Sommelending Royal Guard and Guard Captain D'Val

[Winter Wolf]

Hi Guys,

I've been doing a bit of thinking about the Royal Guard. From the information I've gleened from the Chasm Of Doom, it seem that the Royal Guard cavalry are an elite multifaceted group. For example although cavalry they use longbows with a high degree of skill. This suggest that they are prehaps better described as mounted infantry.

I am a little suprised that the guard isn't made up of Sommelending knights but maybe the kings personal bodyguard is.

Which bring's me to my question how would you stat out D'Val. Just warrior levels or would you give him some advancements in Sommelending knight.

A Guard advanced class would be nice to differentiate these elite warriors. When I've finished my Captain D'Val NPC I'll post it.

 

[Silver Fox]

Personally, I would think that a few levels of Warrior to begin with (to represent the fact that he probably had to serve in a frontline unit for several years before being accepted into the ranks of the Royal Guard. Then maybe several levels of Sommerlending Knight (until an advanced Guard class is available) to represent the elite training of the Royal Guards.

Depends on how many levels you want to give him as to what mix you want, maybe 4-5 levels of warrior and another 3-4 of Sommelending Knight ?

 

[Nyxator]

The Royal Guard and Border Rangers form the Sommlending regular army, which is mantained even in peace time. They are not elite corps.

 

[Winter Wolf]

The Royal Guard and Border Rangers form the Sommlending regular army, which is mantained even in peace time. They are not elite corps.

That's interesting I didn't realise that they're Sommerlunds only regular forces. What about the other major cities I guess that they still have their garrison troops although these could be provided by militia and regular officers. This would explain how Toran fell so quickly if they had to mobilise a militia force.

Looks like I need to do some more research could you point me towards some more reading on this.

 

[SableWyvern]

As I understand it, the system is basically Feudal.

Thus, a mobilised army consists of the Royal Guard, the Border Rangers, the King's vassals, and their men.

I would guess that major cities (such as Toran) have some kind of Constabulary.

 

[Winter Wolf]

Hence the Kai being required to lead the Sommelending armies. They are probably placed in charge of the levies providing professional leadership.

It is possible to see how the Darklords attack in 5050 was able to bring Sommerlund to it's knees. They struck so quickly and with such overwhelming force that the Sommelending army was unable to mobilise. Vassals in the North that would probably answer to a lord in Toran would be left leaderless. Fire fighting 5th columnist forces such as the disguised Drakkarim that Lone Wolf encounters in Flight From The Dark. With the Kai destroyed, the only force that could have reached these forces and draw them together, things look real bad.

Perhaps Prince Pelathar was defending the Bridge to allow vassal warriors to be mobilised for the defence of Holmguard as well as the evacuation of civilians.

Perhaps the structure of the Sommelending army altered after 5050....

 

[Nyxator]

Looks like I need to do some more research could you point me towards some more reading on this.

Pages 60 and 61 of the "Magnamund Companion" are dedicated to the Sommlending army.
I'm sure that major cities are defended by some sort of militia. For instance, the baron of Ruanon mantains a charge (=200 men) of Men-at-Arms to defend the mines.

In war time, each Knight of the Realm supplies a charge of retainers. Several charges form a cassel, under the command of a baron. Three to five cassels form an army. The Kai Lords form a cassel, too, while Kai Masters are placed in command of the armies. Brotherhood mages specialized in battle magic are attached to a cassel, where they help and act as advisors.

 

[Winter Wolf]

Thanks Nyxator,

I never did pickup the MC, I was just at that age when I was a bit too grown up for it.

The info is very useful thanks again.

 

[Holmes]

Thanks Nyxator,

I never did pickup the MC, I was just at that age when I was a bit too grown up for it.
.

I pretty much run my campaign using a combination of the Magnamund Companion and the Core Rules, and the gamebooks themselves for specific descriptions of individual locales. However, a lot of the information from the Companion is in the Core Rulebook, and Darklands supplements I've noted, so it's probably not a big deal picking up a copy if you can't find one cheap.

For instance, I was running the descriptions of the different Giak tribes in the first few sessions (mostly as 'flavor'), and noted - to my delight - that specific game rules for each of the tribes is in the Darklands.

 

[Winter Wolf]

Thanks for the info Holmes. I feel a bit better about having missed the MC now.

So what we need now is a gazetter for Sommelund and most of the remaining info should end up in that.