Urizen military concerns
In theory each Urizen Spire maintains its own defences, but it is common for a single Spire to take responsibility for protecting several neighbours. These military Spires – often called “fastnesses” - are built at strategically important points and attract individuals of a martial bent from all over the Nation.
Urizen Sentinels combine study of strategy, tactics and the mastery of weapons and armour with knowledge of history, magic, religion and philosophy. They study not only the practical arts of fighting, but also the theories of how and why men and women fight, what it means to be a warrior, and the ethics of violence and killing. Many possess some magical ability, but just as often they are dedicated fighters who leave the practice of magic to their charges and allies.
Sentinels tend to live in martial communities, training, living and fighting closely together. Distinct groups form close-knit “families” within the larger community, made up of groups with individual talents. Within a fastness, most of the population will be trained soldiers, but some of their number will be skilled wizards specialising in battlefield roles. A group of Sentinels learn to rely absolutely on one another, able to operate together or separately on a battlefield.
Sentinels tend not to be on the front lines of a battle – they observe the unfolding conflict and quickly decide where their particular skills can make the most difference to the outcome, then employ those skills with ruthless effectiveness before moving on to another crisis point.
A second popular martial tradition in Urizen is that of the Caducean. This tradition has its roots in cabals of chirurgeons and alchemists who honed their skills on the battlefield and employed bodyguards to protect them. Over time, the healers and their bodyguards engaged in an exchange of philosophies that produced a tradition of warrior-doctors who are capable of protecting themselves in battle while seeking to recover and aid the injured and the dying. This union of magic and martial skill is represented in their commonly used symbol – a sword or a rod representing combat prowess or magical might, bound by a pair of vines or snakes representing medicine.
Caduceans form battlefield units combining mundane healing lore, alchemical preparations, skill with sword and shield and generally an amount of healing magic or the Realm Lore of Spring. Many embrace philosophies that stress the importance of life or of service to fellow citizens of the Empire. These battlefield medics tend to follow an altruistic creed, but they are not pacifists – some of the toughest warriors in Urizen belong to the Hospitaller orders, and they do not balk at slaughtering any enemy that stands between them and the lives they wish to save.
Their creed is often informed by the Net of the Heavens. By saving the life of an important person they increase the likelihood they will be able to influence that individual to enact changes that are in line with their philosophies.