From the very beginning of Slothjemia’s history, there was a fascination with developing a powerful, “modern” military. In order to defend the realm, and when necessary, expand its’ borders, there was a need for not only a well-trained and equipped army, but a way of keeping it organized and on track. Previous rulers had their hands full with everything else that running a nation entails, so it was only natural for there to be a need for a capable bureaucrat that understood the thinking of a warrior.

Enter in the Lord High Marshal. This person always gains their job by advancing through the ranks in either the army or the navy. They must have served at a general or admiral’s rank in order to be considered for the job. In addition to running the everyday affairs of both branches of the service, they oversee the operations of the offices of the Inspector General and the Quartermaster General. However, those that are elevated to the rank of Governor-General do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Lord High Marshal. There might be instances in which a Governor-General may be given temporary command over forces under the purvey of the Lord High Marshal, but in these occasions the Lord High Marshal will maintain said forces, but will not have any authority over them.

There are many rules that dictate how the Lord High Marshal may deploy the formidable military assets at their disposal. Chief among these is that no army or fleet can be sent into battle, or even ordered to leave their garrisons or patrols without royal permission. A decree of war, however, suspends such measures, allowing the Lord High Marshal a free hand to move forces about in such a way to allow the realm to be protected as well as advance their cause against an enemy. One notable exception to the “no deployment without permission” rule are the Imperial spelljammers of the Slothjemian Navy and their crews. The novelty of this kind of martial ability is constantly evolving, and while not the strongest element of the military, it has the most flexibility. Virtually every other member of the Royal Bureaucratic Council has had some reason to request assistance from the spelljamming portion of the navy. Most recently, the Office of Exterior Investigations has asked the Lord High Marshal to help them catch a fugitive that had fled well beyond the borders of Slothjemia. One can only imagine how formidable this person must be, that even the most experienced of Slothjemia’s spies have to have the additional expertise of the spelljamming marines to bring their quarry to justice.

Within the Office of the Military are four smaller departments to keep things running smoothly; the Office of the Army, the Office of the Navy, the Office of the Quartermaster General, and the Office of the Inspector General. While not themselves represented in the Bureaucratic Council directly it would be erroneous to think they were not important enough to have the ear of the Queen or the Herzgraf if they needed to seek an audience indirectly.