Ellisian Military Ranks

The symbols of the 10 Ellisian military castes. With each the amount of authority and prestige rises exponentially, meaning a promotion is a very serious event. The list goes as follows:

Neophyte- A recruit freshly promoted from an Acolyte in training. These have yet to gain any real combat experience, and do not hold authority over any other rank, but are skilled and eager for battle.

Hayal- One of the regulars in the warrior caste, with at least one significant victory under their belts. Since their environment is so hazardous, gaining even one successful deployment is laudable.

Ahd Hayal- Those who not only survive their first encounters with the enemy, but prove they can do it repeatedly gain another boost in prestige, but not necessarily authority. But at least to the lower echelons this relatively small jump is highly pivotal in proving oneself.

Hayal Gadol- Veteran warriors who have proven great proficiency in the field and have demonstrated valor on many occasions. Not yet ready to command their peers, but already lead by example.

Hazzan- These 'choirmasters' are comparable to staff sergeants and have the clout to command combat teams of 24 men apiece. They are the most common officer, as the two-dozen man unit is an integral component of all Ellisian troop movements.

Ahd Hazzan- With command of 2 teams, these are the authority employed to coordinate pincer movements or the oversight of an entire defensive outpost. A mere call or flick of their wrist can instigate a withering barrage of explosive shells and rifle grenades.

Hazzan Gadol- The highest ranked of the regular officers, the high-choirmasters are sent to manage whole expeditionary forces or the management of an entire section of the border defense. Their nickname comes from their habit of singing aloud even in the midst of battle, prompting a whole battalion to respond with both their bullets and their voices.

Exilarch, 2nd Cadre- The exilarch ranks are the stages of superior officers that contain high enough authority to even be summoned to council the village's elders. Their units, or cadres, are not set in a given number of troops but instead simply a fraction of all available troops. A second cadre exilarch can at any time summon up to a third of all available warriors in a given campaign.

Exilarch, 1st Cadre- The particularly rare 1st cadre exilarchs are such proficient officers that they are deemed worthy to command as much as half of the entire Ellisian warrior caste at a whim. These officers are easily comparable to generals and are considered to be the best of the best.

Patriarch/Matriarch- Quite simply the most highly regarded position in the Ellisian hierarchy, aside from being Lord Ellis himself. There is only one Patriarch or Matriarch in office at any given time, and he or she (there have been notable examples of women taking this role) is given total command over the whole Ellisian military. When Lord Ellis declares war on a nation or race, the Patriarch/Matriarch makes all the decisions and plans from there.