Gryphon's Order
The Guard. The Cavalry. The Navy. Protectors of Caledor.
The Gryphon’s Order is the primary military asset of the Kingdom of Caledor. Commanded by both the Lord Commander and King Sheldon IV, King of Caledor, it is a three branch military tasked with the protection of the kingdom and its people. Made up of Imperial Guard, Imperial Cavalry and Imperial Navy, the Order is one of the most powerful fighting forces in Unicorta.
Structure
The Imperial Guard
Spear and Shield wielding Imperial Guardsmen
The Imperial Guard are the backbone of Caledor’s military. They are every foot soldier, archer, siege infantrymen, knight and guardsmen that you see in the cities of Caledor. Every guardsman that a citizen sees defending a city is not simply a man recruited into the cities ranks, they are trained soldiers that go through a rigorous regimen that the Lord Commander has approved. Every soldier will undergo at least three months of training that goes over both combat techniques and tactics. The first month is dedicated to nothing but physical conditioning, while the second month is dedicated to military style education. The final month is for refinement of all techniques and learnings for the soldier, where failure is not an option. To fail your training exam would result in full expulsion from the Imperial Guard. This is often seen as a badge of great shame, kin to dishonoring the King himself. This gives birth to an extremely competitive and zealous group of soldiers that go above and beyond to serve their King, almost to a point comparable to brainwashing.
The specialized units of the Guard are siege technicians, knights, vanguard and many of your standard military ground forces. Often times, examiners will designate trainee graduates to specific practices in the military based on their performances and talents. For example, those especially adept with the blade will go to Knight Academy for an extra three months to learn more advanced tactics, such as commanding small battalions. The same goes for many specialized infantrymen. Likewise, well performing soldiers are subject to promotion. It must be noted that there is not necessarily a ranking system involved with the Gryphon’s Order. There is an obvious hierarchy, and that is the Knight Lord’s and the Lord Commander themselves. Knights and the such, act more as “extensions” of these powers that are meant to think independently for their units, but that does not mean they are actually a higher rank, only that they have a better skillset. This does not, of course, mean they are exempt to the respect of their comrades. Morale is important after all.
This process births a very elite and well-trained military that rivals the power of all forces in Unicorta. Caledor is undoubtedly a very well defended country, and many of its rivals are well aware of this fact. A downside of this, though, is that the training process is extremely time consuming. Should the military suffer heavy losses, the replenishment factor available to the army will not be swift, especially since the culture of conscription is seen as downright incompetent.
The Imperial Cavalry
The cavalry division of the Gryphon’s Order operates with multiple functions. The first and foremost being its frontline support. As the name suggests, soldiers that are among these ranks are mounted individuals. The type of mount that these soldiers have determines their function. For example, the raptor division are cavalrymen that ride velociraptors, tamed and transported from Kentama, and focus on reconnaissance missions. Cavalrymen who are on horseback work in tandem with the Imperial Guard, while gryphon and wyvern riders conduct their own military operations.
A cavalrymen riding atop a raptor mount.
Guardsmen who show an affinity towards cavalry are moved to Rider’s Academy after graduation. They then undergo a series of tasks and tests that determine what type of rider they will be. Other than horseback, cavalrymen must take care of their mount from adolescence and train them to reach an unbreakable bond, known as the Rider’s Bond. This is necessary as most operations that cavalrymen are extremely dangerous, meaning the mount and rider must be dedicated to each other in order to ensure success.
Overall, the Cavalry are a very well-respected branch of the Gryphon’s Order and are actually what most countries see of Caledor’s military. Imperial Guardsmen are tasked primarily with the defense of the country and its wars. Anything beyond its borders are dealt with the Imperial Cavalry, if its on land. Otherwise, the Navy takes care of it.
The Imperial Navy
Established in NE 380, the Imperial Navy of Caledor is the youngest branch of the military. Caledorans are generally earthbound creatures that found no reason to set their sights on the seas, almost to a point of loathing. However, recent interactions with the Dragon’s Republic have shown Caledor that trade and power can be obtained by means of the oceans. Through a trade agreement with the Dragon’s Republic, the Gryphon’s Order has obtained the means to build its own durable and efficient ships and war galleons. Due to the immaturity of this branch, recent progressions involving the Navy have been slow. So far, only as little as 300 ships have been built, 120 of which are actually meant for battle. This pales in comparison to the Dragon’s Republic’s Grand Navy of 1000 ships.
This places Caledor as 3rd most powerful naval force in all of Unicorta, with the Blood Empire taking 2nd. This fact has placed Caledor at even greater odds with the Blood Empire. This has consequently created an arms race between the two countries, while the Republic sits idly by watching in amusement. This is arguably, the weakest part of the Gryphon’s Order, often being supplemented by untrained Guardsmen manpower.
History
The Gryphon's Order was not the first military organization that Caledor used. Before it was a primarily responsive unit. Before the kingdom expanded to even greater sizes the military forces were stationed in the capital - Gryphon's Peak. In the olden times only one other Fortress City was built meaning mostly villages and hamlets remained elsewhere. But as the kingdom grew in size, King Baldrin recognized the need for a more organized and flexible structure. Thus the Gryphon's Order was established to officialize the military presence of the King. King Baldrin also recognized the need for a commanding structure outside of his own influenced and dubbed a new General - The Lord Commander.
Aeternum Victoria
The Lord Commander(below)
The leader of the Gryphon's Order and the right hand man of the King. Second to only the King in combat prowess, the Lord Commander is the primary leader of Caledor's military. Concerned only with the protection of Caledor and its people, the one who takes this mantle is a callous and hardened warrior.
Imperial Guardsman - Seen here is the standard wear for a soldier of the Gryphon's Order.
Imperial Gryphon Rider - The Imperial Cavalry are not bound to just the use of horses. Animal exports from all over the world are used to strengthen the power and flexibility of the Imperial Cavalry.
Founding Date
215 OE
Type
Military Order
Alternative Names
It's informal names are generally The King's Army and the Gryphons. Otherwise, most people recognize these forces as primarily the Gryphon's Order.
Parent Organization
Location
Controlled Territories
Related Ethnicities
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