Realm of the Falcon

Realm of the Falcon
Capital	Fountain Hall
Government	Aristocracy
Ruler	Field Marshal Gunnar
Claimant	Lady Gwendana
Religion	New Gods
Location
North	Elintor & Hakkon
South	Eagle Mountains
West	Shining Ocean
East	Kaikoth

The Realm of the Falcon is one of the major factions of Perisno. It borders Elintor to the northwest and the Hakkon Empire to the northeast. It is led by Field Marshal Gunnar, who guards the lands of the Realm along with his 5 vassals. Its claimant is Lady Gwendana. Because the Realm of the Falcon resides in a remote and isolated position in the Hakkonese "Great Woods", the faction acts extremely defensively, only declaring war on very few occasions, generally due to foreign aggression and not for the sake of expansion. Their lords spawn mostly with upstanding or good-natured personality traits, which makes it ideal for future vassal recruitment, in case the player thinks about starting his/her own kingdom.

Lore

The Realm of the Falcon seceded from Elintor in the early days of its founding, when the Naphali first began asserting themselves more and more. In the year 323, a few Elintoran nobles concluded that ceaseless wars and fruitless negotiations, led only by the intention to continue the bloodshed for the sake of honor, could no longer be their way and couldn’t provide the future they dreamed of for their people. They decided it was better to live a poor and simple life rather than be invaders and power hungry plunderers in territory that wasn’t their own. Elintor, constantly at war, was too preoccupied to stop the deserter’s exodus from Forniron. They quickly vanished into the great woods on the Elintor border, adjoining the territories later inhabited by the Hakkon, finally settling at the base of the mountains.  The isolation they chose protected them from the persecution of Elintor and other kingdoms, as planned. They were only considered another band of outlaws. Neither Elintor or other factions thought it worthwhile to devote resources into hunting them. The splinter group were left in peace - A peace which allowed them to flourish, taking advantage of their good relations with a few Tolranian lords to establish trade routes. After all, the Tolranians came to Perisno for the same reason. Those nobles and their followers had split with Elintor - And the fact that some Tolranian lords opposed these endless wars - made them sympathize and protect each other. As they settled down, they discovered people living in the woods nearby. A group of individuals with their own rites and beliefs. They were already followers of the New Gods, living in tandem with nature. These people, alongside their beliefs, quickly assimilated into the Realms’ culture and today nobody could assuredly tell who aligned with whom. One thing is certain; their beliefs were similar and therefore brought no reason for strife. From the beginning, the Realm Of The Falcon not only respected denizens of the continent, but their animals as well, being partly Naphali still. They used their empathy to form bonds of friendship with the very animals they depended on, rather than dominating them. Established bonds of trust were proven to be stronger and more effective. Another reason for this may have had something to do with the ever growing number of refugees from all corners of Perisno, lending their knowledge and manpower. These desperate people nurse dreams of hope for a better future for themselves and their children upon hearing rumors of peaceful life in the Realm Of The Falcon. They were Tolranian peasants, Maccavian smiths and traders from the Reich, fleeing harsh tax burdens and inhumane treatment from their lords.

In only a few years, this growing community blossomed into a sovereign state that at last christened itself with the name Realm Of The Falcon, originating from the falcons that assist their nobles during hunts. Hunting on horseback was a discipline the lords carried over from Elintor and the falcon represented wit, agility and chivalry… But, a growing community also required adequate protection. In 340, in response to more frequent caravan raids by the Hakkon Empire on the previously unknown trade routes, the lord’s council made the decision to field an army incomparable to any other and difficult to defeat. Still lacking strength in numbers compared to other states, the Realm decided that only a strong core of cavalry would be a large enough deterrent from outside invasion and reduce vulnerability to surprise attacks.  Heavy-heartedly, a conscription was implemented, knowing full well death in their lord’s wars was the reason so many defected to the Realm Of The Falcon in the first place. Nevertheless, most citizens of the Realm understood and in 341 the first recruits mounted their formidable horses, descendants of the Naphali ones first brought by their masters from Elintor. It was part of the reason caravans were raided so often.  Horses were the most important trade good of the Realm Of The Falcon and the Golden Hall in the capital’s center would never have been constructed were it not for the income that horse trading generated. This was only possible, because more and more terrain of the great woods needed to be cleared to make way for the growing number of people that had to be sustained with crops. These acres were also best suited for breeding horses. From 341 on, more clashes with the Hakkon Empire occurred and fears grew within the Realm Of The Falcon that open war was unavoidable; only postponed by the Empire because of continuous wars with the other kingdoms. War broke out in 345, but the Realm’s strategy of enhanced cavalry was most effective. A Marshal was elected by the lords that held the authority of a king. Only temporarily, though, because these lords believed in a more democratic style and remembered the consequences in laying too much power into the hands of a single individual.  The elected man wasn’t even a noble, but the oldest son of a Maccavian family that migrated to the Realm Of The Falcon in 325. He proved himself to be extremely skilled, as he climbed the ranks of the newly built army unbelievably fast. The man showed extraordinary intelligence, tactical intuition, as well as courage. His name was Gunnar and after his victory over Emperor Hakkon II in 346 at the Battle of Amarna, he was honored with the title ‘The Falcon’ after conquering the city. It was later returned in exchange for recognition and guaranteed safety of their trade routes. The Hakkon Empire vastly underestimated the Realm’s strength and the determined militancy of its priests in particular. Their appearance alone can instill terror into anyone. The Empire was ignorant enough to engage Gunnar’s army in an open-field-battle, which led to their shameful defeat. Following a peace treaty, the army was quickly rebuilt and the Realm flourished through trade like never before. The trade routes were considered safe, at least from further Hakkon raids. This, of course, incited desires within other kingdoms to aspire for the wealth created only through means of cautious diplomacy. The Realm Of The Falcon avoided another war until, In 395, it happened. Rumors of a new invading force approaching Perisno reached the Realm. The people shuddered at the rumored atrocities said to be committed by the unknown foe and much harder to defeat than any known army on the continent. Again, the lords decided to deploy Gunnar as opposition to this new great danger that had swept over the already war-torn lands of Perisno...   

Government

While the Falcon people believe in a democratic aristocracy, in which every lord votes and power is equal between each vassal, the Lords of the Realm of the Falcon also have the ability to elect a provisoric Marshall, who receives full militaristic authority, matching those of a King or a Dictator. This position can be assigned to a noble as well as a non-noble. However, this decree can only be passed if an eminent foreign threat is present, thus jeopardizing the Realm's peace and sovereignty. In the history of the Realm of the Falcon, this decree has only been passed twice: first, in 345, when the Hakkon Empire's continuous raids and provocation lead to a full fledged war, and second, in 395, due to a possible foreign invasion force threatening the Realm's citizens and traders. Both times, this position has been taken by Gunnar, the oldest son of a non-noble Maccavian family, who emigrated to the Realm of the Falcon in 325.

Lords

• Field Marshal Gunnar
• Eorl Lucarion
• Eorl Padraigh
• Eorl Diendarion
• Eorl Filotabien
• Eorl Dracarion

Military

Common
Tier	Troop
1st	Aepele Fealcan
2nd	Light Renweard	Sceotend Fealcan
3rd	Renweard	Frod Sceotend Fealcan

Noble
Tier	Troop
1st	Ridere Fealcan
2nd	Frod Ridere Fealcan

Random selections of Falcon troops can be hired at Fountain Hall while a vassal or mercenary for the Realm of the Falcon. This Falcon Academy may only be used while the Realm of the Falcon holds Fountain Hall.

The Realm of the Falcon does not have recruits that can be hired from villages as they can with other factions. The reason for this is that Falconian lords care fiercely for their people, and are unwilling to let them fight in wars before they undergo heavy military training in special war academies.
Common soldiers of Realm of the Falcon form 3 troop trees.
The most talented students, the most proficient warriors are trained as heavy cavalry and join the ranks of most Falconian lords (with the exception of Eorl Dracarion) to participate in open field battles protecting their lands outside castle walls.
Less talented students are trained for garrison duty either as heavy infantry or as archers. They can also be seen in the army of Eorl Dracarion.
An in-depth guide to the Realm of the Falcons troops can be found here.

Strengths

• Among the strongest and deadliest horse archer troops in Perisno
• Very powerful household and noble troops
• No weak recruit units

Weaknesses

• Hard to recruit and train troops to high tiers, units are very expensive
• Acute lack of diversity of troops types, with no foot troops offered at all for field battles
• Struggle in offensive sieges due to lack of dedicated infantry

Household and Unique Troops

Household Troops are being fielded by Field Marshal Gunnar, Eorl Lucarion and Eorl Dracarion. Field Marshal Gunnar fields the highly trained Renweard Marshals, who are very proficient melee cavalry, equipped with one handed sword and a crossbow (cannot be used on horseback). Eorl Lucarion on the other side is fielding the Gehorsod Helends.

Gaining Realm of the Falcon Culture Requirements

Relation with Falcons >= 75; Relation with Field Marshal Gunnar >= 50; Honor  >= 500; RtR >= 80; Player character's level >= 38; Renown >= 5000; 1 000 000 aurums.

Territories

Towns

• Fountain Hall

Castles

• Falcon's Pride
• Falconclaw
• Falconhead
• Falconwaters
• Falconwatch

Villages

• Brennan´s Triumph
• Leathercut
• Miles Tippin
• Hall´s End
• Sacred Groves
• Clearwaters
• Mountain´s Spring
• Skillbriggin