User blog:Ilniaj/The Demon Lord Realms

The Demon Lord Realms are in the southern portion of the Old World. This collection of city states and fertile lands is surrounded by seas and mountains. On its south is the warm and tranquil Tilean sea and Black Gulf. To the north run the Iranna peaks that stretch out like saw-teeth against the sky. To the west, the Abasko mountains separate the Demon Lord Realms from Estalia. To the east is the World's Edge Mountains. The Demon Lord Realms is an excellently positioned. The rulers of these lands are not feudal landowners in the same way as that of The Empire and Lescatie. The most important individuals reside in the cities and not the castles in the countryside. The primary source of wealth is trade rather than feudal domains and fields tilled by farmers. The calm seas provide resources and mean little risk to travelling merchants and most of the western entrances to the silk road are through the Demon Lord Realms. Rural dwellers farm the extensive and fertile fields outside the city walls. Some of these farms are owned by a family that has lived in the area for years. Others are owned by merchants who run the farms and vineyards to produce commodities that they can sell through their trading networks. The coastal regions have always been subjected to the ravages of sea raiders, including Norse, Arabyans and other pirates. Similarly, the neighboring Chief God aligned states have frequently menaced the countryside. The quickest and most sensible thing for the country folk to do when this happens is to abandon their farms and seek the safety of the strong walls of their city, swelling the ranks of the defenders. Often, they burn the crops in the fields rather than allow the enemy to eat them. Faced with both a siege and raids in enemy territory, the attackers usually return to their ships or skulk off empty-handed. In this way the cities have endured through many dark centuries, keeping the light of civilization and prudent finance alive and well within their walls.

The Demon Lord Realms have a generalist army that can do almost everything decently. This is in big part due to drawing people from the surrounding lands. Most of the population are human or very similar to humans like Succubi but considerable numbers of elves, dwarves and implings are present. They have ample numbers of light infantry, heavy infantry and impling skirmishers, capable light and heavy cavalry, effective dwarven sappers and artillery, skilled elven scouts and powerful dragons to control the air. While their neighbors can do some of those better, they can’t do all of them better. A Demon Lord Realm army must be aware of the foe they are facing, exploiting what they can do better while covering what their opponents can do better.

Throughout the world, there are those drawn to the life of a soldier. The most successful and powerful of these become the leaders of entire armies. Grizzled veterans covered in the scars from a life of war, the General of an army is a powerful individual, feared and respected throughout the Old World. Although many generals in the Demon Lord Realms are humans (or human-like monsters), there are many others of different races. Both Dwarves, Elves, Orcoids and Goblinoids have risen to this rank as well. Mercenary Captains are expert leaders of soldiers that have proved themselves leading units and now are starting to assemble small forces for battle and exploration. Most Captains are tough professional soldiers who have survived dozens of fierce battles to get where they are. Captains tend to respect experience and ability over birth and social position. They know what counts on the battlefield. They are usually remarkable by their strength, tactical acclaim, lucidity, toughness or even sheer perseverance to duty, and are often loved by their soldiers.

Demand for sorcerous support always exceeds supply so it is small wonder both enchanters great and small make their way to the cities where they can expand their talents and earn more temporal rewards at the same time. The lure of adventure, learning new magic and ancient secrets is a major attraction for nearly any Wizard. Wizards serve to lend their magical talent to whatever master hired them for, though they provide council freely. In addition, they are expected to help resolve magical dilemmas and similar situations. While the motives and background of a Wizard are as varied as magic itself, they do share a constant goal - the pursuit of knowledge and power. A wizard is driven constantly by a thirst to discover the secrets of creation. This undeniable compulsion is not in itself evil. However, it is a constant call to power that all who tread the path of the wizard experience. Most Wizards are part of the many Sabbaths and thus take an Impling form but when in combat they tend to (grudgingly) take on more adult bodies as the increased resilience makes them less vulnerable. However, some have come into battle in their child-like form. Other Wizards always prefer to keep an adult body. Some Wizards are also elves either born a monster elf or corrupted in their lifetime.

A complex legal system of formal duels was established in the Demon Lord Realms even before it came under the control of the Demon Lord. Braves are specialists in the application of sword and pistol, hiring themselves out to safeguard the honor of others, though many of their own kind come from the ranks of nobles who duel for their own purposes. Braves come in two varieties: happy-go-lucky devil-may-care swashbucklers who regard their exploits as a continuous adventure and deadly serious fighters who wear their honor on their sleeve and are quick to take offence at slights, imagined or otherwise. Formal dueling has a very specific structure and complex set of rules governing its performance. Braves must follow all these rules if they hope to avoid being branded common murderers, which means they must know the rules thoroughly. Because of this, the single most important organization for any Brave is a proper dueling school. All Braves belong to a dueling school where they learn the rules and practice their skills. Each one has its own preferred style and a good Brave can tell an opponent’s school by watching them duel or even practice. Dueling schools also provide a place where nobles and merchants go to hire Braves - the school takes a small commission for arranging the meeting and for guaranteeing the Brave is a professional. They do not guarantee victory of course. Many Braves also belong to dueling associations. These aren’t formal associations, simply collections of Braves who share common interests and gather to share stories, techniques and tips. Most dueling associations only admit people from a single dueling school and rivalries often form between different associations. Braves will often appear in armies willing to pay them. A Brave in an army will be placed in a specific unit and will be meant to challenge opponents to single combat and defeat enemy leaders, or at least make them back down and humiliate them in the eyes of their troops.

The basic unit of Soldiers is the backbone of a Demon Lord Realms army. Due to the surrounding foes, conscription and rationing are a fact of life so many citizens have some military experience. The ranks of Soldiers can also be bulked out by hiring mercenaries as this avoids risking elite units or a lord’s own subjects. The basic Soldier is simple light infantry and is expected to be able to wield a variety of weapons as their commander demands. They are always equipped with a hand weapon of some kind, but most often will have other arms such as spears, pikes, flails, polearms, great weapons, shields, pistols, bucklers or an additional hand weapon. They are protected by light to heavy armor. Soldiers who survive many battles will find themselves as Veterans. Veterans are, first and foremost, survivors. They don’t volunteer for suicide missions and they don’t take unnecessary risks, but when the time comes to get stuck in, they’re some of the toughest troops on the field. Off-duty Veterans are always good for old war tales. They carouse with a will, knowing that their time may be short and there’s no sense in dying with gold still in your pockets.

While Soldiers are the backbone of melee combat, Marksmen are the backbone of ranged combat. These troops wield either bows, crossbows or firearms but the most popular among them is the crossbow. What separates them from the Marksmen of most other countries is their use of enormous shields called pavises, which are used for mobile cover. A pavise is very unwieldy and ineffective for close combat but when put between oneself and incoming missile fire, it provides protection more effective than a shield. These troops might supplement the protection of their pavise's with light or medium armor.

While the Knightly Orders of other lands tend to restrict their membership to nobles or have other qualifications, the requirements to become a knight in the Demon Lord Realms are rather simple, simply be able to afford the prime warhorse, lance and heavy armor required to become heavy cavalry. If they can, they'll also tend to wear full plate and cover their horse in barding. The need for money does however limit the range of people who make up units of Knights on the battlefield. These warriors often band together into groups of like-minded individuals, often friends or even relatives, making them close knit packs of warriors, an essential trait on the battlefield. In times of peace, they might make some extra money and keep their skills sharp by entering jousting tournaments. Tournaments are also attractive due to the glory and sway it brings them, especially in the taverns of the land. Stories of recent jousts or battle are often exaggerated threefold and at the end of the night, the most successful men or women get to take nearly anyone of their choice to the bedroom.

Straidots are experienced outdoorsmen and light cavalry who reconnaissance for armies, caravans and other traveling parties. Scouting ahead of the army, harrying the enemy supply line, attacking vulnerable war machines and engaging the flanks of the enemy line are but a few of the roles performed by these precious troops. They are the eyes and ears of the army, constantly on the lookout for ambushes and other hazards. Because they operate in advance of the main party, they must be self-sufficient and level-headed. Stradiots must trust their instincts and make their own decisions, because they have no one else to turn to when they are alone in the wild. A few specialize in trailblazing, riding ahead into unknown and hostile territory. They earn more money for their services, but their life expectancy is short.

Nearly anyone of consequence must hire Bodyguards. These Bodyguards protect their master from plotters, assassins, thieves and the like. Some people have Bodyguard groups so big that they are practically private armies. No one is so tough that they couldn't use some hired muscle for protection sometimes. The trade is lucrative, and it doesn't take much effort, as the job most commonly requires just standing around and looking tough. Bodyguards rarely initiate combat. Instead, they hold back until some fool tries to attack their boss. Then they go into action. Due to their combat prowess, they are often taken into the battlefield as well. Bodyguards wear the heaviest armor and wield heavy two-handed weapons like polearms and great weapons.

Across the Demon Lord Realms there are gladiatorial fighting pits where tough warriors take up arms against each other in brutal hand-to-hand fighting for the pleasure of the baying crowd. There are as many different types of pit fight as there are venues, from small fistfights in an old barn or back alley to huge conflicts with many heavily armed combatants. There is lots of money to be made from pit fighting, both from the participators and the organizers. Each type of Dark Warrior is easily recognized by their heavily stylized armor and weapons. Close combat specialists wear heavy plates across their shoulders, thick iron gauntlets and heavy greaves. The weapons these warriors carry are enormous great weapons or gauntlets with razor-sharp claws. There are also specialist Dark Warriors called pursuers who are based on light skirmish troops such as Imps or Witch Elves and their armor and weapons reflect this. They wear very little armor besides a stylized helm and often carry two light swords, a spear and net or several javelins. Unlike the heavy pit fighters, these warriors harry their foes with hit and run attacks, using speed and agility over brute strength. Dark Warriors are powerful and dangerous fighters and their unique weaponry gives them an advantage among almost any opponent. Dark Warriors are especially adept at fighting in close quarters with little room to maneuver and this makes them much feared opponents against their foes.

Musketeers are elite missile cavalry - equipped with some of the finest equipment money can buy; making them a powerful force to be reckoned with. Musketeers are equipped with firearms and a brace of pistols and ride into battle on trained warhorses that are not scared by the loud sounds from their master’s firearms. They are also moderately armored for protection, though not heavily enough to lose their mobility. What Musketeers excel at is acting as an elite raiding force. Their firearms allow them to engage foes at range with devastating volleys but when their opponents get too close, they can easily swap to pistols and move to avoid charging opponents while continuing to shoot. In a pinch, they are even decent enough melee combatants to charge into an opponent for the crush of melee.

Dwarves are quite valued citizens in the Demon Lord Realms for both their craft skills and trade contacts with their mountain kin. Just like The Empire, they are a feature in the cities, sometimes comprising up to a 10th of the population. While Dwarfs in the Demon Lord Realms armies are most often consigned to being part of the logistics train, repairing and creating arms, armor and war machines there are those that fight. Dwarfs have been known to ascend to become captains and generals or entirely replace humans as artillery crew but the most common dwarf soldier in an army is a miner like the ones from their ancestral homes. As a point of pride, they wield the same picks and hammers that they use to carve out tunnels. These well-balanced and sturdy tools are equally capable at shattering armor as well as rock. Miner units have also been known to supplement their melee prowess with crossbows or firearms in order to thin out enemies before those enemies reach them. Because tunneling is dangerous work, Miners will wear suits of padded cloth and richer ones adding scale-mail and bits of plate. There are many benefits to having such troops in an army, notably they can use their skills to tunnel beneath the enemy and gain the advantage of surprise by turning up on the battlefield from a completely unexpected direction. Miners have a wide knowledge of subterranean tunnels and if there is not already an easily accessible underground route to an enemy's flank or rear, the Miners will make one! Few enemies react calmly to the trudge of heavy boots behind them, and many a desperate battle has been won by Miners arriving in the nick of time from an unexpected quarter. Some Miners take to war with a few gadgets such as blasting charges to be used like grenades or a steam drill to use as both weapon and to tunnel quicker.

Elves are a lithe and graceful race easily recognized by their pointed ears and hawkish features. The Demon Lord Realms have many elven enclaves in its cities and forests, either formed by Dark Elves who have decided to settle there or Wood Elves who were either born a monster or corrupted by one and exiled from their home. Elves in the army form their own units of Elven Rangers. Elf Rangers are experts at concealing themselves; they can hide in plain sight even in close quarters. Their marksmanship is legendary, a mediocre elven marksman is the equivalent of a skilled marksman of the other races and the best among them can outclass the best marksmen of other races with ease. Nearly supernaturally silent and fleet of foot, Elven Rangers are most at home in the forest, though they can readily pass unseen over mountains and other terrain if need be. Wood Elves will fight like the Deepwood Scouts of their uncorrupted kin, puncturing their enemies with arrows and wielding dual weapons or great weapons in case they are charged. Dark Elves will fight like the Shades of distant Nagarroth, wielding dangerous Repeater Crossbows.

Since the Demon Lord Realms contains several demon realms, Imps and the more powerful Arch Imps are present in the land, as well as a few monsters from outside of these two races that choose to take on a childlike body. As mentioned earlier, conscription and rationing are a part of life but people tend to be reluctant to put such childlike soldiers into combat (even if that soldier is actually older than the commander) and not without reason since implings are frail and skittish compared to someone who has the body of an adult. However, implings do have an advantage in that they're fast, stealthy and agile. As such, Impling Skirmishers advance before the main army in dispersed groups, harassing the advancing enemy with slings, shortbows and javelins since these missile weapons help neutralize the size advantage of the foe. Occasionally, a General or Captain is an Arch Imp and will join these raiding groups, being able to keep up on foot compared to an "adult" while not being as large and obvious a target.

The Demon Lord realms occasionally can bulk out their forces with Orcoid mercenaries. Orcoid culture is based on the idea that it is the right and indeed, duty of the strong to rule the weak and so they can be expected to be strong fighters. These Orcoids form up into units of Orcoid mobs led by a minor boss, each mob distinguished by their symbols or markings displayed on shields, banners or totems. Orcoids mobs are well equipped, they are always at least lightly armored and they can carry a variety of heavy steel weapons such as long-staved spears, bladed cleavers, spiked clubs, axes and shields that are weighted for bludgeoning. Some units will carry bows. While the Dwarfs and Gremlins have tried to get Orcoids to adopt crossbows and firearms, the Orcoids have stubbornly kept to their bows, preferring the strength a bow requires to use effectively. These Orcoid Arrer Mobs can prove their prowess in combat, being deadeye shots and not so vulnerable to melee that other units must protect them.

Just like Orcoid's, the Demon Lord Realms will hire units of Goblinoid Wolf Riders as support. The Great Wolves that the Goblinoids ride is a fearsome creature with long fangs and huge claws, standing taller than a pony at four feet at the shoulder, and quite often more dangerous than their Goblin riders. Just like the Goblinoids that ride them, they have a knack for attacking from unexpected angles and targeting the weakest points of defense. The partnership of goblinoid and wolf has proved very successful, the goblinoids protecting and feeding the wolves while the wolves let them ride them or are hitched to chariots and carts in lieu of horses. In battle, Wolf Riders use their speed and agility to harry the flanks of enemy units and chase down those already beaten and fleeing the battlefield. Being Goblinoids, they prefer to target weak or isolated units and their preferred enemies are war machines crew and small units of scouts. Goblinoid Wolf Riders are dangerously fast, able to outride all beasts save perhaps the swift steeds of the elves. Wolf Riders often harass the flanks of oncoming troops but have also been known to charge into smaller (and more vulnerable) units such as war machines or enemy scouts. Other Wolf Riders will arm themselves with spear and shield instead of bow and will dare to lower their spears and charge larger formations.

A ballista is a giant crossbow designed to hurl missiles with incredible force and speed. Most have wooden arms, from which ropes made of hair or animal sinew attach, acting as the Bolt Thrower's springs. Winches pull the bowspring back. Though accurate, they do not match the range of a cannon. The first bolt throwers, gastraphetes and bellybows made their appearance nearly a thousand years ago. Capable of launching arrows incredible distances, they were used throughout the land. From this early weapon, several variations of design emerged to meet the needs of the armies throughout. On one end of the spectrum, the bellybow shrank to allow easier firing and exists to this day as the crossbow. On the other end, the weapon was enlarged and mounted on a tripod, evolving to fire javelins and later, spears. The modern Ballista is the larger of modern bolt throwers. With unmatched precision and range, these weapons were used against troops and supply trains, sowing confusion from long distances. A Ballista can hurl a spear over 200 yards, though less than 100 yards is preferred for any level of accuracy. The second type of bolt thrower is the Scorpion, a smaller, lighter version of the Ballista. Though of reduced size and payload (it only fires javelins), it still has an impressive range, accurately hitting targets over 75 yards away and able to launch Javelins up to 150 yards. Though it has been many years since the bellybow was created and the initial designs have been improved many times over, it is a point of pride that the bolt thrower is still a viable component in many armies. These weapons are widely used in the city states, mounted on towers to defend against attack and during war, women proudly donate their hair to the construction of a new bolt thrower.

First developed by the Dwarfs, the cannon eventually became popular in armies throughout The Demon Lord Realms. A cannon is a large muzzle-loading gun, meaning that the shot and powder are loaded from the front and ignited by lighting the charge in the rear of the weapon. Essentially, cannon are larger, deadlier versions of gunpowder weapons. As precursors to handguns and other weapons, cannons represent a powerful force on which armies depend. However, though capable of shattering units, blasting walls, and killing huge monsters outright, they are unpredictable, capable of spectacular misfires that harm the crews. The Demon Lord Realm armies cannot afford to carry and maintain the massive Great Cannons typical of the Empire. For this reason, lighter, easy to move, small calibre guns are a treasured element of many armies.

The first stonethrowers were developed, like the bolt thrower, in response to the integration of stone defences. Because cities and castles were better protected, stonethrowers provided the best means to level buildings and walls, more so than the bolt thrower that was less effective as defences improved. Furthermore, because they could be constructed on the site of the battle, movement and assembly of these war machines were more possible than early cannons. However, as cannons grow in popularity, it seems the days of the Onagers are in decline.

Originally invented by the genius Leonardo da Miragliano who had been experimenting with mounting large numbers of gun barrels in one frame, the Ribault, also known as the organ gun due to its many pipes, is a fearsome spectacle on the battlefield. Armed with eight short-ranged barrels, it is often used in the defense of other longer-ranged artillery. Able to fire all eight barrels at once, it makes the enemy think twice before engaging!

One interesting weapon used by the armies of The Demon Lord Realms is the "Hot Pot", a catapult that uses a cauldron full of a strange chemical mixture as a projectile. The Hot Pot's ammunition is sticky, corrodes armor and clothes (but not flesh) and can knock someone unconscious when absorbed into the skin or its fumes breathed in. The ingredients that make up the mix are a closely kept secret and vary from apothecary to apothecary.

Land Ships are machines created in imitation of the Steam Tanks of the Empire. A Land Ship is bigger than a Steam Tank, the main reason for this is that its engine is not as miniaturized. While this larger size makes it able to take slightly more harm, it is slightly less armored, so it is easier to harm. Unlike Steam Tanks, which use the steam engine for both its movement and weapons, the Land Ship only uses its engine for movement and can either move slowly and reliably or at full power, though this itself risks something going wrong with the engine. Its offensive armaments are a falconet in the prow and its crew equipped with handguns and polearms. The Land Ship provides a stable firing platform for the Falconet to fire on the move and it can be aimed low enough to be fired on melee combatants engaging it to the front.

Giants are, as one might expect, exceptionally large and strong humanoids, but are slow-witted and clumsy. Many Giants are first recruited when they wander into civilized lands from the mountains they inhabit. It is better to have a useful soldier than to have a 30-foot-tall menace wandering around the countryside stealing livestock and being a nuisance. Not all Giants are evil and some of them still possess the peaceable natures of their Sky-titan forebears. They are just very thick and often very hungry, two things which, combined with the body of a Giant, do not make it easy to maintain peace. The bulk of giants fight with a club (ones in an army are given a demon realm silver club) and keep a sack, barrel, or some other container to stow their dubious "loot" in. Giants are wildly unpredictable foes. Sometimes they lash about with their clubs, while other times they'll pick up smaller opponents and stuff them into a secure (if small) place to be sold to the monsters later or hurl them back into the fray. Their ability to casually pick up and toss away fully armored knights lingers long in the minds of those who've had to fight them.

A Dragon is a powerful addition to any army and though the Demon Lord has made their humanoid form that of a comely women, they can transform back into their form from the previous age and when they do so, they become a creature of vast power that is terrible to behold. The light catches their glistening scales before they spread their great wings to blot out the sun and light the world with their fiery breath. A Dragon's massive scaly body is powerfully built and strong enough to shatter city gates. Dragons have great fanged mouths from which they can breathe scorching gouts of flame over their enemies, and taloned claws sharp enough to slice through stone. A Dragon's wings are immense, able to bear it effortlessly through the sky. The size of a Dragon's monstrous form is proportional to its age. They continue to grow throughout their life, and Dragons of any colour may reach huge proportions if they live for long enough. Dragons can generally be classified into three sizes. Young dragons are the smallest with weaker bodies and scales, "Standard" Dragons are middling in capability and Great Dragons are the oldest and mightiest among them.

A Pegasus is a mighty beast that resembles a horse with wings, in fact, they were all once mundane horses. It is cunning and intelligent beyond the measure of any ordinary steed. The Dark Elves have learned to create their own Pegasus through arcane magic rather than godly blessings and have taught this technique to the wizards of the Demon Lord Realms. Pegasi are primarily sought after as steeds for noblemen and sorcerers, for they are loyal beasts who seem to anticipate their master's every move.

Another artificial beast is the Opinicus. Opinicus were made in the previous age in imitation of the griffons, the most significant difference being that they have the front legs of the cat they resemble, rather than the claws of an eagle. Since their creation, many Opinicus have escaped into the wild, becoming integrated into the local ecosystems. Opinicus swoop down on their prey, screaming war cries as they come. They continue to attack until no opponent is left moving. Survivors of Opinicus attacks often have dreams of being hunted down and rent limb from limb for years afterward. Despite being large and monstrous creatures, Opinicus have reputations as noble beasts and loyal beasts. This is in part due to their proud and regal bearing – Opinicus are not ravenous and frenetic like Manticores. Instead an Opinicus strikes with swift and precise grace, its motion poised and controlled. Yet this elegance in no way undermines its deadliness, for an Opinicus is more than capable of using its claws and razor beak to rip a foe apart. Feral Opinicus are canny creatures and expert hunters, able to anticipate their prey's every move. Once a target has been spotted, an Opinicus will relentlessly stalk it, waiting days if need be for the correct moment to strike. The ear-splitting shriek of a diving Opinicus is highly feared and has been known to send entire armies ducking for cover, lest one of their numbers be the beast's chosen quarry. A patiently hand reared Opinicus can be trained to bear a rider upon its back, making a formidable and loyal mount that can even be taught to anticipate a wide range of commands.