Dirr

• World: Dirr

  

  The main port of Dirr's capital city, Asclipus.

• Location: Core Worlds
• Type: Fuedal World
• Tithe: [Servitus] Dirr tithes large numbers of slaves to the Administratum who in turn sell them to Nobles and wealthy people all over Sector Deus.
• Population: 650 million [650 000 000]
• Government: Feudalistic Monarchy. Dirr is divided into a large number of city-states, each of which is ruled by a Lord or King. The most powerful King or Lord is considered the planetary governor and bestowed with the title of High King of Dirr. The current planetary governor is High King Septimus Aurelian, who rules the Asclipian Kingdom with the assistance of a large elected Senatorum.

Description

A low-tech planet somewhat similar to Terra in early M1, Dirr's land is predominantly covered in mild forest and grassy plains though there are areas of desert & ice at the equator & poles respectively. It is believed that Dirr was first colonised during Sector Deus' original founding, but after the Long Storm of M37 subsided Dirr had devolved into a feudalistic society where Imperial technology was rare and sacred.

The culture of Dirr worships the Imperium as well as the Emperor as their ancient stories tell of the 'Times of Woe' when the sky turned red and monsters descended on them. These were in fact repeated attacks & raids by Dark Eldar during the Long Storm, and these were ended when the 'Sky Chariots' arrived and cast aside the monsters and liberated the planet, known by most as the Belisarian Reclamation Crusade. Dirr pays its debts to the Sky Chariots by providing them with slaves periodically.

In M41 the dominant power of Dirr by far is the Asclipian Kingdom, which has taken over almost a third of the planet through either political or military action and enforced its culture on most of the world's population for many centuries. The Aurelian Dynasty is the ruling bloodline of the Asclipian Kingdom, and its patriarch is the High King of Dirr. Many other members of the Aurelian Dynasty hold other positions of power, such as military commanders and regional Lords & Kings. However it should be noted that the Imperium is unlikely to enforce their rule should rivals attempt to depose them or another Kingdom invades the Asclipian Kingdom (unless said opponents are tainted by outside powers).

In Asclipian culture slaves make up the lower classes of Dirr and are freely traded amongst land owners and the wealthy. Whilst they have significantly less rights than non-slaves (also known as 'citizens'), they are not completely bereft of legal protection. Unjustified execution and torture of slaves is widely illegalised, as are inhumane conditions (though what counts as inhumane depends on the views of the local Lord or King). Otherwise slaves must do as their master commands, be it farm labour, house service, or gladiatorial displays.

When the Sky Chariots descend the land owners pass on their finest slaves to their Kings & Lords, who in turn pass them over to the Chariots to take them away and serve the gods. As far as their buyers are concerned Dirrans are the finest indentured servants in the Sector and are both valued and (mostly) respected by their masters.

Psykers on Dirr are detected by the sizeable astropathic relay on the moon of Prurio, and they are hastily gathered up by psykers who already live on the surface (known varyingly as Wizards, Mages, Warlocks etc). The young psykers are categorised on Prurio itself, and those rated for Astropathic duties are sent to Terra on the blackships for soulbinding with the Emperor like any other astropath. However those psykers that show higher levels of control are instead tutored by experienced psykers on Prurio, undergoing a local sanctioning before being returned to the Dirrian surface - typically the same region they originally hailed from. These individuals are seen as blessed by the God-Emperor by their countrymen, having spent time in the heavens above, and invariably find their way into powerful positions such as court advisers and warriors. The Imperium does this because the Astropathic Choir on Prurio can send messages to these psykers dispersed throughout the planet, messages that are seen as 'words from the God-Emperor'. The psykers can then influence their local Lords and Kings and this therefore gives the Imperium a measure of control over the people of Dirr without intervening directly. Because the psykers are returned to all regions of Dirr, it is not unheard of for them to do battle with each other when their peoples go to war.

• Technology: [II – Primitive] The few relics that remain from the times of the Imperium on Dirr are considered holy relics, and as such are typically enshrined within places of worship and are inoperable. Dirr's own technology is pre-gunpowder, with stone buildings and human labour doing all the work. The Imperium actively works towards the technological stagnation of this world for it could result in the reduction or even abolition of the world's institutionalised slavery. The Administratum has resorted to aggressive measures to ensure this, including recently razing a Dirrian city to the ground for discovering steam power.
• Military: Dirr's warriors are typically clad in chainmail (at best) and wielding spears, swords & shields, see Military. Unbeknown to Dirr however, is that the Imperium maintains a small naval base on its moon used as a resupply station as well as a minor defensive post. 
• Strategic importance: [Media] Dirr provides the majority of the domestic servants in Sector Deus and if it were lost slave prices would skyrocket. So whilst it has little true value beyond the lives of its inhabitants, the political power of those who own indentured servants (such as Nobility and other wealthy individuals) artificially inflates the value of this world.
• Loyalty: [Sky Gods 90%][Lords 60%] The people of Dirr fervently believe that if they do not please the Sky Gods they will leave and Dirr will once more be attacked by monsters. However many slaves harbour great dislike towards their masters. All cultures on Dirr worship the Sky Gods in one way or another, though the methods of worship can vary extremely. The Asclipian Kingdom has a culture of regular temple prayers and occasional animal sacrifices, whereas the Carmanians perform ritualistic combat to commemorate holy days, the Sarandans often undergo fasting and self-flagellation (to varying degrees of severity), and the Manazomans hold periodic & manic festivals involving mass sacrifices (this once included human sacrifice, but this was phased out through missionary influence). The holy temples of the Asclipian Kingdom are overseen by local Dirrans who have been inducted into the Imperial Priesthood by a visiting preacher from off-world, while the other realms are seen as excellent training grounds for members of the Missionaria Galaxia.

Notable Locations

A map showing the primary divisions of Dirr.

Dirr's landscape is fairly typical for a temperate world. Most of the landmass is taken up by grass & forestland that can vary in climate from cold & wet to warm & dry. There are also large areas of searing desert around the equator and temperatures reach freezing point towards the poles. The cities and towns of Dirr are primarily constructed of hardstone & clay, and are typically surrounded by vast areas of farmland.

• Asclipian Kingdom - The largest unified state of any kind on Dirr that currently rules a large portion of the planet's main continent. The Asclipian Kingdom is a vast empire that contains over 150 million souls, consolidating a wide variety of cultures into their own. The Asclipian Kingdom branches from frozen lands in the north to scalding desert in the south, and controls the largest military force on the planet. Notable locations in the Asclipian Kingdom:
  • Asclipius - The capital city of the Asclipian Kingdom and therefore all of Dirr. Asclipius is located roughly in the middle of the Asclipian Kingdom, located around a river that connects to a vast bay on the southern coast of the main continent on the coast of the Idarean Sea. Asclipius is the cultural & political capital of the Asclipian Kingdom, and home to over a million souls (a vast number for a feudal society). Notable locations in Asclipius:
    • The White Citadel - The ancestral palace of the ruler of the Asclipian Kingdom. The White Citadel is a luxurious construction of marble pillars and gold detailing, and is tended to by a small legion of slave servants. It is protected by the Millennial Guard, an elite force of one thousand warriors drawn from the best soldiers of the Asclipian Legions. Notable inhabitants:
      • Aurelian Dynasty - A line of nKings that has ruled the Asclipian Kingdom for almost 200 years,  the Aurelian Dynasty rose to prominence as Provincial Governors before the incumbent King died without heirs. In the resulting succession crisis the Aurelian Dynasty negotiated the support of the Asclipian Legions, ensuring their rise to the throne.
        • High King Septimus Aurelian - The current patriarch of the Aurelian Dynasty, King of Asclipius and High King of Dirr.
    • The Asclipian Forum - A large open-sided building of marble pillars and stone benches where the High King of Dirr convenes with his senators. Most Senators are elected by the people, though others are appointed such as regional Praefects and the army-commanding Legati. The Asclipian Forum is also protected the the Millennial Guard.
    • The Pillar of the Sky Gods - This large structure is the tallest in Asclipius, and crafted from plasteel & ferrocrete by Imperial forces thousands of years ago. A subject of awe to all Dirrans, this is actually a large landing platform where Administratum shuttles take possession of their tithe of slaves. A mighty temple of marble has been constructed around the base of the Pillar, and the tithe handover process is a religious ceremony in Asclipius and treated with much reverence.
    • The Great Arena - A large circular structure where gladiatorial games are held. These are mostly show fights performed for entertainment and while injury is common, death amongst the well-trained, valuable gladiators is rare. However condemned criminals, Carmanian barbarians & captured Manazomans are often used for disposable entertainment, their execution turned into a spectacle.
  • Nibila - A city far to the southeast of Asclipius. Nibila is a vital port city located on the northern coast of Saranda, where the exotic products & slaves of the hot climate are exported and vital supplies & materials are imported to and from all corners of the Asclipian Kingdom. The port itself is a large and formidable structure of granite piers, marble watchtowers and vast stone warehouses. Surrounding the port is a sprawling city of sandstone, tents and roads that teem with thousands of Dirrans going about their business.
  • Savvonium - One of the oldest cities on Dirr, and located on the northwestern coast, Savvonium is made of hard grey stone and possesses the most extensive libraries in the Kingdom. Home to many great scholars and philosophers, Savvonium is widely responsible for the Asclipian Kingdom's dominance through their designs for superior ships, weapons & siege engines, as well as advances in architecture and agriculture. For the same reason this also makes them the biggest enemy of the Imperium, as their technological advances threaten to one day make the slave caste redundant (and therefore Dirr's value to the Imperium). In 332.M41 the revolutionary discovery of steam power in Savvonium resulted in an inquisitorial strike force laying waste to Savvonium in order to destroy all records and knowledge of steam power.
• Carmania - A vast region of coniferous forests and mountains to the northeast of the Asclipian Kingdom, that is dominated primarily by cold, harsh climate. The milder south Carmania is mostly populated by larger kingdoms of mostly peaceful folk, though they are even more primitive than the Asclipians. The punishing climate of northern Carmania is instead inhabited by hordes of barbarian tribes who are just as primitive yet far more savage than their southern kin, and often engage in conflict with them. The Asclipian Kingdom has long had to keep its borders & coastlines defended from marauding north Carmanians (and sometimes south Carmanians), and all attempts to invade & pacify this great expanse has ended in failure. However this does not prevent ambitious Asclipian Generals and Legati from leading their forces into north Carmania (and sometimes south Carmania) to plunder cities and settlements for loot and slaves.
  • Sark - A stable southern Carmanian Kingdom near the Asclipian border. Sark has an alliance with Asclipius, avoiding being annexed in exchange for facilitating trade between Carmania & Asclipius.
  • Rivain - A large island north of the Asclipian coast, inhabited by tribes of Carmanians of varying degrees of savagery.
  • Eonia - A northern Carmanian Kingdom of savage marauders & barbarians. Their mountainous labyrinthine territories and freezing conditions stymie the Asclipian Legion's invasion attempts again & again.
  • Skarda - A northern Carmanian Kingdom of seafaring raiders that plague the coastlines of the Korinian Sea.
  • Dardenfell - A southern Carmanian Kingdom that has actively opposed Asclipian expansion, they have consistently refused any annexation terms and pushed back the first Legion sent to invade them. They conflict with the Asclipius-allied Sark repeatedly.
• Murghar - A vast expanse of land to the east of Carmania. Largely unknown to the Asclipian Kingdom, the vast snowy tundras of this region's northern half are virtually uninhabited. However the southern half is composed of dozens of states & kingdoms and large areas of jungle & densely inhabited coastline. Less tribalistic than the Carmanians but less organised than Asclipians, the Murghars are heavily influenced by their large systems of trade and commerce, with transport routes carved all across the large region. They are also known for a large number of conflicting religious beliefs which are a major cause of contention between factions.
• Saranda - This continent south of the Idarean Sea is dominated by desert and hot savannah, and is mostly divided into many small city-states. These city-states often fight amongst themselves for land & resources, but unite in the face of the Asclipian Kingdom. Of course this is only a generality, and towards the southern regions of Saranda - beyond the great Sarandan desert that takes up a large region of the continent - are some larger kingdoms. The Asclipian Kingdom has a strong foothold on the northern coast of Saranda, and is in a technically constant state of war with the Sarandan city-states it borders. In practice however the massive Sarandan desert and disunited Sarandans makes open warfare between Asclipius and Sarandans an only intermittent occurence, with border cities trading hands between Sarandans and Asclipians several times over the centuries.
  • Ersia - A powerful city-state south of Nibila. Ersia is in a state of cold war with Nibilia and they have fought large battles & besieged each other multiple times over the last few centuries - with little lasting success.
  • Lyzantius - A city-state that loosely controls a large region of the Sarandan Desert from their oasis-based fortress-city. They are bandits & marauders to those too close to their lands and frequently raid Asclipian (and other Sarandan) settlements along the continent's northern coastline.
  • Zarthia - A belligerent city-state in constant war with the Asclipian Kingdom due to their control over a critical sea crossing between the two continents. Zarthia and the Asclipian city of Argo constantly push each other for territory and seek to disrupt each other's supply chain.
  • Torb - Located deep within the great Sarandan Desert and built around a vital oasis, the city of Torb is an isolated, remote, and somewhat mysterious place whose wealth stems from the gold & gemstones in their desert territory.
• Hazhaka - A large continent to the west of the Asclipian Kingdom, seperated from the Kingdom by a large ocean. The Asclipian Kingdom has claimed a small peninsula on the continent's eastern edge, but are seperated from the remainder of the region by a large mountain range. Eastern Hazhaka is predominantly large plains & steppes, and inhabited primarily by nomadic tribes that travel in great columns of horses and carts. Meanwhile Western Hazahaka is predominantly mountainous & coastal regions with a population that tend towards static kingdoms & states. Hazhaka is rarely assaulted by Asclipian military forces, as the daunting ocean voyage and mountain range passage is a difficult barrier for any Legion to pass.
  • Q'Do - A small city-state and port on the eastern coast of Hazhaka. Q'Do has long hadf to defend itself from the marauding nomadic barbarians that cover most of eastern Hazhaka. Coastal trading & fishing are their primary industries and they have become a significant trading partner of the Asclipian settlement of Ilnius.
  • Zhenha - A sprawling nomad barbarian state. Zhenha is one of the more powerful regions of eastern Hazhaka and they control a substantial areaof coastline, stymieing tradeships with piracy from their simple longboats.
  • Danghoz - The greatest Kingdom & City of western Hazhaka. The Kingdom of Danghoz dominates the entire western coast of the Dangha Sea and the capital city of Danghoz itself is built on and between several small islands on the coast - making it one of the largest & busiest ports on the planet.
  • Koysa - The dominant power in a series of islands off thewestern coast of Hazhaka. This Kingdom is highly mlilitant and is known for its aggressive expansionism and formidable seafaring talent.
• Manazoma - A small continent located far across the sea to the southwest of the Asclipian Kingdom and south of Hazhaka, seperated from both by large ocean. It is dominated by large tropical jungle and inhabited by large clans of jungle dwelling primitives who live off the land and adorn themselves with leaves and paints. Manazoma can only be reached by the most daring of explorers - often Asclipians that have managed to travel all the way through Hazhaka - who seek to plunder its valuable mineral veins and take valuable Manazoman slaves.
• Dorsiana - A large island located to the far southeast of the main continent, Dorsiana is an isolated region inhabited by a race of peoples who apparently originated from the world of Doria IV. How exactly the Dorian race of humans came here is a subject of many theories, varying from a stranded Dorian colony ship to a Inquisitorial conspiracy. No matter how they came to be here they have regressed to the feudal Dirrian tech-level and are built around tribal and monarchic rule. Dorsiana is in the middle of a massive ocean and almost impossible to reach by any of the other societies on Dirr due to their limited naval technology. However the Dorsians know their own waters well and there have been a few instances of Dorsian expeditions reaching the main continent. Northern Dorsiana is dominated by tropical jungle and smaller tribal societies, while southern Dorsiana is composed more of plains and grasslands allowing for the formation of larger Queendoms.
  • Reshena - The largest of the Southern Queendoms, based around a large settlement and wooden fortress from which Queen Kastan currently rules.
• Prurio - The moon of Dirr. This large grey orb is inhabited by a small Imperial Navy resupply station and is Dirr's only source of modern military strength. Prurio's defensive guns and naval armsmen are the only thing standing between Dirr and would-be raiders, and its sizeable astropathic relay choir is their only means of contact with the wider Imperium.
  • Master Franz Volkker - Master of the Dirr Administratum, commander of Prurio, and overseer of all Dirr. Whilst the Imperium takes a hands-off approach to the local rule of Dirr's surface, Volkker ultimately has absolute power over the planet and guides its development in whatever direction is most beneficial to the Imperium.

Military

The different regions and peoples of Dirr have wildly different forms of military:

Asclipian Kingdom

The Asclipian Kingdom commands the dominant military foce on Dirr, the Asclipian Legion. The Asclipian Legion is a vast force that is split up into individual armies known as Legions. Each Legion typically numbers five to ten thousand men strong, and their are two chief types of Legion.

Those Legions that are funded by Asclipian tax revenue are each commanded by a single General. These Generals are career soldiers that have earned their position through battlefield performance and strategic skill. The soldiers recruited into these 'General Legions' must all be Asclipian Citizens (not slaves) and receive strict, regimented training in tactical manouevres and are each equipped according to their position:

• Infantry: The basic Asclipian unit. Infantry are clad in a dual plate/mail armour and typically armed with a spear and a large tower shield, along with a sword as a backup weapon. Theirs is the anvil upon which the enemy will break, typically employed in large, tight formations and marching in unison.
• Skirmishers: A light infantry unit employed for flanking & harassing enemy heavy infantry and for scouting in terrain unsuitable for light cavalry. They are typically equipped with light armour, a sword, and either a bow or small shield & javelins.
• Archers: The second most common type of troop employed by the Legions, Archers are clad in light armour and are equipped with large well-made longbows, giving them superior range and power to the archers of most of their enemies. Archers are the primary damage dealers of the Asclipian battle lines, pouring arrows into the enemy ranks while the Legion Infantry hold them in place.
• Engineers: Perhaps the most unique & important unit of the Asclipian Legion. The engineers make use of the Asclipian Kingdom's technological dominance by constructing and operating great war machines. Catapults and ballistae are the most common weapons used but more esoteric machine such as siege towers, onagers, and trebuchet see widespread use.
• Light Cavalry: A scouting & skirmishing unit who are clad in light armour and equipped with javelins & bows along with their swords. Light Cavalry are used for scouting terrain and ambushing smaller on-foot units.
• Medium Cavalry: Equipped with plate/mail armour and armed with a large roundshield and cavalry spear alongside their swords. Medium Cavalry are the primary horseback warriors of any legion and are used for battling enemy cavalry and flanking & charging infantry formations.
• Heavy Cavalry: A rare and immensely expensive unit only ever seen in small numbers. They are equipped with heavy plate armour and armed with heavy lances, and even their horses of are clad in thick armour. Such is their cost that Heavy Cavalrymen must pay for their own equipment & horse, and thus are mostly men of noble birth seeking an illustrious career in the Legions. Rarely will a legion have more than a few dozen Heavy Cavalry in their ranks, but their charge is nigh unstoppable for the enemies of the Asclipian Kingdom.

The other type of Legion are those that are owned & paid-for by individual nobles. While most nobles have their own small units of personal guards, only very wealthy individuals can afford to recruit, equip, train, and pay an entire Legion of soldiers. On a world like Dirr, where military might is little removed from political might, these individuals are bestowed a seat in the Asclipian Senatorum and given the rank of Legatus. While many of these 'Legatine Legions' model themselves after the orthodox General Legions, they can have extreme variations in equipment and composition depending on the vagaries of their owner/commander.

The basic unit of each Legion is a Maniple of 100 men under the command of an officer. Five Maniples make up a Cohort, and 10+ Cohorts make up a Legion. In addition to the core infantry Cohorts there would be more Archer and Cavalry Maniples dispersed throughout the Legion's deployment, along with other auxiliary units.

The Asclipian Legion's primary strength is its ability to keep a large number of troops organised.

Asclipian Legion medium cavalry patrol the north Carmanian border.

Asclipian Legion heavy cavalry are considered the most dangerous units on the planet.

The Generals of the Asclipian Legion are clad in incredibly high quality armour. Some - particularly Legati - have their armour detailed with decorations that make them easily recognised.

Carmania

The Carmanian tribes are kingdoms are mostly fractured. Each settlement will have their own force of dedicated warriors whose duty is to defend their settlement when attacked or - mostly in the case of the Northern tribes - march forth and raid other Carmanians or Asclipian lands for treasures, slaves and food.

Carmanian Warriors tend to be fierce and skilled individual fighters, the harsh, cold lands they hail from breeding tough men. However their equipment is non-standardised and subpar compared to the Asclipian Legion's mass produced arms & armour. A given mob of Carmanian warriors could use swords, axes, spears and wooden roundshields, and may be armoured by anything from artificer maille to boiled leather & thick furs. They also tend to lack the refined tactics of the Asclipian Legions. The difference in skill-at-arms mean the Carmanians excel when ambushing Asclipian troops or engaging them in tight terrain, but their equipment & tactics shortfall means they often lose in pitched battle.

South Carmanians have shown a greater tendency for tactics, strategy & restraint in battle, while north Carmanians take the savagery & barbarism to even greater degrees.

King Orald of Sark. Sark is one of the larger south Carmanian settlements and shares a border with the Asclipian Kingdom. It is a relatively welcoming place to outsiders and a trading partner of the Asclipian Kingdom.

North Carmanians can be recognised by their resistance to cold and larger muscles, formed through millennia of enduring blizzards, dangerous predators and each other.

North Carmanians can also be recognised by their general savagery.

Carmanian women are often forced to take up arms when their settlements come under attack. The alternative is usually slavery or worse. Particularly bloodthirsty northern Carmanian women may even accompany raiding parties.

Murghar

Divided into dozens of competing kingdoms & states of various sizes, the lands of Murghar see a full range of warfare from small scale skirmishes to great sieges and battles. Some kingdoms are little more than barbarian rabbles while others utilise massive beasts of war. Many of the coastal states engage in primitive archery & boarding based naval warfare, while many mountainous states have large armies of skirmishers & ambushers.

Generally each state's military is heavily influenced by the dominant terrain of their homeland, but the overall level of technology and sophistication of tactics is lacking in comparison to Asclipius or Saranda. Due to their significant population density Murgharan armies can be vast in size, but suffer from breakdowns in discipline & morale in the midst of battle due to their less organised structure.

Saranda

The many Sarandan city-states & kingdoms control their own armies and engage in all types of warfare frequently. However in most cases the core of their warriors are small phalanxes of highly trained, skilled, and equipped professional warriors that drill constantly to perfect their discipline & tactics. These elite infantry are often supplemented by levied troops such as archers & cavalry - and sometimes mass infantry rabbles - but these are noted as part-time warriors at best and therefore of lesser quality.

This is only a general rule for Sarandan city-states - particularly those along the regions of northern Saranda that interact with the Asclipian Kingdom. The larger southern Sarandan Kingdoms & Empires - that lie south of the great Sarandan Desert - can muster great hordes of troops, but getting such armies north across the vast desert is virtually impossible.

Sarandan troops are skilled fighters who wear lighter armour well suited for desert conditions.

Sarandan phalanxes are very skilled at working together and can change their tactics in an instant to respond to enemy actions.

Sarandan leaders take a direct role in battle and are ranked among the finest warriors on the planet.

Hazhaka

Hazhaka is a large continent in itself, and the people of Hazhaka are divided into a great many Kingdoms, states, and tribes and pursue warfare in many different ways. The vast plains of eastern Hazhaka are dominated by tribes of horseback nomads that excel in fast paced combat and their hunters & warriors are excellent horseback archers.

Meanwhile western Hazhaka is far more mountainous and has larger areas of coastline as well as many ribers, bays, and islands. Western Hazhaka is primarily composed of static kingdoms & city-states that jostle constantly for territoryy and engage in the full range of warfare including archery, infantry, cavalry, and naval. These western Hazahkan armies tend to be as well-organised as the Ascilpian Legion and can be great in number, but they lag behind technologically by a significant margin - lacking advanced tools of war like siege engines and mass-produced metal armour. However the armies of Western Hazhaka mostly only fight amongst themselves (or against marauding eastern Hazahakan nomads) as the Asclipian Legion has never made it across the vast eastern plains.

The swift, skilled Hazhakan cavalry are extremely dangerous to isolated Asclipian units.

Manazoma

Each Manazoman tribe has their own hunter-warriors, skilled jungle stalkers who utilise their acrobatic talents to hunt native creatures and battle with other tribes between & amongst the trees. When preparing for battle these hunter-warriors are organised into War Parties, mostly equipped with stone hatchets, knives and small bows.

Some of these war parties can be vast in number, especially when rival Manazoman tribes engage in all-out warfare with each other. However primitive Manazoman tactics & communications tend to break down in the confusion of mass warfare, leading to enormous brawls and routs.

Manazomans typically wear little and are wary of outsiders.

Despite their wariness some Manazomans can be friendly to peaceful explorers.

Others however are not, and it is very difficult for an outsider to tell which tribe will greet them with water and which will greet them with arrows.

Dorsiana

The tribes and settlements of Dorsiana each have a large number of hunters and labourers are often pressed into battle when needs must. Dorsian warriors are large, strong and typically wield spears, axes and bows, while swords are reserved for the wealthy. Most tribes only permit older women - that have already birthed several children - to fight, and men will often fight in defence of their homes using slings & small bows. Dorsian tribes & settlements also do battle with each other over hunting grounds, territory and wealth. Their tactics are mostly mob rushes where small groups of warriors from each side engage each other, and/or standoff archery ambushes & duels.

However the settlements - especially larger ones - usually also possess a smaller number of dedicated warriors, typically armoured in what small amounts of metal armour can be produced with their primitive metallurgy and armed with large shields, spears and swords. These warriors tend to be highly skilled and utilise more refined, cooperative tactics.

At almost seven feet tall a Dorian Huntress can be a dangerous opponent to the unprepared despite their crude weapons, poor tactics and non-existent armour.

The massive bows used by Dorsian Huntresses strike with tremendous power.

With superior weapons, armour, and training, dedicated Dorsian Warriors are very formidable opponents.

Dorsian Warrior Champions are extremely lethal and equipped with the finest armour & weapons their tribe or settlement possesses, which can be centuries old.

Prurio

The Imperial base on Prurio is garrisoned by troops of the Imperial Guard, typically an Infantry regiment. It also houses a wing of Imperial attack craft and has powerful anti-orbital guns. Whilst they are the smallest faction on the planet by numbers, they are far more powerful than all the others combined.