Varan Military History

The Varan were warrior-folk who inhabited Asgeir and who developed several methods of warfare.

Barbaric Age
Varan of the Barbaric Age relied on heavy, hard-hitting weapons more fitted to personal combat. Rather than field legitimate armies, Varan tribes would send their champions out to challenge another tribe's champions. The warriors would then fight one-on-one duels, usually to the death, until one side surrendered. The victors would take what they wanted, or slaughter their opponents and then take what they wanted. These barbarians typically liked to use longswords, greatswords, battleaxes, waraxes, and warhammers. They wore little to no armor in combat.

Despite the barbaric culture, Varan infighting of this period was fairly organized by all parties involved and was centered around honorable, personal duels between two opponents. Varan would not fight unarmed opponents, and would never strike an opponent who was on their knees, as it would promote dishonor and cowardice. Varan who broke these codes were often shamed and exiled or executed.

The wearing of Ki'gars was widespread during this period as Varan attempted to show off their achievements and show loyalty to their family by wearing them in battle.

Warring Kingdoms
In the waning years of the Barbaric Age, as tribes began to converge into small kingdoms, Varan began to field actual armies. Advancements in metalworking and forging allowed warriors to wield efficiently-made weapons and wear protective armor.

The use of the bow and arrow in Asgeir was also on the rise, promoting the use of kite-shields. Wooden kite-shields were effective in that they could allow the Varan to protect the upper-body and lower-body from arrows. As soon as close-combat was achieved, however, these kite-shields were tossed aside as the Varan fought in strictly melee combat. One famous and widely-used tactic of Varan during this period was a shield-wall formation, allowing them to close in on the enemy while reducing casualties caused by arrow-fire. The use of this tactic saw the decline of kite-shields and the rise of round-shields that could fit more comfortably in the shield-wall formation and then be used in close-quarters combat in conjunction with a one-handed weapon. Round-shields are still widely used in Asgeir to this day, as they almost became as popular in combat as a Ki'gar was.

Because honor still played a role in Varan culture at the time, it was still customary that conflicts saw fair, honorable battles occur, although they were no longer like the small, personal duels like the early Barbaric Age.

Age of Heroes
Varan warfare changed significantly during the Age of Heroes. Varan forces on the outer borders of ancient Asgeir was decimated and the survivors were forced to flee towards the central region, towards modern-day Stormhold. The invaders left the Varan disorganized and with low morale. Heroes like Tarro and Lyza Valgard, or Joric, were forced to make changes to the way the Varan fought in order to defeat their enemies.

Shield-walls were still a major part of warfare in Asgeir, but Tarro and Lyza began to adopt ambush tactics that was often looked down upon during conflicts of the Barbaric Age. Another change was the increase in the use of bows, which was also looked down upon the Barbaric Age. Tarro and Lyza utilized the far-reaching range of archers to his advantage in many battles.

On the eastern front Joric completely dropped the old ways of warfare and completely adopted his own form of shock tactics. Joric's Riders was a force of completely horsemen; there were no infantry and no foot archers. During the Barbaric Age, mounts were often considered expensive and many Varan preferred to fight on foot rather than horseback. The Eastern Plains, as well as Joric's knowledge of the land, allowed the Riders to quickly ambush, rout, and run down enemy forces throughout eastern Asgeir. Joric's forces could move at far quicker speeds than the enemy's infantry, and this was a key reason Joric was able to consolidate absolute control in the plains. Tarro and Lyza observed this strategy and incorporated it into their own strategies when leading the Grand Varan Warband.

When the Warband set out to expand Asgeir's borders, the Varan began to use clever hit-n-run tactics, well-placed ambushes, the combined advantages of infantry, archers, and cavalry, and much more.

Modern Age
In the modern age the Varan do not maintain a standing army like the Warband. Instead they rely on the reconnaissance and quick operations of the Keepers of the North. The east is largely protected by the Jorian Riders Guild, while the central region is protected by the Stormguard.

As part of Varan tradition, if Asgeir was ever attacked by a belligerent nation it is customary for every able-bodied man and woman to pick up arms and armor and fight back against the enemy. The organization put in place by the King and his Earls would allow already-equipped militias to spring up throughout the country once word of invasion hits their ears. Due to the warrior-ethos of the Varan culture, these militias are already well-trained, capable, and courageous warriors.