"And, like a purple phoenix, the Empire of the Romans rose from the ashes..."
—Edward Gibbon, excerpt from The Revival of the Roman State
The year is 1814, and the Byzantine Empire flourishes. Recovered from the brink of destruction, the Empire has expanded to become the preeminent colonial power in Europe. It's holdings stretch from the fertile floodplains of the Nile to the lucrative spice islands of the far east, and represent the greatest territorial extent the Empire has ever achieved. Constantinople is counted the richest city in the world, and the Imperial tagmata reach numbers not seen since Trajan ruled.
But all is not well in Byzantium. The British, buoyed by their victory over the Franks in the hundred years war, have established a colonial empire of their own in the New World. Their navy challenges Byzantine supremacy at sea, threatening to break centuries of Roman dominance in the Mediterranean. Meanwhile, the so-called Holy Roman Empire, at the encouragement of the Pope in Paris, seeks to reclaim its Italian territories; most especially the ancient city of Rome. Even more worrying are the rumors of the eastern kingdoms of Hungary and Galicia pledging their aid against Byzantium in this endeavor.
Combined with the ever-present threat of insurrection, the Byzantine Empire faces enemies from within and without. You, a soldier of the Imperial Dragoons, may soon find yourself waging a war for the Empire's very survival.
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PREMISE:
The premise of this RP is a sort of "what-if" scenario, where the Byzantine Empire never fell and instead became a colonial power, along with other fun history-bending changes. The RP I have in my head is a low-fantasy world, where magic does exist but in scarce quantity, and its usage is slowly being encroached upon by new advances in science. The lore goes into more detail, but to sum up: alternate-history world in the Napoleonic era, with a little magic.
Gameplay will focus around a single unit of Imperial Dragoons, following their campaigns across Europe against the coalition powers (Britain, the HRE, Hungary, Galicia, etc). There will be skirmishes, ambushes, grand battles, intrigue, and all the sorts of fun you may expect from a war in this era, along with some fantasy elements sprinkled in for good measure. You'll start, along with your fellow RPers, as either an enlisted man or officer, and naturally the party will gradually work itself up to higher ranks and responsibilities as the RP progresses. I will be driving the major events from the behind-the-scenes, though of course I'll be taking into account the party's actions as well as player input.
The Mamluk Rebellion, 1808-1809
The Empire crushes a major rebellion in Cairo, led by disgruntled locals and nobility over increased taxes. The insurrection was very bloody; the garrison located in Cairo was killed to a man, and the Duke of Arcadia's provincial army was defeated and forced to withdraw further south along the Nile. The Empire's resulting subjugation force included the Imperial Dragoons, who routed the disorganized Mamluk cavalry and restored order to the province.
Seven Years' War, 1786-1793
The Empire invades Northern Italy and Rome, responding to so-called "Papal Aggression". The Italian states are fractured, and initially conquest is swift; by 1787, most of Northern Italy and Rome have fallen. Appeals to the Holy Roman Empire by the Italian city states and the Pope bring the HRE into the war, and it raged for another six years before resulting in complete victory for the Byzantine Empire. The Lombard League is created from the leftover free-states in Italy, to serve as a sort of buffer between the Holy Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire. The Pope is forced to relocate most of the Papacy to Paris.
Notable battles include the Battles of Ferrara (Victory against Italian city-states), Verona (Defeat against HRE), Augsburg (Victory against HRE), Stuttgart (Indecisive), and Jena (Victory against HRE).
The Imperial Dragoons played a significant role in the battle of Verona, where the Byzantine army sufferred a severe defeat at the hands of the HRE at the beginning of their entrance into the war. The Dragoons prevented the HRE army from capitalizing on their victory by fighting a brave rearguard action. It is commonly regarded in Dragoon-lore as their "finest hour".
The Dragoons were a decisive factor in the battles of Augsburgh and Jena as well, playing important roles in scouting and skirmishing actions during the battle. Their charge in Jena is considered second only to their actions in the battle of Verona.
The American Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
The Empire secretly funded the purchasing of munitions for the American Revolutionaries during their War of Independence against the British Empire. The Duke of Optimates pledged his independent support, and thus his Imperial Dragoons fought in several major engagements in the New World. These included the Battles of Saratoga, Cowpens, and Yorktown. The Imperial Dragoons played a particularly decisive role in Saratoga, where they prevented the British from capturing Freeman's Farm despite repeated charges on their position.
WIP
TL;DR - Komnenian Restoration began in 1081, ended in 1180. Significant financial & military reforms occurred. Emperor Manuel II would regain southern Italy, the Balkans (Illyria, up to the Danube), Anatolia, and the majority of Syria/Levant/Egypt through several campaigns. His most famous battles were at Myriokephalon against the Seljuk Turks and at Damietta against Saladin (Fatimid). Crusader states were mostly vassalized.
Taken from Edward Gibbon's Revival of the Roman State
Taken from Edward Gibbon's Revival of the Roman State
The tale of the Eastern Roman Empire's revival is one seminal uniqueness; there are very few nations in history who have managed to endure such catastrophic events in such rapid succession as the Byzantines did in the latter half of the 11th century, let alone continue their expansion mere decades later. Perhaps an even more impressive testament to the resilience of the eastern romans is that their cultural and national identity survived relatively unchanged. Indeed, had any other medieval society at the time experienced such a disastrous defeat as the Empire did at Manzikert, the result would have almost assuredly been abject capitulation. I will leave the detailed analysis of Manzikert for other historians, however; suffice it to say that the Romans had not seen a worse defeat since Cannae or Arausio.
The power struggles after Manzikert amongst the Empire's elite eventually resulted in the Komnenos dynasty ascending to the Imperial throne, and it was under their rule that the Empire took its first steps towards restoration. This period of nearly one-hundred-years, from the beginning of the reign of Alexios I in 1081 to the end of Manuel II's in 1180, is now popularly known as the Komnenian restoration. It eventually resulted in the near-complete recovery of Imperial territory in the East, as well as radical financial and military reformations to the Empire.
Most notable among these reforms were Alexios' decision to instigate the Catholic Crusades and John II's restructuring of the Imperial tagmata, both of which laid the groundwork for Manuel II's stunning military victories against the Seljuk Turks in Anatolia, as well as his near-miraculous campaign against Saladin in the Levant. This account, for now, will focus on the military successes of Manuel II, as I rate it the primary reason for the reversal of the Empire's fortunes in the high middle-ages.
Manuel II was coronated in the spring of 1143, and through a series of campaigns in Anatolia and Cilicia, forced the Sultan of Rum to sign a favorable truce. With his borders in Anatolia secured, Manuel turned his attention to the nascent crusader states in the Levant; in 1147 conducting the passage of the Second Crusade through his dominion. The crusaders suffered a close defeat at the Second Battle of Harran at the hands of a resurgent Seljuk jihad, and were forced to call upon Manuel for aid. He accepted on the condition of Edessa and Antioch's vassalation, and together with the remaining crusader forces won a decisive victory at the Battle of Turbessel.
The death of King Roger II of Sicily drew Manuel's attention to the West, where many Norman barons had rose up in revolt against the new King. He sent an expedition to Italy in order to take advantage of this situation, supported by Papal troops under the promise of a union between the Catholic and Orthodox church. Once there, his general Michael Palaiologos achieved stunning success, quickly capturing much of southern Italy. In the autumn of 1156, Michael defeated a sizable Norman army under the command of King William I of Sicily at the Battle of Bari, and the rest of the country quickly capitulated. Sicily and much of southern Italy now belonged to the Empire.
Talks between the Pope and Manuel II, however, quickly broke down afterwards, and the dream of a reunified Christian church once again failed.
A joint Serbian and Hungarian incursion in 1158 shocked Manuel, as the relations between the Empire and the two countries had been though favorable beforehand. He marched to meet the combined armies, and inflicted severe casualties on the alliance in a series of skirmishes which forced them to attempt to cross back over the Danube. However, Manuel brought them to battle at Sirmium, where he won a decisive victory and made the Hungarian-Serbian alliance sign a favorable peace in 1160. Hungary ceded much of its territory in Illyria, and the Serbians were vassalized. Much of the Balkans were now under Imperial dominion.
The power struggles after Manzikert amongst the Empire's elite eventually resulted in the Komnenos dynasty ascending to the Imperial throne, and it was under their rule that the Empire took its first steps towards restoration. This period of nearly one-hundred-years, from the beginning of the reign of Alexios I in 1081 to the end of Manuel II's in 1180, is now popularly known as the Komnenian restoration. It eventually resulted in the near-complete recovery of Imperial territory in the East, as well as radical financial and military reformations to the Empire.
Most notable among these reforms were Alexios' decision to instigate the Catholic Crusades and John II's restructuring of the Imperial tagmata, both of which laid the groundwork for Manuel II's stunning military victories against the Seljuk Turks in Anatolia, as well as his near-miraculous campaign against Saladin in the Levant. This account, for now, will focus on the military successes of Manuel II, as I rate it the primary reason for the reversal of the Empire's fortunes in the high middle-ages.
Manuel II was coronated in the spring of 1143, and through a series of campaigns in Anatolia and Cilicia, forced the Sultan of Rum to sign a favorable truce. With his borders in Anatolia secured, Manuel turned his attention to the nascent crusader states in the Levant; in 1147 conducting the passage of the Second Crusade through his dominion. The crusaders suffered a close defeat at the Second Battle of Harran at the hands of a resurgent Seljuk jihad, and were forced to call upon Manuel for aid. He accepted on the condition of Edessa and Antioch's vassalation, and together with the remaining crusader forces won a decisive victory at the Battle of Turbessel.
The death of King Roger II of Sicily drew Manuel's attention to the West, where many Norman barons had rose up in revolt against the new King. He sent an expedition to Italy in order to take advantage of this situation, supported by Papal troops under the promise of a union between the Catholic and Orthodox church. Once there, his general Michael Palaiologos achieved stunning success, quickly capturing much of southern Italy. In the autumn of 1156, Michael defeated a sizable Norman army under the command of King William I of Sicily at the Battle of Bari, and the rest of the country quickly capitulated. Sicily and much of southern Italy now belonged to the Empire.
Talks between the Pope and Manuel II, however, quickly broke down afterwards, and the dream of a reunified Christian church once again failed.
A joint Serbian and Hungarian incursion in 1158 shocked Manuel, as the relations between the Empire and the two countries had been though favorable beforehand. He marched to meet the combined armies, and inflicted severe casualties on the alliance in a series of skirmishes which forced them to attempt to cross back over the Danube. However, Manuel brought them to battle at Sirmium, where he won a decisive victory and made the Hungarian-Serbian alliance sign a favorable peace in 1160. Hungary ceded much of its territory in Illyria, and the Serbians were vassalized. Much of the Balkans were now under Imperial dominion.
A period of relative peace and stability followed the Balkan campaign for some six years while Manuel dealt with some minor domestic reforms. In the year 1167, the Seljuks annexed parts of Cilicia formerly belonging to the Danishmends, a Byzantine tributary. Manuel apparently decided it was time to deal with the Turks once and for all. He gathered an incredible force of 35,000 men and marched on Iconium.
Outside of the pass of Myriokephalon, Manuel nearly made a serious tactical blunder by not properly scouting the path ahead. He was saved from this mistake by Michael Palaiologos, who insisted on sending a detachment of Vardariotes to do so; they quickly discovered a large force of Turks lying in ambush along the walls of the pass, and returned without alerting them. Using this information, Manuel ordered Michael to circumvent the pass and bring a large force upon the Turks unguarded flank, while he marched through in loose formation and triggered the ambush.
The result was a classic pincer attack, and one of the greatest victories in Roman history. Manuel completely destroyed the Turkish army as an effective fighting force, with Turkish casualties estimated at some 15,000; Michael's force was able to capture another some 8,000 Turks, including members of some of the Seljuk's highest nobility. The Romans suffered perhaps 3,000 casualties amongst the entire army. Even Manuel was surprised at the depth of his victory, having anticipated a brutal slugging fest in the pass; the Turks had not anticipated any sort of flanking maneuver, and thus were caught in a double-envelopment between Michael's flanking force and the main Byzantine body under Manuel.
This victory opened the gates to the rest of the Anatolian plateau, and over the course of the next two years Manuel recovered nearly the entirety of former Imperial territory in Anatolia, and unilaterally expelled the Turks from Asia Minor.
Exultant over his success, Manuel proclaimed that he had "completely reversed" the effects of the disastrous Battle of Manzikert, and returned to Constantinople in triumph. The effect of Myriokephalon cannot be understated; in the West, his success over the Seljuk Turks elevated Manuel to be seen as a true Emperor of the Romans, instead of a mere King of the Greeks, and regained some of the authority the Byzantine Empire lost after Manzikert.
Outside of the pass of Myriokephalon, Manuel nearly made a serious tactical blunder by not properly scouting the path ahead. He was saved from this mistake by Michael Palaiologos, who insisted on sending a detachment of Vardariotes to do so; they quickly discovered a large force of Turks lying in ambush along the walls of the pass, and returned without alerting them. Using this information, Manuel ordered Michael to circumvent the pass and bring a large force upon the Turks unguarded flank, while he marched through in loose formation and triggered the ambush.
The result was a classic pincer attack, and one of the greatest victories in Roman history. Manuel completely destroyed the Turkish army as an effective fighting force, with Turkish casualties estimated at some 15,000; Michael's force was able to capture another some 8,000 Turks, including members of some of the Seljuk's highest nobility. The Romans suffered perhaps 3,000 casualties amongst the entire army. Even Manuel was surprised at the depth of his victory, having anticipated a brutal slugging fest in the pass; the Turks had not anticipated any sort of flanking maneuver, and thus were caught in a double-envelopment between Michael's flanking force and the main Byzantine body under Manuel.
This victory opened the gates to the rest of the Anatolian plateau, and over the course of the next two years Manuel recovered nearly the entirety of former Imperial territory in Anatolia, and unilaterally expelled the Turks from Asia Minor.
Exultant over his success, Manuel proclaimed that he had "completely reversed" the effects of the disastrous Battle of Manzikert, and returned to Constantinople in triumph. The effect of Myriokephalon cannot be understated; in the West, his success over the Seljuk Turks elevated Manuel to be seen as a true Emperor of the Romans, instead of a mere King of the Greeks, and regained some of the authority the Byzantine Empire lost after Manzikert.
It would not be until 1174 that Manuel would again launch on a serious military campaign. Fearing the growing threat of the great Sultan Saladin reuniting the fracturing Fatimid Sultanate, the crusader states in the Levant requested Imperial aid in order to invade Egypt. Manuel, sensing the opportunity to fully restore the Empire's control of its former breadbasket, immediately gathered a large expeditional force and sailed from Constantinople to Jaffa. There, he sent his general Michael Palaiologos with a force of 10,000 to siege the city of Tyre, accompanied by a small Tripolitan army of roughly 2,000.
Manuel took the rest of his army of some 15,000, along with the remaining allied Crusader armies of roughly 8,000 under King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem and Prince Bohemond III of Antioch, and marched on Damietta. Unbeknownst to Manuel or his allies, Saladin had gathered a massive host of some 35,000, and was marching toward Damietta as well in order to preempt a siege.
The two armies met on the outskirts of Damietta on the 4th of July, 1174. Intense skirmishing erupted between the Imperial Vardariotes and Muslim horse-archers and continued for much of the morning before both forces retreated, with neither having been able to gain the upper-hand. The two armies would continue to form up and maneuver against each other for the next two days, but would retire before ever joining battle.
Finally on the 7th of July, Al-Muzaffar Umar, Saladin's nephew and commander of his army's right flank, launched an ill-advised attack against Emperor Manuel's left flank. This side was mostly populated by the allied Crusader armies, and they inflicted severe casualties on Al-Mazaffar's command, forcing him to withdraw. Sensing his opportunity, Manuel ordered a general advance. The two armies clashed, and Saladin's demoralized right flank was immediately under heavy threat. Saladin was forced to commit most of his reserves in order to stabilize it.
Even with this advantageous opening to the battle, the Romans were heavily outnumbered, and slowly pushed back. Their camp was captured by the end of the afternoon, and Saladin's son al-Afdal was said to have exclaimed "We have beaten them!" upon entering the Roman tents.
However, Manuel managed to disengage and reformed the army into thinner lines to match the length of the Egyptian's, then advanced in staggered formation. He placed his elite Varangian guard at the fore, where the battle would be most ferocious. As Saladin advanced, his right and left flanks supported his center and focused on the Varangians; the Norsemen were said to have later faced the brunt of much of the Egyptian army for nearly ten minutes, and did not break. Manuel's left and right flanks then engaged with their Egyptian counterparts, and the Egyptians, disheartened, gave ground. With the Romans threatening to envelope his army, Saladin once again attempted to breakthrough the Varangian center, and failed.
Manuel finally ordered his reserve heavy cavalry to charge, and they routed the Saladin's disorganized Mamluks before striking Saladin's army in the rear. The result was catastrophic for the Egyptians. Saladin's right was almost immediately routed, and the rest of his forces were killed practically to a man.
Manuel had once again achieved a historic victory.
Nearly 20,000 Egyptians were killed, and another 10,000 or so captured. Roman casualties were comparably light, but still substantial: some 7,000 Byzantines, and roughly 3,000 from the allied Crusader forces. Saladin himself was captured, along with many of his most trusted lords.
The ramifications of the battle, much like Myriokephalon, were profound. The Fatimid Sultanate died with Saladin's defeat, and over the next three years the Byzantines, along with the Crusader states, conquered much of Egypt, Syria, and the Levant in the ensuing power vacuum. The majority of the Crusader states became vassals of the Empire, with the Kingdom of Jerusalem being the sole exception; it instead became a protectorate.
Emperor Manuel would return to Constantinople as the recipient of another triumph, and die peacefully in the capital six years after the Battle of Damietta. His legacy rivaled even great Justinian, having nearly entirely restored the Empire's original borders in the East and having made significant progress in the West.
The future of the Empire was bright.
Manuel took the rest of his army of some 15,000, along with the remaining allied Crusader armies of roughly 8,000 under King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem and Prince Bohemond III of Antioch, and marched on Damietta. Unbeknownst to Manuel or his allies, Saladin had gathered a massive host of some 35,000, and was marching toward Damietta as well in order to preempt a siege.
The two armies met on the outskirts of Damietta on the 4th of July, 1174. Intense skirmishing erupted between the Imperial Vardariotes and Muslim horse-archers and continued for much of the morning before both forces retreated, with neither having been able to gain the upper-hand. The two armies would continue to form up and maneuver against each other for the next two days, but would retire before ever joining battle.
Finally on the 7th of July, Al-Muzaffar Umar, Saladin's nephew and commander of his army's right flank, launched an ill-advised attack against Emperor Manuel's left flank. This side was mostly populated by the allied Crusader armies, and they inflicted severe casualties on Al-Mazaffar's command, forcing him to withdraw. Sensing his opportunity, Manuel ordered a general advance. The two armies clashed, and Saladin's demoralized right flank was immediately under heavy threat. Saladin was forced to commit most of his reserves in order to stabilize it.
Even with this advantageous opening to the battle, the Romans were heavily outnumbered, and slowly pushed back. Their camp was captured by the end of the afternoon, and Saladin's son al-Afdal was said to have exclaimed "We have beaten them!" upon entering the Roman tents.
However, Manuel managed to disengage and reformed the army into thinner lines to match the length of the Egyptian's, then advanced in staggered formation. He placed his elite Varangian guard at the fore, where the battle would be most ferocious. As Saladin advanced, his right and left flanks supported his center and focused on the Varangians; the Norsemen were said to have later faced the brunt of much of the Egyptian army for nearly ten minutes, and did not break. Manuel's left and right flanks then engaged with their Egyptian counterparts, and the Egyptians, disheartened, gave ground. With the Romans threatening to envelope his army, Saladin once again attempted to breakthrough the Varangian center, and failed.
Manuel finally ordered his reserve heavy cavalry to charge, and they routed the Saladin's disorganized Mamluks before striking Saladin's army in the rear. The result was catastrophic for the Egyptians. Saladin's right was almost immediately routed, and the rest of his forces were killed practically to a man.
Manuel had once again achieved a historic victory.
Nearly 20,000 Egyptians were killed, and another 10,000 or so captured. Roman casualties were comparably light, but still substantial: some 7,000 Byzantines, and roughly 3,000 from the allied Crusader forces. Saladin himself was captured, along with many of his most trusted lords.
The ramifications of the battle, much like Myriokephalon, were profound. The Fatimid Sultanate died with Saladin's defeat, and over the next three years the Byzantines, along with the Crusader states, conquered much of Egypt, Syria, and the Levant in the ensuing power vacuum. The majority of the Crusader states became vassals of the Empire, with the Kingdom of Jerusalem being the sole exception; it instead became a protectorate.
Emperor Manuel would return to Constantinople as the recipient of another triumph, and die peacefully in the capital six years after the Battle of Damietta. His legacy rivaled even great Justinian, having nearly entirely restored the Empire's original borders in the East and having made significant progress in the West.
The future of the Empire was bright.
TL;DR - This is just extra details if you have questions when trying to create your character. If any of this doesn't answer said question, feel free to ask in the OOC or PM me!
A central feature of Byzantine culture is Orthodox Christianity. Byzantine society is very religious, and it holds certain values in high esteem, including a respect for order and traditional hierarchies. Family is at the center of society, and marriage, chastity, and celibacy are celebrated and respected.
Because family is so significant, women and mothers are seen as important members of the family unit. Traditionally, women's virtues and "gentility" were held in high esteem, thus encouraging moral attitudes dictating that women be secluded in segregated spaces and avoid being outspoken. However, this view is seldom held in practice besides in the highest circles of nobility. Women are seen by the church as spiritually equal to their male counterparts, and this equality is also prevalent in the majority of public life. Women can hold public office, engage in commercial activities, possess property, and become affiliated with the Church. And although it is somewhat taboo, women can also join the Imperial tagmata.
The Empire is extremely diverse. Its citizens are multi-ethnic and multi-religious, though only followers of the Orthodox Church can hold public office. Citizens commonly see themselves as Romans, though their culture is unique compared to that of the ancient Romans. Byzantine merchants actively trade with regions in the Mediterranean as well as in the east and west, especially in colonial sectors of the Empire such as India.
Members of the commoner class are free to hold office and small parcels of land. However, major landholding is the exclusive privilege of the Nobility. Due to this, there is significant friction between the Empire's social elite and the common (plebeian) class. Slavery is outlawed in the Empire, and feudalism is not in practice within its borders.
The Orthodox Church is led by the Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinople, and each province of the Empire is headed by another Patriarch. The Ecumenical Patriarch rarely interferes in the business of other Patriarchs, though his authority is near-absolute, lower in status to only the Emperor himself. The normal priesthood of the churches are called Diakons.
A central feature of Byzantine culture is Orthodox Christianity. Byzantine society is very religious, and it holds certain values in high esteem, including a respect for order and traditional hierarchies. Family is at the center of society, and marriage, chastity, and celibacy are celebrated and respected.
Because family is so significant, women and mothers are seen as important members of the family unit. Traditionally, women's virtues and "gentility" were held in high esteem, thus encouraging moral attitudes dictating that women be secluded in segregated spaces and avoid being outspoken. However, this view is seldom held in practice besides in the highest circles of nobility. Women are seen by the church as spiritually equal to their male counterparts, and this equality is also prevalent in the majority of public life. Women can hold public office, engage in commercial activities, possess property, and become affiliated with the Church. And although it is somewhat taboo, women can also join the Imperial tagmata.
The Empire is extremely diverse. Its citizens are multi-ethnic and multi-religious, though only followers of the Orthodox Church can hold public office. Citizens commonly see themselves as Romans, though their culture is unique compared to that of the ancient Romans. Byzantine merchants actively trade with regions in the Mediterranean as well as in the east and west, especially in colonial sectors of the Empire such as India.
Members of the commoner class are free to hold office and small parcels of land. However, major landholding is the exclusive privilege of the Nobility. Due to this, there is significant friction between the Empire's social elite and the common (plebeian) class. Slavery is outlawed in the Empire, and feudalism is not in practice within its borders.
The Orthodox Church is led by the Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinople, and each province of the Empire is headed by another Patriarch. The Ecumenical Patriarch rarely interferes in the business of other Patriarchs, though his authority is near-absolute, lower in status to only the Emperor himself. The normal priesthood of the churches are called Diakons.
TL;DR - The TLDR would be almost as long as this whole thing, so just read it :)
Affinity to the arcane/hermetic arts (magic) is almost exclusively found within the noble class. Historically this is because magical-affinity has been seen as a sign of nobility, and those who showed the talent were elevated to the Imperial gentry regardless if they held land or not. Nobles would then seek marriages with other nobles to keep their bloodlines "pure", or rather, still potent with magical-affinity. Thus it is an extremely rare case where a commoner possesses the talent for mage-craft, and even rarer still if they can match the potency of a typical Noble mage.
Magic-affinity is a rare and precious thing, and the Empire guards its mages jealously. The only academy for magic in the Empire is known as the University, and it is located in the Imperial capital of Constantinople. All officers in the Imperial Tagmata are tested for magical-affinity before being fully-commissioned, and if any show ability they are sent to the University for study before whatever training their unit requires. A typical tagma (regiment) may have anywhere between 1-3 capable mages in their ranks.
A mage's power is derived from their DRASTIKOS, or potency. A mage's drastikos is an unchangeable and inherent trait; they will always have the same level as they did when they were born. Spells are called WORKINGS, and even moderately powerful workings are extremely complex and exhaustive. Thus most workings are laboriously transcribed into SIGILS and activated remotely (basically, something on the scale of your stereotypical summoning circle, for all spells that aren't trivially simple). Sigils can be made with anything, but the less refined the sigil-working, the more power it takes to activate (for example, a hastily made sigil-working sketched in the dirt would require exponentially more power than the same working carved meticulously into stone).
Casting a small-scale destructive working is not impossible, and many mages with at least a moderate level of drastikos are capable of one or two such workings a day (I.E. a small fireball/lightning bolt, etc). However, doing so is extremely physically exhaustive, and usually inadvisable at best in a combat-situation. Magic in warfare typically takes the role of meticulous trap-laying with sigils.
Magister Maximus: The most potent, most experienced mage in the entire Empire. Advises the Emperor.
Magister Dominus: A recognized master mage. It takes decades of training to reach this rank.
Magister Magus: A graduate of the University; a skilled mage. Typically 4-6 years of training.
Magister Adeptus: A journeyman-level mage. Typically 2 years of training.
Magister Initium: A beginner/unskilled mage. Has just started training.
Affinity to the arcane/hermetic arts (magic) is almost exclusively found within the noble class. Historically this is because magical-affinity has been seen as a sign of nobility, and those who showed the talent were elevated to the Imperial gentry regardless if they held land or not. Nobles would then seek marriages with other nobles to keep their bloodlines "pure", or rather, still potent with magical-affinity. Thus it is an extremely rare case where a commoner possesses the talent for mage-craft, and even rarer still if they can match the potency of a typical Noble mage.
Magic-affinity is a rare and precious thing, and the Empire guards its mages jealously. The only academy for magic in the Empire is known as the University, and it is located in the Imperial capital of Constantinople. All officers in the Imperial Tagmata are tested for magical-affinity before being fully-commissioned, and if any show ability they are sent to the University for study before whatever training their unit requires. A typical tagma (regiment) may have anywhere between 1-3 capable mages in their ranks.
A mage's power is derived from their DRASTIKOS, or potency. A mage's drastikos is an unchangeable and inherent trait; they will always have the same level as they did when they were born. Spells are called WORKINGS, and even moderately powerful workings are extremely complex and exhaustive. Thus most workings are laboriously transcribed into SIGILS and activated remotely (basically, something on the scale of your stereotypical summoning circle, for all spells that aren't trivially simple). Sigils can be made with anything, but the less refined the sigil-working, the more power it takes to activate (for example, a hastily made sigil-working sketched in the dirt would require exponentially more power than the same working carved meticulously into stone).
Casting a small-scale destructive working is not impossible, and many mages with at least a moderate level of drastikos are capable of one or two such workings a day (I.E. a small fireball/lightning bolt, etc). However, doing so is extremely physically exhaustive, and usually inadvisable at best in a combat-situation. Magic in warfare typically takes the role of meticulous trap-laying with sigils.
MAGIC RANKS
Magister Maximus: The most potent, most experienced mage in the entire Empire. Advises the Emperor.
Magister Dominus: A recognized master mage. It takes decades of training to reach this rank.
Magister Magus: A graduate of the University; a skilled mage. Typically 4-6 years of training.
Magister Adeptus: A journeyman-level mage. Typically 2 years of training.
Magister Initium: A beginner/unskilled mage. Has just started training.
Quick terms that should be established:
Hermetical Arts — Science-y term for magic, or the formal study of magic, magic scholarship, etc
Drastikos — Magic potential/power/energy/etc
Working — Any sort of spell is called this. E.g. He cast a powerful working at X
Sigils — Hermetical signs of power, used in the creation of most workings that aren't trivially simple
Sigil-work/working — Self explanatory, but any spell/working that uses sigils
University — The Empire's premier educational institution for the hermetical arts. Regarded as the best in the World, constant rivalry with the Royal Academy in London & the Papal College in Paris.
Ars Magicka — The "textbook" used by the University. 12 volumes, covers everything from history to theory & practical application.
Memory Palace — Also called the Method of Ioci, it's a technique used to assist with creating workings that was discovered by the ancient Greeks (Socrates, Aristotle, etc). Basically what it entails is the user creating a "mind room", a spatial reconstruction inside ones mind of a location from the real world. Users memorize and internalize various hermetic grammatical & practical law's and assign them to an object inside their palace. Then, when they wish to create a working, they simply go into their memory palace and select the required objects. E.g. Alexios retreated into his memory palace, and considered the task before him. He walked to the statue of Athena and selected her, then included his favorite pen and set of rosemary beads. Finally, he touched the icon of Saint Michael, and his working was complete... Using this method drastically reduces the complexity and time required for a working, and without it many workings would simply be impossible.
The size of a memory palace and number of objects, along with the complexity of the laws attached to those objects, is directly related to a user's formal training, drastikos, and talent. A typical palace of a magus-level user is about the size of a normal library (and is often modelled after one). The magister maximus's palace is said to be larger and grander than the Hagia Sophia.
So, how does this whole memory palace thing relate to sigils? Typically a magister in the Imperial tagmata will have a set of palm-sized clay tablets, which are coated with a powerful adhesive on the back and covered in wax paper. When a magister creates a working inside their memory palace, they take the working and transfer it onto the sigils. This process of transcribing from palace-to-tablet is incredibly difficult, and any significant lapse in concentration will result in the unravelling of the working.
Talented magisters are ones who can create a complex working efficiently. The ideal is to use the least amount of sigils possible for each working, as the complexity for workings increases exponentially the stronger it is. The main limiter for most magisters is that it is required to keep the entire working in one's head when transcribing it, so a terribly inefficient working would be difficult to use. Since the memory palace is a "shortcut maker" of sorts, it is necessary to visualize the entire, complete working through the entire transcribing process — it is not possible to create a working on the fly unless it is trivially simple.
Basic Principles: destructive workings are common (explosive traps, fireballs, lightning, etc) but power hungry. Reinforcing/repelling/attracting/floating are common workings, but are only as powerful as the amount of drastikos put into them. Healing/flying are impossible for a single magister. Hovering is doable but incredibly exhausting. Etc.
TL;DR — Magisters use a method called a memory palace to memorize the laws of magic and manipulate them when creating workings. They assign various laws to imagined objects in their palace and use combinations of these objects to create workings. A large, detailed palace signifies a powerful magister.
Magisters transfer these workings onto wax/clay tablets through a process called transcribing. It is difficult, and any lapse of concentration can unravel the whole working. It is not possible to create a working on the fly as you're transcribing unless it is trivially simple.
Hermetical Arts — Science-y term for magic, or the formal study of magic, magic scholarship, etc
Drastikos — Magic potential/power/energy/etc
Working — Any sort of spell is called this. E.g. He cast a powerful working at X
Sigils — Hermetical signs of power, used in the creation of most workings that aren't trivially simple
Sigil-work/working — Self explanatory, but any spell/working that uses sigils
University — The Empire's premier educational institution for the hermetical arts. Regarded as the best in the World, constant rivalry with the Royal Academy in London & the Papal College in Paris.
Ars Magicka — The "textbook" used by the University. 12 volumes, covers everything from history to theory & practical application.
Memory Palace — Also called the Method of Ioci, it's a technique used to assist with creating workings that was discovered by the ancient Greeks (Socrates, Aristotle, etc). Basically what it entails is the user creating a "mind room", a spatial reconstruction inside ones mind of a location from the real world. Users memorize and internalize various hermetic grammatical & practical law's and assign them to an object inside their palace. Then, when they wish to create a working, they simply go into their memory palace and select the required objects. E.g. Alexios retreated into his memory palace, and considered the task before him. He walked to the statue of Athena and selected her, then included his favorite pen and set of rosemary beads. Finally, he touched the icon of Saint Michael, and his working was complete... Using this method drastically reduces the complexity and time required for a working, and without it many workings would simply be impossible.
The size of a memory palace and number of objects, along with the complexity of the laws attached to those objects, is directly related to a user's formal training, drastikos, and talent. A typical palace of a magus-level user is about the size of a normal library (and is often modelled after one). The magister maximus's palace is said to be larger and grander than the Hagia Sophia.
So, how does this whole memory palace thing relate to sigils? Typically a magister in the Imperial tagmata will have a set of palm-sized clay tablets, which are coated with a powerful adhesive on the back and covered in wax paper. When a magister creates a working inside their memory palace, they take the working and transfer it onto the sigils. This process of transcribing from palace-to-tablet is incredibly difficult, and any significant lapse in concentration will result in the unravelling of the working.
Talented magisters are ones who can create a complex working efficiently. The ideal is to use the least amount of sigils possible for each working, as the complexity for workings increases exponentially the stronger it is. The main limiter for most magisters is that it is required to keep the entire working in one's head when transcribing it, so a terribly inefficient working would be difficult to use. Since the memory palace is a "shortcut maker" of sorts, it is necessary to visualize the entire, complete working through the entire transcribing process — it is not possible to create a working on the fly unless it is trivially simple.
Basic Principles: destructive workings are common (explosive traps, fireballs, lightning, etc) but power hungry. Reinforcing/repelling/attracting/floating are common workings, but are only as powerful as the amount of drastikos put into them. Healing/flying are impossible for a single magister. Hovering is doable but incredibly exhausting. Etc.
TL;DR — Magisters use a method called a memory palace to memorize the laws of magic and manipulate them when creating workings. They assign various laws to imagined objects in their palace and use combinations of these objects to create workings. A large, detailed palace signifies a powerful magister.
Magisters transfer these workings onto wax/clay tablets through a process called transcribing. It is difficult, and any lapse of concentration can unravel the whole working. It is not possible to create a working on the fly as you're transcribing unless it is trivially simple.
This chart is supposed to be used as a reference, memorization is unnecessary. Most of this stuff will only be occasionally relevant in the RP, this is all meant to serve as background lore which you only need to be partially aware of (understanding the bare minimum is fine). This is purely meant for those who want to go above-and-beyond in their IC posts, and for me to use as a reference! This chart is organized by the name that will commonly be used in the RP --> greek name/inspiration for name --> relevant information. The greek names/inspirational names are interchangeable with the ones we will commonly be using.
Imperator [Imperator] (Commander-in-chief, can only be taken by the Emperor. Mostly ceremonial)
Grand Domestic [Megas Domestikos] (Commander of the Imperial Army)
Grand Duke [Megas Doux] (Commander of the Navy)
Protostrator [Protostrator] (Second-in-command of the Imperial Army OR Navy)
General [Strategos] (Commander of an Army)
Admiral [Navarch] (Commander of a Fleet)
* Tagmata literally meaning regiments, derived from the word Tagma, which means regiment. Practically it means the professional standing forces of the Empire, aka the entire army/navy, but mostly referring to the army. Note that units in the Imperial Tagmata (such as the Imperial Dragoons, the Imperial Cataphracts, Imperial Grenadiers, etc) are typically sponsored, financed, and provisioned by the Duke who commands them. Most dukes command roughly five or so tagma of their own unit. A duke has discretion in what kind of unit he/she wishes to outfit, but most simply sponsor some form of line infantry.
Imperial Dragoons has five tagma (5,000 men), the entire force is commanded by Duke Andreas Alcaeus of Optimates (Optimates is modern-day Izmit)
Tagma (regiment): 1,000 men*, 2 allagia [Commanded by Lietenant-Colonel]
Allagion (battalion): 500 men, 4 moirai [Commanded by Major]
Moira (company): 125 men, 5 banda [Commanded by Captain]
Bandon (platoon): 25 men, 5 omada [Commanded by Lieutenant] **
Omadon (squad): 5 men [Commanded by Cornet]
Officer Ranks:
Colonel [Doux/Duke]
Lieutenant-Colonel [Tagmatarchis]
Major [Allagator]
Captain [Katepano]
Lieutenant [Lochagos]
Cornet [Simaia]
Enlisted Ranks:
Colour-Sergeant [Polemarchos] (Senior NCO of Tagma)
Staff-Sergeant [Hipparchos] (Senior NCO of Allagion)
Sergeant [Lochias] (Senior NCO of Moira)
Corporal [Ilarches] (Senior NCO of Bandon)
Lance Corporal [Ouraghos] (Senior NCO of Omadon)
Trooper [Stratiotis]
* Does not include officer count. 1000/500/125/25/5 is reference to the enlisted man (including NCO) count.
** This is the size of the RP party. You are allowed to be up to a Lieutenant/Corporal in the beginning, though I will only accept ONE lieutenant at the start. Remember, officers must PURCHASE their ranks through a commission (hence CO/NCO), so the vast majority of officers belong to the gentry (nobility) class as they are the only ones who can afford the commissions. Non-noble officers are seen as taboo! All officers go through an eight-week training course at the Dragoon headquarters in Nicomedia (capital of Optimates, the province of Duke Andreas). You DON'T need to include this training in your character app, as we are going to be doing it in RP.
IMPERIAL TAGMATA* COMMAND STRUCTURE
Imperator [Imperator] (Commander-in-chief, can only be taken by the Emperor. Mostly ceremonial)
Grand Domestic [Megas Domestikos] (Commander of the Imperial Army)
Grand Duke [Megas Doux] (Commander of the Navy)
Protostrator [Protostrator] (Second-in-command of the Imperial Army OR Navy)
General [Strategos] (Commander of an Army)
Admiral [Navarch] (Commander of a Fleet)
* Tagmata literally meaning regiments, derived from the word Tagma, which means regiment. Practically it means the professional standing forces of the Empire, aka the entire army/navy, but mostly referring to the army. Note that units in the Imperial Tagmata (such as the Imperial Dragoons, the Imperial Cataphracts, Imperial Grenadiers, etc) are typically sponsored, financed, and provisioned by the Duke who commands them. Most dukes command roughly five or so tagma of their own unit. A duke has discretion in what kind of unit he/she wishes to outfit, but most simply sponsor some form of line infantry.
IMPERIAL DRAGOON STRUCTURE
Imperial Dragoons has five tagma (5,000 men), the entire force is commanded by Duke Andreas Alcaeus of Optimates (Optimates is modern-day Izmit)
Tagma (regiment): 1,000 men*, 2 allagia [Commanded by Lietenant-Colonel]
Allagion (battalion): 500 men, 4 moirai [Commanded by Major]
Moira (company): 125 men, 5 banda [Commanded by Captain]
Bandon (platoon): 25 men, 5 omada [Commanded by Lieutenant] **
Omadon (squad): 5 men [Commanded by Cornet]
Officer Ranks:
Colonel [Doux/Duke]
Lieutenant-Colonel [Tagmatarchis]
Major [Allagator]
Captain [Katepano]
Lieutenant [Lochagos]
Cornet [Simaia]
Enlisted Ranks:
Colour-Sergeant [Polemarchos] (Senior NCO of Tagma)
Staff-Sergeant [Hipparchos] (Senior NCO of Allagion)
Sergeant [Lochias] (Senior NCO of Moira)
Corporal [Ilarches] (Senior NCO of Bandon)
Lance Corporal [Ouraghos] (Senior NCO of Omadon)
Trooper [Stratiotis]
* Does not include officer count. 1000/500/125/25/5 is reference to the enlisted man (including NCO) count.
** This is the size of the RP party. You are allowed to be up to a Lieutenant/Corporal in the beginning, though I will only accept ONE lieutenant at the start. Remember, officers must PURCHASE their ranks through a commission (hence CO/NCO), so the vast majority of officers belong to the gentry (nobility) class as they are the only ones who can afford the commissions. Non-noble officers are seen as taboo! All officers go through an eight-week training course at the Dragoon headquarters in Nicomedia (capital of Optimates, the province of Duke Andreas). You DON'T need to include this training in your character app, as we are going to be doing it in RP.
- No godmodding/powergaming/metagaming/etc.
- Follow all of site rules.
- Be friendly and cordial. If you have an issue with someone or with anything regarding the RP, please hash it out respectfully or talk to me.
- This RP is very active, so if you plan on making an officer and can't post frequently then it may be best to not make an officer character.
- If you have to leave the RP, no worries! Just message me or leave a comment beforehand, please don't just go MIA. If you are gone ten days with no notice, I maintain the right to take over your character and use him/her as I wish in order to move the RP along.
- If you have any suggestions/questions/concerns/etc for the RP, don't be shy and post 'em OR message me.
- Follow all of site rules.
- Be friendly and cordial. If you have an issue with someone or with anything regarding the RP, please hash it out respectfully or talk to me.
- This RP is very active, so if you plan on making an officer and can't post frequently then it may be best to not make an officer character.
- If you have to leave the RP, no worries! Just message me or leave a comment beforehand, please don't just go MIA. If you are gone ten days with no notice, I maintain the right to take over your character and use him/her as I wish in order to move the RP along.
- If you have any suggestions/questions/concerns/etc for the RP, don't be shy and post 'em OR message me.
Name:
Nobility: Yes/No. If yes, include of what relation. Note that you cannot be a landholder, but you can be related to one. For example, character is the son of Duke Blahblah. Here is an excellent reference for land names.
Sex:
Race: Greek/Serbian/Norman/etc
Age:
Physical Description: Few sentences minimum, pictures optional - include them in hiders
Rank: Rank in the army. Refer to command structure in the lore.
Magic-Rank: If applicable. Refer to Magic system in the lore if confused
Goals/Aspirations: What drives your character? What does he/she wish to accomplish?
Personality: Few sentences minimum, include character strengths & flaws
Backstory: Three paragraphs minimum
Nobility: Yes/No. If yes, include of what relation. Note that you cannot be a landholder, but you can be related to one. For example, character is the son of Duke Blahblah. Here is an excellent reference for land names.
Sex:
Race: Greek/Serbian/Norman/etc
Age:
Physical Description: Few sentences minimum, pictures optional - include them in hiders
Rank: Rank in the army. Refer to command structure in the lore.
Magic-Rank: If applicable. Refer to Magic system in the lore if confused
Goals/Aspirations: What drives your character? What does he/she wish to accomplish?
Personality: Few sentences minimum, include character strengths & flaws
Backstory: Three paragraphs minimum
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[b]Sex:[/b]
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