- T h e I r o n C r u s a d e -
"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....
The Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations formed after the death of the last emperor of man, Emperor Caius II; died and left the throne without a suitable heir. With a throne empty and bastards fighting to decide who took the throne, the rest of the world was left in a state of chaos trying to decide what the best course of action was. Under Caius' rule, the dominion of man had known much suffering and all because Caius was not fit to rule. It was decided that leaders had to earn the right to lead, not be born into wealth or power. In order for the common man to prosper, a common man had to lead. Thus, the beginnings of the Commonwealth began as countless countries across the world began to adopt similar systems in one form or another. Edrain was the first to perfect the system in question, no motions proceeded forward without a majority vote. In time, Edrain would rise in power and wealth as industry changed. As it changed, people began to see the benefits of working towards a common goal. Build one another up rather then trying to tear one another down. The Commonwealth went from 1 lone country to 7 major countries and 12 smaller developing countries. Were it not for the Iron Crown, it wouldn't be outside the realm of reason that the world could know peace for the first time in known history.
The Iron Crown
After the death of Caius II, the throne was left open with no appropriate heir. Caius II fathered 5 different children who all had a claim to the throne. Almost as soon as Caius II was done breathing, the bastards began going to war with one another while trying to conquer Thaejhal in the process to no avail. Campaign after campaign, failure after failure, decades would pass and the bastards would go on to have children of their own, those children having children of their own to continue the fighting with no foreseeable end in sight it seemed. That is until the lord House of Meyer called a temporary truce among the 5 houses to discuss their future. Lord Meyer pointed out that alone, each house would always fail as individuals because each house lacked all 5 of the necessary components to effectively wage a war and govern it's people: funds, flesh, food, fuel, and firepower. House Meyer proposed that rather then driving their houses into ruin, it would be better for everyone if they combined their efforts and set their sights on the campaigns they couldn't win alone: Thaejhal and the Commonwealth. The empire was dead after all, why continue fighting each other for a throne that meant nothing anymore? It was then that the Iron Crown was forged, an alliance of the 5 bastard ancestors of Emperor Caius II that would shake the world as the hounds of war looked west to the Thaejhalan coast.
Mankind
Humans are one of the youngest and the most widespread of the world and come in all shapes and sizes. Their empire rose through the power of science rather then the arcane arts, spreading like a wildfire to encompass the world for man is always restless in search of new horizons. They've proven that they can stand on their own two feet, surviving in the harshest of environments and surviving the harsh wars that they've seen. Humans are ruled by emotion and by a sense of moral righteousness. At the worst of times, they are deeply hateful and distrustful of others, ESPECIALLY thae given their long and complicated history. At the best of times, they stand up for what is right and fight for moral reason. The build massive cities and create astounding technological achievements. It's believed they fill their lives with such things because they live such short lives when compared to the inhabitants of Thaejhal, a mere 100 years if they are lucky.
Aelaer
Aelaer are one of the oldest species on the planet and perhaps one of the wisest when it comes to the arcane arts. The aelaer are blessed with a natural ability to use magic and recognized by their long sharp ears. It's believed that this natural ability is what allows them to live as long as they do. An aelaer can live 700 years before dying of old age. The aelaer are both strong and nimble, their bones much like a snake's in that they are flexible and strong compared to the rigid nature of most other creature's skeletons. Aelaer don't see much point in getting out and seeing the world and would much rather keep to themselves. They think highly of themselves but it isn't fully unwarranted given they understand much of things that even mankind has yet to understand. Magic being the most obvious but they've learned to eliminate disease, sickness of the body and of the mind. To the humans, their ways may seem barbaric but they produce results and in the end that is all that matters.
Thasor
Thasor are closely related the the aelaer, cousins in fact only separated by a few lines of genetic code. Thasor have shorter ears then the aelaer and are all born with wings similar to a dragonfly's wings. Like the dragonfly, they can fly in any direction they wish with ease. A thasor learns to fly before they even learn to walk. Like the aelaer they have an innate ability to use magic though not to the same extent as their cousins. Unlike the aelaer as well, the thasor are less stubborn and less prideful. They are often known for being lighthearted and even mischievous. Many stories from the humans tell tales of thasor who have used their magic to play with the human invaders. Sometimes it's as simple as making a human unable to see a tree they are about to walk into. Other times, it is as cruel as creating the illusion that spiders are crawling underneath their skin. Thasor can be extremely cruel at their worst but at their best they can look after their friends like they were their own flesh and blood. Thasor only live a total of 500 years compared to their cousins as well
Thal
The Thal are a mountain dwelling people, known for their stubborn attitudes and their skill with a forge. They can be easily identified by their horns, their cloven hooved feet, and their excessive body hair. The Thal live a little more then 400 years at a time. The thal have a unique relationship with magic. Their arcane ability is focused less towards nature and more towards their craft. Thal developed a form of sympathetic magic developed towards their crafts. When the thal came to the human world and encountered human machines, the thal became immediately enamored by the machines and metal. The thal seem to be able to detect when something is wrong with a machine by touch alone. Using their magic, they are able to (as they put it) "soothe the machine spirit". They have even been known to push machines to limits human engineers never thought possible. Though the thal and humans share a mutual respect for machines, they can both be stand offish to say the least. They have more in common then the other thae and are considered perhaps the most human
Syr
At first glance, syr would appear to be large and evil beasts but if one takes a moment they will see that the syr are in fact quite gentle and peaceful. The syr are defined by their immense size (on average 8ft tall) and their immense strength. They have been witnessed tearing humans in half with little effort whatsoever or pushing bogged down tanks out of the mud. Though large and strong, many would say they are fairly unintelligent but in reality they have a wisdom of their own that stretches back ages. Syr live INCREDIBLY long lives, some syr alive today that were around during the first crusade. It's believed that their long lives cone from their roles as what the thae call "Kael Maedaes" or when translated into the common tongue "Shepherds of the Green". Syr are guardians of the forests, sentinels of the wood spirits and water nymphs. Mercy be granted to those foolish enough to threaten the Green....
Thae Speech
- Note: If you use this to speak thae, please provide a translation as it only does common to thae
"Charge and attack! To hell and back!"
- Motto of the 115th Browncoat Brigade -
"Tallboy" - Slang for an Iron Crown "Scout Walker"
"Fatman" - Slang for an Iron Crown "Assault Walker"
"Knife Ear" - Derogatory term for Aelaer
"Fly-boy" - Slang for Commonwealth Thalsor within the Airborne
"Bob's your uncle" - Slang that typically means 'and there it is'
"Cooties" - Nickname for lice or fleas
"Napoo" - Slang for dead, finished, completely destroyed
"Pogey-bait - Slang for candy or sweet treats
"Spike" - Slang to mean render unusable
"Zig-zagged" - Slang to call someone as drunk
"Brass hats" - Slang for officers
- Note: If you use this to speak thae, please provide a translation as it only does common to thae
"Charge and attack! To hell and back!"
- Motto of the 115th Browncoat Brigade -
"Tallboy" - Slang for an Iron Crown "Scout Walker"
"Fatman" - Slang for an Iron Crown "Assault Walker"
"Knife Ear" - Derogatory term for Aelaer
"Fly-boy" - Slang for Commonwealth Thalsor within the Airborne
"Bob's your uncle" - Slang that typically means 'and there it is'
"Cooties" - Nickname for lice or fleas
"Napoo" - Slang for dead, finished, completely destroyed
"Pogey-bait - Slang for candy or sweet treats
"Spike" - Slang to mean render unusable
"Zig-zagged" - Slang to call someone as drunk
"Brass hats" - Slang for officers
Smith Self-Loading Pistol
Developed by Oliver Smith Firearms, the Smith Self-Loading Pistol is the standard sidearm of the Commonwealth military. The pistol is a magazine fed pistol that generally holds 10 rounds. The Smith Self-Loading Pistol comes in 4 variations. The standard model is common among the standard troops and packs an effective punch.
The hammerless model is also available and generally used by officers for it's ability to be drawn quickly without the hammer catching on something, though it comes at the cost of an 8 round magazine and shorter barrel.
The newest model is the Smith-LeMat Burst Pistol. The pistol fires 2 rounds with every trigger pull and comes with a 1 round shotgun beneath the barrel with the option of a silencer. This variant is favored by the storm commandos for it's versatility and power in close combat. However, the burst fire effects accuracy at range.
Finally, there is the Smith Self-Loading Carbine. The carbine is designed much like the standard pistol but is designed with a longer barrel and stock for superior range and accuracy. The carbine can be equipped with a scope for improved accuracy but the carbine is unwieldy in the trenches. The carnine is often used by engineers and pilots alike
Lee-Schreiber Rifle
The Lee-Schreiber Rifle is the staple of the Commonwealth infantry. The Lee-Schreiber is a bolt action rifle with a 10 round capacity. It comes in 3 variations, the standard version available to all troops is both sturdy and reliable with a more then effective range.
The Storm variant comes with a shorter stock and barrel making it more useful for close quarter fighting. The shorter barrel however means range will suffer however and isn't recommended for medium to long range engagements.
Finally, there is the Marksman variant. A Lee-Schreiber with a longer barrel and a 5x scope. Perfect for snipers and scouts alike. It also comes with the option of a removable silencer for covert operations.
Type 21 Self-loading Shotgun
Designed by both Smith and Lee Firearms, the Type 21 Shotgun is designed with the same self loading mechanism used in the Smith Self Loading Pistol. This 12 gauge shotgun is equipped with a 20 round drum and can be equipped with a flechette round rather then a 12 gauge round. Unlike the steel balls of a normal 12 gauge, the flechette round is instead filled with steel spikes. These rounds have superior range at the cost of stopping power. The firearm also comes with a fully automatic prototype designed to clear trenches.
Lewis Light Machine Gun
Developed by Issac Lewis, the Lewis Gun is a fully automatic light machine gun with a 97 round magazine. The weapon is designed to send as many rounds down range as quickly as possible. The weapon is relatively accurate despite the high rate of fire. The Lewis Gun is employed by the Infantry, Airborne, and Armor alike and is often referred to as "Ol' Reliable" for it's reputation for functioning perfectly in any situation and for being mostly jam free despite the high rate of fire.
Type 94 Submachine Gun
The Type 94 is the latest weapon developed by Smith Firearms for the Commonwealth military. The Type 94 is a compact automatic carbine designed for close to medium range combat. Due to it's short barrel combined with the high rate of fire, the weapon isn't sought for it's accuracy and more for the hail if bullets it makes
.55 Bolt-Action Rifle
The .55 Bolt-Action is a magazine fed, bolt action, anti-armor rifle. The magazines in question hold 5 rounds a piece. The rounds in question are designed to punch through a tanks armor. Upon impact, the bullet will detonate shortly after to cause maximum damage. Due to the rifles large size however, the weapon requires a few moments to set up and fire. It comes equipped with a medium range scope as well so the user can damage targets from a distance
Storm Commando Armor
The Storm Trooper isn't a new concept to say the least. Since trench warfare began to develop, soldiers were needed to go over the top and storm the enemy trenches. However, such tactics were largely unreliable and result in either a massive failure or a small amount of distance gained at the cost of many lives. After the Battle of Bloody Man Bridge, the Commonwealth needed to develop a way to storm enemy trenches and reduce casualties. True, tanks can push on trenches but they can't effectively clear trenches. What the Commonwealth needed was something with the armor of a tank but the maneuverability of a solider. Thus, the Storm Commando power armor was developed. While not nearly as durable as a tank, storm commando armor can shrug off incoming small arms fire and shrapnel. Thanks to the power of hydraulics and pneumatic energy, the wearer is able to bear the weight of the suit with little physical effort while still allowing the user to carry their equipment. Unfortunately, thanks to the suits weight it will run into issues when crossing No Man's Land when it comes to terrain. If the user stops moving the suit will begin sinking in the mud
1x Thank
