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Egard Roth and his men had crawled to the top of the ridge. He had told his men to remember that they, the legions, were just as good warriors as the knights. Now this was their chance to prove it. Egard peered though the undergrowth at the top of the ridge, looking for any tell-tale signs of the zughru. His scouts had told him there were a number of zughru positions in the scrub. Behind a bush he saw what appeared to be movement. One of the giants, not very well hidden. He ordered the troopers to his left and his right to Light Flamelances. Along the line, flickering orange flames appeared at the ends of the trooper's weapons.
"Charge Men!", he shouted.
At once, his well-disciplined troops burst out from cover and raced down the hill. No enemy fire met them. They had achieved surprise! Egard aimed his flamelance at the giant zughru he had seen. The gout of flame from his weapon stuck the enemy, who fell to the ground in flames. He fired again at a second zughru, one of the smaller ones this time, who was aiming a stone gun at him. This zughru also fell as his stone gun exploded in the flames.
Egard heard some loud cracks of stone guns as the zughru returned fire. He looked to both sides to see that two or three of his men had fallen. Many more zughru lay motionless on the ground. Another loud crack of a stone gun, and Egard felt a stinging pain in his leg and hip. He glanced at his leg to see it reduced to a mass of blood. He fell to the ground, dropping his flamelance, which went out.
The elite soldiers of the kandar cities are the Legions. The Legions trace their history back to the Second Empire, and their first emperor, Kalan. He was a born leader, and a military genius. His vision was of all kandar united under one ruler, an end to centuries of anarchy. His chosen instruments were the Legions.
During the Wars of Reunification, as historians later called them, neither the highly individualistic kandar knights of the local rulers, or the disorganised rabbles of the many petty warlords were any match for Kalan's highly disciplined troops. After seventeen years, all kandar cities were in Kalan's hands. He proclaimed himself Kalan XI of the Kandar Empire. (Kalan X was the last emperor before the Times of Darkness). During his reign, order was enforced by the legions, who mercilessly crushed any rebellions.
When the second empire finally disintegrated, the legions were officially disbanded, but most of the soldiers joined the armies of the newly independent city states, which now numbered more than twenty. Most of the traditions of the legions were retained by these new armies. When the kandar world was re-united in the Third Empire, the legions were reformed along similar lines to those of the second empire, except that now one or two legions contained human soldiers as well as kandar.
Since Karmork and the northern cities left the Empire, their legions passed to the newly-independent nations. Four legions (the Second, Third, Fourth and Sixth) remain loyal to the rump empire in the south. Two legions, the First and the Seventh now form the core of the army of Karmork, and are now much larger than any other legion. The Eighth Legion belongs to Narylar, while the Fifth Legion is now divided between Filgeth and Calbeyn. To all intents and purposes, the Fifth is now two separate organisations, but the title "Fifth Legion" is still officially used.
The Eighth Legion and the half of the Fifth Legion based in Calbeyn now accept humans into their ranks, but all other legions are kandar only. The legions take people from any background, and promotion tends to be on merit rather than social rank, at least most of the time.
The Vulzavayr is the supreme military commander. Only the Konaic Empire and the Vohrleyn empire now retain this rank.
A Urileyr commands a full legion. The size of a legion now varies, from the 1000 men of the two halves of the Fifth Legion, to nearly 5000 in the two Karmork legions. He is assisted by two Nir- Urileyrs, who are second or third in command of the legion. Because of their larger size, the two Karmork legions have four Nir-Urileyrs each.
A Tavonoleyr commands a Tavinol of 150-250 men, assisted by two Nir-Tavonoleyrs, who are second or third in command of each Tavinol.
A Kasireyr commands a patrol of 10-20 men, again assisted by a pair of Nir-Kasireyrs
Knights are the ancient kandar warrior orders, who have existed from long-forgotten ancient times. Despite their humiliation at the hands of Kalan's legions centuries ago, the knightly orders have defied expectations and stubbornly refused to die out.
All knights are expected to learn the complex martial art of Vorkathsu, the famed kandar "Way of the Sword". Unlike the legions, who train in formation and put great stress on strategy and formations, the knights fight as individuals, and consider single combat to be the highest form of battle.
There are may different chapters of knights. Many are associated with particular guardians, particularly Kardak, Ulseth or Karlandra, although other guardians have their warrior orders as well. Other chapters are secular, pledging allegiance to their Tharn.
While the kandar pay and maintain standing armies, there is still no shortage of work for warriors, both human and kandar, who sell their services as mercenaries. Respectable ones work as caravan guards, or bodyguards. Less respectable ones do dirty work for kandar tharns, guilds or clans which the legions won't touch, or with which their sponsors don't wish to be publicly associated. And sometimes the difference between a mercenary company and a band of brigands is a moot point.
Recent history is littered with dirty little wars. Some are proxy wars fought between opposing empires, others between outlaw human settlements and those kandar elements which oppose their existence.
The Union of Guards is an association of bodyguards, mercenaries and other human fighters. Many soldiers, especially members of the City Guard are also members. It has offices in many Kandar cities. There is a standard Union badge, but not all members wear it openly.
The Union is a fairly powerful organisation which appears quite often, and costs 10 points as a "quite often" patron. It cannot really be taken as an enemy, although someone shunned by all members has a -4 reaction to a relatively large group, for up to a -10 point disadvantage, depending on frequency of recognition.
The benefits of membership are as follows:
1) Being a member of the Union makes it possible to obtain a licence allowing a human to legally carry an edged weapon within cities. (The licence, issued by the city authorities costs 5 glerin for a year. Licences for shorter periods are also available). The guild itself does not sell weapons, although weapons are frequently traded between guild members.
2) The Guild does provide training (not free!), and will provide legal help to anyone in trouble.
3) Possibly the most important, being a member makes it much easier to find work. Many kandar merchants looking for caravan guards etc. will not consider a human unless they belong to the Union. The Union maintains close links with the Merchant's guild.
The costs of membership are:
1) Guild dues, 5% of a member's earnings as a mercenary.
2) The important guild rule is that no members may engage in any criminal activity. Any member who is found guilty of a serious crime is expelled from the Union and shunned by all members. Members may be reinstated if they were wrongly convicted and manage to clear their name.
3) Members are expected to help other union members in trouble.
The Union of Guards has no major political enemies, but some conservative kandar, especially knights, dislike it on principle simply because it is a human organisation.
Humans require a licence to carry any kind of edged weapon in any kandar city. A licence typically costs 5 glerin (about 5 days pay). Each city issues their own licences, and a licence from one city is not usually valid in another.
To obtain a licence, you usually at least need one of the following:
Anyone arriving in a city without a licence must hand in any edged weapons to the guards on the gates. In theory, they get their weapons back on leaving the city, or on obtaining a licence.
Of course, not all of those who use edged weapons carry them legally...
While the great arena combats draw large crowds, pit fighting is equally popular amongst the lower classes. A good example is the fighting which takes place in the pit behind in the cavern behind the Vordral's Head tavern in Calbeyn. This fighting pit, like just about any other, is controlled by the criminal underworld, for which the pit is a major money-spinner. Much money is bet on fights, and a lot of fights are rigged as a result. The pit is technically illegal, but no attempt has been made by the authorities to close it down.
All fights take place as single combats between two individuals. Most fights are unarmed, but some use weapons. Fights are usually to first blood, or first serious wound. The winner (usually) get a substantial amount of cash. The loser gets nothing. Most fighters are hopeful volunteers, lured by the promise of the money they will get if they win. A few are unfortunates who have upset the underworld in some way, and are forced to fight one of the arena champions. Such fights are frequently fatal to such people.
It almost goes without saying that professional pit fighters are often unsavoury individuals, with many connections with the criminal underworld.
At one time, gladiatorial arenas existed in most larger kandar cities. Although there are still many in the kandar cities of the south, the only surviving arena in the north is the one in Filgeth. There isn't even one in Karmork nowadays.
Typical area combats include single combats, fights with wild beasts, and violent team games, the object of which is not to really to kill and maim members of the opposing side, although that tends to happen rather a lot anyway,
Single combats may take place between condemned criminals and professional gladiators, although this will only happen when there is no danger of the criminal winning. More common are fights to the death between two (or more) condemned criminals. The survivor's only reward is another fight next week. Very occasionally a condemned criminal who has won many fights will be pardoned, to become a professional gladiator. Fights between two professional gladiators are usually to the first blood, or until one fighter submits. Fatalities or serious wounds are rare, because professional gladiators are expensive to train. Such fights are often highly theatrical, with the results frequently fixed. Bets on such combats are invariably crooked
As for fights with wild beasts, when the men are condemned criminals, the usual procedure is for the man to fight progressively fiercer and nastier beasts until they are finally eaten by one. There are also fights between professional gladiators and wild beasts, which usually result is the sad death of the wild beast.
Many arena gladiators are slaves, owned by rich kandar. These slave owners treat their gladiators as some might treat a racehorse: Valuable property which might be expendable once it has outlived it's usefulness. Other gladiators are free men who seek fame and glory in the area. They at least have the advantage that they can choose who they fight, and have some sort of life outside the arena. Almost all gladiators are human. Few kandar would lower themselves to such a thing. Vordral gladiators are very rare, but not unknown.
(uses Broadsword, 2-Handed Sword or Narvork skill)
The Narvork is the traditional kandar longsword, used by knights and by the legions. A typical narvork has a two-handed grip, but is light enough to be used with one hand. There is considerable variety, both in shape and quality. Knights prefer weapons with slightly curved blades, while the weapons used by legionnaires are more often straight. Both single-edged and double-edged blades exist, although weapons with stabbing points are rare. Average quality weapons, such as the standard-issue legion swords, are usually made from steel, while the fine-quality weapons owned by knights are more often made from vyrn, often with elaborate decoration.
(uses Fencing skill)
The nirvork is the weapon of choice by used by nobles and higher class civilians. Much lighter than the narvork, it is far less encumbering when walking about in the streets of a kandar city. It's not terribly effective against armoured foes, but armour isn't often worn in cities anyway.
(uses Shortsword skill)
A much smaller stabbing weapon, the durvork is illegal in most kandar cities, since it is rather too easily concealable. This fact doesn't always stop people carrying them, and the weapon is favoured by some criminal elements. As one would expect, such weapons are never better than average quality, and cheap ones are equally common.
(Uses polearm skill)
The Klunark is an long infantry pole-arm, of which there are an almost infinite number of variants. Commonly used by soldiers and city guards. It's supposed to be a mark of an elite unit of soldiers or guards that they all have klunarks that match.
(uses Axe/Mace skill)
The durklun is a studded mace, which, not being an edged weapons, can legally be carried in kandar cities without a licence. For this reason it's widely used by humans and lower class kandar, especially bodyguards and the like.
Clubs and batons are amongst the few choices available to common civilians, to whom edged weapons are highly restricted. Likewise, large and small knives are usually available, since they have legitimate uses other than as weapons. Using one in a fight might get one in trouble, though.
Crossbows of various sizes are used by soldiers and city guards. They are illegal for most private citizens within kandar cities, except for nobles.
The most common firearm is the flamelance, used by soldiers and knights, although only a limited numbers are available. The security section of the Karazthan sometimes use Lightning Wands, made by the Karazthan exclusively for their own use, and are never seen in the hands of anyone else. Finally, the stone gun is made and used by the zughru. It's are a type of shotgun that fires sharp rock chips, and is extremely rare outside zughru lands.
In ancient times far more powerful energy weapons were made, and some such things occasionally turn up as ancient relics.
This is a "generic" version of the ancient kandar "Way of the Sword", now somewhat ritualised, but still sufficiently effective in real combat.
Primary Skills: Narvork or Narvork Art (depending on the order), Riding(Zarandar), Fast Draw (Narvork), Theology(religious orders only)
Secondary Skills: Flamelance, Body Language
Manoeuvres: Feint(Narvork), Hit Location(Narvork), Riposte.
Kalmas is a fairly new style of hand-to-hand combat developed by elite units of the Kandar Legions during the war against the Zughru. It's based on the ideas that:
(1) A Kandar has to be crazy to get into close combat with a Zughru to begin with.
(2) strategic withdrawal to missile range is appropriate.
(3) failing that, neutralize the enemy's superior strength and disable him enough to effect number two.
Only the most agile are ever trained in this style, usually requiring a dexterity of 14 or more. High levels of the basic techniques are required, no fancy stuff (" We're here to fight not to dance" is a common quote). The style emphasises locks to control and disarm a physically superior opponent, then kick the s--- out of him while he's helpless, maximising the effectiveness of the kicks by going for vulnerable locations.
(10 points)
Primary skills: Judo (2 points), Karate (2 points)
Secondary skills: None
Manoeuvres: Armlock (2 points), Kick (2 points), Hit location (2 points), Judo throw.