The Hesan Army

The Hesan Army is the iron fist of the empire—an institution so vast, disciplined, and ideologically entrenched that it has come to define continental warfare. The landed warrior class and its armies are a public spectacle of power, pageantry, and divine purpose. War is not merely a political tool in Hesan doctrine; it is a sacred continuation of the war of creation, a cosmic struggle against chaos. Every campaign is framed as a holy endeavor, and every soldier—noble or common—is a participant in the empire’s divine mission.

Cultural Foundations and Recruitment

Hesan does not employ mercenaries. Instead, every landed noble is required to raise and lead their own men in times of war. These levies form the backbone of the imperial army, with each battalion commanded by a knight of the noble house that summoned them. This system reinforces feudal loyalty and ensures that military service is both a duty and a privilege of the aristocracy.

Knights in Hesan society are more than battlefield champions—they are high-ranking officers, judges, and spiritual exemplars. Their armor is ceremonial as well as functional, often inscribed with ancestral motifs. Commoners, too, are conscripted en masse, trained in rigid formations and drilled in the empire’s martial catechisms. Service is mandatory, and refusal is considered heresy.

Officer Hierarchy and Structure of the Hesan War Covenant (Hesanisches Kriegsbund)

The Hesan War Covenant (Hesanisches Kriegsbund) is the Empire's sacred military order—an institution of oath, steel, and ancestral law. Its officer hierarchy blends battlefield command with ritual authority, shaped by noble lineage and the ancient codes of the Kriegsorden (War Order).

🛡️ Hierarchy of Command

  • High Marshal of the Imperial War Covenant - Supreme commander of all Hesan forces, appointed by the Emperor. Bears the Seal of the Onyx Dragon and presides over war councils and sacred rites.

  • Noble Houses or Bannergrafen (Banner Counts) - Regional warlords commanding entire provinces or marches. Each maintains a war retinue and rides beneath their house banner.

  • Knight or Red Captain - Commanders leading 300–500 soldiers. Distinguished by ceremonial armor in deep red, dusk gold, and onyx.

  • March Lieutenants - Officers commanding 50–100 troops. Must be a Hesan Knight, and entrusted with the March Codex, a personal record of doctrine and visions.

  • Masters of the Line - Senior non-noble officers elevated through valor. They maintain discipline in the battle line and wear the Eisenzeichen (iron badge) of their banner.

  • Swordbearers and Heralds of the Call - Ceremonial attendants. Swordbearers carry their commander’s ancestral blade; Heralds recite orders and oaths.

⚔️ Organizational Structure

  • Divided into five principal legions, each tied to a cardinal direction and a founding noble house. Each legion has its own colors, heraldry.

  • Advancement is earned through battle loyalty, house patronage, and ritual trials. March Lieutenants and above are required to be Hesan Knights.

  • Officers maintain a codex book—a leather-bound record of doctrine, lineage, and battlefield visions. Upon death or disgrace, it is consigned to the banner fire.

🔥 Rituals and Doctrine

Martial doctrine passed down from the first gods, who are said to be soldiers, and sealed in the March Codex.

🕯️ Sacred Rites

  • Oath of Ash - Performed at dawn before the banner fire. Ash is drawn across the brow, and an oath spoke, usually related to the Hesan Creation story. Breaking this oath results in soul-break, a spiritual death.

  • Rite of the Broken Blade - When an officer falls, their blade is shattered and buried beneath the war banner, severing their soul from the field and granting passage to the dying stars.

  • March of Names - A ritual recitation of the fallen before battle. Each name is spoken by the Knight or Red Captain, followed by a single bell toll. It is said the dead march beside the living.

📜 Martial Doctrine

  • The Sword is the Seal - Authority flows from the blade. Command must be earned through steel and sacrifice.

  • Silence is Sovereignty - Officers speak little and observe much. Tactical silence is revered; battlefield orders are conveyed through signs and gestures.

  • No Banner Stands Alone - Though banners may hail from rival houses, doctrine demands mutual defense. Betrayal between banners is punished by exile and name-erasure.