Stormhold

Headquarters of the Duskwing Syndicate, located in northwestern Euria

Castle

Duskwing Syndicate

120,000 total

20,000 cavalry
- 10,000 with Wyverns
- 10,000 with Polar Bears

20,000 infantry
- 10,000 with Condors
- 10,000 with Spotted Hyenas

20,000 magic
- 10,000 with Scarlet Ibises
- 10,000 with Common Slender Mongooses

20,000 logistics
- 10,000 with Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Foxes
- 10,000 with Wolverines

20,000 medics
- 10,000 with Ravens
- 10,000 with Brown Hares

20,000 reconnaissance
- 10,000 with Golden Eagles
- 10,000 with Coyotes

Medieval English

Defense
- Barbican – surrounds the castle; filled with booby traps to deter attackers
- Curtain walls – thick, sturdy ramparts surrounding the whole castle strong enough to withstand all but the strongest of attacks
- Foyer – entrance to Stormhold; houses the main gates
- Watchtowers – lookout posts for guards to watch for enemies; there are four watchtowers total, one on each corner of the fortress

General
- Courtyard – Area in the center of Stormhold where Subjugators and their pactbeasts relax and pass time; contains a snowy expanse with paths cutting through it leading to different buildings in the castle
- Great hall – Dining hall that doubles as an assembly hall where Subjugators and their pactbeasts have meals and gather for important announcements
- Halls – Connect the rooms in Stormhold; have windows to let sunlight in
- Stables – building adjacent to the courtyard that houses Wyverns and Polar Bears
- Storage rooms – series of large rooms with wide, tall metal shelves lining the walls where non-armament, non-food, and non-medical supplies and tools are organized and stored

Armaments
- Armory – room for storing extra sets of Duskwing Armor and weapons
- Smithy – workshop adjacent to the armory where new weapons are forged

Hygiene
- Laundry room – ventilated room where soiled clothes are sent to be laundered; contains automatic washing and drying machines, shelves stocked with laundry soap and supplies, a long flat table for folding and ironing clean, dry laundry, and a long rack along one wall stocked with hangers for clothes that must be air-dried
- Lavatory – room where Subjugators and their pactbeasts bathe; contain rows of individual stalls with electric automatic flush toilets and door labels that state whether each stall is vacant (green) or occupied (red); rows of individual shower stalls, sinks, and washtubs; a fireplace for heating bathwater; shelves stocked with toiletries and towels; racks next to the showers and washtubs for hanging clean clothes; and large basins near the door to store soiled clothes until they can be taken to be laundered

Medical
- Infirmary – hospital for treating the ill and wounded; the left wing is for Subjugators while the right wing is for pactbeasts
- Morgue – room adjacent to the infirmary where the deceased are prepared for funeral rites and burial

Military
- Command room – room in the center of Stormhold's keep where the High Commander gives out orders, holds council with the High Lieutenant, Division Commanders, commanders, and senior Subjugators, and monitors the Duskwing Syndicate as a whole
- Dungeon – prison underground with a series of cells for holding prisoners who have committed crimes or are captured during wartime; has two interrogation chambers marked by large iron doors, one on each end of the dungeon; each chamber has a hearth, a rack in the center of the room, a rack of blades next to the hearth with a pot of boiling water for interrogation and sterilizing implements, and shackles on the walls
- Keep – Stormhold’s stronghold, located in the center of Stormhold
- Vault – heavily secured vault beneath Stormhold filled with rows of numbered metal shelves; the contents within are organized by date and type such as confidential documents or artifacts claimed from the enemy; only a select few are allowed access, including leadership

Research
- Experimentation chambers – series of secret chambers connected to the prison for conducting research experiments; only a select few are allowed access, including leadership
- Library – large wing full of books for studying and research
- Observatory – tower for astronomy on the upper levels of Stormhold; contains large windows and a clear ceiling for a clear view of the sky as well as shelves full of books, a bronze globe of the world, a gyroscope for tracking the stars' movements, and a telescope for viewing the night sky; is opposite the sleeping quarters

Rest
- Sleeping quarters – Tower with individually marked bedrooms where Subjugators and their pactbeasts sleep; each bedroom contains a bed, chair and desk, bookshelf, and a window for lighting
- The High Commander, High Lieutenant, Division Commanders, and commanders are grouped together in a separate wing with their own individual rooms
- Cadets sleep in a separate wing from privates
- All non-cavalry units keep their pactbeasts with them at all times and have accommodations in their rooms for them

Sustenance
- Bakery – room adjacent to the great hall and kitchen where bread, cakes, and other similar goods are baked
- Brewery – room adjacent to the great hall and kitchen where alcoholic beverages are brewed
- Garden – Area next to the courtyard where fruit, vegetables, and other food are grown
- Kitchen – room adjacent to the great hall where meals are cooked
- Pantry – storeroom adjacent to the kitchen for storing surplus food to be used at a later date; includes a freezer for perishable foods

Training
- Training grounds – inner courtyard where Subjugators and their pactbeasts train; normally has a magicaster range, practice targets, and training dummies set up and is divided into two partitions – one for non-cavalry and one for cavalry units; on sparring days the partition is taken down and the training aids are cleared out to maximize space
- Training rooms – similar to the training grounds except they are housed within Stormhold itself; contain technology for battle simulations and are often used when training outside is unsuitable (i.e. inclement weather)

Headquarters of the Duskwing Syndicate

Large fortress nestled in the mountains

Cold, snowy

In the beginning, all humans and creatures across the six continents of Eridya worshipped the nineteen Guardians, with Eirene at their head. Together the Guardians collaborated to help civilization flourish.

However, as Eridya’s civilization grew to new heights, a sect of humans became cocky, and decided to develop technology to advance their civilization even further. Those humans became indifferent and disconnected from the Guardians, splitting off from the rest and forming their own group they called the Duskwing Syndicate – named such for the dark hues of their cloaks, which are said to resemble a starless night sky, as well as the night-black and dark hues of their pactbeasts. The Duskwing Syndicate accepts members of any age – though most cadets tend to be teenagers beginning at the age of 15 – and boast members from a wide variety of economic, ethnic, and political backgrounds, with all members being treated as equals regardless of background, ethnicity, gender, or orientation. However, unlike the Dawnwing Organizations, where membership is entirely voluntary, many members of the Duskwing Syndicate are in fact innocent civilians who have either been captured as test subjects and have had the Ichor tested on them unwillingly or were coerced into joining, thus essentially making them conscripts.

Led by the black dragon Dovrak, also known as the Nightbringer, the Duskwing Syndicate soon grew into a global force comprised of members from all over Eridya. The Duskwing Syndicate Subjugators thought of themselves as superior to the rest of the world due to their technological advancements and viewed technology as the only way forward.

Thus, they built Stormhold in northwestern Euria to serve as their base as they gradually gathered their strength, recruiting and training members from all around the world. At the same time, scouts were sent out around Eridya to gather intelligence, helping Dovrak prepare for their invasion on Eridya – the Twilight War. However, their developments harmed the land and their disregard for nature stirred conflict, especially as the Tree of Life felt the effects of the devastation and began to wither.

The Duskwing Syndicate was aided by five traitorous Guardians – Uriah, Ashika, Aethon, Duman, and Sen, who joined the Duskwing Syndicate as they too saw value in their technological advances but knew they would be considered outcasts for embracing it. Though this did give them a much-needed upper hand, the Duskwing Syndicate was defeated and forced into hiding – though they were able to steal the other Guardians' talismans and scatter them across the world as they fled. However, the Duskwing Syndicate did not let this setback deter them, instead resolving to grow even stronger so that the next time they invaded, they would conquer Eridya once and for all.

Deep indigo flag with a silver wyvern stylized in the shape of a crescent moon

Stormhold
- Subjugators awaken and gather for breakfast in the great hall
- The High Commander organizes any necessry missions while the High Lieutenant organizes daily patrols and errands; Subjugators may join outings voluntarily if they wish
- Missions, patrols, and errands leave daily, though some Subjugators always stay at Stormhold to guard it in case of attack. Those that stay also do other tasks around Stormhold
- Cadets train with their pactbeasts at the training grounds until the noon meal
- Training schedule:
- Mon.-Thurs. – cadets train under their respective Division Commanders in conditioning, formation, and weapons drills, including Magicaster use
- Fri. – all cadets gather at the cleared-out training grounds for weekly sparring matches under the infantry Division Commander
- Sat, Sun. – rest
- Medic cadets train with their pactbeasts under the medic Division Commander in learning about healing procedures and apothecary; more experienced cadets help with minor illnesses and injuries
- Medics tend to injured or ill Subjugators and pactbeasts and leave to gather herbs and other supplies when they run low, often stopping by Stormhold's garden or nearby shops; more rarely do they leave to forage
- The High Commander oversees what’s happening in Stormhold, consults with the High Lieutenant, Division Commanders, and other Duskwing Syndicate leadership, and holds a meeting in the great hall if needed
- At noon the lunch bell tolls; cadets finish training and the morning patrol returns. All available Subjugators gather in the great hall for lunch
- In the afternoon, cadets continue training on their own, go on simple missions or patrols as requested, help with chores around Stormhold, or relax. They may also leave Stormhold for leisure activities as long as they return by dusk
- The dinner bell tolls at dusk. All Subjugators gather in the great hall once again for supper before breaking for evening chores and leisure time; the High Commander and High Lieutenant write reports recording the day’s activities
- A Duskwing Syndicate team stays up to guard Stormhold while the others sleep
- The team is split into five pairs; four pairs cover each of Stormhold’s watchtowers while the last pair patrols the grounds, with the expectation that all members will rotate shifts over the night
- Subjugators get the weekend to themselves to spend as they please; they often spend their time relaxing or helping with idle chores as needed

On the march
- Subjugators are awakened via the morning horn and have breakfast at camp before cleaning up
- The High Commander and High Lieutenant lead the Subjugators in marching to their next destination, sending scouts ahead if necessary
- Marches last all day save for a lunch break at noon
- In the evening, Subjugators set up camp in their new location and have dinner before breaking for evening chores and leisure time
- The High Commander and High Lieutenant write reports recording the day’s activities
- A Duskwing Syndicate team stays up to guard the camp while the others sleep

After all patrols, Subjugators report to their commanding officer

Guard patrol
- Duskwing Syndicate teams, platoons, and/or squadrons rotate shifts at Stormhold's watchtowers and patrol the grounds; if they are on the march they are sent to patrol the borders of their camp
- Patrols go once in the morning and again at dusk, though may need more as needed if there are threats

Escort patrol
- Duskwing Syndicate teams, platoons, and/or squadrons guard and escort persons/items of interest back to Stormhold

Intel patrol
- Duskwing Syndicate teams, platoons, and/or squadrons are sent to search for information or scout enemy positions

Search and rescue patrol
- Duskwing Syndicate teams, platoons, and/or squadrons are sent to search for members gone missing or suspected to have gone AWOL, as well as any stranded civilians
- Any Subjugators discovered to have gone AWOL are punished accordingly
- Any survivors found will be housed in Stormhold and ultimately trained as Subjugators

Supply patrol
- Duskwing Syndicate teams, platoons, and/or squadrons are sent out to gather supplies, whether it be via foraging, hunting, or shopping
- Use pots and canteens to carry water and carts or wagons to carry supplies too large to carry by hand

Pactbeast care
- Collars
- Horseshoes
- Jesses
- Leashes
- Saddles
- Spurs
- Stirrups

Bags
- Knapsacks
- Satchels

Bedding
- Blankets
- Cots
- Quilts

Camping
- Bedrolls
- Canteens
- Mess kit
- Rations
- Rope
- Tent
- Tinderbox

Carrying
- Carts
- Jars
- Jugs
- Pails
- Vases
- Wagons

Cleaning
- Brooms
- Mops
- Soap
- Towels

Cooking
- Copper kettles
- Copper pots
- Iron pans
- Iron ladles
- Knives
- Wooden cutting boards

Dining
- Forks
- Knives
- Plates
- Spoons
- Wooden bowls

Drinking
- Cups
- Glasses
- Mugs
- Wooden tankards

Forging
- Anvil
- Hammer

Furniture
- Bookshelves
- Chairs
- Clothes hangers
- Desks
- Tables

Instruments
- Drum for keeping time when marching
- Iron bell/horn for waking
- Horns for calling march, attack, victory, retreat, etc

Interrogation
- Blades
- Boiling water
- Fire
- Ichor
- Rack
- Shackles
- Whips

Leisure
- Books
- Cards

Lighting
- Candles
- Lamps
- Torches

Medicine
- Bandages and gauze
- Female hygiene products
- Herbs
- Mortar and pestle
- Oral medicine
- Poultices

Mending
- Steel needles
- Thread

Navigation
- Compasses
- Maps

Outdoor tools
- Axes
- Crowbars
- Fishing rods
- Hatchets
- Hammers
- Nails
- Pickaxes
- Plows
- Shovels
- Umbrellas

Stationery
- Envelopes
- Feather quill pens
- Ink
- Parchment
- Wax

Training
- Practice targets
- Training dummies

Travel
- Carriages

Weapons
- Spare arms
- Whetstones

Artillery
- Ballista
- Battering ram
- Cannon
- Catapult
- Siege tower
- Trebuchet

Chemical warfare
- Blackfire
- Dirty bomb
- Flashbang grenade
- Tear gas

Other
- Aberrants
- Sentinels
- May dip bladepoints in poison or embed hot coals into them

• Caring for pactbeasts and Guardians (feeding, bathing, grooming, etc.)


• Carrying water


• Cleaning bedding


• Cleaning and maintaining armor, interrogation devices, tools, weapons


• Cleaning and maintaining transport vehicles (carriages)


• Cleaning Stormhold/campgrounds, including the courtyard, all interior and exterior halls, great hall, sleeping chambers, and the training grounds


• Cleaning up animal, food, and human waste and burying it in the gardens, often at the roots of trees or in flower and vegetable beds


• Cooking and preparing meals


• Digging and cleaning latrines


• Gardening, including trimming bushes and trees, cutting grass, and weeding and watering the gardens


• Gathering kindling for fires


• Gathering supplies


• Hunting, foraging, and harvesting food and medicinal herbs


• Mending broken things


• Mucking stables


• Organizing and storing food, medicine, and supplies


• Setting up and taking down camp


• Shopping for food, medicine, and supplies


• Transporting and burying bodies of the deceased


• Washing dishes


• Washing, hanging, sorting, and folding laundry

• Have equal gender, ethnicity, and pactbeast ratios


• Members do not marry as doing so will distract from their duty; thus they rely on recruiting new members into their ranks


• Subjugators write letters and send money/gifts home periodically


• Buy clothes, food, and other supplies from nearby city marketplaces


• Get metal, wood from mines and forests


• Get cloth from weavers


• Is heavily tech-based; Duskwing Syndicate plans to show the might of their advancements across all of Eridya but need the Guardians' talismans to do so


• Neatly organize interrogation implements and sterilize them by boiling in hot water after every use