Slamurai — Roleplayer Guild

House Duvard


House Duvard's coat of arms depicts a captured Darthii galley, a testament to the history of invasions that have been repelled on Ignesian soil. The helmet is topped with a dire boar's head, the national animal of the province. The device on the shield is taken from the flag of Ignis. Chief colors of Duvard livery are black, gold and burgundy. 


Head of House:
Roman Duvard

House Motto:
“Fit via vi.” Strength is the way.

House Specialty:
The Duvards are best known for being the first house to join Lalaifia's cause. Its founder, Odvin Duvard, is known for being her closest retainer. The house owes its loyalty to a timely counteroffensive led by Lalaifia, which broke an incursion on Ignesian soil by a foreign army. Ever since, the Duvards have followed the Valariens' command and have been fast friends. Odvin Duvard became a prominent general of Lalaifia's host, serving her faithfully over the duration of her campaign. 
While loyal to a fault, the Duvards are also vain and can be regarded as excessively opulent by distant provinces. Its open displays of subservience to the Heartlands may be cause for some dislike among humbler houses.

House Ancestral Artifact:
After some time under Lalaifia's command, Odvin was rewarded with the privilege of carrying her personal banner. The colors of Valarien flew high, safe in the gauntlet of the Duvards' progenitor as Lalaifia's host conquered and united the tribes of Ethica. Though the banner was returned to the Valariens at the conclusion of the conquest, Lalaifia permitted the newly-erected House Duvard to keep the standard as a token of her favor. It hangs behind glass in the Duvards' great hall, proudly displayed for visitors to see. Magical enchantments have prevented the relic from degrading, and it is just as vibrant as it was in antiquity.

Important Members:
Immediate Royal Family
Roman Duvard, 46 – Head of House.
Dragica Duvard, 44 – Wife of Roman.
Edgar Duvard, 24 – Oldest son. Married to Sophsi Valarien.
Anastázie Duvard, 23 – Oldest daughter. Married to Jakinius Valarien.
Olívia Duvard, 19 – Second-youngest daughter. Married to Lucius Valian.
Guillame Duvard, 17 – Youngest son. Married to Helen Seval.
Alais Duvard, 16 – Youngest daughter. Betrothed to Morion Tallurian.

The Province of Ignis


Ignis's flag is a stylized sun wheel, spreading its rays in all directions. The design represents Kammeth's light piercing the darkness. The flag was designed following House Duvard's alignment with Lalainia, who "brought light to Ignis."

Region/color on map:
Red (Nexus's former claim)

Demonym:
Ignesians

Racial appearance:
Ignesians are traditionally thought to have olive skin tones and dark eyes and hair. This preconception resembles the popular image of Spaniards or Mediterranean peoples, while in reality, both groups have a diverse range of features, due to immigration and varying regional identities. Genetic variations can be seen across the province and can be attributed to the mixing of Ignesians and their neighbors. The current Duvard family, for example, tends toward lighter-colored hair. Most native Ignesians are medium in stature and their builds lean towards the slender side. It is common for them to have long, oval faces with well-defined features and narrow, aquiline noses.

Racial traits:

Capital:
Brionne

Capital Population:
Approx. 81,615

Other Major Settlements:
Iorica, 57,130
Giseux, 48,969
Avitaine, 28,565
Brabant, 19,587
Lignys, 16,323

Population:
Approx. 1,541,000

Culture:

Type of Government:
Hereditary Monarchy

Influence and relations: (Any alliances or military pacts with another family? Perhaps born of marriage ties? Work with other players if you seek one ahead of the RP if you so desire.)

Military:
Ignis has historically built its military around heavy infantry, pioneering an analogue formation of the real-world Spanish tercio. Blocks of heavily-armored pikemen, supported by halbardiers, swordsmen and crossbowmen form the core of its fighting force. It also fields cavalry, but to a lesser extent than in the past. Ignesian cavaliers have begun employing bows and hand crossbows, rapidly maneuvering and harassing enemies, only to fall back and strike elsewhere.
Though adept on the field, Ignesians have considerable siege experience, learned from the many Darthii and Northlander raids it has endured over its lifetime. Ignesian castles and fortresses are renowned for their impregnability, and their garrisons have many tactics up their sleeves to dissuade and combat attackers.

Ignis's army is drawn into three battalions; one for the north, the south, and the west. Each battalion is led by a Colonel, and divided into sixteen companies each. Ten of these companies are pikemen; the rest are crossbowmen. Each pikeman company has 250 men, for a total of 2,500 pikemen per battalion. The remaining six crossbow companies per battalion are made up of 200 men each, with a total of 1,200 per battalion. During engagements, these crossbow companies are typically divided and evenly dispersed among the formations of pikemen. 
Ignesian cavalry is not permanently attached to any one battalion; instead, the 1,600 men-at-arms of the army are recruited and dispatched by locale. Many of these riders are members of the waning knightly class, or experienced riders under contract to serve.

The average pikeman in service to Ignis dons blackened, munitions-grade plates on his breast and back, with a gorget to protect the throat and tassets over his thighs. He wears a morion on his crown; the best companies top theirs with a plume of burgundy. He carries a pike with a tapered head about 4.5 meters long, paired with an arming sword. 
Although Ignesian infantry is organized into “pikeman companies,” not every man is a pikeman. There are some formations made up of halberdiers, who use their polearms to chop overhead  the rows of pikes. There are sword and buckler men, who maneuver through the pike shafts to incite chaos by slashing and stabbing up close. Also present are swordsmen who carry long Zweihänders, practiced in the Tellarian school of swordplay.
Crossbowmen are armored much the same way, though may wear less protection than their frontline counterparts. They carry pavise shields on their backs, with which they can hide behind and fire from safety. 
Cavalry still fights largely in the traditional manner: gendarmes donning full suits of plate armor drop lances and charge into the enemy, formed into thin lines to maximize the points of contact. They also carry swords, picks or hammers for close-in fighting. The lead gendarmes are usually just a bit more armored than their comrades behind them, who may wear less leg protection. Some lighter cavalry carry crossbows, with which to deliver mobile surgical strikes and harass foes.

Unit demographics:
Approx. 12,700:
7,500 [59.06%] - Pikemen & heavy infantry
3,600 [28.35%] - Crossbowmen & archers
1,600 [12.6%] - Cavalry

Landscape & Wildlife:
Ignis is a large peninsula, situated in the west of Ethica. Its coast features scores of rocky cliffs and small capes. The land is known for its hills and grassy valleys, which give way to forests in the west. Much of its former woodland has been stripped to keep up with the population's agricultural demands. To its east, the country touches Ethica's central mountain ranges, the North and Southpeaks; they give way to plains in the middle of Ignis's east border. This region is ripe with iron ore.

Ignis lies within a temperate zone, and has a maritime climate. Rainfall is possible at any time, but the region also sees its share of sunny, warm days. The coast experiences milder weather than further inland, save for rainfall. Compared to regions further north and southward, Ignis has a comfortable climate, with discrepancy between winter and summer temperatures reaching an average of just fifteen degrees.

The country's coastline is home to many types of maritime fauna not seen elsewhere in Ethica. These include many types of gulls, puffins, swallows, pheasants, swifts, partridges and other birds. Sealife includes sharks, porpoises, seals, turtles, dolphins, jellyfish and shellfish. Its rivers are home to salmon, trout and pikes, as well as otters and beavers. It's inland fauna is more typical of other regions of the Empire. It is populated by deer, foxes, rabbits and direboar. Direboar was chosen as the province's national animal due to their abundance and ferocity.

Economy: (How well off is your county? Poor? Rich and prosperous? Somewhere in the middle?)

Religion:
Ignesians focus their worship on Kammeth, who holds center stage for fathering mankind and creating the world. It was also by Kammeth's will that Lalaifia united the provinces when they were still petty kingdoms; a feat that will forever resonate with the people of Ignis. 
Other gods are also recognized, but are usually sidelined to be worshiped on specific holidays or when aid in their respective domains are needed. Lyriel is the second-most revered god in Ignis, and in many places within the province, other deities are simply not touched.

History:
Prior to the Imperial Conquest, Ignis was an independent petty kingdom. King Charles II passed without leaving a clear heir; he had no children of his own, but had supported his niece, Arienne of Giseux. However, prior to his death, his will claimed Robert of Dauphin as his apparent heir. Robert was the son of Charles' half-brother, with whom he reconciled their former estrangement. Arienne, daughter of Richeleu of Duvard, held the stronger claim; Robert was only Charles' half-nephew, and succession down the female line was permitted. Upon Charles' death, the houses of Duvard and Dauphin ignited hostilities, triggering a twenty-year-long struggle for Ignis. This war became known as the War of the Ignesian Succession. After a hard-fought campaign that resulted in the death of Robert of Dauphin, Arienne and her husband John of Duvard claimed the throne. 

Ignis was the first province to join Lalaifia during her conquest, and the Duvards the first house. Warned of an attack from Northerners by a vision from Kammeth, Lalaifia sent her husband and general, Paragon Valarien, to Ignis. As it were, a large invasion had landed on the shores of Ignis and already clashed with the Duvards. Lalaifia and Paragon led a force to the Duvards' main keep, arriving just in time to fight off the Northerners' siege. When the fighting cleared and the Northerners had been broken, Odvin, King of Ignis, pledged his loyalty to the Valariens. The Valariens' timely support laid the foundation for a strong alliance between the two houses. Odvin joined Lalaifia in her conquest of the provinces, earning the privilege of carrying her personal banner. The two of them became fast friends, and Odvin was at the forefront of many battles in her name. Since then, the Duvards have been loyal retainers of the Imperial throne.

Ignis's west coast, then an independent archduchy under the rule of Chalarensis, was Lalaifia's next destination. Under her command, Odvin mustered his army and marched on Chalarensis. They would join the Empire, willingly or not. As it were, Chalarensis did not respond to the threat immediately; he misunderstood the intentions of the loyalists or received their demands too late. In any case, he failed to either mount an effective defense or come to a dialogue with Lalafia. The combined force of Ignesians and Imperial soldiers launched their offensive, smashing through the hastily-raised militias in their path. Odvin laid siege to Chalarensis's stronghold, whereupon he surrendered after a few days. Some historians believe Odvin launched the Imperial offensive prematurely, with the interest of gaining control of the archduchy.

Following Chalarensis's subjugation, a large percentage of his lands were annexed by the Duvards and made part of Ignis. Somewhere in the later stages of Lalaifia's conquest, plans were made between the Duvards and Chalarensis to integrate his lineage into their house. Before this could take fruition, however, Chalarensis and his retainers were to be banished to the islands of Kawachia. This punishment came following his slaughter of the entire Practen line, during the Siege of Prachtvoll. The remainder of Chalarensis's hereditary holdings on the mainland were swept up by the Duvards.

Strengths: (Similar to House specialty, but often larger in scope, this could include an abundance of a resource, or the inability to field an army of much size. )

Weaknesses: (At least two, and they have to be real disadvantages, you can't really say you have a terrible navy if you're landlocked.) 

Exports:
Dyes: Ignis is a supplier of rare indigo dye, extracted from a plant called frillcaps, that are unique to the region. Ignesian dye has been used in the garments of the Phoenix King on many occasions, and is highly sought-after for the cloaks of the wealthy.

Furs: The fur of dire boars has adorned the shoulders of Duvard nobility for generations. Ignis's national animal is a fierce and enormous creature, and the risk involved with hunting one ensures a high price for the materials. Furs from other animals are also prized, like the striped mink and water badger.

Iron: Ignis has a moderate sum of iron ore deposits across its expanse, which can be used for steelmaking. It is a leading smelter of iron, using bloomery furnaces to produce steel. Its excess iron ore is never want for buyers, considering the necessity of steel.

Fish: As a coastal province, fish and seafood products are never in short supply. Ignis has an extensive fishing industry and hauls thousands of nets each day. Bounties are shipped further inland and much of it ends up in the Heartlands.

Furniture and lumber products: While Xandria boasts the best quality of lumber south of the Heartland, it is the craftsmanship of Ignis that turns it into luxury. Steelpine is a material favored by woodcarvers and artisans for its natural luster, and Ignesian handiwork is acclaimed throughout the Empire. Xandrian steelpine is imported before being transformed into furniture, sculpture and other forms of art, and sent throughout the provinces. Steelpine even finds its way into shipyards, where the wood is built into fantastic, silvery vessels.

Imports:
Precious metals: Owing to the Duvards' admiration for luxury, gold, silver and precious minerals are imported and turned into elaborate jewelry pieces. Ignis lacks vast amounts of rare minerals, so must import most of its glamour.

Lumber: Despite having renowned woodworkers, Ignis does not have huge swathes of forest. It imports much of its wood from Xandria; especially steelpine.

Alchohol: Ignesians adore exotic goods, and this pertains to drink just as well as food or costume. They import wines from many different provinces to satisfy their palettes, along with liqueurs and ales.

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