Like how all because of one female wererat, a favored to her master, bowed down from her designs of assassinating her king, god, creator... And lover... This became a reality where the Age of Magic never ended, because the power-hungry tyrant-mage was never ousted from his position of power, and allowed to continue his reign until his rule by iron-fist was felt on a nearly world-wide scale!
Having started his base of operations in Europe, Iceron advanced his troops of magical might across the lands, taking over not only all of what is considered the European continent, in Eurasia, down into Africa and up into the Netherlands. With the heart of what was at the time considered the center of the world under his command, all was overseen and commandeered by Iceron’s forces.
But this has a side-effect. Iceron wasn’t as stupid as one would think, (especially since he has a MUCH smarter woman backing him up). He didn’t want to spread his power to thin, and with how active the ‘most organized’ region of the world was at the time, plus some of the ‘backwards’ areas, the God-King had ENOUGH on his plate to take care of. So there were areas that were able to evolve without some major interference.
The Far-East managed to remain relatively free. While Russia had fallen, China remained strong and secure. The Great Wall had been built, and was constantly manned by some of the finest in the Emperor’s armies. This has had the benefit of protecting Korea, Thailand, Hong-Kong, Japan, and the like. The Eastern-most part of Asia is for lack of better words, a ‘safe’ country... If one can consider themselves safe under the rule of another God-King in China or of a Shogunate if they were in Japan.
Australia, also further Southeast, is still home of the Aborigine people, but unlike the Orient, the down under had been taken over for the most part by Iceron. It was now a prison island, where Iceron would send the undesirables for hard labor and farming, making goods for his Empire back in Europe.
The American Continents weren’t discovered as quickly, and again, Iceron was still far more concerned with things at home. So the Natives had free reign over a wild and untamed land, as their ancestors had had for hundreds upon thousands of years. Only this time, they had to share their land with another group.
Interestingly enough, while Iceron did make his Lycanthropes, and they were his people, there was an influx of certain werefolk that had left Iceron’s rule and had settled into the freer regions. They had proven both a boon and a bane to the people, causing fear but bringing much needed help wherever they could. But still, the majority of the Lycanthropes, when they could, always headed for Jade.
Although in another realm and considered nearly-impossible to have been discovered considering the Jade was still founded, but for entirely different reasons. The realm was now the only truly ‘free’ territory for people to live without Iceron lording over their lives, rather than a place for all magic to retreat to. They needed to get away from Iceron’s Rule and his Lycanthrope Armies...
Iceron’s Lycanthropes, because of their varying use and biology, were separated into six groups. The Soldiers, Assassins, Guards, Mages, Air-Strikers, and Specials.
Soldiers were the most straightforward group of all. They were the ones sent in for direct-confrontational fighting and acted as the peace-keepers in the areas under Iceron’s reign. The majority of Iceron’s soldiers were the werecats of the larger species, such as the Werelions, Weretigers, Werejaguars, Werepanthers, and Wereleopards. There HAD been the Weresmilodons, or Sabretooth Weretigers. This species, however, was extinct now. The threat they became to Iceron was too great and he ordered their destruction to be swift and thorough. To replace the sheer strength they had, there were now the strong-arm soldiers, the Werebears. Their size and brute strength served as means for a great intimidation factor.
The Assassins were Iceron’s first form of infiltration and hostile take-over of territories before Soldiers were proven necessary. This included the Wererats, Icerons’s first Lycanthropic creation, and one of his favorite species. The Weremoles, spies made to actively go after the underground races of elves and dwarves, and also served to be able to go past large fortress walls by going underneath. There were also Werecats of small housecat variety, which were more durable than the rats and moles, as had been their predecessors, the Wereraccoons, which, were a species Iceron had exterminated after they‘d proven too out of control. And while there weren’t many, there were still a few of the more violent Werebats, since their agility and gliding made their status as more of an improved version of the wererat assassins than anything else.
Next were the Guards. This group was headed by the Werewolves, Iceron’s first ‘perfected’ species of werecreatures, that had long-since-past, replaced the werehounds of old. Their sense of smell, strength, and loyalty to Iceron made them dangerous foes when alone, and invincible in packs. There were the Werebeetles, huge bugs that acted out of instinct, and their tough carapaces made damaging them almost physically impossible without the aid of powerful magic. And then there were the Were-elephants, a feared race. Although were-elephants had earned the title of the ‘Siege-Roller’, when they were originally tested out in field combat. Their change in service was because even though Were-elephants were huge, strong, tough-as-hell to hurt, their lack of speed left them at a distinct disadvantage in fast-paced combat. Since then, they’ve only been good as guards, if only to block passages in corridors.
The Mages of Iceron were a division of the Lycanthrope that were used and feared even by their creator, as they held a possible key to defeating him with their own magical might. To keep this threat down, Iceron kept this group limited in their magical knowledge, making them a deadly foe for his enemies, and an insignificant thread to him. The Red Werewolves, who were powerful aura mages with their weresouls. The White Werewolves, who’s shamanistic magic and summoning potential made them valuable as back-up for armies of Soldiers. There were the Werebats, who’s Healing potential was used to aid the Lycanthrope injured in the path of serving their lord and master. And finally, where were also the Werefoxes, or ‘Kitsune’. A group with such magical talent, they tended to be in Iceron’s service in low numbers, since the majority were able to free themselves of Iceron’s programming and leave of their own free-will.
Then there were the Air-Strikers, a very feared group which allowed Iceron’s power to reach new heights, (Literally). The Wereravens were fast, agile, and fierce warriors from above, with some very low, yet apparent psychic talent. Then there were the Werecrows, or ‘Tengu’, brutes whom were grunts in the pecking order of the Air Forces. There were the Wereowls, nocturnal nightmares that not only could fly at night, but were useful as a night-watch and at keeping uprisings from the Wererats, who started to become rather agitated in recent times. And to top it off, there were his Griffons. No, the Griffons were not a Lycanthrope, however, they were Iceron’s FIRST creations, period... And he still found use in their production now, centuries later.
Finally, there were the Special groups of Lycanthrope, werecreatures with great skill and use, but didn’t fit into any of the previous category. The best example were the Werecheetahs, strike-troops that excelled not only in Hit-and-Run tactics, but made excellent scouts and couriers when it came to sending messages across war-torn battlefields and countryside to Iceron’s regiments. There were the Weresharks, a group of lycanthrope that acted as Coast Guard and Patrol, and could be used as a naval blockade. There were the Siberian Weretigers and Snow Wereleopards, who not only were good soldiers, but specialized and excelled in Arctic conditions and high-altitude locations. They were great for helping Iceron take over Shangri-la. And finally, there were the Wereskunks, Iceron’s first foray into Bioweaponry.
These groups of weres were further separated into Rankings. Slaves, Footman, Sergeant, Captain, Colonel, and General. A labeling of certain individual Lycanthropes that was given onto them by Iceron’s beings that lived inside the reigns of his castle after his kingdom started to gain stability in its existence.
Slaves were just that. They were the vast majority of the Lycanthropes and served their lord and master Iceron in anything from menial tasks as housework, to the labor in making architectures. They were only allowed to wear loincloths and the food they were given were not only sparse, but of poor quality; mostly stale bread and muggy water. And to top it off, all of them were put in what the slaves dubbed ‘the pits’, the lower levels of Iceron’s city, for their place to rest.
Footmen were treated better than the slaves, if only marginally so. As a Footman they openly worked to serve their master in a more militaristic fashion, be it guards, night watch, or border patrol, and to show such, were allowed to wear thick leather armor. The food was still limited, but of far fresher quality. They were allowed to sleep aboveground in one of the numerous over-packed, barracks.
Above Footmen, were the Sergeants, the experienced soldiers. They were treated decently compared to the Footmen, and were allowed more quantity of food, and a bit more variety, be it a bit of cheese, sausage, or jam. The armors Sergeants were provided also included metals now, or at least thicker leather. They still, however, had to share barracks with the Footmen.
The Captains came next, the leaders of groups of soldiers. A title that was highly-sought, since it was the most likely possible to attain through years of service and hard-work. They were given more stylized and form-fitted armor, as well as more quantities of food. And even better, they were allowed sparse, but private living-quarters, and even their own tents when on campaigns.
The Colonels were ahead of the Captains, and lead armies into full battle in war. Such hard work meant they were to be rewarded as such. Better armor as to be expected, but now softer material in the cloth underneath. And the quality of the weapons they used, (if any) were better now as well. They had access to more variety of food now, selections of meats, breads, whatever they could want, and better beverage as well. Their living quarters also tended to be furnished far better.
The rank of General was not easy to attain, nor did many actually want it. It dealt with A LOT of responsibility, and meant the Lycanthrope of that rank was kept close to Iceron. However, those of this rank lived like kings, almost anything they could want was at their fingertips, with the exception of freedom.
Still, even with such a strong militaristic regime, there were still a few lycanthropes that broke off from their ranking of Iceron’s army and joined side with the humans, elves, and other oppressed races. They’re usually referred to as the “Strays” and “Deserters”. “Strays” if they were born outside of the clans, outside of Iceron’s rule, and “Deserters” if they purposely left Iceron’s army of their own free will. These were what made up the legions of weres that seeped into other countries and Jade.
Such was a world of Iceron’s Rule... Where humans, dwarves, and elves were barely eking out a living at a level of technology that was just bordering the technological revolution, while having to remain reliant on magic.
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(Posted Thu, 01 Sep 2005 00:24)
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