Tag: martial
The Rimeguard of Kaald
Posted on October 30, 2025
The Rimeguard of Kaald is a military order in the north territory of Kaald. It is not overseen by any agents of the High King. They are not your typical order – the knights are pragmatic, stoic, and operate in extreme climates fighting agents of the Lich Lord. They do not really care what others think, and are wholly focussed on their charge – the preservation of life in Kaald, and the annihilation of anything related to the Lich Lords or their actions. These stalwart fighters man the Heart Flame Beacons of Kaald.
The Rimeguard also take the same pledge of Rhylan the Living as the Horn guard defenders of Rhyl.
Rimeguard Pledge-Weapons
All Rimeguard Pledge-Weapons are made with a large Sapphire from the Windstone Sapphire Mine of Kaald. It is set in the pommel or handle. Prior to it being set, it is “bathed” in the light of a full moon upon a glittering still field of snow and ice as part of a ritual by a virgin priestess of Ezrlius. The gemstone glitters faintly when it is picked up by a living being, reflecting this light it gathered – though no undead can see it. If the dead or undead grasp it, the stone goes inky blue-black and no light reflects off it. The stones are often passed on generation after generation, set in new weapons.
Tea Lodge Network of Rhyl
Posted on October 28, 2025 in Steel-Realms
Tea Lodges of Rhyl manage family finances, arrange travel to Kaald, some marriages intertwined, refuge seekers, tea, and said to span race. Maple syrup from freelanders and Kaald. It experienced a renewed influence and power in the events of Tea House Revival of CY 9126 – 9130.
Symbol: A simple yellow tea cup; “Nothing happens in the north that is not discussed over tea.”
Areas of Influence: The Lodge Tradition in Rhyl is strongest in the east of the The Grand Duchy of Rhyl. In Rhyl, the ancient Tea Lodges will be found in the areas outside of The Rhylan Grants and old kingdoms that were located inside the forest along its edges. Mostly this consists of the areas to the east of the plateau all the way to the mountains and up to North Gate Garrison.
The women of the Tea Lodges of Rhyl have a disdain of the culture around the War Brides of Rhyl and you will not find many in their ranks.
Criminal Activity? Some believe the Tea House tradition is even leveraged as a smuggling channel – though what it would smuggle is dubious… the efforts of The Red March make for severe penalties – not to mention extreme ethical quandaries.
The Bitter Leaves
In fact, the Tea Lodge members include a band of smugglers who call themselves The Bitter Leaves, an old organization and technically part of the Criminal Presence in Rhyl. They are located in the east of the duchy, but their network is the entire duchy; They avoid direct clashes with other criminal elements. They handle refuge seekers into Kaald (through a secret route!?), girls seeking to avoid arranged marriages, a few rare foodstuffs and trinkets for the wealthy, and money and supplies from clandestine fundraisers. They never use the Bank of the Silver Stacks.
The Order of the Green Garters
The Order of the Green Garter is a women-only order nominally of camaraderie and accomplishment within the Tea Lodges of Rhyl. Long has it been said it is involved in marriage, politics, and even revenge through its agents of the Garter Blades – they often train young noble women to fight. There’s rumors that those men who try to abuse their position often find themselves in compromising positions or worse. There are Rumors they are tied to hag activity historically. These agents of the Tea Lodges of Rhyl gain some of the Witchwood each harvest to enhance their… powers of persuasion.
Active Lodge Locations
- Tea Lodge of Alstaad (Northgate)
- Tea Lodge of Fortun
- Tea Lodge of Fortun
- Tea Lodge of Red Spring
- Tea Lodge of Redmark
- Tea Lodge of Rhylan (capital)
- Tea Lodge of Saltmarch
- Tea Lodge of Sheffet
- Tea Lodge of Ten Stacks
- Tea Lodge of Twin Springs
The Home Garden of North Gate Garrison
Posted on October 27, 2025 in Steel-Realms
The Home Garden on The Autumn Wall. It is a place that has many rows of soil brought from all over the realms. To the each man may walk down a path and plunge their fingers into the soil of their Homeland. Where possible to survive in the northern climate, local Flora have been planted. Not far away sits Longhollow (the Ducal Manse).
This is on a small estate that is tended the priests of Gaia called the home garden Lodge. It contains a greenhouse as well for helping to grow replacement plants. It is one way those serving on the wall can be reminded of home. It is a large estate, about 2 hours. Walk back from the wall near the city of blank but outside every year. New soil is brought from each location, usually escorted minor noble of a family if they are serving on the wall or priest or minor noble if they are not. At the end of the each, it is a holy symbol of land that has a patron God or Spirit, though few have a universal one. A small pool in a covered area exists for people to wash their hands off with or face if they so choose to mark themselves or smell the Earth.
A Wall Behind the Wall: The site of Home Garden that faces The Autumn Wall is lined with massive fir trees that block the view of the wall. It is a stand about 100 ft thick and runs a kilometer in either direction. Completely obscuring the view of the wall as a reminder of what they are returning to fight to.
The beds of Earth are all made of stone and raised about 3 ft. The area has been attacked and assaulted multiple times when the undead have broken through. The scratches, scars and a few breaks in the walls have been repaired over time but are left visible as a reminder to what is being defended against.
Home Garden Marshals
Those who defile this place of refuge and peace for all are dealt with harshly. A local order known as The Home Garden Marshals are all local to Rhyl only. Although “All Must Serve!“, all Must leave as well. They track down deserters, AWOL troops, and veterans (the living have little cause fear in those that have faced the dead) that will not leave. They are all investigators and have the power of a deputy. They are typically led by minor nobility of Rhyl as part of their own service.
Some say the nobility uses this as a way to keep their own safe from the horrors of direct combat, but it counts ass service.
Offices of the Home Garden Marshals
The barony of Cunee has one main office, and the town of blank, as well as the town of blank on the plateau. Because it reduces instability and violence in their communities from those who have served but not gone through the deportation process and are trying to make a local home where they are not wanted.
- The marshals can sense those with unfulfilled Oath of the Day Watch.
- They are experts in assessing the validity of time in service marks for North Gate Garrison.
- The Boar’s Lodge: The office of the Marshals in any town is always the “The Boar’s Lodge”. This is for holding awol, deserters, and veterans that have been broken and and are a danger to themselves and others.
Boar Lodge Locales
Chronicle/Facts of the Locale
Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability & Meticulous Record Keeping may improve usability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these. Specific Lores may increase the chance of knowing specific elements.
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore
For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.
Rhyl General Events
CY 2330’s Fall of East / Rise of the Dark Lands (Orrishai Abandoned); Refugees flee – some cross the Tolkisson Mountain Range into the ‘Lands of Rhylan’ that would become the Kingdoms of old Rhylan and finally The Grand Duchy of Rhyl.
CY 5580 Fall of Dundaria in the North – Frostfang spreads, the Lich Lord power rises. Horses of the undead, fortunately disorganized (at first), sweep south and west from the heart of old Dundaria.
CY 5980 The Kingdoms of old Rhylan united settled as a single Kingdom of Rhyl to fight the Lich Lords drive south. After centuries of warfare between territories and races, the common cause of the threat to the north secures a lasting peace.
CY 6514 The Grand Duchy of Rhyl is created by the High King. In exchange for the resources and organization that can be brought to bear against the now organized undead armies, the lands become part of the High King’s domain.
CY 7007 The area of North Gate Garrison freed & The Red March created; Money, supplies, and manpower flow into the north to fight the Lich Lords.
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.
The Hornguard of Rhyl
Posted on July 12, 2025 in Steel-Realms
The Hornguard of Rhyl are defenders of the frontiers of The Grand Duchy of Rhyl. The Hornguard are a loose order in mountain garrisons in the Tolkisson foothills that watch for incursions of the Lich Lords minions and the rare Orrish incursions and have a unique horn sound that alerts the other forts by echoing the horn pitch through the hills. The Hornguard have their own protocols, and are also joined by the Broken Delvers for long range patrols. Their job is similar to those that man the Heart Flame Beacons of Kaald. They train and work directly with the Dwarven Stone Hoppers.
When one of the Hornguards’ Horns blows, it will sound across the entire range noted – all 6 sections. Each of the sections has a distinct sound that denotes what section the horn was blown in. The dwarven enclave of Sun Stone Top now repair and maintain the Rhenclaves.
The Hornguard of Rhyl’s tower guards have a Call Stone tied to the Order of the Black Gorgon for absolute emergencies.
Hornguard of Rhyl
Famous Horns of the Horn guard: Horn of Larken (was used of many years along the mountain range), Dragon’s Call, The Sleeper, Aeigel’s Folly
Pledged to Fight: Citizenship and ALL members of the guard in The Grand Duchy of Rhyl requires both pledges of Rylan the Living + Oath of the Day Watch.
Order Preceptories in Rhyl
- Aderod’s Shield (Hornguard outpost of Rhyl)
- Bophate’s Stretch (Hornguard outpost of Rhyl)
- Gaelen’s Mount (Hornguard outpost of Rhyl)
- Mistwhirl Tower (Hornguard outpost of Rhyl)
- Taplight Keep (Hornguard outpost of Rhyl)
- Terrent’s Redoubt (Hornguard Headquarters)
- Tower of the Dragon’s Eye (Hornguard outpost of Rhyl)
i20™ Order Details
iCore™ Order Details
Pages on the web site lean towards i20™ text flavor, discrepancies will be noted in the iCore™ tab.
Hornguard Fortified Watch Posts
There is a supply post built into the rocks and off the Spring Serpent Trail in the hills of the Tolkisson Mountain Range to the NE of the Gaur Dinuae Forest. Its named “Iceleaf” and helps keep The Hornguard of Rhyl supplied and provides a Holdfast point in emergencies. All are said to have a small bit of Honeystone Pollen to aid in emergencies.
Chronicle of the Group
Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability & Meticulous Record Keeping may improve usability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these. Specific Lores may increase the chance of knowing specific elements.
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore
The second Duke of Rhyl commissioned the Ducateon to make small Minor Rhenclaves that would chain the horn sounds to carry them to watch posts along the Tolkisson Miuntain Range base. They are hidden, appearing as natural formations and spaces, but definitely still function without the Orrish or Lich Lord’s minions able to suss them out. They work close with the elven defensive towers of Three Blades of Ceith Grebatain.
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
“Forge of the Rhino”: Sir Alstaer Corwin, also known as “The Rhino” because of his horn making ability, fashioned most of these horns under the second Duke of Rhyl. The forge’s location is lost to time, though it was believed to be in the foothills of the Tolkisson Mountain Range.
Uncommon Knowledge / Average Difficulty
The power of the horns helped to save the dychy during CY 8005: The Agony of Serpents.
Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty
In CY 9046, the Stonebreaker Company answered the call of the The Hornguard of Rhyl and the Har Cunetha of Vinewood Forest to lead a counter attack against the forces of Lord Heatherguard and collapsed the famous Heatherbrook Pass (from the Heather Reach in Fallen Dundaria). Their largest wielded massive hammers that got to work on cliffsides and collapse them on unwary Lich Lord troops.
Order of the Tri-Light
Posted on November 8, 2022 in Steel-Realms
The Order of the Tri-Light are a knightly order of the Steel Realms of the heartlands. They were once “The Order of the Trident” – and often confused with the Legion of the Trident.
Origins: They once operated out of the Duchy of Dunstrand, Duchy of Rhyl, the Northern Merchant Cities, and Gladnor. The order faded from Dunstrand, closing and selling its lands in Dunstrand in CY 9131. They were originally named after the headwaters of the Nanford river, forked somewhat like a trident (less after The Sundering). Now they are named after the triple male gods of the Lightbringers. Older insignias has three full-length tines.
Renewed Order
Though they are technically a secular order, the followers of light have slowly taken control of the order in the last few hundred years, and in CY 9129 renamed the order. The political ranks and functionaries are all favorable to the church of Light now, worshiping Ikribu (65%), Balthazaar (20%), and Whelm (15%) – although almost all of the highest ranks are filled by those who venerate Ikribu.
Their symbol is a gold lightning bolt ending in a trident. The trident has a shorter center tine symbolizing Whelm, with a brown background and blue diagonal stripe.