Silver Sable Lancers — Lunar Cavalry Corps
Regimental Statistics
History & Background
The Silver Sable Lancers — better known as the Antelope Lancers — are Sable riders from the Hungry Plateau, in the Emperor's service since the Sable Recognition of 1275, when the Twin Stars gave the Sable People the inspiration of the Red Goddess. It has a paper strength of 500 soldiers and is kept close to full strength, recruiting replacements from the Sable Riders of Prax.
In 230, the Second Council of Dragon Pass trapped and slaughtered the Horse Lord rulers of Peloria at the Battle of Argentium Thri'ile. The Praxian animal riders who proved instrumental received land grants in Peloria for their valor, founding the Sable dynasty of what is now Kostaddi. The Hungry Sable Tribe and the Satrapy of Kostaddi are both now ruled by their Queen, whose consorts command the Sable cavalry.
The Antelope Lancers are a close-ordered, drilled heavy cavalry regiment, riding only sable antelope bucks. Lancers wear bronze breastplates and bronze helmets crested in red, yellow, and black, with greaves; officers may wear silver breastplates. Their sable mounts often carry head protection, and the giant antelopes' crescent horns are echoed in the lancers' own headgear. They fight with lance, scimitar, and flanged mace, and they and their mounts move across the battlefield with striking grace.
The war god of the regiment is Yanafal Tarnils; most lancers also worship the Twin Stars. The regimental guardian is Abas, the "Little Father," who resides in the regimental standard — two silver stars mounted below a silver moon disk. The commander, titled khan, presides over worship of the regimental gods and guardian, assisted by the officers, and is attended by a standard-bearer, a bodyguard, and a trumpeter. The current regimental officer is Khan Sitzmag Redmoon, a noble Sable Rider from the Hungry Plateau.
Three companies were stationed in Pavis until the rebellion of 1625, fighting at the Second Battle of Moonbroth in 1624. Others fought at the Battle of Dangerford in 1625. In early 1626, the reconstituted regiment, with restored standards, was ordered to Tarsh and fought at the Battles of the Queens and Sword Hill.
It is mandatory to persuade them to sing their war chant backwards if going into battle under the Black Moon, but if you give them arkove wine beforehand they will do it without trouble. — Peliatt
Organization
The Antelope Lancers are organized into 16 lances of 30 men plus an officer (who also serves as a priest of Yanafal Tarnils). Four lances form a squadron; four squadrons plus the regimental command group make up the regiment.
| Rank / Role | Section | Lance | Squadron | Regiment | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trooper (Hippobatas) | 5 | 20 | 80 | 320 | |
| Trooper – Magic Support (Monitor) | 1 | 4 | 16 | 64 | |
| Section Leader | 1 | 4 | 16 | 64 | |
| Lance Officer | — | 1 | 3 | 12 | Priest of Yanafal |
| Lance Standard Bearer | — | 1 | 3 | 12 | |
| Lance Trumpeter | — | 1 | 3 | 12 | |
| Squadron Commander | — | — | 1 | 4 | Decurio Dalamides |
| Squadron Standard Bearer | — | — | 1 | 4 | |
| Squadron Trumpeter | — | — | 1 | 4 | |
| Regiment Commander "Khan" | — | — | — | 1 | |
| Regiment Bodyguard | — | — | — | 1 | |
| Regiment Standard Bearer | — | — | — | 1 | |
| Regiment Trumpeter | — | — | — | 1 | |
| Specialists (extra section) | — | — | — | 7 | |
| TOTALS | 7 | 31 | 123 | 507 |
Additionally, 64 squires (Hippostrophos) provide dedicated horse support across the regiment.
Lunar cavalry traditions blend Carmanian "citizen foreigners" with barbarian light cavalry from the Redlands, growing in importance during the wars against Sheng Seleris and the Pentan nomads in the Fourth Wane. The basic unit is the section of troopers; several sections led by a Troop-Leader form a troop (called a Lance in lancer regiments), and several troops plus the commander, standard-bearer, bodyguard, and trumpeter form the regiment. Troop-Leaders and Section-Leaders are ranked, and a commander may temporarily attach or regroup sections and troops as his aides at need — a flexible command structure reflecting cavalry's varied employment and origins.
| Origin / Founder | Organization |
|---|---|
| Dara Happan | Ten troops each of ten sections of five |
| Carmanian | Five troops each of ten sections of ten |
| Char-un | Eight troops of four sections of thirty |
| Sables | Four troops of four sections each of thirty |
| Yanafal Tarnils | Seventeen troops of four sections of seven |
| Hwarin Dalthippa | Ten troops each of seven sections of seven |
| Hon-eel | Sixteen troops of two sections of fourteen |
Notable Personnel
An Ul-Khan from a noble family of the distant Hungry Plateau, and an initiate of both Yanafal Tarnils and the Twin Stars. Sitzmag is constantly accompanied by his commanders and staff, including a priest of Yanafal Tarnils who serves as his bodyguard. Though he surrounds himself with luxury, he is hard and ruthless, and has impressed the native Praxian Sable Riders with his skill. Extremely proud and touchy, Sitzmag respects Sor-Eel for their shared Eel-ariash kinship, but otherwise takes what he wants without compunction.
A proud Sable Khan frequently seen in New Pavis with a large retinue of armed Sable Tribe warriors, often accompanied by armed "guides" from the Antelope Lancers. He wears trousers and embroidered mantles of the finest cloth and an elaborate headdress, rides his sable even within the town, and carries a prize iron scimitar gifted by Governor Sor-Eel. Sitzmag Redmoon keeps him well supplied with bronze weapons, women, hazia, and anything else he desires; in return, Roneer's clan serves the Empire as mercenaries.
Has reached high rank within the cult of Yanafal Tarnils through years of hard service in the Lunar Army. A good soldier who avoids risks to his men and himself, but callous and even brutal in his indifference to others' suffering, with casual contempt for civilians and amateurs. An extremely skilled scout, able to track most quarry across the plains of Prax and the River of Cradles.
A gifted pupil of the Lunar College of Magic who achieved Illumination there, later assigned to the Provincial Army (which he hates) before wrangling a detached posting to Sor-Eel's staff, ostensibly as an arcane advisor. In truth he is an agent for the Lunar Administration reporting to Dagius Furius. A sly, skillful manipulator with a genuine interest in those he handles, he thinks of himself as a good and moral man despite his cruel pragmatism — though he occasionally suffers deep remorse over the consequences of his actions.
Sincerely believes in the Lunar gospel of civilization, though less enthusiastic about the army's tradition of conversion by the scimitar. He supports the unit with magic without hesitation but prefers dialogue and negotiation, and hails from lowland Aggar as the son of a middle-class merchant. His companions mock him as tender-hearted, but all — including Dalamides — deeply respect his courage and sincerity.
Left her Hungry Plateau sable clan, adopted a Pelorian name, and joined the Lancers. A loner and a better scout than officer, she may yet resign from the army; fluent in Praxian, she would make a fine guide or mercenary. The Field Survey Team's other nine troopers — Acatha, Barron, Cormanius, Hanthan, Leevoy, Marus, Phelides, Poleus, and Sidus — are a typical mix of professional Antelope Lancers.
Garrisons & Stations
Garhound — a fortified market town in Pavis County, home to about 1,000 residents, mostly of the Garhound clan, surrounded by a mud-brick wall. As part of the Lunar Occupation, a troop of roughly 100 Antelope Lancers is maintained here as a border garrison to discourage nomad raiders and project Lunar military authority. Three lances (slightly under 100 troopers) are quartered in the town's stables and barracks, doubling as a check on the local Sartarite population.