Verditians (Chapter)

IntroThe Verditians are the backbone and core of the Empire and all her processes. They dictate the political spectrum and forge the culture. To be a member of The Empire now, you must be a Verditian, however, Long ago, this was not the case.
The term Verditian comes from the lore-inspired Verdish. Claiming their name from their home country of Verdite.
As an individual you are a Verditian. As a people, you are Verdish.
Garb, equipment, and even culture is all inspired from Lore, but the real-world Verdish have become something more.
What it Means to be Verdish
The many pillars of Verdish society include community, technological advancement, battlefield strength, and adherence to a strict rank hierarchy and code.
* Community:  In Verdite all members of the Empire are considered brothers in arms, pieces of a whole.  As such, unity is a key part of our community both in battlefield strategy and political decisions.  One of many community enrichment activities is forge, in which all members are welcome to collaborate on weapons and armor, which is vital to the second foundational pillar of our Empire, technological advancement.
* Technological Advancement:  The leadership of Verdite is fiercely dedicated to keeping our fighters outfitted with the most advanced weapons and armor available.  This has meant constantly innovating, making new prototypes and trying them out on the field.  By far the most important contributing factor in this endeavor is forge.  Forge is a regular meeting where anyone who is willing to contribute is put to work building prototypes and community gear.  At forge, any idea is welcomed, and due to the experienced oversight of the Verditian Lord and the help of communal effort, almost any item can go from a mere idea to prototype stage incredibly fast.  Because of forge, Antioch always has an impressive community armory, and are usually on the cutting edge of weapon and armor technology.
* Battlefield Strength:  Fighting prowess is held in very high regard on the fields of Verdite, and it is the primary marker on which our ranking system is based.  We stress the development of fighting skill and tactics, both as individuals and as groups.  From the lowest ranks, our fighters are drilled on the importance of working in a concerted effort with their Verdish brothers, utilizing tower shields and pikes along with the mighty weapon known as the Kelv.  With the added benefit of community owned armor, small units of our fighters can hold their own against seemingly insurmountable odds.  Individually, our fighters are constantly encouraged to take on duels with all styles, adapting their approach to a fight based on their opponent, reading their moves and changing their style accordingly.  To help in this, skilled and experienced fighters are always ready and willing to provide guidance and point out areas that need work.  To rise through the ranks, you are expected to become adept in all styles of combat, not specializing too much with one weapon or kit.  A truly diverse fighter can expect to swiftly earn accolades, but even then everyone is expected to adhere to the rules of Verdite.
* Heirarchy and Code:  Because community and unity is so important to Verdish society, every member is expected to conform to strict garb standards to present a unified front.  A member of Antioch can wear only black, with a tabard with a silver Antioch symbol on the chest, with limited exceptions for rank and title.  This is enforced so that each member of Antioch will carry with them the legacy of the deeds of warriors that came before them, and lend credibility and notoriety with their exploits to those who will wear the symbol and uniform after they have gone.  There are two factors that determine an individual’s place in the hierarchy of Antioch’s members: Combat rank and political title.  Arguably the more important of the two is combat rank.   Combat rank is determined through a rigorous testing regimen that tests a fighters mettle in the areas of tactics, weapon styles, single combat, and combat against multiple foes.  When a fighter passes the test and fulfills the garb standards for a given rank, they will be given a decorative rank chain that corresponds to that rank as a symbol of their achievement.  Your rank chain gives you a small amount of power over lower ranks, and will command respect from them as well.  The  combat ranks and corresponding chain colors in ascending order are:  Grunt (no chain), Footman (Black), Vanguard (Green), Knight (Red), Champion (Blue), and Warlord (Gold).  The second factor is political title.  Political titles are usually granted as reward for achievements outside of individual combat prowess, such as recruitment, fostering relations with other groups, proving oneself a leader on or off the battlefield, or being an asset in research and development at forges.  No matter what the rank, everyone is a part of the whole that is Verdite, and must work as gears in a larger war machine
-Lachlan