Patron

Patrons form the backbone of the Blakfort Royal Army and they have provided excellent performance in the many conflicts fought by their kings. Because their equipment is standardized, every Patron is well-versed in their equipment, its maintenance as well as its strengths and weaknesses.
They wear multiple layers of protection that is meant to protect them from all kinds of dangers. Padded armour, chainmail and leather armour all work in unison to provide an excellent protection for the fighter, while allowing a decent mobility that allows them to wear their armour constantly. Their weaponry consists of a spear or a longbow and a longsword as backup. When marching to war, they often use pikes and polearms instead of their spears.

Equipment

Armor

Every Patron is outfitted with standardized armor that is produced throughout the realm at various locations.

• Firstly, a Patron wears a set of padded armor that covers their bodies from their ankles to their necks. Above their thighs and knees, which are the most vulnerable to enemy attacks during a battle, this padded armor overlaps, offering increased protection whilst not hindering their mobility. In addition to providing some protection against all attacks, this layer offers excellent blunt force resistance and keeps the soldiers warm in the winter. These pieces of armor are produced all around the realm at various locations, mostly around Blakfort Royal Army garrisons.
• On their torso, on top of their gambeson, they wear a short sleeved hauberk. This protects their vitals from cuts and less powerful strikes. These hauberks are mostly produced in Cirflucas, but garrison cities also make them.
• Above the hauberk and on their extremities, they wear thick, hard leather armor. These provide additional protection comparable to a thinner steel plate, while remaining comfortable and easy to maintain. The leather components are all produced by Thurukyan leatherworkers.
• Their leather armor is reinforced with steel plates on their spaulders as well as their shins to provide additional protection.
• Patrons wear steel helmets which offer great visibility and doesn't hinder their breathing or speaking. These helmets have aventails, which provide additional protection for the Patron's neck.
• On top of their armor, Patrons wear cloaks, which grants them additional protection against the elements. During battle, a Patron usually leaves his cloak at the camp as they can hinder them during combat.

Weapons

Every Patron is outfitted with standardized weaponry that is mostly produced in Cirflucas. In addition, a Patron can acquire other weapons when patrolling cities.

• All Patrons have a longsword as a secondary weapon, although many choose to only carry their sword when on guard duty. These swords are the best that the Blakfort Kingdom can produce and are forged in Cirflucas.
• When they are not on a military campaign, Patrons often carry a spear with them, which offers a sense of familiarity as they often fight with pikes. As this is not standard equipment, these spears are often of low quality, mostly produced wherever the Patron's Battalion is stationed.
• Every Patron is taught how to use a bow, but not all of them are proficient with them. Still, during battles and when guarding settlement walls, Patrons, especially those of Krovian descent, carry a bow and arrows with them.
• During military campaigns, the primary weapon of most Patrons is the pike. These 8 meter long weapons offer excellent reach and thrusting power for the Patron, but they are cumbersome to carry around. The shafts of these pikes are mostly produced in Silvorem and Woodsport, while their heads are created in Cirflucas.

Miscellaneous

Besides their armor and weapons, all Patrons carry with them an assortment of equipment that is needed for their survival and ease of life during campaigns. Most of these are stored in warehouses when they are garrisoned in cities.

• Each Patron is issued a small flask filled with a healing elixir. If the Patron is fatally wounded in battle, a nearby Patron can use this flask to stabilize them and ensure their survival as the magical elixir stops the injury from becoming infected.
• As they often need to set up camp, every Patron carries a set of equipment needed for that, such as a shovel, hammer and nails, a tinderbox, rope etc.
• When going on a campaign, Patrons usually pack a few days worth of rations, but they also carry with themselves basic cutlery and a small pot to boil water in or to make food from what they can gather.

Duties

Despite being the lowest ranking member of the Blakfort Royal Army, the life of a Patron isn't boring.
During a military campaign, they are constantly occupied with various tasks which only allows for a few hours for free time. These tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Digging trenches and setting up fortifications
• Patrolling the outskirts of the camp
• Gathering firewood or food
• Setting up or dismantling their tent
• Battle drills
• Exercising and maintaining their equipment
• Building siege equipment

A Patron's life is usually a bit more relaxed when garrisoned in a city. Many of the aformentioned tasks are not needed and thus they usually have more free time. Guarding a city has its own tasks however, which include:

• Policing citizens and escorting criminals to jail
• Checking incoming carts for smuggled goods
• Lighting lantern throughout the city

Qualifications

In order to become a Patron, one must be at least 16 years of age (regardless of species) and be physically fit. Other than that, no other requirements need to be met to apply at one of the garrisons.
Once a new recruit has been accepted, they are trained for 3 months and then assigned to a Tent. From there, they are officially a Patron. Usually, when a Battalion gets new recruits, new Tents are created. When only a handful of new recruits are added to a Battalion, Tents with missing people are often combined in order to keep experienced Patrons together.

Skirmish Tactics

Patrons are used to fighting on the battlefield, as part of a larger unit. When patrolling or guarding key locations, their behavior often reflects this. Like on a battlefield, there are two primary tactics that Patrons use when fighting against criminals or even the occasional monsters.

• Those who fight in pikewalls often tend to subconsciously follow their drills on a smaller scale. Armed with their spears, Patrons bunch up and form a pseudo-spearwall, using their weapons' extended range to keep attackers at bay.
• Those who are more used to fighting with bows and arrows often do the opposite. They spread out, keep their distance from opponents and from each other and try to wear down their enemies from afar. Usually, archers tend to follow a shoot first, ask questions later methodology.

Type

Civic, Military, Generic

Reports directly to

Stovigin

Related Locations

• Blakfort Kingdom

Related Organizations

• Blakfort Royal Army