Arcachon

Arcachon
Realm Summary
Continent / Island	Far East
Capital	Enlod
Government System	Tyranny

Introduction

Arcachon can be a dark realm. We favour looting over takeovers, and war over peace. Our Nobles are expected to be ferocious on the battlefield, brutal in victory, tenacious in the prelude; discipline is greatly stressed amongst the Clans and Clansmen, for it is the key to our success, controlled ferocity and savagery. Many of the things we accomplish are because our nobles are more highly disciplined, and well trained in their arts, allowing a numerically smaller force of our own Clansmen to defeat far larger forces in both open battle and against fortified enemy positions (as we did against the combined armies of Arcaea and Ethiala, and even Soliferum and Sartania). We have the natural advantage of defensible coasts, though our enemies gain the geographic advantage of both travel times, and being able to blockade our arrival by sea, meaning even with our defences we must be skilled and meticulous in our warfare, never lulled into a false sense of security. We at one point boasted the largest conclave of Infiltrators on the continent, and infiltrators are treated well, though we are a people who relish the chance to duel and invade foreign realms, the service and customs of an infiltrator are highly sough after. Arcachon is always looking for more Infiltrators to hire, and pays them well in gold and missions.

Treason is not tolerated, and will be grounds for banishment from all Clans under the banner of Arcachon. Upon your capture--and you will be caught--you will be summarily executed. We do not shy away from the executor's axe in this realm. By following the laws of the Clans and the orders of your superiors, you can expect good funding of your person and unit, good gains in honour and prestige in battle, those that prove themselves in war and peace, will gain rank and station easily, you can also expect good and regular roleplay, though it is totally reliant on people contributing, including newcomers. If this doesn't sound like the place for you, we're sorry to have had you waste our time and yours. Otherwise, Welcome Clansman!

Geography

Arcachon is traditionally a self-contained unit. We are surrounded by the sea on all fronts, with only two entry points off the island: Ecsetuah and Soniel. This natural defence has allowed the warriors of Arcachon to raid relatively unchecked by up the walls along the coast and insuring a sizeable garrison of militia, and on the rare occassions that an army has dared to venture against the white cliffs of the Isle, they are slaughtered, the cliffs painted red in their blood, no army has ever breached the Dark Isle since its founding. This has also been the realm's Achilles heel, as they cannot readily expand off the island without losing control due to geographic distance, and in many instances realms have tried to blockade the Clansmen warriors on the Island by controlling the ports and shores of the mainland with large armies.

However all of this has changed since the conquest of Sartania, with Arcachon holding considerable mainland holdings including the former Sartanian capital of Niel. Whenever a campaign is planned and launched the mainland regions have to be considered, hard to control and often exposed should anyone some how get through our allies of Arcaea. Though the considerable amount of gold and troops they provide quickly makes us for the few downsides allowing Arcachon to easily maintain around 25,000 CS, making Arcachon one of the strongest realms, and on occasion THE strongest realm.

Enlod: pop. 10600; City

Soniel: pop. 10000; Townsland

Itomazh: pop. 8100; Rural

Ecsetuah: pop. 7700; Rural

Mnalor: pop. 6800; Woodland

Rrerat: pop. 5800; Rural

Rapael: pop. 4500; Woodland

Unotosa: pop. 4900; Rural

Athios: pop. 5800; Rural

Tuhpos: pop. 7900; Townsland

Irneas: pop. 4500; Rural

Hierarchy

The Isle of Arcachon is a superstitious place. Clan and family elders and gods sit hand in hand with the Gods of the Adgharhin Way. The Guardian heads up statecraft, and enacting the will of the Clan Chiefs in diplomacy, while staying out of the affairs of the military, leaving these decisions entirely in the capable hands of the Dark Isles military leadership. As we are a war-like realm, our Holy Legate should be the best among us, and therefore we regularly hold elections to ensure that the Holy Legate has the full backing, respect and confidence of the clans.

Arcachon is a tribal tyranny built into a thriving and deeply embedded theocracy. We are a theocracy in that the islanders are more spiritual and superstitious than most of the other civilizations, having been culturally and geographically isolated for centuries both before, and after the human colonisation that slaughtered the Elves. We are a tribal tyranny in the sense that the Guardian rules largely on personal strength and the respect of their peers, acting as an arbiter of disputes between "Chieftains", who in turn exercise some power over their Knight Clansmen. The game's hierarchy system is greatly encouraged in this realm, as it provides a little more depth to realm politics and serves as a good RP device.

Clan Hierarchy

The realm's clan hierarchy, for purposes of disputes, Roleplay, and orders, is as follows (the direction of the arrows determines who you report to:

Note that no place is made for freemen and the unaligned. This is to encourage participation in the clan hierarchy. Clansmen (Knights) of Chieftains (Local Local) answer directly to their Clan chieftains. Freemen answer to anyone, including any Clansmen. If a Clansmen has a dispute, it should be handled by the Chief of his clan. If the Chieftain cannot settle it alone or through the High Council Of The Clans, or the problem is with the chieftain himself, then the Chieftain in question has the right to take the dispute to the Duke, or Geire Suil. If the dispute is with the Duke himself, the Chieftain goes directly to the Geire Suil. Many disputes can be settled with a duel of honour, which is highly encouraged in this realm as an honourable and fitting way to resolve disputes. Note that challenging a Chieftain (Local Lord or Duke) to a duel is effectively treason, unless pardoned and agreed to by all parties involved.

High Council of the Clans

The Council of Lords is a Message Group that exists to allow local lords the ability discuss realm disputes and politics amongst themselves. Local lords are instrumental in forming new realm policies and shaping or discarding old ones. For example, if Local Lord A has a knight or two with a problem, he can take it straight to the Duke or to Council of Lords. He's not bound to follow your group opinion, but it can help. He IS bound by the Duke's opinion, as that is his liege. Anyone on this Council of Lords can propose a new law or policy, and it can be debated here and sent for final approval to the Duke.

Because Arcachon usually has one Marquis and one Duke, votes are weighted. In any vote the High Council takes, a Marquis' vote counts as 3 instead of 1. If the Duke needs to vote, his counts as 6. Thus, Counts and Marquis can effectively override the Duke by show of power if need be.

War Council

The War council is a congregation of all the greatest and most skilled members of the military hierarchy, normally encompassing the General, Marshals, Vice Marshals and those who have particularly proven themselves in the eyes of the Dark Isle. It is here that all matters of the military are discussed, with the Holy Legate having the biggest voice, and ultimate authority over any and all issues, normally it is used to assign armies, decide marshals and sponsorships and give relay orders to them, but on many occasions military strategy and tactics are discussed.

Military Hierarchy

The realm's military hierarchy is as follows:

Ideas come from the Guardian, who represents the will of the Clan Chiefs, execution of the will of the Clans is the responsibility of the Holy Legate, who has supreme authority over the military. Conveying those orders and secondary tasks are assigned to the Marshals, who are picked by the Holy Legate. In our realm, we have several armies; the first is the Axe of Adaghar army, who form the bulk of our armed forces, the second being the Holy Storm Crusaders army, who form the Elite army of Arcachon, under the direct control and lead by the Holy Legate, the "Morrigu" form a third, lighter force to rival the Holy Storm Crusaders and also support them in raids, they are generally used as a vanguard of the southern provinces, and to support the Axe's Of Adaghar. The final army is the Righteous Cursaderz Of Adaghar, blessed by Adaghar himself, the former Pontifex, the personal army of the first Holy Legate of Adaghar, blessed by the second Holy Legate and the Guardian of the Clans, it is considered the sacral army of the Clans. There is a strong rivalry between all armies to prove themselves the strongest and best lead in the realm.

For further information, look in to the campdesk of the Paladin Primus

Buildings and Supplies

Cities of the Dark Isle are the centres of our infrastructure and supplies, however many of our mainland regions and southern island regions have been outfitted to supply and maintain our armies passing through. With the two cities of Arcachon at either end of our lands this has become a necessity, with our regions adjusting well to the role.

See the Judges bulletin for the location of specific buildings.

The History of the Dark Isle

Once it is written, spell-checked, and reviewed the information will be placed in the libraries for all to read freely. The first record of Arcachon's history has begun, but is nowhere to be found. Banners that Arcachon used to fly exists in an archive though.

Additional Resources

For more information about Arcachon's history please see the Arcachon Annals.

For the Banker's official tallies of realm treasury please see the Arcachon Treasury.

For Arcachon's only newspaper (long defunct) see the Adaghar's Annals.

For more information about Arcachon's religion please see the religion page of the Adgharhin Way.

For more information about Arcachon's Culture please view the Culture of Arcachon to learn what types of food, beverages, and other various details about the small realm of Arcachon.

Regional Lordship positions that are unclaimed can be challenged to a duel for the right to lord and protect the people within the region. For an updae on non-lorded regions look to Region Duels for a listing of challenges.

The End of Arcachon

After losing Enlod, the capital city, most of Arcachonian nobles left the realm to join Ohnar West. Only four members remained in Arcachon to the end: Duregal Lapallanch, Elia DeRouen, Lucifer Lawson, and Melehan Lefanis.