Klockwork Army

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The Klockwork Army is an amalgamation of humans, dwarves, a few elves, and even some Seleventi who have banded under the banner of the Klockwork Master. (Meaning they started small then grew as his concepts on how the Empire 'should' be and 'how' to fix it, meshed with their thinking.) Additionally, the dwarven contingent, along with the Klockwork Master's own knowledge of smithing, have come up with a derivation of the classic golem -- golems made from metal and stone and wood infused with rune magic from two separate gifts: Geomancy and the Druidic form of the Seventh Gift. Many of the Klockwork Master's army have even taken to the concept of forging suits of armor and weapons akin to the newly created golems. These special 'shock troops' are fanatical in the extreme and in some ways their psyches have been twisted by the combination of magics, runes, and metal. These special troops are called 'The Pendulum.'

Klockwork magic does not mean that the technology rules of the setting can be broken. If you couldn't do it before you can't do it now. Gunpowder, lasers, radios, computers, cyborgs, robots, walkie-talkies, rockets, cars, airplanes and other electronic/motorized items will not work in Lyran Tal. Pulleys, winches, cogs, and so on, howeiver, would work with or without the Klockwork Army.

Soldier's Oath: To protect and preserve.

Code of Conduct: A Soldier of the Klockwork Army shall follow the laws of the land without sway. The protection of the law-abiding citizens of all lands within the Empire is his primary duty and, knowing that the law is in place to serve peace and order, will carry out his duty with clear purpose and intent. Klockwork Soldiers are held to the same legal standards as members of the citizenry. Suspects are tried according to the local laws where the crime was committed and face the same punishment.

Code of Loyalty: A Soldier shall protect and preserve all subjects and lands of the Empire. The orders of the Master, who embodies the support and stability of the Empire, shall be carried out to the best of a Soldier's ability and strength of will. As the hands of the Master, the General, Captains, and Barons shall not be contradicted by a Soldier's actions, and in turn they will not contradict the laws of the Empire. The Empire and its lawful citizens are every concern in every decision to the exclusion of all else.

Structure/Ranks:

The Klockwork Master (deceased)
Ruler of the Klockwork Empire, little is known about this enigmatic woman, whose actual gender was revealed at her funeral procession.

The Inner Circle of the Klockwork Master
(Members of this group are in charge of splinter groups such as the Gears, the Broken Ring, etc. However those groups are not officially part of the army.)

General: Yashkara Steelclaw
(Banished from Shadokhan, 8 Sunshare 1276) The head of the Klockwork Army who oversees most of the Captains. She manages Fort Ubolutiin (in Shadokhan) and reports directly to the Klockwork Master. Yashkara is a gnoll in her 40's.

 

 

Captain: There were at one time twelve Captains in the Klockwork Army who served at home and abroad, each leading a regiment of their own. Eight Captains divided both Shadokhan and Luminii into four cardinal directions, each working outside of a highly populated town or city. A regiment in Thermador worked out of Wadi Medani, another fought the undead in Balthazor, and the remaining two led the Silver Moon Hunters and the Pendulum respectively. Following is a list of the captains and which areas they were assigned to:

• Pendulum: Donatto Perlai (whereabouts unknown)
• Silver Moon Hunters: Vanskelig Dod
• Shadokhan East/Sturrbiths: Raphael Dolek (rebelled and became Steward of Dreven)
• Shadokhan North/Arborian Border: ????
• Shadokhan West/West Coast: ????
• Shadokhan South/South Coast: Nina Salomae (whereabouts unknown)
• Luminii North/Thermador Border/Saelegh Plains: Truin(whereabouts unknown)
• Luminii West/Sturrbiths: Willis Hale (whereabouts unknown)
• Luminii East/Borderlands/Wantlokin: Reginald Voslow (whereabouts unknown)
• Luminii South/Pearl Coast: Eli Walsh (deceased)
• Thermador: Shieh Sioriin (last seen courting Aslin Dreven, 1275)
• Balthazor/Thermador West Border: Tharius (whereabouts unknown, last seen in the desert, building his own tribe)

Baron: Barons/Baronesses own the land and were given small keeps, towers, and towns to rule over (i.e. Baron Rufus Rennington of Vinoricco). This is very similar to how Emperor Tumian had arranged the Empire. They were basically landed nobles who run the smaller sections that make up the regions, and linked to Luminii, Shadokhan, parts of southern Thermador and eastern Arboria). Each supervised a company of their own and organized Soldiers into smaller units. 'Senior' Soldiers in leadership roles take charge of tasks, raids, etc.

 

Soldier: The vast majority of the Klockwork Army holds the same rank, with each member serving as he is assigned for a specified amount of time before being reorganized by his superiors. These ranks are actually titleless and Soldiers are often simply called by their last names. Soldiers are usually put in positions of leadership based primarily on their fitness for the situation and it is at the discretion of the individual Baron, but the rank is no different. The purpose of this arrangement is to foster a sense of formulated cooperation, where each Soldier's contributions are considered equal to the next. This reflects the Klockwork Army's populist support of the strength of the group over that of the individual. It also represents the Klockwork Master's secret ideal view of the world as a clock whose interlocking parts move in efficient order.

The ranks of the Klockwork Army are not a measure of wealth although they can be a measure of influence. All soldiers affiliated with the Klockwork Army are paid an equal center-class salary scaled to the cost of living at their station. In the case of Barons, who are often already landed nobles, their salary is usually a pittance by comparison.

At its height, the general size of the Klockwork Army was 50,000, not including golems and constructs. Those members who wear leather wear armor that is all black with a red stripe from the base of the neck to the wrist, then from hip to ankle (or boot top, as the case may be).

Training:

There were once recruiting stations throughout the Empire where volunteers were handled and recruits assigned to their duties anywhere within the region. Over six cycles, the Klockwork Soldiers were drilled in combat, both weapon and hand-to-hand, underwent endurance training, and were educated in the extent of local and regional laws as well as over 70 years of Imperial history.

Over time, throughout their training, Soldiers were given simple assignments within the Army to ease them into full duty (farming, carpentry, medicine, smithing, etc) and they only experienced the threat of combat at the end. This regimen of education created a force of Soldiers that could easily replace each other at a moment's notice and handle a variety of tasks other than combat if needed.

Upon leaving training, Soldiers could volunteer for or were assigned to one of several fields of training. These primary fields usually determine the fitness of a candidate for further placement.

Some Placement Fields:

• Footmen (Infantry)
• Mounted Troops (Cavalry
• Civil Guard (Police
• Investigative Affairs (Spies and Military Investigators
• Corps of Surveyors (Engineers and Siege Planners and Operators
• Forester Corps (Rangers/Scouts

Training continues throughout the Soldier's career to increase his knowledge and refine his abilities.

Soldiers who display a unique aptitude and set of skills can be chosen to enter groups affiliated with the Klockwork Army but not in the direct chain of command or purview of the General of the Klockwork Army.

These Affiliated Groups Are:

Gears: Mages, tinkers, and smiths whose focus is building the magical creatures, equipment, and artifacts of the Klockwork Army.

 

 

 

Silver Moon Hunters: Soldiers trained to track down and convert the remnants of Tumian Dreven's supporters. Their creed is: "Develop, assist, and execute the assimilation of the former soldiers of the defeated Emperor Tumian Dreven, The Silver Moon Knights, into productive and law-abiding citizens of the Klockmaster Empire."

If statistics were given, and of course they are not, it would be clear that by the time a Silver Moon Knight's name appears on the Hunter's list, his chance for redemption is slim. There is a common joke among the Hunters: as a Knight faces his death the Hunters will ask, "Do you wish to live and swear allegiance to the Klockwork Master?" Then laugh, not wait for an answer, and kill him anyway. But in reality most Knights have made the choice themselves long ago. The Silver Moon Knights that run do not ask for redemption. Both the Silver Moon Knight Hunters and the Broken Ring fall under the command of Lord Komar Royz.

Broken Ring: The purpose of the Broken Ring is to hunt down and secure the allegiance of the Followers of Nostrella. Those who give up their goddess and swear loyalty to the Klockwork Master are allowed to live and join the Empire as productive citizens. Those who resist are executed as traitors.

 

 

Mage Auxiliary: Mages from abroad and the magic schools of Dreven who offer aid in battle and fight alongside the Klockwork Army.

 

 

 

Pendulum: From the numbers of the most skilled and loyal Soldiers in the Klockwork Army, the Pendulum are chosen to serve as 'shock troopers' and bodyguards to the Klockwork Master and his Inner Circle. Wearing enchanted armor based on the magics of the Constructs, they are the most fearsome warriors in the Klockwork Army. Their creed is: To be better. (Better soldiers, and through the use of metal magic, better creations. The Pendulum are powerful, fearless, and effective. This sense of invincibility has made them that much more dangerous.)

The Pendulum are soldiers chosen for their dedication to the Klockwork Army and are highly trained. They are the hand of the Klockwork Master, striking with deadly efficiency at strategic points and often being more than enough to turn the tide of battle. While the Pendulum are reserved almost exclusively for war, they have, in special circumstances, assissted Barons with particular need, especially along the Balthazor front to keep the undead at bay.

About 2-3% of the Klockwork Army were Pendulum, with their numbers kept small by the necessary maintenance of equipment. All Pendulum soldiers are outfitted for battle in magically animated armor with a blend of geomantic and druidic (animantic) runes that range in form from simple full plate to great masses of metal resembing the bodies of war golems. As a Pendulum soldier trains with a specific form of armor, it becomes a natural extension of his body, although varying types require separate training.

Their leader is Captain Donatto Perlai.

The Heartstone: A Pendulum soldier's ability with his armor is thanks to a runestone known as the "heartstone." Worn at most times, it attunes itself to the spirit of the user, allowing access to its geomantic enchantments with but a thought. Without the heartstone, the lighter armor becomes heavy, the heavier armor becomes a cage.

Some Pendulum soldiers with great experience are sure to travel with the control rods or devices that allow their armor to move independently, but less effectively.

Notable Klockwork Characters

(Click on a name to go to the character's Who's Who entry.)

Ranks | Training | Forts | Notable Characters