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[OOC] Legend of the Silver Legion Redux (Open) Page 3
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rush99999 Professional Oddball
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Currently at work right now, but I'll echo rush99999 above. If I can prepare and have a nation accepted before the RP begins then I volunteer to be part of the first events.
DELETED32084
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Alright, trying this again!
The Port City of Basul
Empress Atasari
The Empire of Khandarai is a Monarchy presided over by an Empress whose decisions are final and binding upon her people. She is advised by an appointed council drawn from the various Houses that make up the upper class of the Empire. Should the Empress die, a Magical rite is cast that calls upon an ancient spirit, the Khandarai believe it is the spirit of the Prophetess herself, who then travels the Empire and selects a minimum of five young women who are then put through a gruelling set of tasks and tests of their skill. The survivor is crowned Empress of Khandarai.
The Kafadan River Valley
The Empire of Khandarai is a nation that has found its way in the harsh central desert of Askor. Bordered on East and West by massive Mountain ranges that serve to deflect most moisture away, it is a hard and foreboding place. Even the desert itself is broken in many places by violent movements in the earth. There is however one large river, the Kafadan River, that actually pours forth from the desert, welling up from deep beneath the surface of the earth, winding its way north to the coast where the Empires only seaport, Basul, resides.
All along that river is a green belt of lush fertile land that supports much of the Empire. There are other oasis, hidden away in the deeper portions of the desert and they are known almost exclusively to the Salakan themselves. These are reached by ancient camel roads and, in some cases, by travelling through the great ravines and canyons that cut across the sun baked surface.
Most Khandarai towns and villages are located in the same canyons and ravines, built into places where some shelter can be found from the ever present sun. The Capital itself, Shasa, is located at the head of the great river where it pours from the earth, the river providing both defence and life for the city. Though not the largest city in the Empire, that title goes to Basul, it is certainly the most impressive for its
The City of Shasa, the Imperial Capital
Life is tough in Khandarai, made even more difficult by the dangerous creatures that lurk in places even the sun never reaches. Wyverns are not unknown in Salakan and while the majority are hostile, some Khandarai have managed to tame the beasts and use them in battle, though never outside of Khandarai as leaving the desert often leads to them becoming sick and, eventually, to death.
The Empire of Khandarai is unique in the world for its class system in which females rule the Empire, provide the skilled fighting force, and males are used for breeding or menial labour tasks. The Khandarai believe they are made in the image of the Prophetess who freed them when she walked the earth, or so the story goes.
The Empire is relatively young in the grand scheme of things, no older than the legends of the Prophetess who freed the first Empress from the servitude of men and guided her to the desert where she, along with other freed slaves, settled their first village and intermingled with the local population.
Fuelled by her freedom and the burning desire to never agin let men control her destiny, the first Empress led her comrades and the women of the Desert to overthrow and slaughter the patriarchy that ruled the sands. In a cruel twist of irony that the Khandarai see as but a small vengeance for the tribulations they suffered, men are now taken in raids, or purchased through a lively slave economy, and used for the purposes of breeding. Male offspring are killed and female offspring raised in the fighting spirit of their mothers.
A Khandarai Warrior engages a pair of Yarimas
The Khandarai conduct trade through Basul but also engage in lively raiding against their neighbours, and even amongst themselves if there is no one else to fight. Broken up in Houses, Khandarai boasts seven Great Houses, and a dozen lesser houses, all of whom control various portions of the region. The power and wealth of each House has risen and fallen over the years, none truly holding any real power, all beholden to the Empress in the end.
The Khandarai are a Humanoid race, though they have an increased ability to see in the dark and are hardier than their neighbours. Their skin is darker than their neighbours as well, ranging from a soft brown to black as night.
Khandarai Warriors
The Empire of Khandarai is best described as an army with an Empire. So dangerous is the desert that all Khandarai are taught to fight and survive from a very young age. One of the great tests of their full rise to womanhood is a week spent in the desert with nothing but a small blade, a bow, and a single canteen of water.
The Khandarai excel in small unit operations. They are far to isolated and spread apart to be able to form large armies and in Khandarai, big armies starve and small armies are defeated. Like many other nations they have their share of archers, sword masters, cavalry, and the like. Their cavalry tends to be far from traditional horses and camels, and beasts found in the desert are tamed wherever possible.
Magic is a powerful tool of the Khandarai, spells that allow assist them in vanishing in to, and surviving, the great desert. The Khandarai themselves are far from the most dangerous thing to be found in the desert and any Khandarai worth their salt has learned how to hide from the predators that inhabit their home.
Enchantments are common amongst the fighting forces as well in the form of fire, lightening, or even poisoned weapons. Priestesses of the Prophetess are the only true magic users of the Empire, either as Healers, Spell Casters, or Spellswords. The Spellswords are a unique melee class of warrior that use magic to augment their fighting ability.
Khawla al-Mir
Khawla al-Mir, a legend in her time. She is the greatest Khandarai Spellsword of the latest hundred years. Fighting with little to no armour, she wields two scimitars with deadly skill and precision. Her warlike nature often brings her to the fore of raids against enemy settlements and ferociously hunts the strange and wonderful beasts of the desert. She is a master of small unit operation and often works with a picked band of fighters that she considers worthy of her company.
Naaila al-Arshad
Naaila al-Arshad is the most skilled Beast Master in the Empire. She excels in the taming of various monsters found in the desert and using them to great effect against each other, or against her enemies. She is the only known living Khandarai to have ridden on a Wyvern though it is not something she tries on a regular basis as her hold on a creature is not permanent.
WIP. Waiting to see details on Western neighbours.
Khandarai enjoys a wild roller coaster of relations with pretty much everyone. They are not against raiding their neighbours one day, and trading with them the next. The desert holds many precious and incredibly rare stones, spices, and the skins from any number of desert beasts can fetch a small fortune.
Khandarai does not have great fortresses built at her borders, in fact, it is easy enough for anyone to enter the desert, leaving it is another adventure altogether. A single major road, known as the Spice Road, transits from East to West, leapfrogging from oasis to oasis. Trade caravans regularly pass along this route and it is the only place a foreigner can be assured they are safe from Khandarai raiders, if they come in peace.
WIP
Empire of Khandarai
The Port City of Basul
Government
Empress Atasari
The Empire of Khandarai is a Monarchy presided over by an Empress whose decisions are final and binding upon her people. She is advised by an appointed council drawn from the various Houses that make up the upper class of the Empire. Should the Empress die, a Magical rite is cast that calls upon an ancient spirit, the Khandarai believe it is the spirit of the Prophetess herself, who then travels the Empire and selects a minimum of five young women who are then put through a gruelling set of tasks and tests of their skill. The survivor is crowned Empress of Khandarai.
Geography
The Kafadan River Valley
The Empire of Khandarai is a nation that has found its way in the harsh central desert of Askor. Bordered on East and West by massive Mountain ranges that serve to deflect most moisture away, it is a hard and foreboding place. Even the desert itself is broken in many places by violent movements in the earth. There is however one large river, the Kafadan River, that actually pours forth from the desert, welling up from deep beneath the surface of the earth, winding its way north to the coast where the Empires only seaport, Basul, resides.
All along that river is a green belt of lush fertile land that supports much of the Empire. There are other oasis, hidden away in the deeper portions of the desert and they are known almost exclusively to the Salakan themselves. These are reached by ancient camel roads and, in some cases, by travelling through the great ravines and canyons that cut across the sun baked surface.
Most Khandarai towns and villages are located in the same canyons and ravines, built into places where some shelter can be found from the ever present sun. The Capital itself, Shasa, is located at the head of the great river where it pours from the earth, the river providing both defence and life for the city. Though not the largest city in the Empire, that title goes to Basul, it is certainly the most impressive for its
The City of Shasa, the Imperial Capital
Life is tough in Khandarai, made even more difficult by the dangerous creatures that lurk in places even the sun never reaches. Wyverns are not unknown in Salakan and while the majority are hostile, some Khandarai have managed to tame the beasts and use them in battle, though never outside of Khandarai as leaving the desert often leads to them becoming sick and, eventually, to death.
Culture
The Empire of Khandarai is unique in the world for its class system in which females rule the Empire, provide the skilled fighting force, and males are used for breeding or menial labour tasks. The Khandarai believe they are made in the image of the Prophetess who freed them when she walked the earth, or so the story goes.
The Empire is relatively young in the grand scheme of things, no older than the legends of the Prophetess who freed the first Empress from the servitude of men and guided her to the desert where she, along with other freed slaves, settled their first village and intermingled with the local population.
Fuelled by her freedom and the burning desire to never agin let men control her destiny, the first Empress led her comrades and the women of the Desert to overthrow and slaughter the patriarchy that ruled the sands. In a cruel twist of irony that the Khandarai see as but a small vengeance for the tribulations they suffered, men are now taken in raids, or purchased through a lively slave economy, and used for the purposes of breeding. Male offspring are killed and female offspring raised in the fighting spirit of their mothers.
A Khandarai Warrior engages a pair of Yarimas
The Khandarai conduct trade through Basul but also engage in lively raiding against their neighbours, and even amongst themselves if there is no one else to fight. Broken up in Houses, Khandarai boasts seven Great Houses, and a dozen lesser houses, all of whom control various portions of the region. The power and wealth of each House has risen and fallen over the years, none truly holding any real power, all beholden to the Empress in the end.
The Khandarai are a Humanoid race, though they have an increased ability to see in the dark and are hardier than their neighbours. Their skin is darker than their neighbours as well, ranging from a soft brown to black as night.
Military
Khandarai Warriors
The Empire of Khandarai is best described as an army with an Empire. So dangerous is the desert that all Khandarai are taught to fight and survive from a very young age. One of the great tests of their full rise to womanhood is a week spent in the desert with nothing but a small blade, a bow, and a single canteen of water.
The Khandarai excel in small unit operations. They are far to isolated and spread apart to be able to form large armies and in Khandarai, big armies starve and small armies are defeated. Like many other nations they have their share of archers, sword masters, cavalry, and the like. Their cavalry tends to be far from traditional horses and camels, and beasts found in the desert are tamed wherever possible.
Magic is a powerful tool of the Khandarai, spells that allow assist them in vanishing in to, and surviving, the great desert. The Khandarai themselves are far from the most dangerous thing to be found in the desert and any Khandarai worth their salt has learned how to hide from the predators that inhabit their home.
Enchantments are common amongst the fighting forces as well in the form of fire, lightening, or even poisoned weapons. Priestesses of the Prophetess are the only true magic users of the Empire, either as Healers, Spell Casters, or Spellswords. The Spellswords are a unique melee class of warrior that use magic to augment their fighting ability.
Heroes
Khawla al-Mir
Khawla al-Mir, a legend in her time. She is the greatest Khandarai Spellsword of the latest hundred years. Fighting with little to no armour, she wields two scimitars with deadly skill and precision. Her warlike nature often brings her to the fore of raids against enemy settlements and ferociously hunts the strange and wonderful beasts of the desert. She is a master of small unit operation and often works with a picked band of fighters that she considers worthy of her company.
Naaila al-Arshad
Naaila al-Arshad is the most skilled Beast Master in the Empire. She excels in the taming of various monsters found in the desert and using them to great effect against each other, or against her enemies. She is the only known living Khandarai to have ridden on a Wyvern though it is not something she tries on a regular basis as her hold on a creature is not permanent.
History
WIP. Waiting to see details on Western neighbours.
Relations
Khandarai enjoys a wild roller coaster of relations with pretty much everyone. They are not against raiding their neighbours one day, and trading with them the next. The desert holds many precious and incredibly rare stones, spices, and the skins from any number of desert beasts can fetch a small fortune.
Khandarai does not have great fortresses built at her borders, in fact, it is easy enough for anyone to enter the desert, leaving it is another adventure altogether. A single major road, known as the Spice Road, transits from East to West, leapfrogging from oasis to oasis. Trade caravans regularly pass along this route and it is the only place a foreigner can be assured they are safe from Khandarai raiders, if they come in peace.
Characters
WIP
rush99999 Professional Oddball
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[Nothing to see here]
DracoLunaris Multiverse tourist
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GM
Darkspleen I am Spartacus
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1 day ago
IC is now up and the first even has fired. Nothing super heavy weight, just something to get us started. If you have been given permission to post in the character tab and have done so feel free to post whenever. I'll be putting up an Argentum Knights post in the next few days and you can expect the next event to be on next Friday (this one will be a bit more... involved).
DELETED32084
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2 yrs ago
CS updated to reflect some more fluid storyline in the culture section.
Willy Vereb The Wordy Engineer
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Yngvarian Confederacy
Overview
Yngvar is the homeland of dwarves, bordering multiple nations and close to the major trade routes. They are known for their unique culture, skilled craftsmanship and mercenaries. The nation is generally referred as Yngvar but alternatives include: Yngvarseidgenossenschaft (semi-official), Eidgenossenschaft, Zwölfberge, Yngvarsland, Free Cities, Dwarvish Hills, etc...Geography
Culture
Yngvar in archaic dwarvish means "protected by Yngvi" and this is more than just a name for the inhabitants. Yngvar mountains are considered sacred to dwarves and while they are open to visitors they are far less willing to let them stay. As such Yngvar's population is predominantly dwarvish. Yngvi itself is an entity considered the creator of the dwarves, some consider it a Primordial others as something else. Some even connect Yngvi with the Serene One. Yngvi is the great ancestor and teacher of dwarves, universally respected by them. Dwarvish relationship with other faiths is somewhat strange, while they don't belong to either Argenism or the Serene Church they can respect them. In return dwarves are left alone with their faith which can be best described as ancestor worship while mixing elements from other faiths. What elements? It depends on the dwarf you ask, they tend to shape their beliefs to whichever large religion they're the closest. This does not harm dwarvish faith and also allow them to easily integrate with other cultures. Aside from religion dwarves are also well-known for their work moral and practical thinking. They are diligent craftsmen famous for their skills. They are also somewhat distant with other races, always keeping them at arms length. Another weird custom and show of their craftsmanship is that they wear armor. Every adult dwarf, be male or female are mandated to wear at least a maile shirt outside. Some cities' customs even mandate helmets or a full hauberk. Due to their robust build this does not bother a walk during their daily life and keeps reminding outsiders to tread carefully with them. This also gave dwarves an interesting nickname: Ironskins.Dwarves are short (at average 4 feet tall) but robust humanoids known to be great workers and craftsmen. Their proportional strength is twice that of humans (but evens up in a brawl due to size difference) and their bodies are denser and overall tougher. Dwarves prefer to live in caves and have decent senses underground. At average a dwarf shows aging after 100 years and can live up to 150 years. They are also extremely resilient to temperature differences and disease. Their drawbacks are their short stature which also make them slower runners (though they can jump well) and their dense bodies sink almost like a rock in water thus dwarves almost never learn how to swim. They also have poor long distance vision compared to humans,albeit they can almost see in the dark which make them more comfortable to find their way through caves. Dwarven pregnancy lasts for 4 years and during that women aren't any less capable of work. Consequently, dwarvish culture rarely differentiates between the jobs of men and women, thus you could find female laborers and soldiers almost as often as men. Pregnancy is followed by 10 years of infertility, though which might be partially responsible for the low birth rates among dwarves. Combined with their longevity this evens out but dwarves in general think differently about time.
Government
Yngvar is ruled by twelve clans centered around a mountain each. These mountain city states are completely autonomous and at best can be only considered to be in alliance with each other, though some likes to call it a non-aggression pact. All leaders are tied by blood oath to not turn their arms against each other. They regularly hold the Twelve Chairs council, where the 12 Dwarven Lords sit at round table and discuss matters that involve entire Yngvar. Number of laws are laid down in the past that apply to all clans equally and they have certain obligations to defend each other. Aside from that all Clans are free to do whatever they want.
Military
Dwarves beleive in individual powers and that no self-respective adult member should be unable to defend themselves. All dwarves above a certain age know how to fight while wearing armor and weapons, often their own craftsmanship or family heirloom. For this reason other nations often dub the dwarves as Ironskins because they nearly always coat themselves in metal armors. In times of need citizens band together to defend their home. In addition to that there are dwarves who dedicated themselves to military service, either as watchmen and police force known as the Shieldbearers or to become full-blown mercenary. The latter often become travelers going from country-to-country until they return and settle down in their Clan as combat instructors and military leaders. As such dwarvish military are often a mix of eager volunteer militia, town watch and professional mercenaries.
Also called as Bolt-Throwers, they are an evolution of crossbow. While crossbows gave the dwarves a viable ranged weapon these were too cumbersome for them to ever get attached to them. This changed after the development of coil springs thus replacing the bow and metal string with an internal mechanism. This already saved space and made bolt-throwers easier to carry. There are many variants and practically each Clan has their own kind of Bolter. A popular variant uses Mithril-made Thundercoil (named for their loud noise when released without weighs), pump-action with 200lbs draw and a clip holding ten 1x8cm all-steel bolts. Decently made Bolters of this kind can shoot accurately up to 70 meters and can be fired in volleys up to 350 meters. They can pierce most of the common armors, too. Snipers sometimes design oversized Bolters with much greater length and force so they require a winch to pull back. These are quite powerful and accurate up to 100-200 meters. Bolter is a name given to this weapon on the common tongue, it's a result from mistranslating the Dwarfish word Bultzer (thrower). Bolters are designed for dwarven strength and stature which makes them borderline inoperable by others. Even if it weren't the Bolter design would be much less effective when made for human capabilities in mind. As such dwarves still make crossbows even if it's only for export.
Characters
TBA
Relations
TBA
History
TBA
Artur, you rat bastard!
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The Sylvanian Order was formed from the alliance of several warring factions that saw a common threat and interest in keeping the beasts and barbarians of Tarkima isolated to their northern lands. As such, the leaders of the three major cities from which the Order derives its authority elects three individuals, often from the Sylvanian military, to the ruling Triumvirate through which all matters regarding the Order are decided upon. Each members of the Triumvirate have equal say in matters and serve for ten years. People can be re-elected into the Triumvirate, with many of the legendary figures of Sylvanian history having served consecutive terms until they drew in their final breath.
While not bound to the church when making their policies, the Triumvirate has on occasion sought after the advice of the ancient Primordial faith when making decisions. This tradition still holds true, but has largely been replaced by faith of the Prophetess, which has overtaken the majority of the Order’s borders as the dominant religion.
The Sylvanian Order has found its home within the region of Askor called The Barrens. It is notorious not only for the dangerous creatures that roam the jagged terrains and expansive steppes, but the occasional raids carried out by the barbarian clans of the north. Only fools would call this seemingly inhospitable region their home, but it is here where the Sylvanian Order finds nirvana.
Malcor: The designated capital of the Sylvanian Order. It rests upon the White Peak of the Yellow Mountains, which can be safely considered the most temperate region of the Barrens. It is unsurprising then that this is the busiest and most industrious of the Sylvanian cities, and where the majority of the civilian population resides in. This the home of the Silver Cathedral, the grandest and most ornate of churches dedicated in the name of the Priestess within Sylvania. It was erected upon the grounds of what used to be the cemetery of the dead heroes of Sylvanian Silver Legionnaires, who have found a new permanent resting place within the church. Malcor is also one of two locations within Sylvanian borders where agriculture is possible.
Wyndfall: The north most city, it has historically stood as the vanguard of the Sylvanian Order against organized Tarkiman excursions into the continent. It is bordered by the mountains known as Jotanu’s Gate. This is also the only major population center that has yet to fully convert to the religion of the Priestess, as many of the civilian population believe that the Primordial spirits have helped keep the Tarkimans from conquering Sylvanian lands.
Maderas: Maderas can be thought of as the magical hub of the Order. The greatest Sylvanian magi can be seen practicing their mastery over the arcane and taking hopeful apprentices under their wings. Soldiers noted for possessing exceptional levels of Primordial blood or mana are also regularly sent to train in Maderas.
Shadow’s Keep: This is the Sylvanian Order’s greatest military establishment, with a long history and strong tradition. Located on the edge of the volcano known as Mount Eberus, the surrounding regions are constantly bombarded with infernal debris, and the heavens, shrouded in plumes of smoke and clouds ash. Many of the most renowned Sylvanian soldiers and commanders have commonly traced their roots back to the Shadow’s Keep. It is also the home of the order of knights known as the the Black Guards of Eberus, where their signature black armor is forged from the obsidian that litter the immediate surroundings. Also has the highest concentration of monstrous creatures in the Barrens.
Several minor cities exist within the Order's borders as well, many of them having absorbed the population and territory of the ancestral Sylvanian factions. Of particular note is the city known as Tabor at the mouth of the Whispering Valley, which governs a stretch of land that is one of only two areas where agriculture is possible and feasible in the Barrens. This feature has often seen the region become a favorite target of Tarkiman raids despite the presence of a modest fortification that protects the city.
Through the harsh terrains that surround them, the many species of beasts that prey on humans whenever possible, and the tribal threats to the north, Sylvanians have adopted a warrior culture not so dissimilar to many on the continent. All Sylvanian young are taught to at the very least be proficient with a weapon of choice, and this skill is maintained by the widely practiced sport of hunting. They are also entered into year-round athletic competitions where they contend against their peers to win honor for their family and receive modest rewards. Most Sylvanians dream of a glorious battle to offer their lives for, as their existence can be said to be owed to the defense of the people. This may be why the widespread adoption of the Priestess religion was swift. There is great desire among Sylvanians to see the Priestess’s prophecy come true to give them divine purpose: A conflict truly worthy of their lives.
The Sylvanian banner calls upon the servitude of all able bodied man for five years after they reach adulthood. Sylvanians see this service as not only a part of their civic duty, but an essential education that is vital to the survival of both the individual and the Order. This idea has been reinforced through Sylvanian history by the presence of numerous baneful creatures native to the Barrens, as well as the threat of the Tarkiman war bands beyond Jotanu’s Gate and Agate Spiders from the southern Matatharan Vale. Most will continue to serve as a professionally employed soldier of the Order once their service tenure end. Despite this tradition, the Sylvanian military is not as great in size compared to the greater empires of the continent. This is a fact much owed to the nation’s smaller population. What they lack in numbers, however, they make up for with their strength. Utilizing shock tactics that seek to exploit the vulnerable psyche of the mind, the combined forces of the Sylvanian military is nothing short of formidable.
Being the most numerous, the Sylvanian infantry serve as the core of the Order’s military. The bulk of the numbers are made up of younger, more inexperienced Sylvanians soldiers, usually amidst their five year military service. While not as special as some of their professional counterparts, they are constantly trained to become extremely fit, with marches of thirty miles in full gear a daily routine. The halberd has widely been adopted as the preferred weapon of many soldiers, although they are still supplemented by a standard sword and shield.
Sylvanian missile troops have come to prefer the use of crossbows. This was simply due to their stronger stopping power, which was seen as preferable compared to the range and/or fire rate of the traditional longbow when facing down heavily armored opponents. They are commonly seen operating along the front line of a Sylvanian formation, providing support to hand to hand combatants.
Pathfinders are some of the boldest and most experienced knights of the Order and can be classified as a heavy infantry. Often tasked with being the spearhead of an offensive maneuver or hold important positions, Pathfinders are seen with varying equipment from pole arms, swords, and war hammers. Fighting alongside Pathfinders are battle mages, most of whom have made the pilgrimage to Maderas for their training. This is the only organization under Sylvanian colors where magi are used in combat.
An order of knights, easily identifiable by their ornate black and gold armor. Most brothers are life long soldiers of the highest prestige who have been identified as a potential member early on in their childhood by the order’s maesters, who travel city to city to observe the year round competitions to find the most physically gifted youth available. The result is that the Black Guards of Eberus are the most powerful soldiers of the Sylvanian Order, with their strength and ferocity unmatched by any other unit. Generally seen wielding a two-handed sword which can be described as a cleaver made to the size of a claymore, there are brothers who prefer to use more traditional weapons. They initially earned their reputation by their ability break formations singlehandedly, but have since become famed for their unique training at the Shadow’s Keep, where they are seen slaying the numerous nefarious creatures that inhabit the same region. Only a few hundred Black Guards exist at a time, mainly to maintain certain standards of the order to which only a minuscule amount of the Sylvanian population can meet.
Light cavalry of the army, their strength is their speed to which they rely heavily on. Assorted with many weapons ranging from crossbows and javelins to swords and lances, their tactics on the battlefield sees a concentrated strike on a position followed by a quick retreat, as well as flanking maneuvers intended to get sideways or behind an enemy position to engage in a charge. Small groups of these cavaliers also operate as scouts.
An elite group of knights of the Sylvanian Order. These riders receive the best horses bred on Sylvanian steppes and receive the best crafted weaponry available. Primarily serving as shock cavalry, they add many references to death, such as skulls and demons, to the design of their armor in an attempt to further intimidate and incite fear from their enemies.
Rewalt
Each country gets one superior hero and three normal heroes. In terms of combat strength expect a superior hero to be on par with about 150 men and normal heroes to be on par with 100 men. (Yes, this is the only place in the sheet where there are actually numbers) Basically these are the badasses of your country that you can use for point of view characters if you want. At absolute bare minimum you need a name and one line description of what your hero is good at; however, ideally this should be the largest section of your sheet. You can use any explanation you want for why your heroes are stronger than normal people. For example using magic, being blessed by a divine entity, or simply being very skilled with their weapons. Also keep in mind that if a hero dies you can replace him or her with a new one.
A brief history of your country is fine, so long as you cover the last 20 or so years. I’m looking for more of a summary of important events than list of dead monarchs.
How does your country interact with its neighbors. I am not looking for a list of exports and imports, but feel free to add them if you want. At bare minimum I want a listed rival here, another country that yours viewed as an enemy and actively worked against during the past twenty or so years.
Optional section. Put any info about any characters here. Examples of this would be your kings or queens, military leaders, and non-hero “badasses”. You can also put more detailed info of your heroes here as well.
Sylvanian Order
Government
The Sylvanian Order was formed from the alliance of several warring factions that saw a common threat and interest in keeping the beasts and barbarians of Tarkima isolated to their northern lands. As such, the leaders of the three major cities from which the Order derives its authority elects three individuals, often from the Sylvanian military, to the ruling Triumvirate through which all matters regarding the Order are decided upon. Each members of the Triumvirate have equal say in matters and serve for ten years. People can be re-elected into the Triumvirate, with many of the legendary figures of Sylvanian history having served consecutive terms until they drew in their final breath.
While not bound to the church when making their policies, the Triumvirate has on occasion sought after the advice of the ancient Primordial faith when making decisions. This tradition still holds true, but has largely been replaced by faith of the Prophetess, which has overtaken the majority of the Order’s borders as the dominant religion.
Geography
The Sylvanian Order has found its home within the region of Askor called The Barrens. It is notorious not only for the dangerous creatures that roam the jagged terrains and expansive steppes, but the occasional raids carried out by the barbarian clans of the north. Only fools would call this seemingly inhospitable region their home, but it is here where the Sylvanian Order finds nirvana.
Malcor: The designated capital of the Sylvanian Order. It rests upon the White Peak of the Yellow Mountains, which can be safely considered the most temperate region of the Barrens. It is unsurprising then that this is the busiest and most industrious of the Sylvanian cities, and where the majority of the civilian population resides in. This the home of the Silver Cathedral, the grandest and most ornate of churches dedicated in the name of the Priestess within Sylvania. It was erected upon the grounds of what used to be the cemetery of the dead heroes of Sylvanian Silver Legionnaires, who have found a new permanent resting place within the church. Malcor is also one of two locations within Sylvanian borders where agriculture is possible.
Wyndfall: The north most city, it has historically stood as the vanguard of the Sylvanian Order against organized Tarkiman excursions into the continent. It is bordered by the mountains known as Jotanu’s Gate. This is also the only major population center that has yet to fully convert to the religion of the Priestess, as many of the civilian population believe that the Primordial spirits have helped keep the Tarkimans from conquering Sylvanian lands.
Maderas: Maderas can be thought of as the magical hub of the Order. The greatest Sylvanian magi can be seen practicing their mastery over the arcane and taking hopeful apprentices under their wings. Soldiers noted for possessing exceptional levels of Primordial blood or mana are also regularly sent to train in Maderas.
Shadow’s Keep: This is the Sylvanian Order’s greatest military establishment, with a long history and strong tradition. Located on the edge of the volcano known as Mount Eberus, the surrounding regions are constantly bombarded with infernal debris, and the heavens, shrouded in plumes of smoke and clouds ash. Many of the most renowned Sylvanian soldiers and commanders have commonly traced their roots back to the Shadow’s Keep. It is also the home of the order of knights known as the the Black Guards of Eberus, where their signature black armor is forged from the obsidian that litter the immediate surroundings. Also has the highest concentration of monstrous creatures in the Barrens.
Several minor cities exist within the Order's borders as well, many of them having absorbed the population and territory of the ancestral Sylvanian factions. Of particular note is the city known as Tabor at the mouth of the Whispering Valley, which governs a stretch of land that is one of only two areas where agriculture is possible and feasible in the Barrens. This feature has often seen the region become a favorite target of Tarkiman raids despite the presence of a modest fortification that protects the city.
Culture
Through the harsh terrains that surround them, the many species of beasts that prey on humans whenever possible, and the tribal threats to the north, Sylvanians have adopted a warrior culture not so dissimilar to many on the continent. All Sylvanian young are taught to at the very least be proficient with a weapon of choice, and this skill is maintained by the widely practiced sport of hunting. They are also entered into year-round athletic competitions where they contend against their peers to win honor for their family and receive modest rewards. Most Sylvanians dream of a glorious battle to offer their lives for, as their existence can be said to be owed to the defense of the people. This may be why the widespread adoption of the Priestess religion was swift. There is great desire among Sylvanians to see the Priestess’s prophecy come true to give them divine purpose: A conflict truly worthy of their lives.
Military
The Sylvanian banner calls upon the servitude of all able bodied man for five years after they reach adulthood. Sylvanians see this service as not only a part of their civic duty, but an essential education that is vital to the survival of both the individual and the Order. This idea has been reinforced through Sylvanian history by the presence of numerous baneful creatures native to the Barrens, as well as the threat of the Tarkiman war bands beyond Jotanu’s Gate and Agate Spiders from the southern Matatharan Vale. Most will continue to serve as a professionally employed soldier of the Order once their service tenure end. Despite this tradition, the Sylvanian military is not as great in size compared to the greater empires of the continent. This is a fact much owed to the nation’s smaller population. What they lack in numbers, however, they make up for with their strength. Utilizing shock tactics that seek to exploit the vulnerable psyche of the mind, the combined forces of the Sylvanian military is nothing short of formidable.
Being the most numerous, the Sylvanian infantry serve as the core of the Order’s military. The bulk of the numbers are made up of younger, more inexperienced Sylvanians soldiers, usually amidst their five year military service. While not as special as some of their professional counterparts, they are constantly trained to become extremely fit, with marches of thirty miles in full gear a daily routine. The halberd has widely been adopted as the preferred weapon of many soldiers, although they are still supplemented by a standard sword and shield.
Sylvanian missile troops have come to prefer the use of crossbows. This was simply due to their stronger stopping power, which was seen as preferable compared to the range and/or fire rate of the traditional longbow when facing down heavily armored opponents. They are commonly seen operating along the front line of a Sylvanian formation, providing support to hand to hand combatants.
Pathfinders are some of the boldest and most experienced knights of the Order and can be classified as a heavy infantry. Often tasked with being the spearhead of an offensive maneuver or hold important positions, Pathfinders are seen with varying equipment from pole arms, swords, and war hammers. Fighting alongside Pathfinders are battle mages, most of whom have made the pilgrimage to Maderas for their training. This is the only organization under Sylvanian colors where magi are used in combat.
An order of knights, easily identifiable by their ornate black and gold armor. Most brothers are life long soldiers of the highest prestige who have been identified as a potential member early on in their childhood by the order’s maesters, who travel city to city to observe the year round competitions to find the most physically gifted youth available. The result is that the Black Guards of Eberus are the most powerful soldiers of the Sylvanian Order, with their strength and ferocity unmatched by any other unit. Generally seen wielding a two-handed sword which can be described as a cleaver made to the size of a claymore, there are brothers who prefer to use more traditional weapons. They initially earned their reputation by their ability break formations singlehandedly, but have since become famed for their unique training at the Shadow’s Keep, where they are seen slaying the numerous nefarious creatures that inhabit the same region. Only a few hundred Black Guards exist at a time, mainly to maintain certain standards of the order to which only a minuscule amount of the Sylvanian population can meet.
Light cavalry of the army, their strength is their speed to which they rely heavily on. Assorted with many weapons ranging from crossbows and javelins to swords and lances, their tactics on the battlefield sees a concentrated strike on a position followed by a quick retreat, as well as flanking maneuvers intended to get sideways or behind an enemy position to engage in a charge. Small groups of these cavaliers also operate as scouts.
An elite group of knights of the Sylvanian Order. These riders receive the best horses bred on Sylvanian steppes and receive the best crafted weaponry available. Primarily serving as shock cavalry, they add many references to death, such as skulls and demons, to the design of their armor in an attempt to further intimidate and incite fear from their enemies.
Heroes
Rewalt
Each country gets one superior hero and three normal heroes. In terms of combat strength expect a superior hero to be on par with about 150 men and normal heroes to be on par with 100 men. (Yes, this is the only place in the sheet where there are actually numbers) Basically these are the badasses of your country that you can use for point of view characters if you want. At absolute bare minimum you need a name and one line description of what your hero is good at; however, ideally this should be the largest section of your sheet. You can use any explanation you want for why your heroes are stronger than normal people. For example using magic, being blessed by a divine entity, or simply being very skilled with their weapons. Also keep in mind that if a hero dies you can replace him or her with a new one.
History
A brief history of your country is fine, so long as you cover the last 20 or so years. I’m looking for more of a summary of important events than list of dead monarchs.
Relations
How does your country interact with its neighbors. I am not looking for a list of exports and imports, but feel free to add them if you want. At bare minimum I want a listed rival here, another country that yours viewed as an enemy and actively worked against during the past twenty or so years.
Characters
Optional section. Put any info about any characters here. Examples of this would be your kings or queens, military leaders, and non-hero “badasses”. You can also put more detailed info of your heroes here as well.
@YurneroYou should join the Discord chat, where the vast majority of OOC talk takes place!
GM
Darkspleen I am Spartacus
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1 day ago
A number of players has brought to my attention a trend regarding crossbows that they find concerning. This trend being the desire to use lever-action, pump-action, or any kind of semi-auto crossbow. After discussing the matter with the concerned players I find myself sharing their concerns, thus I have decided to ban the use of any of the aforementioned crossbows (this includes bolters and any other similar weapons). I am aware that ancient china did use a type of semi-auto crossbow in RL, however these weapons had a number of serious issues (that players tend to be unaware of or simply choose to ignore) and I feel that the threat of 'tech creep' both warrants and necessitates this ban.
DracoLunaris Multiverse tourist
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3 hrs ago
GM
Darkspleen I am Spartacus
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1 day ago
@Willy Vereb We've got two problems: 1) I don't recall giving you permission to post in the character tab and 2) your military uses pump-action and lever-action crossbows, both of which are explicitly banned. You will need to remove those crossbows, or bolters as you call them, and resubmit your sheet for approval before you can post ICly.
Willy Vereb The Wordy Engineer
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3 days ago
@Willy Vereb We've got two problems: 1) I don't recall giving you permission to post in the character tab and 2) your military uses pump-action and lever-action crossbows, both of which are explicitly banned. You will need to remove those crossbows, or bolters as you call them, and resubmit your sheet for approval before you can post ICly.1.) You gave me explicit permission to post my sheet on Sunday or Monday. I asked you in the chat. Discord is a bit messy to scroll back that far with the message feed but you also have the search function for a good reason.
EDIT: I actually found it. Not sure if this link format works but we'll see:
discordapp.com/channels/3790804108036…
2.) Pump-action and Lever-action are both are as old as the ancient ages, even for weapons. Your decision to ban them basically also removes Gastraphetes and Chu-ko-nu, among others. In addition neither weapons are semi-automatic, that applies to weapons that load the next round by themselves. Blowback operated action was the first such example and from that you can guess how very different that would be.
In addition there's a difference between pulling back a pump for a gun, where it only requires enough force to load the next cartridge, and for a crossbow. In a sense banning pump action is the equivalent of prohibiting bowmen to draw back the bowstrings.
Crispy Octopus Into the fryer we go.
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4 mos ago
2.) Pump-action and Lever-action are both are as old as the ancient ages, even for weapons. Your decision to ban them basically also removes Gastraphetes and Chu-ko-nu, among others. In addition neither weapons are semi-automatic, that applies to weapons that load the next round by themselves. Blowback operated action was the first such example and from that you can guess how very different that would be.
In addition there's a difference between pulling back a pump for a gun, where it only requires enough force to load the next cartridge, and for a crossbow. In a sense banning pump action is the equivalent of prohibiting bowmen to draw back the bowstrings.
@DarkspleenJust ban clip and magazine fed weapons. Chu-ko-nu were useless at anything but extremely short range and were only ever used storming keeps. They have abysmal armor penetration. For a crossbow to be remotely useful against even lightly armored troops it needs a draw weight heavy enough that a magazine is only a hindrance when it is drawn.
Willy Vereb The Wordy Engineer
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3 days ago
<Snipped quote by Willy Vereb>I feel it's kind of redundant to ban magazine fed crossbows, too. Chu-ko-nu weren't useless, they just aren't used the same as other crossbows. Their design also had lot of inefficiencies that could've been streamlined if they became more widespread, I suppose.
@DarkspleenJust ban clip and magazine fed weapons. Chu-ko-nu were useless at anything but extremely short range and were only ever used storming keeps. They have abysmal armor penetration. For a crossbow to be remotely useful against even lightly armored troops it needs a draw weight heavy enough that a magazine is only a hindrance when it is drawn.
Anyways, what I wanted to say is that magazine fed weapons aren't really much better than loading the next round by hand, it adds convenience and better portability. Also they aren't really overtaking an archer in terms of effectiveness.
Lastly, being afraid of somewhat higher rate of fire is an ahistorical concern. Ancient battlefield weapons couldn't afford to spew thousands of ammunition per hour or anything crazy like that. Neither doctrines of the time had much to build on increased rate of fire. It was convenient but not a game changer. In case of repeating crossbows as you said rate of fire came at the cost of power. You needed relatively light draw weight to make it feasible which of course made the weapon weaker.
GM
Darkspleen I am Spartacus
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1 day ago
@Willy Vereb Honestly I am not terribly surprised that I gave you permission to post in the character tab and then promptly forgot (hence my wording). And now that you mention it I do recall doing so, so my apologies.
Here is my concern. I explicitly banned something and instead of approaching me and trying to inform/convince me that the ban was premature or inappropriate you instead decided to outright ignore my ruling. This is not something I'm cool with.
For now lets do this: you may post (as I gave you permission to post in the character tab), but do not make any mention of lever action or pump action crossbows/bolters. DO NOT TEST ME ON THIS.
I have seen your argument here in the OOC in regards to those types of crossbows and will give it some consideration. If you want you are more than welcome to broach the subject in discord.
I'll be putting up the next GM post (and probably my first Argentum Knights post) sometime today. I am considering making the week of Christmas be something of a vacation, meaning I won't expect you all to post during it, but that's something we can address in the next week.
Here is my concern. I explicitly banned something and instead of approaching me and trying to inform/convince me that the ban was premature or inappropriate you instead decided to outright ignore my ruling. This is not something I'm cool with.
For now lets do this: you may post (as I gave you permission to post in the character tab), but do not make any mention of lever action or pump action crossbows/bolters. DO NOT TEST ME ON THIS.
I have seen your argument here in the OOC in regards to those types of crossbows and will give it some consideration. If you want you are more than welcome to broach the subject in discord.
To everyone else
I'll be putting up the next GM post (and probably my first Argentum Knights post) sometime today. I am considering making the week of Christmas be something of a vacation, meaning I won't expect you all to post during it, but that's something we can address in the next week.
Willy Vereb The Wordy Engineer
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3 days ago
@DarkspleenI don't wish to talk about it much because then it'd just sour moods and might even lead to antagonizing people.
We actually talked this out on discord in your absence. It seems certain people imagined my Bolters as rapid-firing siege weapons and then accused me because of their own misconception. You reacted to that and probably the result.
Also just like how you forgot about accepting my NS I didn't read about you banning said weapons when I posted my sheet. Although I kind of did ignore it after hearing the details. I apologize for that.
Anyways, please message me in Discord whenever you're online. I am working in irregular shifts, have multiple devices which might be turned on even when I am away so I am usually running Discord in invisible mode. So unfortunately you can never tell when I am up.
But I can surprise you. Especially since I have a minor case of neurosis and my sleep schedule is a mess.
We actually talked this out on discord in your absence. It seems certain people imagined my Bolters as rapid-firing siege weapons and then accused me because of their own misconception. You reacted to that and probably the result.
Also just like how you forgot about accepting my NS I didn't read about you banning said weapons when I posted my sheet. Although I kind of did ignore it after hearing the details. I apologize for that.
Anyways, please message me in Discord whenever you're online. I am working in irregular shifts, have multiple devices which might be turned on even when I am away so I am usually running Discord in invisible mode. So unfortunately you can never tell when I am up.
But I can surprise you. Especially since I have a minor case of neurosis and my sleep schedule is a mess.
GM
Darkspleen I am Spartacus
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1 day ago
@Willy Vereb After looking at the info you posted here and in Discord I have decided that your argument is with merit and that am willing to chalk up the weapons in your sheet as you 'interpreting the rule as a countermeasure to rapid firing weapons and thus not viewing conventional crossbow designs incorporating pumps or levers as actually breaking the intent of the rule'. This interpretation was, in fact, correct (in that I wanted to prevent rapid firing weapons) and I take the blame for rashly implementing a poorly thought out rule and further writing it in a confusing manner.
I will be rewriting the rule to make it clearer sometime tonight. I am not quite sure what it'll entail exactly, but will probably follow the lines of "Don't have rapid firing weapons." Very likely the rule change will also include a lifting of the ban on pump-actions and lever-actions, but I won't promise that at this time.
I will be rewriting the rule to make it clearer sometime tonight. I am not quite sure what it'll entail exactly, but will probably follow the lines of "Don't have rapid firing weapons." Very likely the rule change will also include a lifting of the ban on pump-actions and lever-actions, but I won't promise that at this time.
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