Hardby Marines
| Hardby Marines | |
|---|---|
| Demonym: | Marines |
| Type: | Navy |
| Leader: | Wilbrem Carister |
| Members: | Saliors and naval soldiers. |
| Headquarters: | Hardby |
| Allies: | Mountaineer Militia, Greyhawk Militia |
| Enemies: | Cockatrice Riders, Pomarj |
The Hardby Marines are a military branch of the Greyhawk Militia, who are stationed at Hardby, and patrol Woolly Bay and the vicinity.[1]
Description
[edit | edit source]"The Hardby Marines mount antipiracy patrols across Woolly Bay."[2][1]
""Their specific brief is to watch for incursions from the Pomarj, to investigate any vessels they deem to be suspicious, and to provide information about weather, sea monsters, ship travel, and suchlike. This doesn't usually include watching out for smuggling. That is the province of the grim-faced riverman-bureaucrats of the Hardby Pilot's Office (who combine piloting services with a thorough inspection of holds and cargoes).""[3]
History
[edit | edit source]After the Greyhawk Wars (584 CY+) the Hardby Marines destroyed docks the port of Fax to prevent Turrosh Mak and the Pomarj navy from utilizing them.[4]
Additionally, cities along the Wild Coast which are held by the Orcish Empire of the Pomarj train defensive fortifications and naval forces to be able to defend against (and attack) the Marines.[5]
Members
[edit | edit source]Volunteers who are selected to serve in the Hardby Marines sign on for terms which are "in multiples of a year and a week, with a minimum of three years and three weeks."[3]
The hardened troops of the Marines are all skilled [[fighters] (most are level 1-4, with leaders being 5-9).[6] Amongst those who volunteer, those who serve are unuversally strong, agile, and hearty (Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14).[6][3]
"Each ship’s crew also includes a wizard and usually a priest of Pelor or St. Cuthbert."[7][6] but Procan is the most common.[3] "Each ship has a few special crewmembers trained in the use of grapples, harpoons, pikes, and flaming artillery."[7]
It is a salient point that after the Greyhawk Wars, "20-30% of the Hardby Marines are men freed from slavery in the Wild Coast cities."[3] After 584 CY+, Safeton has conscription into service.[8][9]
Notable individuals
[edit | edit source]The Commander[10] of the Marines is Captain Wilbrem Carister (LN male human Ftr9).[7][11] Carister attends the Council of Mayors and Manorial Lords when it is convened twice a year.[10]
Commander Carister's scond mate is one of the youngest sons of the Peltander family from Carnakh. The other youngest son also serves in the marines.[12][13]
Headquarters
[edit | edit source]There are at least eighty Hardby Marines at home in the city at any time—one full crew plus new recruits and "spare men".[7][3]
Structure
[edit | edit source]Alignment
[edit | edit source]The leadership of the Hardby Marines are always Lawful, (largely LN, but some LE).[3] The rest of the sailors and other personnel are usually of "any nonevil alignments, but tend strongly to pure neutral and lawful neutral."[3] "Non-chaotic alignments are dominant."[6]
Resources
[edit | edit source]Unlike the majority of the Greyhawk Militia who wear chainmail, the Hardby Marines (who are most often asea) are issued leather armor.[14][7][6] and carry a cutlass, club, and knife or light crossbow[7][3] They may also carry any of a variety of "swords... daggers... hand axes... pikes, and other ship-to-ship combat weapons."[6]
Ships
[edit | edit source]The Marines maintain a fleet of six war galleys, three of which are homeported in Safeton.[8] The normal practice of the navy is that one ship is kept in port at Hardby and another in Safeton, while the other four "sail patrols across the northern part of Woolly Bay."[7][3]
The Marines also have transport ships.[5] Several of these are sunk by Pomarj dragonnel riders, based out of Elredd.[5]
One of the ships of the fleet is Pride of Zagyg.[15]
References
[edit | edit source]Notes
[edit | edit source]Citations
[edit | edit source]- ↑ a b The Adventure Begins (1998), p.6.
- ↑ The Adventure Begins (1998), p.2, Adventure Maps.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j From the Ashes (1992), p.17, Campaign Book.
- ↑ The Adventure Begins (1998), p.3, Adventure Maps.
- ↑ a b c Slavers (2000), p.62.
- ↑ a b c d e f The Adventure Begins (1998), p.66.
- ↑ a b c d e f g Slavers (2000), p.34.
- ↑ a b From the Ashes (1992), p.51, Campaign Book.
- ↑ From the Ashes (1992), p.52, Campaign Book.
- ↑ a b The Adventure Begins (1998), p.47.
- ↑ From the Ashes (1992), p.86, Campaign Book.
- ↑ Slavers (2000), p.44.
- ↑ From the Ashes (1992), p.53, Campaign Book.
- ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), p.51.
- ↑ From the Ashes (1992), p.59, Campaign Book.
Bibliography
[edit | edit source]Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
| Topic | Type | Description | Product | Page/Card/Image
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardby Marines | People Group | Navy, | Dragon magazine #191 | 65 |
| Hardby Marines | People Group | Navy, | From the Ashes: Campaign Book | 7, 17, 51-53, 55, 58, 86, 87 |
| Hardby Marines | People Group | Navy, | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 51 |
| Hardby Marines | People Group | Navy, | Slavers, AD&D 2e | 4, 34, 36, 38, 39, 44, 60, 61, 62, 75 |
| Hardby Marines | People Group | Navy, | The Adventure Begins | 6, 7, 42, 47, 63, 66 |
| Hardby Marines | People Group | Navy, | The Adventure Begins: Adventure Maps | 2, 3 |