Archenriders

The Archenriders, also known as the Ridesmen, were the standing military of Archendale, the largest and most powerful of the Dales. It comprised 600 mounted riders, who enforced the domestic defense of the Dale from the aged keep Swordpoint, within Archenbridge.

Organization
The Archenriders were led by the Red Sword, one of the three Swords of Archendale. The 600 soldiers were broken down into 10 "rides", with 60 Ridesmen each. Three rides were stationed at Swordpoint, one at White Ford, and another patrolled Archendale, further broken down into 10-man detachments, led by "Ride Captains". The remaining five rides were inactive, and rotated in and out of duty every two months.

Ridesmen preferred to engage in mounted combat, but due to the rough terrain of the dale, they were often forced to fight on foot.

History
The Archenriders were formed, and Swordpoint refurbished, after Archendale's battle with Sessrendale when the Swords realized they needed a stronger, regularly maintained army.

Equipment
The Ridesmen were typically equipped with chainmail, lances, longswords, and composite bows.