Board Thread:Custom Lore Development/@comment-26295802-20160125174513

'IMPORTANT!!!! IF YOU THINK THIS IS LONG AND BORING, PLEASE AT LEAST SKIM THE SECTION MARKED "THE ORDER OF THE SILVER SWAN" AND THEN READ THE "LEVELS" SECTION TO HELP ME DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT ITS OP'









The Prince of Dol Amroth, contrary to popular belief, fields his own army and is not under the military protection of Gondor's royal forces. Here I have detailed the military structure of Dol Amroth.



OVERVIEW:



Terrain advantages: seaside cliffs, large forests, the sea on the south side, rivers on east and west sides, and Ered Nimras on the northern.

 

''Terrain disadvantages: rocky shores, forested areas bad for open combat. ''

 

Moral: Excellent

 

 

<p class="MsoNormal">Cavalry: some of the best in middle earth, but very sparse

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<p class="MsoNormal">Infantry: less then great, most not suited to the open battlefield

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<p class="MsoNormal">Archers: excellent at hand-to-hand combat, but not the best shots, excellent horse archers

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<p class="MsoNormal">The Order of the Silver Swan: the most elite warriors in the kingdom, but also the most sparse.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Navy: excellent elven style ships of many different varieties, elite marines

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<p class="MsoNormal">The Army of Dol Amroth is divided into five distinct divisions:  Mounted, Foot, Ranged, Naval, and Silver Swan.

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<p class="MsoNormal">MOUNTED:

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<p class="MsoNormal">Militia : Only the very richest of Dor-en-Ernil cities can field their own cavalry, as the cost of boarding and feeding warhorses is very great. Thus the militia cavalry that does exist is used to its full extent, and the riders are drilled mercilessly. With steeds descending from the Rohirrim horses themselves, the militia cavalry consists of city nobles and veterans wearing whatever armour they have handy. Their task is simply to respond quickly to corisair raids and to keep the pirates at bay until the professional army can arrive.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Lancers of Dor-en-Ernil: The Lancers are Dol Amroth's light cavalry, excelling at flanking the enemy. They also act as scouts and patrols. They are professional warriors that are well paid, and supplied with excellent armour and weapons. When not on campaign, these horseman stay garrisoned in Tarnost where they train hardily, hoping to earn a more elite position in the prince's cavalry.

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<p class="MsoNormal">The Knights of Tirith Aear: Outside of the Order of the Silver Swan, these knights are the most elite warriors in all Dol Amroth, and can easily crush corisair raiders. With beautifully crafted armour and weapons, these men will drive the pirates back into the sea or die trying. Oft the mere sound of their hoofbeats is enough to send the foul scum back to their ships in terror. ..

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<p class="MsoNormal">FOOT:

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<p class="MsoNormal">Peasants: When the cities of Dor-en-Ernil are assailed, the peasants will fight heartily to defend their homes. Swordsmanship is of high regard in the culture of Dol Amroth, and even most peasants posses fine blades, heirlooms of their families, that they can use to fight back against the enemy. Although wearing no armour and having little training, these simple men have a surprising amount of skill with the blade and should not be underestimated when laying siege to the cities of the prince.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Militia: Most men already possess swords, so the cost to have a small city militia is relatively cheap. Most towns will have a barracks and drill square, and almost all will have a guard of brave but determined men to fend off corisair attacks. These men drill often and have a good amount of skill. They wear leather armour, but weapons are up to each man to purchase for himself, causing much variation in the power of the militia from town to town. Bravery and courage are these men's greatest advantage.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Haven Guards: In times of peace, the haven guards act as the peace keeping force of Dol Amroth and make sure all is in order. But in times of war, these stern men are put into battalions and taken on campaign. These warriors wear iron armour forged by the greatest smiths of The City and they are trained in Dol Amroth and Edhellon to be mighty warriors on foot. These men act as the powerful backbone of Dol Amroth's armed forces.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Men-at-Arms: These men are the best infantry the prince can field, and is basically made up of nobles and great warriors that prefer to fight on foot. They wear plate mail with a blue tabard, and fight with large kite shields. They are famous for wearing blue masks that disguise their emotions on the battlefield.

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<p class="MsoNormal">The Pikemen of Dol Amroth: Because, or perhaps in spite of, the mighty cavalry of Dol Amroth, the prince has always kept a large number of pikemen within his ranks. Useful for fighting swift Haradrim cavalry and Mumakil, these pikemen will hold the line until their deaths. They wear plate armour and have very long black pikes, made of hollowed steel. They are trained at Tirith Aear, and their captains are personally selected by the prince.

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<p class="MsoNormal">RANGED:

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<p class="MsoNormal">Peasants: When the cities of Dor-en-Ernil are under siege, the enemy can be certain that they will receive large showers of arrows. Although wildly inaccurate, the masses of peasants will fire enough arrows to create a variable rain of steel and fire onto enemies. Their bows and arrows are poorly made and very cheap, but as stated, the concept is that enough shots will be fired that accuracy won't matter.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Militia: Archer militias are far down on a city's list of priorities, as they are not very able to counter corisair raids as well as melee infantry or cavalry. Yet the few cities that do have archers, arm them very well with fine bows and well-fletched arrows. They have rough leather armour with an iron helm and a grey tabard.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Coastal Wardens: These warriors act as the skirmishers of Dol Amroth's army, and throw finely made javelins at the enemy. They are a part of the prince's professional army and therefore well armed and armoured. They are very swift, allowing them to throw javelins at the corisair raiders then run out of bowshot before they can return fire.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Archers of Dol Amroth: These are the professional archers of Dol Amroth's army, generally taken from the warriors of more elven blood. They wear heavy armour and wield longswords in melee combat, making them less agile but protected from enemy arrows and melee.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Marksmen of Tirith Aear: In stark contrast to the rest of Dol Amroth's ranged warriors which favor melee fighting over bowmanship, these marksman are trained for accuracy. They are armed with fine elven bows and spend their entire military careers in ranged training. They are lightly armoured to allow maximum mobility, and they wear very light helms for improved vision. They are garrisoned in the Sea-Ward Tower in Dol Amroth, and are the prince's personal archers.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Horse Archers of Dol Amroth: The Swan-Knights may get all the glory, but the Horse Archers are some of the most incredible and most underrated troops in all Dol Amroth. Spending a lifetime in the saddle has given these troops excellent accuracy, and their mounts are swift Rohirrim horses from over the mountains. Indeed it is rumored that these fine archers have the blood of Rohirrim kings, and that a younger brother of Helm Hammerhand came South many years ago and lived among the men of Belfas.

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<p class="MsoNormal">NAVAL:

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<p class="MsoNormal">Since the days of Castamir, Dol Amroth has been in a centuries-long sea battle with their nemesis Umbar. With such a long and glorious history, the ships of Dol Amroth have become some of the finest in Middle Earth, rivaling even the Telari shipbuilders in the North.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Númerrámar: Also called "Swan Ships" these swift ships are the mainstay of Dol Amroth's naval forces and can easily outmaneuver the bulky corisair ships. They are painted entirely white and have a figurehead of a swan at the bow. It was ten such ships that won the Victory of Thorongil at Umbar. Good for scouting, exploration, and light battle.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Palarran: These heavy vassals are slow and powerful, taking many years to build. They also carry large crews of hardened Dol Amroth marines to board enemy ships

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<p class="MsoNormal">Alcarondas: These ships serve as the extremely heavy flagships of Dol Amroth, taking over five years to construct. They are massive ships, so large that Edhellon, Dol Amroth, Osgiliath, and Peligir, are the only harbors in all Gondor that can accommodate them. They are armed with small catapults, ballistae, and many other heavy weapons.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Marines: The marines of Dol Amroth are professional warriors and can vary from ship to ship. For the most part, they are tall and grim, spending a lifetime of work on ships. They normally wear well-polished chainmail armour with a blue tabard. They can wield anything from a bow to a sword, but whatever they fight with, they fight well. It is spoken that the marines are better at boarding ships then the Swan Knights are upon the open battlefield!

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<p class="MsoNormal">THE ORDER OF THE SILVER SWAN

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<p class="MsoNormal">A number of interesting speculations about the Order of the Silver Swan, including the rather humorous assumption that all men belonging to the order are swan knights! Here I have set out the true classes and culture of the Order of the Silver Swan:

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<p class="MsoNormal">The Order originated in Edhellon as a small band of Galadrhim warriors that defended the ports in that city. But after the elves left, the Men of Dol Amroth reformed the order as an elite class of warriors owing loyalty only to the prince himself, and leading the other troops to battle. All classes of the Order spend their entire lives training and must provide a detailed family tree to prove that they came from pure Numenorean and elven blood. Finally, when they complete vigorous trials supervised by the prince himself, they can take their vows and enter into The Order. There are four main classes: The Swan Knights, The Nimrodel Rangers, The Wardens of Tirith, and The Royal Swan Guard.

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<p class="MsoNormal">THE SWAN KNIGHTS:

<p class="MsoNormal">The Knights of the Order of the Silver Swan, or Swan Knights, are the entry class through which you must prove yourself for many years before graduating to the other classes. Knights don't tend to go on campaign with the prince, but rather, spend all of their time roaming the North and East alone, looking for brave deeds to complete. These knights write down their deeds in silver books given to them by the prince, and when they believe they have become experienced enough for promotion, they go to a ceremony during the Feast of Herendil in which the prince personally looks over their deeds and tells them whether or not they are sufficient for promotion. If the prince finds them worthy, they are given the gear of their class and promoted in front of all those present at the feast.

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<p class="MsoNormal">After graduating from the Swan Knights, you choose one of the other three classes:

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<p class="MsoNormal">THE NIMRODEL RANGERS:

<p class="MsoNormal">These are, in essence, the spies, rangers, and assassins of Dol Amroth all rolled into one. They are masters of stealth, and you are only allowed into this class if your elven blood is at least three-fourths. Their garb can very greatly depending on their mission, but their official uniform is a sea blue cloak over a leather jerkin that displays the White Swan of Dol Amroth. The history of the rangers is another carry over from Edhellon culture: they were established to hunt through the White Mountains and Dor-en-Ernil in search of Nimrodel, and later to look for her coming. Such words still are in the oath of the Nimrodel Rangers, but the watch for Nimrodel's coming is now purely symbolic.

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<p class="MsoNormal">THE WARDENS OF TIRITH AEAR:

<p class="MsoNormal">These bulky warriors tend to be the more Numenorean and less elven of The Order. They act as personal bodyguards to the prince when he is at home and guard Dol Amroth while he is away, though in rare cases they will go on campaign with him. They wield huge pikes and large rectangular shields that can form a nigh unbreakable shieldwall. Many have said that witnessing these men fight is like seeing the Numenoreans of old in the Battle of the Last Alliance. Their helms are decorated with swan wings and their armour is forged by the very best dwarven smiths in the White Mountains. The wardens were established by Herendil himself who needed to defend Tirith Aear in the days of Sauron when it was under constant attack.

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<p class="MsoNormal">THE ROYAL SWAN GUARD:

<p class="MsoNormal">Of all the orders, the Royal Swan Guard are by far the most renown and most powerful. Just like The Wardens act as the prince's bodyguard while he is at home, the Royal Swan Guard act as a mounted bodyguard that accompanies the prince while on campaign. Only those of near-pure elven blood are taken into their ranks, and centuries of experience, added to honor and expensive arms, make these warriors some of the most elite in all Middle-Earth, most being even better then the prince himself. Yet, despite seeing so many princes come and go, these guards are no less loyal. All would gladly give their lives for their brethren or their lord. They wear the best armour and have the best arms, some of it even being Mithril from the days of Herendil, a friend of Durin. The Swan-Guard were established by Imrazor, and a handful of the original warriors still serve.

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<p class="MsoNormal">THE WHITE KNIGHTS:

<p class="MsoNormal">Yet during the War of the Ring, it became apparent to Imrahil that only allowing those of elven and Numenorean blood into the Order of the Silver Swan was keeping out many good recruits. Thus he established a "half-class" that was held in equal honor to the other classes and still under the command of The Order, yet did not have the same racial restrictions. Called the White Knights, this battalion is made up of those that have the skill to become a swan knight, but not the nobility: whether they be a Anfalas peasant, a Haradrim turncoat, or a Dalish immigrant, all with sufficient skill are welcomed into the White Knights. They wear shimmering white armour into battle and fight with longswords and kite shields.

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<p class="MsoNormal">Now that you have read all that, please read these and tell me whether this is OP. I'm not really sure how other players rank their own troops, so I really don't know.

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<p class="MsoNormal">LEVELS:

<p class="MsoNormal">Mounted Military: level 3-4 depending on city

<p class="MsoNormal">Lancers of Dor-en-Ernil: level 4

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<p class="MsoNormal">Melee peasants: level 1-3 depending on city

<p class="MsoNormal">Melee Militia: level 2-4 depending on city

<p class="MsoNormal">Haven Guards: level 4

<p class="MsoNormal">Men-at-Arms: level 5

<p class="MsoNormal">Pikemen: level 5

<p class="MsoNormal">Ranged peasants: level 2

<p class="MsoNormal">Archer Militia: level 3

<p class="MsoNormal">Professional Archers: level 4

<p class="MsoNormal">Marksmen of Tirith Aear: level 5

<p class="MsoNormal">Horse Archers: Level 5

<p class="MsoNormal">Marines: level 5

<p class="MsoNormal">(Now this part might seem OP, but remember that there are VERY few members of the Order of the Silver Swan, and only the best of the best are admitted. Please read that section before deciding this is overpowered.)

<p class="MsoNormal">Swan Knights: level 8

<p class="MsoNormal">Nimrodel Rangers: level 9

<p class="MsoNormal">Wardens of Tirith Aear: Level 9

<p class="MsoNormal">The Royal Swan Guard: level 15 (there are only like 30 of these guys, they are mostly elven, and they have trained for centuries, being better in battle then the prince himself.)

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<p class="MsoNormal">(And here are the Dol Amroth members and their ratings. These can very GREATLY from RP to RP depending on how powerful the other players are:)

<p class="MsoNormal">Herendil: level 16 (don't worry, I don't use him in many RPs)

<p class="MsoNormal">Brannon: level 15

<p class="MsoNormal">Gaerion: level 15

<p class="MsoNormal">Imrahil: level 14

<p class="MsoNormal">Travian: level 14

<p class="MsoNormal">Elphir: level 15

<p class="MsoNormal">Other sons of Imrahil: level 14

<p class="MsoNormal">Lothiriel: level 11

<p class="MsoNormal">Trav: level 14 <ac_metadata title="Something I&#039;ve been working on for a few weeks" notify_everyone="1453743913"> </ac_metadata>