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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ravenmark_title.jpg]]
2 [[caption-width-right:350:''Ravenmark: Scourge of Estellion'' title screen, and ''Ravenmark: Mercenaries'' combat.]]
3'''Ravenmark''' is a series of TurnBasedStrategy games for [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS]] consisting of ''Ravenmark: Scourge of Estellion'' (2011) and ''Ravenmark: Mercenaries'' (2013). The games take place in a MedievalEuropeanFantasy‎ setting in the world of Eclisse. The titular [[TheEmpire Empire of Estellion]] (whose people are called Tellions) is the largest and most powerful nation in the world. It's notable that, according to the [[AllThereInTheManual in-game Codex]], the Empire was founded on the principles of meritocracy, where any commoner could, through many years of military (22 years) or administrative (36 years) service, attain temporary nobility (no more than 2 generations), and any family able to maintain their noble status for 10 uninterrupted generations would be granted the permanent status of a noble House. Another major power in Eclisse is the neighboring Commonwealth of Esotre, whose inhabitants (called Sotrans and composed of humans and [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame dwarves]]) prefer a rational approach to things and promote science and {{Magitek}}. Both nations are constantly being raided by the wild [[TheHorde Lyri tribes]].
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5Battles are turn-based. The player is able to give no more than 6 pre-battle orders per turn, although behavior orders from previous turns (e.g. Advance Northwest) continue to take effect. However, computer players are [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard not limited to 6 orders per turn and are able to give orders during the battle phase]]. Most powers use small-units called Daggers that take up 1 square. Usually, Daggers can be joined with Daggers of identical unit type to form two-Dagger formations called Deuces and three-Dagger formations called Trines. There are usually bonuses for Deuces and Trines, but, unlike Daggers, they can be flanked and must be facing the enemy to attack. Commanders (usually key story characters) are attached to specific Daggers and usually have certain abilities. In the first game, units don't earn experience. In the sequel, squads earn experience for successfully completing contracts or winning battles.
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7The first game has a deep and rich storyline revealed through a series of campaigns. The focus of the campaigns is on a newly-discovered threat that has been lying in wait for centuries. The nation of Kaysan has been hiding in the impassable Cardani swamps amassing their human and [[OurElvesAreDifferent elven]] forces in order to strike at the unsuspecting Tellions. The Kaysani humans are descended from the exiled Carsis nobles who used to rule the lands that now make up the Empire and are burning for a chance to take them back. So, when the Kaysani, armed with [[KillItWithFire flamesoul]] magic, and their rat-like elven hordes form the Reconquista and suddenly invade the Empire, very few can do anything to stop them, especially since the Empire is currently undergoing a SuccessionCrisis following the death of Emperor Sergius Corvius and, in fact, there may be Kaysani allies in the Imperial court itself.
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9The sequel takes place six years later but doesn't feature much of a story beyond a basic setup, as the game is primarily focused on multiplayer. Basically, after the events of the first game, the Empire is no longer as powerful as it was, controlling only a fraction of its former lands. The alliance between Estellion and Esotre has evaporated, and both nations now view each other with hostility. The remaining Kaysani forces have retreated to East Isle and have joined with the rebellious tribes of the Faiths to form a new nation called the Varishah Federation opposed to both the Empire and the Commonwealth. This three-way conflict forms the setting of the second game. The player is put in command of a group of mercenaries out of the Twin Cities (a former Imperial city) and can take out various contracts or engage in small-scale battles for money.
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11''Ravenmark: SOE'' has since been ported to PC via Steam, while ''Ravenmark: Mercenaries'' is no longer available on the app store.
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14!!The game contains examples of the following tropes:
15* AlienSky: Just to drive the point home that this is not our world, the world of Eclisse has three moons (Prisma, Serci and Tersa). Other astronomical differences include a distinct black spot on the sun, which the people call Corvii, the sun-father Kayes's pet raven, and a comet that shows up every 360 years and shines brighter than all the moons combined (the people call it Menasse, Kayes's wayward son).
16* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: The Kaysani are determined to strike back at the Empire for exiling their ancestors to the Cardani swamps. Not only do they manage to briefly take the two key Tellion cities, the Twin Cities (social and cultural center) and Atium (the capital), but they also nearly take Silvergate, the capital of Esotre for being friendly with the Tellions. East Isle is taken by the Kaysani and remains in their hands well into the sequel. Not that the people who live there mind it much, as they would rather be working with the Kaysani than be under the Imperial boot. In fact, by the sequel, East Isle becomes the capital of the new Varishah Federation.
17* AlternativeCalendar: The [[AllThereInTheManual in-game Codex]] describes the workings of the calendar that has, apparently, been adopted by all of the people of Eclisse. An Eclissian year is made up of 351 days. There are 13 months (Kayesin, Matresin, Eosin, Amoresin, Verrasin, Soressin, Primasin, Secunsin, Tersin, Menassin, Nox, Warchesin, Coresin), starting in Spring and ending in Winter. A month is made up of three nine-day weeks. Spring lasts two months; Autumn lasts three; and Summer and Winter last four.
18** The main events of the first game begin on the 23rd of Primasin, 1274 AE.
19* AmazonBrigade: Las Monjas del Sol is an all-female Kaysani Inquisitor cavalry unit, whose uteri were ritualistically destroyed in order to ensure their undying loyalty to the Sun-Father Kayes. Also, Braccian Peltasts are female javelin-throwers who organize themselves into "bitch" packs in order to hound enemy forces from afar.
20* AnimalMotifs: The mythical raven Corvii is central to TheEmpire's culture. The path to nobility is called Ravenhood. Those who take the path are called Ravenborne. TheEmperor's throne is called the Obsidian Perch (it looks like a normal throne, though). The royal dynasty is called House Corvius ("ravens" in Latin). The Kaysani, though, see the darker side of the same bird and refer to the Tellions by the derogatory term "crows". The Tellions are also known to use "crows" as a swear. The Crowseers are members of the Court of Shadows, who dedicate themselves to rooting out the enemies of TheEmpire, i.e. crows.
21** Additionally, Tellion generals and lords are known as "Rooks" (the bird, not the chess piece), while halflings are frequently called "Jackdaws". Both birds are members of the same family as the raven.
22* BattleCouple: Reiht Commanders Quintus Talsius and Cierra Montepulciano are married and are often seen side-by-side on the battlefield, fighting the enemies of the Empire.
23* BearsAreBadNews: Aconites, one of the Lyri tribes, go into battle riding large grizzly bears and wielding scythes. These warriors are called Maulers.
24* BigBad: Alejo de Porres, the leader of the Kaysani Redeemer faction definitely fits the bill, as well as his counterpart in the Kaysani Inquisitor faction, Heliodore de Moreno.
25* BlingOfWar: The honor guard of the Kaysani Inquisitors are Las Monjas del Sol ("Sisters of the Sun" in Spanish), an all-female cavalry unit fully armored in gold, as are their horses. In fact, the gleaming armor often gives them an edge in battle, blinding enemies. This is an exception for the Inquisitors, however, who hate pomp.
26* BloodMagic: Only Crowseers (members of the Court of Shadows) are allowed to use this type of magic in order to improve their reflexes. Among the Kaysani, the Corpsejumpers are the wretched souls who have dared to consume the lagrimas de sangre ("tears of blood" in Spanish) and tend to be insane. They are able to use dead enemy soldiers as portals, appearing and immediately attacking the rest of the unit.
27* CannonFodder: The Tellion militia units actually have a passive Fodder ability, which that, after this unit is killed in melee combat, the unit that killed it slows down for 3 rounds.
28* TheCavalry: Just as Invocati are crushing the small force under Calius Septim's command, a large force of the [[GrimUpNorth Cainlaw]] arrives to attack the Invocati from behind.
29* ClothesMakeTheSuperman: Earthshield Veterans wear their bulky and heavy armor as if it's chainmail thanks to thaumaturgy and wind magic. Each suit of armor includes a soul shard imbued with the life force of a mage slain in battle. Each new Veteran must communicate with the spirit of the fallen Thaumaturge to cement the bond.
30* BritishEnglish/CockneyRhymingSlang: Jackdaw speech is clearly modeled on this trope, except their slang is unique. Few non-Jackdaws are able to understand them.
31--> '''Arrun:''' Oy! I thought ol' Matre wuz finally ready to toss me brown bread.
32--> '''Dwight Lawforde:''' Speak some sense, halfling! What's your deal?
33--> ...
34--> '''Calius Septim:''' What happened to the bridge?
35--> '''Arrun:''' Why, me chinas blew it up. Quite a two and eight we left it in.
36--> '''Portia Ventus:''' Love, what's a china?
37--> '''Nessius Ventus:''' ...I haven't the foggiest.
38* CombatByChampion: A Kaysani Inquisition general challenges Rook Delvinius Cato to this. Despite his son's warnings, the Rook accepts the challenge. [[spoiler:The Inquisitor [[ILied has no intention of participating in a fair fight]], and summons assassins who jump Cato from all directions]].
39* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: Unlike human players, the computer is not limited to the "6 orders per turn" rule. Also, the players can only give orders prior to the battle turn, requiring one to think ahead and anticipate enemy movements. The computer is somehow able to know exactly what your units will be doing during the battle turn and act accordingly.
40* DirtyCoward: Ovidius Corvius, son of Gratian Corvius, barely even know which end of the sword to hold much less how to lead an army into battle. His portly shape means that he barely fits into his armor and prefers to spend his days eating and drinking himself senseless. When convinced by his cousin Phoebe Corvius to personally lead the Invocati, Gratian's private army, against Rook Vidius Harper and the other three Queens (including Phoebe's mother), he has no idea what to do and just yells to the actual commander of the Invocati to destroy the "rebels". His in-game ability is actually called "Coward Lord", allowing his parent unit to avoid damage.
41* TheDragon: Usun Motare is a young but brilliant Kaysani field commander. He is the nephew of Alejo de Porres and commands the Redeemer forces at his uncle's blessing.
42* DragonAscendant: Usun Motare is the BigBad's field commander in the first game but rises to the leader of the Varishah Federation by the sequel. Then again, the GreyAndGrayMorality of the sequel means it's hard to explicitly call him the BigBad.
43* DrillSergeantNasty: Militum Felidae Belial is a middle-aged man whose decades of service to the Empire went unnoticed by his superiors mostly through his own incompetence. He ends up taking his bitterness out on the fresh Earthbound recruits under his command, especially young Calius Septim, whose older brother Rebus is Felidae's immediate superior. One of his in-game abilities is called "Double Time, Maggots!", temporarily increasing the speed and initiative of his parent unit/formation. He can also use "Wicked Words" to break the morale of an enemy unit.
44* ElectiveMonarchy: The King of Esotre is elected every 5 years, along with the King's Hand, who does most of the work in running the Commonwealth. By tradition, the King is always human, while the Hand is always a dwarf.
45* TheEmpire: The Empire of Estellion was founded on the principles of meritocracy, where even a lowly commoner can become a noble after a lengthy period of service. At the same time, it is a true empire, expanding its control over nearby lands whether the locals want it or not. This becomes a plot point when their most recent "acquisition", the East Isle, decides to take their chances with the Kaysani instead and joins their Reconquista against the Empire.
46* EnemyCivilWar: Averted with the Kaysani. They might be split into two factions (the Redeemers and the Inquisitors) with different practices and Altus Priors who don't particularly like one another, but they are smart enough to know that in-fighting would only help their enemies, and, besides, they both believe that they're following the will of the sun god Kayes and have a common enemy. From the Kaysani perspective, this is true with the Empire, which is undergoing a SuccessionCrisis, with Princep Gratian Corvius attempting to usurp the throne after his father the Emperor's death. Gratian's Invocati forces are too busy clashing with the old guard, the Reiht (and the [[spoiler:Cainlaw]]), who seek to install the rightful heir, to bother with sending the full might of the Imperial Mark to face the Kaysani Reconquista.
47* EvilCounterpart: Usun Motare can be seen as this to Calius Septim. Both are fairly young and intelligent commanders, but Calius wants to Protect the Empire, while Usun wants to see it fall. Both fervently believe in the rightness of their cause.
48* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: The Sotrans try to give things simple and descriptive names. Even the name of their nation comes from the "esoteric" experiments they run. Their capital Silvergate is named so because its most distinctive feature is a giant silver gate protecting it.
49* EyepatchOfPower: Reiht Commander Cierra Montepulciano wears an eyepatch in order to better aim with her crossbow and to prepare her other eye for night fighting.
50* FantasyPantheon: The people of the Faiths worship a pantheon of eight gods: Deverra (the crone and wisdom), Matre (the mother and fertility), Eos (the young girl and innocence), Prisma (resilience), Serci (purity and beauty), Tersa (luck and chaos), Ayas (the gardener), and Nox (night). Interestingly, the Faithmen don't worship the gods equally. Each aspect (possibly, a clan) belongs to one of the eight temples. The Kaysani worship the sun god Kayes, so it was fairly easy to integrate them with the Faithmen by including them in the Ayas temple, since "Ayas" is likely derived from "Kayes" and shares the same position in the pantheon. Many other peoples of the world Eclisse have the same mythology, which is rooted in the world's heavenly bodies, but don't necessarily worship them as gods. The Kaysani are known for their "sunsoul" magic, allowing them to use deadly fire on the battlefield and even create eclipses on a whim. The Tellion people, for example, primarily revere Corvii, the sun god's prized pet raven, and instead use wind magic as a counter to sunsoul magic.
51* FantasticRankSystem:
52** All Tellion soldiers start in the Earthbound Corps (i.e. the enlisted), with the "Earthbound" being the rank of a common soldier. A Militum is in command of a Dagger. A Signum is a staff-level Earthbound and has the authority to operate without Ravenborne (officer) supervision. The Ravenhood is the officer corps composed of Ravenborne graduates on their track to nobility. A Decurion can command Dagger-level operations such as scouting or raiding. A Centurion is a mid-level officer in command of an infantry Trine or a cavalry Deuce. A Magister is a support rank given to caster-type officers, which sits lower on the hierarchy than a Centurion. A Legate commands a Mark (a medium-sized force). A Rook is in charge of 5 Marks (AKA a Bannermark), and is also a Fantastic Honorific equivalent to a Lord. The Altus Rook is in command of all the Bannermarks in the Empire answerable only to The Emperor. Given that Estellion is a meritocracy (specifically created by the first Emperor in order to avoid the pitfalls of the overthrown Carsis feudalism), any commoner has the option of attaining a noble rank through the practice of Ravenhood, which requires a term of service in the Mark of no less than 22 years (or 36 as an administrator). Once one has achieved Ravenhood, the title holds for 2 generations before it must be earned again. If a family has managed to hold the title for 10 unbroken generations (very rare), it becomes a noble House. The eleventh generation's firstborn inherits the title and becomes a Rook.
53** Mostly averted in in the Sotran Royal Army, which tends to use modern ranks (e.g. Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Colonel). However, generals are called Iron Dukes/Duchesses, while the supreme commander of the entire Royal Army is the Archduke (equivalent to a Tellion Altus Rook).
54** The Kaysani use religious titles as military ranks (e.g. Exarch, Archdeacon). The supreme commanders of both branches of the Reconquista hold the title of Altus Prior.
55* FantasyCounterpartCulture: While there are no direct parallels, some of the nations have obvious origins in RealLife cultures. For example, most Imperial names have a Latin sound to them (e.g. Sergius Corvius, Calius Septim), and the Tellion capital city is called Atium (meaning "view" in Latin). Like the Romans, the Tellions revere a bird (although it's a raven in the game instead of an eagle). On the other hand, the Kaysani have a number of Spanish-sounding names (e.g. Alejo de Porres, Heliodore de Moreno) and their religious fervor is reminiscent of the conquistadors and the Spanish Inquisition (one of the Kaysani factions ''is'' called the Inquisitors). Then there's the fact that their campaign to retake their lost lands is called the Reconquista. Esotre is a little difficult to narrow down, although many human names sound French (e.g. Lorraine D'Artim, Cyril F'Ourier). Their scientific advancements, though, have a more Italian Renaissance feel, and the dwarves' names are typical English (e.g. Benjamin Allsworth, Dwight Lawforde).
56** Strangely, the Cardani elves have definite elements of Japanese culture, although they largely avert this. For example, several Cardani weapons look very much like katanas and naginatas (swordstaffs). The Tenguko commanders wear samurai armor and [[{{Youkai}} tengu]] masks.
57** In the sequel, the people of the Faiths are desert-dwelling tribes for whom religion is very important. Does that sound like an ethnic group from RealLife?
58** The unseen tiny Western nation of Brac is known for its soldiers and mercenaries, who consists of phalanxes and peltasts. The Braccian society values knowledge and the quest for cosmic truths. They are heavily implied to be Ancient Athens.
59** The Cainlaw are an obvious reference to the Danelaw, implying that the Cain are this world's Vikings.
60* FieldPromotion: At the end of the prelude campaign, Earthbound Calius Septim saves Rook Vidius Harper from a Lyri barbarian who gets the drop on the old commander. The Rook has Calius kneel and promotes him to a Centurion on the spot, telling him that he's not doing him any favors by this action. This is unprecedented in the history of the Empire, as the only way an Earthbound (a common soldier) can attain Ravenhood (basically, becoming an officer and a nobleman) is through 22 years of military service. Calius has only recently joined the Earthbound Corps, following in his brother Rebus's footsteps, and now suddenly his older and more experienced brother (who is a Signum in command of a squad of Earthshield Veterans) has to take orders from him. Interestingly, Rebus doesn't mind and, if anything, is proud to serve under his little brother, knowing that Calius is the smart one in the family. However, Calius's DrillSergeantNasty Felidae Belial (still a Militum after decades of service due to incompetence) thinks that Calius is nothing but an upstart and is constantly trying to find flaws in the young Raven's commands. Naturally, Calius ends up proving that he is more than deserving of his promotion.
61* FluffyTheTerrible: Allister Huntsworth's elephant-sized boar with a nasty temper is called Daisy.
62* ForbiddenZone: The deepest parts of Deepwoods are forbidden to the Lyri. No one knows why, although the Sotrans are determined to find out, and dig a tunnel under the forest to that area.
63* FrontlineGeneral: Most generals (be they Legates, Exarchs, Rooks, or Iron Dukes) tend to fight on the front lines, frequently in command of a cavalry unit. The one big exception is Rook Ulbus Vitani, and that is only because of his leprosy (the men aren't particularly thrilled to have him among them), so he's forced to be more of an [[ArmchairMilitary armchair general]].
64* FunctionalMagic: Various types of elemental magic are present. The most prevalent type of magic in the Empire is Wind magic. The Kaysani favor flamesoul (i.e. Fire) magic. The Sotrans, being miners, use Earth magic. The Ardites, living in mountains, use Highweather and Water magic.
65* FriendlySniper: The Greyjackets (when they're on your side) are an elite Sotran unit, officially known as 1st Rifles. Their accurate weapons allow them to stun an entire enemy formation, and they are primarily employed as guerrilla troops.
66** Also, Reiht Commander Cierra Montepulciano, who is deadly with her crossbow.
67* FullBoarAction: Boar Chargers are Sotran units who go into battle atop enormous boars, who have been grown to 7 times the size of a horse using alchemy. One of the most famous Chargers is Allister Huntsworth, whose boar [[FluffyTheTerrible Daisy]] is, probably, the largest of them all. One of their abilities is Frenzy that does damage to all surrounding units.
68* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: Phoebe Corvius, the Queen of Hearts, is the head of the Court of Affinity. In TheEmpire, Queens are not sovereigns but, effectively, department heads, made up of worthy women of House Corvius. Out of the four Queens, Phoebe is the only one who sides with Gratian Corvius's (her uncle) grab for power. Phoebe is not only a smoking hot blonde whose dress shows a lot of cleavage but also extremely cunning and capable of any act (including incest) if it will increase her power. After Gratian's plot fails, Phoebe flees Atium with her loyal soldiers and forms a mercenary battalion called Her Devoted. Her mission becomes to get rid of the Scarlet Empress and take the throne.
69** Also, the Scarlet Empress ([[spoiler:Livia Corvius]]) in the sequel.
70** Averted with the other three Queens in the Courts of the Pales: Adrise Corvius (the [[MustHaveNicotine Chimney]] Queen, head of the Court of Industry and Phoebe's mother), Anifer Corvius (Queen of the Quills, head of the Court of War), and Jycquin Corvius (Queen of the Harsh Hammer, head of the Court of Law).
71* GoodIsNotNice: Lieutenant Lorraine D'Artim, commander of a Sotran outpost in the Deepwoods is constantly frustrated that Thaddeus L'Eclin is more concerned with the well-being of a servant girl named Cloe than the fact that his nation is at war and that his duty is to protect his nation. At least once, she threatens to shoot Cloe if Thaddeus puts her well-being ahead of that of her men. Finally, she crosses the line when she [[spoiler:has her people hold Thaddeus, so that he doesn't rush to Cloe's aid, as the Lyri are about to kill her]].
72* GunsVsSwords: The Sotran front-line troops are primarily armed with single-shot muskets with bayonets attached, although they use pike formations as well. This puts them on par with Imperial troops still dependent on swordsmen, pikemen, and archers.
73* HeroicBastard: The Court of Shadows (formerly House Cordance) is made up of bastard children of the royal House Corvius. They are trained from a very young age to be the best spies and assassins in the Empire, serving their legitimate cousins.
74* {{Hobbits}}: To the northeast of the Twin Cities, there is a settlement called the Halfling Quarter. Not everyone understands the halflings' (frequently called Jackdaws) strange accent and slang words (think fantasy Cockney), but they tend to be hard-working people. Crumston Caldare, the Imperial [[TheSpymaster Spymaster]], is a Jackdaw. It's not clear if the Jackdaws feel any kinship with the dwarves of Esotre, but Crumston is a good friend of a dwarf named Benjamin Allsworth, who is his counterpart in the Commonwealth.
75* TheHorde: The Lyri are savage tribes who live in the Deepwoods to the East of Estellion and constantly raid Tellion lands and Sotran outposts. On the other hand, they understand tactics fairly well and employ Daggers like the "civilized" powers. The Cardani elves, on the other hand, rush into battle using their big Swarms to break the enemy with numbers.
76* HoverTank: The most destructive invention of Cyril F'Ourier is the Rath Platform, an artillery platform floating on constant ''gunpowder'' explosions.
77* HundredPercentCompletion: Each mission in the first game is rated on completion with 1-3 circles/stars. On Easy difficulty level, only one circle can be earned. On Normal, two are earned upon completion of main objectives. On completion of secondary tasks (usually, something along the lines of "defeat the enemy within X turns") on Normal, three circles are earned. Earning all the circles in all the campaigns earns the player a unique brigade in the sequel.
78* KillItWithFire: The Kaysani are masters of flamesoul magic and can even put it in containers to be used for explosives. Cardani Sunsouls are suicide troops that rapidly move on bouncing stilts and carry large glass balls filled with compressed flamesoul magic. They slam into enemy formations, breaking the glass and releasing a large explosion. After being taken prisoner, Alejo de Porres [[spoiler:chooses to explode in a similar manner, trying to kill the newly-crowned Empress Livia Corvius as a final act of defiance, resulting in Livia being scarred and her lover Calius Septim being killed by the flames]].
79* LaResistance: Centuries ago, the corrupt kingdom of Carsis ruled the lands now belonging to TheEmpire. The feudal Carsis nobles were corrupt and decadent, enforcing their superiority with their religion based on worshiping the Sun-Father Kayes. Eventually, one of their priests named Phaestus began preaching meritocracy drawing inspiration from Corvii (Kayes's pet raven, who always strives to fly closer to the Father). Feronia, a peasant girl with powerful wind magic, was a follower of Phaestus's teachings. Then a Carsis noble raped and murdered her sister. Feronia unleashed her power and killed the lord. During her trial, Phaestus (initially agreeing to testify against her) condemned the corrupt nobles of even worse crimes, triggering Feronia's magic once again. The peasants followed Phaestus, who proved himself a brilliant tactician, forming a rebel army against the Carsis, using wind magicians against the Carsis flamesoul magic. After exiling them, Phaestus created the Empire of Estellion, becoming the first Emperor Corvius with Feronia as his queen.
80* MadScientist: Cyril "Madmachiner" F'Ourier, the director of the Royal Army’s Research Facility, is a brilliant but crazy Sotran scientist and alchemist. His latest inventions include mechanical walkers called Jabberwockys and the Rath Platform, a hovering artillery piece.
81* {{Magitek}}: The Sotrans value knowledge and advancement. As such, their alchemists use Earth magic to build various contraptions and create an equivalent to gunpowder.
82* AMechByAnyOtherName: The [[MadScientist Madmachiner]] Cyril F'Ourier creates "chicken-walker" mechs based on the mythical creatures called Jabberwockys. They can run faster than any horse and spew molten lava.
83* MedievalEuropeanFantasy: A pretty standard example, although Sotrans depart from this by having {{Magitek}}.
84* MeleeATrois: For many centuries, the nations of Estellion and Esotre were allies, and this continued during the Kaysani invasion, when the Sotrans sent their war machines to support the final Tellion strike against Alejo de Porres. Unfortunately, the brutal reign of the Scarlet Empress has significantly cooled this relationship, and the way she treated a rebellious town has forced the current Sotran King to send military aid to the rebels, sparking hostilities between the two nations. With the rise of the Varishah Federation, the three powers (Estellion in the North, Esotre in the Southwest, and Varishah in the Southeast) are locked in a never-ending three-way conflict. This results in the situation of ''Ravenmark: Mercenaries'', when the now-independent Twin Cities become a haven for mercenary brigades that lend their services to the warring powers.
85* TheMole: The only reason why the Kaysani Reconquista do not meet the full might of the Imperial Mark is because someone at the highest levels of the Imperial court is secretly helping them by holding most of the Mark in reserve, feeding the Kaysani information, and getting rid of those who would fight the invasion. The eventual goal of the person whom the Kaysani only know as the Maestro ([[spoiler:actually Agrius Moneo, the Senior Comptroller of the Empire, effectively controlling the Imperial purse]]), who claims to be secretly descended from the same Carsis nobles as the Kaysani. Neither side trusts the other, and both are scheming to betray one another after achieving their goals.
86* MustHaveNicotine: There's a reason Queen Adrise Corvius is frequently called the Chimney Queen. She never goes anywhere without her pipe.
87* MysteriousWaif: Cloe, an orphan who is found near Dorton Hall and brought in, becoming a quiet servant girl until Dorton Hall is taken by the Kaysani. When she is found by Thaddeus L'Eclin, several Kaysani soldiers who were harassing her are found impaled by a Deepwood tree that appears to have sprouted there in an instant. Since then, Thaddeus has vowed to protect Cloe.
88* NoCampaignForTheWicked: Averted with the Kaysani, who get their own campaign. Played straight with the Lyri, although they are hardly central to the story. The campaigns are not contradictory, though, maintaining a single storyline.
89* OneHitKill: Armored Hallow Frogs, tamed by the Cardani, are ginormous man-eating frogs who are able to swallow a Dagger whole. Luckily, this ability has a 10-turn cooldown.
90** Additionally, the Rookguard are an elite Imperial heavy cavalry unit. They have the Eradicate ability that completely wipes out an enemy element whose morale has been broken. While, normally, only heavily-damaged Daggers/Swarms lose morale, there are ways of doing that to Daggers/Swarms at full strength. In the first game, this ability requires two Rookguard Daggers in a Deuce formation. In the sequel, a single Dagger is enough.
91* OurElvesAreDifferent: The Cardani elves are as far removed from [[Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium Tolkien]]'s elves as one can get. They are short, rat-like beings who breed like rabbits and prefer WeHaveReserves tactics. Their lives are focused on greed and tend to be fairly short. One of the key characters, Taraka, is noted as being weird by Cardani standards because he actually has some restraint and has lived to be 40.
92* PraetorianGuard: The Reiht are a group of elite commanders (also a RagtagBunchOfMisfits) created by Emperor Sergius Corvius as his personal guard.
93** The Invocati are troops loyal to Gratian Corvius and are created as a replacement for the Reiht, whom he judges unfit to be his guard (and way too loyal to his late father).
94** The Cainlaw are an army patrolling the northern regions of the Empire. They are fiercely loyal to the late Emperor Sergius and serve as the counter to the Invocati.
95* RankUp: Several characters end up being promoted during the first game's campaign.
96** Calius Septim is promoted to Centurion (at least 4 ranks) after only a year in the army. [[spoiler:Later on, he's promoted all the way to Legate (sort of like a one-star general), which is the highest rank one who wasn't born a nobleman can reach.]]
97** Thaddeus L'Eclin get a more sensible field promotion to Captain (from Lieutenant), after helping to retake Silvergate from the Kaysani, and also because Iron Duchess V'Ortheu is in desperate need of officers.
98** Captain Lorraine D'Artim is also promoted to Colonel around the same time, so that she can lead a larger force against the enemy.
99* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The late Emperor Sergius Corvius was this, as well as a good number of Corvius emperors before him, starting with Phaestus, who established the Corvius line.
100* ReligionOfEvil: The Kaysani worship the sun god Kayes and use their flamesoul magic to burn anyone who they consider to be a heretic. They are supposed to be the {{Expy}} of the Spanish Inquisition, especially since their army is called the Reconquista, and their leaders are named Alejo de Porres and Heliodore de Moreno.
101* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Rook Vidius Harper and Rook Delvinius Cato. Both experienced generals and noblemen and personally lead their troops into battle. In fact, a good number of the royal House Corvius have served in the Imperial Mark at one point or another. The late Emperor Sergius Corvius is particularly known for leading his troops on a successful campaign to the northeast, which is what earned him the throne. In the final campaigns of the first game, the Queens of the Twin Cities (female members of House Corvius who act as department heads) also prove themselves to be tough warriors.
102* ShieldBash: Earthshield Veterans are able to use their massive shields to break enemy formations into individual Daggers. However, this only works if the Veterans themselves are in formation, and may allow the enemy Daggers to then attack from the flanks.
103* SinsOfOurFathers: The reason why such a promising officer like Lieutenant Lorraine D'Artim is assigned to a dead-end post in the Deepwoods? One of her ancestors is believed to be guilty of attempting to assassinate an archduke, although Lorraine maintains that her ancestor is innocent. Nevertheless, the incident was striken from all records, and only a select few higher-ups know about it, constantly remining Lorraine that it will take a ''lot'' of effort to cleanse the D'Artim name.
104* TheSpymaster: Benjamin Allsworth is a nondescript, perpetually smiling dwarf who serves as the Sotran Trade Ambassador to the Empire. He also happens to be in charge of the Commonwealth's intelligence network. He frequently has dealings with his childhood friend and occasional rival Crumston Caldare, his halfling counterpart in the Empire. Both have "Spymaster" titles in their respective governments.
105* StartOfDarkness: The end of the first game is this for [[spoiler:Livia Cassianus/Corvius]]. By the time of the sequel, she is known as the Scarlet Empress for her deeds.
106* TacticalRockPaperScissors: Infantry -> polearms -> cavalry -> ranged -> infantry. Support units are neutral to all other types. Also, some mounted units may be classified as ranged and not cavalry. Cavalry units typically have the Charge ability, meaning they get a free attack if they move at least one square before attack. Some units, especially polearms have counters to these, such as Brace or Scatter, which give the free attack to the defender.
107* TakingYouWithMe: This is how [[spoiler:Alejo de Porres]] chooses to go, using flamesoul magic to create a huge explosion, wounding [[spoiler:Livia Cassianus]] and killing [[spoiler:Calius Septim]], among others.
108* TeleporterAccident: The Sotrans have perfected the use of phylacteries for teleportation to a pre-determined point. Specifically, each phylactery contains earth from the desired location and a stone with Ardite runes inscribed on it. When a phylactery is snapped, the seal on the earth is broken, resulting in its contact with the runes. This creates a sphere that instantly shifts everything inside it to the place from where the earth came. Naturally, this is one-way only, and the phylactery is used up in the process, but more can always be made. A PortalNetwork of sorts has been established in the capital city of Silvergate with manned control towers rerouting incoming teleports to available sites. Since {{Tele Frag}}ging is a real possibility, all arrival sites much be kept clear of any objects.
109** The Kaysani Corpsejumpers use BloodMagic to teleport to any slain enemy soldier to perform a surprise attack at the rest of the unit.
110* TeleportInterdiction: One mission of the Sotran campaign involves the Kaysani invading Silvergate and doing damage to key areas of the city, including the main portal hub. The player has to not only battle Kaysani forces but also destroy the rubble blocking the arrival sites (and, given the game mechanics, the rubble ''fights back'') in order to allow reinforcements to arrive.
111* UnexpectedSuccessor: Partway through the first game's campaign, it's revealed that [[spoiler:Livia Cassianus]] is the [[spoiler:grand-daughter]] of the late Emperor Sergius Corvius (the child of his dead first son Faustus) and his chosen heir to the Obsidian Perch. While Sergius's first daughter Adrise has no desire to be Empress, his second son Gratian is plotting to usurp power, his father's wishes be damned.
112* VestigialEmpire: At the beginning of the first game, Estellion is the largest and most powerful nation in Eclisse, having been steadily expanding for centuries, and with corruption being kept in check by the meritocratic nature of the Empire. By the second game, Tellion territory has drastically shrunk as a result of the Kaysani invasion and the local peoples' desire to be free of the Imperial rule. The Imperial Mark is a shadow of its former self, and very little is left of meritocracy in Estellion with the Scarlet Empress hell-bent on destroying her enemies no matter the cost. The Twin Cities, the cultural and economic core of the Empire, have seceded. Estellion is now engaged in a never-ending stalemate with Esotre and the Varishah Federation.
113* WeAreStrugglingTogether: The Redeemers and the Inquisitors don't like one another, but they do worship the same god and have the same overall goal, even if their methods differ (the Redeemers rely largely on their swarms of Cardani elves, while the Inquisitors are smaller in number but are better equipped and trained, using only humans).
114* WeHaveReserves: The Cardani fight this way. While everyone else uses small units called Daggers that can be put into larger formations called Deuces and Trines for bonuses, the Cardani use large Swarms that rush enemies with little regard for tactics. On the other hand, this means that the Cardani can't be flanked, since that requires a unit to be in formation.
115* YouDontWantToCatchThis: Rook Vitani's leprosy is treated this way. After catching it, he was forced to take a step back from commanding battles on the front lines, since his skin scared his own men, not to mention the physical frailty that comes with the disease. He's still a good tactician, but now he's forced to delegate actual battlefield command to his legates.
116* YourHeadAsplode: Heliodore de Moreno does this to an unfortunate Sotran soldier, after torturing him for information on how to use Sotran phylacteries to teleport.

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