Warlords are a social class in Ferozen society which have historically fulfilled a number of roles as military and civic leaders, though they stand out more in the former. They can be considered the classical form of Ferozen nobility. Higher status warlords were typically feudal landowners, tribal chiefs and generals. Lower status warlords were typically highly skilled soldiers, either part of a superior's retinue or acting as proto-officers. Amongst other things, warlords have always distinguished themselves for their great size and physical strength, a sort of pre-requisite in a society where many disputes are resolved by armed duels. Ferozen armies could range from a few hundred tribesmen or so to tens of thousands of soldiers, with many lesser warlords in their service as elite troops. Dark age warlords, by the time of the Ferozen Invasion, remained culturally primitive and their social role was not firmly established yet, but they did possess tactical cunning and a very strong ironworking culture. It remains common for a warlord to forge their own weapons and armour, created in accordance with the capabilities and subtleties of their own physical bodies, though guided by one or more professional craftsmen. The first warlords carried weapons typical of antiquity Tasmania; iron spears, swords and axes. For long range attacks, simple javelins were also made. Armour made of leather was the most common, though pieces of iron were sometimes fastened to them. Foreign influences helped these men develop culturally, leading to Ferozen Warlords in the Dark Ages.
