Military

Kalderesh has never been at war, but because of its history has always been prepared for war.

The four oldest cities in the nation – Camfor, Barforos, Azerel, and Staven – were all founded explicitly as military settlements. Azerel was established as a forward-base for the army, Staven as an advance naval base, and Barforos as the secondary naval head quarters.

Armed forces

The armed forces consist of six divisions: Army (soldiers who fight on land), Navy (mariners who fight underwater and on ocean-going vessels), Sky Cavalry (sky helms who fight on flying mounts), Fossary (solvary who fight underground), Magicaery (war mages; also, magic users who supplement other divisions), and Extraordinary Forces (combatants not otherwise specified).

Military bases

Major army bases are maintained at Camfor, Azerel, Harden, Daernbeck, Bitafor, and Laneder. Harden is the military capital of Kalderesh. Major naval bases are in Barforos, Torbeck, Staven, and Daernbeck. Staven is the naval head quarters and hosts the Royal Dockyards. The Sky Cavalry are headquartered in Keserel. The Magicaery is nominally administered by the Royal Guilde of Magic in Camfor.

Kalderesh maintains a well-equipped, well-trained permanent military force. It deploys a standing army of about 40,000 soldiers and a navy of 45 warships and 11,200 mariners. The Sky Cavalry has a complement of 200 sky helms. The strength of the Fossary and Magicaery is undisclosed.

The Battle of the Saints

The largest organized military action in Kalderesh was the Battle of the Saints in 4310.

Shortly before the conflict, a new city – Cerosfor – had just been built in the Barban Uplands as a bulwark against monstrous incursions from the Barban Highlands and Barobur Mountains. During its construction a noticeable increase in attacks took place, and a strong Razimite presence was established to support the relatively small military force stationed there.

Less than a year after it was established an organized horde of giants, trollocks and groks attacked the young settlement, and almost destroyed it. King Ebrardus led a military force that joined those from the city, pushing back the monsters briefly. But they regrouped and mounted an even more forceful assault. The military commanders and Razimite leaders were at a loss to explain the unusual ferocity and seeming invulnerability of the beasts. Unbeknownst to them, the beasts were magically protected by the wizard Valdar, working behind the scenes.

The King called on an old friend, Palantel of the Elder Dawn, who destroyed Valdar in the nick of time. Without Valdar's support, the King's forces were victorious. In return for his help, the King granted Palantel the right to establish a free city, and in 4311 February, Greymeadow was officially founded.

Since the historic Battle of Saints, a High Temple of Razim has always been maintained in the city.