The Kingdom of Koth
The Kingdom of Koth
“Then the great drift of the Hyborians swept southward from the cradle-land of their race near the northern pole. It was a titanic drift, extending over centuries and ages. But in the reign of Thugra Khotan, the last magician of Kuthchemes, gray-eyed, tawny-haired barbarians in wolfskins and scale-mail had ridden from the north into the rich uplands to carve out the kingdom of Koth with their iron swords. They had stormed over Kuthchemes like a tidal wave, washing the marble towers in blood, and the northern Stygian kingdom had gone down in fire and ruin.” – Black Colossus
Capital: Khorshemish (Koth)
Other Settlements: Khrosha, Korveka, Dagoth, Shamla
Current Ruler: Akkutho (Since the previous king Strabonus was killed at the end of The Scarlet Citadel, I chose to create a new one sharing the name of a Kothian king mentioned in the same story.)
One of the first generations of Hyborian kingdoms, possibly even the very first to be forged by those tawny-haired barbarians, ancient Koth was contemporaneous with Acheron and Imperial Stygia. Along with Corinthia and Ophir, Western Koth was a vassal state under Acheron's rule, regaining it's independence when the second Hyborian migrations shattered Acheron's domination of the continent. Out of all the existing Hyborian lands, Koth may have been poised to fill the vacuum of power left by Acheron's destruction, but for whatever reason fate conspired to snatch those early dreams of empire away, and the younger Hyborian lands overtook them.
Koth is the most imperialistic of the Hyborian Kingdoms, demanding tribute from the lesser Hyborian Kingdoms, and seeks to subjugate all the Hyborian realms under their banner. Although the King has absolute power, there have been instances of mass rebellions led by princes and barons which threatened civil war: the previous King (or Emperor as he styled himself) had employed dark sorcery as an extreme measure to quell such rebellions. The people of Koth enjoy a begrudging alliance with Shem, and employ many Asshuri mercenaries in their armies; however, this is no guarantee that the Meadow Cities won’t turn against them on a whim.
Based on what is known of Koth from the tales, the Kothic military appears to function similarly to the traditional Hyborian model. However, due to some interesting parallels to the medieval Roman Empire of Byzantium, I decided to take the Byzantines as inspiration for the rest of the roster in a similar way Hellenic Greece inspired Corinthia. Koth's military will consist of two halves: the professional military consisting of paid and well-trained soldiers, and the "modern" Hyborian army of nobles and levies. Depending on how the player wants to tackle Koth, both halves, or even a mixture of the two, would provide a campaign unlike the other Hyborian kingdoms.
Units
Skoutatoi Spearmen
“The mighty gates between the huge towers of the outer wall clanged open, and the king rode into his capital between lines of glittering spearmen, while fifty trumpets pealed salute” – The Scarlet Citadel
The backbone of the Kothic army since the glory days of Acheron, the Skoutatoi were so perfected to their role that they changed little in the thousand years of their service. They retain the heavy shields and mail of a pattern similar to the ancient Kothic barbarians, though refined over the centuries to make them effective, proud and steadfast spear infantry. In recent decades, their role in the Kothic army seems to be reduced in favour of recent Hyborian developments like the pike and the armoured knight: a wise commander would not waste these seasoned veterans.
Kontarioi Pikemen
“The pikemen moved forward, flowing over the ground like the glinting waves of a river of molten steel...” – The Scarlet Citadel
A new innovation in the Kothic Army, Kontarioi are the Kothic answer to the traditional pikemen of other armies. Although they are equipped with good scale armour and trained well, they lack the centuries of prestige and historical experience of the Skoutatoi, so are less reliable to hold a line. However, used in conjunction with their more anachronistic counterparts, they can be a formidable infantry line that could stop a full knightly charge.
Peltastoi Skirmishers
Like the Corinthians, the ancient Kothians used skirmishers heavily along with phalanxes and heavy cavalry. As armour became stronger and more refined, however, the Kothians abandoned mobility in favour of power, and the javelins wielded by these soldiers are heavy and deadly enough to fell an unarmoured horse. Like the Skoutatoi, the Peltastoi are in danger of being replaced by archers and arbalesters, but the centuries of conflict these troops have seen prove they can still be useful in the late Hyborian Age.
Pronoiar Infantry
An early prototype of the Hyborian knight, the Pronoiars were soldiers offered land grants instead of gold. Operating somewhat like barons in their small pockets of land, they were expected to maintain their property, serfs and slaves to the best of their ability. Unlike modern knights, however, their land was still technically the property of the king, and so it was not a true feudal system; nonetheless, this system contributed to just as much strife and rebellion as the baronies in Aquilonia or fiefdoms in Nemedia. Usually armed with maces, these soldiers are effective against "real" knights and nobles.
Varyags
Blood started afresh from the pierced palms as the victim's mallet-like fists clenched convulsively on the spike-heads. Knots and bunches of muscle started out of the massive arms, and Conan beat his head forward and spat savagely at Constantius's face. The voivode laughed coolly, wiped the saliva from his gorget and reined his horse about.
Koth has employed Hyperborean mercenaries since the days of Elder Hyperborea, when reavers and plunderers would seek work and adventure in the southern lands. Western Koth would often be fighting with it's eastern half, providing plenty of action for these northern warriors: over the centuries, it became almost a tradition for young Hyperboreans to seek work in Koth, and for Kothic soldiers to venture north for training and experience. As ferocious and dangerous as any of their other elite warriors, the Varyags are some of the finest shock troops available to Koth. Commanded by a Voivode who answers only to the King, the Varyags are nonetheless faithful to whoever pays them, and will fight tooth and nail to get their pay, swinging their gigantic axes with enough force to fell any man in a single blow.
NEW!
Hetairian Swordsmen
“By Ishtar, his heel is on the necks of my finest swordsmen! It took seven years and stacks of gold to train each, and there they lie, so much kite's meat.” – Black Colossus
The Hetairian or “Companion” Swordsmen are possibly the most intensively trained swordsmen in the Hyborian nations. Drawn from the cream of men-at-arms, they are exclusively trained in the use of the sword, and are arguably the finest fencers outside of Zingara. They are often encouraged to forge their own swords: a swordsman can achieve the most precise balance, weight and synergy with a sword he makes himself, and can attain an almost spiritual bond with the blade. Seven years of training at Khorshemish’s elite academy later, and the swordsman is enlisted in the army (or is recruited by one of Koth’s many rebellious barons).
Basilikon Guard
“Here stood a guardsman in crested gilt helmet, silvered cuirass and gold-chased greaves, with a long-shafted battle-ax in his hands.” – Black Colossus
The Basilikon Guard are the elite infantry of Koth, charged with guarding the Imperial Palace of Khorshemish. Though they rarely see field action, they are remarkable warriors, well-trained and skilled in dealing with a variety of foes.
Wielding great axes that function generally as halberds, they are highly effective against infantry and cavalry alike, and their decorated plate armour of nigh-impenetrable Aquilonian steel keeps them invulnerable to all but the mightiest of archers. Like the Sacred Guard of Corinthia, these soldiers are most useful as garrisons to defend settlements, being prohibitively expensive when taken outside on patrol or to invade.
Kataphracts
“The general commended his soul to Ishtar and sounded the golden oliphant. With a thunderous roar the forest of lances dipped, and the great host rolled across the plain, gaining momentum as it came. The whole plain shook to the rumbling avalanche of hoofs, and the shimmer of gold and steel dazzled the watchers on the towers of Shamar.“ – The Scarlet Citadel
The Cataphracts are an ancient military corps dating back to Acheronian times. A Hyborian response to the heavily armoured Iranistani cavalry, the Cataphracts are heavily armed and armoured horsemen who still see action on the battlefield. The Cataphracts serve much the same purpose as the Hyborian knights: unlike their western counterparts, the Cataphracts are pure soldiers, with none of the social and political heft that noble knights enjoy. As such, they are far more disciplined and coordinated than the reckless knights, and can be relied upon to follow their general's orders far more. Compared to other cavalry they are slow, but with even their horses encased in heavy armour head to foot, their charge can be devastating. In the later Hyborian Age, the professional infantry of early Koth is starting to lose favour with the government, who feel that a "modern" feudal military was the future. However, the discipline and competence of these soldiers should not be overlooked. In modern times, cataphracts are armed with heavy maces to punish plate-armoured foes, carrying lances to charge infantry, and wearing a complicated and multi-layered suit of armour, honed to perfection from millennia of development.
Klibanarians
“The clash and clangor of steel was as that of a million sledges on as many anvils. The watchers on the walls were stunned and deafened by the thunder as they gripped the battlements and watched the steel maelstrom swirl and eddy, where plumes tossed high among the flashing swords, and standards dipped and reeled.” – Black Colossus
The Klibanarians are the latest evolution of the Cataphract, utilising new advances in armour technology to create a sort of hybrid cataphract-knight for a truly awesome battlefield juggernaut. Deriving their name from an ancient Kothic term, "metal fire", the Klibanarians are composed of the elite of cataphract warriors, and are the hammer of the Kothic army. Combining the discipline of a Cataphract with the spirit of a knight, as well as carrying a fine sword and kite shield, they may well be the finest cavalry of the old Hyborian kingdoms.
Knights of Koth
“Across the plain they thundered, grimly riding the storm that scattered their way with gleaming knights like autumn leaves. Another hundred paces and they would ride among the Bossonians and cut them down like corn.” – The Scarlet Citadel
The Knights of Koth are much like the knights of other Hyborian realms, except perhaps more fatalistic and, some would say, suicidal due to their worship of Ishtar. They prefer to wear plate armour rather than utilise the lamellar and scale armour of the professional Kothic soldiers, which they consider anachronistic and ungentlemanly. Taking great pride in their personal appearance even in battle, knights commonly have their armour lavishly decorated with intricate fluting etchings, gilding and occasionally even paintings depicting scenes of great Kothic battles or mythical motifs. Though powerful and worthy warriors, they are expensive to recruit on their own compared to traditional Kothic knights: their primary role on the battlefield is to encourage their troops, intimidate the enemy and protect the general. While they may resent their beautiful armour being scuffed or scratched, this has little effect on their ferocity or deadliness.
Coming Soon (hopefully):
Zaheemi Hillmen
Zaheemi Riders
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Originally Posted by Cadwalader
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