Oscoria Military

## Common Knowledge

Travellers through Eriptor or Oscoria are probably familiar with its varied industry of banditry, and the kind of people that lifestyle produces. Actual citizens of Oscoria, warring bandit clans of Eriptor, or visiting diplomats from Talios might know that Oscoria’s armed forces are armed like typical bandits, but have some higher inklings of organization.

## Further Description

The forces of Oscoria are a battle tempered, bloodied band of human tribesmen that have experiences with raiding caravans, enemy supply lines and mass deception tactics. They rely on mobility to evade a foe long enough for the Generals to set up traps and harass a foe to seize a clear advantage before the rest are swept aside by the frenzied hordes of self-proclaimed ‘Bandits’. Oscorian forces often have the first attack, the advantage of surprise and the benefits of choosing when and where to attack, making them a dangerous foe when they are encountered. Oscoria enters the world stage with the annexation of Eriptor in its Civil War and the harassment of its proclaimed rival, Ziltarin.

## Practices

Having experience with being the underdogs, they utilize any advantage that they can to varying degrees of success. Any foe that underestimates them however is soon to feel the mistakes of their ego. There is a reason why bandits are so prevalent in Orelisle as they tend to be wildly successful and an army of them is exponentially more terrifying.

## Structure

### Core Forces

#### Raiders

+ Bone Shaman or Bone Zealot, Deception Leaders, Medium Morale, Competent Sword Fighters, Ambushers, Upgrades with Axe, Club, Spear, Shield

The Raiders are the experienced highwaymen of Oscoria that are the mainstay of the army. Their fighting quality varies as these irregular troops received no formal training or discipline barring the extensive raids that are run on Binturia or Ziltarin. Many raiders are formed from the tribesmen in the local countryside and population centers of Oscoria. With swordhand and sword arm ,they perform stunning surprise attacks on an enemy’s supply line and the rears of the enemy’s frontline. These are men of fortune willing to fight dangers for the promise of reward and to defend their holdings and families against the monsters and lawmakers that threaten them. Whatever foes that assail Oscoria will find themselves neck deep and cut off from their allies as waves upon waves of brigands cut, slash and stab their way through their ranks before finding their camps pillaged and burned to the ground.

On the field of battle, Raiders are assisted either by a Bone Shaman or Bone Zealot to augment their potency in frontlining and containing enemy units so that their other brethren may flank. Bone Shamans assist their more temporal friendlies by countering spells and maintaining the thin line of magical defense between the enemy’s wizards and sorcerers. They cast any form of magic that has been stolen in the magical libraries of Oscoria and find their reputation bolstered by the ferocity of the Bone Zealots.

The Bone Zealots are crazed killers that wield intimidating and enchanted bone weaponry with runic scrawls made from their own maddened minds. Often mistaken for Bone Shamans, they punish that belief held by haughty duelists who think that the Zealot will go down easily like many unprepared sorcerer's before them. As the unintelligible roar dispels them of this notion, the flurries of axe teeth and biting blade will soon follow and release their grip on life. The bones of their bodies will then repair any damage to their armor and their skulls adorn any trophies that may take.

#### Bone Wielders

+ Bone Shaman or Bone Zealot, Unbreakable Morale, Competent Axe Fighters, Ambushers, Frenzy . Upgrades with Grisly Trophies (Terror-Causing)

The ranks of Bone Wielders are drawn together by the insane of Oscoria who are thrown into mental disarray by the harsh lifestyle of their world. Others are volunteered from the religiously devout of Kendrick’s churches as they feel as if the spirit of Kendrick draws them to a life of servitude on the battlefield. Whatever their origins may be, the end result is a bunch of frothing mad men who seek nothing but bloodshed on the field of battle. The scores of Bone Shamans and Bone Zealots are drawn in from their ranks as the proven ones on the field of battle will later command or at least accompany their own force of Raiders for the next target of opportunity. In times of great bloodletting and prosperity, they are known to bring their own grisly trophies onto the field of battle to intimidate a foe into surrendering, lest they too end up in the gore piles of the Bone Wielders and adorned on their armor for all to see. Any Bone accompanied infantry are expected to hold the line as well as their Bone inspiring leader; that is to say, they will fight on despite the odds until either the enemy or themselves are killed.

#### Crimson Crossbowmen

+ Head Archer, Low Morale, Ambushers, Inaccurate, Will Refuse To Rout If Leaders Are Nearby, Competent with Crossbow, Shortbow, Dagger. Upgrades with Fire Arrows, Diseased Arrows

The archers of Oscoria are often hastily formed from the hunting providers of an Oscorian Tribe. Although they speak their vows of duty to the state of Oscoria, they do not understand, or even care about the larger events transpiring around them barring what could be shaped into a malleable tale of their deeds. When the tides of the enemy pore down on them however, these lowly-born men know that they must let loose their arrows as often as they can, or risk a very probable death. Occasionally these markmen are fortunate enough to be given rudimentary bows with arrows of varying qualities. More often than not, these men have to cover the costs of procuring their own bow and finding or flinting their own arrows. These bows become relics in their own right, with their own stories to tell as it gets passed down from father to son or as it so often is the case, from carcass or the unwitting to the thief and looters hand. They are led by a Head Archer who drills basic instructions into their charges so that they may coordinate efficiently as a group. Given officer status and a sabre alongside a stylized hilt to denote their status, Head Archers are the pinnacle of bolt and arrow warfare wearing Gilded Knight Armor to compensate if the enemy gets in close.

In times of active war or increased raiding routines, Crimson Crossbowmen use crude oil from lamps to light their arrows alight to set aflame enemy siege equipment, hastily erected barricades and the enemy’s camp. A cunning or arsonist of an Oscorian General may even set the environment around him aflame to deny his opponents cover and the opportunity to hide within the foliage. This acts as a double edged sword as this means that most of the Oscorian army now loses that much more foliage to lay traps or duck behind when the raid goes awry.

The other modification to their ammunition is the dreaded Diseased arrows. Using dung or pox from sick communal members or the pigsty, they attach the diseased particle onto the arrow where then it gets shot into any barricaded structures. The defenders will be in an utmost panic when they realize that they have to contend with not only frothing mad men at the gates but also the sinister reaper of disease picking their numbers off one by one.

The Crossbowmen companies are given red gambesons to distinguish themselves in their leader’s eyes so that they may be more easily managed on the battlefield. In addition, the crimson colors of the clothing will render any injury they may receive to appear less foreboding and grant them the false strength to continue on.

#### The Gilded Guard

+ Oscorian Leader, High Morale, Sword and Shield or Spear or Mace and Shield, Defense Oriented Fighters, Inspiring, Terrifying Presence. Upgrades with Cavalry Mounts

The Gilded Guard is the prized possession of the Oscorian army and their honor and valor are not stolen like their armor. These Gilded knights consist of the last line of defense in any action to take one of Oscoria’s precious cities or a stalwart line of respite for Oscorian raiders in a daring offensive. Consisting of the noble leaders underneath a Governor’s sector, these individuals take the suits of knight that have been acquired through combat over the years by their tribesmen and after a quick resizing and retrofit, they are ready to defend both hearth and home. Most Gilded Guard are seen as the dominant and authoritative city guard in Oscoria, whose capabilities in combat are unmatched by any raider. They are often placed in a city or other territorial possession that must be in Oscorian hands at all costs and this suits them just fine. The boons of a city and its cozy lifestyle suits their noble tastes quite well. One may be wary not to equate this love of high culture with incompetence or laziness as these nobles are not only high in the social ladder but also high in combat ability. On occasion they are used to support an attack on a highly strategic target where there expertise may be best used to defeat stronger opponents or maintain and stabilize the infantry line with their presence.

When the Gilded Guard are mounted atop their horses, they become exponentially deadlier as their force combined with the ramming speed of their horses provide unstoppable force with their strikes. The routing of the enemy usually happens before they even come into contact with the first blow. These troops are so elite and their equipment so rare that most Governors who serve with the unit in times of crisis, usually only have enough for one and their reinforcements.”

##### Oscorian Knightly Vows:

-To Serve Oscoria and the High Governor.

-To defend the domains entrusted to them.

-To provide for the people.

-To always fight the enemies of Oscoria.

-To never give up until the foe is defeated.

-To never break faith with Kendrick, Oscoria or the High Governor.

-To always accept a challenge towards personal combat.

-To never draw his sword against his fellow knights, except in trial by combat or within a tournament.

-To never flee without proper tactical cause.

#### Outlaws

+ Desperado, Shock Cavalry, High Morale, Spear or Lance, Ambushers. Upgrades with Shortbow

Outlaws are the horseback backbone of an Oscorian raiding party. Swift and brutal with their strikes, they trample their opponents underneath their stampede before disembarking their horses to loot the still warm and dying bodies of their valuables. Unarmored and bred for speed, their horses are equipped to traverse the plains of Oscoria quickly and with as little sleep as possible. Many Ziltarin trading caravans find themselves on the run from these horseback raiders and believe themselves a day or two ahead, only to come across a ‘toll’ that was hastily erected a day in advance. They sometimes reinforce their numbers with horses taken from the enemy and use arrows that are made from the hands of Oscoria’s best craftsmen.

They are occasionally led by the reckless Desperados who take any risk to achieve fame or fortune. They use specially shaped dynamite blasting jelly charges to disorient, disrupt or damage an enemy's front line before the cavalry charge.”

#### Civilian Infantry

Expendable, Militia, Morale Dependent on distance from Oscorian Borders, Non-Standard Equipment, Ambushers

Bandits think Oscor refers to these individuals by when in reality its everybody. The sentiment remains, that the need for expendable troops to buy time is necessary for the survival of the country. They are hastily recruited conscripts from the general masses of Oscoria. These ill-trained raiders or peasants form the bulk of arrow-fodder for their armies and proudly die for their nation. Using pitchforks, daggers, or improvised weapons, they contest area on the battlefield so that more experienced raiders can pillage and loot more readily.

### Pioneers

#### Trappers

Lays Traps, Competent Sword Fighters, Medium-Low Morale, Ambushers

Trappers, as their name implies, lay all sorts of fiendish traps on the battlefield to harass, slow down or dismember a foe before the main bulk of the army arrives to finish up what is left. When the trappers feel like it they walk up to the foe as they grasp their mutilated leg caught on one of their bear traps or perhaps immobile on a diseased spike pit and end their suffering with their arming swords so that their screams may not alert any other of their army patrols.

When Oscoria needs to dig in deep around their cities or important, strategic locations, these brave men and women sweat buckets building barricades, pits, even forts if the materials and time allow, so that they may save even just a drop of Oscorian blood.

### Special Units

#### Burlesque Mimics

+ Charlatan, Copies the characteristics and equipment of fallen enemy units, Inferior unit type, Medium Morale Starts with Daggers. Upgrades with Mounts

Also known as looters, they take the weapons of the foe on the battlefield and imitate their owners. Many officers become confused when a seemingly lost unit on the battlefield returns and seemingly switches sides. It is only up close and within sword range do they realize their mistakes as the disguised men plunge their weapons deep into the officer and capitalize on his mistakes. They are led by a Charlatan who can convinginly copy an opponent’s lesser skills using essence based magicks and talismans.

### Artillery Forces

#### Trebuchets

Unit Size: 4/4 Trebuchets, 16/16 Crewmen + Engineer, Medium Morale, Weak to Fire

Built by the most egregious engineers of Oscoria, the Trebuchet lobs rocks for besieging forts or hitting infantry. Often only the iron fittings are the most valuable part of the team, even if you include the engineer and his team.

### Leaders

#### Oscar

Duelist, Undying, Rallying (Prevents Routing). Former member of the Binturian Party, Governor of Kendricksburg.

#### Swengar the Deboner

Health Advisor, Duelist, Medic(Can repair wounded units)

Bandit with a knack for the anatomy of most creatures. Knows the best ways to kill and stop the deaths of most things

Age:33

#### Juslip Iron Jaw

Military Advisor, Duelist, Bites through ALL defenses

A rather old Bandit who carries the wounds of many battles. It Is said his Jaw can cut through steel and break down a tree in a single bite. Repeat winner of the annual Eriptan tree eating competition.

Age: 55

#### Wendon the Poet

Diplomatic Advisor, Duelist, Inspiring (Increased moral from troops)

A bard with a knack for diplomacy. In charge of making sure none of the countries or bandit clans around Oscoria choose to raid.

Age: 29

#### Zanfry the Swift

Transportation Advisor, Duelist, Championship Mount (Increased movement speed)

Skilled rider with a near supernatural ability to tame and ride horses. Known for speed based attack maneuvers. Currently in charge of taming horses and teaching the riders who will be in charge of delivering messages across Oscoria

Age:25

#### Frederick the Eleventy-Seventh

Extreme Viceroy of Vicemenship, Everchanging (If he dies another unit will instantly take his place)

The title means nothing. When the Monstrosity veterans were being given appropriate positions, it was realized that Frederick has no discernable qualifications for leadership. He has survived up to this point more on luck than skill. He’s pretty much just a run of the mill bandit who stumbled into a leadership position.

Age: 27

#### Peter the Hunter

Environmental Advisor, Duelist, Terrain Mastery (Units under his command take no penalty from harsh terrain.

A skilled hunter and expert tracker. Knows the woods of Eriptor like the back of his hand.

Age: 27

#### Henryson the Profit

Economic Advisor, Calculating (Reduces unit upkeep)

A bandit with an eye for coin. When he acted as a bandit leader he was known for knowing exactly which jobs had the best profit to risk ratio. Due to this he has lived to a rather old age for a bandit.

Age: 62

#### Skullcrusher the Decoder

Spymaster, Subterfuge (Can secretly manipulate an enemy unit)

A bandit that was known for using subterfuge. Why attack a caravan directly when you can have a plant act as a guard and cause “accidents”.

Age: 38

## Further Information

* Aavaa, the Monstrosity
* The Binturian Party
* Eriptor
* Oscoria
* Talios
* Ziltarin