Ooh boy, this round of questions is interesting to me... Because I kind of already worked into my lore that my clan's militairy is a force to be reckoned with, so I'm really going to enjoy fleshing that out a little more. The clan is supposed to be kind, but their kindness definitely doesn't mean weakness. I mean, there's a
reason nobody really tries to take advantage of that kindness over in the Scarred Wasteland... They're not one to attack first, though: apart from their long-standing wars with several Beastclans, they're usually a pretty peaceful bunch. It's just that you'd just do well not to anger them...
What's the weaponry in your clan like? Do your dragons use swords and other close-range weapons, go long-range with bows and arrows, prefer big and bulky things like maces? Is a particular weapon common (ex. a group of guards all using the same kind of spear) or does each individual have their own specialty?
Many melee fighters in the clan use swords, but when it comes to bladed weapons: machetes, hunting knives and other blades used for survival are also popular choices. It's not uncommon for a melee fighter to carry two weapons: they always keep one handy in case they are disarmed in battle. They are often found both at the outer edges of a battle formation, and in equal numbers on all sides. This allows the clan to anticipate Beastclan attacks from the back of the formation, and also react accordingly to pincer attacks. These melee soldiers act as a shield for the more vulnerable magic users and warriors using ranged weapons: the middle of the formation can unleash death from above, while the melee fighters hold the line.
Town guards in the clan's lair often do prefer spears for some reason... Tolkienesque fantasy rules, I guess?
Moving on to the clan's ranged warriors, in a sort of 'second ring' in the battle formation: bows are common, with a rare experimental hand cannon being wielded as well (the clan's engineers are experimenting with one that can fire more then 3 shots). While trained ranged warriors make up a number of these,there ae often hunters who tag along for the clan's deployments as well. If a hunter was deemed skilled enough for the battlefield, they are allowed to follow a regiment into battle. As the clan's hunters have prior experience with non-sentient Beastclans, it's not uncommon for one to tag along. The ranged warriors are often found in the middle of formations, and are the last line of defense between the enemy and the magic users should the melee-wielding front of the formation fall.
The clan also has scouts, to estimate Beastclan threats inn a certain area, and keep tabs on Beastclans who may become a threat later down the line. These are often lightly armored melee warriors, with ranged weapons as a secondary weapon. They are meant to gather information, and flee quickly if discovered. All of these scouts write down their observations during their task, and keep the scroll in a case on their person. This way, it would be neccesary for the Beastclan to wipe out the entire regiment to keep the information from the clan, which they hardly ever manage.
Does your clan scavenge weapons from defeated foes, buy/trade for them, and/or make their own? What's the quality like, are they just good enough to get the job done or is there skilled craftsmanship and artistry involved?
The clan forges most of their weapons themselves: I have a lair blacksmith planned, so the clan is mostly self-sufficient when it comes to weapons.
Most clan weapons are forged using Fungalhoof Qiriq Horn on the outside of a blade or on a spear. You might remember from the item description from the Game Database that those, when hollowed out, enhance the effects of poisons: my clan is very knowledgeable on those, as antodites are also one of their biggest exports. They know full well what kind of effect which poison will have.
On swords, spears, daggers and a lot of other bladed weapons, the clan's warriors often pour Mirage Puffer Venom (Meant to disorient the enemy: the poison is a halluciogenic) or the toxins harvested off Oozing Tusks (a more lethal venom) on their weapons. If the soldier won't kill you, then the poison on their weapon will.
The clan isn't above buying weapons, though: passing merchants, trade agereements with allied clans, etc. are sources of weapons from outside of the clan. For example: it's not uncommon to see a sword from the Southern Icefield being sold in the lair's weapon shop. It's probably darned expensive because of import costs, but don't be surprised to see foreign weapons on its shelves. As long as a weapon can slay a Beastclan, then Clan Scribbles doesn't really care where it's from. I mean, if they're willing to accept dragons from outside of the Scarred Wasteland into their ranks, then I don't think a foreign weapon will be a big deal to them.
How prevalent is magic? Are weapons imbued with any magical effects? Major or minor?
I headcanon magic in Sornieth as an inherent talent, since some breeds start off with Scratch and Shred coliseum skillsets, and others with Meditate and Contuse skillsets. Magic is a rare talent in the clan: while every dragon is free to choose their own path, a budding mage is often encouraged to nurture their talent by the more intellectuallly-inclined dragons like researchers, scientists, etc. in their surroundings. Magical talent is one thing, but practice makes perfect on that one.
In terms of weapons, mages often use wooden staves, a crystal ball, or jewels made with gemstones as focuses to channel their magical energies through: the focus amplifies their innate talent into something useable. However, these weapons themselves aren't magical: they are merely a conduit for the energy the mage is channelling through it. More martially-minded mages will also master the use of maces, morningstars, and other crushing weapons. These mages will keep a magical focus they can hold in one hand as a secondary weapon.
Mages do often enchant their robes to be able to take more of a beating then your average robes, though: due to a side effect of many enchantments, they make sure that a Beastclan's claws won't just rip through them on the first strike. Common enchantments on robes are ap mplifying a mage's spells, whether for offense, defense, or healing.
Magical weapons are rare, and are reserved for either high-ranking soldiers, or soldiers who have preformed particularly heroic feats.
Several NotN familiars are weapon mimics. Is this something your clan has to worry about?
Not really, as I headcanon that those give off a soft magical energy, even when disguised. The clan's mages can pick up on this energy. And one of them often comes along with deployed warriors, both for regular checks of the weapon storages and to partake in battle. A weapon mimic would be quickly caught, and the band of warriors woulds make short work of it. The clan's normal weapons usually don't give off magical energy, as they're not commonly enchanted. Snd mages have described that the clan's enchanted weapons 'give off a different energy'. Nice try, mimics, but no cigar.
How important/common is armor? What about shields? As with weapons, is there any special quality (or lack thereof) in their make?
Most footsoldiers do wear metal armor to a degree, but a complete set of that is uncommon in their ranks. A full set of plate armor uses up a lot of ore to make: The clan mines its ore from the Perched Canyonwalks in Dragonhome, which requires miners to cross the border between that and the Scarred Wasteland for the trip. These mining expeditions would be facing Beastclans along the way, and thus they need bodyguards. To outfit basic soldiers with a full set of armor would be too costly in non-monetary ways for the clan. Therefore, most footsoldiers make up for the deficiencies in their armor with bone breastplates, greaves,etc.
Mages don't really wear armor, and opt instead for their enchanted robes to maximize the effects of their spells. It serves as an equivalent to leather armor in most fantasy games: it's better then regular fabric, and it can save the mage's life in battle. But it won't deflect damage as well as a full set of plate armor: mages have spells they can cast to migitate most of the damage directed at their person, and they will often cast these right before entering the battlefield.
Higher-ranked soldiers with melee weapons wear a full set of plate, though: many dragons calling the shots like sergeants and generals are more often seen in a fuller set of plate. They often keep their helmets off when in the lair, to stay more recognizable to your average dragon. But they do carry eheir helmet on their belts, to be able to quickly put them on in the event of an attack.
How common are warriors in your clan? Is combat/defense a large focus, or are clan efforts focused elsewhere? Is there a specific group that handles combat/related activities?
The clan does have an army. They are responsible for the defense of the lair, and the clan's comunal hoard. The army also carries out offensive missions to wipe out the Beastclans wherever they may bully smaller clans, who are having trouble standing up to larger numbers of the enemy. Clan Scribbles doesn't take kindly to those who prey on weaker targets then them. And they tend to teach those Beastclans the 'pick on someone your own size!' lesson pretty harshly...
And I guess the town guards are technically part of it?
What's combat training like? How long does it last? What about effectiveness, are trainees taught well or do instructors employ questionable methods? Does your clan train their own warriors, or are they hired/otherwise pulled in from other areas (ex. mercenaries)?
While the clan allows each dragon to choose their own path in life, their army does not often struggle on the recruitment area: many new recruits seek glory against the Beastclans, eager to serve the Plaguebringer by proving to be stronger then the Beastclans who would bully innocent dragons. The clan does hire mercenaries on occasion, but some of those mercenaries decide to choose to join the clan's army permanently.
The training can be quite gruelling for new recruits, but they are warned for this: dragons who can't handle the sight of gore are not to apply. However, those who finish it come out of training as one of the biggest non-environmental threats in the Abiding Boneyard.
Training drills are done until a dragon has reached the highest level of physical fitness they can attain. They are taught to make every strike a killing blow, and that showing mercy on a Beastclan that hasn't yielded means death: either later on, or when you turn your back to walk away. With attacking Serthis being a fairly regular event, the clan has adopted a bit of a ghoulish way of target practice: captured Serthis who didn't choose to be Familiars (servants of a dragon as I headcanon them as sentient enough to communicate with dragons) are gagged and beat unconscious so they can be used as training dummies. This is to introduce recruits to both the sights of war, and to teach them where to aim their strikes for maximum effects. It also serves as a means of execution for the Beastclans: When it comes to Clan Scribbles, a sentient captured Beastclan has two choices. Allyship or death. This method is one of the means of execution the clan uses.
However, if a recruit has survived the first training round, then dexterity training will feel like a bit of a break by comparison. It starts off with an obstacle course, consisting of elements of terrain which are actually gathered from the nearby Abiding boneyard: logs, stones, etc. This is to mimic terrain that the soldier will probably have to navigate. On the first run, there is no time limit yet, but there is a bit of shame in finishing the course in one of the last positions on the platoon. It's more of an obstacle course race with a bit of friendly ribbing between recruits.
However, that recruit had better not relax quite yet! The second run IS timed: in the event of most of a platoon being wiped out, a soldier of Clan Scribbles must be able to get away from the enemy in time. However, the most gruelling part of this training also involves captured Beastclans: these are also quite badle beaten, but these Beastclans can still walk to a degree, and even give chase to some extent. Nothing that would kill a recruit, but a recruit is expected to finish the course with the Beastclan on their heels. The number of Beastclans is equal to the numbers of recruits, to truly mimic a combat situation where they need to escape. Once the recruits finish the course, the Beastclans are slaughtered by nearby soldiers, who were deemed capable enough to do so.
Should a recruit finish both of these training sucessfully, they are allowed rest to recover from both. The clan does acknowledge how gruelling the training can be up to this point, and how far this can break a dragon's resolve. This period of rest also serves as a bonding activity for recruits, to build up a sort of brotherhood style bond. This is so they are less likely to leave a man behind on the battlefield: once you get to know someone, it becomes harder to turn your back on them. Amongst soldiers, sparring is common to keep eachother in shape. It should be mentioned that there are no penalties for failing the tests beyond the 'training dummies' that do not involve Beastclans: it will be marked on a preformance sheet, but a dragon has nothing to worry about if they pass the tsts which do involve those, as the tests involving Beastclan prisoners are designed to more closely mimic real battle scenarios. The tests beforehand are more ofm a means to ease the soldiers into the mindset of the tasks, before unleashing the more realistic scenario on the recruits.
After the period of rest, there is only one test left to pass before a recruit finishes their training, and thus are welcomed into the army. The dragon is now considered ready for their first foray into battle: they are to join some more experienced soldiers when doing guard work for gathering parties (scavengers, miners, etc.). They will face Beastclans on the way, and this is a recruit's first real encounter. If they return from this, they are considered a footsoldier. They will be invited to pick up a basic armor set for this rank, the type of weapon they preformed best with during their first test, a set of field rations, and a basic writing set for letters to send home. This is considered standard equipment for the clan's soldiers.
If a dragon either fails most of the tests or most of the tests involving Beastclans, then they are assigned to the town guard, as they did show sdome apititude for battle. The town guard really just serves to keep Beastclans who slip past the lair defenses at bay long enough for civilians to be evacuated. These Beastclans will run into the personal guards of the dragons who run the lair, so even if they do manage to break through several layers of defense? Then still, by no means will they have the chance to do any real harm to the clan.
If your clan does train their warriors, is a specific individual or a group in charge of overseeing it? Or is training handled by whoever volunteers/has free time?
The clan does have drill sergeants, who oversee most of the tests. There are also soldiers present who hve passed the training before, but haven't finished it recently. This is so those who have seen war first-hand can pass down their knowledge of battle to the newbies.
Is there a cohesive combat style, or does each dragon do their own thing? Are there any tricks or techniques unique to your clan's fighters?
The clan does have cohesive techniques, which mainly involve aiming for vital areas, and taking advantage of disbalancing blows to open these areas up for attack. The common usage of poison in battle is quite unique to Clan Scribbles, as most clans in the Scarred Wastelands are more likely to either carry diseases Beastclans would die from into battle themselves, or vials of these diseases. Clan Scribbles, however, does not want to see unnuccesary deaths in their army's ranks. They prefer to avoid losing men wherever they can, as it takes more effort to train up a new dragon should they lose a soldier of a higher rank. Tjhey'd rather keep that existing dragon's knowledge of battle for as long as they can.
The techniques of the clan's warriors is somewhat unorthodox for their location, but has allowed them longer lasting power on the battlefield: they are one of the few Plague clans who take specially trained healers and battle medics onto the battlefield. This has allowed their soldiers to live to fight another day: Clan Scribbles does not believe in a 'valiant death in disease', and instead believes a death of disease to be 'the Plaguebringer calling [the sick dragon] to their side'. A death on the battlefield is considered a glorious one, but returning from battle with stories is considered an even greater glory. The clan sees the latter as a proof of great strength, as not even an organized group of Beastclans could defeat the warriors.
What about strategy? Do warriors approach combat with solid tactics in mind or do they take the "hit it until it dies" route to debatable effect?
Solid tactics, for sure: they plan battle formations ahead of time, and send scouts ahead to estimate how many men to send to the front: the clan often tries to either double the number of Beastclans at the very least. They'll triple it if they truly have a reason to wipe the Beastclans in question from the general area of a smaller and more vulnerable lair. 'Strength in numbers' is truly the best way to describe my clan's philosophy.
What traditions or customs are there, if any? (Regarding training, weapon-/armor-making, combat itself, etc.)
Every soldier is supposed to forge a small dagger themselves, which serves more as a good luck charm then a functional weapon most of the time. Blacksmiths in the clan are the true craftsmen of weapons, and these homemade daggers are often not much use in battle. These daggers are often left behind with a soldier's pack: if they fall in battle, these daggers are respectfully offered to their families as a sign that their loved one has fallen in battle. The family then keeps it as a memento to the deceased dragon, and a funeral is held (even if no body is found on the battlefield, this is done so the family can have closure). If the soldier survives, they arrive to bring it home themselves, and it is kept as a memento of the deployment. In militairy families, it is also often used as a family heirloom.
There we go, all questions answered! Also, sorry for the long post: It was a blast to write, though. I like to paint my clan as kind, but absolute mad dogs if you manage to anger them. It takes a good while to do so, and the payoff is particularly cruel. If you'd like to see how far I've come with my clan lore up until now,
here it is. Thanks for reading, and see you all for the next round of lore whining.