The Fijornian Soldier

"No retreat. No surrender. To Fail Is To Fail The Emperor."

Overview

The Fijornian Soldier is the backbone of the Kingdom of Fijorn’s legendary war machine. Clad in the unbreakable Blacksteel Plate, wielding finely crafted longswords, and fighting with unmatched discipline, these warriors are considered among the most elite infantry in the world.

Unlike common foot soldiers of other nations, a Fijornian Soldier does not merely serve—he is forged from birth to become war itself.

From the moment they are inducted at age 15, they undergo rigorous physical training, mental fortitude trials, and tactical mastery, ensuring that they are more than just men—they are living extensions of the Emperor’s divine will.

Appearance & Equipment

Armor – The Blacksteel Plate

Each Fijornian Soldier wears full Blacksteel Plate, a masterwork of Fijornian metallurgy that is both highly resistant to damage and enchanted to reject non-Fijornians. The armor is black as midnight, lined with golden filigree, and engraved with the oaths of loyalty sworn to the God Emperor.

Weight: 85 lbs (perfectly balanced for Fijornians, unwieldy for outsiders).
Enchantment: If worn by a non-Fijornian without authorization, the armor locks, rendering the wearer immobile until removed by a Fijornian officer.
Shield Formation Bonus: If standing shoulder to shoulder with another soldier, they gain +1 AC per adjacent ally.

Weaponry – The Blacksteel Arsenal

A standard-issue Fijornian Soldier is equipped with:

Blacksteel Longsword – A finely honed, double-edged blade designed for precision thrusts and brutal cleaves.
Tower Shield – Reinforced with arcane steel, capable of deflecting siege weapons under proper formation.
Boltcaster (Optional) – A hand-mounted crossbow used in urban warfare and tight corridors.

Tactics & Formations

A single Fijornian Soldier is formidable. A phalanx of them is a moving fortress.

Phalanx Formations

Unbreakable Shield Wall – Fijornian Soldiers lock shields, reducing incoming damage by half.
Phalanx Strike – When three or more soldiers stand in formation, they thrust in unison, overwhelming their target.
Line-Breakers – If the formation is disrupted, soldiers will retaliate with Shield Bashes to restore order.

Discipline & Unyielding Resolve

Fearless: Immune to charm and fear effects.
Unwavering: Will never retreat unless directly commanded by an officer or the Emperor himself.
Unshakable: Gains advantage on saving throws against being knocked prone or disarmed.

Finalized Fijornian Soldier Stat Block

Large Humanoid (Fijornian), Lawful Neutral

Armor Class: 19 (Fijornian Blacksteel Plate, Shield)
Hit Points: 112
Speed: 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	10 (+0)

Saving Throws: Str +7, Con +6
Skills: Athletics +6, Perception +4
Damage Resistances: Psychic, Nonmagical Slashing/Piercing/Bludgeoning
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened
Senses: Passive Perception 15
Languages: Common, Fijornian War Cant
Challenge: 6 (2,300 XP)

Abilities

Unyielding Loyalty

Immune to charm and fear effects.
Will never retreat unless commanded by its ruler.

Shield Wall Tactics

Gains +1 AC when within 5 feet of an allied Fijornian soldier.
If adjacent to two or more soldiers, they gain resistance to all non-magical attacks.

Phalanx Strike (Recharge 5-6)

Requires at least three Fijornian Soldiers standing in a line formation.
Each soldier makes a Blacksteel Longsword attack with advantage, overwhelming the enemy.

Actions

Multiattack

The Fijornian Soldier makes two Blacksteel Longsword attacks.

Blacksteel Longsword (Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, one target.)

Hit: 31 (5d10+4) slashing damage + 17 (6d4+2) force damage.

Shield Bash (Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.)

Hit: 40 (8d8+4) bludgeoning damage.
The target must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Raise Shields (Bonus Action)

The soldier takes the Raise Shield stance, increasing AC by +2 until the start of their next turn.
If adjacent to another Fijornian Soldier also raising their shield, their AC increases by +3 instead.

Reactions

Phalanx Defense

If an ally within 10 feet is targeted by an attack, the Fijornian Soldier can impose disadvantage on the attack by stepping in to block with their shield.

Combat Role

The Fijornian Soldier is designed to be a formidable frontline combatant that thrives in group warfare. While an individual soldier is powerful, their true strength lies in their numbers and coordinated tactics.

Against a standard adventuring party, a group of Fijornian Soldiers should be used as an impenetrable wall that requires teamwork, strategy, and precise strikes to break through.

How to Use Fijornian Soldiers in Battle

Shield Walls: Force the party into narrow corridors or funnel them into choke points where the shield wall shines.
Phalanx Strikes: Have soldiers coordinate attacks to overwhelm the strongest melee combatants.
Line-Breaking Counters: If the party tries to scatter the formation, have the soldiers retaliate with Shield Bashes to restore order.