Soldier
Career
Qualifications
Physical Fitness: Candidates must pass rigorous tests of strength, endurance, and agility.
Military Training: Basic training lasts six months, followed by specialized instruction in combat, reconnaissance, or engineering.
Magickal Affinity (optional): Soldiers with magickal abilities are recruited into elite units.
Career Progression
Private → Sergeant → Captain → High Commander
Few reach the upper echelons due to the intense competition and high casualty rates in active conflicts.
Payment & Reimbursement
Base Salary: Paid monthly by the sponsoring organization (e.g., the Order or Freehold Council).
Performance Bonuses: Rewards for successful missions or acts of valor.
Other Benefits
Housing: Soldiers are provided barracks or lodging aboard airships.
Healthcare: Access to medical alchemists and surgeons.
Social Status: Revered among the elite, but often resented in the Lower City.
Perception
Purpose
Soldiers serve to:
- Enforce order and protect strategic assets.
- Wage war against rival factions.
- Maintain control over contested territories.
Social Status
Soldiers of the Order of the Silver Dawn are seen as protectors of progress by the Upper City elite but viewed with hostility by revolutionary factions and the Lower City’s populace.
Demographics
Majority are Argentians recruited from the Lower City, though elite units often draw members from the Upper City or Aetherian enclaves.
History
The profession evolved with the rise of the Aetheric Vanguard, transforming from traditional infantry to a highly specialized force equipped with advanced magickal and technological tools.
Operations
Tools
Standard Equipment: Ferrixite-alloy weapons, modular armor, and tactical gear.
Advanced Gear: Elite units wield Aetheric swords, rifles, and stealth devices.
Materials
Ammunition crafted from Ferrixite and Aether-infused crystals.
Rations designed for long campaigns.
Workplace
Training Grounds: Located in the Ironward District.
Field Camps: Temporary bases near active combat zones.
Airships: Serve as mobile command centers and deployment platforms.
Provided Services
Protection of trade routes and industrial sites.
Enforcement of Order policies and laws.
Frontline defense in the Airship War.
Dangers & Hazards
Combat: High risk of injury or death during battles.
Aetheric Exposure: Prolonged use of magickal weaponry can cause physical or mental side effects.
Social Stigma: Soldiers often face resentment and distrust from oppressed populations.
Guardian
Defender of the Dawn
Shield of Argenthold
Negative:
Tin Badge
Sky Dogs
Legal: The profession is regulated in most city-states, with strict guidelines for conscription, training, and deployment.
Mercenaries: Independent soldiers are often viewed with suspicion and heavily restricted, particularly in Argenthold.
Conscription Guidelines
- Eligibility:
- Citizens between 16 and 24, regardless of gender, are eligible for service. Special exceptions are made for older killed workers or Aetherians with unique abilities.'
- A basic physical and Aetheric aptitude test determines conscription eligibility.
- Voluntary and Mandatory Service:
- One can volunteer for career service. For Lower City inhabitants this is a way to escape poverty.
- Mandatory conscription is enforced in times of war, requiring two years of service with options for extension.
- Exemptions:
- Skilled tradespeople, medical professionals, and inventors ma be exempt unless their skills required in military operations.
Training Guidelines:
- Basic Training:
- A 12-week intensive program covering:
- Clockwork weaponry operation (rifles, cannons, etc.)
- Aetheric anomaly navigation
- Hand-to-hand combat and survival tactics.
- Specialized Training:
- Soldiers destined for elite units (such as The Aetheric Vanguard) undergo an additional 6 to 12 months of training in:
- Reconnaissance aboard airships
- Arcane disruption tactics
- Leadership and small-unit command
- Education and Discipline:
- Recruits are thought basic literacy and numeracy to operate advanced equipment.
- Discipline is enforced through a strict code, with insubordination punished by demotion or reassignment.
Deployment Guidelines:
- Strategic Objectives:
- Soldiers are deployed to secure Argenthold's industrial assets, defend ley lines, and maintain order within the city.
- Types of Deployment:
- Urban Defense: Protecting key districts from unrest or revolutionary factions.
- Airship Units: Serving aboard vessels like the Silent Shadow for reconnaissance and skirmishes.
- Ley Line Guardians: Securing and patrolling areas with strong Aetheric energy.
- Rotation and Duration:
- Standard deployments last 6 months, with rotations allowing for 2-month leave periods.
- Soldiers stationed in Black Fog-affected zones are rotated more frequently (every 3 months) to mitigate exposure risks.
- Support Systems:
- Units are supported by automated repair drones, clockwork medics, and Aetheric mages specializing in battlefield healing.
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