A Look in Elysium's Military History.

[Thannon 181]

The Early Days

 

 

The story of the Rangers began in Esbec, an abrasive and unyielding town located within Arcas, full of both grizzled and novice monster hunters. It was  there that the original Head Rangers -  Absolon Astrea, Avalor Astasel and Silas Astasel - developed their bond.  When the destruction of the realm via the inferi was imminent, and preparations for what lingered upon the horizon were well underway, Absolon’s wife, namely Katherine de Astrea, invited the Astasels to work alongside Absolon as founding members of the Order of The Boreal Forest, effectively working to ensure the safety and security of the Duchy of Elysium. Once they had arrived in the new land, the trio immediately set to work establishing the foundation for the Order, including the construction of the keep, as well as the initial recruitment of its preliminary members. In the beginning, the recruits were sorted into three separate squadrons, that being Moose, Falcon, and Bear, each one designated under one of the Head Rangers and made to hold a unique value. It was during this time that earlier renowned Rangers were recruited, such as: Sinsio Solros, Tannon Svartvind, Volk Mondblume, and more. However, this system was swiftly discarded in order to allow for ease of management and operation. Nevertheless, its roots still define the valued bond prominently seen between Rangers, not through blood, but through steel. As their ranks grew and their skills sharpened, the ideals of what it meant to be a Ranger only expanded, shifting from what was originally intended to be a simple outlet of guards, to a close-knit assembly of comrades who defended the civilians of their home with vigorous might. From bandits, to wolves, to even monstrous spiders, the Rangers cleaved through all in their way if it meant the protection of those they held dear. Only a few years into the primary development of the Order, tragedy befell one of the three Head Rangers. Avalor Astasel fell victim to the cruel orchestration of fate, an untimely and premature death overtaking him as he was mysteriously murdered, the elements of which still lay unknown to this day. Following this, Silas Astasel’s crusades against the darkspawn found him attempting to slay an alleged vampire. However, due to complicated circumstances, he was found guilty when ISA witnesses reported him to Norlandic authority. He was banished, but through many years of direct services to the northern realm and Duke Eugeo de Astrea’s own daughter Aylin, coupled with direct evidence of the individual hunted being darkspawn, he was pardoned.

 

 

   The First Age of the Rangers 

                            

[Art made by @CombatRolePlay]

 

 

                                     

After Avalor’s death and the banishment of Silas, few dull, but peaceful years had passed when Absolon de Astrea, the last among the first three, became the Marshal of Norland, for Elysium was a duchy of the Kingdom and now his new duty became greater. Absolon knew that now he had to watch over all of Norland’s military and ensure it’s might, he needed new Head Rangers. He called out a friend, Zylia Du’Cae to take Avalor’s place, on Ellanore Nria, who was already in the Northguard, Norland’s main force to replace Silas and to be a Head Ranger. And in his place, Absolon asked Tannon Svartvind, his second in command to join the two and so, the second generation of Head Rangers appeared.

Under the leadership of the three, the rangers grew their reputation throughout the realm of Almaris, wandering into the early settlement of Yong Ping at the time, Elvenesse and the Empire of Oren, asking the people there, of other nations and settlements as well, if they need help, but never forgetting their home, always returning there, especially when wraiths haunted their keep or when trolls walked into the Kingdom.

Elysiumfound itself in an era of peace and prosperity, apart from the bandits and monsters, a bigger conflict was about to fall n the Rangers. It was the Oren-Norland War of the Second Age, when King Sven II declared war on Oren. Before the time of war, Zylia Du’Cae had stepped down from being a Head Ranger, and the news of her replacement was announced during a feast of celebration of new ranks by the remaining two: Liluth Solros, the Order's first and last Castellon was chosen in her place. Absolon had stepped down from the position of Marshal before and rejoined the leadership of the Rangers as a trusted advisor and founded the Reapers, later called the Wardens,they were a mercenary group led by Absolon in the service of the Duchy and Kingdom, despite the secrecy of the Wardens, the most renowned rangers were part of it. Donovan Freysson II returned as Marshal and in this war the rangers of the Boreal Forest, part of Norland’s forces fought alongside the Ferryman Syndicate against the Empire’s army: The Imperial State Army, The Mercatori Revolutionary Army and The Minister of Justice.

From the battles of this war, one marked the Rangers the most, in the beginning of the war, the Imperials marched in Elysium and slaughtered everyone they could find. The only people that felt this tragedy greater than the rangers were the surviving people who now had to life without their loved ones among the living, the people who the Rangers Of Elysium failed to defend.

After years of fighting, weeks of waiting on a wall for the enemy to attack and both sides spying on each other, the war ended with the victory for the Imperials.

Years of healing and reminiscence had passed, giving way for something else to appear for these warriors to face. Before the war, Norland had made a deal with the Ferrymen, as one should. Part of the deal was that the Ferrymen would get land in the Kingdom and they got the land, used it to build their Keep, right by the river and road that took people, among them merchants, nobles and diplomats to lake Aeda and to Elysium and Varhelm, the Capital of Norland and a famous group of warriors had directed control of the road right at the entrance in the Kingdom. An infamous group of people, the Ferrymen, that if you are to ask them, they shall

tell you that their cause is fighting for the common and free people, to liberate them...and now if you are to ask a good part of the nations of Almaris, their description of them is different, they will say that the ferrymen are bandits, mercenaries and their cause is the plunder and the thrill of the fight, respectable reasons too....depending on who you ask, the rangers imagine of the ferrymen was like most nations had on them. And so battles carried between the two, most famous were the sieges on their keep, where not even the united arms of the dwarves of Urguan, Vortice and Norland could not take that damn keep, at least they were able to push the blue-wearing-bandana warriors back in there. Aside from this conflicts, Absolon had made a deal of his own with another group of people, that you could say gold could be found in their blood too, it was the Rustlers, like the Ferrymen, fighters who would rent their service for minas or advertise through raids, captures of important figures and everything to make you famous.

Absolon, a man who knew the value of minas and how to acquire them, founding the Black Raven Emporium, the man was among the leaders of Elysium’s military and it’s biggest provider of armory and weaponry. The armor that changed from the first days of the rangers, adding a heavy plate variant and a lighter one.

 

 Elysium itself was at a crossroad where the Duchy made the decision to venture beyond the cold forests of Norland, breaking away from the Kingdom. The Duchy of Elysium became independent, wishing to pursue greatness in it’s own right, the Elysians moved to the forests in the South-West, the now gray phoenix stood high on the flag of the rangers new keep in New Elysium, Now everyone one knew that it’s sole defender was the Order Of The Boreal Forest.

Naturally changes happened in the duchy, changes in power, ruling and titles, Absolon de Astrea was one to receive a new title, that of Lord Commander of Elysium, the man who was among the first three all those years back, became Elysium’s first. And he would have his old friend, the person who he asked to take one of the places of the first three Head Rangers, Ellanore Nria-Crane, becoming the first Military Chancellor.

Good years followed Elysium’s ascension to an independent entity, as well as swift retirements.

The Second Age of the Rangers

 

 

Absolon de Astrea, one of the three who created the Order Of The Boreal Forest, brought the Rangers to serve The Kingdom of Norland, The Duchy of Elysium and set out the premise of how a leader should be. He decided at the top of his heights and above lots of mortal men such him, to raise a toast to himself, his family, the family he had created in the Rangers, and to his fallen brothers and sisters, announcing his retirement as Lord Commander. 

Head Ranger Tannon, after arriving in New Elysium, gazed at the new city, reminiscence of the past, memories of the good and bad flew through his mind as he stand in front of the palace, his fists clenched and then he smiled, walking away from the palace, Tannon met with Togrim Heartstring-Vanari, the man who he told that he doesn’t want to be a Head Ranger anymore and wanted to see the world, like how he used to do when he was not representing a nation or guild. Togrim shook Tannon’s hand and then walked inside the new keep, as the new Head Ranger but one more was needed, after Ellanore Nria-Crane became the Military Chancellor, another of the Nria-Crane rose through and took the mantle, a dark elf named Jack, the new generation of Head Ranger was born with him.

 

But, like how the spots left by the second generation were filled, so shall a new Lord Commander be chosen. Few years after Absolon de Astrea retired, the assembly of a council was called, with Absolon taking part in deciding who will replace him, at this council representatives of Elysium’s clans attended, the ones who did most of the talk were the Head Rangers, after Elysium’s independence they were called Sentinels and Sentinel Captain, who was the one to take Absolon’s duty and title, he proposed this person, someone who grew up in Old Elysium, who would train with Absolon if he was not training alone, Ellathor Vanari was in question to become Lord Commander.

The young elf, son of Amethyst and Lunah Vanari, watched the people who showed support for him and those who were of the opinion that he was too young and inexperienced in leading.

After the talks were over, the call for a vote was made, and from that Ellathor Vanari vowed to uphold Elysium’s beliefs at his ceremony, once done, he rose up as Elysium’s second Lord Commander.

The Third Age of the Rangers

[Art made by @marslol]

                                     

When Ellathor was close to reaching ten years as Lord Commander and as Elysium’s reach expanded outwards as branches from a great tree, the idea crossed his mind, the idea of the military to change and too, to expand. Ellathor Vanari called the gathering of his military generals, his Decurions, a title used in the past but had been changed. He brought it back, along with new ranks, name and look for the military, The Order Of The Boreal Forest made way for the Elysian Army to take its place in defending Elysium and its people by ensuring the laws  and venture out with the wish to continue exploring the realms.

 

 

 

Edited December 10, 2021 by Tannnon
Wanted to add more art!

[warlord of filth 7714]

“This was a surprisingly delightful read. I wonder how it ended up in this dungeon though…” rasped Gib, finding the book on a decrepit shelf next to some ruined books, soul gems, and Septims. He moved onward with a torch in hand, ready to find a very large chest. 

[MokoMochi 445]

Alona wipes tears from her eyes with a certain handkerchief she saved from a mission long ago. As memories flashed in her head from when she was once a young ranger initiate, she wonders where the time has gone.

 

Spoiler

oocly sky god also wipes tears i mean what im not crying you are