WIP [hider=The Kingsmen] [center][h3][u]The Kingdom of Noravea[/u][/h3] [img]http://i.imgur.com/VVY3We0.png[/img][/center] [b]Faction Name:[/b] In common parlance, they are known as the Kingsmen. Their opponents and deriders refer to them as 'The Pretenders', however, in reference to their leader's position as pretender to the throne. Formally, though, in internal correspondence and in relations with other factions and states, they assume themselves the lawful continuation of the former Noravean kingdom, and therefore call themselves simply the Kingdom of Noravea. --- [b]Main Base of Operation:[/b] The Kingdom's temporary acting capital is Unterburg, in south-western Avalonia. The Kingsmen also maintain a presence in all other areas of Noravea in proximity to the Laurentian border, including covert sabotage activities in heavily defended Rothland. Their activities take on a more visible tone in the areas of Westland west of the defensive line constructed along the river, a region which Crimon Grey has largely abandoned for strategic reasons, allowing for open display of the kingdom's colours and uniformed royal patrols in the smaller settlements. --- [b]Faction Goals:[/b] Reinstate the unified Kingdom of Noravea, including the province of Wilhelmsland, with His Majesty King Amrend III as head of state of a constitutional and democratic Noravea. --- [b]Faction Composition:[/b] The Kingsmen are supported by and therefore primarily composed of the more conservative members of Noravea's dominant ethnic and religious demographic—professedly Sidarian full-blooded Noraveans. Although they are not opposed to the presence of ethnic minority communities in Noravea, the Kingsmen strongly reject secessionist movements and look down on religious minorities. Though distrustful of unfamiliar faiths, the Kingsmen are not religious extremists. Religion, to the Kingsmen, is a tool to reinforce national identity, and to that end King Amrend's followers are as much an enemy of extremist Sidarians in Noravea as they are non-Sidarians. --- [b]Initial Assets:[/b] Since the interregnum began some fifty-four years ago, the Noravean royal family has been housed and protected by the grace of Laurentia. Now that Crimson Grey's authority is waning, and the possibility of the interregnum's end is in sight, Laurentia sees the opportunity to place a friendly strongman in power in Concordia. For that reason, the Kingsmen receive all manner of assistance from the Laurentians spare formal recognition: (untraceable) modern firearms and ammunition foremost among them. Another asset of note for the Kingsmen is the strong degree of support for the monarchy throughout much of Noravea. The country has known only two forms of government in all of modern history—the kingdom and the military dictatorship—and many of the descendants of those who lived under King Amrend II look upon him and his reign fondly (in comparison to Crimson Grey's), thus finding themselves easily seduced by dreams of a royal restoration. This popularity is lessened in areas of Noravea with significant minority communities, as well as within more xenophobic communities, whose inhabitants who might resent the Kingsmen's strong association with Laurentia. --- [b]Methods of Operation:[/b] The Kingsmen is composed of two separate but coordinating parts. First is the Royal Guard, who make up sort of the inner circle of the organization. They are long-time members of the Kingsmen who have proved themselves as capable soldiers and loyal servants of King Amrend III. They are under the direct and immediate authority of the organization's leadership, and do not act without orders. The Royal Guard number about fifty men, all of whom are fully trained and outfitted in the best skills and equipment Laurentia can provide. The Royal Guard style themselves as the formal military force of the Kingdom of Noravea, but realism forbids them from engaging with Crimson Grey's forces in conventional settings, forcing them to resort to the tried and true guerilla activities: strategic sabotage activities, assassinations, etc. Beneath the Royal Guard are the Crown militias, groups of recruited civilians with monarchist leanings. They are armed, but lack any sort of formal training and typically have little to no real combat experience. The Crown militias are divided by province (some major cities have their own militia as well), and under normal circumstances do not interact with the Crown militias of other provinces, communicating only with members of the Royal Guard. This policy is meant to prevent the infiltration of one militia from affecting the Crown militias of neighbouring provinces. When not conducting assignments given to them by the Royal Guard, the Crown militias act primarily as citizen's defence forces, resisting against atrocities carried out by Crimson Grey or his governors. When the Crown militias are given assignments, they usually involve either turning the people towards the monarchist cause, such as through propaganda campaigns, or providing distractions for Royal Guard activities, such as by inciting riots or conducting hit-and-run operations. The Crown militias number a few hundred men, but their numbers constantly change as new recruits are brought in and old ones are caught, killed, or abandon the cause. Those members of the Crown militia who serve long enough and capably enough are recommend by their local militia commander to the Royal Guard, at which point they are pulled from their province of residence and brought in for formal training. --- [b]Faction History:[/b] The Kingsmen have theoretically existed for going on over fifty years, having been originally made up of exiled and/or escaped high rankings members of the Kingdom of Noravea's military following Amrend II's assassination. For many decades after Crimson Grey's ascension to power, the Kingsmen did not operate in Noravea at all, instead acting as the personal bodyguard of the King (who resided in Laurentia). Only after the Four Weeks of Crimson, when the Kingsmen were composed mainly of deserters and the descendants of the original exiles, did King Amrend III order their return to Noravea. Purchasing numerous properties within Unterburg for his men's use (under a false name), Amrend III procured weapons and equipment for his soldiers to fight with and assisted his lieutenants in organizing the structure of the Crown militias. From there, the organization took off, quickly gathering support from sympathetic Noravean patriots wishing to restore their country's former glory. --- [u][b]Faction Leadership[/b][/u] [i]King Amrend III, King of Noravea.[/i] A tall, charismatic, blonde-haired prince charming whose pretty face is known to the whole of Noravea and most of the rest of the world. The King is the theoretical leader of the Kingsmen, although his extremely high profile makes it unsafe for him to actually reside within Noravea himself. For now, he remains in Laurentia, the state which has given his family asylum since Crimson Grey first took power—by assassinating his grand uncle, King Amrend II, from whom he took his regal name—nearly fifty years ago. Due to the necessity of his asylum, as well as his lack of military expertise, King Amrend relegates the entirety of his authority as head of the organization to his chief man on the ground, Gale Brown. [i]General Gale Brown, Chief of Defence Staff of the Kingdom of Noravea.[/i] The latest in a long military line which served the King of Noravea until Crimson Grey's coup. After the coup, Gale Brown's father, who had served a senior position in King Amrend II's military, remained loyal to the deceased monarch's family and joined the heir to the throne in exile in Laurentia. His son, by a local Laurentian woman, would grow up to command the Royal Guard in their campaign to restore the crown and free Noravea from Crimson Grey. More TBA --- [u][b]Faction Eyes[/b][/u] TBA [/hider]