The desert horizon was flat and held in great contrast to the pale sky above. The edge of the horizon blurred with the wavy patterns of heat that danced off the ground. A great rumbling came from beneath the sand, where a terrible creature returned to it's nest after days of ravaging villages and nomads. As it continued, a dozen black dots appeared on the edge of the horizon. A fleet of wyverns screamed through the sky, a captain and 11 men soaring towards the beast. All of them were adorned in heavy armor mimicking that of an animal to signify their rank.
The Excelcan Military is the most prestigious organization within the Kingdom. Members of the military are recognized as having all the dedication of a member of the church but get all the glory of a warrior. Most members of the military are from
The Oasis or
City of Reeds , meaning that those hailing from both of these places can be found all throughout the kingdom. Anyone can join the military by finding a local office and signing a contract which places an emblem on the right arm of the soldier, which shows their rank. Most people follow a linear track of promotion, with most reaching Eagle by the end of a full, honorable career within the military. In the modern age, the military is mostly focus on doing the work of keeping peace within major cities; protecting merchants, nomads, and caravans; and defeating large threats to the Kingdom such as monsters or rebellions.
Renown
| Renown |
Rank |
| 1 |
Hare |
| 3 |
Scorpion |
| 10 |
Eagle |
| 25 |
Lion |
| 50 |
Dragon |
Hare:
The starting rank of all members is the Hare, who undergoes years studying under Scorpion and Eagle rank members, getting training in combat and diplomacy, and usually working as a city guard.
Scorpion:
After gaining experience, a Hare becomes a Scorpion rank, and they begin to go on missions outside of cities to capture highwaymen, slay beasts, and deal with other low level threats. During times of crisis or large threats, Scorpions are put together and led by Lions and Dragons into battle. Scorpions learn mounted combat,
Eagle:
The Eagle rank takes most members their entire working life to reach. After some decades in the military, Eagle ranks are the lowest rank that can learn mounted combat on flying creatures.
Lion: Lion rank members of the military have preformed great feats in service of the kingdom. This rank focuses on tactics and leadership in the heat of combat, as well as having enormous martial prowess and access to magical items. At this rank, military members begin to have power and authority in general society. General E (specifically Lion E) was at this rank.
Dragon: Dragon rank members have done hundreds of years of service to the military, or preformed a feat so great that they are heroes and legends to the people of the kingdom, usually with their stories becoming folk tales for generations. Their might speaks for itself, and they only answer to the Triumvirate and Excelsis. This rank is essentially above the law. Erobern is Dragon Rank.
Other Ranks
Although the track most military members follow is Hare-Dragon, some unique ranks exist for specialized operators within the military.
Owl: Owl rank members are part of stealth operations within the Kingdom, such as intel or special operations. These members excel at stealth, intelligence and counter-intelligence, and specialized weaponry and members can deal with specific scenarios, such as anti-mages and anti-undead units.
Wyvern: Above Eagle ranks, some specialized flying combat units are promoted to Wyvern rank, who specialize in Wyvern riding and bow combat from the skies. They are usually deployed in order to deal with grounded threats, and strike from very far away with deadly precision.
Pronghorn: Most mages and magic users are put directly from Hare rank to Pronghorn rank, where they study in specialized healing, damage, and support using magic, and usually a small number of Pronghorn units are assigned.
