed non-humans to live in the poorest districts of Qurhahn cities, Darzi mobilized the military to forcefully kick them not just out of Qurhahn cities, but also out of Qurhah completely.

Darzi's death, which occurred during a military campaign against bandits inhabiting a nearby mountain range, saw the fracturing of the Firanh faction and the disintegration of the Asfurh faction. Seeing their chance to steer Qurhah away from ruin, the Mudribh faction, now led by Amjad Nawud, the Kojha of the isolated Nafnir Monastery, swooped in and had Nawud chosen as Ra'is by the Ziyim. Under Nawud, Qurhah saw the reversal of most of Issa and Darzi's policies. Among other things, magic, outlawed by Issa fifteen years before, was now allowed to be studied by anyone, human or non-human, willing to attend the prestigious Awfiqr Academy. Nawud's leadership, while not completely undoing the damage inflicted on Qurhah by the Asfurh faction, did manage to partially revive Qurhah's reputation and its flagging economy. Following his death, Nawud would be succeeded by numerous members of the Mudribh faction. For two hundred years the Mudribh faction ruled over Qurhah and led the theocracy successfully through crisis after crisis. By the time the sixth Ra'is, Rabiya Abaza, the Kojhe (abbess) of the Jarajir Monastery, was handed the reins of power, Qurhah had surpassed the power of the old merchant republic and was, once again, the premier power of the Southern Kingdoms.

As Qurhah reached the zenith of its political, economic, and military power, elements within the Mudribh faction began delving into the aspects and dimensions of magic that even the comparatively tolerant members had deemed to be too dangerous for common use and study. Locked away in the Suluk Monastery and led by Kojha Nizar Juma af-Freij, the "Mahqfrih" faction had always been a disparate element within the Mudribh faction since Mujur Issa first overthrew Hakim Raza centuries before. While the mainstream members of the Mudribh faction wanted the exploration and use of the common magic systems to be available to just about anyone, the Mahqfrih faction also wanted the Order to study the properties of the so-called "Forbidden Magics"; the systems of magic deemed too dangerous and corrupting for common use and study. Including such magics as runic magic, necromancy, shadow magic, arcane magic, spirit magic, death magic, and holy magic, the Forbidden Magics had been extensively and thoroughly researched by members of the Mahqfrih faction.

When Rabiya Abaza finally caught wind of the activities of Nizar Juma af-Freij and his cohorts she had the Furūsiyya, the enforcers of the Order, attack the Suluk Monastery. In the ensuing fight the leadership of the Mahqfrih faction, with the exception of af-Freij and his chief adviser, Ibn Qur Fiqh, were either killed or captured. The escape of af-Freij and Fiqh would turn out to be a blunder of literally apocalyptic proportions not just for Rabiya Abaza or the Mudribh faction, but also for Qurhah as a whole. As the Suluk Incident faded away into history and Mahqfrih stragglers were rounded up by the Furūsiyya across the country, af-Freij and Fiqh embarked on a journey to a fabled land, known only as Barzaq, far to the south of Qurhah. According to numerous works written primarily by the ancient explorer Fuaha Salaeb, Barzaq is home to a race of wizards known as the Sihr. According to Salaeb's writings, the Sihr will teach any person any magic that they desired so long as they accomplished three missions laid out by their council of leaders. Long considered to be an invented realm, the existence of Barzaq had always been denied by most of the Order's academics. Believing otherwise, af-Freij and Fiqh seemingly disappeared from the world before returning two decades later at the head of a massive army.

While Nizar Juma af-Freij's reappearance triggered a panic within the Order, Najm Raslan, the recently chosen Ra'is of the Order and former commander of the Furūsiyya, responded slowly. Initially believing reports of af-Freij's return to be overly exaggerated and and that this new mystery army was actually just a highly motivated peasant army, Najm Raslan dragged his feet. In fact, seven months would go by before he accepted the fact that af-Freij had, indeed, returned from his self-imposed exile. In the mean time, af-Freij had slowly conquered the southern third of Qurhah and had wreaked havoc on the land and terrorized its residents. The capture of the major city of Qarn would be what finally roused Raslan to mobilize Qurhah's army and confront af-Freij on the field of battle. The ensuing battle on the banks of the Istabar River saw Najm Raslan killed, Qurhah's military broken, and Nizar Juma af-Freij basking in the glow of ultimate victory over his hated enemy. A year later the war ended with the complete and total defeat of the Order of the Heavenly Light.

With the defeat of the Order and the capitulation of the Qurhahn government, Nizar Juma af-Freij quickly went about establishing a new government and ruling class. Renaming his land from Qurhah to Kalee, af-Freij also began implementing the policies on magic that the Mahqfrih faction had backed so long ago. Almost immediately this backfired on af-Freij. While af-Freij's interest in the Forbidden Magics was primarily academic and based on his thirst for knowledge and discovery, af-Freij's chief general, Kasim Zaid, was more interested in the power that came with practicing and immersing oneself in the corrupting influence of the Forbidden Magics. For years the two would butt heads over the proper use and application of the Forbidden Magics until, in a fit of rage and fury, af-Freij had Zaid reassigned as the commander of the remote frontier outpost of Kalibid. As commander of the Kalibid outpost, Zaid's anger at the indignation of being banished from his lofty post of chief general grew and grew. Once a fiercely loyal, if rebellious, follower of af-Freij, Kasim Zaid vowed to himself that he would see his king killed by his own hand.

For years Kasim Zaid, now ignored by af-Freij and his close advisers, silently continued his studies. From necromancy to holy magic he immersed himself into the Forbidden Magics and learned all that he could from the texts he'd brought along from his home of Barzaq. Brainwashing the six hundred-man contingent guarding the Kalibid contingent, Zaid taught them different aspects of the Forbidden Magics. One day, after receiving an invitation from af-Freij to participate in a military parade celebrating the tenth anniversary of af-Freij's victory over Qurhah, Zaid decided that the time was right for seeking his final revenge. On the day of the parade, the Kalibid contingent erupted in revolt and started attacking surrounding troops. As chaos reigned in the capital city of Na'im and conflicting reports of rebels rising up throughout the city began making their way to af-Freij and his advisers at the royal palace, Zaid slipped away to the palace's library and slaughtered the soldiers guarding the mystical Kadswair Gem.

As af-Freij tried to get a handle on the situation engulfing Na'im, Kasim Zaid stole the Kadswair Gem and slipped out of the palace library. While aides and guard rushed to secure the entrances to the palace and defend it if necessary, Zaid stealthily made his way to the palace's throne room. As he entered the throne room he killed all within it, except for af-Freij, and and barricaded the doors. As realization dawned on af-Freij, Zaid cut off his former king's limbs and began reciting the Incantation of Kadswair's Pain. As Kadswair's Gem began levitating and af-Freij slowly bled to death, Zaid shouted the final words of the incantation and a purple light enveloped the throne room then the palace then the city of Na'im then all of Kalee. Kasim Zaid's suicide mission saw all people, human or otherwise, within a fifty kilometer radius instantly killed and all people within a nine hundred kilometer radius turned into living skeletons. It also saw the fertile lands of the Siyam Plain transformed into a brutally dry desert.

The remnants of the Kingdom of Kalee, mostly concentrated along the western frontier and the northern border it shared with the Empire of Wessex, fell into civil war. The western frontier faction, known as the Sun Kingdom of Rishi, duked it out with the northern faction, the League of Kalee Cities, for nearly two decades until a coup carried out by the top general of the League assassinated it's Fahret (leader), Ziya Tayed. The Sun Kingdom quickly swooped in amongst the confusion and defeated it's foe. Led by Talib Nejem, a former commander of Nizar Juma af-Freij's, the Sun Kingdom of Rishi seeks to reclaim the power enjoyed by its ancestral kingdoms.

Political Situation in Rishi

As the name implies the Sun Kingdom of Rishi is ruled by a king, known locally as the Melik, who holds absolute power and authority over all matters concerning the kingdom. In spite of the absolute power he enjoys, the political realities of being his kingdom's ultimate arbiter means that the real power that Maa'iz Nejem is capable of wielding is a lot more limited than at first glance. In addition to his duties of king, the Melik must also fulfill the duties associated with being the supreme military commander of Rishi. As such, the Melik has little free time and is constantly working to placate the demands of the five legal factions that vie for power and influence: the League of Kalee Cities, the Niran Unity Church, the military of Rishi, the Desert Merchants of Siyam, and the Magic Guild of Wizards. Each of the five factions are represented in the royal court by a Safir (special envoy) that enjoys special privileges and power not available to other entities in the government.

The League of Kalee Cities (Kalee Wudinah d'nar Asebe) are the cities that were conquered by Talib Nejem fifty years ago. A collection of six cities and twenty-eight villages, the League was reestablished in order to better assert the power of the northern cities. The League is represented by a Safir who is chosen every ten years by a convocation of the Hokimi (chiefs) and Shahar (mayors) who rule over the League's villages and cities, respectively. A long supporter of greater autonomy for the northern cities and villages, with extreme elements even agitating for complete independence from Rishi, the League pushes for policies that limit the power of the Melik and maximize the power of their own Hokimi and Shahar. Ever since Maa'iz Nejem became Melik, the Safir of the League has enjoyed an increasing amount of power at the expense of the four other factions. The current Safir of the League is Rafiq Mazin, the Shahar of the city of Maram, the second largest of the League's six cities.

The Niran Unity Church (Niran Wahedah Ghenesah) was created out of the ruins of the Order of the Heavenly Light following Nizar Juma af-Freij's invasion and defeat of Qurhah. It's guiding principles are enshrined in the Code of Sharava. A four hundred year old document that was originally crafted by Yaziz Ghanim, the Code of Sharava has been amended many times since then and dictates how a follower of the Church should conduct themselves as a member of society and as an individual. Among the hundred of principles written down in the Code, five are considered to be the "Diyama Taleko" (shining pillars) of the Church: repentance, honesty, modesty, submission, and evangelism. Led by the "Khouriy" (chief priestess), the Church has been, and still remains, the dominant political power of Rishi. The reason being that every Khouriy of the Church is appointed by the Melik to serve for life. The current Khouriy is Zaray Nejem, the wife of Maa'iz Nejem and Melike (queen) of Rishi. Most of the Church's political power resides in western and southern Rishi.

The military of Rishi is the combat force tasked with protecting Rishi from all external and internal foes looking to invade and conquer the fledgling kingdom. Highly organized and well-trained, the military has always been the largest (member-wise) of the five factions. Regularly employing up to twenty-five percent of the Rishi's population, the military is often the destination of second and third sons with little hope of being given land of their own. Aside from that, each region of Rishi generally supplies different types of soldiers for service. For example, while the farms and villages of western Rishi regularly provide the bulk of the light infantry and skirmishers, the cities of the League are often the source for heavy and elite infantry and skirmisher units. Cavalry, on the other hand, are usually comprised of noblemen with little chance of being given a realm of their own to rule over. The military's Safir is known as the "Izaam" (first general) and, like the Church's, is chosen by the Melik to serve for life. The current Izaam is Rajab Izmir, the vizier Rishi's capital city, Anjum.

The Desert Merchants of the Siyam (Siyam Dajur d'nar Sahr) is an organization designed to promote the interests of the merchants and traders who dare to trek through the Siyam Desert in search of the gold and trade goods found outside of Rishi. Primarily comprised of the desert caravan cartels and the merchant and artisan guilds of the cities, the Desert Merchants of Siyam have long pushed for the construction of caravanserai, rest stops for traders and wanderers traveling through the Siyam Desert. Given that the vast amount of the trading economy somehow involves the Desert Merchants, corruption is becoming more and more common in cities that aren't part of the League of Kalee Cities due to the fact that the strong bonds that bind the League together simply don't exist in the western cities. The Desert Merchants are represented by a Safir that is chosen every two years by a convocation of the desert caravan cartels and the merchant and artisan guilds of the cities. The current Safir for the Desert Merchants is Salih Alfarsi, the Abhala (factor) of the Nahid Cartel.

The Magic Guild of the Wizards of Barzaq (Sihr Barzaq d'nar Sahira Naqeb) was, once upon a time, the academic branch of the Niran Unity Church. Originally tasked with discovering the theoretical underpinnings and practical application of magic, the Magic Guild was separated from the Church by Nizar Juma af-Freij so that those working within the Guild wouldn't be distracted by the traditions and practices that members of the Church hierarchy were required to adhere to. In essence, the Guild was created to be a kind of kingdom-wide university system dedicated to the study and use of magic. With academies, schools, and universities dotting the Rishii landscape, it isn't hard to find a "Naqefu" (student of magic). Like the four other factions, the Guild is represented by a Safir who is a member of the royal court. Chosen by a convocation consisting of the Mudir (directors) of each academy, the current Safir for the Magic Guild of the Wizards of Barzaq is Jabir Wassim, the Mudir of the prestigious Jabr Sharif University.

Military of Rishi

(Light Infantry - Swordsman)

a

(Light Infantry - Spearman)

b

(Heavy Infantry - Swordsman)

c

(Heavy Infantry - Spearman)

d

(Elite Infantry)

e

(Heroic Infantry)

f

(Light Skirmisher)

g

(Heavy Skirmisher - Archer)

h

(Heavy Skirmisher - Mage)

i

(Elite Skirmisher - Archer)

j

(Elite Skirmisher - Mage)

k

(Heroic Skirmisher - Archer)

l

(Heroic Skirmisher - Mage)

m

(Light Cavalry)

n

(Heavy Cavalry)

o

Player Characters

xyz

[/fieldbox]

 

[Karakui]

So we have the Nation of the Stars and the Nation of the Sun. Someone, I demand a Nation of the Moon!

 

[Jorick]

I think I'll join. I may have a kingdom sheet up tomorrow, or it may not happen until the weekend.

 

[Valor]

I think I'll join. I may have a kingdom sheet up tomorrow, or it may not happen until the weekend.

Sweet deal.

Just a side note, I've decided to place limits on the amount of each faction.

Right now I would like a maximum of 3 Southern Kingdoms, so there is only one more spot available for those until further notice.

 

[Jorick]

[fieldbox="Fortus, maroon, solid, 10, Georgia"]

The Kingdom The People The Military

• 
  Kingdom Name: The Sovereign Realm of Fortus
  Local Faction: The Empire
  Primary Race: Human, other races very rare.
  Kingdom Population: 1,222,000
  (940,000 from population roll * 1.30 for "For the Empire!")
  
  Political Leaders:
  Carinus Gallus - King of Fortus
  Acrosimus Fuscinax - Speaker Elect of the Fortus Senate
  Rogyris Herenian - Grand General of the Fortus Military
  Solas Sita - Venerable Prophet of Her Holiness Shasanna and Senator of Fortus
  
  Kingdom History: Fortus was one of the first lands conquered long ago by Emperor Francis, and its old name was lost to history. It eventually recovered from that fight and became one of the major population centers of the Empire of Wessex. It held more large cities than most other provinces, and as such it was also something of a trade hub. The more urban lifestyle lead to rises in specializations of the citizenry, which in turn gave rise to everything from fine arts to luxury goods to ornamental weapons and armor. Merchant guilds rose to prominence over the years, but they were kept in check by the oversight of the provincial government and fear of the large and influential military garrisons of the city. The local government would not dare to oppose the Emperor and fact the wrath of his army, and alienating the merchants too much would cost them dearly. The military was not particularly worried about either of the other groups thanks to the assurance of support from the Emperor should they need to take either of them down for the good of the Empire, so they simply acted as both peace keepers and threats for them both so as to avoid that eventuality. The three factions remained in ambiguous equilibrium for many decades, which made for a rather prosperous and stable province that never failed to provide the Emperor with demanded funds or forces as required.
  
  When Emperor Clausewitz died, the province of Fortus was one of those lucky enough to remain intact in the chaotic scramble for power that followed. The provincial governor, Carinus Gallus, kept the local government in line largely through force of will. Rogyris Herenian, the governor's good friend and general of the Fortisian military forces, stepped swiftly into action to keep the soldiers in line and enforce peace inside their borders. The General realized that the lack of support from the rest of the Imperial military meant that they could not remain solitary and neutral any longer, and so he aligned himself and by proxy his soldiers with the governor due to a distaste for the idea of letting greedy merchants have power over him. Together they attempted to call for peace and civility instead of war, but scant few of the other provinces seemed inclined to listen and none that did lasted very long in the scuffle. Under pressure from what had been the provincial government, Carinus Gallus agreed that they needed to declare sovereignty in order to show their newly violent neighbors that they would not simply become another victim of the civil war. The Sovereign Realm of Fortus was formed, and their declared cause was to end the strife and reform the great Empire of Wessex to its former glory. They raised a new flag for their cause: a grey frame to signify steely determination, white to symbolize the purity and greatness of the Empire of Wessex, a black slash for the death of the Emperor that tainted that whiteness, and red for the blood already spilled and to be spilled in the future in the name of the Empire.
  
  This declaration of independence lead to the formation of a new, sovereign government. Carinus Gallus was named king by popular acclaim, Rogyris Herenian retained his position as military leader of the new nation, and a secondary governing body was formed to balance the power of the new king. The Fortus Senate was formed as a governing body with twelve seats, to be elected by the people of the fledgling nation. Though many questioned the tactics of some involved, Carinus Gallus declared the election just and proper and bade the twelve who garnered the most votes to take their seat. Unsurprisingly to those with some political acumen, the merchant guilds came away the bulk of the seats, snatching up nine in total. They elected Acrosimus Fuscinax as their Speaker, the leader of the Senate who would guide their sessions and stand in power just one step down from the king himself. The Fuscinax family was the head of the greatest of the merchant guilds, named after their family line, and Acrosimus was the new young lord of both family and guild; needless to say, though he was inexperienced he wielded undeniably potent influence in Fortus, plenty enough to acquire a seat and leadership of the Senate without much need for dirty tactics. Two further seats were taken by men who had been nobles of the aristocratic class of the Empire of Wessex, and their personal politics were a mystery to most.
  
  The twelfth member of the Senate, though he had attained the sixth most votes, came as a shock to most: Solas Sita, the leader of a new faith that had been nothing important before the chaos following the emperor's death. The man was a foreigner from the south, as was the goddess Shasanna for whom he preached and converted. Solas had been regarded as a doomsayer, predicting a great devastation to come that would only be averted by worship and prayer directed to Shasanna, the Lady of Torment. The once small following had been violent and zealous, and their numbers swelled greatly as madness tore the Empire asunder. Solas and his followers shouted their message through the streets, that this was the first sign of the devastation and all must bed Shasanna to take this torment from them in order to be saved. Almost overnight, what had once been a minor annoyance and oddity swelled into a powerful political force in Fortus, and the Venerable Prophet's ascension to the Senate came as the first warning of this new player in the game for those who had once thought they knew it all.
  
  Fortus is now in the midst of a mostly bloodless internal power struggle while also dealing with the civil war. King Gallus wishes to reunite the Empire, and General Herenian supports this aim with the military. Unfortunately, Speaker Fuscinax and his merchant brethren see the war as a great opportunity for business, for if they can conquer sufficient territory they can set themselves up as a new super power among lesser remnants of the empire, thus putting themselves in the position to make mountains of money by supplying the petty war efforts of their insignificant neighbors. Many of the merchants had harbored ill will against imperial controls on trade between the provinces, so they see the civil war as a blessing in disguise. Solas Sita and his followers are a great thorn in the side of the two new factions, and none are sure of their goals. Sometimes he votes to support actions of the merchants, other times against, and nobody has found anything like a pattern in the decisions. When asked he simply states that he is doing with will of Shasanna, and that tends to end conversations rather quickly.
  
  The descent into civil war and rise as a new nation has shaken Fortus into a volatile state that matches its surroundings. Two of the political factions are directly opposed to one another, and the third is a wild card that is hard to predict and impossible to control. It seems almost certain that they will soon leave their defensive strategy and work toward taking over some of their neighboring territories, but whether this will be for economic dominance or in pursuit of a dream or reunification only time will tell.
  
  
  Special Nation Rules

  "Empire Invicta!" - A King who manages to get eight of the twelve kingdoms to bend the knee will be crowned Emperor of Wessex, adding the military strength of all NPC kingdoms to their armies. (Player controlled kingdoms remain autonomous and may choose to serve or continue fighting for the throne, however this will be essentially suicide once an Emperor has been crowned.)
  
  "For the Empire!" - All kingdoms within the Empire receive a 30% boost to their population.
  
  Military Vassalship - Imperial kingdoms may subjugate other Imperial kingdoms, forcing them to recognize them as their ruler. For NPC controlled armies, this means they gain the entire NPC's military strength. Players will still remain autonomous, but are obligated to respect their liege. A player under military vassalship may no longer claim the throne for themselves.
  
  The Sins of Our Fathers - Imperial kingdoms suffer from a severe civil war penalty. They are constantly at war with rival, NPC kingdoms and any Lord who comes close to being crowned Emperor will almost certainly have to deal with a coalition army that seeks to bring them down.
• Name: Carinus Gallus
  Position: King of Fortus
  Age: 42
  Quick Bio: Carinus is the second son of what was a very influential family in the pre-war Empire. He was assigned as an aide to the governor of province Fortus a decade ago, and when the man died a few years later with no heirs there was no other obvious candidate to take the position. As a governor, Carinus was known as a firm but fair type. More notably, he actually gave half a shit about the common man rather than treating them like a renewable resource as his fellow nobles tended to do. The people of Fortus generally approve of him, though his history of working firmly against merchant overreach has made him plenty of enemies.
  Goal: To reunite and restore the Empire of Wessex.
  
  Name: Acrosimus Fuscinax
  Position: Speaker Elect of the Fortus Senate
  Age: 28
  Quick Bio: Acrosimus became the lord of the Fuscinax family, and thus of the Fuscinax Guild of Merchants, a scant year ago. They had been amongst the most powerful and wealthy in Fortus already, but his ruthlessness cemented their primacy before the empire fell into chaos. Where others had played by the rules, Acrosimus saw no problem in hiring thugs and killers to get jobs done, and his fellow merchants were sorted into one of two categories: useful allies or obstacles. He is an extraordinarily arrogant and selfish man, and he will let no obstacle stand in his way for long.
  Goal: To ensure the superiority of the merchant guilds, particularly his own.
  
  Name: Rogyris Herenian
  Position: Grand General of the Fortus Military
  Age: 49
  Quick Bio: Rogyris was born into a common military family, and of course he followed their tradition. He was not particularly strong, nor particularly fleet of foot, nor particularly friendly to his fellows, but he was a determined man and cultivated a skill for strategy and tactics. Despite his lack of friends in high places, Rogyris progressed slowly through the ranks by years of hard work. It was not uncommon for competent commoners to rise to positions of power, for in times of need merit trumped connections. This turned out to be quite lucky for Fortus as the empire crumbled: while he was not a friendly or well loved man, the common soldiers of the military felt a kinship with Rogyris through similar origins, and he was able to hold most of them together were a poncy nobleman likely would have failed. After Fortus was declared as a sovereign nation he was promoted to Grand General, the leader of the nation's entire military.
  Goal: To secure the long term safety of his family and the soldiers under his command.
  
  Name: Solas Sita
  Position: Venerable Prophet of Her Holiness Shasanna and Senator of Fortus
  Age: 61
  Quick Bio: Solas has little memory of his young years. He had been told that he was abandoned as an infant and was rescued by a priestess of Shasanna. This story came under doubt as he grew older and saw that children were frequently kidnapped by the worshipers of Shasanna, the unsatisfactory ones often sacrificed to the Lady of Torment. That was no problem for Solas, for by that time he had accepted the Lady as the one true goddess of the world and knew that those sacrifices saved the children from the torment of a faithless life. After many years in the service of Shasanna he was sent forth to spread the word of her glory, out of the southern kingdoms and north into the Empire of Wessex. He was blessed enough to witness a divine disaster unfold as the Empire crumbled, and he knew Shasanna's time of glory was nigh. Solas has gathered a large number of followers, but none know the specifics of his plans, only that he continues to preach the greatness of his goddess nightly and that the crowds keep on growing.
  Goal: To bring the worship of Shasanna to all people, by word or by force as necessary.
  
• Complete Point Value: 305,500
  
  Fortisian Militia: Light Infantry, 25,000 Units, 25,000 Combat Strength
  The Fortisian Militia is made up of peasants wielding everything from pitchforks to swords, few with any armor at all. They are a disorganized and motley rabble, but what they lack in skill they make up for in sheer numbers.
  
  Chosen of Shasanna: Light Infantry, 20,000 Units, 20,000 Combat Strength
  The commoners who follow Shasanna separated themselves from the other militia rabble by way of purple arm bands to show their faith. They are just as poorly armored and even worse off as far as weaponry is concerned, but they fight with the zealous fury of true believers.
  
  The Steel Wall of Fortus: Heavy Infantry, 22,500 Units, 45,000 Combat Strength
  With the collapse of the empire, these stalwart warriors decided to temporarily shed the old name of 'Imperial Guard of Fortus' in order to better reflect their role in the new nation. Fortus does not have a brick and mortar wall running around its border, these soldiers say, but it has a wall of steel all throughout that is ready to defend the nation at all costs. They are quite pleased by their new identity and colloquially refer to their branch of the army as 'the Wall' and to themselves individually as 'Bricks,' but more philosophically inclined slang naming values like honor and duty and pride as 'Mortar' have not found much traction with the soldiers. They all wear chain armor at a minimum, and the vast majority wield a shield with either a longsword or a short spear.
  
  Knights of the Adamantine Heart: Elite Infantry, 4,900 Units, 24,500 Combat Strength
  The Order of the Adamantine Heart is one of the most prominent knightly orders in Fortus, and it remained true to its name in recent days. Where many other knights in Fortus left or holed themselves up in their keeps, those sporting the sigil of the unbroken steel heart remained steadfast and helped keep the province stable. Where other knightly orders declared that their oaths of loyalty were no longer binding because they'd been sworn to the Emperor and the new nation had nothing to offer them, these knights knew that it was their solemn duty to offer what they had to the new nation of Fortus. Though the Fortisian army is now much depleted of knighthood from its status before the civil war, and they were replaced in large part by zealous mobs instead of proper fighters, those knights that remain are unwaveringly loyal and unquestioningly willing to do whatever must be done for Fortus.
  
  The Royal Crushers: Heroic Infantry, 2,000 Units, 20,000 Combat Strength
  These grand warriors were once the Imperial Royal Guard battalion stationed in Fortus. With the death of the emperor and apparent dissolution of the empire, they chose to do the obvious thing: swear fealty to their new king. Inspired by the Wall, they rebranded themselves instead of keeping the trappings of imperial naming, though they made sure to keep their badges and insignia in case their king succeeded in his goals. Unlike most imperial soldiers who used swords and spears, the Royal Crushers had always been oddities, and from that oddity they had derived their new name. They were made up of fighters who were extremely skilled with the use of maces and warhammers and staves and pretty much anything that crushed rather than cut. Many a warrior underestimated these men for using what they viewed as inferior weapons, and most of them no longer live to voice their doubts. Those in the know who hear their battlecry, "Crush the enemy!", coming from the enemy's side of the battlefield know better than to stand in their way. The Royal Crushers are especially loved amongst the young men of Fortus, for they are in the habit of paying handsome wages for 'pigstickers,' people whose duty is to go round the battlefield after the fighting is done and finish off anyone left to die slowly in their crushed and mangled armor.
  
  Fortisian Archers: Light Skirmishers, 5,000 Units, 5,000 Combat Strength
  The basic archers of Fortus come mainly from the more rural areas of the nation, where skill with a bow often made the difference between dinner in the pot or an empty belly. They are not fantastically skilled with their weapons, but they hit their targets most of the time and that's really all one can ask of an archer.
  
  Fortisian Peltasts: Light Skirmishers, 10,000 Units, 10,000 Combat Strength
  Peltasts are more common than bowmen among the Fortisian military thanks to the simple fact that it's easier to learn to properly throw a sharp stick than to learn how to use a bow.
  
  Blessed of Shasanna: Light Skirmishers, 15,000 Units, 15,000 Combat Strength
  Following the lead of their militia brethren, the horde of ranged fighters who lay their faith at the altar of the Lady of Torment wear purple arm bands and keep some distance from those who do not. They are primarily armed with javelins, for bows are quite expensive and the loyal of Shasanna tend to come from the poorest of the poor.
  
  Fortisian Heavy Peltasts: Heavy Skirmishers, 10,000 Units, 20,000 Combat Strength
  The heavy peltasts are so named both due to their more weighty armor and their heavier throwing javelins. Rather than carrying a secondary weapon for the express purpose of melee fighting, if enemies get too close they simply use those javelins like short spears. Where lighter ranged fighters will fade back behind the melee line when the enemy nears, the heavy peltasts simply become another part of that line when it becomes necessary.
  
  The Simpering Ladies: Elite Skirmishers, 1,000 Units, 5,000 Combat Strength
  This squadron came from the ranks of the what was at the time the Imperial Guard of Fortus. They were once swordsmen near as good as any knight, but then they got to thinking that their lives would be much easier if they could deal with their own ranged support instead of relying on the disorganized rabble of archers and peltasts. They started to carry throwing spears into battle, and so they would hurl them at oncoming enemies before drawing swords to get down to the regular business of fighting. The sergeants of the Imperial Guard were not happy with this, which they saw as shameful cowardice, and one of them called these innovating warrios what they ironically took on as their unit name. The Simpering Ladies may not sound intimidating, but they are undoubtedly effective. After all, when they can each take down two or three enemies before getting into the close quarters fray, it should come as no surprise that they're capable of defeating armies twice their number and larger.
  
  The Bronze Claws: Heroic Skirmishers, 100 Units, 1,000 Combat Strength
  Though small in number, the Bronze Claws have earned a fearsome reputation through their distressingly aggressive tactics. They were once a squad of Fortisian Heavy Peltasts, but they broke away into their own unit many years ago. Where others in the Fortisian military use the tried and true tactic of standing still and throwing javelins until the enemy gets close enough for traditional spear work, these men have no patience for such things. Instead, they run at the enemy while throwing their bronze-colored javelins, then press in against their confused foes with bronzed short spears and shields that they use with deadly efficiency. Their sheer bloody effectiveness has caused the people of Fortus to look upon them with awe and respect rather than the mild disdain aimed at archers and peltasts, and enemy forces numbering in the thousands have been known to flee from the sight of these few bronze-clad warriors.
  
  Fortisian Light Horse: Light Cavalry, 10,000 Units, 20,000 Combat Strength
  The Light Horse regiment of the Fortisian military is nothing special, so far as cavalry goes. They're lightly armored, they use lighter lances more akin to spears than the tools of war their heavier comrades use, and they're good at scouting and getting around quickly. They are predominantly made up of sons of merchant houses and lesser nobility, but their unimpressive pedigrees don't stop them from being fine horsemen, so all is well.
  
  Fortisian Heavy Horse: Heavy Cavalry, 5,000, 25,000 Combat Strength
  The Heavy Horse regiment of the Fortisian military is a different story. They come from a higher class of the wealthy upper crust of society, and it shows in many ways: better horses, better gear, and better training. When they brag that one of them is worth any two of their lighter equipped brethren they are not joking at all. They have a tendency toward arrogance and elitism, but that is only to be expected from youthful noblemen.
  
  Knights of Fortus: Elite Cavalry, 5,500 Units, 55,000 Combat Strength
  Previously named the Imperial Royal Cavalry and stationed in Fortus along with the other elite guards meant to protect important persons, this new order of knights was born on the eve that Fortus declared its sovereignty. Rather than taking a fancy name like the Royal Crushers, these men chose to found a new order of knighthood and they were given the blessings and gratitude of the first king of Fortus to do so, along with the rights to a fine castle out in the country to act as their base of operations. They dubbed themselves simply as the Knights of Fortus, and their knightly sigil is the flag of Fortus with a grey fist overlaid. The symbol is apt, for they are indeed the steel fist of the Fortisian military. Though their numbers are not great, they make up for it by being among the best traditional cavalry in the world. Their presence and might have turned away three incursions from nearby remnants of the Empire of Wessex already, without the need of support from other branches of the Fortisian military, and they are key to the king's plans for conquering and reuniting the single nations back into a true empire.
  
  Noble Knights of the Pegasi/The Steelwings: Heroic Cavalry, 600 Units, 15,000 Combat Strength
  Winged horses may not seem intimidating, but the knights of the Noble Order of the Pegasi prove this notion wrong whenever they take the field. They are more commonly known as the Steelwings, so named for the intricate and dazzling armor that dons their pegasus mounts, wings and all. As terrifying and gut wrenching as a charge of heavy cavalry can be, with the ground shaking and the pounding noise in your ears, it has nothing on suddenly being assaulted from the sky with lances and hooves. These knights are masters of creating and exploiting openings in the enemy lines, swooping in from the flanks and the rear where the enemy has no time to prepare a defense. The Noble Order of the Pegasi is by far the most renowned knightly order of Fortus, and that prominence comes as no surprise to anyone who sees them at work in a battle.

[/fieldbox]

 

[Archwar]

Well, this looks interesting. Can I reserve a spot for a Southern Kingdom?

Also, hi Yokai! Yes I know who you are.

 

[Archwar]

WIP

Kingdom Name:
"Our Kingdom's name? Why, it is Lorjur. Lor, meaning Sea, Jur meaning Island or in your tongue, Sea of Islands."
Lorekeeper Pan when asked by a Imperial Ambassador what their Kingdom's name was.

Coat of Arms/Flag/Logo:

Spoiler

"Our flag is simple. Oh, you don't know what it means? The circles represent the three major powers before our unity. The circles interlocking show their unity and willingness to help each other. Plus, it has tricked our enemies into thinking we're weak."

It should be noted that while this is a common Coat of Arms, every House and Legion has their own.

Local Faction:
Southern Kingdoms

The Emperica

Primary Race:
"The Emperica are not a single species, but rather many different ones as a result of some fire long ago. Those Humira kept messing with nature and accidentally unleashed a fire that swept across the land. Now we have pointed ear people and shape-shfiting midgets along with a group of insane immortal beings that run around poking things with sticks."
Admiral Jory to Captain Ujar before a storm sunk their ship.

The Emperica are not a single species, but rather many. At one point it was a single species that messed with nature and in the end, caused a great fire that tore apart their nation and splintered their land. The few that survived would be the predecessors to all known Emperica subspeices, however, the 'Humira' are still alive to this day.

I can reveal the species via IC and I assure you nothing would be over-powered or I can write a little about them such as strength and weaknesses, but that would require time.

Kingdom Population: 710,000

Political Leader(s):

Spoiler

"The Council is important as they decide on various matters, but they are not all good. There is a constant bid for power even though each are equal and while they do their jobs well enough, I fear that may one day though they will fall apart. I guess that is why we have a Immortal Council as a back up."

The Council has representatives of every species that are elected by a House. The House sends their member to speak for them and the race. They are all supposed to be equal in power, but tiss is only a sweet lie. Some have wealth, some charm, and others nothing. The ones with power will be able to sway the crowd and garner support for a certain matter. Race also comes into account. The more powerful and numerous a race is, the more influential they are. This has led to a constant bid for power between the most powerful races while the rest have no other choice, but to sit and listen. But if one thinks they are seprated, one must think again. Many friendships have been forged and many 'friendly' matches have begun. Of course, there are... accidents that happen to certain members, the most famous of which involves bees. Since that, another council has been formed by the Immortals.

The Immortal Council formed after the infamous Bee Attack due to the incompetence of the Council at that time and while their wisdom is beyond most others, their semi-insanity has caused some questionable things. As such, the Immortals from each race gather only when a serious matter occurs or when the current Council is too foolish to make the right decision. Unlike the Council, the Immortals are less likely to be in power struggles, but are FAR more likely to make strange decisions. Like allowing a man to marry a dog and also making it illegal. Though, they make good on matters most of the time.

"Each Species is ruled by a certain group or 'House' as the Dwarmer would call it. The groups have existed for a long time now and each voice is heard, but some are just louder than others."

Every species have a powerful faction that had formed over the course of many years. They all act on their own, doing things that would make them and their species more powerful while not trying to damage the other Houses. Essentially, they do it for bragging rights. They select a powerful member of their group and send them to the Council to voice them. However, the Council only convenes on a matter that only affects all species so the Houses are free to make their own decisions, but if they break certain rules the Council has the right to nullify.

Houses also rise and fall, often creating voids and chaotic power struggles within that species. The most powerful groups would fight with word or sword to claim the title of House, but the Immortal Council has came up with a way to ensure that things do not go crazy. They select the group and this has caused distaste, but they must abide by it or suffer the wrath of the Immortals.

Quick note about the Immortals. Immortals come from all the species and can die through normal means. They can't just die, die though. They'll return after a few years unless you use magic on them in which case they'll speed up or slow down depending on the type of spell. The Houses will also be shown via IC.

Kingdom Description

"Legends tell us that the Humira were powerful and ancient. Powerful and old enough to change nature at a though and so they abused this power creating life and destroying it. They played God, and oh my was He pissed. Pissed enough to send a great fire roaring through their land and decimating them. The very land splintered and was broken and none know what happened afterward. This is just legend, though, but legends always have a grain of truth don't they?"


The Humira, in legend, were said to be among the first races that were created. They weren't anything special when compared against the others besides their versatility and stubbornness. Then, they created something. It was simple enough, a axe. That axe then became a house which then became a castle which then became a tower of steel. While the other races died off, the Humira remained constantly building and discovering things. One day, a mage named Hupsa used her magic to give life to a wilting flower. A very simple thing that caused a spark and this newfound magic, whom no one knows if it actually existed, was quickly abused.

The Humira created life and combined it with their technology resulting in creatures that could tear apart a wall with sound. They built towers that touched the sky. They were united, yes, but they were still divided. They classified themselves into races and nations, always fighting for more power till that power became a fire. Some say it was from God, others say someone just had enough of the chaos, but all agree that the fire brought down the Humira.

And so, shattered and scattered, the Humira were. At first, they just used what was left of their old world. Their own creations turned against them and their cities silent tombs. They had become humble in this state and then one day the Immortals arrived. There are no legends on how they came to be, they just appeared one day and guided the Humira.

Time went on and they gradually recovered. They then discovered two new other races. One, a slave race. The other, capable of tearing apart entire armies. The griffins were used as slaves to make weapons and such so that the 'dragons' could live in luxury. Things didn't go well on the first contact and war reared its ugly head. The Humira lost and forced underground till years later the griffins rose up in rebellion.

The Humira assisted the griffins in their rebellion. For years this went on till the dragons were forced to surrender due to losses. Thus, the griffins became free and fled to a series of pillars on a island. The Humira also managed to claim land. A long time later, another war broke out resulting in massive losses on all sides and the destruction of three empires and the birth of three new ones.

For 25 years the three races lived in peace till another war broke out when yet new species were discovered. The war was bloody, but neither side won and many species were eradicated resulting in a union to prevent something like that from ever happening again. And so the Council was formed.

In the years following the year, many have rose to power and fallen like leaves. Stories have been told, legends formed, and minor struggles waged. Till one day the Empire discovered the Island. Thankfully war didn't erupt like last time and a trade setup, but beyond that not much else. The Kingdom barred people from entering their lands allowing only Imperial Officials or merchants till one day the Island just disappeared altogether. They eventually faded into legend and myth, but they are still here.

The reason why the Island disappeared was the result of a group of mages casting a massive 'cloak' on the Island to ensure that no one found out about their schemes. They wanted to remove the current power and form a Empire of their own so once again war broke out, but the mages didn't acquire the support they needed. Thus they were destroyed and along with it, the counterspell for the cloak. The Kingdom's populace were always isolationists and many used this as a excuse to remain hidden. The Councils accepted this and didn't act till a few powerful nobles began questioning if they really needed the cloak at all. Countless centuries had pasted when a small minority wanted to explore beyond their borders. There were even a few Council members that wanted this and so began gathering support.

The Immortals have so far remained neutral on the subject, but have recently gathered to begin discussing it. They all unaware of what is going on the outside and most people would rather huddle in their own little Kingdom.

The Animals

Within the nation exists various animals like the earth-shaking yet peaceful Willow or the speedy and carnivorous Devens. I can also do this via IC or make a list of animals that would also take time.

The Cities

The Capital City of Durmcsscus was once controlled by the Humira and was a major city in producing weapons due to its location near a Mountain range. When the Council formed, Durmcsscus was a city easily accessed and thus it was chosen as a place where the members would meet. Today, Durmcsscus is the capital of Lorjur and is a melting pot of the species. Blacksmiths work their forges day and night. Merchants sell their wares. Whores... do their thing. The city has great wealth and no one starves if they're willing to work. Truely a capital.

The Pit as it is known was once known as the Port City of Ninoon. The city depended on the sea for its income and was also an important city. When the cloak was casted, traders began stopping and the city fell into disrepair. Today, gangs and bandits roam this once great city picking apart the carcass. No one seems to care about the Pit either, perfectly content with leaving it to decay.

Heavan is a large town located near the Ashen Lands that has survived the many earthquakes and eruptions. Some say it is blessed by God, or gods if you're a polytheist, to forever survive in that area. However, the town has been damaged many times and recent discoveries suggest that the town was a city at one point until something happened. It is possible that the town used to be a Humira research center before the Fires striked as it predates current written records. The town itself is important as the ashes have fertilized the soil allowing for massive crops.

The Temple City floats. Yes, it floats above the land, powered by magic and machine. This city is a melting pot as well due to the many faiths located here. The City was built after the war between the races as a symbol of hope. The city itself lacks any meaningful defense aside from a few guard garrisons to keep the peace.

There are many other cities and towns, though not as important as the ones above.

Ignore the second dice, that was a mistake. Clicked it when I shouldn't have. Also, will make military later.




Complete Point Value:
175,000

Elite Infantry- 10,000 troops = 50,000 points
Heroic Infantry- 4,500 troops = 45,000 points
Elite Skirmisher- 6,000 troops = 30,000 points
Heroic Calvary- 2,000 troops = 50,000 points

Uniterma, Elite Infantry

A Uniterma, or Paladin, strikes down a demon with a magically enhanced sword.

The Uniterma are warriors selected from the guards. They represent the Sword of the Kingdom and will gladly grind the enemy into mince meat or till they are fleeing. There is also no restrictions on whom can join so the Uniterma are a all species unit capable of fighting in most situations.

They also regularly handle against demons that attack anything on sight.

Unkarr, Heroic Infantry

A Unkarr stands ready to fight against an unknown foe...

The Unkarr, or Servant Warrior, are the very best that Lorjur has to offer. They were once Paladins that rose through the ranks because of their valor, skill, and leadership. They can often be found protecting important sites and people and if threaten, will use anything to kill or injure their enemies.

Mgrr, Elite Skirmisher

Mgrr always were showy.

Mgrr, or Magic Archer, are able to weave magic into their arrows to fire at the enemy. They are lightly armored, but do carry a shortsword to defend themselves in battle. Mgrr are all magic users so a person must have a understanding of magic and are able to use it to become one. They'll stay behind the lines to ensure that the enemy suffers should they charge.

Nhoon, Heroic Calvary

I see you
The voice of the Nhoon

The Nhoon are a closely kept secret that only the highest members of society know. No one knows what they are or whom they were before their hideous transformation, or even if they transformed at all. Their mounts are capable of tearing apart any armor they come across and even if they were to become separated, they are more than capble of handling themselves. The Nhoon's meaning in your tongue does not translate very well, but I guess you could call them... Grim Riders.

Nation Traits

United We Are- The Emperica's numberous races have long been united and thus each species grants something. 3% stat increase to various aspects of life and military power.

Isolationism- Due to Lorjur's isolationism, trade suffers a 5% decrease

 

[Jade]

WIP

KINGDOM INFORMATION

Kingdom Name: The Heavenly Realm of Hwangrreid

Flag:

Local Faction: The Empire

Primary Race: Human

Kingdom Population: 845,000

Political Leader(s):
1: Queen Marione Xiang II
2:
3:
4:
5:

Kingdom History: (Please be as detailed as possible here. This is where your Kingdom will really come to life. Write about the local politics, the biographies of the leaders, the hopes and dreams for the Kingdom, etc. GM's may or may not be biased towards incredibly detailed factions )

MILITARY

Military Information
Complete Point Value: 211,250
List of Units and How Many:

#1

1: The Raging Irontree's of Brightshire: (5,000 strong, 25,000 points)

*Above image used with permission of Gambargin*

#2

2: The Royal Black Knights of Saint Colisone (18,500 strong, 37,000 points)

*Above image used with the permission of Gambargin*

#3

3: The Azure Knights of Saint Baxter (3,000 strong, 15,000 points)

*Above image used with the permission of Gambargin*

#4

4: Gallow's Axebows (2,000 strong, 10,000 points)

*Above image used with the permission of Gambargin*

#5

5: The Shining Spears of Gallow (245 strong, 6,125 points)

*Above image used with the permission of Gambargin*

#6

6: The Heavenly White Dragons of Hwangrreid: (25 strong, 625 points)

*Above image used with the permission of Gambargin*

#7

7: Magnificent Horses of the Gleaming Pearl: (2,000 strong, 10,000 points)

*Above image used with the permission of Gambargin*

#8

8: Samurai of the Sword of Away: (500 strong, 2,500 points)

*Above image used with the permission of Gambargin*

WIP

 

[Valor]

So at the moment we are no longer accepting Southern Kingdoms (We need more Empire and someone to play Dwarves!)

But so far we're on a good track to get the ball rolling soon!

 

[Archwar]

Alright, I think I finished up my app. The only things that need to be done would be nation traits, races, and animals. The last two need to be confirmed by the GM as I have questions there.

 

[Karakui]

anyone want to make some early alliances? I propose everyone VS Jorick's 305,000 strong military.

 

[Archwar]

anyone want to make some early alliances? I propose everyone VS Jorick's 305,000 strong military.

The Emperica might be willing to agree to an alliance, for a price.

 

[Karakui]

If the Empirica is demanding a price for something mutually beneficial, the Empirica can go fuck itself.#
Now to set about the task of working out how you know me.

 

[Archwar]

If the Empirica is demanding a price for something mutually beneficial, the Empirica can go fuck itself.

That's just how they are and you didn't ask what kind of price! It could have been something that could have benefited both of them! Like a trade agreement.

 

[Karakui]

thats not a price then it's just an extension of the agreement.

 

[Archwar]

Maybe, but most of the port cities are hellholes that would need fixing so if anyone wanted to trade they would have to help clean up those hellholes.

 

[Jorick]

anyone want to make some early alliances? I propose everyone VS Jorick's 305,000 strong military.

You have nothing to fear from Fortus unless you're in the Empire region. ;D