People’s Militias

The war has taken much from many of us here with what is left being taken by the empire, so I say we show them that this is our land and not theirs. - Militiamen

Structure

The people’s militia has no central leadership and is divided into groups with their leaders and policies. However, they can organize with other groups to conduct greater efforts with one another. When in these, they often choose an experienced and respected group leader to lead them, which they refer to as a Chief at arms.
Master at Arms: The leader of a militia army often elected by their peers due to experience and skill in the arts of war and battle tactics.
Captain at Arms: A militia group leader in their settlement often being elected; in an army, they are officers leading a detachment into battle.
Sergeant at Arms: Often grizzled veteran of war chosen to keep the ranks in the line and intimidate militiamen into fighting when in battle.

Culture

Being A Member

Our home is our home; it belongs to us because our families have lived here long before anyone can remember. We worked on it with our blood and sweat every single day of our life like those before us. Everything that is made here is from the fruits of labor and no one else; we pay our keep to our lords like everyone else., but some people just want to take it even if they didn't earn it. So I say let them try because when they do, they aren't going to find any sacred folk hiding from them; instead, it will be a bunch of us ready to gut'em so we can protect what's ours. - Militiamen

Our lives are honest and honorable ones to live by. It is something that our parents and their parents before them have told us to make our lives tolerable in an attempt to hide a hard truth that we are to know, that our lives are that of constant suffering. Everyone who lives a commoner knows struggle at one part of their life or another. War, famine, and disease are commonplace, with the people like us always getting the short end of the straw as we try to rebuild every time ruin comes to our door. But someone is always trying to take what's left of our livelihood to satisfy their greed. Our lords are sworn to protect us from these dangers, though they seemed to care only for their well-being rather than ours as we were left to fend for ourselves; however, those days are done now. We have had enough of being pushed around and taking all of the abuse that comes with it that we are supposed to stand around and do nothing every time someone decides to take want we have through honest work. The people have the right to defend themselves when their leaders fail to do so, and we will do so with whatever we can find, and many more will do the same. While we may not be an army to be feared, we can at least show anyone that decides to mess with us that we can fight back and make them regret it dearly. The people will get the protection they rightfully deserve, and together with many others, we will show them that they will fight anyone to defend their families and homes.

What People think of you

The People's militias, at first glance, are not given much attention considering they are just a bank of peasants armed with whatever weapons they can find and are not as well disciplined as a professional soldier. However, they do make up for it with their determination and ability to adapt to their situation. This has made them a constant problem in the eyes of the Vatain Empire during their conquest and occupation of Ardania to this day. While many of these militias have been wiped out since then, many still roam the countryside, causing problems for the occupying forces in some areas. Many have committed to a prolonged war of attrition through skirmishes and guerrilla tactics against their better-trained foes. Many remain hidden in settlements blending in with the population and waiting for a moment to strike. While burning a few settlements to the ground tends to send a clear message to anyone defying imperial rule, this has done the opposite effect as many more people have decided to join them as retribution for their destroyed homes and lost loved ones. Leading to continual rebel activity across the region, with the Ardanian people seeing this as a spark of hope to one day free their homeland from imperial occupation.

Public Agenda

To defend the homes of the common people against all who would do harm or take advantage of them.

Assets

The militias have an arsenal of weapons and armor they have acquired over the years to arm themselves, even if they farm tools and old-worn armor.

History

Rekindling of An Idea

To understand the founding of the People's Militias, one must look back to Freemen's Militia and the ideals of Roderick Wesler. Before Wesler rebelled against the crown and founded the Freemen's Rebellion leading to Roderick's Rebellion he had the idea that every village should have the right to defend themselves when soldiers were unable to. Many people widely accepted this idea, and militias were formed throughout the kingdom when the rebellion happened. But when the Kingdom of Ardania crushed the rebellion, many of these militias were dispanded and forbidden to reform for many years. But when peace was finally beginning to be restored, militia groups were starting to be formed once more by none other than former militiamen from rebellion. These were, of course, lower-ranking members of the rebellion that survived the way and laid low until they believed themselves safe. While the idea of rebelling was far from their minds, they doubted the crown's ability to protect them and belied that the people could only protect themselves. Soon enough, though, many of these former rebels began to correspond in secret to create a more extensive network of militias being able to communicate with each other to aid each other in time of need, beginning what would be the People's Militias.
Leading to groups being taught military tactics and gaining some discipline from their older peers who fought as levies. Weapons were scrounged from all over, with farm tools being used as weapons. Along with actual ones being scavenged off battlefields, stolen, or smuggled into the hands of the militias. Many more groups would be formed over the years as their numbers grew and their cooperation with one another, but all vowed to stay hidden out of fear of what the crown would do to them if they were discovered. Most would do that for years, but some would take action when dealing with threats to their communities ranging from bandits to wild animals. However, in time, they needed to prepare themselves when another war came to their homes.

Trials of War and Unyielding Determination

When the Vatian Empire invaded Ardania during the War of the Raptors many of the militia became active to raise arms in defense of their homeland. However, this caused some confrontation with the lords of the kingdom, but it was quickly swept aside with the imperial at their doorstep. Many of these militias did not go marching into battle like the noble’s armies and would set up defenses to repeal the invaders. However, they fought alongside the kingdom's armies when battle drew near. Despite their best efforts, many of these militias would perish to the more professional and better equipped Imperial Legions they faced. They did manage to hold their advance for a while, proving that they were prepared to defend their homes. As the war progressed, the militia started to take a different approach to fight the imperials through guerrilla warfare to cause confusion and affect their morale, knowing they could not take them on in open battle. This would go on for the rest war, and many of these militias would be killed off during that time, forcing them to go into hiding to attack when the opportunity presented itself. However, when the war finally ended with the empire's victory and the occupation of Ardania, this led to a change of plans for these groups.
Since then, the militias, rather than giving up and returning home, have continued to fight from the shadows against the imperial forces stationed in their homeland. This is because the empire has made things worse for the commoners since the war ended, as their homeland is in ruins and resources scarce, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands. What resources are left are taken to feed the occupying forces from the few who have so little, to begin with. It has become more than a mission to free their homeland from the empire, but a fight for survival at this point to protect what they have left. Leading to militiamen being scattered throughout the south in small bands to cause trouble for the imperials as much as possible to try and force them out. If they do not, their homes may not even be there waiting for them if they decide to give up this fight. But their defiance has inspired others to join them to free themselves from these foreign conquers, leading to a long struggle with no end.

IFor Hearth and Home

Founding Date

1525 CA

Type

Military, Paramilitary/Militia

Alternative Names

The Militias

Predecessor Organizations

• Freemen's Militia
• Freemen's Rebellion

Demonym

Ardanian

Related Species

• Humans

Related Ethnicities

• Ardanian

Network of Compatriots

by Midjourney

We need some good lads to come with us; there is trouble coming from the woods, and the lads over there need some extra help with it, any volunteers - Militia Captain

The People's Militias are far more organized than your average militia occupying one settlement, as they are a vast coalition of many settlements with their militias. Often keeping in touch with one another to ensure that all receive proper protection from any dangers that might come their way. Their methods of keeping in contact with each other range from couriers to messenger birds to keep tabs on their current stance. This allows them to organize their groups better when needing to work in larger numbers or plan an attack while far apart. This cooperation stems from the fact that they are all commoners that suffer from the same problems, and rather than dealing with them alone, they should be working together to protect their homes and create a safer community for all.

Making Due With So Little

by Midjourney

Be grateful you had a helmet at all. It might just save your life in battle - Militiamen

Due to them being militias, there will always be a problem regarding supplies in arming themselves properly and keeping themselves in fight conditions. This means that they have to use what they have to fight, which means they will often have to scavenge off the dead that they fight or get what they need through unsavory methods. Anything they get from their enemies will go straight to the service of the militias to improve their chances of success. While most militiamen will never receive a proper weapon or armor, they will use everyday items such as farming tools and cooking utensils to fight and defend themselves.

Unending Numbers

They just keep coming no matter how many we kill; there is no end to them - Legionary

While it is pretty apparent that a militia is no match for a better-equipped and trained force in open battle, their one silver lining is that they can replenish their numbers much faster than an army. When an army loses a soldier, it takes time for them to get a replacement as they need to be trained and sent over to join them. This is not the case as a militia is filled with your average commoner right off the street; anyone can join a militia. Leading to the realization that an army is facing a never-ending mob of fresh recruits sent to the lines. While they continue to lose men, they face a force that can quickly replace the numbers they lose at the flick of the wrist. It is a war of attraction, with the chances of the militiamen ever stopping being slim.