Sylvan Units | Heartlands

Unicorn Knight

The elites of the Sylvan carfdiniad empire, the Unicorn Knights ride into battle unclothed and unarmored, relying solely on the divine protection of their steed. Wielding enchanted blades and protected by sacred talismans, they are a terrifying force, particularly to many nations who rarely see such magically enhanced warriors. With supernatural luck and agility they dodge arrows, lances fail to find their mark, and blades dont cut as deep as they ought to.

Unicorn Knights are often considered to be the most powerful warriors fielded by any nation in Auria, though the Abryssian janissaries take issue with such claims. Regardless, they are a major strategic asset and the deployment of even a small number of them can easily sway a battle.

The Unicorn Knights are chosen by their steed, in theory a purely meritocratic process but in practice they overwhelmingly come from a small number of bloodlines. These unicorn dynasties enjoy a fair amount of prestige, though even the most successful of them still frequently has progeny with no steed. Those scions of a unicorn dynasty will resort to functioning as more traditional cavalry. Should a bloodline fail to generate any more unicorn knights, their prestige will fall as a result.

Due to continuous proximity to divine entities, Unicorn Knights very frequently develop magical talents, further augmenting their already legendary prowess.

Abilities and Equipment

Unicorn Knights fight completely unarmored, but are equipped with arcane weapons. Sabers and bows are the archetypical weapons, though Unicorn Knights do not conform to a single set fighting style.

The benefit of their divine steed grants them a level of its divine protection, rendering their bare flesh highly resistant to mortal weapons, as well as healing their wounds quickly.

In battle, Unicorn Knights are a terrifying foe to face, bounding through impenetrable walls of pikes or storms of gunfire to deliver rapid death, ensorcelled blades finding purchase despite their foes armor. Unicorn Knights often are supported by nature magic, invigorating or healing them, or poisoning their enemies. Branches and thornbushes rise to cover their tracks, while the unicorns flawlessly dance through even dense forest.

Skill
Toughness
Armor
Magical Protection
Attack

Sylvan Knight

Abilities and Equipment

Sylvan knights begin battles with long lances, switching to glaives or sabers after closing to melee. Alternatively, some prefer flatbows, pelting enemies from a distance.

They do not ride horses, but typically prefer the female Wyr, a large animal similar to an elk, though more exotic mounts are certainly known especially from the wealthier nobility.

Sylvan Knights wear silvered mail or scales, providing much more protection than the standard infantry though they are not as armored as foreign counterparts. This is partially compensated for their proliferation of talismans and relics, many knights come from unicorn dynasties and inherit enchanted weapons as a result even though they themselves could not find a unicorn steed.

Sylvan knights are seasoned combatants, favoring finesse over strength. Their preffered tactic is not the massed cavalry charge, but rather harassing enemy flanks and isolating individual enemy units. Unlike many foreign counterparts, sylvan knights are excellent ambushers, well used to taking advantage of a frightened foe to corner and finish them off.

Noble cavalry are a mainstay of many cultures throughout Auria, and the Sylvans are no exception. Rather than riding on horses, the preffered mount of most sylvans is the female Wyr, a large animal similar to an elk. These are more graceful in traversing the forests of the sylvans homelands, though they are not as fast in the charge.

Sylvan Knights typically come from lesser nobility, flaunting their birthright with more expensive arms and armor. As Sylvans are not a heavily feudalized society, their knights wealth is typically paid out by the central coffers, and so noble families quickly fall in prestige as well as wealth if they do not constantly serve- Though, many sylvan nobles operate enterprises on the side.

Skill
Toughness
Armor
Magical Protection
Attack

Sylvan Freeman

Abilities and Equipment

Sylvan Freemen rely on heavy wooden shields and iron-tipped spears to keep the enemy at bay. They wear padded leather armor or wooden lamellar- steel largely been reserved for the nobility.

What individual freemen lack in fighting spirit they make up for with discipline and cohesion. Duty and tradition are very important in Sylvan society, and to flee from combat would be a grave dishonor on ones family. Knowing this, the Freemen stand tall, proud to fight for their empire- at least, that is the expectation.

Their combat style is highly defensive, relying on coordinated formations to hold the enemy. Shield walls, filled with spears ready to skewer all comers, serve as a potent bastion around which Sylvan armies rally.

The multitudes of sylvan citizens who make up numbers in Sylvan armies are freemen, drawn from the families of workers, craftsmen, farmers and hunters. They wear padded leather armor or wooden lamellar, wielding simple iron-tipped spears- higher quality steel being largely reserved for the nobility.

These infantry are typical throughout the Carfdiniad empire, making up the bulk of armies. In battle they prefer close, ordered shield-wall tactics, keeping the enemy at bay while archers rain arrows upon enemy ranks.

Skill
Toughness
Armor
Magical Protection
Attack

Sylvan Archer

Abilities and Equipment

Sylvan archers are typically unarmored, having iron or bronze leaf-shaped swords or daggers for close range fighting.

Their main weapon, of course, is yew or ash flatbows, firing volley after volley of iron-tipped arrows. These flatbows have a high draw strength, and trained sylvan archers can typically fire up to ten arrows per minute in volley fire, making them effective saturation bombardment weapons. As most sylvan archers are recruited from hunters, they usually also have the skills required to aim at specific targets should the situation call for it.

Sylvan archers are the second largest component of sylvan armies, and often the part of the army that does most of the killing. Volley after volley of simple bodkin arrows reduces would-be armies to a desperate band of maimed soldiers.

These archers are no higher in social station than the freemen, though they are paid more. Most sylvan hunters find themselves conscripted into the army at some point in their lives, and indeed many hunters consider hunting simply an off-time job for when the realm is not on a campaign. These hunters serve as archers.

Skill
Toughness
Armor
Magical Protection
Attack

Woodshaper

Abilities and Equipment

Woodshapers most often use their magical talents for healing and bolstering allies strengths, providing them unnatural resistance to harm and endurance. However, the more powerful Woodshapers can petrify their enemies, steal their lifeforce, or devour them with living wood. Such talents are devastatingly effective against unprotected soldiers, though they become much less effective should the opponent have magical ability.

On the battlefield, Woodshapers wear living wood armor, and are equipped with steel weapons- usually sabers and leaf-shaped swords. Hand-to-hand combat is not a first pick for these mages, but they are still well equipped for it.

Members of the Order of Woodshapers- the largest magical organization on Auria- Woodshapers only uncommonly arrive on the battlefield, despite their considerable utility. The need for woodshapers within the priesthood reduces their availability for combat, besides of which most woodshapers abilities are not entirely suitable for battle.

However, the military advantages of battlemages often overshadows such considerations. It is a rare nation that can counter mages on the battlefield, and Woodshapers are phenomenally valuable. Almost all woodshapers are capable of healing, an obviously valuable skill in times of war, but many are able to bolster their allies strengths with nature resonance. More powerful Woodshapers may devour their enemies with living wood, petrify them where they stand, or even devour their lifeforce. Such techniques are nearly impossible to counter, without magic of their own on the opposing side, and in this day and age such talents are an uncommon sight.

Skill
Toughness
Armor
Magical Protection
Attack

Sylvan Royal Infantry

In the Carfdiniad Empire, ones obligations scale with ones social status; The urban upper class, made up of lesser nobles and merchants, have higher obligations than the lower freemen.

In practical terms, however, most of these pay scutage to avoid having to risk themselves in service. Scutage is often less expensive than actually paying for the equipment that would be expected of them.

Some do, however, choose to serve- Whether out of legitimate patriotism, adventurousness, or to improve their position or prestige.

These upper class troops are usually formed into divisions by the royal family. To take advantage of their increased wealth, they are expected to equip themselves better than the standard soldier, and then are consequentially trained longer and better.

As a result, these Royal Infantry fight as elite forces, enjoying higher status and skill than their lesser compatriots. Because royal retainers are usually on the field by choice, rather than solely due to obligation, they tend to be willing and loyal soldiers.

Abilities and Equipment

Royal Infantry are self-equipped and so to an extent their equipment is variable, though there are certain commonalities. All royal retainers are required to equip themselves in full armor- this most often means chainmail and a helmet, though some more unique styles have been known to be adopted.

Most royal infantry arm themselves with heavy oval shields and swords- sylvan longswords or sabers. Javelins are common, used to soften up enemies before closing to engage.

Should their sergeants deem the infantryman not sufficiently homogeneous to function with the rest of their unit- typical of the more adventurous sort who like to think themselves masters of more esoteric martial styles- then they will be forced, at their own expense, to re-arm themself in accordance. In this way, the royal infantry is kept at least standardized to fight as an effective unit.

Occasionally, units of royal archers are formed, though they are always heavily outnumbered by the infantry; Little glory is available from bowshot, after all.

Skill
Toughness
Armor
Magical Protection
Attack