Model: waning power defense, ceremonial prestige, regional fragmentation
The Strategion was the military-administrative heart of Alendria, located in Sphaira. It oversaw troop movements, fortification upkeep, and officer appointments.
Staffed by civil-military bureaucrats, many of noble birth, who often prioritized prestige and ritual over readiness.
Commanders were appointed based on lineage, patronage, or ceremonial merit—not always competence.
The Royal Guard
Elite ceremonial unit tasked with protecting the royal family and sacred sites.
More ornamental than operational, but fiercely loyal and trained in disciplined formation.
The Provincial Tagmata
Regional garrisons stationed in key cities and fortresses.
Often underfunded and undermanned, reliant on local recruitment and noble oversight.
Some provinces maintained their own traditions and uniforms.
The Border Watch
Light infantry and scouts stationed along Alendria’s outer territories.
Known for adaptability and local knowledge, but lacked central support.
The Marble Corps
Specialized engineers and siege defenders, often stationed near marble quarries and mountain passes.
Maintained fortifications and supply routes.
Noble Officers:
Most senior roles held by aristocrats, often more versed in etiquette than warfare.
Some were competent veterans, others ceremonial figureheads.
Citizen Levies:
Recruited seasonally from towns and villages.
Service was seen as a civic duty, often tied to land rights or tax relief.
Mercenary Auxiliaries:
Employed in border regions and during crises.
Included foreign fighters, retired mages and rogues.
Warfare was seen as a tragic necessity, governed by ritual, law, and restraint. Alendrian culture and myth does not revere strongmen or warlike mentalities.
Military campaigns were often delayed by bureaucratic debate or noble infighting.
Magic was institutionalized—used for communication, fortification, and morale—but rarely decisive in battle.
Fragmented command: Regional forces operated semi-independently, often ignoring central orders.
Ceremonial inertia: Prestige and tradition outweighed innovation and reform.
Political rot: Noble rivalries and court intrigue undermined strategic unity.
Overreliance on symbolism: collapse was unthinkable, until it happened.
• Estimated maximum army size: Approximately 8,000 to 12,000 troops.
• Alendria was smaller than Thelidor and weakened by poverty and neglect.
• Its forces were under-equipped and under-trained compared to neighbors.
• The army had not seen battle in decades, leading to low morale and outdated tactics.
• The navy was similarly weak and unable to contest control of the seas effectively.
• Average noble house levy size: Between 200 and 400 troops.
• Noble houses were smaller and less militarized than in Thelidor or Arinn.
• Many levies were poorly equipped militia rather than professional soldiers.
• The nobility’s power was more ceremonial and less martial, reflecting the kingdom’s decline.
Year of the Emperor 279, Yulezeit
To: Commandant Rethar, Office of Imperial Intelligence
The city is unguarded in all but name. The western wall has collapsed in three places; no repairs underway. The eastern gate remains ceremonial—guarded by men in polished bronze who have not seen combat in years. The palace garrison drills twice weekly, mostly for show. I estimate fewer than 300 trained fighters within the capital proper.
King Theodor continues to host garden salons. I attended one under assumed identity (merchant patron of the Lyceum). He recited verses from Eremos, and his daughter with her cousins preformed a play about a fairy queen named Una. No mention of troop movements. No urgency. When asked about Hesan presence in the north, he replied: “If they mean to strike, they will do so with honor. I respect that.” His court laughed. I did not.
The @Lyceum of Harmonies remains active, though its funding is strained. I recommend its preservation post-occupation. It may prove useful for cultural assimilation or morale management. The scholars are brilliant, if naĂŻve. One recited a passage from Aionitita that likened discord to divine necessity. Dangerous thinking, but elegantly phrased.
@Princess Elara of Alendria is present. Young, educated, and largely unguarded. She speaks little in public but writes often. I intercepted a poem—melancholic, metaphorical, and politically inert. Still, she may become a symbol if allowed to flee. Recommend containment or quiet relocation.
Final note: The city is beautiful. Even in decay. I walked the colonnades at dusk and heard music from three directions. It is a place that believes in meaning, even as it forgets survival. I advise swift action. They will not resist. They will mourn.
—Verrin
Embedded Agent, Sphaira Cell