The Rise of Domrius - OOC, Closed (Full Version)

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Kellehendros -> The Rise of Domrius - OOC, Closed (8/4/2014 0:44:15)

While Domrius’ early life is certainly of note, it is his history as a military tactician that most find to be of interest. Once he graduated from the military college at Erest, Domrius was commissioned as an officer and attached to the levy of Cerworth, march warden of Alquen. There are some who question whether the Silver Marquess gave command of the levy to Domrius out of confidence in the young man’s abilities, because he thought it a great joke, or because he was simply so desperate that he would use whatever tool came to hand to hold off the rebels. No matter how highly acclaimed Domrius may have been at the college, he was still the son of a farmer. War has ever been the province of noble houses. The thought that a commoner, even one so unusual, could direct a war was ludicrous.

Whatever the marquess’ motives may have been, it was the right decision to place the young man in charge. Domrius showed brilliance from the start. Stealing a march on his foes, Domrius outflanked the enemy force, securing the Delfen Vale as a base of supply, and cutting his enemies’ supply lines. Once the Vendret rebels dispersed to forage for food, he hunted the individual forces down and put them to the sword. With the rebellion quelled, Alquen was finally able to look west again.

Promoted for his exemplary performance in the campaign, Domrius led the forces of Cerworth and Vendret into the Borgen mountains, ascending the Gripclaw Pass with the rest of the Alquen army following. Holding the pass was a hodgepodge confederation of the western kingdoms. Dispatched to hold the pass, the soldiers of the unusual alliance must have known their doom was coming, watching the ranks of soldiers beneath the lion of Alquen advancing up the pass. Their orders were simple: hold the pass at all costs, until the main alliance force could assemble to meet Alquen on the field.

They failed, but it was Domrius’ first true test. As brilliant as Domrius was, he was still new to command, and a young commander, even if brilliant, is liable to make mistakes. The matter was made somewhat easier, of course, by existence of the traitor within the ranks allied forces…
~Alexander Shiveran, “A Treatise on the Rise and Fall of Alquen”



Welcome to The Rise of Domrius. Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. The premise of this RP is not to win. Rather, the point is to lose with style. The battle for Gripclaw Pass was fought over a century ago. The battle is already decided. You will lose. How you lose is up to you.

So what do I need from you? Your character will be the leader of a company sent from one of the western kingdoms to hold the Gripclaw pass. To that end, naturally, I will need a bio of your character, as well as a description of the commander’s unit, including other ranking officers. You will be limited to a small number of troops, three hundred at most. You’ll have to to give some characterization to the kingdom of your unit’s origin as well. You can be close allies with another kingdom, and absolutely hate another. The threat of Alquen binds the alliance together, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the allies like each other.

The RP will be divided into two distinct phases. The first phase will be a camp phase. This phase will be for the players to meet in council, plan their strategies for the coming combat, interact, and deal with any issues that may have arisen. Commanders will hear reports from scouts and act on them, preparing for whatever Domrius will throw at them next.

The second phase, naturally, is the combat phase, whereby the commanders will put their strategies in action, and do what they can to hold back the encroaching forces of Alquen for another day. I can promise there will be surprises.

Below will be a collection of information to assist you in your endeavors, including a sample bio of a commander and unit. I’ll include a list of approved commanders and units, as well as a roster that shows the relative strength of each unit over the course of the fighting. There will also be a log of events, and a brief recap of each day’s fighting.

Before we get to that, let’s talk about the Gripclaw Pass itself. Gripclaw is the only major pass through the Borgen mountains. As such, it is the main thoroughfare for commerce and caravans to pass between Alquen and the smaller western domains. There exist a number of smaller passes, but they are only fit for foot traffic, and it would be a nightmare to get an army through one. The Alquen side of the pass has been fairly heavily enlarged and worked, allowing for passage up a paved, switchbacking route that clambers up the mountain, skirting a ridge and emptying into the pass. The western side has been less modified by the efforts of man, and the passage in and out of the pass can be treacherous, depending on the weather.

Within, the pass itself expands to about a quarter of a mile in width, allowing ample passage for traffic, as well as plenty of space for rests or impromptu encampments. Should a traveler on the pass be moving east, towards Alquen, he would find that the mountain to the north of the pass is sheer, proving difficult to scale or climb, while on the southern side, the mountain has a rather more gradual slope which is strewn with debris from the rockslides that periodically hinder passage. The main road through the pass itself is hammered earth, cutting through the center of the pass on a straight east-west line.

Samples
Name: Enric Artos
Age: 54
Affiliation: Kingdom of Daret

Appearance: An old man of middling height, Enric was a well-known general in the employ of the King of Daret. When his hair started to thin at the age of forty, Enric thought it better to shave the remainder off, and has been bald since. Beneath the bald pate is a pair of calm green eyes, set into a seamed and weathered face.

Enric is most often seen on the field in a ceremonial breastplate and light leather armor, dyed in the colors of Daret, gold and green. The breastplate is stamped with the two-headed falcon of Daret, enameled in gold leaf.

History: Enric had been a member of Daret’s military since he was a young man. He served with distinction in several skirmishes with the neighboring kingdom of Gen. Enric was never particularly loved by his men, nor was he hated. He made his name defending the Castle Daret in a six month siege, until the king returned with the bulk of Daret’s army, putting the besiegers to rout. Enric is known as a fair man, and is credited with cleaning up the Daret countryside, hunting down bandits and brigands and bringing them to justice.

Additional information: (This space can be used to detail your commander’s combat abilities, or include any additional miscellaneous information.)

Command: Enric has the smallest command of any member of the alliance. Currently retired, he came to the Gripclaw Pass of his own accord, bringing only ten retainers, men in his employ, old friends and sworn swords. His second-in-command is Dalen Teros, an old companion who served on several campaigns with Enric. His men are heavy swordsmen, with a couple of bowmen for backup.

Daret: A small kingdom nestled against the Borgen mountains, Daret can be accessed along the the trade road that heads south from the Gripclaw Pass. Noted mainly for a wealth of mineral resources, the people of Daret are employed mainly in the trades of mining and smithing. As a result of the abundance of iron in Daret’s mines, their forces favor heavy armor for both horse and infantry.

(This is just an example, feel free to expand on this as needed, or as suits your desires.)

Combat
Let’s go a bit deeper into combat then. Naturally, each commander will have different proclivities and abilities when it comes to combat. Some may fight on the frontlines with their men, while others may prefer to direct the battle from a safer distance. Once the commanders have heard the reports of the scouts spying on Domrius’ army, they will be tasked with deciding upon their strategy for the upcoming day.

This will entail selecting a specific commander to have the overall command of the defense. While individual commanders have control of their specific units, they are answerable to the day’s “supreme commander.” Whether or not you choose to listen to the supreme commander is, of course, your choice, but since this is a cooperative effort, it might not be a bad thing to consider.

In order to encourage the position to be shared amongst the players, the unit associated with the supreme commander will, at the end of the day’s combat, incur a fatigue point. A fatigued unit incurs increased casualties in combat. Fatigue can be increased by certain battlefield conditions, and decreased by others. A unit that participates in regular combat maintains its current level of fatigue. A unit held in reserve (that is, a unit that is not committed to the battle in the first line of combat), clears one point of fatigue at the end of the day.

Combat will begin with my post detailing the initial enemy array and advance. Each commander will have a chance to post, detailing the actions of their unit in defense of the assault. After a second round of posts, the combat phase will conclude, and we will move to a recovery and camp phase. Scouts and spies will move out, and then the next cycle begins.

The other important stat of note will be morale. Given the odds facing you, maintaining the morale of your troops will be a challenge. When you post your bio, please include, as a part of it, some information about how your commander interacts with his or her troops. Some commanders are loved, some are feared, and some are hated. Your unit’s morale will depend on a variety of factors, including casualties sustained, level of fatigue, and certain random factors.

The list of approved commanders will also include the current unit status, as well as unit strength and morale. The list appears below:

Commander (Player) - Unit Type (Main) - Men Remaining - Fatigue - Morale
Enric Artos of Daret (Kellehendros) - Heavy swordsmen - 0/11 - Deceased
Sayden Ka'urn of the Oramus Collective (Zephyrial) - Arcane/Support - 0/100 - Deceased
Viscount Garin "Sword of the Voiceless" Fellwalker of Gilrade (black knight 1234567) - 0/150 - Infantry - Deceased
Jakaero Corosco The Confederation of Warsmiths, Duchy of Tinsal (Ronin of Dreams) - 30/30 (49/50) - Support - Active - Concerned
Thanisgard detachment under Volrun - 0/100 - Cavalry - Deceased

Alliance forces total: 30/391

Deceased Commanders
Koros "Grey Eagle" Jarn of Asgeir
Volrun "The Wolf" Valgard of Asgeir
Kerra Brzerzin of Kulak
Sayden Ka'urn of the Oramus Collective
Viscount Garin "Sword of the Voiceless" Fellwalker
Enric Artos of Daret

Withdrawn Forces
Articis "Wandering Dragon" Fon of Je (Draycos777) - Infantry - 130/150
Trevor Arcturus "Bastion" Minx of Thanisgard (Dragonnightwolf) - 82/300 (100 left behind)
Kerra Brzerzin of Kulak (Starstruck) - Infantry - 55/217
Reynard Naise of Vorfather (Arthur) - 10/55 - Archers/Infantry
Ishia Rinchen of the Consortium of Zara (Bastet) - 12/14 - Scout
Ivis Ainsworth, hired by the United Islands of Enten (Draycos777) - 28/50 - Mercenaries
Aesa Valgard of Asgeir (TJByrum) - Infantry - 1/101

Oh, and one last item of note. One of you will be the traitor. Depending on the size of your command, your entire unit may or may not be made of up like-minded individuals. Contact me if you are interested. There will be a special set of rules particular to the traitor.

Event Table
Day 1: No event
Day 2: The gods take a hand.
Day 3: No plan survives enemy contact.



Arthur -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (8/7/2014 2:13:17)

I am interested. I'll start work as soon as I have the EC bios sorted out.



TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (9/6/2014 17:34:13)

I am interested in this, if it is still up for applications. Been gone for a few months.

EDIT: This is an interesting take on a roleplay, to see how well the players can form an actual battle strategy to defeat a similar foe.



Kellehendros -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (9/6/2014 18:43:36)

This is still active and looking for players. While the EC generally increases board traffic, it also tends to draw interest away from the main RP board itself. I still intend to run this, provided we can get some interested parties.



Tdub -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (9/6/2014 20:19:29)

I'm certainly interested, and I'll have a bio up sometime soon.



TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (9/30/2014 19:39:46)

TJByrum's Characters
Volrun 'the Wolf (of Asgeir)' Valgard
Age: 29
Appearance: Volrun is still a young man, although his face is not absent of wrinkles and tones you would find on a man in his late thirties. He has long, straight, shoulder-length, dark-brown hair with a full (but groomed) beard. He has dark blue eyes that you'd swear were pure black from a distance. His athletic body-build makes you think he'd be a Thane rather than a Huskarl, and his height nearly matches that of his towering commander, Koros
History: Volrun was born in the noble and well-known house of Valgard, famous for producing naturally-skilled warriors throughout Asgeir's history. He was taught from a very young age to become a warrior, meant to protect his village from would-be-bandits. Volrun, however, had other plans and went off to join the Keepers, a special force commissioned to guard Asgeir from conflict in times of peace. As an agent of the Keepers, Volrun honed his skills further and fought in many successful battles against Asgeir's enemies. He was a well-known Huskarl throughout Asgeir and earned the acceptance of all the good folk for his deeds as a Keeper. He volunteered to come along with Koros in order to honor the Varan legacy.
Additional Information: Volrun is strict, noble, honorable, brave, and highly-skilled - everything you could find in a typical hero. His flaw is that he is over-determined, doing whatever it takes to achieve a specific goal - no matter the cost, often conflicting with his own morals. Nevertheless, he fights for the weak and dedicates his life to serving the greater good. Volrun is, like all Valgards, a highly-skilled warrior; many people throughout Asgeir joke that the Valgards to be 'naturally-born' with warrior talent, as if they need no prior training. Whatever the case, Volrun is a highly-skilled warrior, and a valuable asset to the coalition.
UPDATED: After slaying his commander, Koros Jarn, in single combat, Volrun was promoted to the rank of commander (as per Varan tradition). The Thanes under Koros' control swore themselves to Volrun. He quickly promoted his friend, Aesa Jojora, to second-chief and adviser. Worun Nulgard, the most experienced Thane under his command, became his personal horn-blower. Earning recognition amongst the Varan, Volrun accepted the title of 'the Wolf of Asgeir', or simply 'the Wolf'. After being command of the Thanisgardian horsemen, Volrun named Markus Rader (a Thanisgardian) as Cavalry Master.

Aesa Jojora
Age: 20
Appearance: Aesa is a young woman with an average body build, though slightly shorter than most Varan. She has long blonde hair, though travel and wartime has made it mostly unkempt; she keeps it pulled back in a bun on the back of her head. She has a clear, pretty, face, and bright blue eyes.
History: Aesa is a tailor from Asgeir, born into a common family within a small town. She grew up on her family's sheep farm, where she sheered sheep for most of her life when she wasn't training with the other children. Aesa continued her family tradition and became a tailor. When Koros Jarn and Volrun Valgard marched through the countryside recruiting volunteers for the battle at Gripclaw Pass, Aesa grabbed her sword and shield and marched with them. She took a liking to Volrun and earned his trust before being promoted to second-chief and adviser by Volrun himself. Aesa co-leads the forces of the Varan with Volrun.
Additional Information: Aesa would be known for her unending courage and bravery during the conflict at Gripclaw Pass. She was a hero who inspired both the young and the experienced. For the other soldiers to see a mere sheep-herder rise to fame as she did inspired many. She is, however, against war and prefers peace and calm, a trait not shared by her allies.

Worun 'Horn Blower' Nulgard
Age: 51
Appearance:
History:
Additional Information:

Markus Rader
Age: 26
Appearance:
History:
Additional Information:

Koros 'The Grey Eagle' Jarn [DECEASED]
Koros was the 46 year old commander of the Varan forces until his death at the hands of his adviser, Volrun Valgard.
Appearance: Koros is a Varan (human race native to Asgeir). That said, Koros is a tall, stout and well-built man, like most Varan warriors hailing from Asgeir, although his height is still unnaturally tall, standing well-above most other men. He's a stern figure with an intimidating yet inspiring glare. His wrinkled skin clearly reveals his battle-worn past and his long, shaggy, grey hair atop his head and around his chin shows that this man is a survivor. He wears an expensive combination of chainmail-plated armor that keeps his vitals protected, although he dislikes wearing the full set to ensure he can still move comfortably in his old age. He carries a large tower shield and a greatsword, although he can only use one at a time, so he tends to keep his shield strung over his back.
History: Koros Jarn was a young man during the Asgeirian Civil Wars that erupted nearly two decades ago. He fought alongside many brave heroes in a force known as the 'Free Coalition', which would eventually win the war. Koros suffered a grievous leg injury in the waning years of the conflict, causing him to be less effective in open combat, but his leadership and inspiring command, as well as his thick knowledge of strategy and tactics, ensured he would have a prominent role in the rule of the new Asgerian government (the Varan Kingdom). It is no surprise that the High King would send one of his most trusted and capable generals to lead what many would call a 'suicide mission'... but perhaps this is what the old warrior wanted after all: a glorious death.
Additional Information: Koros walks with an extremely obvious limp, he cannot run, and he cannot stand for long periods of time. He most commonly rides a horse, but on feet he can support himself with his tower shield which allows him to stand longer. You'd be amazed, however, at what adrenaline can make a person do, especially someone as bold and courageous as Koros. He is slightly superstitious (like a majority of Varan), but is strangely paranoid about numbers. He was born with grey eyes; that coupled with the fact he has grey hair now has earned him the nickname 'the Grey Eagle'. The Jarn family's sigil is that of a golden eagle against a grey background (which also contributed to his nickname).



Varan Forces
The Varan force is composed of exactly 100 men: Koros, Volrun, 5 Thanes, 60 Huskarls and 30 Unproven. 15 of the Huskarls and 1 of the Unproven are women. The final 3 individuals are the cart drivers carrying a cache of weapons, armor, and supplies. Koros made doubly sure he brought exactly 100 men, and made specifically sure that at least 15 of the Huskarls were women; Volrun believes this is due to typical Varan superstition, nothing more.
Thanes (5) - Thanes are elite, loyal, capable, proven, well-educated warriors whose sole purpose is to protect the person they are assigned to with their life. Thanes are voluntarily given to the High King (or the lord of a province) at a very young age, but this act is considered honorable; typically the second-born son is given away to become a Thane. They are beaten, trained, and educated, molding them into specialized warriors with tremendous kill, intellect, and dedication. These Thanes were assigned to Koros, and naturally followed him to the battlefield - not because they were told too, but because they're expected to.
Huskarls (60) - Capable and proven warriors, usually with some connection to nobility, but really anyone who can manage to afford decent weapons and armor. Huskarls have already seen combat, and to some large-scale warfare is nothing new. They've brought their own equipment, but Koros has brought along additional weapons and armor to suit the needs for his strategy. Huskarls tend to buy shields, swords, axes, bows, and chainmail armor. A Varan lord can rely on Huskarls because they are effective, cheap to maintain, wield their own equipment, easy to find, and do not need additional training. As such, these 60 Huskarls are more than enough for Koros, especially considering other nations have joined the coalition.
Unproven (30) - Random townsfolk mustered up by Koros on the way out of Asgeir. He would have originally brought along just 60 men, but disliked the 'unlucky' number and made it an effort to recruit at least 30 more - no more, no less - ensuring he had a total of exactly 100 men.
Cart-drivers (3) - Three cart-drivers, nothing special about them. They were in charge of driving the carts carrying an assortment of armor, weapons, and other supplies. They volunteered for the service, hoping to make a decent gain by trading to the other soldiers in the coalition.



Asgeir
Asgeir is a northern realm, reminiscent of regions such as Denmark or Scandinavia. The Varan are based off of Celtic, Irish, Germanic, and Norse cultures. There's a general rule of thumb that can be heard as fast east as Alquen: "All Varan are natural-born Warriors", and it stands true to this day. Be you farmer, noble, scholar, or even housemaid, all Varan tend to grow up in harsh environments are taught to fight from a very young age. This warrior-ethos has defined their culture for thousands of years and originates from the necessity to utilize every able-bodied individual in a village to defend against attacks. To outsiders, a Varan child would often be seen as 'beaten, abused, and mistreated', but the Varan insist this is their traditional way of life.

Asgeir was once divided into dozens of smaller countries, each one ruled by its own King. It wasn't until the Borgas Clan rose up and united the entire region that the Kingdom of Asgeir was forged into existence. The Borgas' would prove to be ineffective leaders, often branded as corrupt and lazy. Their poor leadership would lead to the Asgeir Civil War, where the Borgas line would fall to the Free Coalition. Many great heroes and legends arose from the the Civil War, and the land finally saw absolute peace when the new High King, Jon Torrin, came to power. Torrin delegated power to his Earls: loyal followers who would govern specific regions of the country. To differentiate the Borgas' rule from the Torrin rule, the country became the 'Varan Kingdom'.

Each family in Asgeir is referred to as a clan, such as the Valgard Clan, the Jarn Clan, Torrin Clan, Borgas Clan, etc. Each clan has a specific set of colors and a sigil. As an example, the Valgards have a navy-blue background with a white wolf head in the center. Each Varan mother knits their child a Ki'Gar: a scarf-like piece of apparel that contains the clan colors and siigl. Ki'Gars are typically worn around the neck, much like a scarf, but may used as capes, hoods, turbans, waist-bands, and much more. A Varan is never seen without a Ki'Gar except in obvious situations (bathing, for example). To throw away, rip, tear, or burn a Ki'Gar is considered dishonorable. Lost Ki'Gars are returned to their respective clans; Ki'Gars belonging to deceased Varan are collected and returned to their respective clans as well. It is deemed unjust for anyone else to claim a Ki'Gar, and Varan will subdue or even kill others in order to reclaim a Ki'Gar. It has been said that a Varan army is a truly glorious sight as the Ki'Gars wave in the high winds of Asgeir and the sight alone is enough to demoralize the enemy or bring hope to allies.



Kellehendros -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (9/30/2014 22:06:04)

Things look pretty good to me, TJ. The only thing I'd like in addition is some information about the draftees. In you previous version you mentioned how they were outfitted. That appears to be changed now. I'd like to know a bit about how the Unproven are kitted out.



TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/1/2014 5:54:37)

If this was a full-sized army they would have all come with what they could afford or were given, but considering this is only a force of 100 men, Koros brought along some equipment to outfit them as need be. If he needed the Unproven to use pikes and light armor, that's what he'll give them; if he decides they need heavy armor, shields, and swords, that's what he'll give them. Koros is able to manage them more effectively since they're a smaller force, or at least that's my theory.

Quite generally, the Unproven would typically wield a weapon they used for self-defense in their daily life - such as a basic sword, hand-axe, or even a hunting spear or lumber axe. They would wear some sort of leather armor mixed with cloth and potential chainmail if they could afford it. Once these warriors prove they're worthy and get paid for their service, they could buy better equipment and would become Huskarls in the next conflict. I can edit that in if need be.



black knight 1234567 -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/1/2014 14:00:59)

I'm noting interest on this. Great concept.



TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/1/2014 15:30:16)

Out of curiosity, is Domrius' army reminiscent of a Roman Legion, or do you have your own ideas set in place? If you prefer not to answer so as to keep it a surprise, that is alright.

Also, are there going to be any NPC commanders that you control who fight alongside us?



Kellehendros -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/1/2014 17:39:45)

I'll be using Enric, as listed above in the examples. Depending on how many people we get, I may add a few more NPCs to the roster to fill things out a bit.

Domrius' forces are going to be pretty heterogeneous. The best example would be something akin to the Persian forces from 300. There's an army, but it's made of up many parts drawn from different places under Alquen's control.



Draycos777 -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/1/2014 23:22:36)

Oh, this looks like it'd be a lot of fun if a couple of people get on board. Mind if make a bio? Was looking to start back up RP'ing now that life is straightening back up, but EC kinda halted things here. Already got a bunch of ideas for. Can't wait to lose:P



Kellehendros -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/2/2014 7:01:19)

As I said, we're open and accepting, so feel free to throw something up for me to take a look at.

TJ, I should be able to finalize tonight on the submission. I'm jetting off to work now, so I'll get things cleared up once I've taken care of some details on my end.

Edit: Details added to first post, TJ.



Draycos777 -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/2/2014 22:42:51)

Well ok, let's start a bio shall we?

Commander: Articis Fon A.K.A The Wandering Dragon of Je

Age: 38

Affiliation: Kingdom of Je

Appearance: Articis is an average height, not being too short while not overly tall either. His short, slightly curvy, neck-length hair is black; contrasting with his yellow eyes. On the battlefield Articis is always clad in a light-weight silver metal armor suit, while off, he may wear nothing but a shirt, pants and boots. Those that know and have fought him agree that Articis' intimidation as a warrior does not come from his size, knowledge of battle or from the gleam of his weapon, but from the bloodlust that he radiates on the battlefield, as if starving wolves were released upon a sea of sheep. Yet a stranger, looking at him would only see a kind face and a goofy grin.

History: The Fon family has served the military of Je's King for many generations, and Articis was no exception. Training in his family's weapon style at a young age he was soon called into action, at the age of seventeen, when the kingdom was threaten by infighting. Using his family's famous scythe style, Articis craved a name for himself. fourteen years later, the civil war came to a close and Articis was a respected general know for his skills in combat and tactics. For the next seven years Articis helped rebuild those who's homes and villages were ravished in the fighting, as well a slew bandits that tried to take advantage of the disorder. Soon Articis received a notice telling him to mobilize toward Gripclaw Pass and help stop the advance of the Alquen force. Taking 150 of his most capable soldiers, and his two daughters, Articis set off. Yet with so few numbers, anyone from his kingdom could tell that he wasn't marching to fight seriously.

Combat: Articis always takes to the front line of battle along with his men. Using the footwork and fighting style passed on through the generations of Fons, it's seen as if Articis is dancing on a stage of death when he takes to the battlefield. His scythe style uses a mixture of spins, momentum and grapples to slash enemy ranks to shreds. Articis was given the title "Wandering Dragon of Je" due to the fact that he'll attack units seemingly at random as if wandering through the battlefield, without a reason for which unit he attacks.

Articis' weapon is a double-bladed scythe called Kuroyasha(meaning that the head has a blade on the right and left side not both ends having a blade). Both faces of the blade head have a silver western dragon embedded in it; another reason why Articis got his nickname.

Officers: Ytha(E-ta) and Rayna (Ray-na) Fon

Age: 18

Affiliation: Articis

Appearance: Being twins Ytha and Rayna's appearance side by side are almost identical. They are both short (and hate having it mentioned) with wavy, neck-length silver hair. Like Articis they have yellow eyes. However, because their specialties lie in different ways of fighting, the armor they wear can easily distinguish them apart. Ytha wears a black and purple long sleeved ninja-like attire, which covers her neck to foot, black leather boots and a cloth mouth cover, when she is on the battlefield. Rayna, on the other hand, wears a light silver breastplate with brown leather armor and boots. On each side of her breastplate is the same western dragon on Kuroyasha, colored indigo. Rayna also has two swords strapped to her waist. Off the battlefield Ytha and Rayna's clothes stand out from each other as well. Ytha looks as though you might met her at a costume party. Ytha wears black boots with black stockings and a waist-length purple that has a white fringe bottom, underneath the dress. Around the stomach is an orange ribbon that is tied in a bow at the back. On her head is a pointed black hat with a purple trim. Rayna dresses in a more serious manner, appearing in her leather armor with the exception of her breastplate.

History: During the battles of Je's civil war, while helping a village ravished by a recent attack, a twenty year old Articis came two babes; orphans of war. With the people of the village trying to rebuild their lives and with no one that he know could take them, Articis adopted the twins as his own. This was met with criticism from his parents, since picking up war orphans isn't a normal thing someone from a distinguished family does. However it was allowed after Articis played on the fact of being the only heir to the Fon family. He raised Ytha and Rayna himself for the most part, refusing to let the maids and caretakers raise the twins if it could be helped. Articis was, however due to not being blood related, forbidden from teaching them the Fon family style(at least until he became family head is was Articis heard). So when the two girls showed aptitude in warfare as they grew, Articis let them choose which style of weaponry they wished to learn. At the age of eight the two young girls began training in their respected art, filled with the dream of joining their father's side in the battles they heard stories about. Begging their teachers to take them to the sidelines of some of the battlefields Articis marched to, Ytha and Rayna grew up on the war-front. Yet, in three years the civil war ended and it seemed as though the twins would miss the chance of fighting along side their adoptive father. Another four years would pass during Ytha and Rayna's training til Articis bought them along on a march. It was nothing more then a simple group of bandits, but it would be a test of their skills. Ytha and Rayna dispatched the bandits without much difficulty, however taking another life is not an easy feat. Able to calm the storm in their hearts and minds, Ytha and Rayna became full fledged soldiers and for the next three years fought bandits and help rebuild villages beside Articis. Ytha and Rayna both march to Gripclaw Pass with Articis to help in halting the Alquen forces threatening their home.

Combat: Rayna uses twin sabers to slash through her foes. Utilizing both speed and accuracy, Rayna deals fatal or serious wounds before most of her opponents have time to react.
Ytha chose to train in hidden weaponry. As such she carries a few daggers, darts, needles and a few blow-darts for "special cases". Ytha is also trained in stealth, making guerrilla tactics her specialty.

Both Ytha and Rayna give off a similar aura of bloodlust while fighting, much like their father. Ytha has more control of this then Rayna, due to the nature of her training, making her appear much like her father when trying to seem non-threatening.

Je: A small kingdom near Gripclaw Pass. The land is dense with tree growth, with forest covering a large amount of the land. This makes guerrilla strategy fairly common. Being close to the mountainous range of Borgen means that the east of Je is filled with steep hills, making travel difficult if one is not use to traveling through such places. Because of this, many villages lie in west and north Je. Those that chose to live in the mountain region are caretakers of hardy livestock or pickers of exotic, mountain-only dwelling plants. The most noticeable feature of Je's inhabitants is their bright yellow or hazel eyes. Rumors are, Je's people are descendants of mountain cats and that they can see in the night as well. The first rumor is completely false and as for the second, they can't see at night very well at all, however they do seem to be able to make out shapes at night better then the average person. This unfortunately is enough to make most outsiders avoid them, strengthening the idea of kinship they hold close.

Unit: Because kinship is very important to the people of Je (and strengthen by the recent civil war), it would be odd for a captain to not know the men under his command unless he is a great general that leads armies of 400 or more. Articis knows many of the men in his unit by name and enjoys talking with them during camping times as well as off the battlefield. Most soldiers in Je are diversely trained so that they can quickly fall into any unit without requiring much training. The soldiers in Articis' command are specifically trained in their roles however.

Articis' unit(25):
an elite group of soldiers who keep enemies from coming behind Articis' back as he shreds away at the front lines.
15 shield and swordsman
10 pikemen


Ytha's unit(25):
elite soldiers placed under Ytha's command by Articis.
10 hidden weapon users
10 archers
5 scouts/small bomb users.


Rayna's unit(25):
elite soldiers placed under Rayna's command by Articis.
15 shield and swordsman
10 saber users


supplyline(15):
the soldiers of the supplyline go back and forth from Je to Gripclaw keeping Articis' unit supplied with weaponry and food; a 5 day trip. The soldiers of the supplyline are trained in intermediate swordplay.


Reserve(60):
The reserve is a mix of the soldiers seen above with exception to the supplyline.


"Why do you wear such odd clothing Ytha? We not headed to a ball."
"Well how else would I hide all the weapons I have on me if I didn't wear something fancy, Rayna?"
"...You still keep all of that on you just walking through a garden?"



TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/3/2014 16:44:44)

@Kell: Thanks man; just let me know if anything needs to be altered. I think I'm going to go along with the themes of 'new-vs-old' in terms of the strategy, tactics, traditions, beliefs, and practices of warfare between Koros and Volrun. I really need to get out of the father-daughter relationship storylines I've been hooked on for the past few months; that doesn't do anything but stress me out more. Can't wait to see how the varied cultures work with each other in this roleplay; it's an interesting take on roleplaying cooperation.



Kellehendros -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/4/2014 22:21:43)

Draycos, accepted, though I would appreciate if you did a grammar edit run on the bio. There are some typos and grammatical problems that cause some reading issues. Articis is going to have a bad time when his daughters die, but that's what you get for bringing your kids to a war.

I'm looking for four to start. Six would be ideal. I have one other interested party I know of, so we'll see what we get.



TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/5/2014 12:43:38)

Kell, how big of a force was you aiming to get? Right now the coalition stands at 260 (not including the NPC Armies), but I was wondering if you had a general idea of how big you wanted the force in its entirety. Secondly, I was wondering what are the different levels of 'Fatigue' and 'Morale'?



Tdub -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/5/2014 12:48:57)

I'll have a bio for this up sometime this week. I know I said "sometime soon" about a month ago, but this time I really mean it.



Kellehendros -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/5/2014 13:35:17)

TJ, I was looking for somewhere around a thousand, but I can adjust enemy numbers to deal with less player forces. It isn't a massive concern.

So far as the levels are concerned, for now I will only say that there are seven morale levels, starting at Fanatical and ending at Shattered. Units with lower morale are prone to breaking, collapsing and fleeing the field rather than heeding a commander's orders. A commander can rally a broken unit, but it will take effort to convince them to get back into the fight.

There are six fatigue levels, starting at Rested and ending at Exhausted. Units at the lower levels of fatigue will experience higher casualty rates.



TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/5/2014 17:44:00)

Thanks for that info Kell! Interesting to see our forces are not at 100% morale or fatigue. Assuming we manage to 'rest' our forces instead of going to battle, will the 'fatigue meter' begin to go back up?

quote:

The Alquen side of the pass has been fairly heavily enlarged and worked, allowing for passage up a paved, switchbacking route that clambers up the mountain, skirting a ridge and emptying into the pass. The western side has been less modified by the efforts of man, and the passage in and out of the pass can be treacherous, depending on the weather.

So by this excerpt, Domrius' army has easier access into the mountain pass? The coalition's side of the pass is, like you said, treacherous, depending on the weather - so what time of the year is it? Is it likely to rain a lot, snow, etc? Also, will both camps be on the base of the mountain(s)? In that case, both armies will have to march up and down the mountain for every day a battle is fought? Or have both camps been made in the mountain pass? Or are the camps scattered across the paths heading up into pass?

quote:

Within, the pass itself expands to about a quarter of a mile in width, allowing ample passage for traffic, as well as plenty of space for rests or impromptu encampments. Should a traveler on the pass be moving east, towards Alquen, he would find that the mountain to the north of the pass is sheer, proving difficult to scale or climb, while on the southern side, the mountain has a rather more gradual slope which is strewn with debris from the rockslides that periodically hinder passage. The main road through the pass itself is hammered earth, cutting through the center of the pass on a straight east-west line.

Are the rockslides (that periodically hinder passage) originating from the northern mountain? Is it possible that a rockslide could occur during battle, and would it be within proximity to the camps? How long would it take for someone to scale that part of the mountain, assuming one wanted to ascend on the northern one. Are the rockslides only slightly dangerous, as in only a few rocks/boulders, or does a substantial amount of rocks/boulders fall?

The battlefield, I assume, is going to be a quarter of a mile wide, but how long will it be? Another way to ask that question is: how long is the main road that is running east to west, because I assume that will be the practical center of the battle field. Or am I looking at it the wrong way (the main road is what you meant was a quarter of a mile)?

Sorry for so many questions Kell, hope you don't mind.



Kellehendros -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/5/2014 18:08:47)

TJ, I'll refer you to the Combat section of the first post for details concerning how fatigue is handled.

The alliance camp is at the western throat of the pass, giving the allies an advantage from the terrain, insofar as they are already in the pass, which will limit how many Alquen forces can attack them at once. The Alquen forces will be marching in day by day, using a string of camps on the way up the trail to the pass, and may eventually set up a camp at the eastern end of the pass, assuming they can force the allies back long enough to do so.

The season is spring, so the weather will be fair, with the occasional rain storm. Rock-slides originate from both slopes, though the deadlier ones tend to come from the northern mountain, given its sheer nature. Climbing the northern slope is possible, though it would require mountaineering gear. As for summiting the mountain, it would take a climbing team a day or so to reach the peak.

The Gripclaw Pass itself winds for about six miles from one end of the road to the other. Space is unlikely to be a concern for the alliance.



TJByrum -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/5/2014 18:19:18)

@Kell: Right on, Kell, I completely looked over the combat section when I asked, sorry. I was asking about the rockslides because I was wondering if it'd have been possible for Domrius or the alliance to utilize the rockslides to their advantage, but I won't go anymore into that.

While fighting in the mountainous/rocky terrain will be familiar for Varan forces, I think it is offset by the fact that the Spring weather is going to prove 'extra hot' for them considering they're use to the cold, wintry climate of Asgeir.



Zephyrial -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/9/2014 5:54:45)

Well! This RP looks like a lot of fun, Kellehendros - maybe even worth coming out of retirement for! I have a soft spot for battlefield RPs, I must admit.

One thing I must ask, however... Is magic unwelcome here? The lack of any mention of magic either in the brief or in anyone's bios suggests so, but I personally think that the presence of a company of battlemages livens up any battle considerably! If anyone here has ever read The Chronicles of the Raven, you'll know the kind if magic I mean. If you would prefer to keep this strictly sword and board, I'd understand, and create a bio nonetheless. But I think it would spice up the stew a little, if you catch my drift!



Kellehendros -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/9/2014 6:34:43)

While I have made no mention of magic thus far, that does not mean that magic is not welcome. A force of magic uses will be subjected to additional scrutiny (if only because magic can be a mite unbalancing in certain manifestations), but I am not against the addition of such to the allied forces. I'm not familiar with the Chronicles as mentioned, but let's see what you're considering, and we'll take it from there.



Zephyrial -> RE: The Rise of Domrius - OOC (10/9/2014 22:53:03)

Oh, excellent! I can understand the need for scrutiny - although as we're all going to die anyway, I doubt I could make them 'overpowered' in this situation even if I wanted to!

In short, battle magic (as described in the Chronicles of the Raven - good books, by the way - and as I envisage it) refers to the use of wide-area offensive and supportive spells by large numbers of mages in unison, in order to influence a large area of a battlefield. In other words, a group of mages unite their strength, and collaborate on the casting of a powerful spell. Examples from the books inclue casting a shield over a group of warriors to protect them from missiles, or casting a shower of molten rain to harass and distract the enemy. The process is slow, and the mages are vulnerable while they work. My company would probably consist of fifty battlemages, capable of being split into five groups of ten, as well as fifty warriors assigned to their protection.

Hopefully that gives you an idea of what sort of role it might play. I'll set to work on a bio post haste.



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