Isle of Guardians

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This article is about Isle of Guardian. For other uses, see Guardians (disambiguation).

Contents

Isle of Guardians

Leadership: Duke Aaric Barca

Coat of Arms: The Guardian coat of arms is a black lion rampant on a crimson field, flanked by swords in silver. Above is a line of dark grey set with three silver crowns.

Map: Map of Guardian

Construction: Homes are built of stone, most often roofed with slate to avoid sparks from forges, though poorer families may have thatch roofs. Even furniture is usually made of stone and wrought iron, as wood is scarce. Windows, left open in good weather, may be covered by flaps of hide stretched thin in bad. Cities are well-fortified if of any age, though newer cities are not quite as strongly defended.

Decoration: Tapestries, cushions, and carpets in bright colors warm the hard homes, colors echoed in the festive wear of the citizens, though they often dress in darker, more muted colors for regular duties.

Heating: Warmth comes from coal or peat more often than wood due to the easy availability of the former and the rarity and high cost of the latter.

Baronies and Lordships

Smithfield

Smithfield is located along the interior of the island, though not as far inland as Dun Artan. While the terrain is mountainous and extremely rocky, only a few of the mountains in Smithfield rise above the treeline, leaving most of them populated by scrub pine. The main products are iron, coal, lead, and copper, with rare veins of silver and gold. Because the latter are not highly useful, and Guardian gets most of its profits for smithing from the former, gold and silver are not heavily mined. They're generally seen as a sort of 'security deposit' for future emergencies, though it's a short-sighted view considering how long it takes to get mines set up. While some mining is done in traditional, older manners of digging into mountains and caves through shafts, there is also some strip mining closer to the interior where the mountains are rockier. However, because of the lack of technology like bulldozers, strip mining is rarely considered economical.

The smiths of Smithfield are the masters of the craft, and highly respected. Just as in ancient Norse, Celtic, and other societies, blacksmiths are sacrosanct. They are granted great respect, as the last person you want to piss off is the man who makes the weapon you use to protect your life. Also, as the major exporters and producers of Guardian, they are often the wealthy. While the nobility with hereditary wealth may produce more warriors, the poor families of Guardian are far more likely to be involved in smithing or mining where they can earn a better profit. After all, anyone can be taught to fight, but not everyone has access to the minerals, trade secrets, and family traditions of the smiths.

The people of Smithfield are stereotypically gentle giants, wise smiths who take care of their people. They are some of the more ‘civilized’ denizens of Guardian, and the barony itself has always been closely allied with the ruling family, often being held by a Barca relative. (Think of Roman towns on barbarian borders)

Baron: Cael Kilgannon


Caerdach

Located on the point of Guardian closest to Gateway, the barony of Caerdach is little more than the Barca seat of power, consisting of the cliff on which the hereditary castle sits, a few tracts of land around it, and the city and port of Gwencalon below. Because of the high, sheer cliff face, the port itself is ideal for deep-water vessels. Some of the area on the clifftop near the castle is planted with olive trees, sculpted and twisted by centuries of wind off the water into fantastic shapes.

The few leagues of land around Caerdach, aside from the windswept cliff itself, are covered in thick pine forests. Difficult to navigate, they are nonetheless home to deer and boar in quantity enough to supplement the difficulty of raising domesticated cattle on Guardian. However, this benefit is moderated by the fact that, unlike domesticated animals, each kill must be hunted down.

The people of Caerdach are the merchants of Guardian, the most civilized of its people and those who interface most easily with citizens of the other isles. Still, they maintain their isle’s reputation, and are rumored to be the wrong merchants to double-cross if you don’t like the idea of a knife in your back. (Think Roman)

Baroness: Linette Barca

Crucible

Located on the coastal side of the island away from Gateway, Crucible Barony consists largely of wide, flat basalt beaches and the beginnings of a few arid plains caught behind the rain shadow of the mountains before the hills of Smithfield and Dun Artan take over. Crucible deals primarily in specialized military forces (cavalry, archers and marine/naval training), flint, stone, some ores, and horses. They have a prominent presence in the mercantile community, as all foreign trade passes through Sentinel Spire.

The people of Crucible are stereotypically garrulous storytellers, magicians, acrobats, and jugglers who are master sailors and the most genial people on the isle. While citizens of other baronies may be seen as dangerous, the men and women of Crucible bear their fighting prowess with the grace and elegance of the artists they so often become. (Think Celtic.)

Baron: Eamonn Kilgannon

Dun Artan

Crest of Dun Artan
Crest of Dun Artan

Located in the mountainous interior of Guardian, the barony of Dun Artan has traditionally been a thorn in the side of the isle's dukes. The numerous small pockets, valleys, caves, and mountain passes make it the ideal place for anyone in trouble (and there's plenty of trouble to get into on Guardian!) to hide out. Dun Artan produces some of the deadliest warriors on the Isle, but their main economic produce is the stone quarried from the hillsides of their rocky homes. The fortress of Caer Cathartha, a heavily fortified mountain fastness meant originally for use as a base for summer inquests into the interior to beat down the rebels who periodically rise up to cause trouble, provides protection and shelter from the harsh weather of the region.

A few lords of Dun Artan have managed to cultivate a strain of mountain ponies, though they are much more useful as cart-horses for the mines than anything else, sure-footed and small. Any warrior of Guardian riding a Dun Artan pony is likely to be laughed back to the barracks, and it's often mused that they must have bred the original creatures with goats, as Green Fields has never produced such a scrubby creature.

The few forests and high rocky cliffs of Dun Artan are home to some of Guardian's more dangerous fauna, above and beyond the rebels. Bears and mountain lions make dangerous prey even for the experienced hunter, but a kill brings great respect, and an impressive pelt to keep warm in the cold mountain winters.

The people of Dun Artan are some of the most warlike on the isle, clinging to a warrior tradition older, it is thought by some, than the isle itself. Far more personal and less interested in the military tradition of fighting as a unit, rumors abound that some of the men of Dun Artan have inherited the tendencies of their berserker ancestors. (Think Anglo-Saxon)

Baron: Ragnar Magnus Absalon

Trebachas

The closest Guardian comes to an agricultural area, Trebachas pales in comparison to any place actually intended to grow things. Any agricultural value in the area comes from centuries of work terraforming and importing soils and fertilizers, all to little avail. It seems as though the land is determined to reject softening influences. Marshy near the sea, the salty estuaries discourage the growth of anything but reeds and weeds, and render the land useless for acres around it. Some hardy farmers insist on growing wheat, though it is generally of poor quality and used for the production of Warrior's Milk rather than food.

The reeds of the marshes are often used to make baskets, which can range from simple utilitarian affairs used by warriors, smiths, and farmers alike for everyday purposes, to ornate, patterned pieces that are more works of art than anything else. The plethora of bird species in the marches provide the majority of the protein in the diets of the people of Trebachas, though just as with the deer and boar in Caerdach, they must be hunted before they can be eaten.

There is a small area in Trebachas on the banks of the river that runs through it where the salt of the marshy estuaries has not ruined the land. Here the inhabitants are able to grow a few crops, though they are predominantly root vegetables and mushrooms. Because of the difficulty of growing things on Guardian, it is often more economical for the population to simply import more plentiful produce from Green Fields, though those who are able will spare themselves the expense of buying produce by planting it. It's rare, however, that Guardian produce sees its way beyond simple barter to the next farm over, due to simple economies of scale.

The hillsides of the interior of Trebachas are home to groves of olive trees, hardy varieties requiring little from their soil, but prone to bad years when the winters get too cold for fruiting. Those areas of hillside not used for olive groves are populated by small herds of hardy goats. The major artisans in Trebachas are the leather-workers, some of whom have recently attempted to import their own cattle. While the animals seem to be doing all right, most of their feed has to be imported. Because of the plains in Trebachas, the barony has suffered more than others from the occasional outbreaks of infighting on the island, as it makes such a convenient battlefield.

The capital of Trebachas is Ter Girade, the sight of the decisive battle which placed the Barcas in control of the island.

The people of Trebachas are the closest the isle has to farmers, though in truth, most of them are little more than skillful foragers and herders scratching out a bare living from a hard land. Often seen as a bit fey by their more straightforward fellow citizens, they are most prone to producing master tactitians and are the source of Guardian’s brightest minds, thinking in ways others cannot hope to follow. (Think Welsh/Pictish)

Baron: Jenoch Morien

Life on Guardian

Trade on Guardian

Guardian’s main produce is ore and the finished products of that ore created by its smiths. Intricately tooled leather, salt, stone, and various gemstones also add to the exports, along with the services of its trained bodyguards. Imports include 75% of necessary foodstuffs and textiles, as well as animals such as warhorses, draft horses, and oxen. Potions and draughts for healing and strengthening steel and leather are also important.

Justice on Guardian

Justice on Guardian is handled on an informal basis, adapted to the crime and the area in which it occurs. Minor crimes such as petty theft are often handled by the village mayor, who is the most talented smith in most towns, though it may be any well-respected member of the community who everyone can agree to respect.

Most justice is honor-based, and punishment for smaller crimes is either physical, ranging from lashings to forced labor in the mines, or wergild, taking the form of payments made to the injured family either in goods or coin. Stocks are occasionally used, as honor is paramount.

For more serious crimes, the village may choose to wait for the arrival of an itinerant judge. These judges are nobles, and often military officers, who travel from village to village to sit judgement over and lend authority to serious cases. The accused represents himself, while suits are brought by the victim or the victim's family. There is no such thing as a suit brought by the state. The arrival of a judge and the even of a trial are often occasions for celebration and festival, as they bring not only answers to the problems of the village and a chance to send messages to the Duke, but news of the rest of the isle.

In the case of a very serious crime, death may be sentenced, and in these instances the accused has the right to request trial by combat, though they may not choose a champion.

The ultimate punishment is indentured servitude, and the shame of having served as a virtual slave will follow the punished for most of their life.

Ceremonies on Guardian

Marriages are an excuse for a party, and are usually celebrated by the couple joining before the village forge and being blessed by the head of the smithy guild in that town. Vows of honor and protection of each other are sworn, and a twisted bar of metal is wound around the joined hands in a double-cuff that takes some careful maneuvering to get out of. (Imagine a pair of cuff bracelets, fused together) Many couples display their marriage cuff over the door of their cottage – and if divorce happens, the couple must take the cuff to the smith to have it broken apart.

Noble marriages are blessed by the ruling Lord or Baron of the area, or by the Duke if of high enough rank. It has been said that the Duke himself has performed commoner weddings if he was passing through the village at the time of the event. Such weddings are considered blessed with good fortune.

In some families and some parts of the duchy, the people cling to older traditions. In these cases, the prospective groom and his family are required to fight the bride’s family (and sometimes the bride herself!) for the right to marry her. In theory, these battles result in little more than bruises and bumps, and perhaps a few broken bones to laugh off in the years to come, though more seriously injuries have been known to occur, particularly between families with a long history of conflict. It is considered proper for both families to agree to the custom prior to the wedding, and failure to communicate in this manner is the most common cause of serious injuries.

Burials are done in catacombs. Old, played out mines are turned into burial chambers for the common folk while nobles tend to have chambers hewn out of the stone beneath their manors. Bodies are not planted in dirt . If they are not able to be placed in the stone, then they are burned and scattered to the winds. An especially revengeful way to deal with the dead would be to leave the body out for the scavengers to pick at. It is said that one of the warlords of Dun Artan used to hang his enemies’ bodies from the cliffs below his castle for the carrion birds to devour.

Holidays of Guardian

Vocannon’s Day: Celebrated in late February, when the winter snows begin to melt, Vocannon’s Day is a celebration to honor the spirits of forge and flame. The day before, all forge fires (and in particularly smith-heavy areas of Guardian, all fires period) are put out and left dark, to be ceremonially relit during the celebration. Contests of smithing and metallurgy are common, as are displays of smith artwork.

Trident’s Run: Celebrated in April, Trident’s Run is the celebration of the fish run as salmon and others return upriver to spawn. Nets and fishwheels are used for the functional fishing, while many of the warriors or professional fishermen will show off their skills by spearing the fish in mid-leap. After the fishing, there is a mass picnic on the riverbanks.

The Day of Becoming: Celebrated at the spring equinox, the Day of Becoming is the day on which girls and boys become young men and women. Girls who have begun to menstruate since the last celebration dance around a maypole wearing white dresses with red sashes, throwing the sashes upon bonfire flames when they finish and declaring themselves women – and eligible. Boys who have reached the age of fifteen are given a ceremonial cut above their hearts, bleeding into a cup whose contents are poured on the flames. Afterwards, some may pair off and finish initiating themselves, while others remain for challenges between men and women, though the latter are just as likely to end in the same manner.

Tel Girade: A celebration of the Barca victory over the isle and their ascent to the ducal seat, named after the vale where the decisive victory took place. Every year on July 23rd, parades, tournaments, and competitions take place all over the isle, though they are centered at the Barca seat of power at the Caerdach castle above Gwencalon. Victors during the Tel Girade tournaments are often richly rewarded.

Unification Day: Celebrated in August, Unification Day memorializes the day on which the Barca ruler laid down arms before the Emperor. Each year, the ruling Duke reenacts the ceremony, reaffirming the commitment of Guardian Isle and the Barca family to the Keeper.

Battle of the Beasts: Held the first of November each year, the Battle of the Beasts is as much practical as celebratory. On this day, hunts take place all over the Isle for whatever game is available, weeding out the population before winter sets in. Feasts of meat are common at this time, and boar, bear, and mountain lions are coveted prey for the most skilled of hunters.

Ancestor’s Day: Held on winter solstice every year, Ancestor’s Day is a day to honor the family dead. While in theory, it is a solemn occasion, involving altars of remembrance, in practice it often becomes a yearly wake where people tell stories of ancestors and friends who have fallen honorably, boasting, bragging, and bringing them to life again.

The Military of Guardian

Types of troop

  • INFANTRY: About 60 percent of the Army. They train with javelins, but mainly with gladius (shortswords).
  • ARCHERS: About 30 percent of the Army. Their main weapon is long bow, but they do train with gladius as well, enabling them to act as light infantry in battle.
  • CAVALRY: About 10 percent of the Army. They have lances for charge and cavalry sabers for close combat.
  • MARINES: Infantry and Archers assigned to ships. All trained units receive at least some familiarity with shipboard combat, but some units of the career army specialise in it.

Uniforms and weaponry of each type

The basic uniform is the same for all troop types (maybe a border of different color to distinquish speciality?). Summer: tunic, sandals, light cloak (color depends on legion) Winter: tunic, woolen trousers and shirt, boots and heavy cloak

Weaponry

  • INFANTRY
    • Armor: a plumed helmet, a lorica segmentata (banded mail) and a 'skirt' of hard leather strips reinforced with studs. During war/action, add a vambrance (arm guard) on sword arm and a greave (shin guard) on shield leg.
    • Shield: a round buckler (during peace, diam. 1 foot) or a scutum (during war/action, 4.5' by 2' rectangular)
    • Weapons: a gladius (shortsword) and a dagger. During war/action, add two pila (javelins)
  • ARCHERS
    • Armor: a plumed helmet, a studded leather 'skirt' and a cuirbouli (hard, boiled leather) cuirass. Also a bracer (wrist guard) on left (bowholding) arm. During war/action, add a vambrance (arm guard) on sword arm and a greave (shin guard) on shield leg.
    • Shield: a round buckler (during peace, diam. 1 foot) or a scutum (during war/action, 4.5' by 2' rectangular). Archers' scuta have a (detachable) spike in the bottom, allowing them to just jam the shield into the turf and then use it for cover while they shoot.
    • Weapons: a long bow, a gladius (shortsword) and a dagger
  • CAVALRY
    • Armor: a plumed helmet, a studded leather 'skirt' and a lorica segmentata (banded mail). During war/action, add a vambrance (arm guard) on sword arm and greaves (shin guards).
    • Shield: a round buckler (during peace, diam. 1 foot) or a kite shield (during war/action, norman shield, long teardrop shaped).
    • Weapons: a cavalry saber and a dagger. During war/action, add a lance.
  • MARINES
    • Marine Infantry: Like infantry, but armor is cuirbouli cuirass (easier to swim)
    • Marine Archers: Like archers, but scuta are usually lashed to the railing rather than nailed to the deck.


Size and organization of military units (numbers, ranks, etc.)

  • Decuria (squad): 8 legionaries (privates, hereafter L), 1 optio (corporal, hereafter O) and 1 decurion (sergeant, hereafter D): Total: 10 men
  • Centuria (company): 10 decurias, which means 80 L + 10 O + 10 D, led by a centurion primus (or senior, captain, hereafter C1), who is assisted by a centurion secundus (or junior, lieutenant, hereafter C2). Total: 102 men
  • Cohort (battalion): 3 centurias, so 240 L + 30 O + 30 D + 3 C2+ 3 C1, led by tribune (major, hereafter T). Total: 307 men
  • Legion (regiment): 3 cohorts + 1 praetorian (elite) centuria, so 800 L + 100 O + 100 D + 10 C2 + 10 C1 + 3 T, led by a legate (colonel). Total: 1024 men.
  • Army: any collection of forces larger than a legion, basically. Led by a general.

Here are a few 'charts' to confuse you more:

  1. of X in decuria / centuria / cohort / legion

Decuria: 1 / 10 / 30 / 100 Centuria: - / 1 / 3 / 10 Cohort: - / - / 1 / 3 Legion is 3 cohorts and one (elite) centuria.

  1. of X in decuria / centuria / cohort / legion

Legionaire: 8 / 80 / 240 / 800 Optio: 1 / 10 / 30 / 100 Decurion: 1 / 10 / 30 / 100 Centurion Secundus: - / 1 / 3 / 10 Centurion Primus: - / 1 / 3 / 10 Tribune: - / - / 1 / 3 Legate: - / - / - / 1 Total number of men: 10 / 102 / 307 / 1024

Ratio of nobles to commoners

The nobles are by necessity outnumbered heavily in the professional Army, about 50:1. While the nobles do participate in basic training, they are groomed as future officers. They occupy the officer corps and hold the majority of the higher ranks, as the following estimation shows.

  • Centurion Secundus: 40% Nobles, 60% Commoners
  • Centurion Primus: 40% Nobles, 60% Commoners
  • Tribune: 80% Nobles, 20% Commoners
  • Legate: 90% Nobles, 10% Commoners

Standing Army

  • 4 career legions
  • 1 auxiliary legion (on duty 2 months / year)
  • 5120 men altogether

In Training

  • 2 Novice Legions (people going through the 3-years voluntary military training)
  • 2 Basic Training Legions (people going through the 6-months mandatory basic training)
  • about 4000 + trainers (496)

Off-Duty

(these people would practice one weekend / month with extended practice of a week during one month of the year)

  • 5 auxiliary legions (during their 10 month break, no week-long training since they have 2 months on duty anyway!)
  • 46 000 reservists (of which about 9000 have had the voluntary 3-years training, but decided to go to Reserves)

Career Path

  • Basic Training: 6 months, mandatory. Go to 2.
  • Choose: join Reserves or take 3-years military training to become a Warrior.
    • Reserves: You are done. Remember to practice one weekend per month and come to the week-long Gathering to meet your army pals each year.
    • 3-years military training: So you want to be a Legionaire! You train hard for 3 years and then choose again.
  • Do you think you have what it takes or are you nostalgic about becoming a civilian again? Choose: join the Reserves (Go to 5a), join the Auxiliary Legions (Go to 5b) or join the Career Legions (Go to 5c).
    • Reserves: Go to 3a, but older and more experienced. You are a warrior.
    • Auxiliary Legion: The best of both worlds! You are on duty 2 months per year for the next 15 years, and train one weekend per month during the rest 10 months. You are doing your part to make the World a safe place to live for your family!
    • Career Legion: You are the best of the best, a true dedicated Hero! You devote your life to training for the day when your skills are needed to fight the demons. Meanwhile, you make sure that the bandits and rebels won't get uppity. At the end of the 15 years of service, you will be able to retire with honors, showered with gifts!
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