The Sea Lords of Throi

Overview
The Sea Lords are one of the playable factions at Weekend Warrior Experience. First conceived as "Sea Rangers", they were eventually developed into a strong, naval themed force inspired by the Varangian Guard and elements of the Byzantine Empire. Originally led by The Earl of Throi, they are currently under the command of Commodore Kaiþera and are one of the strongest forces in the all of Olaran.

Before the Unification (468 BYL - 3 BYL)
The first Sea Lords were a small group of sailors and warriors from Themisia who left their home country due to a long-standing cultural conflict within its borders. Led by Kalustriaus the Star-Holder and his young son Barca Saelithend, they sailed across the Inner Sea and arrived on the shores of what would become Throi, establishing their first settlement at the mouth of the Coldfell River. From this settlement they began raiding along the coast as far south as Ithacus and Zevaran, mainly plundering other sea vessels, but occasionally raiding inland for larger prizes. As they saw more and more profit from their ventures, they began exploring further parts of the oceans of Adrasil, and were the first humans to map out the known world at the time. This penchant for cartography continues to the current age, with Sea Lord maps being some of the most accurate in the world.

In addition to their exploration, the Sea Lords began developing their settlement into a thriving metropolis, eventually naming it Thriese after one of the ancient gods of the Sea. This city would become the seat of power for the rulers of Throi and is safeguarded by both natural and manmade defenses. The one major downfall of the region the sea folk had chosen to settle was a lack of land to use for agriculture or livestock, requiring an increasing amount of resources to be taken through raids as the city grew.

The First Campaign of Alirion (3 BYL - 0 BYL)
Unlike the other regions that would eventually form the Kingdom of Olaran, Throi remained free, ruled as an independent kingdom by Barca Saelithend, the son of the sailor who led the Sea Lords from Themisia. While the soon-to-be King Alirion was aware of the benefits he could gain by attempting to take Throi he also knew it would cost more than it was worth in blood as he had no navy for such an attempt. The Sea Lords for their part remained neutral as the other regions began to come under the young warrior's command, continuing to live as they always had while making a nice profit by selling supplies to either side of the conflict.

They were not, however, foolish enough to believe that their home was not under threat from this new neighboring kingdom. As such they began quietly make preparations to defend themselves should the need arise. They increased their salt water navy and even began using river boats as they went east along the Coldfell in search of greater prizes.

During this time the Sea Lords also expanded their range with the development of new warships which were far more advanced than any others made by humans. As the unification of Olaran began to settle they made good use of this opportunity and made loose trade agreements with King Alirion to assuage his interest in attempting to take their kingdom from them.Though the region was growing quickly, it was still too small to be able to hold back the growing might of Alirion.

The Coronation of King Alirion (0 YL - 7YL)
For the first years of their new neighbors existence things seemed to be going smoothly between the kingdoms. However a game of intrigue was being played by both sides behind the scenes, with Olar Rangers infiltrating Throi as spies while the Sea Lord ships kept a careful eye on the coastlines of Olaran. For some time this period of stalemate continued, but before half a score of years elapsed, it turned to open conflict.

The Sea Lords had swept the ocean clean of prizes, and their growing population required more resources than could be scraped from the stony ground of Throi. Before long, Barca turned his eyes towards the rich lands around the Thornwood. In a sudden onslaught, they took the cities of Old Shire and Norn. King Alirion immediately declared war on Throi, and one of the greatest, albeit short, wars in the history of Adrasil took place.

The Fall of the Kingdom of Throi (7 YL - 11 YL)
For much of the war it seemed as if Throi would be the victor. Despite Olaran's greater strength, the Grimmock Mountains protected Thriese from direct assault by land and Alirion's small fleet of fishing boats and a handful of galleys was laughable compared to the might of the Throian armada. However, the salt folk had a difficult time making any progress on land, due to their undeveloped infantry and lack of cavalry. As the conflict raged on, they were slowly pushed out of the territory they had gained and were forced to defend their own lands from assault.

Even though they had lost ground it was still unlikely that the Olar forces could take Thriese by force, so King Alirion devised a devious plan, which trapped almost the entire Sea Lord fleet in the mouth of the Coldfell River, crippling their greatest military strength as well as their main source of economic sustainability. Barca saw the futility of the situation and so, instead of sacrificing his fleet, he and his captains came to an agreement with Alirion. The treaty allowed Barca and his captains to live and keep thier lands, but they had to swear an oath of loyalty to the king of Olaran and his bloodline. Though some in the Olar army wanted to see Barca executed outright, King Alirion showed great tact by naming Throi the ninth region of Olaran, making their leader the first Earl of Throi, and naming him First Sea Lord of Olaran.

The oath that the First Sea Lord swore was similar to that which each new Sea Lord sailor swears upon joining their first ship: I swear by the salt of the sea and the stars of the sky and do truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Alirion I, His Heirs and Successors of His Blood, and that I will, as in duty bound, honestly and faithfully defend His Majesty’s shores, and shipping, and His Heirs and Successors of His Blood, in Person, Crown and Dignity against all enemies, and will observe and obey all orders of His Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, and of the First Sea Lord and the officers set over me. I swear it from this hour henceforth, until my lord release me, or death take me, or the seas rise and cover the world.

It was from this time forward that the people of Barca named themselves Sea Lords. Some historians posit that this choice reflected the salt folk's dislike of Olar rule, since they chose a name that reflected their own leader's title, rather than that of their new king.

While the tension between the Sea Lords and their new countrymen did eventually relax somewhat, the Sea Lords' natural sense of independence and distinctive culture continued to seperate them somewhat from the rest of the regions of Olaran.

The War with Goltha (1108 YL - 1112 YL)
While the battles in Lannock and Murnock are the most talked about by the general populace of Olaran, the Sea Lords mainly recount the tale of how they played a critical role in the defeat of the invaders. The Sea Lord forces under the command of the young Commodore Torvin Saelithend spent most of the war raiding the Golthan coast, harrying the enemy, and then quickly returning to their boats: a strategy that successfully diverted forces from the frontlines. The Golthans became so frustrated by this constant threat that they built and launched their own sizable armada in an attempt to take Thriese by force. Leaving from Suden Moar, this mighty, yet unlucky fleet would make it no further than Keln before, with the might of tidal wave, the Sea Lord's fleet swept over them and obliterated the Golthan navy to the last rowboat. Commodore Torvin Saelithend led his Sea Lords in this naval battle from the decks of the newly christened flagship Leviathan, earning a reputation as a shrewd and competent leader. Rumor has it that his sister Kaiþera snuck aboard the flagship before the fleet left Thriese and fought in the battle, though forbidden to do so by her father.

With their fleet destroyed, and their defeat at the hand of Duke Killian the Red with his newly christened "blood cloaks," Goltha had no choice but to surrender and pay massive reparations to Olaran. Some of this gold was given to Torvin in gratitude for his defeat of the Golthan navy, and it was out of this wealth that the ships Kraken and Atalanta were built.

The Autumn Feast - (1117 YL)
The Sea Lords attended the fateful Autumn Feast where King Osiric was assassinated, and in the conflict that followed allied themselves with the Rangers. First Lord Torvin (then the Commodore of the Sea Lords) led his troops in battle, and helped to protect the king's son, Randar, (then disguised and bewitched) until he was recognized and crowned shortly after his father's death.

The Ithacus Campaign (Late 1118 - Early 1119)
Torvin helped lead the forces that set sail for Ithacus, seeking the Sword of Hope under King Randar's orders. While there, the forces were split by confusion and conflicting aims, and Torvin found himself the allies of the Kingsmen: both factions wished to carry out King Randar's orders and stay in Ithacus until the sword was found. His fight for control of the factions with Duke Killian (which occured at this time) is still remembered as one of his greatest duels.

Several weeks after the initial conflict between the factions had eased into an uncomfortable cease-fire, then Captain Kaiþera arrived with the Atalanta and fresh troops (both Kingsmen and Sea Lord) from Olaran. No one knows for sure how the fighting recommenced, though rumor persists that it began when Kaiþera and her first mate Unnur picked a fight with several Hearth-Guard who insulted them. Regardless, the battles that ensued were fierce, and only ended when the Sea Lords stormed and took an outpost held by the Hearth-Guard, whereupon Duke Killian surrendered and promised to return to Olaran with the rest of the factions so that he could lay his claim to the throne of Olaran before the Throne's Council. The Sword of Hope being found during the conflict, all factions agreed to return home.

The Battle of the Thornwood (1120 YL)
A few months after their arrival home, a gathering of the Thrones' Council and representatives from each of the factions met to address Duke Killian's claim for regency in the absence of the king. Kaiþera took command of the Sea Lords as her brother took his place with the council. Unfortunately things took a turn for the worse when Killian's bid for regency was not only denied, but he was put on trial for treason and was ousted from his title as Duke and leadership of The Hearth-Guard, being forced to join The Order of Luminos.

Events escalated when, the next morning, the Rangers, led by Captains Arquus and Calloway, kidnapped Earl Torvin while he was attempting to re-negotiate the contract orignally made between King Alirion and the First Sealord. Though all her sense wanted to rush to save her brother, Kai chose to withdraw her troops to better prepare for the battles to come, a tactic which gave her the advantage in the start of The Battle of the Thornwood. Seeing a kindred spirit in Commander Tove Mørkulv, she allied herself with the Hearth-Guard who were enraged by the Duke's forced penance and wished to right what they deemed as a great wrong done to their former leader.

The battle lasted two days, during which much Olar blood was shed on both sides. Torvin was rescued and the Sea Lords had their revenge on Rook of the Rangers and Justicar Marrius Rayne when they were captured in the early stages of the battle. While no side could claim a full victory, a rift in the kingdom had become evident. To add fuel to the fire, the High Priest of Luminos was assassinated which caused many mutterings of a Ranger and Kingsmen conspiracy among the Hearth-Guard and Sea Lord alliance. The Arch-Deacon Hagios the Humble of the Church of Luminos called for a year's peace to be held in honor of the deceased high priest and all parties begrudgingly agreed, though planning to reconvene and address the growing concerns of an already tumultuous kingdom.

Kaiþera returned to Thriese with her brother, and helped him set the Sea Lord navy in order. Torvin quickly found the task too much with his other duties, and gave Kaiþera sole command of the navy - naming her Commodore of the Fleet. One of the new Commodore's first commands was to build a new ship - the Zradnar, captained by Bruciper Alanon, an old friend and trusted comrade of the Commodore. More Sea Lord recruits flock to the ports with every tide, and Kaiþera is confident that the Sea Lord forces can withstand whatever weather the winds of fate blow her way.

Culture
Sigil: The Trident

Aesthetically inspired by the style and equipment of the Varangian guard (elite Norse, Rus, and Anglo-Saxon warriors in the service of the Byzantine Emperor), the Sea Lords take on many of the traits of eastern European style medieval armor and dress. Thus lamellar, baggy trousers, and lots of cloth accents are key. Pointed helmets and boots are also worn by many Sea Lords, and recurve bows are as common as longbows in their ranks. Culturally, they draw inspiration from the Byzantines, Kievan Rus, and Anglo-Saxons. Their ship structure and command system is taken from the British Royal Navy during the Age of Sail.

Equipment: Their colors are sea-blue with navy blue, brown, gray, and tan with white and silver accents. If they wear armor, they wear chainmail, brown/tan leather armor, steel reinforced/steel splinted leather armor and padded gambesons. They wear light nasal helms, ocular and other Norse/Byzantine type helmets.

Rank Structure: Among Sea Lords, the rank of “Commodore” is a purely naval rank, denoting that a certain captain is placed in command of the other captains in the fleet. Commodore is a shifting title - if the current commodore leaves the fleet in command of another captain, that captain becomes commodore and their ship becomes flagship. The First Lord can relinquish the title of Commodore to any of his captains. He or she, of course, keeps their title of First Sea Lord (which is essentially the Olar equivalent of Secretary of the Navy combined with an Admiral), as well as their ancestral noble title “Earl of Throi.”

Each ship is commanded by a captain, though small ships may be commanded by a lieutenant (sailors under the lieutenant's command would, of course, refer to the lieutenant as "captain.") Captains in the Sea Lords faction are composed of staff members and veteran players who have proved themselves good leaders, excellent team-players, effective communicators, and emotionally well-rounded individuals who can handle the responsibilities and rigors of command.

Other ranks include those found often on board a ship: from carpenters, blacksmiths, surgeons, navigators etc., to the general "able-seamen" who are the backbone of any vessel.

The oldest members of House Saelithend are the hereditary rulers of Throi, and often their members are captains in the Sea Lord navy, though this is not always the case. Like every other Sea Lord captain, members of House Saelithend must prove their worth on the high seas before they are given the honor of commanding a ship in this vaunted navy.

Burial: Sea Lords are buried at sea when possible. If not, they are buried near water, or else a libation of water (preferably salt) is poured over their graves. This tradition goes back to their early tribal days, and is somewhat frowned upon by the Priests of Luminos. Many historians believe this custom originated in the days when the Sea Lords were known as the "Salt Folk" and comes from early religious customs.

Religion: Though many Sea Lords worship Luminos, a fair section worship the Old Gods. Sea Lords are very tolerant of differening religions in thieir ranks, and often avoid religious talk to keep peace on board their ships. Some sailors also cling to what little is known of the ancient religion of the Salt Folk, though there is so little known about how Sea Lords worshipped in ancient times that many Sea Lords merely incorporate the Salt Folk customs into their current religious practices. Some worshippers of Luminos believe that, while Luminos is the highest and most powerful deity, the salt gods formed a tier of powerful spiritual beings who served under him. The Saelithend family has long held to this belief, and it is known that both Torvin and Kaiþera follow this practice; they may offer sacrifices at the Fire Temples of Luminos, but they also sprinkle their doorways with salt, and both hold to "The Oath of Lady Eseld" while on shore.

The Salt Gods: Historians believe that this religion was mostly passed along orally, which is why so few written records exist explaining how the earliest Sea Lords worshipped. It is known that a sea god was (unsurprisingly) at the center of that worship, and some say its name was Thriese, which is why the capital of Throi was given that name. Other historians disagree, and posit that "Thriese" was an ancient Themisian word meaning "powerful stronghold." Only two other salt gods have been discovered (or remembered), though historians work ceaselessly in the library of the citadel in Thriese in an effort to discover more. A curious remnant of the ancient religion exists in the form of "The Oath of Lady Eseld," and forbids the swearer thereof to eat wheat while on land (some historians say that this Lady Eseld was an ancient deity of the land). The existence of the third salt god is posited by a scrap of manuscript found recently which, in ancient runes, declares "...and above the clouds in the night sky, his quiver at his side, he points his bow into the stars [here some text is obscured by a burn mark] ... Scytere defends those who send the arrow into the ranks of their enemies, his trickster's laugh mocking..." From this fragment it is assumed that an ancient male salt god named Scytere existed, and was either the patron of archers or tricksters (possibly both). Interest in this god have revived, and several sailors have adorned their armor with shining constellation known as "Scytere's Belt." Few other customs remain from the times of the Salt Folk, though ancient traditions say that Sea Lords paint their ceilings bright blue to ward off sea ghosts, and that they sprinkle salt across their doorways when a house is new-built for luck.