Drake City

The Army of Drake City

The spear, the sword, and the shield have been the traditional weapons for defending Drake City for centuries. Fossilized dragon bone being melted down to form tough, sharp spearpoints, leaf-shaped swords, and nigh unbreakable armor and shields, the heavy infantry, called Drakons are among the most feared and respected fighting forces in the known world. Like the neighboring Arkham Legionaries, the Drakons are trained and drilled to fight in a phalanx in which the men and women fight side by side in a wall of sharp spears and shields. They are paid well and to be a Drakon is considered a huge honor, on par with knighthood or nobility. Wealth and title means nothing in the ranks of the Drakons. You either fight or you die for your city.

Upon King Moloch's ascension, he has been training them to fight in terrain that would make their phalanx formations difficult. Moloch knows that the moment a phalanx breaks, the men are vulnerable. Therefore, they must be trained either to hold onto it in even the most difficult circumstances or to adapt quickly to combat using the sword and shield. Moloch is also determined to ensure his men keep their cool even in the most desperate situations. Panicked or irrational soldiers are dead soldiers.

Lightly armored in leather or chainmail, archers man the walls of Drake City or march and take position behind the lines of the drakon infantry. Their principle job is to defend the walls of the city, give fire support to the heavy infantry, and break up the lines of the enemy in order to make it easier for the Drakons to crush them. This role, however, can expand in King Moloch's view. Thus, he hired a group of specialists to reinforce his army and train his bowmen in their ways.

Rangers are woodsmen who give allegiance to no monarch or society. They can act as mercenaries, bandits, or groups of warriors dedicated to keeping the woods safe. They supply their own armor and thus their armor varies from person to person. However, they are all clothed in green cloaks and masks to provide camouflage in the wild. Armed with longswords and bows, Rangers set up cunning traps such as pits covered with underbrush with stakes at the bottom and take the enemy by surprise. Their versatility is their strength, taking note of their surroundings and their enemies' weaknesses. They were more expensive than ordinary troops, but well worth the price.

The relationship between the Rangers and Drake City was volatile to say the least. Sometimes, they were hired by the Kings and Queens of Drake City, sometimes they were hired by their enemies, and sometimes, they raided trade caravans coming to the city. When Moloch came to the throne, he started a new relationship with them. He recognized their autonomy and and opened up trade with them. In time, thanks to some diplomatic maneuvering, Moloch had them agree to police the wilds within his territory. He placed their chief on an even level with Drake nobility and offered aid during hard winters. Since this understanding, the Rangers have policed the wilds faithfully and have cooperated with Drake City's authorities in enforcing the law side by side with Drakons. They have also been training the city's archers and have agreed to fight in any war Moloch finds himself in or wages.

Once the sole privilege of the nobility of Drake City who did not desire to fight in the high-risk and undignified, in their view, phalanx of the Drakons, knighthood was expanded two hundred years to include anyone willing to pay for the training and swear loyalty to the King or Queen or one of the nobility. Knights are the ultimate shock cavalry of Drake City. Armed only with the best armor and weapons, even better than those of the drakons, the nobility and upper merchant class still make up the bulk of the knights of Drake City, though some commoners are able to become knights by pledging a percentage of loot from battle and waiving a percentage of the stipends they are entitled to as knight's to their lord in exchange for training and equipment. Their weapons include the lances, shield, and sword, but they may also employ maces, flails, axes, and other weapons they see fit.

In addition to these, there are some magic-users which Drake City posseses, though these are few in comparison to the other units it is capable of fielding. Principally, they follow the gods KIel and Mardu in their mandate to gather knowledge and ability to commander the elements of nature. They are related in class to the priests and priestesses that honor the gods of Drake City, though they are not priests and priestesses themselves.

(more to be added later)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/VHQjIXQsz2Y/viewtopic.php

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