Hero Wars
Glorantha
Cultures
Peloria
Issaries, Inc.
GTA
Market Place
Tribes
Library
News
Utilities

Welcome to the Imperial Army

The Dara Happan Army is a vast and ancient organization with along history of victories, losses and changes. Its myths, history, organization and forces will be covered in a forthcoming Pre-Finished Work.

Lunar or Dara Happan?

These two terms can be used pretty much as synonyms in this context. More strictly speaking: Lunar = the religious term, describing the religion of the Dara Happan empire. Dara Happa = political term, describing the area where the Lunar religion is practiced.

The empire has always been called Dara Happa, but has been Lunar only in the last few centuries.

A Concise History of the Army of Dara Happa

By Greg Stafford and Friends.

The stories that follow show the basis of war in myth and legend. They are key concepts in the spirit, organization and views of the modern Imperial military. This is a heavily abbreviated version of the full History of the Army of Dara Happa, which will be appearing in the forthcoming Pre-Finished Work.

Murharzarm's first Muster

Murharzarm was appointed to be the first Emperor of Dara Happa by his father, the almighty Godfather, Yelm, Emperor of the Universe and Protector of the World, and Keeper and Source of all Justice. One day Murharzarm learned that the rebel gods were mustering their barbarian hordes to march against Dara Happa. Murharzarm was noted for his patience and reason, but this offense was the last outrage which he could stand, and so he called forth all of his retainers, and prepared himself for war. From the Ten Cities, his retainers came to arm him for war, and from four directions came his people, ready to fight.

From the Southeast came the sharp-eyed zarkosians, carrying leather slings and pouches of rocks, each glowing with deadly magic.
From the Southwest came the suvarians, bearing javelins, long knives and wicker shields.
From the northwest came the pelandans, with armor of bronze and heavy spears in their hands.
From the northeast came the jarasans, riding upon the fierce Tall Birds called augners.

Move the mouse pointer over the image to identify the troops.

The war was terrible, but the skills of Murharzarm and the guidance of his god brought victory to the Empire. Murharzarm brought all his prisoners before him for judgement. He could have had them all killed, but mercy is more valuable than murder. Instead, Murharzarm divided the enemies from each other, and banished them to the outer realms. Thus, in this way the Nomads were sent to the east, the Heortlings to the south, the Warlords in the west, and the digijelm in the north.

Emperor Urvairinus

During the reign of Emperor Urvairinus the savage Ram People, led by their gigantic black iron god, invaded Dara Happa. Emperor Urvairinus organized an army. First, he commanded them to count off into groups of ten, which practiced moving in a line. Then he put the many lines together, and so had blocks of 100 men at a time. They practiced marching in order, and in line and column. This way discipline was invented. Then he created the first war formation, the Sunstand, which was arranged like his city, round and strong. Urvairinus made sure that every man in his army had all the weapons possible to him. Thus everyone bore a stout two-handed spear and a pair of javelins, or else a short bow.

Emperor Urvairinus met the Ram People at the borders of Saird. The Dara Happans were outnumbered, but they had discipline: they fought together and in this way won the day. Afterwards, the emperor ordered that army units must be raised and trained in one of his cities throughout the empire, and be sent to help him. All the main cities sent him a unit, or more, and they still do.

Daxdarius

Daxdarius was a son of the earth who was from the city of Perlandre. Perlandre was in the west, around the Jernalf hills. He was the first person who gave shields to his soldiers, and who separated the brave men from the weak. He had contests, and to the strong and brave he gave big shields and stabbing spears, to stand face-to-face and kill the enemy. The best among them was made to be their leader, and he was called the Hoplitus, and so his men were called the hoplites. To the other men he gave smaller wicker shields and javelins, so they could run back and forth and scout, and harass the enemy, and run around to attack from behind. He called them peltasts. First, the Andam Horde, a numberless swarm of hungry, hostile people who worshipped herds of ugly, smelly creatures. Then he freed many peoples from the blue-skinned Oronin overlords.

Daxdarius is mentioned also in The Entekosiad.

Shargash and Kazkurtum Period

Dara Happa and the whole world went through a period that was ruled by Shargash first, who is the god of destruction. He destroyed his enemies, the neutrals, the questionable and finally his friends, then the whole cosmos and finally himself.

Kazkurtum was the thing that was left after Shargash. Some people fought off a horrifying monstrosity that assaulted them. Those gave a false shape to Kazkurtum which, though created by his victims and foes was nonetheless stable enough to be destroyed by Shargash when he returned to life afterwards.

Armies during the Shargash period disappeared. There simply were not enough people anywhere to make a mass of fighting people to call an army. Sometimes hordes of people are called armies, and certainly uz and other things gathered together in large enough numbers to be armies as well. Nevertheless, even they were destroyed eventually.

Jenarong Era

From Prehistory to c. 111,200

The effective armies of the Jenarong Era (and earlier) were of chariot-riding bowmen. They formed the noble warrior elite of the several tribes which ruled across Peloria. Jenarong was instrumental in mustering native levies to help him in his wars. His massed spear men and bow men aided him in assaulting enemy cities, which had proved nearly impregnable to chariot attacks.

Khordavu Era

From c. 111,200 to c. 111,700 (500 years)

Khordavu was the founder of the Empire of Dara Happa. His major task was to unite the city states and keep them together. He did this with a combination of personal valor, a loyal group assembling the imperial regalia, popularity with the masses in the cities and finally, the efforts of his army. He mustered larger armies than in Jenarong's time, and they depended upon infantry: traditional 'zarkosian' slingers, 'suvarian' javelineers, 'pelandan' spearmen and for the first time, large numbers of archers.

The elite were the ten Stonewall Phalanxes, one of Khordavu's great accomplishments. It is said that they were absolutely invincible when they were together. This may well be true since they numbered 10,000 fully armed men (from among an estimated 200,000 population) where most enemy alliances could raise half that, at best. This perfection was not to last as units were slowly eliminated forever, beyond resurrection. The Basalt Phalanx was disbanded by an ill-advised emperor. The Onyx was swallowed by Dragons. The Slate Phalanx was destroyed by the Carmanians. The Quartz Phalanx was sundered fighting the Red Goddess and Yanafal Tarnils. The Diamond was crushed and mangled by the Mad Sultanate on one of its invasions and the Emeraldite by Sheng Seleris. Only the Granite, Beryl, Marble and Jasper Phalanxes still survive.

Khorzanelm the Magnificent

Khorzanelm was the greatest emperor that had ever lived since the Dawn. He was called a Complete Emperor because he ruled over all of the land that Murharzarm, the first human emperor, had ruled. He overcame all of his foes without war, and even the hill dwelling barbarians of the High Council of Genertela submitted to him. He was perfect in every way, and during his reign was born Nysalor, the Illuminator, who increased the splendor and divinity of the empire even more.

More about Khorzanelm

The army was organized and effective and eventually even ventured far from home. The army fought at the Battle of Night and Day in 111,379 when, as always, day overcame night.

Beguiling the Complete Emperor

Khorzanelm left behind a perfect empire that would have continued onward forever except for two things.

First, the vassal Lokamayadon deserted his post. Perhaps he was killed at the Battle of the Verge, as everyone says; the secret is that he never reached any land of the dead. And when he went away, wherever he went, he left inside the empire a rot that grew and spread after Khorzanelm ascended to the Sky World.

Second was exterior force, the evil Gbaji Arkat. He was an impetuous and persistant demon bent upon destroying good Nysalor, whose life blessed all of Dara happa daily.

Erzanestyu Reforms

Date: c. 111,480 to 111,760 (280 years)

Eventually, as must happen, the Empire triumphed. However, after the Gbaji Wars, Emperor Erzanestyu began a tremendous reactionary movement which lasted for centuries, in which novelty was purged and ancient tradition re-affirmed. This is sometimes called the "Polarization" of the army, wherein only the traits which were established under the orders of that celestial war god were kept.

Casatokum, or Kastok

Date: lived/fought c. 111,570

Casatokum lived during the time of terrible incursions by the nomads of Pent. Although the official policy was to make no changes to the imperial forces, Casatokum managed to convince the emperor that he was making no "changes" to the army, just some "additions." Fear of the Pentans was sufficient for the Emperor to let him test this. Casatokum chose carefully and armed Dara Happans with innovations that were, ultimately, from the farther west. Stirrups and a larger breed of horse were instrumental in this, but other tack and weaponry came too.

But equipment alone did not determine his greatness. He trained his men to be the greatest cavalry in the world. He led a cavalry army eastward, out into the Redlands and past, into Pent, to conquer the nomads in their own territory. He was gone for years and returned with huge herds of cattle and herds, pack trains laden with gold and booty taken from the Pentans. However, Casatokum was later murdered because of the alterations he had made to the army. The Emperor's decree stated he had placed the empire at risk with innovation. He is now worshipped as the god Kastok.

Elmexdros Reformation

Date: 111,760 to 112,173 (293 years)

Emperor Elmexdros (ruled c. 111,780) turned the New Light of his ancestors upon the Dara Happan army, and under its scrutiny changed many of the rigid and useless practices of the empire. The result was a motivated and efficient army which led the march to the destruction of the Spolites. Elmexdros made four armies where one had been before. The four armies which he made were each commanded by a three-star general. The armies were called the Central, also called Garrison; the Northern, Southern, and Imperial Field Armies.

Elmexdros assigned most of the traditional units to garrison duty, which included internal security work, road maintenance, wall reconstructions, and so on. Thus he delegated almost half the total army manpower to those duties (which included civic works, etc.)

The three Field Armies were created with a plan to create a practical fighting force to defend Dara Happa. They were of approximately equal size, though the Imperial army tended to have the elite and infantry units, and nearly all the cavalry.

Elmexdros was displeased with the nature of the army of his grandfather, and organized a new type when he re-outfitted the army. The new types of unit were called the Line Regiments, and had 300 spearmen and 700 archers. Furthermore Elmexdros, now freed of old religious restrictions, accepted (or drafted) the services of many new deities into his army. The magical support which these gave was extremely valuable, especially in the early years before foes became accustomed to the new powers.

Carmania

In the year 750 Carmanos the Prophet ascended to the holy rulership of his land by virtue of his knowledge, sanctity and spontaneous widespread support. Carmanos revealed a new religion, morality and philosophy that ran like fire through noble and commoner alike. Within a few decades a new political organization based upon Carmanian practices ruled over most of old Pelanda. Carmania became a power great enough to rival and threaten Dara Happa for four hundred years. Shah Cartarvar the Conquerer conquered Dara Happa. Around 1170 he set governors to rule of it for over 75 years. Shortly after that Carmania was conquered by the Red Goddess, and disappeared as an independent political entity.

The Carmanian army was a professional, permanent standing force that carried forth a pre-Carmanian tradition of military experience. The high command, using a manual they called The Twelve Commands, was flexible and efficient. Discipline and drill were held highly, unit (regimental) traditions encouraged, and adherence to magical strictures was absolute. Sentiment was scorned, whether it was chivalric, compassionate, or based on national pride. Any trick or ruse was allowed against enemies. Magic, provided by the frightening viziers and magi, was welcomed. Hazars were the professional elite of the army, manned by a hereditary class of warriors riding upon heavy mailed war horses. The other professional soldiers, nearly all of whom prayed to Saint Humakt before battle, were known as 'Humakti.' They were supported by unreliable irregulars: levies, mercenaries or foreigners.

The Lunar Empire

The Lunar Empire began in the city of Torang with an anti-Carmanian insurrection. Many such rebellions had occurred, but this one was successful, though in an unexpected way. A new being was freed, a goddess who slowly discovered her personal power and coincidentally helped her saviors (who were later called the Seven Mothers) establish their desired political state. The goddess went off, as was usual in previous similar attempts to discover or release gods or goddesses.

The Carmanian Empire took the opportunity to crush the opposition and would have succeeded except that the goddess returned this time, and even more powerful than previously. She wielded both light and darkness, as did her Carmanian enemy; but she did it as one power, not two. This surprised the Carmanians who were overcome by magic. Their empire was crushed.

Teelo Estara, as the goddess was called at this time, went about all the lands to show herself, look upon the people and offer her teachings to them all. None could deny her transformation and few could resist joining wherever she went. Teelo Estara reached the conditions necessary for her apotheosis. She was unable to stay in the world any longer. She went away, ascending into the Sky World. She is there now, visible as the great Red Moon that hangs suspended far overhead, motionless.

Go here to see a History of the Lunar Empire.
Go here to see a large, full color map of the modern Lunar Empire.
Go here to see information about the Lunar Empire for Hero Wars gaming.

The Lunar Revitalization

The accession of the Red Emperor, and his subsequent victory over the rebellious Dara Happan conservatives, offered an opportunity to reorganize the Dara Happan army. Under the guidance of Yanafal Tarnils, the Dara Happan army underwent a change which is called the Revitalization. This was primarily a loosening of the structured army organizations to give a greater flexibility than the old Dara Happan armies.

The old four armies were reorganized as four Corps: the Imperial Bodyguard, the Heartland Corps, the Cavalry Corps and the Provincial Army.

Vexillas were added, smaller units formed of elements from several regiments, bound by Yanafal Tarnils magics which allow them to use their powers together.

Permanent magical units were developed, the headquarters for six military field units, and the Magical Corps.

"We don't want to go to war today, but the Lords of the Moon say hey, hey, HEY!
We're going to march all day, all day, all day.
Where there's a moon there's a way."
- Imperial marching song.

Latest revision: 6 Apr 2003, new