Editing Exploring the Halls of Arden Vul: Institutions
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=Institutions of Empire= | =Institutions of Empire= | ||
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==Archontean Bureaucracy== | ==Archontean Bureaucracy== | ||
The vast imperial bureaucracy is divided into three main branches, the House of Coins, the House of Sight, and the Private House. Each branch is led by a thesmothete living in Archontos, who consults regularly with the basileus about decisions affecting the empire. In each imperial theme or exarchate, the chief bureaucrat for each branch of the administration is a logothete, who administers a small army of chartoularii, enforcers, guards, and so forth. Service in the bureaucracy is common for middle- and upper-class citizens. | The vast imperial bureaucracy is divided into three main branches, the House of Coins, the House of Sight, and the Private House. Each branch is led by a thesmothete living in Archontos, who consults regularly with the basileus about decisions affecting the empire. In each imperial theme or exarchate, the chief bureaucrat for each branch of the administration is a logothete, who administers a small army of chartoularii, enforcers, guards, and so forth. Service in the bureaucracy is common for middle- and upper-class citizens. | ||
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The Archontean emperor maintains a standing army composed of five legions of heavy cavalry (cataphracts), six legions of heavy infantry (scutarii), and three legions of light infantry (velites). In addition, the emperor directly controls nine cohorts of the tagmata, or imperial guard. | The Archontean emperor maintains a standing army composed of five legions of heavy cavalry (cataphracts), six legions of heavy infantry (scutarii), and three legions of light infantry (velites). In addition, the emperor directly controls nine cohorts of the tagmata, or imperial guard. | ||
− | Each legion is led by a polemarch and is supposed to contain 3,000 soldiers. Legions are subdivided into 6 cohorts of 500 | + | Each legion is led by a polemarch and is supposed to contain 3,000 soldiers. Legions are subdivided into 6 cohorts of 500 men, each led by a komes; each cohort has 5 kentarchia of 100 men, each led by a kentarch; each kentarchia has two pentarchia of 50 men, each led by a pentarch; each pentarchia is divided into five konturbia of 10 men, each led by a dekarch. |
− | The imperial tagmata are slightly different. Each cohort contains 1,000 | + | The imperial tagmata are slightly different. Each cohort contains 1,000 men and is led by a taxiarch. Each cohort is divided into two banda of 500 men, each led by a komes; each bandon is divided into 5 kentarchia of 100 men, each led by a kentarch; each kentarchia is divided into 5 konturbia of 20 men, each led by a dekarch. Common soldiers (privates) are called spatharii. |
==Archontean Navy== | ==Archontean Navy== | ||
− | The Archonteans have a long history as a naval power, even as their only real threats by sea are Wiskin long ships and pirates from the coast of Ostralios. The Archontean navy is built around the dromon, a fast galley with one or two banks of | + | The Archonteans have a long history as a naval power, even as their only real threats by sea are Wiskin long ships and pirates from the coast of Ostralios. The Archontean navy is built around the dromon, a fast galley with one or two banks of oarsmen plus a lateen sail. Light dromons carry 108 oarsmen in one bank, where heavy dromons carry 180 oarsmen in two banks. A super-heavy ship, the chelandion, carries 300 oarsmen in three banks. Each ship is captained by a novarch. A unit of 2-20 ships is called a squadron, and is commanded by a droungarios. A unit of more than 20 ships is a fleet, and is commanded by a strategos. |
− | The main Archontean naval forces are located as follows: the Karabisoi, or home fleet, based in Archontos; the Grain Isle squadron, based in Ostentown; the Irthuin Squadron, based in Narsileon; the Borealios squadron, based in Westholm; the Ostralios squadron, officially based in Agoreon but actually based in Arcturos; and the Iron Isles Squadron, based in the Iron Isles. Each ship carries a complement of marines numbering 1/6 the number of | + | The main Archontean naval forces are located as follows: the Karabisoi, or home fleet, based in Archontos; the Grain Isle squadron, based in Ostentown; the Irthuin Squadron, based in Narsileon; the Borealios squadron, based in Westholm; the Ostralios squadron, officially based in Agoreon but actually based in Arcturos; and the Iron Isles Squadron, based in the Iron Isles. Each ship carries a complement of marines numbering 1/6 the number of oarsmen; these marines are trained as, and have the same prestige as, members of the imperial tagmata. |
=Collegia= | =Collegia= | ||
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A few well-placed magi suspect that an eighth, secret collegium exists. | A few well-placed magi suspect that an eighth, secret collegium exists. | ||
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=Knightly Orders= | =Knightly Orders= | ||
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===The Sacred Band=== | ===The Sacred Band=== | ||
A knightly order of paired lovers, some male-male, some male-female, some female-female. Typically, the pair includes one fighter/knight and one magic user. While proud of the order as a whole, members are typically more devoted to their partner than to the order. This renders the Sacred Band more valuable for heroic individual (or dyadic) missions than for large, collective endeavors. | A knightly order of paired lovers, some male-male, some male-female, some female-female. Typically, the pair includes one fighter/knight and one magic user. While proud of the order as a whole, members are typically more devoted to their partner than to the order. This renders the Sacred Band more valuable for heroic individual (or dyadic) missions than for large, collective endeavors. | ||
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=Thorcin Recovery League (TRL)= | =Thorcin Recovery League (TRL)= | ||
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