"Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen,
We daren’t go a-hunting
For fear of little men;"
- Old Commonwealth Poem -
Down the rushy glen,
We daren’t go a-hunting
For fear of little men;"
- Old Commonwealth Poem -
As long as man has discovered the lands of Thaejhal, man has sought to conquer it's shores. A land untouched by men and ripe for the taking. At least, that's what the Empire of Mankind believed. The first ships to land discovered that these lands, though not inhabited by mankind; were not uninhabited. Those who returned brought tales of fair men and women with long sharp ears, people who could fly like hummingbirds, men who resembled goats, and humanoid creatures big enough to tear even the strongest of human warriors in half. What was perhaps most terrifying, they could manipulate reality itself and use what we call "magic".
The Emperor of Man declared a crusade to these lands, calling upon all able bodied men and boys to cross the sea and bring these lands to heel. The armies of man sailed to the strange lands 5 times and each time these crusades were repelled. Strategy changed, weapons and technology changed with it as well, but each time man was bested by the Thae. Mankind began spreading to the rest of the world and soon it all began to modernize; becoming more complicated. Ships soon became powered by steam instead of the wind, diesel to replace steam. Like micro-organisms, as the dominion of man grew in size; soon what was 1 became 2, then 3, then 4, and soon the Empire of Man became vastly different empires.
The first crusade to Thaejhal was begun in 1227 AD nearly 500 years ago, now a new crusade looms on the horizon that threatens the lands of Thaejhal and the lives of the Thae. 3 years ago, strange ships sailed to the shores of Edrain, capital of the Commonwealth of Nations. Aboard the ship were representatives of the Thae. They came with a peace offering and a request for aid from the armies of the Commonwealth. Some time ago, armed forces had landed and begun slaughtering Thae indiscriminately. Forces bearing the mark of a pair eagles bearing crowns. The Commonwealth recognized the sigil in question. The Iron Crown; the enemies of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth were given an offer they couldn't refuse: provide aid and protect Thaejhal and it's people in exchange for a chance to go deep into Thae lands and learn to harness an untapped power....magic. Thus, the Iron Crusade had begun and war had come once more to Thaejhal, not a war of man and thae, but a war that would spill thae blood....
Welcome to the Iron Crusade
A WW1 style dieselpunk RP with fantasy. As you read above, the RP is set during a war between the Commonwealth of Nations and the Iron Crown with the generally peaceful Thae caught inbetween. Now I am sure many of you have questions:
Q: What are the thae?
A: The "thae" are what we refer to as "fair folk". The term "Thae" refers to the general inhabitants of Thaejhal, not the many unique inhabitants of Thaejhal
Q: Who are the inhabitants of Thaejhal then?
A: Thaejhal is home to many creatures. The most prominent inhabitants of Thaejhal are the Aelaer, the Thasor, the Thal, and the Syr. In our world they are known as Elves, Fairies, Faun, and Trolls.
Aelaer generally appear human but are often gaunt with long and sharp ears. Aelaer are the primary inhabitants of Thaejhal and are deemed the most intelligent and most dangerous due to theur natural magic abilities
The Thasor are close cousins of the Aelaer but have much shorter ears and wings that allow them to both fly and hover. They are also considered the most rational and most welcoming
The Thal are the most visually striking as they are often seen with horns growing out of their head and legs like a goat. They are often very stubborn and are slow to accept anyone, preferring to live alone in their mountain homes
The Syr are massive humanoid creatures known more for their incredible strength then their intelligence. They are generally peaceful but are not to be trifled with if they are angered
Q: Okay, who are the 'Commonwealth of Nations' and why should I care?
A: Wonderful question! The Commonwealth is our stand in for the Allies during World War 1, though more specifically the United Kingdom. The Commonwealth is democratic republic comprised of allied nations across much of the known world, the Iron Crown not included
Q: You mentioned them before, what exactly is 'The Iron Crown'?
A: Another excellent question! Short answer, The Iron Crown is an alliance of what remains of the old empire. Long answer, when the last emperor of mankind died, he left behind 5 bastard children who each believed they had a claim to the throne. They waged countless wars between themselves for years and made many individual attempts to not only bring the newly formed Commonwealth into the fold but to conquer Thaejhal to no avail.
However, after years of squabbling, the heirs to the throne sat down to discuss the future. The oldest of children, Prince Hammersmark, warned the lords that individually they could never hope to conquer Thaejhal or the Commonwealth. Simply put, each lacked something necessary to wage a successful campaign of any caliber. In order for any war to be waged with any hope for success, 5 things were required: Funds, Flesh, Food, Fuel, and Firepower.
Alone, each would always fail. Together however, they could not only conquer Thaejhal and eliminate the troublesome Thae but conquer the Commonwealth as well.
Q: So, I know who the Commonwealth, Thae, and Iron Crown is....where exactly do I come in?
A: You will be playing the role of a soldier within the 115th Browncoat Brigade, one of the few Commonwealth forces comprised of humans and thae. Many believe it to simply be a publicity stunt but for these brothers in arms it is anything but. These humans and thae have fought long and hard, spilled their blood in the mud, and learned that it doesn't matter who you are when the bullets start flying, especially when the Iron Crown's Coalcoats and beasties are out for blood
