Avalonian Imperial Navy
The military arm of elves in the stars
As seen in
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I, (name,) do swear by the Sword of Lugh Silverhand, to serve the Elven People with arm, sword, bow and spell to the best of my ability. I will, if necessary, lay down my life in defense of the People, and follow the commands of my superior officers and the royalty of elven nations, as best as I am able, until I hang my sword upon the Tree of Swords and Jewels in the Summerlands.The Avalonian Imperial Navy is an interstellar space navy populated mostly by elves, gnomes, and humans from numerous worlds. Once the military arm of the Avalonian Empire, they now claim to serve the interests of the "Empire in Waiting." While they still dominate most of Known Space, they are a shadow of what they once were.--the Oath of Service of the Avalonian Imperial Navy
Structure
The Avalonian Navy is commanded by a council of admirals, known collectively as Star Command. The head of the Navy is referred to as the High Admiral, who is chosen from the Admiralty by secret ballot. Before the collapse of the Avalonian Empire, the High Admiral was appointed from the Admiralty by the Imperial Monarch who wore the Crown of the Stars.
Star Command is comprised of a combination of Fleet Admirals, and certain elves who carry the rank of Admiral with command over special interest groups within the Navy structure (such as Research and Development or Intelligence). Occasionally, retired Admirals who are thought to be particular voices of wisdom are also invited, or appointed, to Star Command. These are most often decorated war veterans with reputations as strategists, and this was a tradition from before the fall of the Avalonian Empire that continues to the present day.
Beneath Star Command is the rest of The Admiralty, which is comprised of Fleet Admirals, commanders of special interest projects, and the Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals of the system fleets.
The Admiralty are the highest ranking members of The Mithril, which are all the ranking Navy officers collectively.
Beneath the Mithril are the junior officers and the warrants, and beneath them are the rest of the rank-and-file, consisting of Able Starhands, Starhands, and Landsfolk (sometimes derisively referred to as "Dirtsiders") in descending order.
Ranks
| Insignia | Rank | Level | Uniform | Pay per Annum | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Landsfolk | E-0 |
|
9-11*G | Starhands with no sailing experience |
|
Ordinary Starhand |
E-1 |
|
22*G/16*N/3*S | Common sailors |
|
Able Starhand |
E-2 |
|
28*G/17*N/11*S | Starhands with years of experience, or a specialty |
|
Leading Starhand |
E-2 |
|
39*G/10*N/1*S -44*G/2*N/1*S |
Starhands with years of experience in a specialty |
|
Master's Mate |
E-3 |
|
44*G/2*N/1*S- 57*G |
Assistant to the Master of a field |
|
Master | E-4 |
|
100-164*G | Starhand in charge of specific jobs |
|
Midshipman | O-0 |
|
13*G/18*N/9*S | Officer-Cadet, minimum rank for Star-Pilot |
|
2nd Lieutenant /Ensign |
O-1 |
|
18*G/5*N | Junior Officer, mostly support tasks |
|
Lieutenant | O-2 |
|
101-225*G | Assistant to senior officers |
|
Commander | O-3 |
|
365*G | Second-in-Command, Captain's right hand |
|
Captain | O-4 |
|
410-602*G | Sailor in charge of a ship or division |
|
Rear Admiral |
FO-1 |
|
1095*G | Flag Officer in charge of system defense |
|
Vice Admiral |
FO-2 |
|
1561*G | Flag Officer in charge of a system's war fleet |
|
Fleet Admiral |
FO-3 |
|
2190*G | Flag Officer in charge of the fleet of a system |
|
High Admiral |
FO-4 |
|
4578*G | Flag Officer in charge of the Navy |
*G=Galaxies (Platinum) / *N=Novae (Gold) / *S=Starbursts (Silver)
Rank insignias created by Barbarossa Sparklebeard; used by permission. Uniforms created in HeroForge by Diane Morrison. All rights reserved.
Public Agenda
The Avalonian Navy is the de facto ruling body of most of Known Space. Their stated purpose is to protect the remnant starfaring civilizations of the former Avalonian Empire, and the Elven People in general. As a result, they have become the primary peacekeeping force in Known Space as well. They believe that peace, order, and good government are in the best interests of elven peoples everywhere, so they expand their operating mandate to police and patrol the spaceways.
While most of the other spacefaring peoples resent the elven stranglehold, there have been some advantages in their governance. They patrol against pirates, restrict contraband, and encourage trade. Their policies favour their allied races, such as Gnomes, Humans, Dwarves (see Dwarf) and so forth, but have been disastrous for non-allied races, such as Shoggothi, Cthulans, Goblins, and more.
Assets
The Avalonian Navy claims a vast industrial military complex as assets, including dozens of military bases and stations, hundreds of ships and outposts, thousands of troops, and more than enough stored food, weapons, equipment, and ammunition to equip them all. Nevertheless, this is significantly reduced from the assets they possessed when the Avalonian Empire was at its height. Their widespread exchange and banking system allows them access to trade and asset accumulation just about anywhere. There are also significant numbers of "demilitarized" ships in the hands of private citizens that could be re-militarized at any time, and thousands of "retired" veterans who can be called back to active duty in times of need.
Their primary limitation is in the production of elven ships. The Avalonians use Starseed ships almost exclusively, and they can only be produced by a Tree of Life. The Avalonian Navy controls three known Tree of Life shipyards, but it almost certainly has more in reserve.
History
Early History
The Avalonian Navy seems like an eternal monolith, especially to outsiders. But it was, in fact, a fairly recent development by elven standards. Elves were in space for at least a thousand years before the Navy took shape, and it started as a small Space Navy that was formed to protect two small systems. At least, this is what the oldest records of the Navy say, though most of those early archives have been lost in the many conflicts that the Navy has faced in its time. The Navy has carefully preserved its Imperial Charter , however, so historians can confirm that the Avalonian Navy was officially founded on the 1st of Green Moon, 945 AC. More myths survive about those early days than historical records, and they tell a story of a long tradition of service, heroism and sacrifice. Like most myths, whether or not they have any basis in reality is a subject for debate. The Navy, when it began, was more like a Coast Guard in its function than a military per se. Over time it began to take a more and more aggressive stance. According to them, this was in response to increased aggression from Fomorian races and others, but most non-elven historians doubt that Dwarves, Humans, Fomorians, Cthulans, Shoggothi, and more could all have been "increasing aggression" without provocation. At the height of the Avalonian Empire (sometime around 2000 AC) the Avalonian Navy was spread over dozens, perhaps hundreds of systems, protecting hundreds of worlds, and communities on hundreds more, all of whom answered to the Avalonian Throne.War of Succession
The War of Succession was the beginning of the Navy's decline. With elf fighting elf, and no one entirely certain where each other's loyalties lay, the Navy, and the Empire, fractured. Contact between the far-flung systems of the Empire and its heart were completely severed, and the all-important knowledge of the Wormholes & Portals that connected them was lost. Perhaps even worse, elves fractured along ethnic divides, and to this day, still do not entirely trust each other. When the Crown of the Stars was lost, the Empire fell apart completely. Since then, the Navy in what has become known as the Core Worlds has carried on as best it can, defending the elven communities who once gave their loyalties to the Avalonian Throne -- even if they no longer do.First Interstellar War
It took a long time for Fomorians to build themselves up to a position in which they could take advantage of the elves' weakness. The surprise attack on Evergleam that launched the First Interstellar War sparked decades of interstellar conflict that devastated the Fomorians and fractured the elves even further. But ultimately, perhaps due to sheer attrition, the Fomorians were driven from Known Space entirely.Naval Civil War
In the aftermath of the Interstellar War, an uprising of Berserkers, starting with the Peridotian Mutiny, led to the outbreak of the Naval Civil War. This conflict primarily affected the Navy of the Telasian System but had resonating consequences throughout the Navy.Second Interstellar War
The Avalonian Navy has just, as of the day of this writing, declared war upon the Fomorians once again, as reports have reached Star Command of surprise attacks on elven communities in outlying systems.Military
The Avalonian Navy, being such an enormous and complex organization, divides itself into distinct departments. Many of these departments work almost autonomously, reporting only to Star Command:
System Fleets
Each system fleet is effectively an autonomous unit, with the ranking Admiral of the Fleet having considerable decision-making authority.Commissariat
The Commissariat handles distribution of resources, whether material, magical, or living (including troops). It is their duty to partial out rations, distribute equipment, and contact and keep track of the whereabouts of sailors, active, inactive, or retired.Research and Development
R&D is comprised of thinkers and logicians within the Navy structure. Typically it includes shipwrights, druids, alchemists, sages, archmages and engineers. Their mandate is to advance and improve starfaring technology and arcanology, develop new weaponry, and improve the growth and production of Trees of Life in the Navy's sphere of influence.Military Police
The MPs are responsible for guarding high-profile Navy prisoners, including pirates, captured enemy commanders and spacers, and any star-sailors who have been charged with a high profile military crime. They are comprised of trained fighters and mages.Intelligence
Intelligence is a coterminous branch of the Navy, and is comprised of everything from scouts to spies to strategists to codebreakers, to psions and mages with a penchant for scrying and communication.Chiurgeons and Chaplains
Chiurgeons can be assigned to ships, stations, or ports-of-call. Because they typically have some clerical training, they often serve double duty as chaplains for their crews. However, occasionally chiurgeons may be mages with necromantic specialties (see Medical Artificer.)Skalds
Skalds are another coterminous branch of the Navy. They may be assigned to system fleets or Star Command directly. They are also the Navy's historians, and are considered vital for morale.Marines
Marines receive separate training from other spacers, but are typically assigned to a system fleet and fall within the fleet's chain of command as appropriate to their rank.Foreign Relations
The Avalonian Navy are respected, but also resented, on the broader interstellar geopolitical stage. Most allied powers and client-states try to assert a degree of independence, while at the same time accessing and appreciating the benefits of their sphere of control. Some powers feel more resentment than others, which depends greatly upon how they've been treated in a particular region of space.
The Navy is openly hostile to the Fomorian Races, Shoggothi, Cthulans, and Rachs.
Trade & Transport
The Avalonian Navy controls access to vast regions of Known Space, including many, if not most, significant ports-of-call, stations and wormholes. They work closely with the Avalonian Merchant Marine to ensure safe access to trade for their clients and allies.
Education
Training in the Avalonian Imperial Navy takes place aboardships. Young gentlemen and ladies are typically taken into service as young midshipspeople "middies", although they are dismissed from active service if war is declared. Otherwise, any elf may enlist at the age of majority and is trained in space. From time to time, experienced elven starhands in other professions (such as fisherfolk or merchant-traders) are pressed into Navy service.
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To the stars through hardships
Avalonian Navy Table of Contents
01 AIN Enlisted Green.png
02 AIN Enlisted Ordinary.png
03 AIN Enlisted Able.png
04a AIN Masters Mate.png
04b AIN Carpenters Mate.png
04c AIN Chiurgeons Mate.png
04d AIN Chiurgeons Mate Variant.png
05a AIN Master.png
05b AIN Carpenter.png
05c AIN Chiurgeon.png
05d AIN Chiurgeon Variant.png
06a AIN Midshipman.png
06b AIN Midshipman Druids Mate.png
06c AIN Midshipman Flight Suit.png
06d AIN Midshipman Flight Suit Variant.png
07a AIN 2nd LT Ensign.png
07b AIN 2nd LT Ensign Druid.png
07c AIN 2nd LT Ensign Flight Suit.png
07d AIN 2nd LT Flight Suit Variant.png
08a AIN 1st Lieutenant.png
09b AIN 1st Lieutenant Druid.png
09c AIN 1st LT Flight Suit.png
09d AIN 1st LT Flight Suit Variant.png
10a AIN Commander.png
10b AIN Commander Flight Suit.png
10c AIN Commander Flight Suit Variant.png
11a AIN Captain.png
11b AIN Captain Flight Suit.png
11c AIN Captain Flight Suit Variant.png
12a AIN Rear Admiral.png
13a AIN Vice Admiral.png
14a AIN Fleet Admiral.png
15a AIN High Admiral.png
Founding Date
1 Green Moon, 945 AC
Type
Military, Space navy
Alternative Names
Elven Navy
Predecessor Organization
Successor Organization
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Experienced
Demonym
Avalonians
Power Structure
Thalassocracy
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
Avalonian Naval ports and authorities accept bullion in all significant trade metals by weight, with the exception of Mithril which defies standard weight measurement. Mithril bullion is valued by size of the ingot. The Avalonian Navy does not mint its own coinage, but it still refers to appropriate coinage by the names that were used when the Avalonian Empire still minted its own.
They prefer coinage minted by Elven powers, but will accept any coinage that meets the appropriate trade-weight standard. They will exchange any coin of appropriate trade weight for the appropriate currency of any allied nation, with only a 2.5% exchange fee. Currency from any elven power is exchanged at equal value; allied currency at 85%, and the currency of any enemy power at 75%.
Coins typically accepted, in ascending order, include:
- "Sparks" (*Sp) - Copper
- "Starbursts" (*S) - Silver
- "Novae" (*N) - Gold
- "Galaxies" (*G) - Platinum
- "Pulsars" (*P) - Adamantite
- "Nebulae" (*Nb) - Mithril
- "Wormholes" (*W) - Starmetal
Legislative Body
The Admiralty and Star Command are the legislative body of the Avalonian Navy, though they try to encourage at least partial self-government in any port or client-state that is not strictly a military base.
However, the Avalonian Imperial Navy has a complex relationship with its Elven client-states and associated powers. Within reason, and provided it countermands no existing orders issued by Star Command, star-sailors in the Navy are bound to obey the dictates of Elven monarchs. Many elves who serve in the Navy also offer their allegiance to local Elven powers; such as the elves of the Telasian Fleet, who almost always give their political allegiance to the Crown of Glimmerfell. These loyalties may intersect or even contradict one another from time to time. In general, the Admiralty of the Navy recognizes the complexities and tries to interpret confusion between political and military loyalties favourably.
Judicial Body
Justice within the Avalonian Navy is conducted by military or fleet tribunal, and is administered and judged by the ranking officers (Captains and Admirals) within a fleet or port-of-call. To be charged with a crime is to be court martialed. Navy law is interpreted and administered differently in peacetime and wartime. In wartime it is administered according to the Articles of War.
In civilian areas, even among allied powers and client-states, the Avalonian Navy prefers to leave the judiciary duties in the hands of the local civilian authorities.
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Official Languages
Related Ranks & Titles
Related Professions
Controlled Territories
Manufactured Items
Organization Vehicles
Notable Members
Oh wow! I am so happy you managed to get the table to work and look so well! I hope it does everything you hoped for.