IC nation name: The Templars of Our Burning Saviour, The Oracai Templar Order
Capital: Saviour's Eyrie
Government type: Knightly religious Order
Race Group(s): Oracai (vulture-like Avians, claws on feet and arms), dark elves (mostly slaves), wood elves (mostly slaves)
Language(s): Oracai
Inspiration for nation: medieval knightly orders
Brief background of nation (or IIWiki/NSWiki):Centuries ago, a mythical creature of pure gold on flaming wings saved the Old Empire of the Oracai people - a species of flightless Avians with vulture-like features - from barbaric hordes. Thus, a new religion was born, adding to the pantheon of the Oracai people, and with it, militant religious orders dedicated to defending the Empire from outside threats, with the Templars of Our Burning Saviour being the most prominent and prestigious.
The Templars, as is to be expected for a knightly order, work within a strict hierarchy, with the Grand master being the official leader of the order. Still, only rarely a decision is made without the advice of the council of high masters; one member of the council is always a high priest of the faith. Other ranks within the order are Masters, Knight-Captains, Knights and Squires. Members of the orders who aren't old imperial nobles fall outside the knightly ranks - every knight is considered to be above these warriors; squires, however, are not.
Common warriors are still respected for their dedication, and it is possible for them to be knighted for heroic deeds.
The Templars who are magically talented use the same ranks as knights, be they of noble birth or not.
As devout servants of Our Burning Saviour, the Templars often inflict burn wounds on themselves to show their dedication; wounds on the head or beak are especially popular amongst veterans.
In battle, the knights prefer gilded plate armour, lances and swords, common soldiers gilded scale armour (looking more like being made from metal feathers than metal scales), spears, maces and bows, the battle mages deep red robes, golden breastplates and their powers. The Oracai are inventive engineers as well, and employ many different siege weapons.
It is difficult for non-Oracai to differentiate males and females, and indeed, there are both genders represented within the ranks of knights, warriors and mages.
For centuries the Templars of Our Burning Saviour have taken on their role as protectors of the realm with proud determination. Recently, however...
The Old Empire has grown decadent and weak. Despite the high priest of the Saviour's unceasing preaching, Oracai society as a whole hasn't seen the truth, the old pantheon of imagined gods for every aspect of life being too ingrained in the collective consciousness.
Our Burning Saviour taught the Oracai determination, hardness in body and mind, selflessness and the pride of willing suffering, a message that grew more and more unpopular with many Oracai, as the Saviour's sacrifice was slowly being forgotten. There was even a strong faction in the Empire's nobility demanding to end the regular blood sacrifices honouring the Saviour. The old Empire was no longer worthy of the Templar's protection.
Searching for a new purpose, after much deliberation the Templars have set sail to the east, whence the saviour had come, looking for the holy land and the origin of their faith; a decision that met with cheerful elation and eager willingness amongst the faithful.
Boarding a large fleet of warships, the Oracai Templars set blood-red sails towards the unknown - it was a long voyage full of privation, but finally, a landmass was spotted - S'Kar.
The High Priest of Our Burning Saviour declared the pilgrimage to be at an end, the holy land had been found.
The Templars landed on an island they christened “Saviour's Eyrie“ (disregarding any name the native dark elf populace might have had for it) and immediately brutally subjugated its inhabitants.
Feeling themselves above such matters, and with more important duties to perform, the Oracai Templars decided to keep the more obedient dark elves as slaves to work in the fields and mines.
Immediately after forcing their slaves into work camps, the order began constructing massive fortresses on the group of islands to have a stalwart stronghold from where to start expeditions to the mainland.
Now the crusade can begin.
Map claim (Imgur): https://www.bilder-upload.eu/bild-25a371-1545301680.png.html The dark red parts in the West. Will settle for less, if more appropriate.
Geography and climate of nation: Harsh Cliffs and mountainous on the coastline, dotted with fortresses and other defensive structures
Scoresheet Information: Max limited to 30 points for new nations.
Innovation: 2/6
Diplomacy: 1/6
Economy: 3/6
Production: 3/6
Magecraft: 4/6
Land/military tech: 6/6
Naval tech: 6/6
Adaptability: 2/6
Population: 2/6
Espionage: 1/6
How did you hear about Gwalethia? forum search
What other nations do you use on NS? Deontologia
Roleplay sample (Optional, though required for claiming a more powerful role):The Forest of AshLittle flakes of ash were dancing in the air, here, in the ruins of the wood elf capital of Adu'Alash. The fires all over the city hadn't died down completely, yet.
Some parts of the city were but blackened husks, some has ceased to exist.
Only little had been left untouched by the fires of Our Saviour's crusade.
Most of the city had been built on top of vast, ancient trees, but there were parts that reached down, even to the forest floor.
The northern market place, for example.
Formerly a peaceful place of commerce and craftsmanship, today it was the place where the inhabitants of the city were kneeling, in chains.
Templar forces were keeping watch over them. Most of the Templars were Oracai, still, but many others had joined the Crusade recently, mostly those who had formerly heard the song of the Choir.
There were human knights, clad in silver armour, bearing on their faces the burn marks of dedication to Our Saviour, standing amongst their Oracai brothers and sisters. Still, most were found in the ranks of the warriors; refugees of many races seeking a new purpose in their life.
The High Priest's preachers had found them, and reached them.
All of the Templars cheered and sang Our Saviour praises when the Grand Master finally appeared on the wooden platform that had been erected on one side of the market place.
Clad in the Sacred Relics the Order had discovered in the Holy Land of S'Kar, the Grand Master had become more than the Knight chosen by the High Council for his strategic mind and fighting prowess. He had become a symbol, the Avatar of Our Saviour's will.
He carried Sacrifice at his side, the burning holy sword of the order, and he was clad head to claw in the Cuirass of Faith, an impressive Suit of heavy golden Full Plate, that seemed to glow brightly from within itself, adorned with a pair of golden Saviour's wings on its breastplate, and all over finely engraved with elegantly curved depictions of flames. He wore a closed beaked (as was necessary, for him and every Oracai), similarly decorated full helm, and a fiery light shone out from his eye slit. When he stood before his followers, two massive wings made from flame appeared spreading from his back.
The appearance of the Grand Master had been greatly feared by the Wood Elves during the Templar's campaign. The holy armour had made him invincible to the Elves' weapons, or so it had seemed, and he had slewn masses of their warriors all on his own with Sacrifice.
Now, it would be him who broke all hope of resistance of the Wood Elves. The last six leaders of the Wood Elves knelt in chains before him. They had led guerilla troops, who had killed the Templar's scouting parties to a man, with arrows seemingly coming from nowhere.
With the Grand Master ordering to put their hideouts to the torch, they had had nowhere to run any more.
The Grand Master drew his sword; slowly, almost ceremoniously. The six leaders, four women and two men, had fought well, so he honoured them with a quick death by decapitation. Sacrifice cut their necks, one after the other, without spilling any blood, as the wounds were instantly cauterised. The tribal leaders accepted their fate stoically, while there was much wailing and lamentation amongst the slaves.
The Templars watched in silence, until the last head fell.
At dawn, the march would begin. And they would put their slaves to good use.
Here, there wasn't anything left for them - in the Forest of Ash.
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