Imperial Army of Directionland
The Imperial Army is the primary military force of the United Empire of Directionland. It is responsible for land warfare, national defence, and large-scale imperial campaigns, and operates under the authority of the Ministry of Defense and the central High Command. Alongside the Royal Guard and the Knights of the Four Lions, it forms one of the three main armed forces of the Empire.
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The sigil of the Imperial Army
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| Full title | The Imperial Army of Directionland |
| Type | Military organization |
| Headquarters | Ironwood |
The patron saint of the Imperial Army is Saint Niam, a legendary knight of the early Kingdom of St. Stylinson and hero of the War of Grief, whose cult remains deeply woven into the army’s culture and traditions.
Role within the Imperial armed forces
Within Directionland’s broader security structure, the Imperial Army has a distinct remit:
- Imperial Army – main combat force of the Empire, deployed for external defence, major wars, frontier security, and large-scale responses to Netherkind and Dark Energy threats.
- Royal Guard – elite force tasked with protecting imperial institutions and infrastructure such as the Imperial Palace, the Parliament, the Senate, and the Supreme Court, as well as key ceremonial sites.
- Knights of the Four Lions – ancient chivalric order serving as the personal guard of the Emperor and the Imperial Family, tracing its origin to the age of Saint Stylinson and the first crowned kings of St. Stylinson.
Although the three forces frequently coordinate, the Imperial Army is by far the largest formation and provides the bulk of Directionland’s deployable military power.
History
Origins
The roots of the Imperial Army lie in the early Kingdom of St. Stylinson, whose first organized army fought in the War of Grief against Cratterly over 600 cycles ago. It was in this army that Niam Raybrook served as a knight and later became renowned for his sacrificial charge against Netherkind-summoning forces, an act that led to his canonisation as Saint Niam, Patron Saint of the Imperial Army.
As Directionland expanded and additional kingdoms and duchies emerged, each maintained its own levies and household troops. These forces were loosely coordinated during the era of the United Realm of Directionland, but remained under local control.
Imperial consolidation
The creation of the Empire of Directionland during the Great Unification roughly 450 cycles ago brought these disparate forces under a single imperial banner. As the realm unified its administration, currency, and legislature, it also began centralising its military. Former royal and ducal armies were reorganised into imperial regiments, with High Command answerable to the new imperial institutions seated in St. Stylinson and, later, Ironwood.
Over time, the Imperial Army became the principal instrument of imperial power, guarding frontier duchies such as Fort Shagogbot, supporting reconstruction in devastated regions like Gandry, and securing trade routes and outposts including the Merchant City of Wolfwater.
War of the Empires
The War of the Empires, around 300 cycles ago, marked the Imperial Army’s most defining campaign. The Southern Federation of Kingdoms, led by King-Emperor Larsi, launched a full-scale invasion of Directionland, seizing Gandry and Grelian and bringing the Empire to the brink of collapse.
During the later stages of the war, the army’s fortunes were transformed by the work of the Imperial Engineers from St. Niam, who developed the TNT Trebuchet, a revolutionary siege weapon. Its deployment allowed the Imperial Army to break Federation fortifications and push the enemy steadily back across the southern front. Within weeks of its introduction, Federation lines crumbled and Directionland’s forces drove deep into enemy territory.
The war ended after eight cycles of intense fighting, with the dissolution of the Southern Federation and Directionland’s forces burning its core territories, though most civilians were allowed to flee.
The War of the Empires cemented the Imperial Army’s reputation as a modern, technologically adaptive force and firmly associated St. Niam’s engineers with military innovation.
Modern era and Dark Energy crisis
In later centuries, the Imperial Army’s focus shifted from conventional interstate warfare to frontier defense and Netherkind containment, especially following the discovery that concentrated Light Energy could be used to power protective forcefields around settlements.
In the current era, rising Dark Energy levels and the events surrounding Chancellor Crowley’s attempted coup forced a renewed reliance on the army. Dark Energy surges near Fort Shagogbot and other regions led to the deployment of multiple imperial battalions, coordinated with local forces such as the Ravens of Raven’s Nest, under orders from the Crown and the Regency Council led by Ser Marcus Redholt, Commander of the Knights of the Four Lions.
Organisation and command
Ministry of Defense and High Command
The Imperial Army is overseen politically and administratively by the Ministry of Defense, which answers to the Government of Directionland and, ultimately, to the Emperor as Commander-in-Chief. Strategic planning and operational control are handled by High Command, a professional military leadership body seated in Ironwood.
High Command is responsible for:
- Long-term defence planning and force structure
- Deployment of formations between provinces and frontiers
- Coordination with the Royal Guard and Knights of the Four Lions for major security operations
- Oversight of specialist corps such as engineers and civil defence units
Branches
The Imperial Army is divided into four primary branches:
Land Force
The Land Force is the main and largest branch of the Imperial Army. It comprises infantry, cavalry, artillery, and armoured units responsible for:
- Conventional land warfare
- Border defence and garrison duties
- Major field campaigns such as those fought during the War of the Empires
- Anti-Netherkind operations outside settlement forcefields
Land Force regiments are raised from across the Empire’s provinces, with many maintaining regional identities tied to historic kingdoms or duchies.
Engineer Corps
The Engineer Corps is based primarily in St. Niam, a duchy long associated with ingenuity and technical work. During the War of the Empires, engineers from St. Niam designed and constructed the TNT Trebuchet, giving the Imperial Army a decisive technological edge in siege warfare.
The Engineer Corps’ responsibilities include:
- Siege engineering and fortification construction
- Demolitions and battlefield obstacles
- Military logistics infrastructure (bridges, field rail spurs, improvised defences)
- Experimental weapons and tactical innovations
Their work is often credited with enabling the Empire to project power across challenging terrain, from the deserts of Grelian to the mountainous approaches around Fort Shagogbot.
Civil Defense Corps
The Civil Defense Corps exists to support the Empire during national emergencies, including:
- Natural disasters (earthquakes, fires, floods)
- Netherkind incursions breaching or threatening forcefields
- Major infrastructure failures or Dark Energy-related disruptions
- Large-scale civil unrest when local authorities are overwhelmed
Although militarily trained, Civil Defense units operate under strict rules of engagement when deployed among civilians, reflecting their dual role as soldiers and first responders.
Navy
The Navy serves as the maritime arm of the Imperial Army and is responsible for:
- Coastal defence and patrols
- Protection of sea-borne trade routes
- Transport of troops and matériel between coastal settlements and outposts
- Limited riverine support in regions with navigable waterways
The Navy played a supporting role in the War of the Empires by transporting troops and equipment along the southern coasts and enabling surprise deployments against Federation positions.
Relationship with other institutions
Royal Guard
The Royal Guard is organisationally distinct from the Imperial Army and reports through a separate chain tied more closely to the Crown and key state institutions. While the army focuses on external threats and large-scale operations, the Royal Guard:
- Protects the Imperial Palace, Parliament, Senate, and Supreme Court
- Provides security for state ceremonies and high-risk political events
- Maintains permanent garrisons at critical government buildings
The two forces cooperate closely in crises, particularly during coups, large demonstrations, or Netherkind attacks on major cities.
Knights of the Four Lions
The Knights of the Four Lions are an elite order founded “in the age of Saint Stylinson” to defend the first crowned king and, later, the Imperial Throne. They have “never broken rank” in their thousand-cycle history and today are commanded by Ser Marcus Redholt, who also leads the Regency Council.
Although small in number compared to regular army units, the Knights:
- Act as the Emperor’s personal guard
- Lead or advise on critical missions involving the Crown
- Serve as a moral and symbolic exemplar for the broader military
Traditions and culture
Patronage of Saint Niam
Saint Niam is celebrated annually in military parades and chapel services across the Empire. His story, charging alone through a horde of Netherkind to slay a summoner and save his battalion, serves as the foundational myth of army bravery and sacrifice.
Many regiments maintain shrines to Saint Niam in their barracks, and recruits often swear oaths “by Niam’s charge” when formally joining the army.
Regional regiments and honours
Because the Imperial Army grew out of the older forces of kingdoms and duchies, many units still carry historic names and banners tied to regions such as Gandry, St. Stylinson, Grelian, and Fort Shagogbot. Battle honours from the War of the Empires and major Netherkind engagements are commonly displayed on regimental colours.