Lore

-Background-

The Continent of Iloris is home to several warring nations, each of which with long, rich histories of sporadic warfare and even more sporadic alliances. The four main groups in the present day are Vashrana, Brokash, Tobry and Taldara, each of which has existed for well over a thousand years, and if mythology is to be believed, far longer. Most recently however, Gehennan Warlords have landed on Iloris, steering up trouble with the Vashrana.

Taldara is highly centralized around their great walled city (also named Taldara), and with numerous ports, well-built roads, architectural expertise and island outposts control much of the sea trade west of Iloris. They've had a significant alliance with the empire of Valmasia for almost a century, forming a united buffer against the aggression of neighboring Vashrana. The continued struggle for Iloris has introduced many reforms and changes to Taldaran governance and it's clear they're no strangers to incorporating - or stealing - new ideas.

-The People-

The Taldaran people are physically slightly shorter and stockier than typical Valmasian, most often with black hair and smooth olive-toned skin. An adult male stands roughly 5'6" to 5'8", with women shorter by only a half-inch. They thrive in warm environments and a typical Taldaran has a strong aversion to cold temperatures.

While often characterized as a dour and humorless people, the reality is very different; showing frivolity in public (especially around potential enemies) is considered a grave faux-pas and lessens one's standing. The exception is during public festivals or, their favored past-time, at gladiatorial games, where alcohol tends to be consumed in vast quantities.

Social standing is highly important to the Taldarans, far more than ones place of birth, gender, or even race -- rather than being exactly egalitarian, they are more focused on merit; those who are successful at their goals are lauded while failures are typically punished. Anyone may become a Taldaran citizen given enough time, accolades, and wealth, though Magi are by far exemplified over non-Magi and only rarely can a non-Magi succeed in public office.

Social standing is based primarily on four facets of an individual:

Gravitas: Stoicism and dignity in all things, primarily public speaking. Being laughed at is an extreme insult to a Taldaran.

Renown: Fame of any kind will greatly impress a Taldaran, particularly those famous for being highly successful at something important.

Honor: Crime is harshly punished in Taldara and it's with a great loss of social standing that one is caught lying, stealing, or cheating. It is highly preferable to be a beggar than to be a thief.

Piety: The Taldarans do not have a centralized religion - rather, there are constant cults that form around various charismatic individuals espousing different things. Some families revere their ancestors or hearth-spirits.

-Beliefs-

The most common beliefs are worship of a 'spirit of the City' or 'spirit of the Legion', some believing them to be actual incorporeal divine spirits. The Taldarans are not above learning about interesting foreign religions and incorporating them into their own beliefs, and then claiming that it was theirs all along.

Worship of foreign Gods/Goddesses/Spirits is generally tolerated, but marginalized (and highly taxed). Out of all of these, the Krausites have the largest following among the population.

Despite their renown at being down to earth, many Taldarans are highly superstitious, especially when it comes to omens and prophecies. Most of the more esteemed or wealthy Citizens will have an oracle, seer, or soothsayer on their payroll as a trusted retainer for advice. Likewise, Taldarans are often firm believers in luck being the provenance of the gods/spirits and usually enjoy games of chance to prove their piety.

-Citizens-

Taldarans need not be a native of the city of Taldara to become an official Citizen - they can apply after years of improving their social standing and aiding the Taldaran cause. Typically this means at least four years of service with the Legions, or particularly exceptional rise in social standing due to wealth, influence, and success.

A Citizen has many rights that a non-citizen does not, for instance in the voting of elected officials and rulings on property rights. Citizens may own slaves while foreigners cannot, nor can they hold any public office. Above all, a Citizen must consider themselves a Taldaran, not from another nation. Many smaller tribes and provinces have been incorporated into the Taldaran nation over the centuries.

-Social Ranking-

Patrician - The ruling class of Taldara. Most of the Senate and Consuls hail from this class. They are generally highly esteemed warriors or politicians. They are considered the richest and most philosophical sound people of Taladra. They are highly respected.

Equestrian - These men and women are considered the middle class or low-nobles of Taldara. Those that hail from this social class are well known warriors or politicians. Generally Equestrian's are made officers within the legion after finishing their training.

Plebeian - The lowest ranking citizens within the Taldaran Republic hail from this social class, they are the bulk of the Legion and its Citizens. It is extremely rare to hear of a Plebeian holding a place of office, or getting further then Tribune within the Legion.

Non-Citizen - Those among this social rank are generally beggars and vagabonds. Anyone lucky enough to be sucked under the Taldaran flag are automatically considered Non-Citizens. There is only a few ways to gain citizenship, joining the legion and serving a five year tour is the most common, however one could also gain enough money to buy their citizenship. These are only a few ways.

Deserter - Non-Citizens that have failed to become citizens, generally failing to complete their tour of duty, thus are considered deserters of the Legion and Taldara. They are to be hunted down and brought to the closest City for public execution or to be pinned against others in gladiatorial matches.

-The Legion-
Sixty-Eighth Legion.
The Emblem of the Taldaran Legion is an Eagle.

Reformed several times in the Taldaran state's existence, the Legion has still been the core of Taldara's military might. All Citizens are expected to serve a five-year term, and Taldaran culture highly recognizes and esteems Legion members. Legionnaires are highly disciplined, with training in basic engineering, field medicine, sailing, and self-reliance. Typically, Magi are pooled together into smaller, elite units, with the more experienced leading as Tribunes.

Over the centuries, the Legion has allowed women to join their ranks just as socially they've been able to rise even to Senatorial rank. They are given no special treatment and are expected to perform in combat as well as men.

Every Magi in the legion is expected to have passing familiarity with at least two elemental magics, this stems from tradition and ease of letting these magics turn to a war setting. This is also a factor of training and ease of training, an elemental magi is easier to train than say a Nature mage, and may even be more powerful by the time a nature mage learns their first spells.

Granting yourself honors and new names is considered a grave breach of ones honor. You must be granted another name or title by your men, your superiors, or a vote before the senate. Suddenly saying you are the strongest in the legion without being granted that title is considered extremely boastful, if you were in fact the strongest then your fellows would grant you that honor.

Military Ranks:

Exarch - The high governor of foreign parts of the Taldaran Republic. They are ultimately responsible for both military and non-military governance. They are designated by the Taldaran Senate and frequently replaced; in the event of non-communication with the Senate they are elected by (and usually from) the top military officials in the Legion.

Legate - Second in command of a province or settlement and commander-in-chief of the military forces. They are directly responsible for maintaining military readiness and supply lines. Designated by the Exarch. There is no limit to the number of Praetors who may be promoted, and if there is more than one they are typically given specific areas to oversee.

Tribune - A fighting officer who trains, disciplines, and leads into battle a single division of legionaries. These are always hardened veterans and almost always Magi.

> Centurion: Low ranking officers, trainers, disciplinarians and fierce warriors of the legion. Newer Centurions are given command of one platoon while more experienced Centurions are given command of one or more companies.

> Singulare: Personal bodyguards of the Exarch and Legate. These proud warriors have served their entire lives fighting for the betterment of Taldara and its people. They are solely responsible for the expedition leaders lives (Exarch/Legate). They are not officers and have no sway over the common legionary, except while protecting the expedition leaders. Singulare Guard's wear purple tunics instead of red to represent their rank. If a Singulare fails in their duties of protecting their superior they are generally put to a dishonorable death or stripped of their ranks and made non-citizens of Taldara. There is a max capacity of two Singulare guards per expedition leader, they are hand picked by their superiors. These warriors also get the finest weapons and armor.

Legionnaire/Milites - Citizen's of the Republic that have joined the legion, the 'rank and file' of the Legion. A few special positions are available;

> Standard-Bearer: The standard of Legions vary, but usually incorporates the Taldaran Eagle. A single Legion losing their Standard is considered a bad omen and unless it's recovered, generally when a Legion has lost its Eagle it's men are extremely demoralized,

> Quartermaster: This Legionnaire is responsible for the actual movement of supplies between troops and places, often getting temporary increases in authority (notarized, of course) by a higher ranking officer to ensure it's carried out.

> Sapper: While all Legionnaires are trained in basic construction, the Sapper is effectively the Legion's specialized engineer, and are often sorted into cohorts for larger projects such as bridge building. They are trained especially in many forms of siege warfare, both offensively and defensively. They are also trained in maintaining ocean-going ships.

Auxilia - The Auxilia are lightly-armored/armed Non-Citizens of the legion, who are drawn from the conquered and incorporated tribes around Taldara or are otherwise foreigners who lack Citizenship. Depending on the situation the Auxilia can be used for front-line positions, reinforcements or reserves. Typically an Auxilia unit is sorted according to the soldier's place of origin - for instance, the Gehennan Auxilia, the Valmasian Auxilia, and so on.

-Foreign Policy-

Taldara is focused on a mixed diplomatic policy of complex alliances and, when necessary, direct annexation. It is considered a point of pride that Taldaran engineering has led to some remarkable innovations (especially within allied Valmasia), and every Taldaran's duty to help 'civilize' the barbarians - ie. anyone not Taldaran, and to help every foreigner to actually become a Citizen.

The war between Taldara and Vashrana has been waged for many centuries with little exchange of land between the two sides - for the most part it has become a cold slog of a stalemate. This war has also led to the gradual militarization of the government and citizenry, with combat prowess, the hunt for military honors and medals, and battle readiness becoming a way of life for the majority of people.

Taldara has been so caught up in their war for Iloris and a stinging defeat of their navy that they've been unable to send ships to Agartha to make use of the Spires for themselves. Interestingly, rather than use the Spires as weapons, their Engineers have made it clear from outgoing reports that they're much more interested in using them as power sources rather than weapons of destruction - perhaps saying more about Legionary pride at combat than anything else.

-Taldara's Mission-

The Taldaran Republic has sent one of its Legions to Agartha to collect Spire Shards to create weapons of war in order to help them quicken the Taldaran victory back on Iloris. Along with that they have also come to conquer Agartha and have it under the Taldaran banner. With this done they will be able to begin to colonize the rest of the world with the help of the Spire Shards.

>**Spire Shard collection.
>Bring civilization to Agartha.
>*Fully colonize Agartha/Destroy the other factions.
>*Setting/Conquering up to four cities (or more).
>*Unravel the secrets of Agartha's cataclysmic event which left it in ruin.
>Create Spire Shard Weapons.
>*Find out what makes Demons genetically different from the standard Yokai.
>Find out how the Accursed where created, wipe out or cure this infestation.

-Why have we come-
The Continent of Iloris is home to several warring nations, Varshana, Brokash and Taldara, Tobry and most recently Gehennan warlords. This makes it hard for Taldara to get ahead, as the factions are at a constantly at each others throats. With Agartha's recent discovery, they were unable to send more then a few ship loads of men, so the Senate originally voted to hold off on a half-cocked expedition, also voting to consider the matter at a later date. Which is why Valmasia was able to rent their War Galley's for their expedition.

But now that Tobry's forces have been cut down to less then twenty-five percent, Varshana is to busy fighting with Gehenna and Brokash being spread to thin due to their mercenary work, now is the perfect time to build up another Legion and ship it off to Agartha to acquire the rare spire shards to give them that extra edge back on Iloris.

Thus the Sixty-Eighth Taldaran Legion was formed, its legionaries specially trained in colonization and construction efforts. They've gathered just over six-thousand men and women over the age of six-teen for this mission, they're all aware they will not be returning to Taldara without a probable cause.

The men and ships are ready at any given time to set sail, they just need the greenlight from the Consul.