Council Army

The Council Army was the official state army of Amn, handled by the Dahaunarch of the Council of Six and later the Council of Five. It was a professional military organization that protected the realm and its interests. It was accompanied by the Council Navy, which performed similar duties on the high seas.
==Activities==
The Council Army maintained and garrisoned the fortresses around Amn, as well as patrolled the roads, collected taxes, caught smugglers, and fought raiders. As an extension of the Council, the Army was fundamentally responsible for facilitating trade by ensuring that roads and markets were kept open, with all that entailed.
The Council Navy acted likewise on the Great Sea. It was a small navy of fast, light ships based in Murann that was primarily concerned with chasing away Nelanther Isles pirates and escorting merchants, not fighting fleet battles. It was expected that merchants would organize themselves in convoys and hire private warships as needed, and the Navy was intended to supplement this security in the event that pirates massed into their own fleets. In the case of dire emergency, the Navy reserved the right to force private vessels to join them in battle, though it was never used. The fortunes of the Council Navy tended to rise and fall along with that of the navies of Tethyr and Calimshan, as the strength and activities of each navy affected the prosperity and boldness of pirates in the region.
==Organization==
The competence of the officer class was extremely variable, as they were often promoted based on the influence of their families rather than their ability. As a result, some postings were commanded by corrupt schemers or incapable buffoons, while others were dutiful and thoughtful leaders. The morale and quality of the rank-and-file ranged widely because of this, with some commanders fostering mutinous or incapable troops, while the best inspired loyalty and excellence in their company. A particular fear of the Council was that the common soldiers could have stronger loyalties towards a popular commander over the Council, and thus be willing to take part in rebellion against them.
Outside of the officer ranks, veteran soldiers were called Legionaries, while the most elite of the Council Army were called Centurions.
The Army had a desertion problem around the distant and unpopular posting at Hillfort Keshla. Deserting troops would hide in the hills and functionally become bandits, preying opportunistically on travelers while avoiding large fights. They sometimes joined with hobgoblins to form larger bands.
As befitting soldiers, the worship of Tempus was most popular among Army members, with Tyr, Torm, Ilmater, and Helm having smaller congregations. The Golden Fortress contained chapels and shrines to many gods in order to serve the spiritual needs of the inhabitants.
===Equipment===
Common soldiers were equipped with basic but functional gear such as brigandine and chainmail armor, shortswords, spears, longswords, longbows, and crossbows. Officers and veterans were usually found with full plate or plate mail, and often brought their own powerful magical items to supplement their kit, especially if they came from a wealthy family. Morion helmets were extremely common equipment, as were more decorative "winged" helmets.
==Base of Operations==
* Athkatla held a garrison 4,000 soldiers, and the core of the Council Navy made up of eight warships and 900 marines.
* The Golden Fortress of Eshpurta was the Army's headquarters in eastern Amn, and served as an academy for training new recruits. It normally held about 25,000 soldiers, officers, trainers, and support staff.
* Citadel Rashturl and Citadel Amnur guarded the northern border of Amn and normally had garrisons of 720 officers and soldiers.
* Hillforts Keshla, Ishla, and Torbold guarded Amn's southern border along the South Road through the Tejarn Hills, each having a garrison of about 315 soldiers and officers. Keshla in particular was used as a dumping ground for failed soldiers and political liabilities.
* Keczulla had a garrison southeast of the city made up of 800 infantry and 200 cavalry that patrolled the length of the Gem Road and along the Eshpurta Road between Amnwater and Axe Bridge.
* Murann hosted a small navy from the Council for militia use, as well as a Council Navy detachment made up of fast cutters and caravels.
* Nashkel had a strong garrison that guarded the town and nearby strategically important iron mine.
==Relationships==
Despite being the state army of Amn, the Council Army worked with (and against) numerous other militant organizations in both regular everyday activities and during wartime emergencies. The Army made up about half of the total military forces directly controlled by the Council itself, with the rest made up of the Councillor's various personal retinues of soldiers, mercenaries, and agents.
* Each city had a heavily-armed militia loyal to the local mayor or council that handled internal policing, justice, and regional patrols, often overlapping duties with the Council Army. These included the Shield Militia of Eshpurta, the Bargemen of Crimmor and Crimmor Guard, the Gem Guard of Keczulla, the Ring Knights of Riatavin, and the Harbor Guard of Murann.
* Magical support and the policing of wizards was provided by the first secretly, then openly Council-controlled Cowled Wizards.
* Spycraft and assassinations were handled by the Shadow Thieves, who were secretly controlled by the Council.
* Major temples in Amn could raise their own small armies if necessary, either from gold-hired mercenaries or their own faithful formed into crusades.
* Families and mercantile companies were allowed to raise their own private militias of up to 500 soldiers, and companies could also collect taxes on behalf of the Council.
* Mercenaries were hired on small and large scales by the Council for certain situations, such as the Golden Legion being hired to explore the western ocean, and later becoming the official armed forces of New Amn.
* Adventurer companies were not permitted to roam freely and cause mischief, but were required to register and pay for licenses. They were also used as agents of the Council as needed.
==History==
In 1356 DR, the Council Army took part in the First Dragonspear War, fighting the devils and their allies in the Greenfields.
The rebellion of Riatavin in the caused the Army to muster in preparation for a full-scale assault on the city, fighting the forces of Tethyr if necessary. This prospective military campaign was interrupted at the last moment by the Sothillisian War breaking out, and the Army quickly redeployed in order to fight against the well-led goblins, giants, ogres and kobolds that threatened Esmeltaran, Imnescar, Trademeet, and Murann. Murann was blockaded by a fleet of pirates led by the Black Alaric, overwhelming the Council Navy at hand.
The war turned into a nightmare for the Army, as troops for the region had been withheld based on the suspicion that Major Tharundar Olehm would lead a rebellion, Captain Amlos Xornnag deserted and gave aid to the enemy, and the Council itself was unwilling to prosecute the war too aggressively for fear of spending too much money. This resulted in the Army vacillating between a complete lack of orders that left them passive and vulnerable, and overbold attacks that cost grievous casualties without meaningful gain. Many commanders were paralyzed and frustrated by the confused situation, and some officers committed near-mutiny by forcing their commanders to commit to the war instead of pausing indefinitely. Despite their best efforts, the Army only managed to retake Trademeet after it was razed, and was forced to unenthusiastically besiege Esmeltaran from a camp in the Scimitar.
As the Council of Six dithered over how much money to invest in the military campaign, the armies in the field stalemated. The main breakthrough of the war actually came from the Selûnite church in 1372 DR, when it raised an army of crusaders with the aim of recapturing Murann. Striking forth in the spring, the crusaders retook Imnescar, and in autumn the forces of Sothillis were briefly redirected in a march against Tethyr in the Bloody Fall.
The following year the Selûnite crusade managed to recapture the pass through the Small Teeth to Trademeet and cut off the supply lines to Esmeltaran, and allowed the Council Army to finally retake it in the autumn. The Selûnites were joined by Cyricists of the Dark Embrace and Loviatans from the Black Spires of the Maiden, forming the unlikely alliance of the Army of Three Stars as they fought together.
The Sothillisian War was interrupted in the by the Stinger War, and the Trade Way Truce was called as both sides dealt with the unexpected tlincalli invasion. Over the next century, Murann remained in the hands of Sothillis and grew the realm of Muranndin around itself, becoming a persistent stronghold of pirates, bandits and monsters that threatened Amn. This became a long period of exhausting skirmishes in the region for the Army, only resolved well after 1479 DR when Muranndin was finally destroyed.
==Members==
In the 14 century DR, the Council Army had the following soldiers and officers:
* General Labak Craumerdaun of the Golden Fortress.
* Colonel Gladdos Wintosnip of the Keczulla garrison.
* Major Tharundar Olehm of Hillfort Torbold.
* Commander Balacer Macefist of the Golden Fortress.
* Commander Endrick Hardlm of Citadel Amnur.
* Commander Reyni Delapond of Citadel Rashturl.
* Captain Amlos Xornnag of Hillfort Ishla.
* Captain Arbas Rosznar of Hillfort Keshla.
* Captain Arilan Krimmevol of Citadel Amnur.
* Captain Belars Orhotek of the Athkatla garrison.
* Captain Brage of the Nashkel garrison.
* Lieutenant Dannal Harftevor of the Cavalry.
* Squad Leader Namble Swiftleg of Army Squad 4, Second Battalion of the Amnwater Blues Regiment.
* Logan Coprith, a soldier in Citadel Rashturl.
* Bardolan, a soldier in Nashkel.
* Korienna Redarm, an officer who deserted.
==Appendix==
===Gallery===
Amnian Soldier BG.png|A soldier demonstrating his stride.
Amnian Enforcement Squad.png|A squad of veteran soldiers and Cowled Wizards, sent to deliver a death sentence.
===Appearances===
===References===
Category:Military organizations
Category:Organizations in Athkatla
Category:Organizations in Eshpurta
Category:Organizations in Murann
Category:Organizations in Keczulla
Category:Organizations in Nashkel
Category:Organizations in Amn
Category:Organizations in the Lands of Intrigue
Category:Organizations in West Faerûn
Category:Organizations in Faerûn
Category:Organizations on Toril
Category:Organizations
Category:Fleets