War Banner takes place in a low-magic, dark medieval fantasy setting very loosely inspired by Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher Novels. Players embody the roles of soldiers of either the Empire of the South or The Alliance of Northern Kingdoms. Each event is a player vs player battle that will change the border between the Empire and the North.
Apart from the few who can control it, magic is dangerous and rare. Everyone knows magic exists, but few are born with the natural gifts to channel it and even fewer have the decades of education required to wield it effectively. Mages do not take part in the battles between kingdoms or empires, but instead serve as advisors to rulers. Most mages belong to the Guild of Mages. The common folk are superstitious of magic, witchcraft, and wild magic.
Players may play Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, or Halflings. All humanoids are very similar except in appearance. Elves all have pointed ears and can live for many centuries. Dwarves have rounded ears and all have beards, regardless of gender. Gnomes and halflings are similar to each other, except that gnomes have pointed ears.
In the setting of War Banner titles of nobility are passed down from parents to children, but heirs can be adopted children and they have no weaker claim to their titles than those related to their parents by blood. Gender isn’t a factor for line of succession. All players are either knights (minor nobility) or commoners.
Many fantasy novels and media engage in narratives that include sexism, racism, and prejudice as a way to deconstruct real world prejudice. War Banner, however, is a relatively light weight battle game about a blue army fighting a red army and is not an appropriate setting to engage in these themes with the care and tact they deserve. As such, GMs and Players will not engage in narratives about sexism, sexual violence, homophobia, racism, or other forms of prejudice.
The sun in eclipse represents the ending of the old way of monarchies and the beginning of a new dawn of imperial unity.
Clad in blackened plate armor, the knights of the south are raised from a young age to be professional warriors. Ruthless fighters one and all, they are the tip of the Emperor’s spear.
From towns and farms across the empire conscripts report for duty to bring the empire’s light to those unfortunate to not live within the borders of the empire. Issued rudimentary armor and a polearm
Accustomed to living off the land, the commandos of the empire’s army are experts at guerrilla warfare; leading ambushes, traveling deep behind enemy lines to disrupt supply lines, and scouting objectives for the main army.
Sailing from the nearby islands in their square-sailed longboats, the southern raiders with their distinctive round shields act as shock troops for the empire’s army.
When the great houses of the south elected Emperor Aurelion I the empire began a campaign to unify the continent under one banner. Strength is derived from a unified people, free from the oppression of corrupt monarchs. Those that deny the Empire’s light will be eclipsed by its shadow.
Drawn together by common cause, the kingdoms of the North fight for honor, independence, and liberty. The Northern Alliance will stop at nothing to defend its borders from the imperial heathens and preserve their way of life.
Lion, Ram, and Dragon heads of the chimera represent the 3 most powerful kingdoms of the North – united into one more fearsome beast.
Knights of the north adhere to the ancient code of chivalry. Resplendent in shining plate armor, they dispense justice with the edge of a sword, a polearm, or crushing blow of a hammer.
Militias of peasants mobilized by their local monarchs, armed with pikes, billhooks, maces, axes, and weaponized farming implements. Armored with steel helmets, gambesons, and sometimes maille. They comprise the bulk of the Northern army
Expert scouts and pathfinders, rangers lead troops through rough terrain and carry out specialized missions. Armed with bows, spears and clad in leather distinctive hoods, they are the eyes of the commanders that cut through the fog of war.
With their distinctive round shields, the raiders from the northern islands excel in skirmish warfare and breaking enemy lines. Lightly armored, they rely on speed and brutality
When Queen Iryna of Kordonnya died she left no heirs to assume the throne. Her nephew – a child who has spent most of his life as a ward of King Roland, ruler of Crownlöwin– is favored by the Northern kingdoms. However, Queen Iryna’s uncle Eduard has also made a claim to the throne. He has spent the last decade in exile in the south. The Empire seeks to install Eduard on the throne to bring Kordonnya into the imperial fold. The Northern Kingdoms want to prevent what they see as imperial encroachment and install a ruler that will honor Queen Iryna’s legacy…and loyalty.
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