Gahrodanth Factbook

[Christopher Thompson]

The Republic of Gahrodanth
Ruler: Diamid Speaker Karan Sjet-Sa
Government type: Alliance of a small Oligarchy
Population: Approximately Three Million


Red is densely populated area

GOVERNMENT:

Gahrdanth is run nationally by the Diamid, the ruling council which meets in Ass'aam Tiir to make nationwide policy. Although one member is chosen to represent the nation as a whole, Gahrodanth still is in reality a collection of smaller kingdoms melded into one power; and laws, customs, and traditions vary greatly by region.

Terrain and climate:

Gahrodanth is known for its large deserts in the center and infamous mountain fortresses on the north, and south. Two great seas (Salt Sea in the north and the Maijurian Sea to the south) lay at the edge of the Great Banded Desert, which connects the two halves of the nation. The Seas herald the coming of the great plains of Albejido to the north and the Hunon mountains and subsequent Great Plains to the south. Two great mountain ranges extend on all land borders and are the Hunon to the south, and the Khar-Selim mountain range to the north.

Resourses and Exports:

Great seams of iron, and small but lucrative seams of gold and silver to the north, and expansive mining operations in the south extract coal and precious tones in the south make Gahrodanth a nation of excess in the non-necessity. An endless sea of sand also makes glass unusually cheap. Steel and glass are valued at an almost extreme low, and both are very proliferated throughout society on a level unseen to almost any in the realm.

Two forests, one small of yew and sapwood on the eastern coast on the border with The Amber Kingdom, and one large forest in the south primarily of oak and some redwood, comprise all the exploits of wood in the nation. This allows for enough wood for making excellent bows, furniture and ships to not be completely imported, but finding such luxuries becomes increasingly expensive radiating outward from the coast.

The "grasslands" of the north and suth that touch the mountains would be considered unusually dry for most nations, and in many cases are only margianally better than savana, resulting in Gahrodanth being in excess of gold, silver, gem, glass and iron and steel, and unusually in need of foodstuffs. As such, food is highly valued, and farmers are greatly respected. This also results in gluttany and waste of food and water being considered not only socially unacceptable, but in some places (usually the older desert cities) illegal

Water is also scarce, as the rains dump most of their water on the opposite sides of the mountains to the north and south, and what little rain is left consolidates into two rivers, one north and one south, both flowing out to sea to the east. The Khar-Selim to the north is by far the best utilized; water is still scarce by comparison to most nations, but an ingenious series of dikes, dams, and aquaducts create much more fertile land and even some large lakes that make even inland fishing by junk boat possible and profitable.

The Khar-Toba to the south recieves a notably smaller ammount of rain and is far less utilized, which results in first water (that is, rain water) being incredibly expensive. Second water (Water at the headmost of a stream) is considered valued property, and many so fortunate to call a mountain creek on their property make a living simply by collecting and selling the water. Third water is any water in a stream which has not been fouled by cleaning or bathing, and then fourth water is all the rest downstream, resulting in a makedly lower quality of water (and higher price for first and second water) as you traverse downstream either river(until the fertile shores are reached), as most of the nation also bathes and cleans in water from the river, and it is the natural collection point for such waste, although man-made "sewage lakes" on the edges of towns alleviate this somewhat.

One notable exception to the rule of export, is that Gahrodanthi (read: arabian) horses are plentiful and are considered by many to be some of the best in the entire realm.

Political Structure

The Modern-day Political Structure of Gahrodanth consists of seven major kiith and a dozen or so minor kiith that perform most of the decision-making for the nation. The kiith'sa from all the kiith in Gahrodanth meet yearly in the capitol of Ass'aam Tiir, located on the sea to the east. While each Kiith'sa has his own law and taxation for the whole of his or her populace, there are also city-wide taxes that run the various forms of local government. The laws and policy made by the Diamid are mandated across all of Gahrodanth, and although mandates are not often because kiith are very individual in nature, when they are they are made for the betterment and benefit of all Gahrodanth. Although the kiith'sa has ultimate control in what the major policies and laws of his vassal families are, cities -- especially larger ones -- are very city-state in nature, and cities are free to impose their own laws and taxes upon the people, so long as all the local representatives of the kiith in the city are in agreement.

The seven major kiith are Samtaaw, Paktu, Soban, Sjet, Nabaal,LiirHraal, and Manaan.

Kiith Samtaaw

Kiith Samtaaw is the largest and most expansive kiith in all of Gahrodanth. Kiith Samtaaw is responsible for most of the mining operations in our nation, whether for profit of gem or gold seam, or for simple expansion and civil engineering of our numerous massive subterranean cities. Their populace can be most commonly found burrowing away in droves, often in close association with archaeologists and historians of the Kiith Sagald.

Kiith Paktu

Kiith Paktu has long-since been the hearth of gahrodanth, and their great and expansive farmlands have long fed our populace. Most of the welling for water, growth of food and cultivation of both land and cattle on any major scale is done by Paktu farmers, who are both very traditional in nature, yet always seeking to improve their methods for more yield on all levels. All the Granaries, with almost no exception are held by Paktu, who also comprise most of the best bazaars and great pubs of our fine land.

Kiith Soban

Kiith Soban, unlike any other kiith in Gahrodanth, is entirely military in nature. All Sobani representatives are appointed through military promotion. Kiith Soban comprises a great mercenary force within our nation, and members of this tiny kiith train their entire lifetime from joining the kiith to be soldiers. Although they are the smallest of the six great kiith by far, they often have a large sway in the halls of the Diamid because of their known expertise and power.

Kiith Sjet

Kiith Sjet is by far the most influential of the kiith in Gahrodanth today, and their uncommon wisdom has always been valued. They are record keepers and teachers, experts in the ways of science, philosophy, mathematics and design.

Kiith Nabaal

Kiith Nabaal comprises the manufacturing base of Gahrodanth, and work in close association with kiith Sjet on a daily basis, crafting not only implements of war, but also those of daily life -- even most common blacksmiths are vassals of kiith Nabaal. Although a history of distrust has always existed between Sjet and Nabaal ever since the Time of Reason, their cooperation has always been a fantastic benefit for all of Gahrodanth, and the great halls of Nabel weaponsmiths are full of contributions by both sides.

Kiith Manaan

Kiith Manaan, the travelers, have long since given up their title for the political structure. More diplomats and statesman at all levels of governance are Manaani, including the best judges and investigators. That being said, they also comprise the other end of the spectrum, and most great magicians, jugglers, singers, musicians, poets and entertainers of all varieties are Manaani both historically, and even today.

Kiith LiirHraal

Kiith LiirHraal is a large manufacturer of expensive and rare trade goods and holds the best known forging and manufacturing processes. In constant competition with Nabaal, they are overshadowed by them in volume and popularity; but those with the money and time know from who to purchase their wares and have their weapons and walls built by.

[Christopher Thompson]

History



Society in Gahrodanth is organized along loose family associations, many of which now include hundreds of thousands of members. An extended family grouping is called a kiith (plural: kiithid), and most archaeologists agree it is a social artifact that dates back to our beginning.

A kiith has a loose hierarchy based on one's social position within the family. Originally this was based primarily on seniority, but as social upheval has changed the face of our society, the kiithid too have changed, and now family ranking is based more on wealth or personal influence than age. Organization within the kiith is recursive in nature and models that of a core family unit. Where a single family has a primary leader, a secondary and then a group of dependents, the next level of kiith organization is based on the same system -- there is a primary family who makes policy decisions, a secondary family which hears disputes and makes recommendations, and a number of families of lesser power that have sworn allegiance to the primary. The primary family within a kiith is called the kiith-sa.

The structure is not static by any means and, while it is not a trivial matter, families are free to change their primary allegiances as they see fit. A family's position within the kiith rises and falls with how many swear allegiance to them. Although it is much rarer, from time to time a family will move from one kiith to another or even feel the need to become their own full kiith.

A kiith-sa can direct all within the kiith to war, demand families to dedicate time and finances to special projets, or even move the Kiith to another region. The kiith-sa from all over Gahrodanth meet in the Great Daiamid located in the capital of Ass'aam Tiir, to debate policy and resolve legal conflicts between kiiths.

Traditionally, kiithid concentrate their own power into one or two disciplines and gather families under their banner by being the best place to find advancement in a particular field. For example, Kiith Sjet has been associated with the sciences on Gahrodanth so long that their history with science is known to date back for over a thousand years. A newer but rapidly growing kiith, the Samtaaw, are known all over as excellent miners, and their long expeditions, far from home have long been the financial and constructional backbone for our trading and building industries. Bonded couples interested in science often apply to a Sjet family associated with such labs, and anxious entrepreneurs often apply to families in the Samtaaw Kiith. Alliances between kiith are also based on mutual intrests, and they often lead to closer ties or complete reorganizations. During the 1200s, when the manufacturing families of Kiith Hrall realized that the future was in steel composites , they first tried to influence Sa Hraal to pursue more advanced forging techniques and research. When this gambit failed, the entire manufacturing branch of Kiith Hraal broke away and joined a relatively small kiith that specialized in metalurgy. The new kiith, LiirHrall, has gone on to take the lead in the design and construction of most of the military and commercial ships within our nation.

In the modern era, the kiithid have slowly began to transfere their power to the individual, but it should be noted that it is still a powerful means of social identity. Gahrodanthi society still answers to the kiith'sa today, and unfortunately for the unity of our people, tradition dies hard, and it takes little stress for any Gahrodanthi to think of family first and Gahrodanth second.


Kiith Gaalsien


Of all the kiithid, none has lost more throughout the centuries than Kiith Gaalisien. The Gaalisien line is ancient and some of the oldest documents bore their sigil.

Historically, while minor cults have come and gone, the majority of Gahrodanthi have always believed in the Great Master Sajuuk, whose Hand Shapes What Is. The majority of religious sects differ not whether Sajuuk exists, but in what His nature may be. The majority view until the Time of Reason was some variation on the theme of punishment; the logic being that no just God would leave his people on such an imperfect place if they had not done something to earn this fate. Many vital survival tactics, such as conservation of resources and not risking the future of the kiith on untried methods, were reinforced by dogma - undersireable acts were always described in terms of punishable arrogance. These beliefs helped keep our people alive during the great trek from the central deserts, but once in the temperate mountains, the same beliefs held back useful innovations that the more hospitable environment made possible. Generally, how wrathful one believed Sajuuk to be tended to dictate how wary one was of cultural and technological advances.

Of the three major religious kiithid, Gaalisien, Ferriil, and Somtaaw, it was Gaalisien that preached the strongest message of punishment. The dogma of righteous suffering and humility held that Sajuuk had cast our people down to pay for our arrogance. Gaalisien theologians preached that to deviate from the most accepted and ritualized survival methods was to actually extend the period of time before our people would be lifted back up to heaven. In the early days, this strict dogma paid off and allowed Kiith Gaalisien to survive and prosper during various ecological disasters between 75-250. Once this turbulent time passed and our people penetrated further into the temperate mountain region, more innovative kiithid regained their power and Gaalisien power began to fade somewhat. Many archaeologists believe that Kiith Gaalisien deliberately started the Heresy Wars as an attempt to bring all the lesser kiithid back under its power during the resulting chaos.

Fortunately for the technologically inclined among us, it was Kiith Naabal which emerged victorious from the Heresy Wars, and the dogma of penance and repression began to fade from hearts and minds. Despite this, the Gaalisien, power shattered forever after nearly 300 years of war, became even more extreme in their religious beliefs -- as if to compensate for the rest of the sinful planet. By the Time of Reason was at its height in 710, the Gaalisien were down to less and 30 vassal families, and only the great desert temple of Saju-ka remained under its power. Perhaps it was the sense that history had passed them by, or simply a desire to commit an act of sacrifice strong enough to regain the favor of Sajuuk Himself, but in the year 717, the kiith-sa of the Gaalisien performed an act that has lived in infamy ever since.

At the time, Saju-ka was the artistic gem of Gahrodanth. In its great temples and halls were most of the great works commissioned in the name of the God Sajuuk, and in its libraries were the collected works of our people, gathered before His eyes so that He could see them and judge us worthy. Though Saju-ka had been built in the first hospitable valley found in the north, time had allowed the deserts to crawl ever northward themselves, and by the 700s, sand would have completely swallowed Saju-ka if not for the complex series of wind baffles, dikes and paths designed by the great Engineer Gar Naabal. One night, during the height of the spring winds, Saju-ka was lost to our people. In a single act of divine madness, Miirpat Gaalisien-Sa ordered his people to blow up the entire system that held back the sand. The light from hundreds of fires was still visible when the hungry sands began pouring down the streets of Saju-ka. Within two days the city was completely buried, and thousands died in the mass evacuation.

The whole Kiith Galsien was convicted of absentia by all and deemed an outlaw kiith, but this punishment had very little effect on the Gaalisien, as they slipped away into the wastes during the terrible night, abandoning the progress they saw as decadence that would eventually bring down the wrath of God.

Since then, Kiith Galsien wondered the deserts, and now the great farmlands of Hiigara, surviving by the skills and rituals they held so dear. Occasionally they will make themselves known by raiding research communities or trade stations and leaving massive theological documents proclaiming how close we are to the end. Military expeditions to track them down once and for all have always failed, and a certain mythology has grown up around them -- as if there is a nagging suspicion in the minds of modern Gahrodanthi that the only way Kiith Gaalisien could have survived all the way to now, is if they really did have the grace of Sajuuk. Some say that they have even found His lost city underneath the earth, and Saju-ka once again echoes with mumbled prayers, and offerings made in the darkness.

Certain acts of sabotage during the our history seemed to be Gaalisien-inspired, and it's likely that even today there are families secretly aligned with the ancient religious kiith. The Gaalisien have become somewhat of an Illuminati among our society, and conspiracy theorists have long proclaimed scores of Kiith-Sa and even the Diamid are secretly Gaalisien.


Kiith Paktu


Prior to the year 462, Kiith Paktu was a minor farming kiith, living on the slopes above the Salt Sea. On the year their most famous leader, Majiir Paktu, was born, the long rift between the religious leaders of Kiith Siid and Kiith Gaalsi, which were then the most powerful kiithid of the north, finally became an unbridgeable divide. In 462, the famous Siidim Council announced a new Dogma -- the traditional Siidim cosmology, which once held that all kiithid were exiled from a heavenly paradise, was abandoned. The truth, according to the proclamation of 462, was that only the Siidim were of divine origin -- all other kiiths were native, and therefore inferior, their blood tainted by corrupting sand.

In accordance with the new Dogma, many cruel programs were passed against non-Siidim kiiths -- the people now known as the "Gritiidim," or "sand people." By far the harshest of these measures was the Clean Water Act, which forbade non-Siidim kiithid from living at the headwaters of a river or stream, lest they foul the water which Siidim downstream would have to drink. Hundreds of families were displaced by Siidim temple men, turned out of their ancestral homes and made to march downstream, carrying as much of their former lives with them as they could. In 488, Kiith Paktu joined the ranks of the dispossessed.

At the same time, the temples of the neighboring Kiith Gaalsi had become obsessed with the sins of pride and by the redemption through suffering. The Siidim made obvious targets for the sermons of Gaalsi holy men: for every Siidim sin of pride, a more brutal and excruciating expiation was demanded by the gods. Lesser kiiths of the north, already suffering under the weight of Siidim oppression, often were willing to join their holdings to the Gaalsi rather than see them taken by the Siidim; many welcomed Gaalsien soldiers and temple men into their holdfasts, only to find themselves held at swordpoint and made to watch as their "sinful" books and belongings were burned to appease the Gods. Heavy tributes of both food and fodder were demanded by Gaalsien armies, and appalling sacrifices were sometimes demanded by Gaalsien priests, who saw no reason why the pure of heart should suffer alone.

Clashes between Siidim and Gaalsien holdings intensified over time, and even remote kiithid were forced to choose sides; both great kiithid were too powerful to challenge on its own. Caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place, the Gritiidim were finally ready to try the unthinkable: crossing the Gread Banded Desert to the south, looking for new land.

By this time Majiir Paktu had become head of the Paktu kiith-sa. Although the First Migration may not have been entirely his idea, it's certain that the fate off all the people of Kiith Paktu was in his hands. It is difficult for us to imagine today what he mist have felt as his people built the first great sailors at the edge of the desert. Although many believed there might be arable land at the southern pole, no one had ever attempted to cross the Great Banded and returned to tell the tale. The only confirmation of a land south of the desert came from Mannanii travelers, rambling on about endless seas and "grasses that touched the sky."

The Migration offered slim hope at best, so slim that no one dared to risk it until there was no other hope at all.

The rest, they say, is history. Nearly 50 kiithid set out from the plain at Albegiido in 490 and sailed into the Great Banded Desert, sweeping over the burning sands on the winds of the seasonal storm, the Chak m'Hot. By the time the men, women and children of the First Migration reached the shore of the Hunon Mountains, only 17 families were left, and all of them had lost weaker members on the journey. Still more died as they struggled over the Hunon; without anyone to guide them to the easiest pass, they lost many to poisonous water, rockfalls, thirst and lizard-bite.

As the story goes, many of the Firsters fell into despair among the burning red canyons of the Hunon and did not want to go on. Despite whether he had been the leader from the beginning of the Migration, Majiir Paktu was definitely the leader on that day. He stood at the head of the column and pleaded with the people to continue. "I can smell the sea," he said. "It's only a little farther."

The people did not believe them, and more than a few turned to start the hard trek back to their sand-sailers, still docked at the desert shore. But as legend has it, at that moment a bird appeared in the cloudless sky above them -- a sea-spirit, circling against the hot sun.

The people of the First Migration followed the sea-spirit and Majiir Paktu through the mountains, and when they stood on the last red hill-top, they were looking down at the rolling breakers of the great Grey Sea. Straight away, that expanse of water was named the Majiirian Sea, after the man who had brought them there.

The people of the First Migration settled on the shores of Majiirian, and were presumed dead by many in the North for the almost two years it took them to build up their homes and holdings. In the spring of the third year, however, Majiir Paktu and a group of picked volunteers attempted another crossing of the Great Banded Desert to take back word of the new land to the North, where so many still lived in a nightmare of war and oppression.

Majiir Paktu did not survive the return, but seven of his followers did. These seven Paktu kiithsmen passed through the northlands on foot, taking word of the new land with them everywhere they went. Once that word spread, there was no stopping it. Dozens of families built sandsailers on the famous plain of Albegiido every year, trying to escape the Heresy Wars and the madness of their Siidim and Gaalsi masters.

Alas, Siidim and Gaalsi were not quite finished with the people who escaped their tyranny. Although they ignore the migrations for years, both of them lost many hectares of holdings to the war, By 650 it occurred to both of the great northern kiithid that many of those who fled to the south were still considered their vassal clans and by treaty still owed them lands and tribute.

There were at least three major attempts to assault the southern lands from 652-700. The last of these three was the most successful; the army of Liam Gaalsi actually arrived at the pass of the Hunon mountains almost intact in the spring of 698, ready to subdue the unruly kiithid of the southlands and their kiith-sa.

On that day, Kim Paktu, the grandson of Majiir Paktu and the leader of the Paktu kiith-sa, arrayed and army of 300,000 swords on the shore of the Majiirian. Every one of them wore the colors of Kiith Paktu, and every standard bearer carried its flag.

"These are my people," Kim Paktu said. "And this land is ours. You have no vassals here."

Badly outnumbered and facing a fresh and well-supplied army, Liam Gaalsi nonetheless led his troops into battle. Very few of the Gallsi that followed him that day escaped with their lives. Although they killed thousands of Paktu, the southern kiith-sa eventually prevailed, and no such crusade ever was attempted again.

The flag of Paktu is white, the color of the sandsails which carried its people across the Banded Desert, emblazoned with a sun stained red by the blood of those who died in search of -- or in the defense of -- freedom. Silhouetted against that sun is the shape of the sea-spirit, an eternal symbol of hope and faith.

Paktu believe fiercely in independence and despise priests and dictators. Its people are optimistic, innovative, and venturesome -- when things are darkest, someone will almost always repeat the kiith's motto: "I can smell the sea."


Kiith Soban
"The Kiith of Spirit"


In Gahrodanthi society, the majority of citizens are secure in their kiith ties. Within the immediate family, or within the larger circle of more distant blood relationships (not to mention our professional associations and alliances), most of us are bound at many levels. If we should ever have a falling-out with one kiith'sa, we also belong to many other kiiths by marriage and inclination, and could change our alliances at any time.

This was not always the case. Prior to the emergence of the southern federation and the Naabel intervention very few had ties outside their own kith and, if they did, they were ties of dominance and submission - one kiith was made vassal to another, and owed tribute to their masters, in return for which they were given the protection of the larger kiith's army and the benefit of trade with the larger kiith's holdings.

In all of this , however, there was no provision made for those who were without kiith. Unthinkable as this state may seem to us today, it can still bring a shudder to the modern Gahrodanthi to consider the fate of a kiithless man or woman during those times. Banishment from the kiith was effectively a death sentence at any time prior to the year 416, when Kiith Soban was born.

The origins of Kiith Soban, the "Grey Brotherhood," are somewhat hazy. It appears that two vassal kiithid, who held lands along the second sea, were invaded by the temple men of a strong neighboring kiith. The vassals fought back furiously, defending their homes with desperate and furious strength, and succeeded in killing a few of the raiding kiith. In revenge, the invaders punished the survivors brutally, although they had already surrendered. Many of the basic taboos of our society were violated; all the children of the farmers were murdered, as well as the leader, man or woman, of every family. Those that remained were driven from their holdings and fled across the Sparkling Desert to carry the news of these atrocities to their kiith'sa.

The leader of this group was Soban, later known as Soban the Red. When he knelt before his Sa he recounted the horrors that the neighboring kiith had committed against his people and demanded vengeance. He offered to personally lead the army that would ravage the invaders and teach them the error of their ways, and waited for the men and women of his kiith'sa to join him in a rush across the Sparkling Desert.

Unfortunately, this support was never to come. Soban's kiith'sa, afraid of the possible repercussions - or perhaps simply realizing that their kiith was not strong enough to prevail against a larger and stronger kiith - refused to attack the reavers. Instead, the smaller kiith became vassals to the larger, joining their blood to the blood of the murderers.

When he heard of this, Soban tore the colors of his kiith from his body in shame. His followers did the same, and in doing so they abandoned their kiith completely -- an unheard-of gesture at the time, especially coming as it did from landless men and women. According to legend, Soban declared at that time that the word "kiith" was meaningless, when any kiith'sa could turn a deaf ear to the blood of children crying from the ground. He vowed that he would never belong to any false kiith again - the only kiith which deserved the word was the kiith of spirit, the brotherhood of like mind and shared ambitions.

All the followers of Soban took a new color: a deep and vivid red, the color of blood flowing from the heart. Although they could not have been many, their first act as a kiith was a successful attack on the holdings which had once been their homes. When they left their old farms behind, not a blade of grass was left green or one stone standing on top of another - everything was razed and every invader killed, in ways which gave Kiith Soban a bloody reputation for years to come.

Kiith Soban became a martial kiith from then on, and as years passed a peculiar set of rituals developed among them. Although many other warrior kiith existed at the time, those kiiths were standard in their aims and organization; they were martial to the extent that they desired the property and possessions of their weaker neighbors. Only the Soban were completely landless, and existed purely as mercenaries.

The Sobanii mercenary is a curious feature of our history. For centuries, Sobanii took part in every military conflict in the country, and their skills as soldiers and commanders were highly prized. When the services of any given Soban were bought, he or she would dress in the colors of the new kiith and fight in the service of that kiith, regardless of the personal risk or cost. When the term of service was over--down to the hour and minute--Soban mercenaries would put down their arms, remove their adopted colors, and return to their own kiith. If the end came during the middle of a battle or a thousand miles from home, they would still go; contracts for their services could not be renewed on the scene, but only through their kiith-sa.

To this day, the Sobanii are completely devoid of standard family groupings. No "marriage," as such, is permitted among their ranks; although male and female Sobanii are permitted to form whatever alliances they might want, there is no such thing as a Sobanii child. Children born to the Soban are left as foundlings with other kiiths, or their parents are made to leave Kiith Soban to raise them.

Despite the fact that there has not been a major war in Gahrodanth for 200 years, the skills of Kiith Soban are still valuable, and they never lack for money and influence. Sobanii are often preferred when influential kiiths like the Naabel need intelligence officers or security officers, and virtually all modern-day admirals and generals are trained at Soban-run military academies.

A current of true Sobanism still exists in our society, and always will so long as some men and women continue to reject the status quo. Some Gahrodanthi still join Kiith Soban of their own free will, renouncing all other kiith ties and associations; others are forced to join, when driven from other kiiths for violating their taboos. Before "taking the red," as it is called, a prospective Sobanii must repeat the ritual which Soban performed centuries ago; all other kiith colors must be forcibly ripped from the body, a powerful gesture of negation. To some it represents the ultimate rebellion, to some the only salvation, but Kiith Soban imposes the same discipline and solidarity on them all - for which Gahrodanthi society may well thank them.


Kiith Sjet


Kiith Sjet is something of an oddity amongst the power structures of the Kiithid. While they are an ancient and respected Kiith, whose expertise has been courted by Kiithid-Sa across Gahrodanth, they have never parlayed this influence into any real political power. Kiith Sjet is, in fact, one of the only Kiith to have a validated claim to direct Kiith descent from the ancient first city of Khar-Toba in the Great Banded Desert. Translations of the words and calculations found on the wall of the Temple-Observatory make several mentions of a group of astronomical philosophers with the family name of Sjet. Even the Sjet sigil, a series of embedded circles representing the celestial spheres, can be found etched in the temple doors. It is now an accepted fact that Kiith Sjet were once responsible for the preservation of the Temple-Observatory to protect it and scan the heavens.

And therein lies the true power of Kiith Sjet-their undying desire to question, observe, predict and record.

In ancient times they were the first to plot the path of the planets in the system and derive a calendar from them. They were the first to discover the 13-year progressive cycle of sandstorms that tear around the center of Gahrodanth, and predict where the rains that follow the end of every cycle would fall. Most of the impartial histories of the Heresy wars and the resulting reformation were penned by Sjet scribes, who recorded it along with their observations of top-soil destruction and the slow crawl of the sands northward.

During periods of upheaval, Kiith Sjet have always been too valuable as allies and advisors to try and turn into vassals. Any Kiith who killed or attempted to interrogate a Sjet was shunned by the Science Philosophers for a period no shorter than 100 years, and in order to keep their knowledge from being corrupted, any kiith who wished to become Sjet swore an oath directly to the Sjet-Sa, and had to serve faithfully for two generations before being instructed in the sacred wisdoms. The closest thing to a scandal that has ever shaken the Sjet Kiith was during the Time of Reason, when it came to light that during the Heresy Wars certain Sjet vassals had actually lived under a secret secondary oath to Kiith Naabal. These secret Naabali used their positions of Sjet immunity to move through the various warring factions and carry out missions of retrieval and intelligence-gathering. When this truth was revealed, the sense of outrage was strong, but Fliir Sjet-Sa realized that the extremity of the situation may have justified the betrayal. Even though she was able to bring enough of her kiith over to this line of reasoning to avoid sanctions or exile for the families involved, there is still a lingering thread of mistrust between some Sjetti and Kiith Naabal to this very day, and the debate over the use of Science as Power is still a passionate one.


Kiith Naabal


Not much is known about Kiith Naabal, prior to their dramatic emergence at the end of the Heresy wars. There are a few scattered mentions of them in the records of the major Kithid of the first epoch, but the name Naabal arises only in terms of tradesmen or heretics. Kith Gaalsien were particularly vehement in the persecution of families under the Naabal flag, and there is some evidence that it was Gaalsien persecution which drove Naabal to their hidden valley refuge, cut into the edge of the Hunon Mountains. Based on the fact that the Naabal crest, a Gahrodanthi silhouetted against a background of tiny circles and stripes, loosely resembles symbols found etched into walls at Khar-Toba, some anthrocists have put forth the theory that the Naabal are actually direct descendants from some sort of engineering core that ran the city. While the theory is convenient in terms of linking the unknown past with the present age of exploration, the evidence is just too circumstantial for most scholars to give it much weight.

Kiith Naabal itself seems uninterested in clearing up the distant past, and the hard facts only begin to appear in the years directly before the Naabal intervention, when the kiith moved to end the Heresy Wars and then establish the Diamid. In those three centuries of chaos, Kiith Nabaal had almost completely cut off contact with the rest of Gahrodanth. Traders or refugees who accidentally stumbled into the valley were welcomed with open arms and given a place to make their lives anew. There is no record of any rejecting this offer, so we are not quite sure what the alternative might have been... Small parties, always made up of families with direct fealty to the Kiith-Sa, were sent out occasionally to bring back texts that were in danger of destruction, usually because the cities that held them were being constantly sacked. Sometimes these parties would even spirit away scholars imprisoned for heresy. It wasn't until Ifriit Naabal-Sa came to head the secretive Kiith that a less isolated philosophy began to take hold. Ifriit realized that the wars were dangerously close to destroying the last of the infrastructure that kept the bulk of the people alive. Fields were being burned, dams demolished and sand traps torn down simply to deprive the enemy of valuable resources, and under such an onslaught the days of civilization were numbered.

Though declared pacifists, much of the knowledge discovered and hoarded by Kiith Naabal had direct military application and so, when Ifriit Naabal-Sa finally proposed intervention to his people, it only took a few years for a military force to be assembled. The Naabal had been keeping the secrets of advanced metallurgy and refining for more than a hundred years, and when they rose, they swept out of their hidden city of Tiir like the gleaming servants of Jaakul himself. Hardened vehicles hauling advanced trebuchets to bring down the walls of despotic Kiith, while handfuls of soldiers carrying light but strong and lethally sharp blades and wearing hardened armor moved to route marauding armies 20 times their size. Ifriit Naabal-Sa spoke at every holding, village and city his army liberated, and offered their people all the fruits of Naabal science and technology if they would but lay down their arms and end the pointless destruction. Unlike the major powers in the Heresy Wars, Naaball-Sa did not demand renunciation of former Kiith ties; all he asked for was an ending. The lesser Kiithid, brutalized by nearly 300 years of war, gratefully accepted his terms, and soon the Naabal army had grown 50 fold with Kiithid whose only desire was to end the Heresy Wars any way they could.

And in three short years they had done it. Ifriit Naabal-Sa's last act before stepping down as Sa was to establish the Diamid in Ass'aam Tiir as a place where all Kiith, powerful and weak, could gather to resolves disputes and set policy for all of Gahrodanth. Even today, in the Captital of Ass'aam Tiir in Gahrodanth, they still meet.

In the decades to follow, Naabal rebuilt the damaged infrastructure and improved upon it with their no-longer-secret construction and metallurgical techniques. Any minor Kith were accepted into Naabal if they simply wanted to learn new crafts and trades. These same Kiithid were then allowed to go their own way if they chose, and many of the major industrial Kiith of the modern world began under Naabal's wing.

Kiith Naabal seemed content to fade slowly into history for many years, but the discovery of Khar-Toba seemed to change all that. From that point on, Naabal formed permanent alliances with both the Sjet and Soban Kith, and began to influence first the excavation of Khar-Toba and then the exploitation of history discovered there. Again, the Naabal-Sa have been careful to spread the wealth and knowledge.


Kiith Manaan


Perhaps the strangest of all kiithid is the Manaan, "the Travelers." Although the blood bonds between Manaani are not strong - they range greatly in physical appearance and kiith traditions - they are nevertheless all considered one family, especially by outsiders, who for centuries viewed these nomads as a dire threat to decency and morals, to unprotected holdings, and to the virtue of young men and women from good families.

The antipathy toward Manaani is simple enough to explain. During a time when the majority of Gahrodanthi were hard-working desert farmers or mountain miners, clinging to life with teeth and fingernails, the Manaani maintained a traditional nomadic existence. They traveled from place to place, stopping at watering places to rest; if the water was surrounded by a hold, the Manaani expected hospitality. Although they were rarely hostile toward farmers and city dwellers, they resisted any attempts to settle or civilize their kith. Driven by a hunger for new experiences and a restlessness which few other could understand, the Manaani could never stay in one place for long - they simply picked up stakes and moved on into the wastes again, leaving the security (and the hard work) of house and hold behind them.

The earliest historical mention of "Manaani wanderers" comes from the year 340, when holdings along the shore of the White Desert complained that their farms had been raided by the Travelers. According to the report they sent to their kiith-sa, the White Desert holders had recently closed their gates to a wandering kiith, refusing them permission to make camp by the waterside. Although the Manaani went away at the time peacefully, they returned by night and came over the wall " by the hundreds", overwhelming the resistance of the surprised holders. In the end, the Manaani were accused of stealing nearly a ton of food and many hundred man-weights of water - which was, coincidentally, just a bit more than the tribute which was owed by the White Desert holders to their Kiith-sa that year.

The tale of the White Desert holders was dubious for many reasons, although it was widely believed by them at the time and for many centuries to follow. The report that Manaani came over the wall of a sand-dike " by the hundreds" is absurd, given the fact that traditional Manaani never traveled in groups larger than an extended family - and in such a group, there would have been a dozen able-bodied men at most. To find Manaani " by the hundreds", one would have had to seek them out at a Gathering, their yearly meeting on the sands of Ferin Sha ("The Dancing Ground") - and not only was Ferin Sha nearly two hundred miles from the White Desert, but focus at such a Gathering would be celebration and drinking, not killing and looting. Fighting of any kind was forbidden at Ferin Sha; to profane sacred ground with spilled blood was the greatest Manaani taboo.

Is this to say that there was no basis for Kiith Manaan's early reputation as thieves? Unfortunately, no. If the majority of Manaani were innocent of raiding, there were still undoubtedly some who traveled in greater strength, and might have been capable of carrying off a few water barrels, and the majority of Travelers were probably guilty of a little judicious pilfering from time to time, even if it was only picking a pocket or picking fruit in the night. The real question is not whether the Manaani were really thieves, but why, if they were widely believed to be thieves, would the majority of holdings open their gates to Manaani visitors? An answer of one word will suffice: entertainment.

The Manaani were always traders, but prior to the Great Migration they could never compete with the legitimate trade routes among the northern holdings - at least when it came to transporting mundane cargoes. In order to survive, a kiith of Travelers needed to bring their would-be hosts something they could not get cheaper or more routinely somewhere else. In some cases, Manaani would carry rare drugs or medicines that could only be found in remote places, or traffic in taboo items, but since their caravans were often searched before being allowed to enter a holding, the Manaani would more often carry a less tangible but even more valuable freight: music, laughter, and spectacle, a break from the hard and unending work of a farmer's or miner's life. For many years, Kiith Manaan survived by their wits and their ability to amuse hold-born Gahrodanthi. Singers and poets, magicians, dancers, actors and con men - there was nothing to the rumor that Manaani could perform dark magic, but they could certainly make your purse and your fifteen year-old daughter disappear.

After the Great Migration began, however, life changed drastically for the Manaani. Although they played no important role in the First Crossing, a small kiith of Travelers accompanied the Paktu in the sandsailers that left Albegiido in 490; most of them returned to the north in 497, bringing their three-masted ships with them. The Manaani took to the new technology in droves, and made many improvements to the original design.

During the beginning of the Heresy Wars, Manaani kiithid still living in the north suffered badly under the rule of Siidim and Gaalsi; their free-wheeling and joyous attitude was anathema to both of the great kiith, and one of the few points of doctrine that both parties could agree on was that Manaani were abominations before the eyes of Sajuuk. The last celebration at Ferin Sha was held in 513; an army of Siddim attacked the Dancing Ground and slaughtered the celebrants wholesale.

After the massacre at Ferin Sha, the majority of Kiith Manaan survivors took to the sail and the sword. Manaani raiders, once largely a myth, became a grim and terrible reality to Siddim holdings that bordered on the desert and sea; no one was safe from the pirate sailors, and the sight of a mast on the horizon was an occasion of panic and terror. Within a hundred years, however, the Manaani exhausted their appetite for bloodshed, and began to use their ships for more profitable ventures. When the great mother of their kiith-sa, Jora Manaan, declared the war on the Siidim at an end in 656, the Manaani built a new Dancing Ground in the Paktu-held south and turned their fleet completely to trade.

The questing spirit of the Manaani is not dead, even today. Kiith Manaan still controls enormous wealth, and of all the kiithid they are the most likely to produce a diplomat or a statesman. Manaani are also common in the ranks of scouts and are always eager to volunteer when there's something new to be seen; being the first to see anything new and different is a hunger that still burns deep in their blood.

[Christopher Thompson]

Military

Soban Army

The Soban army of Gahrodanth is considered a fantastically well trained and equipped fighting force that is second to none. When stacked one on one, the Sobanii soldier is the most motivated, well trained and well equipped soldier in the realm, directly under the control of his Sobanii officers, who swear a life-long allegiance to the sword. Unfortunately, they are also small in number. Conservative estimates put that in any normal encounter with the nations that boarder Gahrodanth, the Soban would be outnumbered by at least three to one, and the most realistic estimates are five to one or greater. Although such small numbers have prevented any imperial expansion; terrain, training and equipment have proven that the Soban Army is more than well equipped to defend its self and even offer its self up as an impartial mercenary force to foreigners who wish for a successful spearhead when so inclined. However, the Soban Army cannot by definition be everywhere at once, so the duty of defense most usually falls upon the backs of the local armies and militia raised by the kiith'sa of the lands.

Rank and Training

There are two forms of active service and one form of inactive service in Gahrodanth. The first, and by far largest concern to anyone reading this article, is the Soban Army. The Soban Army is a Highly Organized, Extremely Well Trained and Fantastically Equipped Force of Professional Soldiers who swear a life-long oath to uphold the will of Kiith-Sa of Soban and the Diamid. No Marriage, no ownership of land and property, and many other sacrifices are made to become a life-long soldier, but for some the reward, respect and honor that the title carries are more than worth the cost. All Sobani soldiers who wish to must join by the age of fifteen, can be male or female (although all females are held to the same standards as males in every regard), and must pledge a life of service directly to the Kiith-Sa of Soban.

Upon entry, a raw recruit goes through two years of strength and endurance training and conditioning, where he or she also learns survival tactics for many varied environments first-hand, as well as gaining a comprehensive understanding for military order and discipline, structure, and combat procedure including first-aid. A further year of intensive combat training, which upon completion, the soldier is officially indoctrinated and chooses their profession from an array of available jobs based on the need and ability of the individual to complete them, as well as placement in country based on need and the desires of the individual. Positions of leadership are highly competitive, and can only be earned through hard experience and proof of skill and dedication.

Rank is determined not only by merit and skill of the individual, but also by how long the individual has served and the number and ferocity of the battles they have witnessed.

Senior officers
* General: Kiith'Sa of Soban.
* Lieutenant General: XO of the army.
* Major General: Commander of a theater (when in major operations)
* Brigadier General: Commander of a division.
* Colonel: XO of a division, responsible for all internal affairs, particularly intelligence. Also acts as a Quartermaster General for their division.
* Lieutenant Colonel: Senior officer in charge of a battalion, responsible for all war and peace affairs within his battalion.
* Major: XO in charge of a battalion, head of Central Signatory for his battalion.
* Captain: A battle hardened veteran of many campaigns in charge of a company.
* First Lieutenant: Same as second, except is battle hardened.
* Second Lieutenant: The lowest commissioned officer having never seen battle, in charge of a company

Non-Commissioned Officers

* Command Sergeant Major: Enlisted in charge of the Corps.
* Sergeant Major: Enlisted in charge of a division.
* First Sergeant: Enlisted in charge of a battalion.
* Master Sergeant: Enlisted in charge of a company.
* Sergeant First Class: Enlisted in charge of a platoon. They draw the attention of the men to the Central Signatory and issue the audible commands of the officers.
* Staff Sergeant: A supply sergeant who manages supply and divides booty at the platoon level, as well as taking care of pay and savings.
* Sergeant: A soldier who has seen many battles and has been seen fit to lead. In charge of a section.

Enlisted

* Specialist: These are trained specialists, such as surgeons, engineers, surveyors, and architects, as well as craftsmen. They are exempt from camp and hard labor duties due to the nature of their work, and receive higher pay.
* Corporal: Second and third rank soldiers who have seen battle many times.
* Private First Class: A First Rank private who has seen battle.
* Private: A new First Rank private.
* Recruit: The new recruits in training.


Equipment

All equipment in the Soban Army is of the highest workmanship and quality possible. Armor and weapons are kept after the deceased soldier has been buried (until rendered non-restorable), and re-claimed by the kiith for passage to a raw recruit. The name and rank of each soldier who has dawned the suit of armor is kept in the breast-plate of each suit and the handle of each weapon, and the new owner is expected to know the history behind his own gear, and to live up to those who have used it before him.

Due to large stores and numerous mines as well as the length of time Nabaal have had to master the forge, the standard armor of every soldier is of exquisite quality of construction both metallurgically and ornately, being comprised of a thin but very tough plate hammered in forge by a team of craftsmen over several days, and a larger portion backing it, which are bound together in the forging process. This process creates armor that is both extremely rugged to blows, but also much lighter than a typical suit of full plate, weighing in at only forty pounds, as compared to the traditional fifty-five pounds would yield. It is often decorated with trim in the color of the soldier's division, with a cloak of wool displaying his or her name, placement down to company and division flag on the lower third, and the flag of kiith soban on the upper two-thirds. Underneath this is a suit of chainmail.

There are several "castes" that one may join when applying for enlistment in the soban army, and they each work together to ensure victory on the battlefield.

http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/9584 ... perzi7.jpg
The soldier depicted here in ceremonial armor has the Shoulderplates of Sergeantry, Robes of Officership (implying he earned officership through becoming Sobani), and Trim (on the robes, chainmail and cloak) of Clerical Vestment (meaning he is a medic), a Sash of Bravery, as well as two jewels fixed into his robe holders awarded for gallantry and heroism.

Weaponry is often decades old, and has been touched by a master crafter many times in its lifetime. This construction (a team of master forgers pounding on a blade for days or weeks at a team in hot forge to perfectly shape and temper the steel) allows for light yet powerful weapons that are worthy of many hits before losing their edge or in need of repair, and very balanced weapons that are easy to wield and light to heft. The most common weapon by many leagues is the gladius, a medium-sized double-edged sword. And, as the soldier grows in rank and talent, or as the situation sees fit, his weapon is often modified to suit his needs.

Equipment and training

Sobanii carry out training common to every army, from initial muster, arms and weapons drill, formation marching and tactical exercises. The typical training regime consists of gymnastics and swimming, to build physical strength and fitness, fighting with armatura (which were wooden weapons) to learn and master combat techniques and long route marches with full battle gear and equipment to build stamina, endurance and to accustom them to the hardships of campaigns.

Combat training exercises consisted of thrusting with a wooden gladius into a quintain (wooden dummy) while wearing full armor, and sparring with one another. Sobanii are trained to thrust with their gladii because they can defend themselves behind their scutums while stabbing the enemy. Sobanii are well aware that a wound of only 3 cm or 4 cm could cause death, so they emphasize quick, stabbing techniques to vital areas or between gaps in armor. Soldiers fight standing with their left foot and shield forward with their right foot back and turned outwards ninety degrees. This is a boxing-like style of fighting where the shield in the left is used to jab and harass the enemy while the sword in the right is used to deliver the final blow. Other training exercises teach the soldier to obey commands and assume battle formations.

A Sobanii typically carries around 27 kilograms (60 pounds) of armor, weapons, and equipment. This load consists of steel lorica segmenta, steel gladius (spatha for cavalry and officers), steel pugio, steel-framed parma, 6 Caltrops, a Javelin and Spear and 15 days' food rations. There are also tools for digging and constructing a fortified base camp.

Logistics

Sobani logistics are possibly the best in the realm- from the deployment of purchasing agents to systematically buy provisions during a campaign, to the construction of roads and supply caches, to the rental of shipping if the troops have to move by water. Heavy equipment and material (tents, artillery, extra weapons and equipment, millstones etc.) are moved by pack animal and cart, while troops carry weighty individual packs with them, including staves and shovels for constructing the fortified camps. Typical of all armies, local opportunities are also exploited by troops on the spot, and the fields of peasant farmers unlucky enough to be near the zone of conflict might be stripped to meet soban needs. As with most armed forces, an assortment of traders, hucksters, prostitutes and other miscellaneous service providers trail in the wake of the sobani fighting machine.

The sobani infantry in battle

Initial preparations and movement for battle

The approach march. Once the soban army is deployed on an operation, the marching begins. The approach to the battlefield is made in several columns, enhancing maneuverability. Typically a strong vanguard proceeds the main body, and includes scouts, cavalry and light troops. An officer (often a captain) accompanies the vanguard to survey the terrain for possible camp locations. Flank and reconnaissance elements are also deployed to provide the usual covering security. Behind the vanguard comes the main body of heavy infantry. Each unit marches as a distinct formation and is accompanied by its own baggage train. The last unit usually provides the rear force, although several recently raised units might occupy this final echelon.

Construction of fortified camps. Sobani on a campaign typically establish a strong field camp, complete with palisade and a deep ditch, providing a basis for supply storage, troop marshaling and defense. Camps are recreated each time the army moves, and are constructed with a view to both military necessity and religious symbolism. There are always four gateways, connected by two main criss-crossing streets, with the intersection at a concentration of command tents in the center. Space is also made for an altar and religious gathering area. Everything is standardized, from the positioning of baggage, equipment and specific army units, to the duties of officers who are to set up sentries, pickets and orders for the next day's march. Construction could take between 2 to 5 hours with part of the army laboring, while the rest stood guard, depending on the tactical situation. The shape of the camp is generally rectangular, but could vary based on the terrain or tactical situation. A distance of about 60 meters is left clear between the entrenchments and the first row of troop tents. This gap provides space for marshaling the soldiers for battle and kept the troop area out of enemy missile range.

Breaking camp and marching. After a regimented breakfast at the allocated time, trumpets are sounded and the camp's tents and huts dismantled and preparations made for departure. The trumpet then sounds again with the signal for "stand by to march". Mules and wagons of the baggage train are loaded and units formed up. The camp is then fired to the ground to prevent its later occupation and use by the enemy. The trumpets would then be sounded for a final time before marching off.

Intelligence. Sobani commanders do not hesitate to exploit useful intelligence, particularly where a siege situation or impending clash in the field is developing. Information is gathered from spies, collaborators, diplomats and envoys, and allies. During this initial phase the usual field reconnaissance is also conducted - patrols might be sent out, raids mounted to probe for weaknesses, prisoners snatched, and local inhabitants intimidated.

Morale. If the field of potential battle is near, movement becomes more careful and more tentative. Several days might be spent in a location studying the terrain and opposition, while the troops are prepared mentally and physically for battle. Pep talks, sacrifices to Sajuuk and the announcements of good omens are carried out. A number of practical demonstrations might also be undertaken to test enemy reaction as well as to build troop morale. Part of the army might be led out of the camp and drawn up in battle array towards the enemy. If the enemy refuses to come out and at least make a demonstration, the commander often claims a morale advantage for his men, contrasting the timidity of the opposition with the resolution of his fighting forces.

Deployment for combat

Pre-battle maneuver gives the competing commanders a feel for the impending clash, but final outcomes could be unpredictable, even after the start of hostilities. Skirmishing can get out of hand, launching both main forces towards one another. Political considerations, exhaustion of supplies, or even rivalry between commanders for glory could also spark a forward launch.

Layout of the triple line

Once the machinery is in motion however, the Sobani infantry typically is deployed as the main body facing the enemy. During deployment, companies are commonly arranged in triplex acies (triple battle order): that is, in three ranks, with the newest soldiers (called Shas'La) in the first rank (that nearest the enemy), the Shas'El in the second rank, and the veteran Shas'O in the third and final rank as barrier troops, or sometimes even further back as a strategic reserve. When in danger of imminent defeat, the first and second lines ordinarily fall back on the Shas'O to reform the line to allow for either a counter-attack or an orderly withdrawal. Because falling back on the Shas'O is an act of desperation, to mention "falling on the Shas'O" is a common Sobani phrase indicating one to be in a desperate situation.

The Gahrodanthi maneuver is a complex one, filled with the dust of thousands of soldiers wheeling into place, and the shouting of officers moving to and fro as they attempt to maintain order. Several thousand men have to be positioned from column into line, with each unit taking its designated place, along with light troops and cavalry. The fortified camps are laid out and organized to facilitate deployment. It might take some time for the final array of the host, but when accomplished the Sobani's grouping of units represents a formidable fighting force, typically arranged in three lines with a frontage as long as one kilometer.

Units

Shas'la
First rank soldiers that have never seen battle or have only seen part of a campaign, they are armed with only chainmail, shield and a gladius, typically carrying a pugio, spear and half a dozen caltrops as well.

Shas'el
Second rank soldiers that are veterans of at least one campaign, they are armed with shield, chainmail and steel Lorica Segmenta, carrying the full compliment of weaponry; a gladius, pugio, caltrops, spear and throwing javelin.

Shas'o
Third rank soldiers that are life-long veterans hardened by many campaigns, they receive the best equipment and are armed with chainmail and steel Lorica Segmenta, shield, pugio, spatha, caltrops, spear and throwing javelin.

Shas'ui
Cavalry killers armed with chainmail, pikes, throwing javelins and halberds, they act as shock troops as well.

Archer
These soldiers wield a heavy longbow of yew, as well as a spatha and gladius. They are armored with a light coat of chainmail.

Scout
Scouts, unlike any other common unit in the military, are loners, who are often so lightly equipped that they only wear leather at best as to remain quiet and nimble, and often carry only a spatha or other light blade. Always camouflaged with their surroundings scouts are also excellent at living off the land. They comprise a very small amount (a few dozen) of the Soban army.

[Greater Americania]

OOC: This is the wrong forum. This belongs in Factbooks and National Information.

[Christopher Thompson]

OOC: This is the wrong forum. This belongs in Factbooks and National Information.

My bad, it's been a while since I've been on NS, I'm from back when there was only I and II for RPing. Could this possibly be moved?

[Euroslavia]

Moved on over to Factbooks and National Information.

[Christopher Thompson]

Moved on over to Factbooks and National Information.

Thankyou Euroslava. You probably don't remember me, but I was one of the major members of the Legion of Defense way back when (I was small, but wrote most of the revisions to the constitution). I always rooted for your modship. Glad to see you're still here.

[The Zoogie People]

[ooc] Woah, I kind of remember Euro(edit)Nanakaland's legion of defense.

Wait, was I a part of it? Now I don't remember...

[Thrashia]

The Soban Army is a Highly Organized, Extremely Well Trained and Fantastically Equipped Force of Professional Soldiers who swear a life-long oath to uphold the will of Kiith-Sa of Soban and the Diamid.

Here is my first beef. You have to realize that since we are going by 1300 Medieval standards, that there is no such thing as a standing national army that is highly organized, extremely well rained, and fantastically equipped, or professional. The only men or units that match that description would be the small band of household knights or royal guards, and those would be regarded as heavies devoted to either the King's protection during battle, or for using as the killing blow when an enemy army is weakened. So, no, you cannot have your entire standing army match this description. The only forces that could would be the various mercenary companies that make their living by killing and making warfare upon their employer's neighbors.

No Marriage, no ownership of land and property, and many other sacrifices are made to become a life-long soldier, but for some the reward, respect and honor that the title carries are more than worth the cost. All Sobani soldiers must join by the age of fifteen, can be male or female (although all females are held to the same standards as males in every regard), and must pledge a life of service directly to the Kiith-Sa of Soban.

I'll give you the equality stuff, but I'm not buying the first part. That is the creed of a monastic order following their particular creed or god, not of the average soldier who fights for his country or king. Also if you had every male and female join the army at the age of 15 your farming economy would be forced upon the older, and naturally more experienced, soldiers/farmers who would need the younger people for harvest and planting. So, that has to go too.

Upon entry, a raw recruit goes through five years of strength and endurance training and conditioning, where he or she also learns survival tactics for many varied environments first-hand, as well as gaining a comprehensive understanding for military order and discipline, structure, and combat procedure including first-aid. A further three years of intensive combat training, which upon completion, the soldier is officially indoctrinated and chooses their profession from an array of available jobs based on the need and ability of the individual to complete them, as well as placement in country based on need and the desires of the individual. Positions of leadership are highly competitive, and can only be earned through hard experience and proof of skill and dedication.

Again, going back to the economic factors here, you've got those young people spending eight years of their young and short lives doing things that are, for all intents and purposes, not a part of any medieval life ever known in history. Of course this is Roleplay, but we are trying to stay accurate. So in light of that fact, and the economic factors, you need to lose the whole "get 'em young and train 'em up" routine. Also "indoctrinated" is not a process that can be used with a normal foot soldier, maybe for a monastic order of knights or religious crazies, but not for regular troops.

Senior officers
* General: Kiith'Sa of Soban.
* Lieutenant General: XO of the army.
* Major General: Commander of a theater (the two of which are North and East, South and west)
* Brigadier General: Commander of a division.
* Colonel: XO of a division, responsible for all internal affairs, particularly intelligence. Also acts as a Quartermaster General for their division.
* Lieutenant Colonel: Senior officer in charge of a battalion, responsible for all war and peace affairs within his battalion.
* Major: XO in charge of a battalion, head of Central Signatory for his battalion.
* Captain: A battle hardened veteran of many campaigns in charge of a company.
* First Lieutenant: Same as second, except is battle hardened.
* Second Lieutenant: The lowest commissioned officer having never seen battle, in charge of a company

Non-Commissioned Officers

* Command Sergeant Major: Enlisted in charge of the Corps.
* Sergeant Major: Enlisted in charge of a division.
* First Sergeant: Enlisted in charge of a battalion.
* Master Sergeant: Enlisted in charge of a company.
* Sergeant First Class: Enlisted in charge of a platoon. They draw the attention of the men to the Central Signatory and issue the audible commands of the officers.
* Staff Sergeant: A supply sergeant who manages supply and divides booty at the platoon level, as well as taking care of pay and savings.
* Sergeant: A soldier who has seen many battles and has been seen fit to lead. In charge of a section.

Enlisted

* Specialist: These are trained specialists, such as surgeons, engineers, surveyors, and architects, as well as craftsmen. They are exempt from camp and hard labor duties due to the nature of their work, and receive higher pay.
* Corporal: Second and third rank soldiers who have seen battle many times.
* Private First Class: A First Rank private who has seen battle.
* Private: A new First Rank private.
* Recruit: The new recruits in training.

Ok. So let me digress a bit more on the appropriate ranks that a medieval army would have.

First of all, you did good; a general is generally (pun intended) the highest rank. There are other titles that could be used, such as Marshal/ However there were never any such things as "Lieutenant," "Major," or "Brigadier" Generals in any medieval armies. Nor were there ever any colonels, lieutenant colonels, or majors.

Captains did exist and they functioned largely in the same role as modern day captains, majors, and colonels. A medieval captain of a company would have several aide-de-camps who would act as his hands, eyes, and mouth (ie officers) to do what modern day staff officers do.

There were Lieutenants, but no division of rank such as 1st and 2nd Lieutenant. It was a rare rank, but in the case of large armies when aide-de-camps were forming around a captain in too few numbers, officers would be indicated with the rank of lieutenant. They would act in place of aide-de-camps. The word lieutenant in fact is of French origin and means "holding a position"; thus meaning that it is a man who holds position in the absence of his superior. SO it is ok to use this rank, but not unless the composition of your force numbers above roughly 500 to 1,000 men.

Sergeants have been the backbone of every army since the first Philistine thought to stab a Israelite through the gut. However the division of ranks (aka Sergeant Major, First Sergeant, etc) did not exist until roughly the 19th century. So, like I said above, you need to lose those specifications. Simply have sergeants, no added title other than that. And sergeants would normally be made up of those men (or women if you like) who had decided that the military life would be their only occupation until death, like the old centurions of the Roman Legions. They are generally the only small core of experienced troops any country or kingdom will have to train its farmer-composed armies. You also are able to use the rank of Corporal, who are usually serving alongside sergeants for a lifetime appointment in a standing army.

As for the "Enlisted" section. Get rid of it. There was no such thing in medieval times. You had conscripts and soldiers. A soldier was simply called a soldier or a conscript until he achieved some rank (ie sergeant) after years of service.

All equipment in the Soban Army is of the highest workmanship and quality.

No. Sorry. But no. Never has there ever been a medieval army that ever had been equipped with the same armour with the same quality/workmanship. To even attempt such a thing would bankrupt even the weathiest of kings.

Armor and weapons are kept after the deceased soldier has been buried, and re-claimed by the kiith for passage to a raw recruit. The name and rank of each soldier who has dawned the suit of armor is kept in the breast-plate of each suit and the handle of each weapon, and the new owner is expected to know the history behind his own gear, and to live up to those who have used it before him. Although most soldiers take use of the fantastic stock weapons found in any Sobanii armory, some feel the need to buy or craft their own. This is encouraged, as it bonds the soldier to his weapon personally as well as his armor. Each Sobanii soldier is unique in that unlike many other armies, he has the right to choose his implement of war; there are guidelines for what each soldier can and cannot carry with him into battle, but within those limitations he or she is free to choose between mace and axe, flail or sword.

Keeping older armour is cool. However it will, as time passes, begin to wear and tear. No amount of "reforging" will bring that up to snuff. Just saying.

The shocktrooper depicted here has the Shoulderplates of Sergeantry, Robes of Officership (implying he earned officership through becoming Sobani), and Trim (on the robes, chainmail and cloak) of Clerical Vestment (meaning he is a medic), a Sash of Bravery, as well as two jewels fixed into his robe holders awarded for gallantry and heroism.

Weaponry is often, as is the armor, decades old, and has been touched by a master crafter many times in its lifetime. This construction allows for light yet powerful weapons that are worthy of many hits before losing their edge or in need of repair, and very balanced weapons that are easy to wield and light to heft. The most common weapon by many leagues is the warmace, a large two-handed mace. And, as the soldier grows in rank and talent, or as the situation sees fit, his weapon is often modified.

First off, lose the title of "shocktrooper". The word was not invented until the First World War when German Stormtroopers were first used. You can say "shock troops" perhaps, to describe your small, elite force, but not for a large body of regular army fellows. Also the idea that you have full plate for each is ridiculous. As is the idea of using "decades old armour that has been touched by a master crafter many times in its lifetime". When metal is reforged a second time it often loses the properties that made it strong in the first place, with the exeption of most swords or simply weaponry. Armour is however out of the question. If your breastplate tears and you have it mended, it will still be weaker in that area that was fixed than the non-damaged armour surrounding it.

A kingdom will have, at most, only a half dozen to a dozen craftsmen with the skill that you describe. To accept the idea that your entire army has the amount of armorers and smiths of the necessary skill you describe in their forging, is, to but it bluntly, completely illogical and stupid. So you need to back away from the idea of having your entire army outfitted with the "best, masterwork" weapons and armour.

This most common soldier (depicted above) is usually possessed of a warmace (or heavy mace and round shield) and heavy crossbow in weaponry. This makes up roughly one-third of all rank and file soldiers in the Republic.

This I am afraid is an impractical set up. Ignoring my previous arguments on armour, let me go onto weapons. It is fine if he possesses a mace or warhammer with a round shield. However the idea that these guys would be armed also with heavy crossbows is ridiculous. It's weight alone, being a heavy crossbow, would impede a warrior wearing anything close to plate armour (or even plain old chainmail). As would the ability to work the careful machinery that was used to operate an arbalest (or heavy crossbow), which would be nigh impossible for a fully armored man, even on foot. He'd either be a sitting duck trying to fiddle with his heavy crossbow, or he would be a slow target, trying to juggle a shield, mace, heavy crossbow, and bolts (not mentioning his armour).

So you need to rethink this part. 1) Lose the plate armour. 2) lose the heavy crossbow.

These soldiers wield a composite heavy crossbow of exquisite construction, often decades old. Unlike the simple heavy crossbows of the Shocktrooper, these fire much larger bolts much farther,and much quicker. They commonly also wield a small mace for defense, and have significantly cut-down armor (usually just a breastplate and chainmail) and comprise about a fifth of any division.

Nothing too big here. But I would like the point out that a composite heavy crossbow would need to be wielded by a man wearing little to no armour, not just some cut-back of plate. It's just the simply truth that a man wearing, at most, leather or cloth armor in a limited capacity, would be able to wield such a weapon as a "composite heavy crossbow" better than a man wearing chain mail and a full breastplate. The action of wielding and loading such a weapon with that amount of gear on would tire such troops out so fast that you would hardly get more than a half dozen volleys out of them before they would need to rest.

Dragoon
Dragoons are a unit of fierce fighters who often fight a (literally) uphill battle against cavalry, with whom they specialize in killing. They wield either the classic Halberd, or what is more commonly appearing in modern units, the Nodachi (each dragoon in a section uses the same weapon as his first sergeant) is sometimes preferred, with a light mace or scimitar in reserve should they become encircled by foot soldiers. Dragoons wear a cut-down version of the shocktrooper armor that has only breastplate, shoulder armor, forearm plates, and only a complimentary amount of chain mail to allow them to move quickly and dexterously with their implements of war, and are usually another fifth of any division.

These should be a small, elite unit; not a major component of your army. Their description and weaponry makes them too specialized to be anything other than elite type troops. Meaning that they would operate in small numbers.


Other observations

You need to also drop the use of divisions. The only organization that could be applied to medieval armies would be the following: a platoon, a company, and army. A platoon could range between 10 to 30 men, a company from 50 to 2,000+, and an army from 2,000 to higher. Generals would organize their men according to the amount they had and the need for a battle. Meaning that one day a company would have only 200 men and the next day it would be reformed to number 1,000.

That's all that I found with this thread...

[Christopher Thompson]

Here is my first beef. You have to realize that since we are going by 1300 Medieval standards, that there is no such thing as a standing national army that is highly organized, extremely well rained, and fantastically equipped, or professional. The only men or units that match that description would be the small band of household knights or royal guards, and those would be regarded as heavies devoted to either the King's protection during battle, or for using as the killing blow when an enemy army is weakened. So, no, you cannot have your entire standing army match this description. The only forces that could would be the various mercenary companies that make their living by killing and making warfare upon their employer's neighbors.

More to come on this.

I'll give you the equality stuff, but I'm not buying the first part. That is the creed of a monastic order following their particular creed or god, not of the average soldier who fights for his country or king. Also if you had every male and female join the army at the age of 15 your farming economy would be forced upon the older, and naturally more experienced, soldiers/farmers who would need the younger people for harvest and planting. So, that has to go too.

Not everyone joins by the age of fifteen, just those who volunteer to join must do so at that age.

Again, going back to the economic factors here, you've got those young people spending eight years of their young and short lives doing things that are, for all intents and purposes, not a part of any medieval life ever known in history. Of course this is Roleplay, but we are trying to stay accurate. So in light of that fact, and the economic factors, you need to lose the whole "get 'em young and train 'em up" routine. Also "indoctrinated" is not a process that can be used with a normal foot soldier, maybe for a monastic order of knights or religious crazies, but not for regular troops.

I believe I will shorten the training, but the indoctrination and standardized drill is old, like Rome old.

Ok. So let me digress a bit more on the appropriate ranks that a medieval army would have.

First of all, you did good; a general is generally (pun intended) the highest rank. There are other titles that could be used, such as Marshal/ However there were never any such things as "Lieutenant," "Major," or "Brigadier" Generals in any medieval armies. Nor were there ever any colonels, lieutenant colonels, or majors.

Captains did exist and they functioned largely in the same role as modern day captains, majors, and colonels. A medieval captain of a company would have several aide-de-camps who would act as his hands, eyes, and mouth (ie officers) to do what modern day staff officers do.

There were Lieutenants, but no division of rank such as 1st and 2nd Lieutenant. It was a rare rank, but in the case of large armies when aide-de-camps were forming around a captain in too few numbers, officers would be indicated with the rank of lieutenant. They would act in place of aide-de-camps. The word lieutenant in fact is of French origin and means "holding a position"; thus meaning that it is a man who holds position in the absence of his superior. SO it is ok to use this rank, but not unless the composition of your force numbers above roughly 500 to 1,000 men.

Sergeants have been the backbone of every army since the first Philistine thought to stab a Israelite through the gut. However the division of ranks (aka Sergeant Major, First Sergeant, etc) did not exist until roughly the 19th century. So, like I said above, you need to lose those specifications. Simply have sergeants, no added title other than that. And sergeants would normally be made up of those men (or women if you like) who had decided that the military life would be their only occupation until death, like the old centurions of the Roman Legions. They are generally the only small core of experienced troops any country or kingdom will have to train its farmer-composed armies. You also are able to use the rank of Corporal, who are usually serving alongside sergeants for a lifetime appointment in a standing army.

As for the "Enlisted" section. Get rid of it. There was no such thing in medieval times. You had conscripts and soldiers. A soldier was simply called a soldier or a conscript until he achieved some rank (ie sergeant) after years of service.

It should be noted that I am in the US Army (hence I've been too busy training to post the last few days), and that I've already memorized one rank structure. It is also noteworthy to mention that I simply went to the wikipedia page on the Roman Army rank structure and replaced names. The romans had a very rigid and long rank structure that actually differentiated lower enlisted very well; the bit about specialists is literally plagerized from it. And if memory serves me correct, the Roman Empire existed long before the medieval ages.

No. Sorry. But no. Never has there ever been a medieval army that ever had been equipped with the same armour with the same quality/workmanship. To even attempt such a thing would bankrupt even the weathiest of kings.

Again, Rome was doing this around the birth of Christ.

Keeping older armour is cool. However it will, as time passes, begin to wear and tear. No amount of "reforging" will bring that up to snuff. Just saying.

Yeah. Also you have an extra u there brit. But I digress; I also intend to change this.

The shocktrooper depicted here has the Shoulderplates of Sergeantry, Robes of Officership (implying he earned officership through becoming Sobani), and Trim (on the robes, chainmail and cloak) of Clerical Vestment (meaning he is a medic), a Sash of Bravery, as well as two jewels fixed into his robe holders awarded for gallantry and heroism.

Weaponry is often, as is the armor, decades old, and has been touched by a master crafter many times in its lifetime. This construction allows for light yet powerful weapons that are worthy of many hits before losing their edge or in need of repair, and very balanced weapons that are easy to wield and light to heft. The most common weapon by many leagues is the warmace, a large two-handed mace. And, as the soldier grows in rank and talent, or as the situation sees fit, his weapon is often modified.

This I am afraid is an impractical set up. Ignoring my previous arguments on armour, let me go onto weapons. It is fine if he possesses a mace or warhammer with a round shield. However the idea that these guys would be armed also with heavy crossbows is ridiculous. It's weight alone, being a heavy crossbow, would impede a warrior wearing anything close to plate armour (or even plain old chainmail). As would the ability to work the careful machinery that was used to operate an arbalest (or heavy crossbow), which would be nigh impossible for a fully armored man, even on foot. He'd either be a sitting duck trying to fiddle with his heavy crossbow, or he would be a slow target, trying to juggle a shield, mace, heavy crossbow, and bolts (not mentioning his armour).

So you need to rethink this part. 1) Lose the plate armour. 2) lose the heavy crossbow.

Retooling army for realism; most of the legwork here is from a fantasy rp.

Nothing too big here. But I would like the point out that a composite heavy crossbow would need to be wielded by a man wearing little to no armour, not just some cut-back of plate. It's just the simply truth that a man wearing, at most, leather or cloth armor in a limited capacity, would be able to wield such a weapon as a "composite heavy crossbow" better than a man wearing chain mail and a full breastplate. The action of wielding and loading such a weapon with that amount of gear on would tire such troops out so fast that you would hardly get more than a half dozen volleys out of them before they would need to rest.

Retooling in progress...

These should be a small, elite unit; not a major component of your army. Their description and weaponry makes them too specialized to be anything other than elite type troops. Meaning that they would operate in small numbers.

Point taken.

Other observations

You need to also drop the use of divisions. The only organization that could be applied to medieval armies would be the following: a platoon, a company, and army. A platoon could range between 10 to 30 men, a company from 50 to 2,000+, and an army from 2,000 to higher. Generals would organize their men according to the amount they had and the need for a battle. Meaning that one day a company would have only 200 men and the next day it would be reformed to number 1,000.

That's all that I found with this thread...

Read above about me being in the army.

Also, Romans:

Among Roman soldiers, the smallest organization unit was called a "contubernium". This was a group of 8 soldiers (however, it was originally made up of 10), that shared a tent and ate together. There were 10 contubernia in a "century". A century was the next largest group of soldiers. It originally consisted of 100 men in the Early Roman Republic, but during the Roman Empire it was reduced to 80 men. The next largest group of soldiers were called "maniples". Next were the "cohorts". These were made up of 6 centuries (480 men). A "prima cohors" was the first cohort in a legion; it was much larger than the other cohorts, containing about 5 double strength centuries (800-men). Finally, the largest group in the Roman Army was the legion.There were ten cohorts including the "prima cohors" in a legion. A full-strength legion contained 6,000 men though it was not uncommon for most legions to be undermanned due to previous battles. All of these numbers depended on the date (ex. Scipio Africanus reformation, Gaius Marius reformation). The republican army's strength, in peace, was fourson.

Seems rather...modern, doncha think?

Also, rank structure:

Senior officers

* Legatus/legate: The overall Legionary commander. He was generally appointed by the emperor, was a former Tribune and held command for 3 or 4 years, although he could serve for a much longer period. In single-legion provinces, the Legatus served as the provincial governor; in provinces basing multiple legions, a legatus commanded each, with the provincial governor holding overall command as the Dux.
* The Quaestor: Served as a type of quartermaster general, in charge of purchasing, finance, the collection and distribution of booty, etc. Again, these might perform similar functions on the civilian side.
* The Legati: senior commanders under the supremo. Generally they were of senatorial rank and were commissioned by the Senate.
* Tribunus Laticlavius: Named for the broad striped toga worn by men of senatorial rank. This tribune was appointed by the Emperor or the Senate. Though generally quite young and less experienced than the Tribuni Angusticlavii, he served as second in command of the legion, behind the Legate.
* Praefectus Castrorum: The camp Prefect. Generally he was a long-serving veteran who had been promoted through the ranks of the centurions and was third in overall command.
* Tribuni Angusticlavii: Each legion had 5 military tribunes of equestrian (knight) class citizens. They were in many cases career officers and served many of the important administrative tasks of the Legion, but still served in a full tactical command function during engagements.

Mid-level ranks
Roman centurion.

* Primus Pilus: The senior centurion of the legion and commander of the first cohort was called the primus pilus ("first file", commonly mistaken with primus pilum, and mistranslated as "first spear"), a career soldier and advisor to the legate. While every normal cohort was composed of 5 to 8 centuries, the one that was led by the primus pilus (the first) had about 10 centuries, or 800 men.
* Pilus Prior: Senior centurion in any cohort other than the first cohort. Commanded that cohort and served as an advisor to the legion's commander.
* Centurions: They were career officers who formed "the backbone of the professional army." They were responsible for the day to day life of the soldiers and were the field commanders. While generally promoted from the ranks, in some cases they could be appointed by the Emperor or other senior officials. There were 59 centurions in each legion (5 in the first cohort and 6 in the rest), one to command each centuria of the 10 cohorts. The ranking of centurions were: Pilus Prior, Pilus Posterior, Princepes Prior, Princepes Posterior, Hastatus Prior, and Hastatus Posterior.[2] The Pilus Prior (first century) centurion of each cohort commanded the entire cohort in battle.
* Aquilifer: A single position within the Legion. The aquilifer was the Legion's Standard or Eagle bearer and was an enormously important and prestigious position. The next step up would be a post as a centurion.
* Optio: One for each centurion (therefore, there were 59 in a legion), they were appointed by the centurion from within the ranks to act as his second in command.
* Tesserarius (Guard Commander): Again there were 59 of these, or one for each centuria. They acted in similar roles to the optiones.
* Signifer: Each centuria had a signifer (therefore, there were 59 in a legion). He was responsible for the men's pay and savings, and the standard bearer for the Centurial Signum, a spear shaft decorated with medallions and often topped with an open hand to signify the oath of loyalty taken by the soldiers. It was this banner that the men from each individual centuria would rally around. A soldier could also gain the position of Discentes signiferorum, or standard bearer in training.
* Cornicen (Horn blower): They worked hand in hand with the signifer drawing the attention of the men to the Centurial Signum and issuing the audible commands of the officers.
* Imaginifer: Carried the standard bearing the image of the Emperor as a constant reminder of the troops' loyalty to him.
* Evocati: A veteran of the Roman army who has the right to retire, but has chosen to stay on after his tenure has finished. During this period they receive double pay and are excluded from regular duties such as manual labour.

Rank and file

* Legionarii: All the soldiers in a Legion were called Legionaries.
* Immunes: These were trained specialists, such as surgeons, engineers, surveyors, and architects, as well as craftsmen. They were exempt from camp and hard labor duties due to the nature of their work, and received higher pay than the Milities.
* Discentes: Milities in training for an immunis position.
* Milities Gregarii: The basic private-level foot soldiers.
* Tirones: The new recruits in training. A tiro could take up to 6 months before becoming a full miles.

Lengthy, regular standardized training and equipment:

Enlistment

Vegetius [3] argues that enlistment occurs whenever puberty began, but a study of Roman military tombstones by Schiedel[4], has revealed that of a sample of 531 epitaphs, 265 show the age of enlistment to occur at between ages 17–20, with an increase to 430 (around 80%) if ages 17–24 are included. One example exists of enlistment at age 13, and 5 of ages 33–36

[edit] Fitness

The proper need for a member of the Roman Army was fitness. The first thing the soldiers were taught to do was to march. During the summer the soldiers had to march 18.4 miles (29.6 km) in five hours. Another thing they did in basic military training was physical exercise such as long distance running, high and long jumping, climbing over walls and carrying heavy packs with full armour on. During the summer, swimming was also a part of training. If their camp was near the sea, a lake or a river, every recruit was made to swim. Some of them would sometimes have to swim in their armor so they could continue fighting on the other side of the river. They also had to be fit to be able to fight well and cope with any injuries. Stamina was crucial. Soldiers would be expected to be able to last a long time without food in case of a break in supplies.

[edit] Group training

Every day the whole of the legion would practice running, jumping, fencing and javelin throwing. But, before that happened, newcomers would do two sessions of military drill and give their oath of loyalty to their commander and Emperor.

[edit] Drill and weapons training

Both the legionary and auxilia troops also conducted drill training, from fundamentals such as learning military step and the exact formation of ranks, to practicing tactical maneuvers. Roman tactics also required the soldier to be able to respond instantly to commands to change the shape of his formation, and not simply to fight as a brave individual, as in barbarian armies. This also required extensive training and discipline. Weapons training covered how to handle a sword, both to become accustomed to the weight and balance, and also how to deliver blows to an enemy without exposing the soldier's own body to enemy strikes. In contrast to other contemporary styles, Roman sword-fighting was fairly restrained and measured - primarily, the sword was to be used to make short stabbing strokes from behind the protection of the scutum (shield) with minimal risk of the soldier receiving counter-strokes. This is in contrast to the rather looser style of slashing blows favored by many barbarian peoples. A favored tactic was to knock one's opponents off their feet with a ram of the scutum (shield), and then to dispatch him with one or more swift downward stabs while he was vulnerable on the ground, all the while remaining protected by the scutum, which was to remain raised. They also trained in the use of the thrown javelin and pilum. The more highly ranked men treated their subordinates harshly; training was brutal, and discipline played a major role in the legions' success. Training for new recruits incorporated the use of wooden swords- heavier than the usual gladius- and fighting against a wooden post to train standard slashes and jabs. Then they would move on to one-on-one scenarios, using a scutum made of wicker, also heavier than the usual scutum. As a result, once a soldier used the normal gladius and scutum, he would be highly adept at handling it.

So, if all of this was taking place around the birth of Christ, why can't it happen over a millenia later?

[Thrashia]

I'd like to first point out that we're doing a Medieval RP and not an Ancient RP. Meaning that the usage of Roman armour/designation/training method/ranks and any other miscellaneous information garnered from wikipedia on the Roman Legions is going to be unusable. We're still within the days of the Dark Ages, when the enlightenment and knowledge that was the Roman civilization is no longer prevalent. Also, I'm a 2nd Lieutenant in the 82nd, so don't give me crap about being a new recruit. I used British-English because I served alongside them for a long time, and you can only read so many reports before you start copying their style. Personally I prefer British-style because it doesn't lead to misinterpretation.

Long as you change the things that I suggested, then you are golden. I'm not making these suggestions like an ass-hat who thinks what he is saying is pure gold. I'm making them because I have university degrees on the subjects, ancient military warfare being one of them, and generally like to help out when old friends of mine make PT RPs and need me to help them as a historical resource.

[Christopher Thompson]

Sorry. (it should be noted that I felt the need to say sir here) after reading that post, it did come off asshatish. It was just late and I'm still in TRADOC land so of course my life blows so I was in a bad mood. That and my 4 day pass got rejected and my PSG didn't bother to inform me of this until after the deadline for turning in passes.

I swear to god, this company has so many IG complaints against it it's rediculous. But since we're the red-headed step-child of both Ft. Rucker and Ft. Huachuca, neither of them have to care.

Hoooah A Co., UASTB.

So, bascally what you're telling me is that I cannot have an organized and trained army in the normal fashion with standardized equipment?

Because if you are, then I can always alter my factbook to say that the diamid is a much less formal organization, all of the kiith in my nation are actually their own full-fledged mini-kingdoms, and reverse the clock on their social progression to make the kith'sa an absolute ruler once again.

Would this be more befitting?

[Thrashia]

Hey, it's all good. Everyone gets antsy. And I am discharging soon, done my six years, so no need to feel to say sir, or anything. Really. Don't. And don't worry, you'll survive TRADOC with blood to spare. Sounds like your PSG is behind the ball on things, but then that's the military(SNAFU is your friend). And IG complaints with come no matter what you do. Can't make everyone happy.

And you are correct. You cannot have a fully organized and trained army in the normal fashion with standardized equipment. The reason being because in the era known as the Dark Ages up until the late Medieval period (800 -- 1400 AD) almost all representations of what was once Rome were gone, replaced by the Feudal System from which the monarchs of Europe arose. Even the Byzantine Empire, which was the last vestige of the old Roman Empire, lost most of its Roman-style military organization.

So a short description of medieval army: you have a force of elite, plate armoured knights that swore fealty to their king or local lord. In return for being given land from their local lord, these knights were required to bring a certain amount of men-at-arms with them to battle, according to the number of families that lived on the land they owned. So you had a trained and well armored and armed knight being followed by a dozen or more men armed from anything from pitchforks to actual shields and swords.

Kings would often supplement their core of armored knights, by maintaining an infantry force, which acted as a standing army, but was little more than a garrison force to maintain and guard castles. Each castle would have an armory capable of arming several hundred men with identical weapons, but not neccesarily the same quality of armour.

So, it is possible to maintain and arm a force between 2,000 and 10,000 with quility arms and armour; but to try and keep anything more than that (to supplement the elite core of knights) would bankrupt a kingdom within a few years, making it counterproductive to have a "true" standing army. You have to remember that as soldiers they are liable to extra pay, rations, and living conditions. So having a large number of men, with pay, good food, and good barracks, can really strain even the biggest of nations.

[Rikese]

Here is my first beef. You have to realize that since we are going by 1300 Medieval standards, that there is no such thing as a standing national army that is highly organized, extremely well rained, and fantastically equipped, or professional.

Varangian Guard come to mind.

Not a huge army. But I'd say contingent of 2,000 was fairly common. Ofc not all of them would accompany the Emperor to battle, some were required in Constantinople as Byzantine politics were...fickle.

Even was an instance where the Emperor offered his daughter's hand in marriage to a Kievan prince in return for 10,000 of the buggers.

Also England rediscovered the standing army in the middle of the hundred years war (1380-1400?). Its not that far-fetched. Just means someone beat them to the punch.

Of course, if you are talking about one of the hermit kingdoms that comprised most of western europe in say 1090...then you are asking for bankruptcy by keeping more than 1,000 household troops standing.

[Thrashia]

Again, it was not common enough for it to be mainstream for our RP. Thanks for the comment though I suppose.

[Christopher Thompson]

Reading through your posts, I just realised something:

I believe you GREATLY overestimated the numbers of my army; it was slightly more than 9000 standing.

The rest being local garrison forces and city watch; that's it. I could muster more men, but they would be drafted, and thus be much more poorly equiped and significantly less disciplined.

[Thrashia]

Reading through your posts, I just realised something:

I believe you GREATLY overestimated the numbers of my army; it was slightly more than 9000 standing.

The rest being local garrison forces and city watch; that's it. I could muster more men, but they would be drafted, and thus be much more poorly equiped and significantly less disciplined.

It's not the numbers I was worried about, more than trying to have 9000 suits of master-crafted armour.