The Knights of Gryphonne
"Icarius demands vengeance!"
Number250 Total20 Flying CavalryKnight-Captains in full plate armor
Armed with spears, swords, and shields
Mounted on winged Great Gryphons, all of which are armored
Divided into four squadrons of five
80 Cavalry72 Knights-Brothers in light plate armor
4 Knight-Captains in full plate armor
4 Knight-Sergeants in full plate armor
Armed with spears, swords, and shields
Mounted on wingless Demigryphs, captain and sergeant Demigryph's armored
Divided into four squadrons of twenty, one captain and one sergeant per squadron
100 InfantryA combination of dismounted knights belonging to other knightly orders, squires, and regular Gryphonnian armsmen
Knight and squire equipment varies, armsmen armed with swords, spears, and longbows and protected by chainmail and padded leather
50 SupportStablemasters, blacksmiths, cooks, quartermasters, administrators, spiritual leaders, medical staff, and war council all fall under this group
SpecializationThe most notable trait of this regiment is their unique flying cavalry. Their ferocious gryphons allow the Knights of Gryphonne to outmaneuver most hostile forces. They are great for surprise raids. Despite their small numbers, the mobility and strength of the gryphons and demigryphs are a huge force multiplier in favor of the Knights of Gryphonne.
Due to their unique ability to take flight, the Knights of Gryphonne are exceptional in mountainous regions where the terrain is limiting for any ground based force. This also carries over onto any other hard or impassible terrain that most armies would circumvent, allowing for the Knights of Gryphonne to strike at exposed flanks and critical supply lines with ease.
DescriptionKnights of Gryphonne all wear the heraldry of their nation. Their gleaming armor is covered by a tabard of red and white lined in gold. Their emblem, a sun peaked mountain is centered on the chest of the tabard. Knight-Captains wear either bright red or bright white capes. Sergeants and up have winged helmets. Knights of Gryphonne wield hand-and-a-half swords with shields or cavalry spears with a longsword sidearm. In more recent history, some Knights of Gryphonne have begun to experiment with crossbows to be able to strike from the sky without ever swooping or landing.
The rank and file armsmen that support the Knights of Gryphonne are equipped in a standard fair of padded leather and chainmail, and they'll wield common martial weapons found in the regular forces of most armies. The padded leather makes the regular troops a muddy brown when amassed, but their shoulders bear the red and white colors of Gryphonne.
HistoryThe Knights of Gryphonne are famous purely for the beasts they ride on. They are a small order of knights as the winged and highly intelligent Great Gryphons are difficult and rare to breed, and demigryphs are much more difficult to train because of their more feral nature. Due to the difficulty of breeding gryphons of any variety, those inducted into the chivalrous order are thoroughly vetted and they all often have a prior reputation. Most Knights of Gryphonne originally hail from many of the country's lesser knight houses, ones that are more akin to knightly houses of other parts of the world.
Before the Foreign War in Gryphonne, the Knights of Gryphonne would often march out to fight off hordes of orcs and goblins, hillman tribes, or encroaching nations trying to exploit the resources found within Gryphonne's mines. A handful of minor wars have given the Knights of Gryphonne a well respected reputation and an air of notoriety for their exotic tactics which make full use of their steeds' unique abilities. The Knights of Gryphonne are the country's pride and symbol of independence.
During the Foreign War, the Knights of Gryphonne set out to observe the battles of two greater nations to ensure their bloodshed and carnage wouldn't bring harm the Gryphonnian people. Unfortunately, the rich landscape of Gryphonne's lowland valleys and abundance of gold and precious stones in the mountains made Gryphonne a highly coveted stretch of land, and the knights would unfortunately be forced into defensive battles to keep the two larger nations from stealing their resources. The Foreign War led to the loss of nearly eighty percent of the knightly order, and even after twelve years of peace, the Knights of Gryphonne haven't been able to fully recuperate their numbers. Still, they are a proud order, and they are staunch protectors of independence and peace. Despite that, many have learned not to incur the wrath of the Knights of Gryphonne, lest they fall victim to vengeance from above.
CountryGryphonne
A mountainous landscape situated in the western reaches of the continent. Gryphonne is still out of reach from the darkness for now, but already the country has begun to fortify and prepare for the impending doom. Luckily, the mountains serve as natural barriers, putting Gryphonne in an excellent position of defense. With impressive fortresses guarding the passes and entrances to the mountain roads, Gryphonne will stand in the darkness for a long time yet to come.
The people of Gryphonne are sturdy. Given the natural landscape, most Gryphonnians are adept climbers and miners. Those who grow up in the mountain valleys farm and provide wheat to the nation as a whole. Hunting is common in the wilds of Gryphonne, with many hunters resorting to falconry to find their quarrels. The high altitudes of the nation have made the people naturally resistant to biting colds, as the winters in Gryphonne are unforgiving and the storms are relentless. The people refer to Gryphonne as the Fatherland.
Their architecture consists mainly of stone harvested from their great rock quarries. The capital city, Cloudsreach, occupies the gentler slope of Gryphonne's largest mountain, Mount Icarion. Some portions of the city are even built into the mountain, and there is a sizeable undercity mostly inhabited by dwarves. Gryphonne has many tribes of savage hillmen that often raid the valley towns and villages. Goblins and other greenskins come out in the summer and spring seasons to raid at night.
As suggested by its name, Gryphonne is the home of the Gryphon, large apex predators that are a cross of large cats and birds of prey. The flying species of gryphons, Great Gryphons, are very rare and noble creatures. They possess a burning intelligence that is on par with humans. The more common demigryph is wingless and more feral. But their bestial nature does not mean they are stupid animals. On the contrary, Demigryphs are also quite intelligent, and they thrive in pack societies like wolves. Demigryphs are large and strong enough to be used as steeds as well, and they are often bred and rigorously trained by the Knights of Gryphonne.
The patron god of Gryphonnian society is Icarius, the God of the Sun and the Sky. The nation's church, known as the Sunlight Ecclesium, worship only Icarius. Their cloth of faith is red and gold, and they worship at midday when the sun is highest in the sky. The Summer Solstice marks the Gryphonnian New Year. The faith of the Sunlight Ecclesium reaches out to nearly seventy percent of the population, and those who don't necessarily worship still respect the Ecclesium and partake in their holidays.
Ruins of towns, cities, and fortresses dot Gryphonne's landscape. Remnants of the Foreign War which brought the country to the brink of collapse. Saint Epheria's emergence and following liberation of the country has since saved the country and returned it to a position of strength. Statues can be found all around the country of Gryphonne's living saint and ruling queen. Taverns and town centers are often occupied by bards singing tales of Saint Epheria's exploits.
