Igni Irae
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on an ongoing rp story.
Image Credit: Here.
Permissions: Can use Firemane stuff because I own the company. Blanket permission for anything made by Val here.
Links: Into Darkness, After Darkness, Elpsis, Shazora Jai Vahal, Dominion of Light, Communion, Phoebe, Firemane Industries, House Kerrigan, Rhea, Mara Technician, The Unchained, Arkas, Liberty, Fellowship of Tygara, Vashyada, Xioquo, Qadiri, Tylania, The Dark Heart, Tephrike, Unchained, Partuz, Yazgid, Horned Ghoush, Greater Emerald Spine Tree, Wildfire, It's time for Firemane to end, The Die is Cast, Initiation of the Phoenix Daughter, The Embers Gather (Journal of the Fire Princess), Iconoclasm, Shadow Knights.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Army Name: The official name is the Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army. It is also called the Army of the Rising Phoenix.
Classification: Insurgent Army, National Liberation Army.
Affiliation: Elpsis Kerrigan, Arkas, Tygara, Unchained, Zaldrani, Daughters of the Destroyer.
Army Symbol:
A banner with a burning phoenix and a red star emblazoned upon a field of midnight black. The phoenix is a symbol of liberation and victory that is common among many of the Asuran people. For instance, the Eldorai Star Queen bears the Phoenix Crown. Coincidentally, it is also the heraldic symbol of the 'Karishzar' and her 'Heir'. In the view of the Daughters, the phoenix was corrupted, but but it has been reborn in the searing flames and now soars forth into the burning sky to free the enchained and destroy the enchainers.
Among the Xioquo people, the blood star is the all-seeing presence that looks upon their ventures. In the old days, the Xioquo marched under its gaze to raid and destroy and measured their victory against it. Today they shall do so for freedom, and their enemies are meant to tremble before the gaze of the red star. To the Qadiri, the red star is the Goddess Azali's eye. When it stands upon the horizon, her fire has been lit in the sky. Meanwhile, the Vashyada view it as a sign that great change is about to be wrought upon the world. Black was chosen because it represents the heroic death to seize victory that the bravest soldiers aspire to, as well as their rebirth. For the Tephriki Unchained, black is also the colour of freedom.
Description:
"If you advance, I shall follow you. If you yield, I shall kill you. If you die, I shall avenge you."
- Karrigan'Xalda to Elpsis Kerrigan
"We don't want much, ma'am. I've never been into the great darkness in the stars, I don't want the big machines the sky people have. I just want to be treated fairly, not as a slave anymore. At first it was good there, I earned money and was treated with respect. But then it got worse, and by the end it felt like the Mistresses had come back with a different face. Some might be willing to endure that again, but many will not. I will not. I have tasted freedom, and I will not be a slave again."
- Sergeant Zarrol'Narsh to Elpsis Kerrigan
"If I lead well, use this dagger for me. And if I lead badly, if I follow in the footsteps of the mistresses, old and new, use it against me. Then let everyone know why it had to be done. No one's above the law, no one's above the common good, no one's above the people's will. Understood?"
- Elpsis Kerrigan to Sergeant Zarrol'Narsh
The Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army, more commonly known as the Army of the Rising Phoenix, is a highly militant, anti-colonial resistance force that seeks to overthrow Firemane and liberate Tygara and Arkas from the megacorp's tyrannical rule. It functions as the military wing of the Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Front, a coalition of disparate rebel groups operating on these worlds.
The insurgent army has a decentralised command structure. Not so much for secrecy, but because it is spread out and engaged in different misisons in different locations. As such field commanders enjoy considerable autonomy. This has enhanced tactical flexibility, but can come at the cost of coordination. As such at least at this stage the army is comprised of autonomous forces cohering around individual warlords and cliques. Certain factions such as the Sistren of the Eternal Flame have contributed forces, but retain a high degree of latitude.
On the other hand one has Sepoys and the Daughters of the Destroyer, who have personal allegiance to Elpsis Kerrigan. In effect, it is a retinue of retinues, if you would. A reciprocal system of personal allegiances is crucial for the way the army works. The TALA'' structure is hierarchical, but units are given a high amount of autonomy and expected to take great personal initiative. When delegating a plan downwards commanders are given the desired end state, actions to be avoided, which objectives determine success, and which ones are optional but desired. However, the wide latitude given to commanders has also been conducive to carrying out sentient rights violations under the guise of punishing collaborators and enemy spies.
The rebel army is built on a synergy between a small cadre of elite troops using advanced weaponry and technology, and more low-tech militias and rebellious colonial troops. On the one hand there are the Kar'zun Granite Guard and the Qadiri Cataphracts of the Ascendant Phoenix, who are very small in number and utilise powerful power armour and subterranean tunnellers, on the other there are far more basic militias clad in glorified flak vests and basic helmets. Moreover, much of the army's ground-based supply train is reliant on wagons drawn by beasts of burden.
Couriers may well deliver coded messages riding bicycles, Partuz or Yazgid lizard mounts. Ghoush and Yazgid are frequently used for transport, especially in the desert where vehicles break down due to lack of fuel. Basic speeders work well for the rebels in almost all the terrains, but so do old fashioned wheeled and tracked vehicles too. These are to maintain and make even on Tygara. The army makes use of remote-controlled drones adapted from Tephriki partisans, as these are both lethal and easy to build and maintain. Mortars, portable anti-tank systems, portable surface-to-air missiles, and bolters are also important parts of their arsenal. These weapons are acquired via raids, black market deals or manufactured in industrial workshops. Broadly speaking, the army employs a combination of smuggled 'off-the-shelf' or stolen weaponry, as well as a large collection of home-grown weapons often made with more easily accessible civilian materials. Aerospace units are sparse but present enough to matter, and aircraft are employed for tactical airlift and ground attack, and small gliders are utilised to insert commandos.
The army suffers from shortages of heavy artillery, main battle tanks and artillery ammunition. Explosive shell weapons are easier for the rebels to make and store, and so they prefer them to turbolasers and blaster cannons. However, the explosive shell munitions are less accurate and can lead to ammunition problems. When faced with armoured columns, rebel infantry will often have to make use of rugged terrain, land mines, shoulder-fired missiles, satchel charges and even improvised weapons such as petrol bombs. An outside observer said that the Army of the Rising Phoenix is all manpower, and no metal. While an exaggeration, there is something to it. Many of their soldiers are former Sepoys - native auxiliaries recruited by Firemane, who rebelled due to poor treatment by their 'galaxy' officers. The Army of the Rising Phoenix has adopted the concept of an enduring people's war, aiming to win the support of the local population, and at the same time bleed Firemane dry.
The army has become notorious for the summary, extrajudicial execution of Firemane executives, officials and 'galaxy' and Eldorai Firemane soldiers, though it is a lot more lenient with native soldiers who have been taken captive. It has also kidnapped wealthy 'galaxy' tourists and family members of Firemane officials to hold them for ransom. Ransom kidnappings, the looting and pillaging of villas owned by foreign businesspeople, exploitative landowners and alleged collaborators as well as extortion of foreign corporations are key sources of revenue, as are donations from wealthy Tygaran supporters and Elpsis Kerrigan's personal fortune. However, the importance of kidnappings for funding is dwarfed by their psychological impact. Wars are expensive, which is why corporations are reluctant to fight them. The fear and terror generated by such attacks destabilises Firemane, and diminishes its profits. After all, many of the 'galaxy' employees and clients have the ability to move to greener pastures, which they will do if the cost of doing business in Firemane's sphere or working for the megacorp far outweighs the benefits.
The rebellion has strong religious overtones. This is far from universal, but certain units are defined by a high degree of religious zealotry. For them, the war is a holy crusade. Soldiers killed in action while performing feats of bravery are treated as martyrs who have performed an honourable sacrifice. Thus heroic martyrdom is glorified. Priestesses from various faiths serve as chaplains, with some of them even accompanying the troops into battle and fighting alongside them. However, this also necessitates a delicate balancing act, as the TALA includes of different species and religions. Indeed, more than a few of them have a history of past strife, such as Xioquo and Qadiri. The Daughters of the Destroyer and the Cataphracts are especially zealous. However, they don't represent the entire TALA, though this hasn't stopped Firemane's propaganda apparatus from trying to depict it as a fanatical cult of personality.
The rebel army maintains a propaganda unit called the Visions of the Phoenix. These men and women form camera teams that shoot the rebels' propaganda videos. To that end Visions actively join combat operations to record images of battle. The death rate among the Visions' camera crews is high, but their dedication pays off. It is also popular to film alleged 'collaborators', mistresses and foreign exploiters being taken prisoner, humiliated and forced to humble themselves. Here it is pertinent to note that Tygarans are unused to movie magic. Firemane took advantage of this to dazzle and overawe them. Now the rebels are using the same methods to reclaim control of the narrative, and combat the feeling of inferiority the foreign colonialists have sought to impose on the natives to keep them in bondage. The army's propaganda arm has its own singers, song writers and news presenters. Hacktivists connected to the Unchained provide the fledgling rebel army with a degree of information warfare capabilities.
Elpsis Kerrigan is recognised as the army's leader. However, her power is not that of an unfettered dictator. She holds command on account of her name, role as the primary financial backer, martial strength and unquestioned bravery. In short, it has much to do with political considerations, which is ironic given the sort of person she is. Moreover, she blew the whistle on Firemane's forced labour camps. She must rely on a combination of respect, diplomacy, fear, and charisma to get her way though. Her style is that of the warrior-leader general who inspires soldiers through conspicuous acts of bravery. This is especially appealing to Qadiri since it matches their cultural expectations, but leaves her reliant on good staff work. Zahbara Jai Ghazana, a Suquan Jazira (General) and former mamluk warlord, serves as her chief of staff. Most of the organisation is be at a local level, with the army being organised into 'fronts' that function as autonomous organisations.
But a top level hierarchy allocates personnel, weapons, vehicles, munitions, and rare materials, sets overarching strategic goals and coordinates the various fronts. It has been given the somewhat dramatic name All-Tygaran and Arkasian High Command (ATAHC). Access to superior, unified logistics, resources and intelligence is a carrot the ATAHC uses to incentivise the disparate components of the army to play by certain rules and coordinate better. The ATAHC also emphasises a medical angle, which stems from the massive amounts of industrial pollutants caused by Firemane economic 'development', and often appalling health services in the area of operations. There is, of course, also a stick. It includes drumhead court-martials, demotions, lashings, and summary executions via hangings, beheadings or firing squads. The punishments for desertion, cowardice or betrayal are draconian. A Central Committee for Military Manufacturing and Development is responsible for handling the large amounts of equipment captured from its enemies, manufacturing munitions, and modifying material like like drones and civilian vehicles for use as surveillance assets, improvised fighting vehicles or improvised aerial explosive delivery platforms.
Many of Elpsis' Qadiri and Xioquo 'siblings', known respectively as the Saobanas and Karrigans, have joined the cause. They obviously share no blood ties with her, but have taken Siobhan's name. Most are former slaves or ex-mamluks. This gives Elpsis a potent constituency that she can use to leverage her influence, but she cannot count on blind obedience. Rather it is a reciprocal relationship based on personal allegiance.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Headquarters: The Phoenix' Perch, a base located in the mountains to the west of Suqua, Tygara.
Goals: The liberation of Tygara and Arkas, and the total destruction of Firemane Industries.
Reputation: Firemane has designated the Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army as a terrorist organisation. Several other foreign corporations, whose operations and personnel have been targeted by the army, have followed suit. Firemane has placed a considerable bounty on the rebel army's leaders. Possession or distribution of rebel propaganda is considered a crime in Firemane company towns, arkstations and protectorates. Alleged rebel sympathisers may be arrested and detained without trial, as well as subjected to torture.
However, the rebel forces have also faced criticism from sentient rights groups for hostage-taking, extrajudicial killings, pillaging, enforced disappearances and use of land mines. As is typical for partisans, rebel operatives and soldiers often dress in civilian clothes to get close to a target and stage attacks, then fade away amongst the civilian population, who then become subject to Firemane reprisals. Moreover, the army has been accused of xenophobia and of carrying out collective punishments against foreigners on Tygara and Arkas. The Shadow Knights are de facto co-belligerents of the Liberation Army, but are not allied with it. The official stance of the Shadow Knights is that since the Army is led by the daughter of the great tyrant Siobhan Kerrigan, who was also a long-time Firemane collaborator, it cannot be seen as a friend of the Asuran people.
Rebel soldiers are exhorted to treat the Tygaran and Arkasian civilian population and their local customs with respect, and not to steal. In rural areas, they help farmers plant or harvest crops, supply seeds, dig irritation ditches, build dams, dikes, ponds and houses. But they might also show their power by killing an unpopular local leader, or by ridding the area of a particularly wealthy and unpopular landowner or by terrorising a popular leader to discourage others from siding with a local ruler who collaborates with Firemane.
The Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army portrays itself as a national resistance force, defending Tygarans and Arkasians from outside aggression and exploitation, as champions against corruption, chaos, poverty, and oppression, and as representative for the interests of marginalised groups. Their populist propaganda is adept at exploiting the dissatisfaction of the downtrodden. Injuctions against the confiscation of peasant property are generally complied with, and violators usually punished. However, they also enforce their will with iron discipline, carry out conscriptions and have forcibly relocated civilian populations to strongholds controlled by them. According to their propaganda, it is the representative of the righteous and a foil to a corrupt oppressor. The rhetoric of liberation is sincere, but should not detract from the fact that the army has been guilty of atrocities such as terrorist bombings, extrajudicial executions of prisoners and alleged collaborators and forced requisitions.
The army is supported by the Daughters of the Destroyer, the Xioquo Queendom of Tlaxqui, the Sistren of the Eternal Flame, the Unchained, the Eldorai Forsaken of Arkas, several Kar'zun clans, certain Vashyada tribes, most of the Zaldrani, the Mirzate of Suqua and other minor Qadiri states. At the same time, the social populist and anti-elitist agenda pushed by parts of the army has been the cause of disquiet among elements of the Tygaran nobility and other members of the upper classes, some of whom have thrown in their lot with the rebellion. These are members of the native elites who may have, for a time, benefited from collaborating with Siobhan and profited from her rule, but have since grown alienated from the system.
COMPOSITION INFORMATION
Army Size: Medium
Composition: The TALA is split into several geographic, operational regions, whose military commands are referred to as 'fronts'. Main operational areas include, among others, the Suquan-Western Zhukathis Front, and the Farzi-Southern Ajustra Front. Individual field commanders enjoy considerable latitude, but answer to the All-Tygaran and Arkasian High Command (ATAHC), which sets overarching strategic goals and handles logistics. The TALA's structure is hierarchical, but cells are given an incredible amount of autonomy and expected to take great personal initiative due to their initial form as an insurgency.
The Suquan-Western Zhukathis Front is under the direct control of the ATAHC. Though offically each 'front' is composed of several 'brigades', the actual numbers vary wildly, and it must be kept in mind that a TALA 'brigade' will almost certainly be a good deal smaller than that of a conventional military that answers to a planetary government. Like many rebel armies, the TALA is a bit fond of giving its formations impressive names that make them look bigger than they actually are. There are also independent formations that are attached to some fronts, based on operational requirements.
The Army has sister branches called the Liberation Sea Fleet and the Liberation Aircorps. Both answer to the ATAHC. Both of these branches are smaller, and more specialised than the ground forces. While the water fleet is quite prominent since seas, rivers and oceans play a big role in transport, trade and warfare on both Tygara and Arkas, the Aircorps largely has a support role. The water fleet largely consists of fast attack craft, patrol boats, submarines and corvettes. Vessels are often in secluded workshops in the wilderness using off the shelf components, though they also make extensive use of captured materials.
Visions of the Phoenix: Rebel army units are accompanied by the Visions. Armed with video cameras and bravery, these men and women form camera teams that shoot the rebels' propaganda videos. To that end, the Visions actively join combat operations to record images of battle, enabling near-real-time broadcasting. The army integrates small-unit operations with its media teams by, for instance, attaching videographers to a unit conducting a raid on a tourist resort on Arkas. The death rate among the Visions' camera crews is high, but their dedication pays off. It is also popular to film alleged 'collaborators', mistresses and foreign exploiters being taken prisoner, humiliated and forced to humble themselves before those wronged by their actions.
Cataphracts of the Ascending Phoenix: A knightly order of Qadiri warriors who swore allegiance to Siobhan Kerrigan, whom they had come to regard as a daughter of the Goddess Kashara. It is pertinent to note that it is nothing new for Qadiri rulers to claim to have some form of semi-divine heritage. Regardless, it flattered her vanity to accept these fierce warriors as her feudal retainers, and simultaneously gave them access to advanced technology. The 'desert elves' have old martial traditions, and the Cataphracts recruit their members from the ranks of Qadiri knighthood. The path of the sword is a way for them to honour their ancestors, acquire glory, social capital and booty for themselves and their clans.
Guided by a combination of religious devotion, opportunism, bravery, and pragmatic calculation, the Cataphracts are loyal to their oath and their clans as well as gold and the Goddess. Siobhan was in their eyes one of the Goddess' daughters, but she was still only mortal. Now that their Lady has passed, they have added her to their other deceased patrons. Some have sought out a new Lady to follow, others have sworn fealty to Elpsis as their new liege lady. The Cataphracts are conscious of their value as high retainers, and expect to be rewarded in land, honour and a place in her war council. They are not averse to doing some looting on the side. Highly cohesive, equipped with heavy weapons and clad in power armour, they are a potent force on the battlefield, though limited by their low numbers.
Granite Guard: In the old days anyone who visited the Presidium of the Arx Aeternae or the palatial villa of House Kerrigan would inevitably come across members of the Granite Guard. However, Siobhan is in coma and possibly dead, and the venal, narcissistic Tegaea is unworthy of their services. Thus these stoic, vigilant sentinels have thrown in their lot with the rebellion. They fight not only for themselves, but for a homeland for their people, free from the dominion of Eldorai and humans.
Tall, strong, made of stone and clad in heavy power armour, these Kar'zun soldiers an imposing sight. They fight as a crack force of heavy, mechanised infantry and tunnellers. These stone warriors are deployed in small numbers. Their strength and resilience is augmented through the use of Power Armour.
The Granite Guard excel at breaching enemy strong-points, making them ideal for trench warfare, close-quarter urban combat and assaults on fortifications.
They provided with the rebels with a powerful, subterranean tank that proved crucial in the destruction of Fort Kerrigan's command centre. The Guard recruits its members from among various autonomous Kar'zun clans on Tygara and beyond. Granite Guards who have been wounded in action or are too old for combat service also aid the rebels as engineers, instructors, and weapons' smiths.
Bloodmaw Ghazis: A unit of Suquan Yazgid cavalry. Yazgids are ferocious, lizard predators and have been the traditional war mounts of Qadiri knights. However, warfare has evolved since then. Mass cavalry charges against entrenched soldiers with blaster weapons are suicidal. However, traditional Yazgid cavalry still has a role to play on the battlefield. They are good in drylands, good raiders and scouts and excellent against isolated outposts such as blockhouses. Mounted troops can penetrate areas that are difficult for vehicles or infantry to access and provide accurate intelligence assessments. Moreover, they do not consume precious fuel and can live off the land. The Ghazis are armed with traditional melee weapons, but also rifles, machine guns, and repeating blasters.
These units can also play a key role after a breakthrough has been achieved by catching up to and running down demoralised, retreating infantry or forcing them to surrender. Their speed can allow them to outrun retreating enemy infantry to take over transportation nexus such as crossroads, bridges and river crossings, which can then be fortified and defended. Flying columns of Bloodmaw Ghazis have become notorious for their daring strikes, raiding settlements, Firemane checkpoints and blockhouses. Attacks on weakly defended targets such as settlements and outposts also serve the goal of demoralising the enemy and destroying or stealing materials and supplies which could be utilised to aid them. It is said that they routinely feed the 'oppressors' to their lizard mounts.
Scrub Thorns: The nickname is derived from the Greater Emerald Spine Tree that is so widespread across Tygara and whose fruits form an essential part of the Qadiri diet. The reason is that they have a habit of taking cover under the trees and eat the fruit when operating in the hills. Moreover, they are a veritable thorn in the enemy's side. The 'Scrub Thorns' are a force of Qadiri light infantry who fight as irregulars and guerrilla partisans. They excel at skirmishing, sniping, scouting and ambushes. Most of these skilled soldiers are Suquans, and they are fighting on their home turf to liberate their homeland.
These women and men are the inheritors of a proud tradition of their motherland resisting daunting odds. For centuries, they resisted the predatory expansion of Amikaron and Krolis. Today, they fight the imperialist humans of Firemane and their native collaborators. Though the city of Suqua has fallen, their spirits are unbroken. A few of the Scrub Thorns are Force-Sensitive, with many of these specialising in precognitive and extrasensory abilities. On average, the Thorns are lightly equipped, donning light body armour, fatigues and glorified flak vests. However, this gives them mobility, and they are skilled at camouflage and avoiding detection without having to rely on the technological gadgets offworlders are so reliant on. Moreover, they have access to high powered slugthrowers, sniper rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, land mines, improvised explosive devices and modernised bows and arrows. The Scrubs are typically armed only with what they can carry, and employ hit-and-run tactics against lopsided Firemane advantages in armaments and technology
Karishzar's Chosen: A dramatic name for a force of Xioquo soldiers who used to serve as Firemane Sepoys and joined Elpsis Kerrigan when she landed at Fort Kerrigan to proclaim revolution. Together, they fought a fierce battle with loyalist Firemane troops, took and pillaged the base. Several of the soldiers remained in the Northlands to fight alongside the Zaldrani or returned to Tlaxqui to rally their kin against the corpo oppressors. But a strong core remained at her side, and continues to fight directly in her campaigns against Firemane and its collaborators. The name of the force is a reference to the title that was bestowed upon Siobhan Kerrigan for her campaigns against the Underealm. It means 'Destroyer' in Xio. Now the Chosen serve under the 'Heir of the Karishzar'.
Many of the Chosen used to be slave-soldiers of the Xioquo mistresses or otherwise have a low caste background. Several female and male Karrigans have joined their ranks. Equipped with stolen Firemane gear, the Chosen are primarily an infantry force with some light vehicles for transport and reconnaissance purposes. With their superior dark vision, they excel at nightly raids and fighting in dark tunnels and caves. Moreover, they are capable mountaineers and are a good force for ambushes and skirmishing. The Chosen also use roadside bombs to prevent outflanking maneuvers, particularly at night. They specialise in melee weapons as well as ranged, favouring vibroblades in close quarters. Some platoons have access to commercial drones that have been repurposed to drop small bombs on the enemy.
Brave Defenders of the Holy Battalions of Kashara: A dramatic name for a pro-rebel, religious, territorial defence militia composed of Qadiri. As a self-defence force, manpower for the Brave Fighters is recruited locally. The Brave Defenders serve on a part-time basis, and are organised in villages, wards and townships. Recruits get some salary, they get a rifle, they get a uniform, they get the idea of belonging, protection from a group. Originally they were formed at the instigation of local priestesses and clan leaders to defend their communities and guard religious shrines. Bonds of kinship are very important for recruitment, which is why their officers are often local clan leaders or other notables. This means the Defenders stand in line with neighbours and family members, typicallyy under the leadership of commanders who already occupy leadership roles in peacetime, such as priestesses, village chiefs and headwomen.
They may be called upon to perform civil defence duties, aid peasants, guard refugee camps and carry out general security tasks in their geographic area. One of their duties is keeping order by hunting down alleged collaborators and enemy spies. Discipline varies between individual units, and payment is irregular. This has given rise to accusations of banditry. While the militia has brave and honest members, others have joined it to settle old scores. They do not represent all Defenders, but there are criminal elements who wear the uniform to legitimise their activities. On average, the Brave Defenders are poorly equipped, but they are capable of impressive feats of bravery when properly led by officers with empathy and skill.
Heralds of the Destroyer: The Heralds are a force of militant Daughters of the Destroyer, a Xioquo cult that venerates the Karishzar, or Destroyer. This spirit was once identified by many with Siobhan Kerrigan, who overthrow the slavocratic ancien régime and slew Myrou, a primeval Xioquo whom the Xio consider to be their mother goddess. The Daughters of the Destroyer believe that by killing Mystra, the Karishzar proved herself to have been truly blessed by the spirits. Recently, there has been a move to separate Siobhan, the problematic mortal icon, from the Karishzar. Many view the Karishzar as a powerful spirit Siobhan entered a symbiotic bond with, but who severed her connection with the human when the latter strayed from the true path, seduced by the siren Tegaea Alcori. Regardless, the Heralds view themselves as the Karishzar's chosen warriors. All of these Xioquo warriors are Force-Sensitive females. Former slaves, lower caste members and individuals who were persecuted by the old order are preferred as members.
Their religious devotion makes them extremely zealous in combat. Their combat prowess is boosted by their elemental Force abilities, but their greatest strength is their discipline and coordination. Moreover, they are particularly skilled in night fighting. The Heralds served with distinction on many battlefields, including in the blood-soaked trenches and forests of Tephrike. However, when the Daughters denounced Firemane for its crimes against the Xioquo people, the Heralds followed suit. As they had been Siobhan's creatures, they were well-equipped for a native unit, though limited by low numbers. The Heralds have acknowledged Elpsis as a fellow Daughter and the Karishzar's Heir. To them, she is one of their battle sisters, though they do not view her as a mistress they will follow without question.
Tecpactli: A radical militant wing of the Daughters of the Destroyer, the Tecpatli are Xioquo assassins who strike at those they consider foes of the Karishzar. Fittingly, their name means knives or daggers in the Xio language. They operate in small groups that generally carry out their assignments independently, but can come together if need be. They rely on surprise, secrecy and cunning to complete their mission. Their philosophy views the death of one to prevent the death or suffering of many as necessary. They see themselves as cleansers. The Tecpatli offer no mercy to those they have judged to be evil, only execution, and the death may not be swift. With the aid of disguises, they can gather crucial information about the enemy.
Tecpatli are grouped in individual teams that can be as small as two or as large as twelve. When two teams work together, one may be responsible for executing the action, such as an assassination or abduction, while the other screens the strike team, procures safehouses, false IDs or getaway vehicles, keeps an eye on enemy movements and provides advanced warning, arranges diversions or sabotages enemy communications etc. The Tecpatli follow a principle of achieving maximum impact at minimal cost to the group or harm to uninvolved bystanders. They draw upon a long tradition of Xioquo assassin cults that stretches back to the dark reign of Myrou. Essentially, they are cult, concealing their identities with dark grey robes, hoods and ceremonial masks.
They are a secretive presence among their fellow Daughters. The assassins revere the spirits of fire, water, earth, sky, and darkness. Darkness has negative connotations in many cultures, but sunlight burns Xio, who dwell in a subterranean realm. To the Tecpatli, the light hides the wicked, but there is wisdom and protection in darkness. The spirits of darkness shield the innocent and drag the wicked out of the cursed light into the shadows, where they can be judged for their foul deeds. The spirits of murdered innocent cannot find peace until the perpetrators have been brought to justice. At the same time the assassins view each soul slain as being freed from evil. Their unofficial emblem is a dagger and scales. They believe that those who live worthy lives go into the earth (heaven is down) and reunite with the spirits of their ancestors. The wicked will be adjudged by those they wronged and cast out into the unending light and heat, where they will suffer eternal torment. To the Tecpatli, serving the Destroyer and slaying the wicked is their ticket to a good 'interview' with the spirits assembled.
Brako's Breakers: A force of Mandalorian mercenaries led by Tulako Brako, a Zabrak Mandalorian. They have thrown in their lot with the rebels for gold, glory and, most importantly, land to settle on. Mandalore has been devastated by apocalyptic calamities, war and strife - much of it between Mandalorians. There is little for them on their homeworld, so they have emigrated and are now fighting for a homeland. The Breakers are small in number, but have access to aircraft, tanks and basilisks. All this is heavy firepower the Tygaran rebels are in dire need of. Moreover, they can serve as instructors. They supply their own complete force, complete with a frigate to transport it all. As foreign auxiliaries, the Breakers fight under their own leaders rather than being completely integrated into the army's organisation more generally.
The Phoenix Host: Originally composed of Qadiri Sepoys who joined Elpsis when she landed at Fort Kerrigan. The Host has since been expanded to include other Qadiri troops, such as soldiers from Suqua's regular army. At present, they represent Elpsis' primary force of assault infantry. The Host is able to deploy quickly to front lines and concentrate its forces before quickly redirecting the axis of its attack to outflank and ambush its enemy. Much of their weapons and body armour have been looted from Firemane arsenals. Their arsenal includes bolters, assault rifles, shoulder-launched anti-tank missiles, machine guns, repeating blasters, shields, vibroblades and vibrospears. However, they somewhat anachronistically also train regularly with bayonets, as it encourages an aggressive mind set on the battlefield. With their Ghoush and Yazgid Infantry Fighting Vehicles, they are very mobile on the battlefield and can serve as an armoured spearhead, though they are obviouly constrained by the availability of fuel supplies. They also utilise repurposed civilian groundcars with small arms and light weaponry and heavy weapons mounted on them. Mortars have been attached to the Host to provide fire support through indirect fire, as improvised mortars are fairly easy to manufacture and maintain.
The Myriad Hands: A group of Unchained hackers who originally started out as anti-corporate hacktivists and now carry out cyber attacks against Firemane military and civilian infrastructure. The Unchained never trusted Firemane. From early on, the megacorp tried to sabotage their communities on Arkas, believing that their political ideals could 'contaminate' their vassals. Now open warfare has ensued, which has resulted in the Unchained having some rather unorthodox bedfellows. True to their name, the Myriads operate in a decentralised fashion. One of their most notorious cells is led by a Shard and a human clone from Tephrike called Mara Technician, who used to serve the Dominion as a codebreaker. The Myriads have carried out cyberattacks on Firemane holonet sites, banking services and utilities. They have also tried to infiltrate date wiper malware on computers belonging to multiple Firemane organisations and targeted individuals or corporations that do business with Firemane.
Pride of Suqua: What is left of Suqua's small tank force has joined the rebel army to reclaim the homeland. The Pride uses older Firemane designs that have been phased out by the megacorp such as the outdated Reaver Class Assault Tank, or even older galaxy variants that in some cases are centuries old and would not have been out of place on the battlefields of the Clone Wars. They combine tanks with Infantry Fighting Vehicles such as the Iron Ghoush that ferry infantry into combat and provide fire support. When armoured personnel carriers or trucks are not available, soldiers sometimes ride into an attack on tanks, then dismount to fight on foot. The Pride's vehicles are tracked or wheeled due to the bad terrain and because it makes maintenance easier. The designs are not the most modern, but their tankers are brave and dedicated. In contrast to the Amikarese Imperial Army, the Pride's tank commanders are not recruited solely from the ranks of the landed warrior-gentry.
Grand Migration Supply Corps: The role of the dramatically named Grand Migration Supply Corps is an unglamorous one, but without it, the army could not function. They are not assault troops, Force warriors or tankers...but a logistics unit that uses Horned Ghoush, large, ponderous herbivore of considerable weight and heft to serve as military haulers. While slow, Ghoush are far easier to maintain than engines and blend in with their rocky homes from above, which makes them ideal pack animals. The Supply Corps recruits many of its members from reservists who are not considered eligible for regular military duty, but can still serve as security units. Many recruits are rural folk who have experience in handling Ghoush. Naturally, the Corps also has a staff of logisticians and supply officers.
Wildfire Assault Battalion: Naphta is a flammable liquid that has been used by the Qadiri in warfare since ancient times. Suqua has long employed incendiary teams since ancient times. The Wildfire Assault Battalion builds upon this proud and storied tradition, utilising fire grenades, flamethrowers and assault weapons. The battalion also has a small and unique team of Force-Sensitive pyromancers who can use the same weapons with even deadlier effect because they can manipulate the flames thereby created. These warriors are called the Knights of the Living Flame.
Iron Rain Artillery Regiment: A theoretically regiment-sized artillery unit. Before the coming of the sky people, the Qadiri and Xioquo had already utilised cannons in combat. Now they have been able to get their hands on some more advanced artillery pieces. However, they are still limited by lack of know-how when it comes to using and replicating galaxy standard designs. Shells are preferred to lasers because they are easier to replicate, despite their drawbacks. The Iron Rains' weapons include field guns, rocket launchers and howitzers, though many of their guns are towed. They use Ghoush to get towed artillery pieces into position. Most of the Iron Rain artillerists are Xioquo, but the force also has some Kar'zun members.
Bright Fire Battalion of the Martyr Celaena Eilris: Or Celaena's Torchbearers, for short. The unit is dedicated to the memory of Celaena Eilris, an Eldorai Forsaken and comrade of Elpsis Kerrigan who died valiantly during the Battle of Suqua. After killing many Firemane mercenaries and auxiliaries during the last stand, she was finally killed in an artillery strike. Her name has been given a place of honour in the TALA's pantheon of martyrs. Rather than being exclusive, the unit is multispecies. It includes Eldorai Forsaken from Arkas, Tygarans and even some Tephriki clones. The Torchbearers are an infantry assault unit that has gained a grim reputation in urban combat. Sometimes they are deployed as paratroopers.
Timberline Raiders: A force of partisans recruited from southern Ajustra and Farzi. They are most at home in forests, but their home turf also has snow and lakes, which gives them a wide range of terrrain they are proficient in. They operate in small groups of independent raiders which can attack and fade into the terrain. Experts at raiding, scattering and living off the land. They can also make use of boats and carry out maritime boarding actions.
Hydra Assault Force: Cloning has a long history in the Galaxy. Sadly, clones rights are often rarely acknowledged, and so clones are often dismissed as being less than sentient, being bred as servitors for governments and corporations. The Unchained reject this. Having rebelled against the Jedi-led totalitarian nightmare that is the Dominion of Light, they are committed to clone freedom. The Hydra Assault Force is a small vanguard of crack soldiers who facilitate their raiding operations. They are trained in reconnaissance and direct action operations, and form an important component of the Arkasian front.
The force is mostly though not entirely composed of clones, both Tephriki and galaxy ones. This makes the name quite fitting. After all, it has many identical heads and if you cut off one another two grow. The Hydras must generally operate without much of a support network, which means their training stresses initiative and a knack for improvisation. The lack of a regular supply train will force them to live off the land during a protracted operation. A good number of Hydras are Force-Sensitive, who are trained to incorporate their Force powers into the overall battle plan. This allows them to act as force multipliers.
Stalkers of the Frozen Wastes: The Zaldrani of the Northlands field no great armies, but they are resourceful, tenacious and well-adapted to the arctic climate of the frozen north. Firemane antagonised them when it treated them with scorn, caused rampant overfishing and polluted their homeland through frakking operations. As such the Stalkers of the Frozen Wastes have been mustered anew. They are among their most renowned warriors, forming small warbands of ice and water shapers. These warriors can endure incredibly cold temperatures without needing temperature controlled, sealed suits of armour. They are masters of using the snowy terrain of the Northlands to their advantage.
The Zaldrani lack a centralised government, though they are organised on the clan level. So the Stalkers are not a standing force. Instead each clan puts forward their best hydromancers for the common cause, for a while. They come together in memory of the ancient times where they worked together. There are, of course, still feuds. In that regard, the Stalkers are closer to a crack militia of irregulars than a conventional force. When they are formed, the chiefs cast votes, but they cannot vote for themselves. So therefore they have to vote in blocks for one of their number. The chiefs are advised by priestesses and a group of respected warriors chosen by peer selection. The system works well enough because the Stalkers are a small force of experienced irregulars, not a professional military, and it's battle-hardened warriors weighing in on matters. The Stalkers played a prominent role in the assault on Fort Kerrigan, and continue to wage a determined struggle against Firemane, collaborationist chiefs and Eldorai nobles who have thrown in their lot with the humans out of greed and speciesism. For winter has come, and winter is theirs.
Azanatha: Inspired by the Amikarase Anusiya, the Azanatha are a Force using corps who serve as the personal bodyguard force of the monarchs of Suqua. It is the law in the Qadiri states that Force-Users must be taken in by the temple or state and be trained to serve. Service in the corps is prestigious, though comes with the price of breaking up families. They specialise in elemental Force abilities, and are trained in small unit tactics, ranged and melee combat. Their training emphasies discipline, teamwork and precision. They are very disciplined and loyal to their charge.
Traditionally, most Azanatha are Qadiri females, though particularly skilled and valorous males have been allowed to join. Unless they are discharged or perish in battle, the Aswaran are bound to the throne. Officially, they guard the throne and the title, not the person per se. This makes their commander a warden of the realm in the most literal sense of the word.
The Azanatha fought gallantly in the battle of Suqua, suffering heavy casualties in the process. The names of their dead have been immortalised in songs. They were among the last units to retreat from the besieged city. Elpsis has opened the corps to any rebel fighter who meets the standards. That includes, among others, Xio and Kar'zun, provided they are loyal and capable.
Daggers of the Nightwind: A force mostly composed of Xioquo who escaped the 'new horizons' work camps on Arkas, and answer to Qiskhar'Anzar, a firebrand Daughter. Lightly armed, mobile and well-motivated, they have become notorious for raiding forced labour camps, tourist resorts and mansions. The Daggers are always on the move, and have acquired some boats to move cargo and personnel around.
The Daggers systematically carry out kidnappings of individuals regarded as connected to Firemane, and the systemic oppression it has inflicted on the downtrodden. It has targeted, among others, Firemane employees and executives, local politicians, and tourists. Some have been released in return for a ransom or in turn for rebel fighters and sympathiers being freed. But others have been killed. Despite Firemane prohibitions, some private companies that operate on Arkas quietly pay protection money to the rebels to avoid being targeted. For all the controversy, their exploits on Arkas have been a morale boost. Their activities have been endorsed by Elpsis Kerrigan.
Saiqa Brigade: 'Brigade' is a bit of an exaggeration, for in actual fact this combat formation is quite a bit smaller. Regardless, the warriors of the 'Lightning Brigade' answer to Emira Bahara Mai Mahtaba, a powerful Suquan warlord and political entrepeneur. As their name implies, they rely on lightning strikes, manoeuvring tactics, deployment of snipers and hit-and-run attacks. The Emira's past dealmaking with Firemane, as well as still ongoing business deals with foreign companies that want to avoid being raided, have allowed her to provide her troops with drones, armoured personnel carriers, anti-aircraft guns and other military equipment that is advanced by Tygaran standards.
Indeed, corrupt Firemane officers cultivated by Bahara have outright sold weapons, fuel and munitions to the Saiqa Brigade. Pragmatically, some captured Firemane specialists have been kept around as advisors - under pain of death. The brigade is deeply intertwined with Bahara's and her family's business enterprises – most notably, in gold mining – and financed through them. The combat formation includes a small cadre of Zari (Force) adepts. Fittingly, they tend to specialise in air or fire elemental abilities. The Saiqa Brigade has been accused of looting and sentient rights' violations.
MEMBERS
Jazira Zabhara Jai Ghazana (NPC): Zabhara's story is one of success against the odds. She was born into a tribe of pastoralists, but remembers little of her childhood. As a child, she was sold into slavery by her destitute parents, and sold in an auction. She no longer remembers her birth name or cares. Sold to one middleman after another, she eventually became a mamluk slave-soldier. However, her natural intelligence, cunning and strength enabled her to become more than just grunt. She eventually managed to purchase her freedom. She has been a mamluk slave-soldier, a mercenary captain and finally a warlord.
When Firemane took control, she was offered good terms to join them with her soldiers. For a time she was Siobhan's enforcer in Suqua, her homeland. Now she serves as the Chief of Staff of the Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army. It has been quite a ride. She is recognised as the principal architect of the rebel army's strategy of protracted people's war, which incorporates both political and military components. In many ways, her role is political as well as military. She is well-acquainted with many of the local elites in Suqua, and knows when to flatter, bargain, intimidate or 'make examples'. Ruthless, charismatic, unemotional and pragmatic, she is effective at building networks of personal loyalty and control.
Zabhara is an assertive, goal-oriented and - when the situation demands it - ruthless leader. She has gained a well-earned reputation as a woman who will never sugar-coat a situation or allow herself to be overawed by foreigners or Force-Users. Zabhara sees a little of herself in the 'Fire Princess'. After all, she started almost as nothing, bucking against the system. Her stubbornness, energy and drive are qualities that Elpsis finds admirable. Elpsis, who has not been trained for high command, distrust officers who have 'exaggeratedly theoretical minds', since they make her wonder what becomes of their theories at the moment of action. So someone with a no-nonsense attitude like Zabhara suits her well.
Zabhara's attitude towards the young human has elements of stern maternalism. However, she is also acting in the interest of Suqua - and her own self-interest. She has invested everything in this war, and expects to get her due. The Jazira is known for being loyal towards her personal friends and vassals, whom she rewards well, but she will not hesitate to turn on a liege who does not appreciate her services enough. She is a good Yazgid rider and is especially talented in mounted archery for sport.
Zabhara seeks to ensure that Suqua is freed from the humans' yoke, but without compromising liberty for safety. The Jazira rarely gives interviews, and does not seek out the limelight. But her presence casts a long shadow over the councils and deliberations of the TALA. She sleeps about four-and-a-half hours at night, and relaxes by exercising. One of her favourite pastime is falconry. She regards it as excellent training for a warrior. She is a hard, stern woman, but not a heartless one. When the battle is over, she will commiserate with the survivors over the dead, visit the wounded and the dying in their sickbed. But she will never lose sight of the larger goal. And she does her best to stay disconnected from individual soldiers, in case she is required to sacrifice a few. She knows all too well that victory can only be attained with blood, and this war will reap a bitter harvest.
Zabhara was born Zakaris Jal Ghazan, and had female gender identity from an early age. Qadiri society is, ironically, quite progressive in this respect. A trans woman is viewed as being born with a female spirit in a male body, and vice versa. But as a slave-soldier she was unable to make any changes and openly live as a woman until she had attained her freedom and her own command. She sought out hormone therapy while working for the humans, paying for the expensive treatments out of her own pocket. Firemane loved to claim that it was enlightened and progressive, but it was anything but. Siobhan privately considered removing her from command, but had to keep her in place due to her competence and popularity among Suquan troops.
Sergeant Zarrol'Narsh (NPC): Narsh is a Xioquo male and the most senior NCO of the Army of the Rising Phoenix. Putting a male in such a senior position is very unusual among the traditionally misandrist Xioquo, but he has earned it through preserverance, determination and skill. Narsh has low caste origins, and began his career as a Sergeant among Firemane's Xioquo Sepoys. At first life was good - relatively. He and his comrades earned money, and were treated with some respect, though Firemane's foreign officers were patronising. But as time went by things got worse. Native officers were increasingly removed, and brutal punishments were instituted. To him it felt like the mistresses had returned under a new guise.
When Elpsis landed at Fort Kerrigan and appealed to the Sepoys to rise in rebellion, he happened to be part of her welcoming committee. It was he who fired the first shot, killing an Order of Fire adept and triggering the Sepoy uprising. Given impromptu command over a portion of the rebellious Sepoys, he fought bravely against Firemane loyalist troops. Narsh followed the 'Young Phoenix' to the Zaldrani Northlands and later Suqua. He has continued to fight on her side since then, and serves as a crucial link between the enlisted and the officers. He looks after his troops and advises his commanders on practical matters. Narsh is respectful to his superiors, but determined never to be a slave again. His younger cousin Zarrol'Ihuicatl was maimed during the assault on Fort Kerrigan, and now serves in a support role in logistics.
Shapara Jai Narzal (NPC): An NCO turned officer from Suqua who came from very humble origins. Born into a low caste, she grew up illiterate and at the bottom of society, which left her with a healthy disdain for her leaders. But, a job was a job. Very brave, strong, resourceful, but also cunning and knows when not to get involved in a battle. Their qualities got her promoted to be an NCO, and when Siobhan came in and wanted to promote some people based on merit to cultivate a cadre of reliable supporters, she part of the first class. Literally, as though they she had gotten basic literacy as an NCO, she needed to be able to write and read Zandri and also speak Basic. Shapara distinguished herself in battle in Siobhan's royal army and now in Elpsis' rebel forces, but has never lost that cynical, hard edge. She has a rugged, tough charisma.
Zokala Jai Adshal (NPC): Zokala was born far from among the bustling city of Suqua, hailing from a clan of herders. Her family subsisted for generations, but they were pretty much free from any sort of oversight. Occasionally armies might pass by and plunder and 'forage'. As such she had to learn how to fight, hunt and track as well as survive in the veldt. When Firemane came suddenly everyone had to be registered, pay taxes, be subject to 'impoundments' if license fees weren't paid - essentially bribes. Without bothering to ask the pastoralists' consent, the megacorp and its cronies in the big city seized grazing land to convert it to croplands or use it for industrial farming. Land the herders had used for generations was suddenly stolen from them. So when some slick human came with some police to arrest her, Zokala and her family shot them and absconded to the hills with some others. She was resisting the occupation long before Fort Kerrigan was went up in flames. Zoakala has no love for the city folk, but shared enemies eventually brought her into the fold of the rebellion when the rebel army retreated into the mountains. She is a pretty independent sort who accepts pay and provides intel for the rebels but doesn't follow their orders.
Izana Jai Azali (NPC): Izana is a priestess of Azali, goddess of fire, the desert and forging in Qadiri mythology. She started out as a simple scribe, but eventually became a priestess and worked her way up to be an important part of the city. Her main goal is to keep Suqua and its people independent from foreign domination. Before Firemane's coming she helped defend Suqua from Amikarese invasion. Izana was critical of Firemane, and resented Siobhan for the death of her lover, who died on campaign in a faraway land in the stars so that the humans could enrich themselves. She is firmly committed to indepencence.
While devout, she is pretty ecumenical in her views, since she had to be accepted by the Kasharans in the city, too. Today, she serves as the army's Qadiri chaplain. Izana is a Force-User and, as can be expected from a priestess of a goddess of fire, a fire shaper. Moreover, she is gifted in extrasensory abilities, especially farsight. When she met Elpsis, she had the young human undergo a series of fiery trials to prove her worthiness and her devotion to Azali. Her followers call her the Flame of Truth. She has issued religious calls to arms, urging young Qadiri to take up arms against the foreign invaders.
Kseniya (NPC): A Vashyada poetess, singer and entertainer who used to do tours between the worldships to sing Vash folk songs for the wider market. Her projects also included soundtrack work for holomovies and holodocumentaries. Someone like her could have easily led a comfortable life, but she has chosen to give up her creature comforts and join the rebellion as a military propagandist.
One of the reasons was the virulent speciesism she encountered while working on the Arx Aeternae. Moreover, her clan was deported during a Firemane 'counterinsurgency operation'. She gave a live performance during the siege of Suqua, while heavy fighting was already taking place on the outskirts of the city. Kseniya managed to make it out of the city before its fall, but was captured, beaten and almost summarily executed by Firemane auxiliaries before rebel soldiers rescued her. While still in recovery, she sang for wounded soldiers and displaced civilians.
Kseniya suffers from rheumatic valvular heart disease and as such does not provide any combat service for the TALA. Instead, she is a singer, songwriter and news presenter for the propaganda arm of the Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army. She has a group of singers under her who use their songs to exalt the rebel army and rally supporters. Rather than a gun, she carries a camera, a pen or a notepad. Her most well-known rebel song is a work of vocal music called 'Heed the Call'. The song is melodic and intense and calls on the warriors to fight to the bitter end, appealing to their sense of honour and the example of their ancestors.
Loyalty (NPC): Loyalty is an unusual convert to the rebellion's cause, for she was a 'galaxy' member of Firemane. She is a Dahomian chemist who was originally sent to Fort Kerrigan to run some studies. However, in the process she discovered that the megacorp's fracking operations were contaminating the sea. Firemane didn't want anyone to know they were ruining the natives' lives for the sake of profit, so they would not let her go. Firemane's always had her under guard to make sure she could not escape or leak information. As far as she could, she helped Xio Sepoys who had been 'chastised'.
Narsh vouched for her, so she was allowed to join the rebel army under supervision. Loyalty has a small team of grunts under her to test for chemicals in the soil, water and air. Moreover, she oversees chemical cleanups of areas affected by toxic substances and serves as a specialised weapons' master handling chemical weapons. Firemane has spewed massive amounts of industrial pollutants into the air, and water, and utilised chemical weapons, so she has her work cut out of her.
Sergeant Kar'zakush: A senior NCO of the Granite Guard. At more than seven hundred years old, she has seen and participated in countless wars, watched empires come and fall. She is old, almost ancient. She's seen great conquerors and so-called deities humbled and freedom fighters turn into tyrants many times over. This long life gives her a dispassionate, almost philosophical outlook. On the battlefield, she is logical, calculating and disciplined. This is not to say that she is an emotionless automaton, far from it. She has a dry, sarcastic wit. Kar'zakush escaped the yoke of the Eldorai when she fled Kaeshana with the help of pirates. However, she later turned on them because their brutal treatment of their captives disgusted her. Though she had suffered under the Eldorai as an indentured labourer, her hatred did not extend to other races or to elves who turned out to be innocent civilians.
Subsequently Kar'zakush worked a bounty-hunter, mercenary and bodyguard for various groups. She eventually returned to Kaeshana to help her people leave the planet in the Great Exodus, as it was doomed to be destroyed by a huge asteroid. This brought her into contact with Firemane, and led to her joining the Guard. Siobhan picked the taciturn Kar'zun for her personal squad, which was charged with protecting Firemane's first family. Kar'zakush has joined Elpsis to help secure a home for her people, and so some good in her last centuries. Moreover, she feels some sympathy for the Tygarans, especially the Zaldrani and Xio. In her dealings with the 'Fire Princess', she is blunt and forthright. Kar'zakush is the kind of grizzled, at times cranky sergeant who canot be bothered to fawn over a superior...especially one who is not even a fraction of her age.
Tulako Brako: Tulako is not an idealist, a revolutionary, a cultist or even a Tygaran. Born into a Mandalorian clans the red skinned Zabrak is a fine warrior and pragmatic to the bone. She has no time for purple prose about how noble and righteous the rebel army supposedly is. Tulako is a capable logistician, and pilot. She can be described as headstrong, ambitious, disciplined, and blunt to the point of aggressiveness, but also with a strong sense of loyalty to her clan. Her outlook on her fellow Mandalorians is a mix of nationalistic pride and incredible bitterness towards how far they have fallen. For this reason, she doesn't consider herself beholden to any potentate.
Her motivations are straightforward: booty, glory and, most importantly, a home for her people. One Mand'alor after another sacrificed the future of the Mandalorian people on the altar of their own grandiose dreams. Now, after cataclysm, civil war and Sith occupation, much of Manda'yaim remains a wasteland. Tulako sees little future for her clan on the homeworld, so she has hitched her waggons to Elpsis' star in return for land on Arkas. Her soldiers are few in number, but provide heavy firepower the Tygaran rebels have a dire need of, and can serve as instructors. As foreign auxiliaries, her warriors fight under their own leaders rather than being completely integrated into the army's organisation more generally.
Karrigan'Xalda: a Xioquo Herald of the Destroyer, and sister in spirit to Elpsis Kerrigan. Or, as Xalda calls her, Karrigan'Alpsis. Enslaved as a little child under the ancien régime, Xalda eventually became a slave-soldier. She gained her freedom when her mistress sent her to Siobhan as a 'gift', with secret orders to assassinate Firemane's leader. However, Xalda began to develop doubts when the 'Karishzar' treated her with kindness. Siobhan saw through her guise, but forgave her, which made Xalda loyal to her. She took Karrigan as a her surname after her liberator slew Mystra. However, when Firemane revealed its true colours as a racist and oppressive corpo-state, Xalda turned on them. She has been there since the investigation in Tlaxqui revealed Firemane's indentured servitude programme.
As a warrior-priestess, Xalda serves both a martial and a religious role, and she has brought many of her sisters and brothers into the rebel army. Her relationship with Elpsis started out rocky, not the least because the human unfairly dismissed the Xioquo as a weird cultist, but the two share a strong, albeit somewhat awkward bond now.
Hazani Jai Bysara: A gifted fire shaper and the daughter of Sahali Jai Bysara, the dead High Mistress of the Sistren of the Eternal Flame, a knightly order devoted to the Goddess Azali, and a great hero to many Qadiri. Even in death, her mother casts a long shadow over her. Sahali led a coalition that opposed Firemane and their corrupt lackey Semiramis. She was able to score several victories, but was betrayed and murdered by her allies after a battle they had pushed her into went ill. Disgusted by their actions, Siobhan Kerrigan executed the ringleader and sent the rest back to Sahali's loyal followers for punishment. However, the Sistren had to submit to a punitive arms limitation treaty and hand over Hazani as a 'ward' of House Kerrigan-Alcori. In other words, a hostage.
Siobhan treated her honourably but it was clear that she intended to use her a political tool. However, Hazani would not be cowed or bribed by Firemane with baubles. She was certain that not all who betrayed her mother had been punished. She was assigned to Elpsis' platoon to make her both useful and keep her under watch. The relationship between them remains rocky to this day, but there is trust. Hazani was part of the investigation that uncovered a network of Firemane forced labour camps, and later went rogue. Reclaiming her identity as a Sister of the Eternal Flame, she played an important role in the assault on Fort Kerrigan. She has been part of the rebel army ever since, commanding a force of warriors provided by her order. Hazani is a reliable ally against Firemane and its lackeys, but fiercely independent and proud of her heritage. Her goal is the liberation of the Qadiri, and the restoration of her order's influence in Zhukathis.
Qiskhar'Kalou (NPC): A Xioquo assassin, former slave and a close friend of Karrigan'Xalda. Both used to be slave-soldiers. The mistresses used to train their martial servitors in the so called March of the Mamluks and made them put on a show for them. The two first met as dance partners. They later worked together to kill their mistresses. Both are members of the Daughters of the Destroyer, and belong to the extended Karrigan family. This makes them Elpsis' sisters in spirit. Among some of her friends she is known as Mistress Viper. This is both a reference to her affinity for poisons as well as her ability to pass as one of the highborn of society. Moreover, she has an affinity for snakes. She is talented in covert operations and espionage, able to switch from playing the part of the cold, haughty to mistress to militant warrior or friendly sister near seamlessly. She is also very good at music.
When Elpsis was investigating allegations of Firemane officials engaging in corrupt practices and luring Xioquo into indentured servitude in company towns, the high priestess of the Daughters assigned Kalou and a strike force of battle sisters to aid her. Together, they destroyed a forced labour camp run by a Firemane shell company, and liberated the serfs. Moreover, Kalou played an important role during the assault on Fort Kerrigan, having infiltrated the base as a cleaner. She used her disguise as well as her past as a slave-soldier to get close to Xioquo Sepoys such as Narsh, and help sway their loyalties. Finally, she foiled the base commander's escape attempt. Today, she works in the TALA's espionage branch, and serves as a liaison to Xioquo assassin cults.
Kalou is one of the Daughters who shed the Karrigan name, and instead call themselves Qiskhar, which is the Xio word for Daughter. It is a way for her to show she holds true to the core tenets of the Karishzar, but has distanced herself from Siobhan. Moreover, it emphasises the viewpoint that the Daughters are a sisterhood.
Karrigan'Karou (NPC): A former slave Xioquo veteran of many battles in the deserts of Amikaron and the jungles of Khajwar, Karou is one of the many members of the extended Karrigan family and has ties to the Daughters. Her face is scarred and one of her ears clipped in the old days for being 'uppity'. Tough and with a dark sense of humour, she feels intense hatred for the old mistresses. Karou crossed paths with Elpsis during the latter's visit to Tlaxqui, and took part in the assault on Firemane's forced labour camp on Arkas.
At the time Karou was living in poverty. There was little for her in the Underealm. Moreover, Elpsis offered her a chance at crushing overmighty fools who thought themselves above her, and paid well. Since then she has played a role in rallying members of the Tlaxqui underclasses and former mamluks to her cause, and participated in the assault on Fort Kerrigan. Karou favours hard-hitting weapons such as shotguns, bolters, axes and maces. She likes the power these weapons give her. A practical woman at heart with a cynical and grounded view of the world, she is no cultist of the 'Karishzar' or her 'Heir'. However, she is loyal when treated well. She respects strength and commitment, not blind worship.
Diona: A former Jedi warrior of the totalitarian Dominion of Light, one of the major powers on the war-torn, Dark Age world of Tephrike. A clone, she was moulded from birth to serve the Jedi theocracy without question. The dutiful soldier haunted by atrocities she was complicit in while serving in her homeworld's bloody civil war. Diona led the inquisitorial team that captured Elpsis during Firemane's expedition to the planet. In the camp, she was both tormentor and protector.
Ultimately she turned on her masters and helped Elpsis escape. With nowhere else to go, she followed Elpsis off-world and initially served in Firemane's ranks, though it eventually transpired that she had exchanged one tyrant for tyrant. Without hesitation, she committed herself to the rebellion. Fighting the racist, exploitative corpo-state is part of her atonement. Diona is a strong Force-User, capable duellist and experienced small unit leader. Moreover, she serves as an informal advisor to Elpsis. After all, the fallen Jedi paladin knows all too well how easily a good cause can be led astray.
Rhea: A Rattataki female from the Dark Age world of Tephrike She was born in a collective farm in Dominion territory. Her parents were murdered by the Vaderites and after hiding in the wilderness, she was conscripted into a Dominion labour corps. She became a Jedi and was manipulated by the cruel Grand Inquisitor into becoming his servant. Abused and deceived, she was set free when Elpsis slew her master. Rhea was attached to Elpsis, but always deeply distrustful of Firemane and built strong ties to the Unchained, a group of Tephriki exiles with left-wing libertarian convictions who had found refuge on Arkas.
Her past experiences left her with anger issues and strong revulsion for Sith and Jedi. She travelled with Elpsis and sought to learn from her. She always wanted to one day return to her homeworld to bring the oppressors to justice. Like Diona, she was part of the initial investigation into Firemane's crimes and then committed herself to the rebel army. She is all for tearing down the enslavers, and the fact that Firemane bombed Liberty, the peaceful Unchained settlement, has only made her hate them more. In many ways this is a Tephrike prequel for her.
Sahmara Jai Saobana: Sahmara used to be a slave in Lakish, one of the Qadiri fiefs beholden to the Amikarese Empire. Conscripted into the mamluk corps, she did the bidding of her mistress. She was injured in battle against Xioquo invaders. When Siobhan toppled the Mirza of Lakish following the latter's disastrous attack on the Underealm, Sahmara was hidden by her owner to prevent her from being liberated. Seeking to hold on to her property, she forced her slaves to pretend they were 'under contract' to deceive Firedawn inspectors. However, Sahmara managed to escape and bring word to Firemane, informing them of the plight of her fellows. They proceeded to punish the mistress for this deception.
Sahmara had no family, so she took Jai Saobana as her surname. This makes her one of several emancipated Qadiri slaves who have taken the surname Jai Saobana, which can be translated as 'of Siobhan'. She has a son from an affair with a Qadiri general during her time as a slave. Sahmara made Siobhan's acquaintance when her new liege lady happened to visit her garrison. She assisted her lady when the latter investigated a mystical pyramid that turned out to be a Rakara construct. For her bravery, Sahmara was made a sergeant and assigned to Suqua. She was distraught when she heard of Siobhan's coma. With Firemane turning openly abusive towards its Qadiri subjects, she has taken the side of her 'sister' Elpsis.
Zhahleh is the Qadiri word for dew or hoar frost. This makes it an appropriate name since she is one of the rare Qadiri ice and water shapers. Zhaleh is from a remote community in the icy north of Tygara, far from the great cities where most Qadiri live, but also away from the Underealm. There her people lived a life as fishers and hunters. Qadiri elementalists tend to be fire or air mages, but ice magic helped her people survive in the arctic conditions. She has a natural resistance to the cold. By contrast, she finds very hot climates uncomfortable. Moreover, she has a knack for stealth. In that regard, her elemental abilities come in handy as she can use them to lower her body temperatures, allowing her to elude heat scans and similar
Zhaleh Jai Bijana: Zhaleh is a Zaldrani, a Qadiri ethnic group that dwells in the arctic Northlands. Her mother is a chieftain and a war hero of her people, who fought bravely against a Xioquo incursion. Due to the remoteness of their tribal hunting grounds, they missed the initial first contact with the outsiders. However, when the sky people arrived Zhaleh bravely set off to offer welcome to them, coming to the rescue of a Firemane crew that had been stranded. Indeed, she rescued Firemane crew members from drowning. She later joined up to learn more. Her more 'civilised' Qadiri brethren to the south see her and her people as 'rustic'. In some ways, they have more in common with the Vashyada, though the wood elves are less nomadic.
The Xioquo were the perennial enemies of her people, and Zhaleh has a lot of experience fighting them. However, at other times her tribe had friendly dealings with Xioquo rebels who had fled to escape the tyranny of the ruling families. This means her view of the dark elves is less black and white than that of many of her fellow Qadiri or even that of most Vashyada.
While she aided Firemane in its wars in the void, the foreigners and their native collaborators sought to pillage the Zaldrani's land, poisoned their seas and lured many of their kin into servitude. Thus it comes as no surprise that the honourable, communally-minded Zaldrani warrior has turned on them. She also now serves as a liaison for her people since she is the most familiar with the outsiders. Zhaleh is a fine huntress, markswoman and guerilla fighter. Given her upbringing, she knows a lot about hunting, tracking and survival in arctic environments. As a Force adept, she specialises in ice and water shaping.
Nivara Jai Anhala (NCP): Born Nivara Jai Vasnara, she was a young Qadiri noble from Ajustra who held the title of Begum at the time of the Eldorai colonisation. When the star people descended from the heavens, some Qadiri thought they would be benevolent bringers of knowledge. However, the Eldorai were no more benign than Firemane. The land Nivara and her people lived on was earmarked for colonisation, and the Eldorai were unwilling to share. Instead all Qadiri - young and old, men, women and children - in the area would be expelled from their ancestral lands and 'resettled' - at gunpoint. Their homes would be given to Eldorai settlers or Firemane bigshots. Nivara became an insurgent, fighting the foreign invaders until resistance was no longer possible. She lost family to Eldorai 'reprisals'. Like most Qadiri nobles, Nivara owned some slaves, which the invaders exploited in their propaganda. However, this was a pretext for what was essentially a land grab, and both slaves and freeborn were deported. Eventually she was forced to surrender and received a 'pardon', which she resents. Prohibited from returning to her homeland, she became a prominent voice among Ajustrans communities in the south.
It should come as no surprise that Nivara sees no difference between the Eldorai and the humans of Firemane. Both are foreign invaders who are alien to Tygara. She and her people got nothing from them except suffering and hardship. She has little love for the so-called 'Young Phoenix', the daughter of the tyrant who subjugated her people. But working with her is a practical arrangement that lets her people get justice by avenging herself on some of their oppressors. She commands her own force that operates in southern Ajustra and on the nearby islands. It is unwise for Eldorai to try and exercise authority over her. It has been alleged that she has used the strife as a smoke-screen to covertly avenge herself on certain Eldorai, but the fog of war makes it hard to separate truth from rumour. She carries a Sarix she took from the corpse of an Angelii she killed during her insurgent campaign. She has filed off the eagle insignia. While Nivara was a slaveowner back in the day, she has had the realisation that her slaves were like her to the Eldorai, so now she's a radical abolitionist. Recently, she has caught the eye of Shazora Jai Vahal, a prominent leader in the Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Front, the rebel movement's political wing.
Tarzar Jal Azmon (NPC): Tarzar is a fairly junior, but aspiring commander on the southern Ajustran front. Born on the island of Farzi, he is the son of a priestess of Nanshe, the Qadiri goddess for the sea, boats, fishing and sailing. This made his family part of the local elite. Unlike in some religions, Qadiri clerics are not expected to be chaste and indeed encouraged to bring new life into the Goddess' light, though unplanned pregnancies are frowned upon. For theological reasons, membership in the clergy is limited to women. Thus Tarzar devoted himself to martial pursuits. Being a soldier was a respected profession, and a good pathway for advancement, a good marriage and social capital. He cut his teeth fighting Khaimari corsairs, Xioquo raiders and rival Qadiri states.
In the process, he caught the eye of a certain Shazora Jai Vahal. At the time she was still working for Firemane as a negotiator, though only nominally. His martial strength and chivarous bearing gave him merit in her eyes. As part of an agreement between their clans, he gave her a child. Such arrangements are by no means uncommon in somewhat matriarchal Qadiri society. She gave birth shortly after the outbreak of war. Though technically not required to do so legally, Tarzar raised his standards in support of rebellion. Since then he has been harrassing Firemane military and commercial shipping in the southern seas. He serves under Nivara, who has been acknowledged as overall 'front' commander on account of her experience fighting the offworlders. Because Nivara loathes Eldorai, she delegates the talking to her subordinate. Tarzar is a Force-User, specialising in the art of water shaping.
Qiskhar'Anzar (NPC): Anzar is what the Daughters of the Destroyer purport to be and perhaps a harbinger of what might be their future. Born into a low class, prole family, Anzar has known hardship and oppression. Both have left her with bitter hatred for the old elites, as well as the human enchainers who have sought to take their place. As a child, she worked in shoe factories and cobblers' shops. The rich mistresses treated her like dirt, and this left her with a keen sense of hatred for 'these parasites and bloodsuckers, and, at the time a deep sense of solidarity, love, and respect for my sisters in caste in need, suffering the same as myself. The mansions of the privileged few were built on the bones and tears of the many, my people.' Anzar was one of those Xio who were lured by a Firemane shell company and Xio collaborators to a 'new horizons' work camp on Arkas.
Officially it was supposed to be a scheme to provide Xio with jobs, and vocational training. In truth, it was indentured servitude. She was imprisoned for 'causing trouble' after she led a workers' strike and sabotaged machines. While in jail, she went on a hunger strike for equal treatment of Xio prisoners. As her health deteriorated, her actions inspired further workers' unrest despite the brutal punishments meted out by the oversees. She was force-fed by the wardens to keep her from becoming a martyr. Not long after the start of the war she was broken out and helped lead rebellion to overthrow the camp managers.
Anzar is a militant sister, somewhat xenophobic and has a well-earned reputation as a revolutionary agitator and firebrand priestess. She does not like Siobhan or even Elpsis that much, but views the sisterhood as a way for the Xioquo to show their power and unity. Anzar believes in the 'Path of the Many', She has been influenced by socialist literature spread by Tephriki exiles, but combines these tenets with Xioquo mysticism. As a believer in a social gospel, she promotes the idea of collective responsibility to create a more just society. In her view, the teachings of the Karishzar compel the faithful to fight for the poor, the oppressed, and the lower castes. She has gained notoriety for raiding Firemane luxury resorts, industrial sites and work camps.
Phoebe - Phoebe is no stranger to defying totalitarian regimes. The Nautolan was born on the war-torn Dark Age world of Tephrike, where she had the misfortune of being a Force-Sensitive in Republican Guard territory. The rebels viewed Force-Sensitives as cursed, and so she was locked away in an asylum. A Dominion agent approached her, offering her a better life in the Jedi utopia. She fell for his lies and organised an escape with a group of fellow prisoners. At first the Dominion was welcoming, but then she was forced to realise that she had exchanged one prison for a possiby even worse one. Betrayed by the Dominion agent, she was imprisoned in a 're-education camp' after sacrificing herself to save her friends.
Phoebe emerged as a leader among the prisoners, becoming one of the camp elders. This allowed her to help her people in small ways, but also forced her to make harsh compromises. Secretly, she was plotting an organised escape. Their moment came when the star people came to Tephrike. Phoebe was a leader of the prison revolt that was sparked when Elpsis battled the Grand Inquisitor, who had come to gloat about his newest slave. The rebels were able to prevail with the help of the outsiders. However, she hasn't forgotten that their rescue was incidental.
Her suspicions of Firemane's motives were soon confirmed. When the uprising began, the Unchained were ready. Liberty, their settlement on Arkas, was destroyed by Firemane air strikes. But her people continue to resist from the mountains and on the seas. She commands a portion of the rebel forces on Arkas. Due to the distances involved, she de facto runs her 'front' independently, commanding a mixed force of Tephriki clones, Dahomian rebels, Eldorai Forsaken as well as former 'contract labourers' who escaped servitude in Firemane silver mines. Phoebe keeps her own counsel, and is very resolute in representing the interests of her people and is very protective of their distinct identity.
Javad Jal Saoban (NPC): One of Elpsis' Qadiri 'brothers'. She has plenty of siblings in spirit she didn't know about until recently. They provide a crucial support base...but also an expectant one. He is a veteran of Suqua's corps of Force Using warriors. He has humble origins, and his early life was marked by tragedy. Abducted by slavers at an early age, he was sold in an auction at the slave market of Suqua. At first he made bricks, but his aggressiveness, strength and burgeoning Force potential caught the eye of an officer, who decided to buy him and have him trained as a slave-soldier.
This was ironically for the best, since otherwise Javal would have been brutally punished and possibly killed for lashing out against a cruel overseer. This incident also constituted his Force awakening. Slave armies were a common fixture among the Qadiri states, and Suqua was no different. The training was brutal, as were the punishments for infraction, but service as a mamluk was also a gateway for social advancement of sorts. Javad is a fire shaper and once burnt an overseer who was beating a fellow recruit called Mahvash, who became his close friend. However, Javad displayed bravery and resourcefulness in battle and was eventually promoted to the equivalent of a corporal. He and Mahvash served together. The two became lovers. However, they ended up on the wrong side of an internal power struggle, and had to stage a daring escape. Thus they sought refuge in the veldt.
When Siobhan took the crown, there was an 'amnesty' for exiles and deserters who pledged to bend the knee to her. Since Javad's and Mahvash's 'crimes' were judged to be lesser offences, they were given a pardon. They rejoined the army. Officially, they were now free men. They were soon deployed away from Tygara, serving on a far away world fighting strange aliens they did not know in a war that had nothing to do with their people. Firemane's army was small, so it deployed Sepoys in large numbers and was not too concerned about casualties or living conditions. A forlorn hope charge left Javad scarred and disillusioned. He was given a medal, but grew resentful when an unqualified human officer responsible for high Qadiri casualties was promoted. The Qadiri commander above Javad turned out to be monstrously corrupt.
Javad and Mahvash were imprisoned under charges of 'sedition'. When Elpsis liberated a prison camp, they staged a revolt and eagerly joined her banner. During the battle of Suqua Mahvash was killed in action performing a heroic act. A vengeful Javad now applies his skills as a Force trainer and veteran soldier. In his spare time, he makes pottery and bricks on the side, using his pyromancy to help stoke the furnace. He views Elpsis as a strong figure, but also with some suspicion. A leader he can see the power of, but he is also wary. He took Siobhan's name since he was a slave, and it was a route to better advancement to be in the 'club'.
Emira Bahara Jai Mahtaba (NPC): Bahara is an influential Suquan noble and a warlord, a product of a feudal culture that stretches back centuries. The common people turn to local strongwomen and strongmen like her who provide protection, mete out justice and resolve local disputes...for a price. Talented, decisive and charismatic, Bahara commands her own private legion, which has been augmented by drones and some light artillery. She holds a crucial smuggling route in her death grip. Foreign companies must pay tribute to her to safely extract the minerals that dot her fief. As almost all prominent Qadiri, Bahara was a slaveowner. When pressured to manumit her slaves, she managed to hold on to many as sharecroppers. This was also far from uncommon. For a time, she collaborated with Firemane. Initially, business was good. Her foes accused her of being too susceptible to Firemane influence, claiming that she was like clay in their hands.
However, the opposite was also very much the case. The Suquan warlord used her warrior ethos - which resonated particularly well with Firemane special forces - as a tool to increase her power. When the special forces operatives assigned to her fief left, she organised a farewell ceremony for them, and offered them presents. She was skilled at using the foreigners to strengthen her authority, and at employing Firemane forces to get rid of her opponents by asking them to strike what she claimed were safe houses of insurgents. A Firemane special forces officer and her men even took an inaugural dip in Bahara's new indoor pool. By forging close personal ties with district commissioners, officers and even individual soldiers, she was able to bypass formalised, bureaucratic channels. Her knack for personal diplomacy paid dividends, and while she took her cut, she was smart enough to spread the money around and invest in her fief instead of hoarding it all.
However, Firemane offended her pride and sense of honour. Her blood is not far removed from that of queens, yet Firemane increasingly treated her clan like common hirelings, mere numbers on a balance sheet. Her favourite nephew was badly injured in a drone strike, yet the foreigners only provided excuses. Bahara is a despot, but understands the feudal contract, and the foreigners' callous policies undermine it. Thus, she has thrown in her lot with the rebellion, though her relationship with Elpsis is uneasy. Neither likes the other much...but they need each other.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
When Firemane's legions of soldiers, bureaucrats, prospectors, merchants and engineers landed on Tygara, the megacorp claimed that it came in peace. Officially, its mission was a benevolent one. It would combat slavery, provide protection to the natives from galactic threats and share the fruits of technological development and commerce with them. For a while, it seemed as if these lofty ideals would be validated. In coalition with the Eldorai Matriarchy and Qadiri rulers, Firemane overthrew the tyrannical oligarchy that maintained a stranglehold over the Xioquo. Rather than enslave the Xioquo, it enabled them to integrate, though at the price of becoming vassals. Moreover, Firemane pushed for the abolition of slavery and seemed intent on providing the freed slaves with the means and the education that would ensure they would not be left destitute.
However, there was a price to be paid. Even at the start, there was darkness. Firemane and their puppet the Eldorai Matriarchy established settlements on the continent of Ajustra to house hundreds of millions of Eldorai fleeing the desolation of Kaeshana. But contrary to the claims of the Eldorai and Firemane's board, the land they chose was not 'empty'. Officially only a few thousand Qadiri lived near what would become New Santaissa, and were 'peacefully resettled' by the 'benevolent star people', who were so kind to build them new homes and protect them from slavers. In truth, almost a million Qadiri were torn from their ancestral homes at gunpoint and forcibly expelled from lands they had lived in for generations. Most were only allowed to take meagre possessions with them. They received no compensation for the loss of lands worth millions of credits other than baubles, and were forbidden to return...except as cheap workers who would live on a mimimum wage and work for the people who had stolen their homes and their livelihoods and viewed them as lesser beings.
While the deportations were not exterminatory, Qadiri who resisted were beaten or murdered by Eldorai soldiers. There were also deaths due to poor conditions, low food rations and lack of medical care. Only minimal preparations had been made to provide accommodations for the expelled natives. The Qadiri communities in the far south of Ajustra and the neighbouring islands were expected to receive them and provide accommodations, regardless of whether they had the capacity or the desire. The land of the expelled was given to Eldorai settlers and nobles or Firemane bigshots. One of the very few exceptions was an Eldorai Countess called Selene Tarai, who allowed the natives in her new fief to remain, gave them legal protection and equal rights. For this she was harshly criticised by her speciesist peers. Ironically, it would have been very easy to simply settle the Eldorai without expelling the, all things considered, fairly small Qadiri population.
However, many Eldorai nobles wanted a 'pure' ethnostate - and perhaps to compensate for the fact that their own lethargy had turned their nation into a Firemane puppet, which hurt their bloated egoes. Thus they engaged in a policy of settler colonialism. Meanwhile, Firemane wanted profits, and a Qadiri population concentrated in a narrow area was easier for the colonial mistresses to control. Many Firemane officials and executives shared the Eldorai's speciesism, though they obviously disagreed on who the 'mistress species' was. Either way, it was the Qadiri who suffered. Token orders were issued for the 'resettled' natives to be 'treated decently'. None of these sordid details were ever mentioned in the Eldorai press or by Firemane media. Indeed, a movie about the exodus would later falsely claim that the 'resettled' Qadiri had all been slaves who were freed by the 'heroic' star people, and 'reunited with their kin'.
Star Queen Tirathana VII did not order the deportations. However, she did not concern herself with the details since she was overseeing the exodus until it was too late. By the time she heard about the situation most of the damage had been done as she was off-world. The exodus had gravely weakened the monarchy's authority, and many nobles ignored her. When she asked Firemane for help, Siobhan and Tegaea told her rudely that they had made her queen and saved the Eldorai, and she had better clean up her own messes. Later the pair would falsely claim to native potentates that the deportations were the fault of the Eldorai Matriarchy. It was one of many lies this narcissistic pair of tin pot dictators would tell.
Firemane greedily preyed upon Tygara's resources, establishing an effective monopoly. In effect, the planet became a captive market and a constant source of labour and resources. Most of the profits from gold and silver mines ended up in the pockets of Firemane executives and native collaborators. Farmers were heavily 'encouraged' to produce cash crops instead of subsistence crops, which had a nefarious impact on rural development and small farmer poverty alleviation. Rampant mining led to pollution and displacement of indigenous populations.
Firemane did provide more advanced technology, but this was always tied to submission to its suzerainty and only doled it out to native rulers who it believed served its interests. And, this in turn, spread instability and strife, such as the war between the League of Krolis and the Amikarese Empire, in which Firemane intervened to place a compliant Saoshyant on the throne. In some areas, the war took on the characteristics of a peasant rebellion, as impoverished peasants rose up against exploitative foreign capitalists and their collaborators. To a degree, these contradictions were papered over while Siobhan Kerrigan was in power. Though a narcissistic, mercurial and power-hungry despot, she had some affinity for the natives, though that was tinged with self-aggrandising narcissism. Or rather she liked to view herself as the 'liberator' and an 'enlightened despot' bringing 'progressive change' to her 'children'. Those who submitted to her, at any rate. Regardless, some Xioquo and Qadiri had embraced quasi-worship of her as the 'Karishzar' or the 'Phoenix'. Distrustful of her corporate power base, she promoted the Saobanas and Karrigans as a new pillar of support and had Qadiri and Xioquo auxiliaries trained with more modern weapons so that they could serve as shock troops. Thus here and there, abusive Firemane officials were punished for their crimes.
But it was not a system that could last. Megacorps are fundamentally terrible at governing, for they are driven only by the profit motive. The system was alien to the Tygarans, and actively harmful. Abuse was ingrained in the system. Foreign-investment-driven extractive industries had caused air, water and soil pollution, soil erosion, deforestation, and the destruction of watersheds. When Siobhan fell into a coma after her deadly duel with Darth Soteria, Firemane was run by an unstable oligarchy. Lacking her legitimacy, they used her image while vying for power. Oversight over Firemane's business and military operations dimninished greatly. To secure its revenue streams, Firemane began to demand more and more. Megaprojects such as the construction of a giant ringworld and a worldcraft consumed vast amounts of resources, and it was the people of the colonies that paid the price.
Attracted by the prospect of better pay, many low class Qadiri and Xioquo migrated to company towns run by Firemane or its shell companies. Many labourers wer lured into signing open ended contracts that provided them with limited wages, most of which would be recouped' to pay for their lodgings and the rest scraped to pay for travel. It would take years for a low class labourer to repay, and that was without further deductions. Inevitably, matters came to head. Civil unrest, workers' strikes and revolts were brutally suppressed, while a compliant media apparatus projected an image of civility and progress. When sharecroppers and workers in the Amikarese Empire rose up in protest against poor working conditions, Shahbânu Semiramis received Firemane support for a crackdown. The imperial government called on workers to accept low wages and cease strikes that risked scaring away foreign investors—to make, that is, 'short term' livelihood sacrifices for the sake of long-term national economic development. Anti-dispossession struggles by smallholder farmers who had been forced from their land to make way for industrial mining projects or the creation of cash crop plantations were suppressed. Even Suqua, hitherto relatively privileged since Siobhan was queen, was feeling the effects of the Firemane boot.
Meanwhile, Firemane aerial drones bombed a convoy during a 'counterrorism operation' in Khajwari. The dead were branded as militants. In truth, the convoy had been a wedding procession and everyone involved in it was a civilian. Police terror, deportations, and aerospace power allowed Firemane to project imperial power. Firemane's military began operating with near complete autonomy. Then Firemane's poster child, Elpsis Kerrigan, 'Heir' to the Kerrigan legacy, revealed the existence of the indentured servitude programme after leading an assault on a forced labour camp in Arkas. During a visit to Tlaxqui, she had become acquainted with Queen Lia of the Xioquo, who had herself been investigating Firemane's efforts to enslave her people with the collar of debt. She also worked with the Daughters of the Destroyer and the Seekers of the Sky, two cults with very divergent visions but both committed to Xioquo freedom.
Firemane blamed the abuses on a few low ranking executives. It was presumed by the board that the whole affair would turn out to be a storm in the teacup. This turned out to be a grave miscalculation. Long-simmering resentment against corporate exploitation and racialism, the all-too evident weakness of Firemane's leadership and the fact that the 'Young Phoenix' provided a popular figurehead proved to be a perfect storm. In secret, the most powerful queens of Tygara began to mobilise.
The Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army was born during a clandestine meeting on a remote, volcanic island on Arkas. There, Elpsis met with representatives from dissident groups and former vassals of her mother. Among them were representatives of the Cataphracts of the Ascending Flame and the Daughters of the Destroyer, both martial Tygaran cults that venerated Siobhan, and the Sistren of the Eternal Flame, a chivalric order of Qadiri knights who had fought against her, as well as the Unchained, a faction of Tephriki exiles, and the Mirzate of Suqua. An uneasy partnership was struck. Most were understandably unwilling to sign up until the 'Heir' had proved she was serious, and that she could win.
The target was Fort Kerrigan, originally built in the Northlands as a deterrent against Xio incursions. Now it served the purpose of projecting Firemane power against the Zaldrani tribes, who had become disgruntled with the foreigners who polluted their land and exploited their people. A large portion of the garrison was composed of Xioquo Sepoys. The base's commander, a Dahomian officer, was a speciesist who detested Xioquo and made those she considered 'lazy' or 'undisciplined' suffer under the sun. Such speciecism was well-ingrained among many members of Firemane's officer corps. A few days before the mission, Firemane had ordered Sepoys to fire on protesters in the nearby company town of Skrael Floe. Some of the Xio soldiers refused, so as punishment Firemane exposed them to the sun, then locked them up and planned to deport them off-world. Karrigan'Kalou infiltrated the base as a simple cleaner to gather information and secretly encourage sedition.
Elpsis and a group of companions that included Diona the Xioquo priestess Karrigan'Lalax, the militant Daughter Karrigan'Karou and Hazani Jai Bysara, made an emergency landing at Fort Kerrigan in the middle of a snowstorm. The snowstorm was natural, but had been intensified by Zaldrani Force adepts with an aptitude for weather manipulation. Not only did it provide Elpsis with a plausible reason for a landing in restricted territory, it would also hinder Firemane reinforcements and have a disruptive effect on communications.
Upon landing, the party was confronted by a Firemane welcoming party led by Colonel Tolerance, the Dahomian commandant of the base. Elpsis launched into a speech, denouncing Firemane for its crimes and urging the Sepoys to join her. Lalax spoke out in support, remaining brave in the face of the Colonel's threats and reminding the Sepoys of the abuses they had already suffered under the mistresses. Her words struck a chord with many of the native soldiers. When Tolerance ordered the renegades to be dealt with, some Firemane soldiers opened fire.
Then Sergeant Zarrol'Narsh gunned down an Order of Fire adept. It was the shot that caused all hell to break loose. Sepoys began to turn on Firemane. Tolerance managed to flee, sounding the alert while the hangar bay descended into chaos. Fighting soon spread across the base. Groups of rebellious Sepoys were detached to secure the armoury, barracks and prison. They would link up with Karrigan'Kalou, who had swayed Sepoys to rise up and helped them seize the prison. Firemane officers were detained or shot out of hand. In the courtyard of the base, the rebels faced heavy enemy fire from the rooftop of the command centre, and were assaulted by Firemane walkers.
The rebel soldiers took heavy casualties, but the next phase of the plan was initiated when a Kar'zun tunneller burst forth from the ground, wrecking a large portion of the command centre. Kar'zakush and heavily armoured Cataphracts burst from the tunneller. With their morale soaring, the rebel soldiers charged. Though they sustained casualties, they were able to take the command centre. The commandant was shot. 'Galaxy' combatants among the captured Firemane members were summarily shot by firing squad, though galaxy noncombatants were spared. Captured Tygaran auxiliaries were given the choice to join the rebel army or get dropped off a couple miles from the base and take their chances with Firemane. Of course, they were likely to be punished by the megacorp. Using stolen vehicles, the fledgling rebel army retreated into the arctic wastes of the Northlands to seek shelter among friendly Zaldrani clans. The units were distributed among different camps to reduce the burden on their hosts and make it more difficult for Firemane to retaliate. It was not feasible to carry out a protracted campaign in winter, so the rebels executed a series of quick raids that targeted Firemane outposts and boneyards to procure supplies and transports for themselves and their allies and get the means to leave for the south.
However, Firemane deployed its own troops to hunt them down. Owing to the defections at Fort Kerrigan, these were largely galaxy troops. To provide additional manpower, the Firemane task force was augmented by a strong force of Cadalthor household troops, led by Lady Vaena Cadalthor in person. However, after a number of skirmishes the Cadalthor troops turned on Firemane. General Cole, the commander of the Firemane expeditionary force, was killed. Lady Cadalthor parlayed with Elpsis and the rebel commanders, offering them and their troops safe passage to the south while the Cadalthors dealt with the Firemane presence in northern Ajustra and the Northlands. Though there was mutual suspicion, the rebels accepted this offer. After a perilous journey across the sea, they arrived in Suqua on the central continent of Zhukathis. There, Jazira Zabhara Jai Ghazana took command and the Saobana clique and much of the clergy joined the uprising. Potential Firemane sympathisers in high places had already been purged.
However, after a series of skirmishes, Firemane launched an all-out assault on the city. Firemane regulars were backed up by native Qadiri auxiliaries provided by Emiras or Amikarese Satraps who hoped to profit. With little outside support, the Suquan army and the rebels resisted tenaciously, fighting an invasion force that had high-tech drones, tanks and bombers at its disposal. The battle was characterised by brutal house-to-house fighting, ambushes and reprisals and lasted for about sixty days. The initial Firemane assault was poorly planned. A slow-moving armoured column were lured into the narrow streets by rebel forces, then ambushed, inflicting serious casualties on Firemane troops and native auxiliaries. Mobile rebel troops armed with RPGs, rifles, grenades, bolter knockoffs and petrol bombs conducted hit-and-run attacks, and repurposed drones dropped bombs.
Operating in small strike groups, rebel units were organised down to the fire team level in planned three-ring concentric defenses, using ambushes, snipers, trenches, tunnels, and extensive mining and booby-trapping. Veteran Sepoys assigned timekeepers within their units to ensure they did not stay in one area long enough for Firemane to organise airstrikes on their positions and leveraged mouseholes and tunnels to quickly move out of range. The Suquan soldiers and their allies fortified buildings with barred windows and entryways, makeshift bunkers fortified with sandbags and reinforced barricades to use them as strongpoints. Moreover, the rebels cannily employed elemental Force-Users as force multipliers in a combined arms fashion.
Firemane troops blockaded the city, preventing the distribution of essential food and medical supplies.
By the end of it, the city had suffered extensive damage to civilian homes, temples, businesses and infrastructure. Firemane troops deliberately targeted civilian residential areas and infrastructure. Thousands of civilians were killed and many more displaced. Firemane soldiers often treated Suqua as if its only inhabitants were fighters, and unleashed brutal 'reprisals' against civilians and prisoners when faced with resistance. Firemane troops and their native auxiliaries stopped men and women of 'fighting age' from leaving the city. Indeed, convoys of refugees were bombed. Hunger and deprivation of water was deliberately used as a weapon against the civilian population. For their part, rebel soldiers routinely executed captured Firemane soldiers and alleged collaborators. The fact that rebel irregulars also donned civilian clothing and hid amongst the population also put civilians at risk.
As rebel troops were more and more ground down, they employed a scorched earth strategy, leaving behind traps and explosives to deny the enemy the use of infrastructure or buildings. This in turn caused Firemane reprisals to intensify. After a temporary ceasefire broke down, Firemane once again hit the city with large-scale artillery and air attacks. With many of their vehicles and heavy weapons destroyed, the rebels were reduced to using small arms. With their strength being ground down, the rebel army was plagued by desertions and defections. A last stand led by Elpsis Kerrigan ended with most rebel soldiers dead, but allowed a large portion of their force to stage a breakout organised by Jazira Jai Ghazana. Elpsis was declared dead following a Firemane missile strike. To make a 'salient example', Firemane troops initiated the deportation of civilians deemed 'suspect' to 'screening camps', where terror, hunger, torture and abuse were rampant.
Though a military victory, politically the battle was a debacle for Firemane. It sparked protests from Tygaran workers on the Arx Aeternae, which soon turned into bloody riots. Suqua had been occupied, but the countryside and the mountainous areas remained hostile terrain for Firemane. The Firemane occupation staff lived an isolated, privileged existence, commandeering those parts of the city that were still livable. Often poorly trained to work in a local Qadiri context, heavily reliant on local staff and in many cases blatantly corrupt, their attitude exacerberated the natives' deep-seated resentment. The civilian casualties caused by Firemane air strikes, and arbitrary arrests by Firemane troops or their native allies alienated even more.
The mountains served as a base area, a series of strongholds for the rebel forces led by Jazira Jai Ghazana. The strategy was to entice the hostile security forces to venture into the base areas and ambush them. The aim was to eventually encircle the cities after taking the villages. This was paired with a political strategy to sway local communities and attain political hegemony. Firemane convoys and outposts would be assaulted, villages would be brought under the insurgent army's sway through a mixture of aid, protection, intimidation and assassinations.
Under the umbrella of the army, front organisations were created to spread its political message. The rebel army's political front movement had managed to create a sophisticated communications apparatus that projected a defiant movement. They built on the growing discontent of many Tygarans and Arkasians through a sophisticated propaganda apparatus, which employed radio, video, night letters, theatrical plays and art to devastating effect. TALA propaganda narratives built on the widely perceived corruption of Firemane and the collaborationist authorities, the lack of basic services for the people, and the historical narrative of the fight against foreign invaders.
Graphic pictures of civilian corpses killed by Firemane or their allies resonated with Qadiri resentful over the foreign occupation. It is pertinent to note that the TALA also used violence against civilians, even if their IEDs were more carefully targeted. Likewise, the TALA took civilian hostages, carried out forced requisitions and violently punished alleged 'collaborators'. But the violence attributed to Firemane was more widespread, more brutal and produced more popular resentment. Fiemane troops had limited contact with the locals, whom they were primed to treat as terrorist sympathisers. Firemane's efforts to win hearts and minds ended up being a smokescreen for a campaign of mass incarceration without trial. Lacking the manpower for a full-scale occupation, Firemane empowered local warlords and loyalist militias, leading to further graft, extortion and abuse. Rampant corruption and embezzlement meant that assistance provided by foreign aid organisations very rarely reached those it was meant to help. In addition, aid shipments were intercepted and stolen by the rebels.
And as the wildfire spread, Elpsis revealed that she had survived. Local TALA commanders and Suquan leaders who had defected to the Firemane occupation forces were pitilessly targeted and often assassinated. Necessity forced the insurgent army to adopt a more decentralised structure, granting commanders of individual 'fronts' a high degree of autonomy. The insurgency embarked on a campaign to systematically destroy local institutions that were cooperating with Firemane, while its political wing simultaneously built a parallel administration in the countryside.
Liberating the countryside and the establishment of self-sufficient base areas became key elements in the TALA's strategy towards the gradual seizure of political power. In certain districts, the TALA was able to create the conditions for the establishment of parallel governments that imposed taxes on the local population, set up a rudimentary court system, distributed land as well as education. To win over the influential tribes in Suqua, the rebel army's political wing set up a Tribal Engagement Office, which assumed responsibility for systematically communicating with tribes to gain their support or at least passive acquiescence. This new strategy complemented a campaign of assassinations against Firemane-aligned or resistant tribes. Acting in tandem with the rebel army's intelligence branch and special froces, the Tribal Engagement Office made a concerted effort to coopt local stakeholders such as priestesses and clan leaders, offering receptive clans economic incentives, some autonomy and cuts in local businesses, and governance responsibilities.
The so-called liberated zones served as safe havens for the TALA. This strategy was expanded to Arkas, where the TALA worked with Eldorai and Dahomian rebels and the Unchained. The TALA engaged in destroying roads, railway lines and bridges in order to isolate the target areas and deny Firemane's claim to control. The aim was and is to create a situation where the administrations' contact with the population is eliminated. Such a situation would push people to accept the justice and order the TALA provided. In several areas in Suqua, the locals began to increasingly turn to rebel courts, which were seen as fairer and more impartial. They took harvest taxes from the villages they controlled, but the taxes were also a way of building their control.
This pattern was replicated in other occupied territories on Tygara and on Arkas, where an Unchained leader called Phoebe raised the banner of rebellion and TALA commandos staged daring raids to abduct wealthy foreign tourists. Local politicians, and businessowners accused of working with Firemane were also targeted. Hidden in remote locations, these individuals were held for ransom. At the same time, the TALA systematically targeted Tygarans or Arkasians who work with Firemane. The TALA has managed to improve its command and control, nurture and train sympathetic insurgent movements. However, co-ordinating the mosaic of ethnic armies, warlords and rebel militias into an all-out assault which can unseat Firemane and its vassals is a massive undertaking, the success of which is still far from certain.
Intent: Expand on an ongoing rp story.
Image Credit: Here.
Permissions: Can use Firemane stuff because I own the company. Blanket permission for anything made by Val here.
Links: Into Darkness, After Darkness, Elpsis, Shazora Jai Vahal, Dominion of Light, Communion, Phoebe, Firemane Industries, House Kerrigan, Rhea, Mara Technician, The Unchained, Arkas, Liberty, Fellowship of Tygara, Vashyada, Xioquo, Qadiri, Tylania, The Dark Heart, Tephrike, Unchained, Partuz, Yazgid, Horned Ghoush, Greater Emerald Spine Tree, Wildfire, It's time for Firemane to end, The Die is Cast, Initiation of the Phoenix Daughter, The Embers Gather (Journal of the Fire Princess), Iconoclasm, Shadow Knights.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Army Name: The official name is the Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army. It is also called the Army of the Rising Phoenix.
Classification: Insurgent Army, National Liberation Army.
Affiliation: Elpsis Kerrigan, Arkas, Tygara, Unchained, Zaldrani, Daughters of the Destroyer.
Army Symbol:
A banner with a burning phoenix and a red star emblazoned upon a field of midnight black. The phoenix is a symbol of liberation and victory that is common among many of the Asuran people. For instance, the Eldorai Star Queen bears the Phoenix Crown. Coincidentally, it is also the heraldic symbol of the 'Karishzar' and her 'Heir'. In the view of the Daughters, the phoenix was corrupted, but but it has been reborn in the searing flames and now soars forth into the burning sky to free the enchained and destroy the enchainers.
Among the Xioquo people, the blood star is the all-seeing presence that looks upon their ventures. In the old days, the Xioquo marched under its gaze to raid and destroy and measured their victory against it. Today they shall do so for freedom, and their enemies are meant to tremble before the gaze of the red star. To the Qadiri, the red star is the Goddess Azali's eye. When it stands upon the horizon, her fire has been lit in the sky. Meanwhile, the Vashyada view it as a sign that great change is about to be wrought upon the world. Black was chosen because it represents the heroic death to seize victory that the bravest soldiers aspire to, as well as their rebirth. For the Tephriki Unchained, black is also the colour of freedom.
Description:
"If you advance, I shall follow you. If you yield, I shall kill you. If you die, I shall avenge you."
- Karrigan'Xalda to Elpsis Kerrigan
"We don't want much, ma'am. I've never been into the great darkness in the stars, I don't want the big machines the sky people have. I just want to be treated fairly, not as a slave anymore. At first it was good there, I earned money and was treated with respect. But then it got worse, and by the end it felt like the Mistresses had come back with a different face. Some might be willing to endure that again, but many will not. I will not. I have tasted freedom, and I will not be a slave again."
- Sergeant Zarrol'Narsh to Elpsis Kerrigan
"If I lead well, use this dagger for me. And if I lead badly, if I follow in the footsteps of the mistresses, old and new, use it against me. Then let everyone know why it had to be done. No one's above the law, no one's above the common good, no one's above the people's will. Understood?"
- Elpsis Kerrigan to Sergeant Zarrol'Narsh
The Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army, more commonly known as the Army of the Rising Phoenix, is a highly militant, anti-colonial resistance force that seeks to overthrow Firemane and liberate Tygara and Arkas from the megacorp's tyrannical rule. It functions as the military wing of the Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Front, a coalition of disparate rebel groups operating on these worlds.
The insurgent army has a decentralised command structure. Not so much for secrecy, but because it is spread out and engaged in different misisons in different locations. As such field commanders enjoy considerable autonomy. This has enhanced tactical flexibility, but can come at the cost of coordination. As such at least at this stage the army is comprised of autonomous forces cohering around individual warlords and cliques. Certain factions such as the Sistren of the Eternal Flame have contributed forces, but retain a high degree of latitude.
On the other hand one has Sepoys and the Daughters of the Destroyer, who have personal allegiance to Elpsis Kerrigan. In effect, it is a retinue of retinues, if you would. A reciprocal system of personal allegiances is crucial for the way the army works. The TALA'' structure is hierarchical, but units are given a high amount of autonomy and expected to take great personal initiative. When delegating a plan downwards commanders are given the desired end state, actions to be avoided, which objectives determine success, and which ones are optional but desired. However, the wide latitude given to commanders has also been conducive to carrying out sentient rights violations under the guise of punishing collaborators and enemy spies.
The rebel army is built on a synergy between a small cadre of elite troops using advanced weaponry and technology, and more low-tech militias and rebellious colonial troops. On the one hand there are the Kar'zun Granite Guard and the Qadiri Cataphracts of the Ascendant Phoenix, who are very small in number and utilise powerful power armour and subterranean tunnellers, on the other there are far more basic militias clad in glorified flak vests and basic helmets. Moreover, much of the army's ground-based supply train is reliant on wagons drawn by beasts of burden.
Couriers may well deliver coded messages riding bicycles, Partuz or Yazgid lizard mounts. Ghoush and Yazgid are frequently used for transport, especially in the desert where vehicles break down due to lack of fuel. Basic speeders work well for the rebels in almost all the terrains, but so do old fashioned wheeled and tracked vehicles too. These are to maintain and make even on Tygara. The army makes use of remote-controlled drones adapted from Tephriki partisans, as these are both lethal and easy to build and maintain. Mortars, portable anti-tank systems, portable surface-to-air missiles, and bolters are also important parts of their arsenal. These weapons are acquired via raids, black market deals or manufactured in industrial workshops. Broadly speaking, the army employs a combination of smuggled 'off-the-shelf' or stolen weaponry, as well as a large collection of home-grown weapons often made with more easily accessible civilian materials. Aerospace units are sparse but present enough to matter, and aircraft are employed for tactical airlift and ground attack, and small gliders are utilised to insert commandos.
The army suffers from shortages of heavy artillery, main battle tanks and artillery ammunition. Explosive shell weapons are easier for the rebels to make and store, and so they prefer them to turbolasers and blaster cannons. However, the explosive shell munitions are less accurate and can lead to ammunition problems. When faced with armoured columns, rebel infantry will often have to make use of rugged terrain, land mines, shoulder-fired missiles, satchel charges and even improvised weapons such as petrol bombs. An outside observer said that the Army of the Rising Phoenix is all manpower, and no metal. While an exaggeration, there is something to it. Many of their soldiers are former Sepoys - native auxiliaries recruited by Firemane, who rebelled due to poor treatment by their 'galaxy' officers. The Army of the Rising Phoenix has adopted the concept of an enduring people's war, aiming to win the support of the local population, and at the same time bleed Firemane dry.
The army has become notorious for the summary, extrajudicial execution of Firemane executives, officials and 'galaxy' and Eldorai Firemane soldiers, though it is a lot more lenient with native soldiers who have been taken captive. It has also kidnapped wealthy 'galaxy' tourists and family members of Firemane officials to hold them for ransom. Ransom kidnappings, the looting and pillaging of villas owned by foreign businesspeople, exploitative landowners and alleged collaborators as well as extortion of foreign corporations are key sources of revenue, as are donations from wealthy Tygaran supporters and Elpsis Kerrigan's personal fortune. However, the importance of kidnappings for funding is dwarfed by their psychological impact. Wars are expensive, which is why corporations are reluctant to fight them. The fear and terror generated by such attacks destabilises Firemane, and diminishes its profits. After all, many of the 'galaxy' employees and clients have the ability to move to greener pastures, which they will do if the cost of doing business in Firemane's sphere or working for the megacorp far outweighs the benefits.
The rebellion has strong religious overtones. This is far from universal, but certain units are defined by a high degree of religious zealotry. For them, the war is a holy crusade. Soldiers killed in action while performing feats of bravery are treated as martyrs who have performed an honourable sacrifice. Thus heroic martyrdom is glorified. Priestesses from various faiths serve as chaplains, with some of them even accompanying the troops into battle and fighting alongside them. However, this also necessitates a delicate balancing act, as the TALA includes of different species and religions. Indeed, more than a few of them have a history of past strife, such as Xioquo and Qadiri. The Daughters of the Destroyer and the Cataphracts are especially zealous. However, they don't represent the entire TALA, though this hasn't stopped Firemane's propaganda apparatus from trying to depict it as a fanatical cult of personality.
The rebel army maintains a propaganda unit called the Visions of the Phoenix. These men and women form camera teams that shoot the rebels' propaganda videos. To that end Visions actively join combat operations to record images of battle. The death rate among the Visions' camera crews is high, but their dedication pays off. It is also popular to film alleged 'collaborators', mistresses and foreign exploiters being taken prisoner, humiliated and forced to humble themselves. Here it is pertinent to note that Tygarans are unused to movie magic. Firemane took advantage of this to dazzle and overawe them. Now the rebels are using the same methods to reclaim control of the narrative, and combat the feeling of inferiority the foreign colonialists have sought to impose on the natives to keep them in bondage. The army's propaganda arm has its own singers, song writers and news presenters. Hacktivists connected to the Unchained provide the fledgling rebel army with a degree of information warfare capabilities.
Elpsis Kerrigan is recognised as the army's leader. However, her power is not that of an unfettered dictator. She holds command on account of her name, role as the primary financial backer, martial strength and unquestioned bravery. In short, it has much to do with political considerations, which is ironic given the sort of person she is. Moreover, she blew the whistle on Firemane's forced labour camps. She must rely on a combination of respect, diplomacy, fear, and charisma to get her way though. Her style is that of the warrior-leader general who inspires soldiers through conspicuous acts of bravery. This is especially appealing to Qadiri since it matches their cultural expectations, but leaves her reliant on good staff work. Zahbara Jai Ghazana, a Suquan Jazira (General) and former mamluk warlord, serves as her chief of staff. Most of the organisation is be at a local level, with the army being organised into 'fronts' that function as autonomous organisations.
But a top level hierarchy allocates personnel, weapons, vehicles, munitions, and rare materials, sets overarching strategic goals and coordinates the various fronts. It has been given the somewhat dramatic name All-Tygaran and Arkasian High Command (ATAHC). Access to superior, unified logistics, resources and intelligence is a carrot the ATAHC uses to incentivise the disparate components of the army to play by certain rules and coordinate better. The ATAHC also emphasises a medical angle, which stems from the massive amounts of industrial pollutants caused by Firemane economic 'development', and often appalling health services in the area of operations. There is, of course, also a stick. It includes drumhead court-martials, demotions, lashings, and summary executions via hangings, beheadings or firing squads. The punishments for desertion, cowardice or betrayal are draconian. A Central Committee for Military Manufacturing and Development is responsible for handling the large amounts of equipment captured from its enemies, manufacturing munitions, and modifying material like like drones and civilian vehicles for use as surveillance assets, improvised fighting vehicles or improvised aerial explosive delivery platforms.
Many of Elpsis' Qadiri and Xioquo 'siblings', known respectively as the Saobanas and Karrigans, have joined the cause. They obviously share no blood ties with her, but have taken Siobhan's name. Most are former slaves or ex-mamluks. This gives Elpsis a potent constituency that she can use to leverage her influence, but she cannot count on blind obedience. Rather it is a reciprocal relationship based on personal allegiance.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Headquarters: The Phoenix' Perch, a base located in the mountains to the west of Suqua, Tygara.
Goals: The liberation of Tygara and Arkas, and the total destruction of Firemane Industries.
Reputation: Firemane has designated the Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army as a terrorist organisation. Several other foreign corporations, whose operations and personnel have been targeted by the army, have followed suit. Firemane has placed a considerable bounty on the rebel army's leaders. Possession or distribution of rebel propaganda is considered a crime in Firemane company towns, arkstations and protectorates. Alleged rebel sympathisers may be arrested and detained without trial, as well as subjected to torture.
However, the rebel forces have also faced criticism from sentient rights groups for hostage-taking, extrajudicial killings, pillaging, enforced disappearances and use of land mines. As is typical for partisans, rebel operatives and soldiers often dress in civilian clothes to get close to a target and stage attacks, then fade away amongst the civilian population, who then become subject to Firemane reprisals. Moreover, the army has been accused of xenophobia and of carrying out collective punishments against foreigners on Tygara and Arkas. The Shadow Knights are de facto co-belligerents of the Liberation Army, but are not allied with it. The official stance of the Shadow Knights is that since the Army is led by the daughter of the great tyrant Siobhan Kerrigan, who was also a long-time Firemane collaborator, it cannot be seen as a friend of the Asuran people.
Rebel soldiers are exhorted to treat the Tygaran and Arkasian civilian population and their local customs with respect, and not to steal. In rural areas, they help farmers plant or harvest crops, supply seeds, dig irritation ditches, build dams, dikes, ponds and houses. But they might also show their power by killing an unpopular local leader, or by ridding the area of a particularly wealthy and unpopular landowner or by terrorising a popular leader to discourage others from siding with a local ruler who collaborates with Firemane.
The Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army portrays itself as a national resistance force, defending Tygarans and Arkasians from outside aggression and exploitation, as champions against corruption, chaos, poverty, and oppression, and as representative for the interests of marginalised groups. Their populist propaganda is adept at exploiting the dissatisfaction of the downtrodden. Injuctions against the confiscation of peasant property are generally complied with, and violators usually punished. However, they also enforce their will with iron discipline, carry out conscriptions and have forcibly relocated civilian populations to strongholds controlled by them. According to their propaganda, it is the representative of the righteous and a foil to a corrupt oppressor. The rhetoric of liberation is sincere, but should not detract from the fact that the army has been guilty of atrocities such as terrorist bombings, extrajudicial executions of prisoners and alleged collaborators and forced requisitions.
The army is supported by the Daughters of the Destroyer, the Xioquo Queendom of Tlaxqui, the Sistren of the Eternal Flame, the Unchained, the Eldorai Forsaken of Arkas, several Kar'zun clans, certain Vashyada tribes, most of the Zaldrani, the Mirzate of Suqua and other minor Qadiri states. At the same time, the social populist and anti-elitist agenda pushed by parts of the army has been the cause of disquiet among elements of the Tygaran nobility and other members of the upper classes, some of whom have thrown in their lot with the rebellion. These are members of the native elites who may have, for a time, benefited from collaborating with Siobhan and profited from her rule, but have since grown alienated from the system.
COMPOSITION INFORMATION
Army Size: Medium
Composition: The TALA is split into several geographic, operational regions, whose military commands are referred to as 'fronts'. Main operational areas include, among others, the Suquan-Western Zhukathis Front, and the Farzi-Southern Ajustra Front. Individual field commanders enjoy considerable latitude, but answer to the All-Tygaran and Arkasian High Command (ATAHC), which sets overarching strategic goals and handles logistics. The TALA's structure is hierarchical, but cells are given an incredible amount of autonomy and expected to take great personal initiative due to their initial form as an insurgency.
The Suquan-Western Zhukathis Front is under the direct control of the ATAHC. Though offically each 'front' is composed of several 'brigades', the actual numbers vary wildly, and it must be kept in mind that a TALA 'brigade' will almost certainly be a good deal smaller than that of a conventional military that answers to a planetary government. Like many rebel armies, the TALA is a bit fond of giving its formations impressive names that make them look bigger than they actually are. There are also independent formations that are attached to some fronts, based on operational requirements.
The Army has sister branches called the Liberation Sea Fleet and the Liberation Aircorps. Both answer to the ATAHC. Both of these branches are smaller, and more specialised than the ground forces. While the water fleet is quite prominent since seas, rivers and oceans play a big role in transport, trade and warfare on both Tygara and Arkas, the Aircorps largely has a support role. The water fleet largely consists of fast attack craft, patrol boats, submarines and corvettes. Vessels are often in secluded workshops in the wilderness using off the shelf components, though they also make extensive use of captured materials.
Visions of the Phoenix: Rebel army units are accompanied by the Visions. Armed with video cameras and bravery, these men and women form camera teams that shoot the rebels' propaganda videos. To that end, the Visions actively join combat operations to record images of battle, enabling near-real-time broadcasting. The army integrates small-unit operations with its media teams by, for instance, attaching videographers to a unit conducting a raid on a tourist resort on Arkas. The death rate among the Visions' camera crews is high, but their dedication pays off. It is also popular to film alleged 'collaborators', mistresses and foreign exploiters being taken prisoner, humiliated and forced to humble themselves before those wronged by their actions.
Cataphracts of the Ascending Phoenix: A knightly order of Qadiri warriors who swore allegiance to Siobhan Kerrigan, whom they had come to regard as a daughter of the Goddess Kashara. It is pertinent to note that it is nothing new for Qadiri rulers to claim to have some form of semi-divine heritage. Regardless, it flattered her vanity to accept these fierce warriors as her feudal retainers, and simultaneously gave them access to advanced technology. The 'desert elves' have old martial traditions, and the Cataphracts recruit their members from the ranks of Qadiri knighthood. The path of the sword is a way for them to honour their ancestors, acquire glory, social capital and booty for themselves and their clans.
Guided by a combination of religious devotion, opportunism, bravery, and pragmatic calculation, the Cataphracts are loyal to their oath and their clans as well as gold and the Goddess. Siobhan was in their eyes one of the Goddess' daughters, but she was still only mortal. Now that their Lady has passed, they have added her to their other deceased patrons. Some have sought out a new Lady to follow, others have sworn fealty to Elpsis as their new liege lady. The Cataphracts are conscious of their value as high retainers, and expect to be rewarded in land, honour and a place in her war council. They are not averse to doing some looting on the side. Highly cohesive, equipped with heavy weapons and clad in power armour, they are a potent force on the battlefield, though limited by their low numbers.
Granite Guard: In the old days anyone who visited the Presidium of the Arx Aeternae or the palatial villa of House Kerrigan would inevitably come across members of the Granite Guard. However, Siobhan is in coma and possibly dead, and the venal, narcissistic Tegaea is unworthy of their services. Thus these stoic, vigilant sentinels have thrown in their lot with the rebellion. They fight not only for themselves, but for a homeland for their people, free from the dominion of Eldorai and humans.
Tall, strong, made of stone and clad in heavy power armour, these Kar'zun soldiers an imposing sight. They fight as a crack force of heavy, mechanised infantry and tunnellers. These stone warriors are deployed in small numbers. Their strength and resilience is augmented through the use of Power Armour.
The Granite Guard excel at breaching enemy strong-points, making them ideal for trench warfare, close-quarter urban combat and assaults on fortifications.
They provided with the rebels with a powerful, subterranean tank that proved crucial in the destruction of Fort Kerrigan's command centre. The Guard recruits its members from among various autonomous Kar'zun clans on Tygara and beyond. Granite Guards who have been wounded in action or are too old for combat service also aid the rebels as engineers, instructors, and weapons' smiths.
Bloodmaw Ghazis: A unit of Suquan Yazgid cavalry. Yazgids are ferocious, lizard predators and have been the traditional war mounts of Qadiri knights. However, warfare has evolved since then. Mass cavalry charges against entrenched soldiers with blaster weapons are suicidal. However, traditional Yazgid cavalry still has a role to play on the battlefield. They are good in drylands, good raiders and scouts and excellent against isolated outposts such as blockhouses. Mounted troops can penetrate areas that are difficult for vehicles or infantry to access and provide accurate intelligence assessments. Moreover, they do not consume precious fuel and can live off the land. The Ghazis are armed with traditional melee weapons, but also rifles, machine guns, and repeating blasters.
These units can also play a key role after a breakthrough has been achieved by catching up to and running down demoralised, retreating infantry or forcing them to surrender. Their speed can allow them to outrun retreating enemy infantry to take over transportation nexus such as crossroads, bridges and river crossings, which can then be fortified and defended. Flying columns of Bloodmaw Ghazis have become notorious for their daring strikes, raiding settlements, Firemane checkpoints and blockhouses. Attacks on weakly defended targets such as settlements and outposts also serve the goal of demoralising the enemy and destroying or stealing materials and supplies which could be utilised to aid them. It is said that they routinely feed the 'oppressors' to their lizard mounts.
Scrub Thorns: The nickname is derived from the Greater Emerald Spine Tree that is so widespread across Tygara and whose fruits form an essential part of the Qadiri diet. The reason is that they have a habit of taking cover under the trees and eat the fruit when operating in the hills. Moreover, they are a veritable thorn in the enemy's side. The 'Scrub Thorns' are a force of Qadiri light infantry who fight as irregulars and guerrilla partisans. They excel at skirmishing, sniping, scouting and ambushes. Most of these skilled soldiers are Suquans, and they are fighting on their home turf to liberate their homeland.
These women and men are the inheritors of a proud tradition of their motherland resisting daunting odds. For centuries, they resisted the predatory expansion of Amikaron and Krolis. Today, they fight the imperialist humans of Firemane and their native collaborators. Though the city of Suqua has fallen, their spirits are unbroken. A few of the Scrub Thorns are Force-Sensitive, with many of these specialising in precognitive and extrasensory abilities. On average, the Thorns are lightly equipped, donning light body armour, fatigues and glorified flak vests. However, this gives them mobility, and they are skilled at camouflage and avoiding detection without having to rely on the technological gadgets offworlders are so reliant on. Moreover, they have access to high powered slugthrowers, sniper rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, land mines, improvised explosive devices and modernised bows and arrows. The Scrubs are typically armed only with what they can carry, and employ hit-and-run tactics against lopsided Firemane advantages in armaments and technology
Karishzar's Chosen: A dramatic name for a force of Xioquo soldiers who used to serve as Firemane Sepoys and joined Elpsis Kerrigan when she landed at Fort Kerrigan to proclaim revolution. Together, they fought a fierce battle with loyalist Firemane troops, took and pillaged the base. Several of the soldiers remained in the Northlands to fight alongside the Zaldrani or returned to Tlaxqui to rally their kin against the corpo oppressors. But a strong core remained at her side, and continues to fight directly in her campaigns against Firemane and its collaborators. The name of the force is a reference to the title that was bestowed upon Siobhan Kerrigan for her campaigns against the Underealm. It means 'Destroyer' in Xio. Now the Chosen serve under the 'Heir of the Karishzar'.
Many of the Chosen used to be slave-soldiers of the Xioquo mistresses or otherwise have a low caste background. Several female and male Karrigans have joined their ranks. Equipped with stolen Firemane gear, the Chosen are primarily an infantry force with some light vehicles for transport and reconnaissance purposes. With their superior dark vision, they excel at nightly raids and fighting in dark tunnels and caves. Moreover, they are capable mountaineers and are a good force for ambushes and skirmishing. The Chosen also use roadside bombs to prevent outflanking maneuvers, particularly at night. They specialise in melee weapons as well as ranged, favouring vibroblades in close quarters. Some platoons have access to commercial drones that have been repurposed to drop small bombs on the enemy.
Brave Defenders of the Holy Battalions of Kashara: A dramatic name for a pro-rebel, religious, territorial defence militia composed of Qadiri. As a self-defence force, manpower for the Brave Fighters is recruited locally. The Brave Defenders serve on a part-time basis, and are organised in villages, wards and townships. Recruits get some salary, they get a rifle, they get a uniform, they get the idea of belonging, protection from a group. Originally they were formed at the instigation of local priestesses and clan leaders to defend their communities and guard religious shrines. Bonds of kinship are very important for recruitment, which is why their officers are often local clan leaders or other notables. This means the Defenders stand in line with neighbours and family members, typicallyy under the leadership of commanders who already occupy leadership roles in peacetime, such as priestesses, village chiefs and headwomen.
They may be called upon to perform civil defence duties, aid peasants, guard refugee camps and carry out general security tasks in their geographic area. One of their duties is keeping order by hunting down alleged collaborators and enemy spies. Discipline varies between individual units, and payment is irregular. This has given rise to accusations of banditry. While the militia has brave and honest members, others have joined it to settle old scores. They do not represent all Defenders, but there are criminal elements who wear the uniform to legitimise their activities. On average, the Brave Defenders are poorly equipped, but they are capable of impressive feats of bravery when properly led by officers with empathy and skill.
Heralds of the Destroyer: The Heralds are a force of militant Daughters of the Destroyer, a Xioquo cult that venerates the Karishzar, or Destroyer. This spirit was once identified by many with Siobhan Kerrigan, who overthrow the slavocratic ancien régime and slew Myrou, a primeval Xioquo whom the Xio consider to be their mother goddess. The Daughters of the Destroyer believe that by killing Mystra, the Karishzar proved herself to have been truly blessed by the spirits. Recently, there has been a move to separate Siobhan, the problematic mortal icon, from the Karishzar. Many view the Karishzar as a powerful spirit Siobhan entered a symbiotic bond with, but who severed her connection with the human when the latter strayed from the true path, seduced by the siren Tegaea Alcori. Regardless, the Heralds view themselves as the Karishzar's chosen warriors. All of these Xioquo warriors are Force-Sensitive females. Former slaves, lower caste members and individuals who were persecuted by the old order are preferred as members.
Their religious devotion makes them extremely zealous in combat. Their combat prowess is boosted by their elemental Force abilities, but their greatest strength is their discipline and coordination. Moreover, they are particularly skilled in night fighting. The Heralds served with distinction on many battlefields, including in the blood-soaked trenches and forests of Tephrike. However, when the Daughters denounced Firemane for its crimes against the Xioquo people, the Heralds followed suit. As they had been Siobhan's creatures, they were well-equipped for a native unit, though limited by low numbers. The Heralds have acknowledged Elpsis as a fellow Daughter and the Karishzar's Heir. To them, she is one of their battle sisters, though they do not view her as a mistress they will follow without question.
Tecpactli: A radical militant wing of the Daughters of the Destroyer, the Tecpatli are Xioquo assassins who strike at those they consider foes of the Karishzar. Fittingly, their name means knives or daggers in the Xio language. They operate in small groups that generally carry out their assignments independently, but can come together if need be. They rely on surprise, secrecy and cunning to complete their mission. Their philosophy views the death of one to prevent the death or suffering of many as necessary. They see themselves as cleansers. The Tecpatli offer no mercy to those they have judged to be evil, only execution, and the death may not be swift. With the aid of disguises, they can gather crucial information about the enemy.
Tecpatli are grouped in individual teams that can be as small as two or as large as twelve. When two teams work together, one may be responsible for executing the action, such as an assassination or abduction, while the other screens the strike team, procures safehouses, false IDs or getaway vehicles, keeps an eye on enemy movements and provides advanced warning, arranges diversions or sabotages enemy communications etc. The Tecpatli follow a principle of achieving maximum impact at minimal cost to the group or harm to uninvolved bystanders. They draw upon a long tradition of Xioquo assassin cults that stretches back to the dark reign of Myrou. Essentially, they are cult, concealing their identities with dark grey robes, hoods and ceremonial masks.
They are a secretive presence among their fellow Daughters. The assassins revere the spirits of fire, water, earth, sky, and darkness. Darkness has negative connotations in many cultures, but sunlight burns Xio, who dwell in a subterranean realm. To the Tecpatli, the light hides the wicked, but there is wisdom and protection in darkness. The spirits of darkness shield the innocent and drag the wicked out of the cursed light into the shadows, where they can be judged for their foul deeds. The spirits of murdered innocent cannot find peace until the perpetrators have been brought to justice. At the same time the assassins view each soul slain as being freed from evil. Their unofficial emblem is a dagger and scales. They believe that those who live worthy lives go into the earth (heaven is down) and reunite with the spirits of their ancestors. The wicked will be adjudged by those they wronged and cast out into the unending light and heat, where they will suffer eternal torment. To the Tecpatli, serving the Destroyer and slaying the wicked is their ticket to a good 'interview' with the spirits assembled.
Brako's Breakers: A force of Mandalorian mercenaries led by Tulako Brako, a Zabrak Mandalorian. They have thrown in their lot with the rebels for gold, glory and, most importantly, land to settle on. Mandalore has been devastated by apocalyptic calamities, war and strife - much of it between Mandalorians. There is little for them on their homeworld, so they have emigrated and are now fighting for a homeland. The Breakers are small in number, but have access to aircraft, tanks and basilisks. All this is heavy firepower the Tygaran rebels are in dire need of. Moreover, they can serve as instructors. They supply their own complete force, complete with a frigate to transport it all. As foreign auxiliaries, the Breakers fight under their own leaders rather than being completely integrated into the army's organisation more generally.
The Phoenix Host: Originally composed of Qadiri Sepoys who joined Elpsis when she landed at Fort Kerrigan. The Host has since been expanded to include other Qadiri troops, such as soldiers from Suqua's regular army. At present, they represent Elpsis' primary force of assault infantry. The Host is able to deploy quickly to front lines and concentrate its forces before quickly redirecting the axis of its attack to outflank and ambush its enemy. Much of their weapons and body armour have been looted from Firemane arsenals. Their arsenal includes bolters, assault rifles, shoulder-launched anti-tank missiles, machine guns, repeating blasters, shields, vibroblades and vibrospears. However, they somewhat anachronistically also train regularly with bayonets, as it encourages an aggressive mind set on the battlefield. With their Ghoush and Yazgid Infantry Fighting Vehicles, they are very mobile on the battlefield and can serve as an armoured spearhead, though they are obviouly constrained by the availability of fuel supplies. They also utilise repurposed civilian groundcars with small arms and light weaponry and heavy weapons mounted on them. Mortars have been attached to the Host to provide fire support through indirect fire, as improvised mortars are fairly easy to manufacture and maintain.
The Myriad Hands: A group of Unchained hackers who originally started out as anti-corporate hacktivists and now carry out cyber attacks against Firemane military and civilian infrastructure. The Unchained never trusted Firemane. From early on, the megacorp tried to sabotage their communities on Arkas, believing that their political ideals could 'contaminate' their vassals. Now open warfare has ensued, which has resulted in the Unchained having some rather unorthodox bedfellows. True to their name, the Myriads operate in a decentralised fashion. One of their most notorious cells is led by a Shard and a human clone from Tephrike called Mara Technician, who used to serve the Dominion as a codebreaker. The Myriads have carried out cyberattacks on Firemane holonet sites, banking services and utilities. They have also tried to infiltrate date wiper malware on computers belonging to multiple Firemane organisations and targeted individuals or corporations that do business with Firemane.
Pride of Suqua: What is left of Suqua's small tank force has joined the rebel army to reclaim the homeland. The Pride uses older Firemane designs that have been phased out by the megacorp such as the outdated Reaver Class Assault Tank, or even older galaxy variants that in some cases are centuries old and would not have been out of place on the battlefields of the Clone Wars. They combine tanks with Infantry Fighting Vehicles such as the Iron Ghoush that ferry infantry into combat and provide fire support. When armoured personnel carriers or trucks are not available, soldiers sometimes ride into an attack on tanks, then dismount to fight on foot. The Pride's vehicles are tracked or wheeled due to the bad terrain and because it makes maintenance easier. The designs are not the most modern, but their tankers are brave and dedicated. In contrast to the Amikarese Imperial Army, the Pride's tank commanders are not recruited solely from the ranks of the landed warrior-gentry.
Grand Migration Supply Corps: The role of the dramatically named Grand Migration Supply Corps is an unglamorous one, but without it, the army could not function. They are not assault troops, Force warriors or tankers...but a logistics unit that uses Horned Ghoush, large, ponderous herbivore of considerable weight and heft to serve as military haulers. While slow, Ghoush are far easier to maintain than engines and blend in with their rocky homes from above, which makes them ideal pack animals. The Supply Corps recruits many of its members from reservists who are not considered eligible for regular military duty, but can still serve as security units. Many recruits are rural folk who have experience in handling Ghoush. Naturally, the Corps also has a staff of logisticians and supply officers.
Wildfire Assault Battalion: Naphta is a flammable liquid that has been used by the Qadiri in warfare since ancient times. Suqua has long employed incendiary teams since ancient times. The Wildfire Assault Battalion builds upon this proud and storied tradition, utilising fire grenades, flamethrowers and assault weapons. The battalion also has a small and unique team of Force-Sensitive pyromancers who can use the same weapons with even deadlier effect because they can manipulate the flames thereby created. These warriors are called the Knights of the Living Flame.
Iron Rain Artillery Regiment: A theoretically regiment-sized artillery unit. Before the coming of the sky people, the Qadiri and Xioquo had already utilised cannons in combat. Now they have been able to get their hands on some more advanced artillery pieces. However, they are still limited by lack of know-how when it comes to using and replicating galaxy standard designs. Shells are preferred to lasers because they are easier to replicate, despite their drawbacks. The Iron Rains' weapons include field guns, rocket launchers and howitzers, though many of their guns are towed. They use Ghoush to get towed artillery pieces into position. Most of the Iron Rain artillerists are Xioquo, but the force also has some Kar'zun members.
Bright Fire Battalion of the Martyr Celaena Eilris: Or Celaena's Torchbearers, for short. The unit is dedicated to the memory of Celaena Eilris, an Eldorai Forsaken and comrade of Elpsis Kerrigan who died valiantly during the Battle of Suqua. After killing many Firemane mercenaries and auxiliaries during the last stand, she was finally killed in an artillery strike. Her name has been given a place of honour in the TALA's pantheon of martyrs. Rather than being exclusive, the unit is multispecies. It includes Eldorai Forsaken from Arkas, Tygarans and even some Tephriki clones. The Torchbearers are an infantry assault unit that has gained a grim reputation in urban combat. Sometimes they are deployed as paratroopers.
Timberline Raiders: A force of partisans recruited from southern Ajustra and Farzi. They are most at home in forests, but their home turf also has snow and lakes, which gives them a wide range of terrrain they are proficient in. They operate in small groups of independent raiders which can attack and fade into the terrain. Experts at raiding, scattering and living off the land. They can also make use of boats and carry out maritime boarding actions.
Hydra Assault Force: Cloning has a long history in the Galaxy. Sadly, clones rights are often rarely acknowledged, and so clones are often dismissed as being less than sentient, being bred as servitors for governments and corporations. The Unchained reject this. Having rebelled against the Jedi-led totalitarian nightmare that is the Dominion of Light, they are committed to clone freedom. The Hydra Assault Force is a small vanguard of crack soldiers who facilitate their raiding operations. They are trained in reconnaissance and direct action operations, and form an important component of the Arkasian front.
The force is mostly though not entirely composed of clones, both Tephriki and galaxy ones. This makes the name quite fitting. After all, it has many identical heads and if you cut off one another two grow. The Hydras must generally operate without much of a support network, which means their training stresses initiative and a knack for improvisation. The lack of a regular supply train will force them to live off the land during a protracted operation. A good number of Hydras are Force-Sensitive, who are trained to incorporate their Force powers into the overall battle plan. This allows them to act as force multipliers.
Stalkers of the Frozen Wastes: The Zaldrani of the Northlands field no great armies, but they are resourceful, tenacious and well-adapted to the arctic climate of the frozen north. Firemane antagonised them when it treated them with scorn, caused rampant overfishing and polluted their homeland through frakking operations. As such the Stalkers of the Frozen Wastes have been mustered anew. They are among their most renowned warriors, forming small warbands of ice and water shapers. These warriors can endure incredibly cold temperatures without needing temperature controlled, sealed suits of armour. They are masters of using the snowy terrain of the Northlands to their advantage.
The Zaldrani lack a centralised government, though they are organised on the clan level. So the Stalkers are not a standing force. Instead each clan puts forward their best hydromancers for the common cause, for a while. They come together in memory of the ancient times where they worked together. There are, of course, still feuds. In that regard, the Stalkers are closer to a crack militia of irregulars than a conventional force. When they are formed, the chiefs cast votes, but they cannot vote for themselves. So therefore they have to vote in blocks for one of their number. The chiefs are advised by priestesses and a group of respected warriors chosen by peer selection. The system works well enough because the Stalkers are a small force of experienced irregulars, not a professional military, and it's battle-hardened warriors weighing in on matters. The Stalkers played a prominent role in the assault on Fort Kerrigan, and continue to wage a determined struggle against Firemane, collaborationist chiefs and Eldorai nobles who have thrown in their lot with the humans out of greed and speciesism. For winter has come, and winter is theirs.
Azanatha: Inspired by the Amikarase Anusiya, the Azanatha are a Force using corps who serve as the personal bodyguard force of the monarchs of Suqua. It is the law in the Qadiri states that Force-Users must be taken in by the temple or state and be trained to serve. Service in the corps is prestigious, though comes with the price of breaking up families. They specialise in elemental Force abilities, and are trained in small unit tactics, ranged and melee combat. Their training emphasies discipline, teamwork and precision. They are very disciplined and loyal to their charge.
Traditionally, most Azanatha are Qadiri females, though particularly skilled and valorous males have been allowed to join. Unless they are discharged or perish in battle, the Aswaran are bound to the throne. Officially, they guard the throne and the title, not the person per se. This makes their commander a warden of the realm in the most literal sense of the word.
The Azanatha fought gallantly in the battle of Suqua, suffering heavy casualties in the process. The names of their dead have been immortalised in songs. They were among the last units to retreat from the besieged city. Elpsis has opened the corps to any rebel fighter who meets the standards. That includes, among others, Xio and Kar'zun, provided they are loyal and capable.
Daggers of the Nightwind: A force mostly composed of Xioquo who escaped the 'new horizons' work camps on Arkas, and answer to Qiskhar'Anzar, a firebrand Daughter. Lightly armed, mobile and well-motivated, they have become notorious for raiding forced labour camps, tourist resorts and mansions. The Daggers are always on the move, and have acquired some boats to move cargo and personnel around.
The Daggers systematically carry out kidnappings of individuals regarded as connected to Firemane, and the systemic oppression it has inflicted on the downtrodden. It has targeted, among others, Firemane employees and executives, local politicians, and tourists. Some have been released in return for a ransom or in turn for rebel fighters and sympathiers being freed. But others have been killed. Despite Firemane prohibitions, some private companies that operate on Arkas quietly pay protection money to the rebels to avoid being targeted. For all the controversy, their exploits on Arkas have been a morale boost. Their activities have been endorsed by Elpsis Kerrigan.
Saiqa Brigade: 'Brigade' is a bit of an exaggeration, for in actual fact this combat formation is quite a bit smaller. Regardless, the warriors of the 'Lightning Brigade' answer to Emira Bahara Mai Mahtaba, a powerful Suquan warlord and political entrepeneur. As their name implies, they rely on lightning strikes, manoeuvring tactics, deployment of snipers and hit-and-run attacks. The Emira's past dealmaking with Firemane, as well as still ongoing business deals with foreign companies that want to avoid being raided, have allowed her to provide her troops with drones, armoured personnel carriers, anti-aircraft guns and other military equipment that is advanced by Tygaran standards.
Indeed, corrupt Firemane officers cultivated by Bahara have outright sold weapons, fuel and munitions to the Saiqa Brigade. Pragmatically, some captured Firemane specialists have been kept around as advisors - under pain of death. The brigade is deeply intertwined with Bahara's and her family's business enterprises – most notably, in gold mining – and financed through them. The combat formation includes a small cadre of Zari (Force) adepts. Fittingly, they tend to specialise in air or fire elemental abilities. The Saiqa Brigade has been accused of looting and sentient rights' violations.
MEMBERS
Jazira Zabhara Jai Ghazana (NPC): Zabhara's story is one of success against the odds. She was born into a tribe of pastoralists, but remembers little of her childhood. As a child, she was sold into slavery by her destitute parents, and sold in an auction. She no longer remembers her birth name or cares. Sold to one middleman after another, she eventually became a mamluk slave-soldier. However, her natural intelligence, cunning and strength enabled her to become more than just grunt. She eventually managed to purchase her freedom. She has been a mamluk slave-soldier, a mercenary captain and finally a warlord.
When Firemane took control, she was offered good terms to join them with her soldiers. For a time she was Siobhan's enforcer in Suqua, her homeland. Now she serves as the Chief of Staff of the Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army. It has been quite a ride. She is recognised as the principal architect of the rebel army's strategy of protracted people's war, which incorporates both political and military components. In many ways, her role is political as well as military. She is well-acquainted with many of the local elites in Suqua, and knows when to flatter, bargain, intimidate or 'make examples'. Ruthless, charismatic, unemotional and pragmatic, she is effective at building networks of personal loyalty and control.
Zabhara is an assertive, goal-oriented and - when the situation demands it - ruthless leader. She has gained a well-earned reputation as a woman who will never sugar-coat a situation or allow herself to be overawed by foreigners or Force-Users. Zabhara sees a little of herself in the 'Fire Princess'. After all, she started almost as nothing, bucking against the system. Her stubbornness, energy and drive are qualities that Elpsis finds admirable. Elpsis, who has not been trained for high command, distrust officers who have 'exaggeratedly theoretical minds', since they make her wonder what becomes of their theories at the moment of action. So someone with a no-nonsense attitude like Zabhara suits her well.
Zabhara's attitude towards the young human has elements of stern maternalism. However, she is also acting in the interest of Suqua - and her own self-interest. She has invested everything in this war, and expects to get her due. The Jazira is known for being loyal towards her personal friends and vassals, whom she rewards well, but she will not hesitate to turn on a liege who does not appreciate her services enough. She is a good Yazgid rider and is especially talented in mounted archery for sport.
Zabhara seeks to ensure that Suqua is freed from the humans' yoke, but without compromising liberty for safety. The Jazira rarely gives interviews, and does not seek out the limelight. But her presence casts a long shadow over the councils and deliberations of the TALA. She sleeps about four-and-a-half hours at night, and relaxes by exercising. One of her favourite pastime is falconry. She regards it as excellent training for a warrior. She is a hard, stern woman, but not a heartless one. When the battle is over, she will commiserate with the survivors over the dead, visit the wounded and the dying in their sickbed. But she will never lose sight of the larger goal. And she does her best to stay disconnected from individual soldiers, in case she is required to sacrifice a few. She knows all too well that victory can only be attained with blood, and this war will reap a bitter harvest.
Zabhara was born Zakaris Jal Ghazan, and had female gender identity from an early age. Qadiri society is, ironically, quite progressive in this respect. A trans woman is viewed as being born with a female spirit in a male body, and vice versa. But as a slave-soldier she was unable to make any changes and openly live as a woman until she had attained her freedom and her own command. She sought out hormone therapy while working for the humans, paying for the expensive treatments out of her own pocket. Firemane loved to claim that it was enlightened and progressive, but it was anything but. Siobhan privately considered removing her from command, but had to keep her in place due to her competence and popularity among Suquan troops.
Sergeant Zarrol'Narsh (NPC): Narsh is a Xioquo male and the most senior NCO of the Army of the Rising Phoenix. Putting a male in such a senior position is very unusual among the traditionally misandrist Xioquo, but he has earned it through preserverance, determination and skill. Narsh has low caste origins, and began his career as a Sergeant among Firemane's Xioquo Sepoys. At first life was good - relatively. He and his comrades earned money, and were treated with some respect, though Firemane's foreign officers were patronising. But as time went by things got worse. Native officers were increasingly removed, and brutal punishments were instituted. To him it felt like the mistresses had returned under a new guise.
When Elpsis landed at Fort Kerrigan and appealed to the Sepoys to rise in rebellion, he happened to be part of her welcoming committee. It was he who fired the first shot, killing an Order of Fire adept and triggering the Sepoy uprising. Given impromptu command over a portion of the rebellious Sepoys, he fought bravely against Firemane loyalist troops. Narsh followed the 'Young Phoenix' to the Zaldrani Northlands and later Suqua. He has continued to fight on her side since then, and serves as a crucial link between the enlisted and the officers. He looks after his troops and advises his commanders on practical matters. Narsh is respectful to his superiors, but determined never to be a slave again. His younger cousin Zarrol'Ihuicatl was maimed during the assault on Fort Kerrigan, and now serves in a support role in logistics.
Shapara Jai Narzal (NPC): An NCO turned officer from Suqua who came from very humble origins. Born into a low caste, she grew up illiterate and at the bottom of society, which left her with a healthy disdain for her leaders. But, a job was a job. Very brave, strong, resourceful, but also cunning and knows when not to get involved in a battle. Their qualities got her promoted to be an NCO, and when Siobhan came in and wanted to promote some people based on merit to cultivate a cadre of reliable supporters, she part of the first class. Literally, as though they she had gotten basic literacy as an NCO, she needed to be able to write and read Zandri and also speak Basic. Shapara distinguished herself in battle in Siobhan's royal army and now in Elpsis' rebel forces, but has never lost that cynical, hard edge. She has a rugged, tough charisma.
Zokala Jai Adshal (NPC): Zokala was born far from among the bustling city of Suqua, hailing from a clan of herders. Her family subsisted for generations, but they were pretty much free from any sort of oversight. Occasionally armies might pass by and plunder and 'forage'. As such she had to learn how to fight, hunt and track as well as survive in the veldt. When Firemane came suddenly everyone had to be registered, pay taxes, be subject to 'impoundments' if license fees weren't paid - essentially bribes. Without bothering to ask the pastoralists' consent, the megacorp and its cronies in the big city seized grazing land to convert it to croplands or use it for industrial farming. Land the herders had used for generations was suddenly stolen from them. So when some slick human came with some police to arrest her, Zokala and her family shot them and absconded to the hills with some others. She was resisting the occupation long before Fort Kerrigan was went up in flames. Zoakala has no love for the city folk, but shared enemies eventually brought her into the fold of the rebellion when the rebel army retreated into the mountains. She is a pretty independent sort who accepts pay and provides intel for the rebels but doesn't follow their orders.
Izana Jai Azali (NPC): Izana is a priestess of Azali, goddess of fire, the desert and forging in Qadiri mythology. She started out as a simple scribe, but eventually became a priestess and worked her way up to be an important part of the city. Her main goal is to keep Suqua and its people independent from foreign domination. Before Firemane's coming she helped defend Suqua from Amikarese invasion. Izana was critical of Firemane, and resented Siobhan for the death of her lover, who died on campaign in a faraway land in the stars so that the humans could enrich themselves. She is firmly committed to indepencence.
While devout, she is pretty ecumenical in her views, since she had to be accepted by the Kasharans in the city, too. Today, she serves as the army's Qadiri chaplain. Izana is a Force-User and, as can be expected from a priestess of a goddess of fire, a fire shaper. Moreover, she is gifted in extrasensory abilities, especially farsight. When she met Elpsis, she had the young human undergo a series of fiery trials to prove her worthiness and her devotion to Azali. Her followers call her the Flame of Truth. She has issued religious calls to arms, urging young Qadiri to take up arms against the foreign invaders.
Kseniya (NPC): A Vashyada poetess, singer and entertainer who used to do tours between the worldships to sing Vash folk songs for the wider market. Her projects also included soundtrack work for holomovies and holodocumentaries. Someone like her could have easily led a comfortable life, but she has chosen to give up her creature comforts and join the rebellion as a military propagandist.
One of the reasons was the virulent speciesism she encountered while working on the Arx Aeternae. Moreover, her clan was deported during a Firemane 'counterinsurgency operation'. She gave a live performance during the siege of Suqua, while heavy fighting was already taking place on the outskirts of the city. Kseniya managed to make it out of the city before its fall, but was captured, beaten and almost summarily executed by Firemane auxiliaries before rebel soldiers rescued her. While still in recovery, she sang for wounded soldiers and displaced civilians.
Kseniya suffers from rheumatic valvular heart disease and as such does not provide any combat service for the TALA. Instead, she is a singer, songwriter and news presenter for the propaganda arm of the Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army. She has a group of singers under her who use their songs to exalt the rebel army and rally supporters. Rather than a gun, she carries a camera, a pen or a notepad. Her most well-known rebel song is a work of vocal music called 'Heed the Call'. The song is melodic and intense and calls on the warriors to fight to the bitter end, appealing to their sense of honour and the example of their ancestors.
Loyalty (NPC): Loyalty is an unusual convert to the rebellion's cause, for she was a 'galaxy' member of Firemane. She is a Dahomian chemist who was originally sent to Fort Kerrigan to run some studies. However, in the process she discovered that the megacorp's fracking operations were contaminating the sea. Firemane didn't want anyone to know they were ruining the natives' lives for the sake of profit, so they would not let her go. Firemane's always had her under guard to make sure she could not escape or leak information. As far as she could, she helped Xio Sepoys who had been 'chastised'.
Narsh vouched for her, so she was allowed to join the rebel army under supervision. Loyalty has a small team of grunts under her to test for chemicals in the soil, water and air. Moreover, she oversees chemical cleanups of areas affected by toxic substances and serves as a specialised weapons' master handling chemical weapons. Firemane has spewed massive amounts of industrial pollutants into the air, and water, and utilised chemical weapons, so she has her work cut out of her.
Sergeant Kar'zakush: A senior NCO of the Granite Guard. At more than seven hundred years old, she has seen and participated in countless wars, watched empires come and fall. She is old, almost ancient. She's seen great conquerors and so-called deities humbled and freedom fighters turn into tyrants many times over. This long life gives her a dispassionate, almost philosophical outlook. On the battlefield, she is logical, calculating and disciplined. This is not to say that she is an emotionless automaton, far from it. She has a dry, sarcastic wit. Kar'zakush escaped the yoke of the Eldorai when she fled Kaeshana with the help of pirates. However, she later turned on them because their brutal treatment of their captives disgusted her. Though she had suffered under the Eldorai as an indentured labourer, her hatred did not extend to other races or to elves who turned out to be innocent civilians.
Subsequently Kar'zakush worked a bounty-hunter, mercenary and bodyguard for various groups. She eventually returned to Kaeshana to help her people leave the planet in the Great Exodus, as it was doomed to be destroyed by a huge asteroid. This brought her into contact with Firemane, and led to her joining the Guard. Siobhan picked the taciturn Kar'zun for her personal squad, which was charged with protecting Firemane's first family. Kar'zakush has joined Elpsis to help secure a home for her people, and so some good in her last centuries. Moreover, she feels some sympathy for the Tygarans, especially the Zaldrani and Xio. In her dealings with the 'Fire Princess', she is blunt and forthright. Kar'zakush is the kind of grizzled, at times cranky sergeant who canot be bothered to fawn over a superior...especially one who is not even a fraction of her age.
Tulako Brako: Tulako is not an idealist, a revolutionary, a cultist or even a Tygaran. Born into a Mandalorian clans the red skinned Zabrak is a fine warrior and pragmatic to the bone. She has no time for purple prose about how noble and righteous the rebel army supposedly is. Tulako is a capable logistician, and pilot. She can be described as headstrong, ambitious, disciplined, and blunt to the point of aggressiveness, but also with a strong sense of loyalty to her clan. Her outlook on her fellow Mandalorians is a mix of nationalistic pride and incredible bitterness towards how far they have fallen. For this reason, she doesn't consider herself beholden to any potentate.
Her motivations are straightforward: booty, glory and, most importantly, a home for her people. One Mand'alor after another sacrificed the future of the Mandalorian people on the altar of their own grandiose dreams. Now, after cataclysm, civil war and Sith occupation, much of Manda'yaim remains a wasteland. Tulako sees little future for her clan on the homeworld, so she has hitched her waggons to Elpsis' star in return for land on Arkas. Her soldiers are few in number, but provide heavy firepower the Tygaran rebels have a dire need of, and can serve as instructors. As foreign auxiliaries, her warriors fight under their own leaders rather than being completely integrated into the army's organisation more generally.
Karrigan'Xalda: a Xioquo Herald of the Destroyer, and sister in spirit to Elpsis Kerrigan. Or, as Xalda calls her, Karrigan'Alpsis. Enslaved as a little child under the ancien régime, Xalda eventually became a slave-soldier. She gained her freedom when her mistress sent her to Siobhan as a 'gift', with secret orders to assassinate Firemane's leader. However, Xalda began to develop doubts when the 'Karishzar' treated her with kindness. Siobhan saw through her guise, but forgave her, which made Xalda loyal to her. She took Karrigan as a her surname after her liberator slew Mystra. However, when Firemane revealed its true colours as a racist and oppressive corpo-state, Xalda turned on them. She has been there since the investigation in Tlaxqui revealed Firemane's indentured servitude programme.
As a warrior-priestess, Xalda serves both a martial and a religious role, and she has brought many of her sisters and brothers into the rebel army. Her relationship with Elpsis started out rocky, not the least because the human unfairly dismissed the Xioquo as a weird cultist, but the two share a strong, albeit somewhat awkward bond now.
Hazani Jai Bysara: A gifted fire shaper and the daughter of Sahali Jai Bysara, the dead High Mistress of the Sistren of the Eternal Flame, a knightly order devoted to the Goddess Azali, and a great hero to many Qadiri. Even in death, her mother casts a long shadow over her. Sahali led a coalition that opposed Firemane and their corrupt lackey Semiramis. She was able to score several victories, but was betrayed and murdered by her allies after a battle they had pushed her into went ill. Disgusted by their actions, Siobhan Kerrigan executed the ringleader and sent the rest back to Sahali's loyal followers for punishment. However, the Sistren had to submit to a punitive arms limitation treaty and hand over Hazani as a 'ward' of House Kerrigan-Alcori. In other words, a hostage.
Siobhan treated her honourably but it was clear that she intended to use her a political tool. However, Hazani would not be cowed or bribed by Firemane with baubles. She was certain that not all who betrayed her mother had been punished. She was assigned to Elpsis' platoon to make her both useful and keep her under watch. The relationship between them remains rocky to this day, but there is trust. Hazani was part of the investigation that uncovered a network of Firemane forced labour camps, and later went rogue. Reclaiming her identity as a Sister of the Eternal Flame, she played an important role in the assault on Fort Kerrigan. She has been part of the rebel army ever since, commanding a force of warriors provided by her order. Hazani is a reliable ally against Firemane and its lackeys, but fiercely independent and proud of her heritage. Her goal is the liberation of the Qadiri, and the restoration of her order's influence in Zhukathis.
Qiskhar'Kalou (NPC): A Xioquo assassin, former slave and a close friend of Karrigan'Xalda. Both used to be slave-soldiers. The mistresses used to train their martial servitors in the so called March of the Mamluks and made them put on a show for them. The two first met as dance partners. They later worked together to kill their mistresses. Both are members of the Daughters of the Destroyer, and belong to the extended Karrigan family. This makes them Elpsis' sisters in spirit. Among some of her friends she is known as Mistress Viper. This is both a reference to her affinity for poisons as well as her ability to pass as one of the highborn of society. Moreover, she has an affinity for snakes. She is talented in covert operations and espionage, able to switch from playing the part of the cold, haughty to mistress to militant warrior or friendly sister near seamlessly. She is also very good at music.
When Elpsis was investigating allegations of Firemane officials engaging in corrupt practices and luring Xioquo into indentured servitude in company towns, the high priestess of the Daughters assigned Kalou and a strike force of battle sisters to aid her. Together, they destroyed a forced labour camp run by a Firemane shell company, and liberated the serfs. Moreover, Kalou played an important role during the assault on Fort Kerrigan, having infiltrated the base as a cleaner. She used her disguise as well as her past as a slave-soldier to get close to Xioquo Sepoys such as Narsh, and help sway their loyalties. Finally, she foiled the base commander's escape attempt. Today, she works in the TALA's espionage branch, and serves as a liaison to Xioquo assassin cults.
Kalou is one of the Daughters who shed the Karrigan name, and instead call themselves Qiskhar, which is the Xio word for Daughter. It is a way for her to show she holds true to the core tenets of the Karishzar, but has distanced herself from Siobhan. Moreover, it emphasises the viewpoint that the Daughters are a sisterhood.
Karrigan'Karou (NPC): A former slave Xioquo veteran of many battles in the deserts of Amikaron and the jungles of Khajwar, Karou is one of the many members of the extended Karrigan family and has ties to the Daughters. Her face is scarred and one of her ears clipped in the old days for being 'uppity'. Tough and with a dark sense of humour, she feels intense hatred for the old mistresses. Karou crossed paths with Elpsis during the latter's visit to Tlaxqui, and took part in the assault on Firemane's forced labour camp on Arkas.
At the time Karou was living in poverty. There was little for her in the Underealm. Moreover, Elpsis offered her a chance at crushing overmighty fools who thought themselves above her, and paid well. Since then she has played a role in rallying members of the Tlaxqui underclasses and former mamluks to her cause, and participated in the assault on Fort Kerrigan. Karou favours hard-hitting weapons such as shotguns, bolters, axes and maces. She likes the power these weapons give her. A practical woman at heart with a cynical and grounded view of the world, she is no cultist of the 'Karishzar' or her 'Heir'. However, she is loyal when treated well. She respects strength and commitment, not blind worship.
Diona: A former Jedi warrior of the totalitarian Dominion of Light, one of the major powers on the war-torn, Dark Age world of Tephrike. A clone, she was moulded from birth to serve the Jedi theocracy without question. The dutiful soldier haunted by atrocities she was complicit in while serving in her homeworld's bloody civil war. Diona led the inquisitorial team that captured Elpsis during Firemane's expedition to the planet. In the camp, she was both tormentor and protector.
Ultimately she turned on her masters and helped Elpsis escape. With nowhere else to go, she followed Elpsis off-world and initially served in Firemane's ranks, though it eventually transpired that she had exchanged one tyrant for tyrant. Without hesitation, she committed herself to the rebellion. Fighting the racist, exploitative corpo-state is part of her atonement. Diona is a strong Force-User, capable duellist and experienced small unit leader. Moreover, she serves as an informal advisor to Elpsis. After all, the fallen Jedi paladin knows all too well how easily a good cause can be led astray.
Rhea: A Rattataki female from the Dark Age world of Tephrike She was born in a collective farm in Dominion territory. Her parents were murdered by the Vaderites and after hiding in the wilderness, she was conscripted into a Dominion labour corps. She became a Jedi and was manipulated by the cruel Grand Inquisitor into becoming his servant. Abused and deceived, she was set free when Elpsis slew her master. Rhea was attached to Elpsis, but always deeply distrustful of Firemane and built strong ties to the Unchained, a group of Tephriki exiles with left-wing libertarian convictions who had found refuge on Arkas.
Her past experiences left her with anger issues and strong revulsion for Sith and Jedi. She travelled with Elpsis and sought to learn from her. She always wanted to one day return to her homeworld to bring the oppressors to justice. Like Diona, she was part of the initial investigation into Firemane's crimes and then committed herself to the rebel army. She is all for tearing down the enslavers, and the fact that Firemane bombed Liberty, the peaceful Unchained settlement, has only made her hate them more. In many ways this is a Tephrike prequel for her.
Sahmara Jai Saobana: Sahmara used to be a slave in Lakish, one of the Qadiri fiefs beholden to the Amikarese Empire. Conscripted into the mamluk corps, she did the bidding of her mistress. She was injured in battle against Xioquo invaders. When Siobhan toppled the Mirza of Lakish following the latter's disastrous attack on the Underealm, Sahmara was hidden by her owner to prevent her from being liberated. Seeking to hold on to her property, she forced her slaves to pretend they were 'under contract' to deceive Firedawn inspectors. However, Sahmara managed to escape and bring word to Firemane, informing them of the plight of her fellows. They proceeded to punish the mistress for this deception.
Sahmara had no family, so she took Jai Saobana as her surname. This makes her one of several emancipated Qadiri slaves who have taken the surname Jai Saobana, which can be translated as 'of Siobhan'. She has a son from an affair with a Qadiri general during her time as a slave. Sahmara made Siobhan's acquaintance when her new liege lady happened to visit her garrison. She assisted her lady when the latter investigated a mystical pyramid that turned out to be a Rakara construct. For her bravery, Sahmara was made a sergeant and assigned to Suqua. She was distraught when she heard of Siobhan's coma. With Firemane turning openly abusive towards its Qadiri subjects, she has taken the side of her 'sister' Elpsis.
Zhahleh is the Qadiri word for dew or hoar frost. This makes it an appropriate name since she is one of the rare Qadiri ice and water shapers. Zhaleh is from a remote community in the icy north of Tygara, far from the great cities where most Qadiri live, but also away from the Underealm. There her people lived a life as fishers and hunters. Qadiri elementalists tend to be fire or air mages, but ice magic helped her people survive in the arctic conditions. She has a natural resistance to the cold. By contrast, she finds very hot climates uncomfortable. Moreover, she has a knack for stealth. In that regard, her elemental abilities come in handy as she can use them to lower her body temperatures, allowing her to elude heat scans and similar
Zhaleh Jai Bijana: Zhaleh is a Zaldrani, a Qadiri ethnic group that dwells in the arctic Northlands. Her mother is a chieftain and a war hero of her people, who fought bravely against a Xioquo incursion. Due to the remoteness of their tribal hunting grounds, they missed the initial first contact with the outsiders. However, when the sky people arrived Zhaleh bravely set off to offer welcome to them, coming to the rescue of a Firemane crew that had been stranded. Indeed, she rescued Firemane crew members from drowning. She later joined up to learn more. Her more 'civilised' Qadiri brethren to the south see her and her people as 'rustic'. In some ways, they have more in common with the Vashyada, though the wood elves are less nomadic.
The Xioquo were the perennial enemies of her people, and Zhaleh has a lot of experience fighting them. However, at other times her tribe had friendly dealings with Xioquo rebels who had fled to escape the tyranny of the ruling families. This means her view of the dark elves is less black and white than that of many of her fellow Qadiri or even that of most Vashyada.
While she aided Firemane in its wars in the void, the foreigners and their native collaborators sought to pillage the Zaldrani's land, poisoned their seas and lured many of their kin into servitude. Thus it comes as no surprise that the honourable, communally-minded Zaldrani warrior has turned on them. She also now serves as a liaison for her people since she is the most familiar with the outsiders. Zhaleh is a fine huntress, markswoman and guerilla fighter. Given her upbringing, she knows a lot about hunting, tracking and survival in arctic environments. As a Force adept, she specialises in ice and water shaping.
Nivara Jai Anhala (NCP): Born Nivara Jai Vasnara, she was a young Qadiri noble from Ajustra who held the title of Begum at the time of the Eldorai colonisation. When the star people descended from the heavens, some Qadiri thought they would be benevolent bringers of knowledge. However, the Eldorai were no more benign than Firemane. The land Nivara and her people lived on was earmarked for colonisation, and the Eldorai were unwilling to share. Instead all Qadiri - young and old, men, women and children - in the area would be expelled from their ancestral lands and 'resettled' - at gunpoint. Their homes would be given to Eldorai settlers or Firemane bigshots. Nivara became an insurgent, fighting the foreign invaders until resistance was no longer possible. She lost family to Eldorai 'reprisals'. Like most Qadiri nobles, Nivara owned some slaves, which the invaders exploited in their propaganda. However, this was a pretext for what was essentially a land grab, and both slaves and freeborn were deported. Eventually she was forced to surrender and received a 'pardon', which she resents. Prohibited from returning to her homeland, she became a prominent voice among Ajustrans communities in the south.
It should come as no surprise that Nivara sees no difference between the Eldorai and the humans of Firemane. Both are foreign invaders who are alien to Tygara. She and her people got nothing from them except suffering and hardship. She has little love for the so-called 'Young Phoenix', the daughter of the tyrant who subjugated her people. But working with her is a practical arrangement that lets her people get justice by avenging herself on some of their oppressors. She commands her own force that operates in southern Ajustra and on the nearby islands. It is unwise for Eldorai to try and exercise authority over her. It has been alleged that she has used the strife as a smoke-screen to covertly avenge herself on certain Eldorai, but the fog of war makes it hard to separate truth from rumour. She carries a Sarix she took from the corpse of an Angelii she killed during her insurgent campaign. She has filed off the eagle insignia. While Nivara was a slaveowner back in the day, she has had the realisation that her slaves were like her to the Eldorai, so now she's a radical abolitionist. Recently, she has caught the eye of Shazora Jai Vahal, a prominent leader in the Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Front, the rebel movement's political wing.
Tarzar Jal Azmon (NPC): Tarzar is a fairly junior, but aspiring commander on the southern Ajustran front. Born on the island of Farzi, he is the son of a priestess of Nanshe, the Qadiri goddess for the sea, boats, fishing and sailing. This made his family part of the local elite. Unlike in some religions, Qadiri clerics are not expected to be chaste and indeed encouraged to bring new life into the Goddess' light, though unplanned pregnancies are frowned upon. For theological reasons, membership in the clergy is limited to women. Thus Tarzar devoted himself to martial pursuits. Being a soldier was a respected profession, and a good pathway for advancement, a good marriage and social capital. He cut his teeth fighting Khaimari corsairs, Xioquo raiders and rival Qadiri states.
In the process, he caught the eye of a certain Shazora Jai Vahal. At the time she was still working for Firemane as a negotiator, though only nominally. His martial strength and chivarous bearing gave him merit in her eyes. As part of an agreement between their clans, he gave her a child. Such arrangements are by no means uncommon in somewhat matriarchal Qadiri society. She gave birth shortly after the outbreak of war. Though technically not required to do so legally, Tarzar raised his standards in support of rebellion. Since then he has been harrassing Firemane military and commercial shipping in the southern seas. He serves under Nivara, who has been acknowledged as overall 'front' commander on account of her experience fighting the offworlders. Because Nivara loathes Eldorai, she delegates the talking to her subordinate. Tarzar is a Force-User, specialising in the art of water shaping.
Qiskhar'Anzar (NPC): Anzar is what the Daughters of the Destroyer purport to be and perhaps a harbinger of what might be their future. Born into a low class, prole family, Anzar has known hardship and oppression. Both have left her with bitter hatred for the old elites, as well as the human enchainers who have sought to take their place. As a child, she worked in shoe factories and cobblers' shops. The rich mistresses treated her like dirt, and this left her with a keen sense of hatred for 'these parasites and bloodsuckers, and, at the time a deep sense of solidarity, love, and respect for my sisters in caste in need, suffering the same as myself. The mansions of the privileged few were built on the bones and tears of the many, my people.' Anzar was one of those Xio who were lured by a Firemane shell company and Xio collaborators to a 'new horizons' work camp on Arkas.
Officially it was supposed to be a scheme to provide Xio with jobs, and vocational training. In truth, it was indentured servitude. She was imprisoned for 'causing trouble' after she led a workers' strike and sabotaged machines. While in jail, she went on a hunger strike for equal treatment of Xio prisoners. As her health deteriorated, her actions inspired further workers' unrest despite the brutal punishments meted out by the oversees. She was force-fed by the wardens to keep her from becoming a martyr. Not long after the start of the war she was broken out and helped lead rebellion to overthrow the camp managers.
Anzar is a militant sister, somewhat xenophobic and has a well-earned reputation as a revolutionary agitator and firebrand priestess. She does not like Siobhan or even Elpsis that much, but views the sisterhood as a way for the Xioquo to show their power and unity. Anzar believes in the 'Path of the Many', She has been influenced by socialist literature spread by Tephriki exiles, but combines these tenets with Xioquo mysticism. As a believer in a social gospel, she promotes the idea of collective responsibility to create a more just society. In her view, the teachings of the Karishzar compel the faithful to fight for the poor, the oppressed, and the lower castes. She has gained notoriety for raiding Firemane luxury resorts, industrial sites and work camps.
Phoebe - Phoebe is no stranger to defying totalitarian regimes. The Nautolan was born on the war-torn Dark Age world of Tephrike, where she had the misfortune of being a Force-Sensitive in Republican Guard territory. The rebels viewed Force-Sensitives as cursed, and so she was locked away in an asylum. A Dominion agent approached her, offering her a better life in the Jedi utopia. She fell for his lies and organised an escape with a group of fellow prisoners. At first the Dominion was welcoming, but then she was forced to realise that she had exchanged one prison for a possiby even worse one. Betrayed by the Dominion agent, she was imprisoned in a 're-education camp' after sacrificing herself to save her friends.
Phoebe emerged as a leader among the prisoners, becoming one of the camp elders. This allowed her to help her people in small ways, but also forced her to make harsh compromises. Secretly, she was plotting an organised escape. Their moment came when the star people came to Tephrike. Phoebe was a leader of the prison revolt that was sparked when Elpsis battled the Grand Inquisitor, who had come to gloat about his newest slave. The rebels were able to prevail with the help of the outsiders. However, she hasn't forgotten that their rescue was incidental.
Her suspicions of Firemane's motives were soon confirmed. When the uprising began, the Unchained were ready. Liberty, their settlement on Arkas, was destroyed by Firemane air strikes. But her people continue to resist from the mountains and on the seas. She commands a portion of the rebel forces on Arkas. Due to the distances involved, she de facto runs her 'front' independently, commanding a mixed force of Tephriki clones, Dahomian rebels, Eldorai Forsaken as well as former 'contract labourers' who escaped servitude in Firemane silver mines. Phoebe keeps her own counsel, and is very resolute in representing the interests of her people and is very protective of their distinct identity.
Javad Jal Saoban (NPC): One of Elpsis' Qadiri 'brothers'. She has plenty of siblings in spirit she didn't know about until recently. They provide a crucial support base...but also an expectant one. He is a veteran of Suqua's corps of Force Using warriors. He has humble origins, and his early life was marked by tragedy. Abducted by slavers at an early age, he was sold in an auction at the slave market of Suqua. At first he made bricks, but his aggressiveness, strength and burgeoning Force potential caught the eye of an officer, who decided to buy him and have him trained as a slave-soldier.
This was ironically for the best, since otherwise Javal would have been brutally punished and possibly killed for lashing out against a cruel overseer. This incident also constituted his Force awakening. Slave armies were a common fixture among the Qadiri states, and Suqua was no different. The training was brutal, as were the punishments for infraction, but service as a mamluk was also a gateway for social advancement of sorts. Javad is a fire shaper and once burnt an overseer who was beating a fellow recruit called Mahvash, who became his close friend. However, Javad displayed bravery and resourcefulness in battle and was eventually promoted to the equivalent of a corporal. He and Mahvash served together. The two became lovers. However, they ended up on the wrong side of an internal power struggle, and had to stage a daring escape. Thus they sought refuge in the veldt.
When Siobhan took the crown, there was an 'amnesty' for exiles and deserters who pledged to bend the knee to her. Since Javad's and Mahvash's 'crimes' were judged to be lesser offences, they were given a pardon. They rejoined the army. Officially, they were now free men. They were soon deployed away from Tygara, serving on a far away world fighting strange aliens they did not know in a war that had nothing to do with their people. Firemane's army was small, so it deployed Sepoys in large numbers and was not too concerned about casualties or living conditions. A forlorn hope charge left Javad scarred and disillusioned. He was given a medal, but grew resentful when an unqualified human officer responsible for high Qadiri casualties was promoted. The Qadiri commander above Javad turned out to be monstrously corrupt.
Javad and Mahvash were imprisoned under charges of 'sedition'. When Elpsis liberated a prison camp, they staged a revolt and eagerly joined her banner. During the battle of Suqua Mahvash was killed in action performing a heroic act. A vengeful Javad now applies his skills as a Force trainer and veteran soldier. In his spare time, he makes pottery and bricks on the side, using his pyromancy to help stoke the furnace. He views Elpsis as a strong figure, but also with some suspicion. A leader he can see the power of, but he is also wary. He took Siobhan's name since he was a slave, and it was a route to better advancement to be in the 'club'.
Emira Bahara Jai Mahtaba (NPC): Bahara is an influential Suquan noble and a warlord, a product of a feudal culture that stretches back centuries. The common people turn to local strongwomen and strongmen like her who provide protection, mete out justice and resolve local disputes...for a price. Talented, decisive and charismatic, Bahara commands her own private legion, which has been augmented by drones and some light artillery. She holds a crucial smuggling route in her death grip. Foreign companies must pay tribute to her to safely extract the minerals that dot her fief. As almost all prominent Qadiri, Bahara was a slaveowner. When pressured to manumit her slaves, she managed to hold on to many as sharecroppers. This was also far from uncommon. For a time, she collaborated with Firemane. Initially, business was good. Her foes accused her of being too susceptible to Firemane influence, claiming that she was like clay in their hands.
However, the opposite was also very much the case. The Suquan warlord used her warrior ethos - which resonated particularly well with Firemane special forces - as a tool to increase her power. When the special forces operatives assigned to her fief left, she organised a farewell ceremony for them, and offered them presents. She was skilled at using the foreigners to strengthen her authority, and at employing Firemane forces to get rid of her opponents by asking them to strike what she claimed were safe houses of insurgents. A Firemane special forces officer and her men even took an inaugural dip in Bahara's new indoor pool. By forging close personal ties with district commissioners, officers and even individual soldiers, she was able to bypass formalised, bureaucratic channels. Her knack for personal diplomacy paid dividends, and while she took her cut, she was smart enough to spread the money around and invest in her fief instead of hoarding it all.
However, Firemane offended her pride and sense of honour. Her blood is not far removed from that of queens, yet Firemane increasingly treated her clan like common hirelings, mere numbers on a balance sheet. Her favourite nephew was badly injured in a drone strike, yet the foreigners only provided excuses. Bahara is a despot, but understands the feudal contract, and the foreigners' callous policies undermine it. Thus, she has thrown in her lot with the rebellion, though her relationship with Elpsis is uneasy. Neither likes the other much...but they need each other.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
When Firemane's legions of soldiers, bureaucrats, prospectors, merchants and engineers landed on Tygara, the megacorp claimed that it came in peace. Officially, its mission was a benevolent one. It would combat slavery, provide protection to the natives from galactic threats and share the fruits of technological development and commerce with them. For a while, it seemed as if these lofty ideals would be validated. In coalition with the Eldorai Matriarchy and Qadiri rulers, Firemane overthrew the tyrannical oligarchy that maintained a stranglehold over the Xioquo. Rather than enslave the Xioquo, it enabled them to integrate, though at the price of becoming vassals. Moreover, Firemane pushed for the abolition of slavery and seemed intent on providing the freed slaves with the means and the education that would ensure they would not be left destitute.
However, there was a price to be paid. Even at the start, there was darkness. Firemane and their puppet the Eldorai Matriarchy established settlements on the continent of Ajustra to house hundreds of millions of Eldorai fleeing the desolation of Kaeshana. But contrary to the claims of the Eldorai and Firemane's board, the land they chose was not 'empty'. Officially only a few thousand Qadiri lived near what would become New Santaissa, and were 'peacefully resettled' by the 'benevolent star people', who were so kind to build them new homes and protect them from slavers. In truth, almost a million Qadiri were torn from their ancestral homes at gunpoint and forcibly expelled from lands they had lived in for generations. Most were only allowed to take meagre possessions with them. They received no compensation for the loss of lands worth millions of credits other than baubles, and were forbidden to return...except as cheap workers who would live on a mimimum wage and work for the people who had stolen their homes and their livelihoods and viewed them as lesser beings.
While the deportations were not exterminatory, Qadiri who resisted were beaten or murdered by Eldorai soldiers. There were also deaths due to poor conditions, low food rations and lack of medical care. Only minimal preparations had been made to provide accommodations for the expelled natives. The Qadiri communities in the far south of Ajustra and the neighbouring islands were expected to receive them and provide accommodations, regardless of whether they had the capacity or the desire. The land of the expelled was given to Eldorai settlers and nobles or Firemane bigshots. One of the very few exceptions was an Eldorai Countess called Selene Tarai, who allowed the natives in her new fief to remain, gave them legal protection and equal rights. For this she was harshly criticised by her speciesist peers. Ironically, it would have been very easy to simply settle the Eldorai without expelling the, all things considered, fairly small Qadiri population.
However, many Eldorai nobles wanted a 'pure' ethnostate - and perhaps to compensate for the fact that their own lethargy had turned their nation into a Firemane puppet, which hurt their bloated egoes. Thus they engaged in a policy of settler colonialism. Meanwhile, Firemane wanted profits, and a Qadiri population concentrated in a narrow area was easier for the colonial mistresses to control. Many Firemane officials and executives shared the Eldorai's speciesism, though they obviously disagreed on who the 'mistress species' was. Either way, it was the Qadiri who suffered. Token orders were issued for the 'resettled' natives to be 'treated decently'. None of these sordid details were ever mentioned in the Eldorai press or by Firemane media. Indeed, a movie about the exodus would later falsely claim that the 'resettled' Qadiri had all been slaves who were freed by the 'heroic' star people, and 'reunited with their kin'.
Star Queen Tirathana VII did not order the deportations. However, she did not concern herself with the details since she was overseeing the exodus until it was too late. By the time she heard about the situation most of the damage had been done as she was off-world. The exodus had gravely weakened the monarchy's authority, and many nobles ignored her. When she asked Firemane for help, Siobhan and Tegaea told her rudely that they had made her queen and saved the Eldorai, and she had better clean up her own messes. Later the pair would falsely claim to native potentates that the deportations were the fault of the Eldorai Matriarchy. It was one of many lies this narcissistic pair of tin pot dictators would tell.
Firemane greedily preyed upon Tygara's resources, establishing an effective monopoly. In effect, the planet became a captive market and a constant source of labour and resources. Most of the profits from gold and silver mines ended up in the pockets of Firemane executives and native collaborators. Farmers were heavily 'encouraged' to produce cash crops instead of subsistence crops, which had a nefarious impact on rural development and small farmer poverty alleviation. Rampant mining led to pollution and displacement of indigenous populations.
Firemane did provide more advanced technology, but this was always tied to submission to its suzerainty and only doled it out to native rulers who it believed served its interests. And, this in turn, spread instability and strife, such as the war between the League of Krolis and the Amikarese Empire, in which Firemane intervened to place a compliant Saoshyant on the throne. In some areas, the war took on the characteristics of a peasant rebellion, as impoverished peasants rose up against exploitative foreign capitalists and their collaborators. To a degree, these contradictions were papered over while Siobhan Kerrigan was in power. Though a narcissistic, mercurial and power-hungry despot, she had some affinity for the natives, though that was tinged with self-aggrandising narcissism. Or rather she liked to view herself as the 'liberator' and an 'enlightened despot' bringing 'progressive change' to her 'children'. Those who submitted to her, at any rate. Regardless, some Xioquo and Qadiri had embraced quasi-worship of her as the 'Karishzar' or the 'Phoenix'. Distrustful of her corporate power base, she promoted the Saobanas and Karrigans as a new pillar of support and had Qadiri and Xioquo auxiliaries trained with more modern weapons so that they could serve as shock troops. Thus here and there, abusive Firemane officials were punished for their crimes.
But it was not a system that could last. Megacorps are fundamentally terrible at governing, for they are driven only by the profit motive. The system was alien to the Tygarans, and actively harmful. Abuse was ingrained in the system. Foreign-investment-driven extractive industries had caused air, water and soil pollution, soil erosion, deforestation, and the destruction of watersheds. When Siobhan fell into a coma after her deadly duel with Darth Soteria, Firemane was run by an unstable oligarchy. Lacking her legitimacy, they used her image while vying for power. Oversight over Firemane's business and military operations dimninished greatly. To secure its revenue streams, Firemane began to demand more and more. Megaprojects such as the construction of a giant ringworld and a worldcraft consumed vast amounts of resources, and it was the people of the colonies that paid the price.
Attracted by the prospect of better pay, many low class Qadiri and Xioquo migrated to company towns run by Firemane or its shell companies. Many labourers wer lured into signing open ended contracts that provided them with limited wages, most of which would be recouped' to pay for their lodgings and the rest scraped to pay for travel. It would take years for a low class labourer to repay, and that was without further deductions. Inevitably, matters came to head. Civil unrest, workers' strikes and revolts were brutally suppressed, while a compliant media apparatus projected an image of civility and progress. When sharecroppers and workers in the Amikarese Empire rose up in protest against poor working conditions, Shahbânu Semiramis received Firemane support for a crackdown. The imperial government called on workers to accept low wages and cease strikes that risked scaring away foreign investors—to make, that is, 'short term' livelihood sacrifices for the sake of long-term national economic development. Anti-dispossession struggles by smallholder farmers who had been forced from their land to make way for industrial mining projects or the creation of cash crop plantations were suppressed. Even Suqua, hitherto relatively privileged since Siobhan was queen, was feeling the effects of the Firemane boot.
Meanwhile, Firemane aerial drones bombed a convoy during a 'counterrorism operation' in Khajwari. The dead were branded as militants. In truth, the convoy had been a wedding procession and everyone involved in it was a civilian. Police terror, deportations, and aerospace power allowed Firemane to project imperial power. Firemane's military began operating with near complete autonomy. Then Firemane's poster child, Elpsis Kerrigan, 'Heir' to the Kerrigan legacy, revealed the existence of the indentured servitude programme after leading an assault on a forced labour camp in Arkas. During a visit to Tlaxqui, she had become acquainted with Queen Lia of the Xioquo, who had herself been investigating Firemane's efforts to enslave her people with the collar of debt. She also worked with the Daughters of the Destroyer and the Seekers of the Sky, two cults with very divergent visions but both committed to Xioquo freedom.
Firemane blamed the abuses on a few low ranking executives. It was presumed by the board that the whole affair would turn out to be a storm in the teacup. This turned out to be a grave miscalculation. Long-simmering resentment against corporate exploitation and racialism, the all-too evident weakness of Firemane's leadership and the fact that the 'Young Phoenix' provided a popular figurehead proved to be a perfect storm. In secret, the most powerful queens of Tygara began to mobilise.
The Tygaran-Arkasian Liberation Army was born during a clandestine meeting on a remote, volcanic island on Arkas. There, Elpsis met with representatives from dissident groups and former vassals of her mother. Among them were representatives of the Cataphracts of the Ascending Flame and the Daughters of the Destroyer, both martial Tygaran cults that venerated Siobhan, and the Sistren of the Eternal Flame, a chivalric order of Qadiri knights who had fought against her, as well as the Unchained, a faction of Tephriki exiles, and the Mirzate of Suqua. An uneasy partnership was struck. Most were understandably unwilling to sign up until the 'Heir' had proved she was serious, and that she could win.
The target was Fort Kerrigan, originally built in the Northlands as a deterrent against Xio incursions. Now it served the purpose of projecting Firemane power against the Zaldrani tribes, who had become disgruntled with the foreigners who polluted their land and exploited their people. A large portion of the garrison was composed of Xioquo Sepoys. The base's commander, a Dahomian officer, was a speciesist who detested Xioquo and made those she considered 'lazy' or 'undisciplined' suffer under the sun. Such speciecism was well-ingrained among many members of Firemane's officer corps. A few days before the mission, Firemane had ordered Sepoys to fire on protesters in the nearby company town of Skrael Floe. Some of the Xio soldiers refused, so as punishment Firemane exposed them to the sun, then locked them up and planned to deport them off-world. Karrigan'Kalou infiltrated the base as a simple cleaner to gather information and secretly encourage sedition.
Elpsis and a group of companions that included Diona the Xioquo priestess Karrigan'Lalax, the militant Daughter Karrigan'Karou and Hazani Jai Bysara, made an emergency landing at Fort Kerrigan in the middle of a snowstorm. The snowstorm was natural, but had been intensified by Zaldrani Force adepts with an aptitude for weather manipulation. Not only did it provide Elpsis with a plausible reason for a landing in restricted territory, it would also hinder Firemane reinforcements and have a disruptive effect on communications.
Upon landing, the party was confronted by a Firemane welcoming party led by Colonel Tolerance, the Dahomian commandant of the base. Elpsis launched into a speech, denouncing Firemane for its crimes and urging the Sepoys to join her. Lalax spoke out in support, remaining brave in the face of the Colonel's threats and reminding the Sepoys of the abuses they had already suffered under the mistresses. Her words struck a chord with many of the native soldiers. When Tolerance ordered the renegades to be dealt with, some Firemane soldiers opened fire.
Then Sergeant Zarrol'Narsh gunned down an Order of Fire adept. It was the shot that caused all hell to break loose. Sepoys began to turn on Firemane. Tolerance managed to flee, sounding the alert while the hangar bay descended into chaos. Fighting soon spread across the base. Groups of rebellious Sepoys were detached to secure the armoury, barracks and prison. They would link up with Karrigan'Kalou, who had swayed Sepoys to rise up and helped them seize the prison. Firemane officers were detained or shot out of hand. In the courtyard of the base, the rebels faced heavy enemy fire from the rooftop of the command centre, and were assaulted by Firemane walkers.
The rebel soldiers took heavy casualties, but the next phase of the plan was initiated when a Kar'zun tunneller burst forth from the ground, wrecking a large portion of the command centre. Kar'zakush and heavily armoured Cataphracts burst from the tunneller. With their morale soaring, the rebel soldiers charged. Though they sustained casualties, they were able to take the command centre. The commandant was shot. 'Galaxy' combatants among the captured Firemane members were summarily shot by firing squad, though galaxy noncombatants were spared. Captured Tygaran auxiliaries were given the choice to join the rebel army or get dropped off a couple miles from the base and take their chances with Firemane. Of course, they were likely to be punished by the megacorp. Using stolen vehicles, the fledgling rebel army retreated into the arctic wastes of the Northlands to seek shelter among friendly Zaldrani clans. The units were distributed among different camps to reduce the burden on their hosts and make it more difficult for Firemane to retaliate. It was not feasible to carry out a protracted campaign in winter, so the rebels executed a series of quick raids that targeted Firemane outposts and boneyards to procure supplies and transports for themselves and their allies and get the means to leave for the south.
However, Firemane deployed its own troops to hunt them down. Owing to the defections at Fort Kerrigan, these were largely galaxy troops. To provide additional manpower, the Firemane task force was augmented by a strong force of Cadalthor household troops, led by Lady Vaena Cadalthor in person. However, after a number of skirmishes the Cadalthor troops turned on Firemane. General Cole, the commander of the Firemane expeditionary force, was killed. Lady Cadalthor parlayed with Elpsis and the rebel commanders, offering them and their troops safe passage to the south while the Cadalthors dealt with the Firemane presence in northern Ajustra and the Northlands. Though there was mutual suspicion, the rebels accepted this offer. After a perilous journey across the sea, they arrived in Suqua on the central continent of Zhukathis. There, Jazira Zabhara Jai Ghazana took command and the Saobana clique and much of the clergy joined the uprising. Potential Firemane sympathisers in high places had already been purged.
However, after a series of skirmishes, Firemane launched an all-out assault on the city. Firemane regulars were backed up by native Qadiri auxiliaries provided by Emiras or Amikarese Satraps who hoped to profit. With little outside support, the Suquan army and the rebels resisted tenaciously, fighting an invasion force that had high-tech drones, tanks and bombers at its disposal. The battle was characterised by brutal house-to-house fighting, ambushes and reprisals and lasted for about sixty days. The initial Firemane assault was poorly planned. A slow-moving armoured column were lured into the narrow streets by rebel forces, then ambushed, inflicting serious casualties on Firemane troops and native auxiliaries. Mobile rebel troops armed with RPGs, rifles, grenades, bolter knockoffs and petrol bombs conducted hit-and-run attacks, and repurposed drones dropped bombs.
Operating in small strike groups, rebel units were organised down to the fire team level in planned three-ring concentric defenses, using ambushes, snipers, trenches, tunnels, and extensive mining and booby-trapping. Veteran Sepoys assigned timekeepers within their units to ensure they did not stay in one area long enough for Firemane to organise airstrikes on their positions and leveraged mouseholes and tunnels to quickly move out of range. The Suquan soldiers and their allies fortified buildings with barred windows and entryways, makeshift bunkers fortified with sandbags and reinforced barricades to use them as strongpoints. Moreover, the rebels cannily employed elemental Force-Users as force multipliers in a combined arms fashion.
Firemane troops blockaded the city, preventing the distribution of essential food and medical supplies.
By the end of it, the city had suffered extensive damage to civilian homes, temples, businesses and infrastructure. Firemane troops deliberately targeted civilian residential areas and infrastructure. Thousands of civilians were killed and many more displaced. Firemane soldiers often treated Suqua as if its only inhabitants were fighters, and unleashed brutal 'reprisals' against civilians and prisoners when faced with resistance. Firemane troops and their native auxiliaries stopped men and women of 'fighting age' from leaving the city. Indeed, convoys of refugees were bombed. Hunger and deprivation of water was deliberately used as a weapon against the civilian population. For their part, rebel soldiers routinely executed captured Firemane soldiers and alleged collaborators. The fact that rebel irregulars also donned civilian clothing and hid amongst the population also put civilians at risk.
As rebel troops were more and more ground down, they employed a scorched earth strategy, leaving behind traps and explosives to deny the enemy the use of infrastructure or buildings. This in turn caused Firemane reprisals to intensify. After a temporary ceasefire broke down, Firemane once again hit the city with large-scale artillery and air attacks. With many of their vehicles and heavy weapons destroyed, the rebels were reduced to using small arms. With their strength being ground down, the rebel army was plagued by desertions and defections. A last stand led by Elpsis Kerrigan ended with most rebel soldiers dead, but allowed a large portion of their force to stage a breakout organised by Jazira Jai Ghazana. Elpsis was declared dead following a Firemane missile strike. To make a 'salient example', Firemane troops initiated the deportation of civilians deemed 'suspect' to 'screening camps', where terror, hunger, torture and abuse were rampant.
Though a military victory, politically the battle was a debacle for Firemane. It sparked protests from Tygaran workers on the Arx Aeternae, which soon turned into bloody riots. Suqua had been occupied, but the countryside and the mountainous areas remained hostile terrain for Firemane. The Firemane occupation staff lived an isolated, privileged existence, commandeering those parts of the city that were still livable. Often poorly trained to work in a local Qadiri context, heavily reliant on local staff and in many cases blatantly corrupt, their attitude exacerberated the natives' deep-seated resentment. The civilian casualties caused by Firemane air strikes, and arbitrary arrests by Firemane troops or their native allies alienated even more.
The mountains served as a base area, a series of strongholds for the rebel forces led by Jazira Jai Ghazana. The strategy was to entice the hostile security forces to venture into the base areas and ambush them. The aim was to eventually encircle the cities after taking the villages. This was paired with a political strategy to sway local communities and attain political hegemony. Firemane convoys and outposts would be assaulted, villages would be brought under the insurgent army's sway through a mixture of aid, protection, intimidation and assassinations.
Under the umbrella of the army, front organisations were created to spread its political message. The rebel army's political front movement had managed to create a sophisticated communications apparatus that projected a defiant movement. They built on the growing discontent of many Tygarans and Arkasians through a sophisticated propaganda apparatus, which employed radio, video, night letters, theatrical plays and art to devastating effect. TALA propaganda narratives built on the widely perceived corruption of Firemane and the collaborationist authorities, the lack of basic services for the people, and the historical narrative of the fight against foreign invaders.
Graphic pictures of civilian corpses killed by Firemane or their allies resonated with Qadiri resentful over the foreign occupation. It is pertinent to note that the TALA also used violence against civilians, even if their IEDs were more carefully targeted. Likewise, the TALA took civilian hostages, carried out forced requisitions and violently punished alleged 'collaborators'. But the violence attributed to Firemane was more widespread, more brutal and produced more popular resentment. Fiemane troops had limited contact with the locals, whom they were primed to treat as terrorist sympathisers. Firemane's efforts to win hearts and minds ended up being a smokescreen for a campaign of mass incarceration without trial. Lacking the manpower for a full-scale occupation, Firemane empowered local warlords and loyalist militias, leading to further graft, extortion and abuse. Rampant corruption and embezzlement meant that assistance provided by foreign aid organisations very rarely reached those it was meant to help. In addition, aid shipments were intercepted and stolen by the rebels.
And as the wildfire spread, Elpsis revealed that she had survived. Local TALA commanders and Suquan leaders who had defected to the Firemane occupation forces were pitilessly targeted and often assassinated. Necessity forced the insurgent army to adopt a more decentralised structure, granting commanders of individual 'fronts' a high degree of autonomy. The insurgency embarked on a campaign to systematically destroy local institutions that were cooperating with Firemane, while its political wing simultaneously built a parallel administration in the countryside.
Liberating the countryside and the establishment of self-sufficient base areas became key elements in the TALA's strategy towards the gradual seizure of political power. In certain districts, the TALA was able to create the conditions for the establishment of parallel governments that imposed taxes on the local population, set up a rudimentary court system, distributed land as well as education. To win over the influential tribes in Suqua, the rebel army's political wing set up a Tribal Engagement Office, which assumed responsibility for systematically communicating with tribes to gain their support or at least passive acquiescence. This new strategy complemented a campaign of assassinations against Firemane-aligned or resistant tribes. Acting in tandem with the rebel army's intelligence branch and special froces, the Tribal Engagement Office made a concerted effort to coopt local stakeholders such as priestesses and clan leaders, offering receptive clans economic incentives, some autonomy and cuts in local businesses, and governance responsibilities.
The so-called liberated zones served as safe havens for the TALA. This strategy was expanded to Arkas, where the TALA worked with Eldorai and Dahomian rebels and the Unchained. The TALA engaged in destroying roads, railway lines and bridges in order to isolate the target areas and deny Firemane's claim to control. The aim was and is to create a situation where the administrations' contact with the population is eliminated. Such a situation would push people to accept the justice and order the TALA provided. In several areas in Suqua, the locals began to increasingly turn to rebel courts, which were seen as fairer and more impartial. They took harvest taxes from the villages they controlled, but the taxes were also a way of building their control.
This pattern was replicated in other occupied territories on Tygara and on Arkas, where an Unchained leader called Phoebe raised the banner of rebellion and TALA commandos staged daring raids to abduct wealthy foreign tourists. Local politicians, and businessowners accused of working with Firemane were also targeted. Hidden in remote locations, these individuals were held for ransom. At the same time, the TALA systematically targeted Tygarans or Arkasians who work with Firemane. The TALA has managed to improve its command and control, nurture and train sympathetic insurgent movements. However, co-ordinating the mosaic of ethnic armies, warlords and rebel militias into an all-out assault which can unseat Firemane and its vassals is a massive undertaking, the success of which is still far from certain.
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