A History of the Styigan Armada
Chapter One: The Beginnings and an Introduction.
For the betterment of the Duchy, and under direction of Duke Antoine Trenada, the Stygian Armada is a group of individuals set out to protect the Duke's citizens, and assure that law and order reign in the dominion. They are selected through deeds, and tested by El Gulgotha, a rite of passage that a recruit has to survive in order to prove their strength. The test takes place over a day, on an island that shares its name with the task; El Gulgotha.
The group was formed out of necessity a long while ago, after an incident at sea. Commandant Trenada was once a famous privateer captain following orders from high captain Bremen of Luskan. After numerous military victories, and consecutive success, Commandant Trenada's vessel was attacked by a group of Sahuagin. The Sahuagin fought well, and soon only a few men were alive, and were thus taken to Sekah, a city of the Sahuagin. Duke Trenada and the others were to be sacrificed to Sekolah, on of the Sahuagin's gods. However, Commandant Trenada, and a Sahuagin named Sharr'kall came to an agreement, and planned a way to escape the city together.
With their success, Sharr'kall is now the Tertrach in charge of the sahuagin in the Stygian armada today, and Commandant Trenada, is of course, our goodly Duke. The Armada first appeared on the island to set up a base near gobsquat as mercenaries, from there, sir Francisco De Olid defeated the Amaunatori rulers, and led rule over the Ziggurat sporadically.
The Armada also braved great battles during its time, for instance the battle of Red Eleint, in which Ordermen, and the Stygian guard battled back thousands of Orcs in an effort to protect the dominion from their great evils. Thanks to a last minute action by Duke Trenada and the brave men that fought against the surge, they were successful, and as such the Dominion was saved from a grizzly fate.
Chapter Two: The Battle of Nine Hundred Brothers and the Stygian Armada.
(A foreground: The Nine Hundred Brothers were a group of individuals that claimed rights to the land now known as the docks, and built much of the original buildings there. However, they were abusive, and attacked commoners over small matters. Soon they seemed to be heading for a take over of the island, if not much was done.)
The next great flay of note was the battle in the docks between the Nine Hundred Brothers, and the Stygian Armada. In which the duke himself, with a group of Stygian troops came to Ymph to aid the colony in defeating the Brothers. From there, the Commandant Antoine Trenada, our Duke, challenged General Berrupo to a duel near the gates of the colony. Duke Trenada won the duel and called his men in to finish the job, however, a call rang from the Governor's Isle, and the Numinous Order and a Militia of Adventurers emerged to defeat the Brothers. Marshal Sharboneth took advantage of this fighting and fled. Duke Trenada had captured the General quickly after the duel.
Following the Capture of General Berrupo, an Ixpadia Sabuth set foot upon the docks, claiming the colony for herself with force, and false claims of the duke's death. The Stygian armada challenged Ixpadia's men in the webbed woods, however, the battle did not favour them, and soon Ixpadia Sabuth and her pirate fleet claimed her a queen of the colony by heritage, and placed a navel blockage between the colony and Old Port. From here, Ixpadia Sabuth had her men attack the Governor's Isle and captured Governor Zakarias. The event ended with many deaths of Stygian infantrymen, Sharboneth Guards, and the loss of Master-of-Arms Jeremiah Arkauin. Ixpadia then forced the Governor to comply with her claim as Queen.
Chapter Three: The Battle of Bloodhounds, and Ixpadia's Rule.
The Battle against the Bloodhounds came next, in which the docks begin their decline into gang warfare, and politics escalate profoundly. The Stygians, still in hopes of establishing order, hold their title as "Defenders" of the docks, but much of the in fighting makes upkeep difficult. Soon, the Bloodhounds, a group fighting each other for "The Mother Load" offered by the Sharboneth, found themselves fighting. The Stygian armada fought the Bloodhounds down well, but one by the name of Marsk, who claimed "war" upon the Stygian for Ixpadia, was able to kill one of the Stygians in a duel to the death. Thus, more fighting broke out, and bodies began to rot from the inner turmoil of the docks. Soon after, a small group of Ixpadian soldiers and Stygians fought in the wardens; finding the numbers of Burkden and Kedrian against Marshal and Marsk.
However, afterward, the docks begin to find Ixpadia as a more wanted ruler at the time, though much anti-Stygian sentiment. It looked to be a grim time for the Armada,as even Lord Martyn Greywood offered Fealty to Sabuth, and a fight broke out between the dock's people and the Stygian armada. However, The Stygian Armada held firm, and continued to protect the docks, no matter the weight against them. They did have relocate their base back to the Squatter's Den Outpost, and were able to execute Kethra Marsk for her crimes.
Ixpadia Sabuth didn't last on top for long, though. With House Sharboneth declaring their loyalty to the Count, the loyalists and citizens forced Ixpadia from the Ziggurat and another group rescued Governor Zakarias from Ixpedian territory. Ixpedian forces then fortify themselves in the dock, and a sort of stand off is held between the two forces for a short while. Ixpadian forces came from ships and pressed the attack on the barricades in the Ziggurat. Eventually the former Marshal Marius Lestrade led a force to break through, but was dueled by Grand Larson Burkden; they both fought for nearly a half an hour, and although Burkden fell first, Lestrade also collapsed from his own wounds. An explosion then tore out from the docks as Sharboneth's men sabotaged Ixpadian vessels. The Loyalists then pushed the Ixpadians back, and brought the fight to the docks. The Admiral Horton Grouse, one of Ixpadia's men, then landed on the Colony with news of Ixpadia's capture by men under command of the Count. Her reign in the colonies thus ended.
The Loyalists proved successful, and routed the remaining Ixpadians after following them to their defeat. However, the docks fell to chaos soon with the lack of law, from the loss of men. Soon gangs began to claim territory in the docks, and so completed the degeneration of the docks into its current visage from what the Sharboneth and Stygian's once had and kept. To make things worse, gnolls took lives from the Stygian Armada, draining the number further. From this pathos was born the Sons, or the Sons of Sabuth; a group that drew its strength from rival gangs that fell apart. Thankfully, however, the Duke was soon to arrive.
Chapter Four: The Duke's arrival, and the Chaos that is the docks.
On the twenty-second of Eleasis, a year or so now, Duke Trenada was to have a duel with a de facto self proclaimed regent of Ymph. Michel D'Erlon, in name, fell to the blades of a Ruby, however, as his act was highly treasonous, and Trenada was able to guide the city back towards goodly law. The duke then set about rejoining the docks to the colony and taking it back from the gangs and thugs. The sons fought back against it, how ever, and gained power from unlawful friends. One Jackin Hoxie took two Stygian Armada members as hostages, and although Specialist Kedrian followed negotiations, the women still killed the two hostages, and threw a fire ball into the scene; she was stopped by the armada men afterward, thankfully.
Specialist Kedrian made an announcement of the event, and how Jackin had started such bloodshed, and the Stygian Armada stopped it. A group known as the "The Legion" then joined the gangs of the docks, and fought against the Stygian Armada, a bounty was placed upon their heads over the situation. Soon after the "Dock rebels" and other criminals rushed the gates and killed a few Stygian defenders and random citizens before the gates could be locked. Things started to look worse for controlling the docks, and the path between the docks and Ziggurat soon was destroyed with alchemist's fire by the Sons of Sabuth.
Soon, to try and end the violence, Duke Antoine Trenada called for Admiral Grouse, the same one who worked for Ixpadia Sabuth, to try and meet a peace accord. Trenada demanded the end of these turf wars, lest he should bring in his elite troops to force peace from the rebellion. Grouse stopped the fighting and the duke allowed them to stay in the docks until time came for them to be rejoined to the city once more. This was short lived, how ever as rumors amounted of both Ruby and Sabuth attacking their counter-parts and the Duke Trenada and Admiral Grouse debating once more. This all was masked however, by the impending Nightrisers.
Chapter Five: The War of the Nightrisers.
Upon the Ziggurat, the Armada made ready for the skeletal abominations, but the docks, still in its uproar, had most people worried about the foretold invasion. The recently founded Conclave, however, was able to make a shield of sorts that deflected a great number of the beasts, from there a great number of people went under Templar Grimfael's call and marched into the sewers to take out the rest of the threat, however a warlock disrupted the shield and the fighting began once more atop. Eventually, the shield was once more raised, and the Nightrisers were defeated. However, two Sons of Sabuth members, perhaps under the control of the Nightrisers, tried to storm the colony under invisibility and subdue a number of people. They were captured by Lord D'Erlon and the duke himself, however.
Hammer the fifth there was a tale of a demon under the heading of the Marquis of the Seven Terrors bringing the offer to help the dominion fight off its enemies for two citizens every two days. Infantryman Eldridge firmly refused the offer thankfully, however, the demons then attacked. They were fought back, thankfully. Sadly, though, Lord Stenton found his own son to have been a member of the Sons of Sabuth, and in high loyalty to his goodly Duke, executed him and another Son of Sabuth; he also declared he would do the same to any that should break the good Duke's peace upon the Duchy.
The Duke himself talked soon after, speaking of the prosperity that the colony was sure to find and was finding, and having the ascending Alize di Perugia, a local artist, swear an oath of fealty. She then gave a small speech herself, promising to work hard for the cultural enrichment of the Colony. Upon Hammer the third, Captain Gull of the Black Hundred was raised to a lord, as he promised to aid the citizens of the Duchy against their enemies, however, not but twelve days later, Hammer 15, 1337, rumors spread of the Lord Albert Gull's death at the hands of docksmen.
Chapter Six: Madmen and Tales of recent events.
On the Seventh of Alturiak, three titanic wyverns attacked the city. Thankfully, do to the good protectors of the Ziggurat and even the people of the docks, they managed to kill two wyverns, one in each realm of governance, the third fled into the alleys. The great Stygian Mirana Moore, and the goodly elven fighter sir Vallon (May they both rest in peace), were able to finish the wounded beast before it could cause more harm. In later days, Infantryman First Honours Coronado de Panfilo Belalcazar, Infantrywoman Second Honours Arianne Falkner, and Infantrywoman First Honours Mirana Moore protected the citizens from the likes of the "Unbroken", the "Prince of Rats", and further negative actions of the Sons of Sabuth. Around these times, the temple of Tyrants was reopened by a Banite named Lord Bartemis Vrintak, a member of Lord Gull's house. He, ever lawful lord Bartemis Vrintak, called for goodly scholars and adventures alike to work for the Duke, but perished in the tower of mercy fighting monsters to protect the duchy.
Of late, the Guard has worked to stop crazed individuals from attacking the goodly people of the Ziggurat. The mad man Hodgeton of the Sons of Sabuth, who blew up the Shrouded Syndicate library for its work with "Slaver sharks", a pun and ridicule of the Stygian order for their Sahuagin members, was captured by good sir Specialist Gavril Rezniczek in the kingsman, attempting to give poisoned food to the inn to inflict the citizens of the dominion. Specialist Gavril also worked in stopping the false Crusader Lawthorn from mugging, killing people, and for his involvement in stealing the books from the library and blowing it up. Lawthorn was eventually brought to justice by a woman by the last name of Luth, however, specialist Gavril made sure that most citizens that had attacked Lawthorn before were able to get away alive, despite the Glacier man's involvement.
The current worry for the citizens is the monster called Jim; a tiefling fire mage that has taken it upon himself to spread the word and dread of Cyric. In his wake, he has not only robbed, mugged, and killed many random people with his group, but has killed the goodly woman Ulfrin, whose only supposed crime was speaking out against him negatively. She should be always remembered as well, not just for her goodly nature, but her contributing and raising of thirty thousand ducats to the farmland fortification project after the orcan horde set fire to much of it recently. May she rest in peace. Currently Infantryman Margulis Baldassare, Specialist Gavril Rezniczek, and his brother, Specialist Anatoli Rezniczek aim to stop this fiend from completing his ends, and hopefully stop more of his means in time.
In summation, the Stygian Armada is like any other group, in that they have some people who may try to abuse power, or do hurtfully things. However, they have one thing continually growing as a beacon for them; they fight the lawless that would other wise take advantage of the weak, and harm the innocent. I hope this book of history honours their cause.
[A list is now formed at the bottom]
A short list of the men and women of the Stygian Armada
[LIST=1]A short list of the men and women of the Stygian Armada
- Einar Helder: A guard and courtier to the house of Sharboneth at the time, mister Helder fought in the war of Red Eleint to protect the people of the duchy and fell to the bog illness of the rot. The disease betrayed his orginal keen senses, but I hope to remember his goodly sacrifice of body and mind for the people, and his blade of frost since with his visage.
- Franciso De Olid: A well groomed man, and one of the first Stygian guards to protect the duchy's good people. While stories of him seem to potray him in a bad light, he did seem to serve the law as accordingly, and fell in a duel to the colony's first governor, mister Ortred.
- Adrastos Praxes: A man who fought wildings and brought great profit to the armada with such. He was known to fight for a diety called Tchazzar, and has a play written about him in the Velvet Mask Threatre recalling his rescue of Grand Larson Burkden from the burning Starwood.
- Specialist Gavril Rezniczek: One of the now active members of the Stygian Armada, and a good friend to me. This man has not only captured Hodgeton, and helped slay the Orcan leader after going through the Orc's mountain encampment, but has also helped to stop Lawthorn, and saved a good number of the duchy's citizens by doing such. He recently lost his arm to a dispute, but still serves the people well, and hopefully I can write more of his good deeds in the future.
- Specialist Anatoli Rezeniczek: Brother of Gavril, he too fought against the Orcan horde, nearly giving his life on numerous occasions to do so. Also currently active.
- Infantryman Margulis Baldassare: A goodly man that serves the duchy with keen intelligence, and strength to boot. Another of the currently active members.
- Infantryman Frederick Steiner - A new recruit at this time.
- Infantrywoman First Honors Mirana Moore: A goodly woman who sought well to protect the citizens of the duchy. Known for her kindly appeals to the citizens, and aid in not only domestic spats, but that of felling a wyvern with the good sir Vallon (rest in peace), this goodly lady served right until the end; may she rest in peace as well.
- Infantrywoman Second Honors Arianne Falkner: Another goodly woman who sought well and found ways to protect the citizens of the duchy, she worked along side Mirana, but also found the same end to the scoundrel Caius Drayden.
- Infantryman First Honours Coronado de Panfilo Belalcazar: A man that fought against many different groups and peoples for the safety of the duke and the duchy, including the one called "Unbroken", the "Prince of rats", the Sons of Sabuth, and the Black Harpers Ammon, Elera, and Cacey Mac Conmara.
- Specialist Kedrian: A goodly fellow that tried to save two persons from Jackin Hoxie, a murderous Son of Sabuth. Also fought along side Grand Larson Burkden against Ixpadia Sabuth's men Marshal Marius Lestrade and Marsk.
List of Loyalist Army Members
[LIST=1]- Militiaman Urth Hornraven: A recent recruit that came from farmlands also once ravaged by orcs. He had not only turned them there, but here on the island as well. He was killed by the monster Jim in the line of service.
- Militiaman Fror Stoner: A goodly man who worked with Gavril to stop Lawthorn from his murderous acts. He however met his end to the false crusader.
- Militiaman Dante Coolidge: Yet another goodly man who pledged to help protect the duchy. A follower of Bane, and the adopted son of mayor Coolidge, Dante helped to try and drive the Sons of Sabuth from the docks for their misdeeds. He however was slain by the sons.
- Militiaman Lyon Krusevik: A goodly sir that helped Gavril with duties, and tried to bring Lawthorn to justice as well. He retired from the guard, and now works for good mayor Coolidge.