Sic transit gloria mundi
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on Firemane.
Image Credit: Here. Here.
Role: Mountain warfare specialists. They are broadly comparable to the modern-day Gebirgsjäger and other real life mountain troops.
Permissions: ARGH gear available per this thread. Permission for all ArmaTech gear and all other subs made by Laira Darkhold's writer here and here. Permission to use Tricks of the Trade submissions here. CD-X Cryptologic Key available for Firemane per this thread.
Links: Kar'zun, Apocalypse...Not Quite Yet, Xioquo, Qadiri, Eldorai, Kaeshana, House Cadalthor, Casus Belli, Denouement.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Unit Name: The Wardens of the Peak.
Affiliation: Firemane Industries, House Kerrigan-Alcori, Siobhan.
Classification: Infantry.
Description: As the great Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi knew, one must always seize the high ground. The Wardens of the Peak are a crack infantry unit of alpine or mountain warfare specialists. They are largely composed of Kar'zun, a species of silicon-based life forms who are essentially walking rocks. The Kar'zun have a long history of enmity with the Eldorai. Both races warred for dominance over Kaeshana. The Kar'zun lost and the Eldorai's genocidal crusade drove them to the brink of extinction. Most of the surviving Kar'zun were deported to reservations.
However, the Wardens have their roots in a group of Kar'zun rogues who hid away in the mountains. They were unable to free their kin, but the Eldorai could never fully conquer them. Eldorai nobles tried to deceive Firemane into thinking these 'savage Kar'zun barbarians' needed to be put down, but they were actually very civilised and ordered, living in a cave city. Thus they were saved during the exodus.
Firmane has recruited many of the Wardens from the ranks of this tribe. Kar'zun are already well-accustomed to living and fighting in mountainous terrain, which makes them well-suited for a unit of this type. Mountain warfare is a special challenge for soldiers, as they have to deal with difficult terrain and extreme weather conditions. Indeed, these can be a greater threat than blaster bolts and lightsabres. For obvious reasons, the Wardens do not like Eldorai much. Kar'zun get tougher and stronger as they age, but they also become slower and more ponderous. The Kar'zun recruited for the Wardens tend to be of the younger generation because they are more agile. Here it is worth noting that even a Kar'zun of one hundred is still very tough.
However, the group is not composed entirely of Kar'zun. Firemane has also recruited Xioquo and members of Qadiri hill tribes. These elves are related to the Eldorai, but quite distinct from them and had never interacted with the Kar'zun prior to first contact. As a result, the sentient golems do not mind them. Besides, many of the desert elves and drows do not like the Eldorai much anyway.
The natural habitat of the Xioquo is the subterranean Underealm, which lies beneath a mountain. Moreover, they have a natural resistance to the cold and excellent nightvision. This makes them good for nightly raids, as they do not need tech to be able to see in the dark. While no one species is forced into a set role, practicality has led to a bit of a division of labour. Kar'zun are very big and strong, while the Qadiri and Xioquo are stealthier and better suited to act as scouts. However, roles are not determined by species.
The Wardens are very disciplined in the field, but outside of combat relationships between officers and common soldiers are comparatively relaxed. This obviously does not mean anarchy or democracy, since that would be absurd in a military organisation, but there is less focus on saluting, heel-clicking and the like. Still, it might rub officers from conventional line infantry the wrong way. When in uniform, the soldiers wear a grey beret with an Edelweiss emblem. The Wardens have the manpower of an infantry brigade and are deployed in battalions. These are further divided into companies, platoons, squads and fireteams. Aside from the usual panopoly of gear, the Wardens carry mountain climbing equipment like ropes, harnesses, carabineers and so on.
Training for the Wardens is intense. They train in both mountainous, but relatively flat terrain and in alpine areas. This is supplemented by further training, which often takes place under extreme weather conditions. As part of their training, they ascend a glacier which is at an altitude of more than five thousand metres above the sea-level. There, the temperature dips as low as minus sixty degrees. Each pair of soldiers must also learn about stomach rappeling - carrying a wounded comrade on one's back. And when they descend on a vertical surface with a rope coiled around them, they must neither have a free fall nor jump.
As a result of the terrain they are commonly deployed in, the Wardens do not have access to the typical support of regular infantry. Tanks and walkers have trouble manoeuvring in mountainous terrain. The Wardens have to carry all their personal gear and weapons, which means that while they tend to be less heavily armed than standard infantry, they usually carry more ammunition. Moreover, they must be able to do this while scaling sheer cliffs and mountains. The Wardens are led by Zol'razak, a Kar'zun warrior who was part of the lost tribe in the mountains. The Eldorai could never quite ferret them out. He is an expert in striking unexpectedly from the mountains and then retreating. He is good at blending in with the rocky terrain. In terms of personality, he is quiet and rather taciturn.
Navira Jai Hasala is a prominent Qadiri member of the group. She is from Khajwar. 'Jai Hasala' means 'of Stone', which is a common family name of her tribe. She comes from a group of religious apostates from the worship of Kashara, the chief goddess of the Qadiri pantheon. They lived in the jungle highlands and mountains of the interior of the continent, independent and free. Occasionally a leader in the lowlands would try to get favour by invading the mountains to 'punish the heathens', only to suffer humiliating defeats from the ambushing tribes. Navira is an expert in psychological warfare and a devoted follower of the rather rare cult of the 'Eternal Stone'. She has signed a contract with Firemane for the pay and adventure in the stars. For her tribe is also a way to keep the plains kingdoms off their back.
COMBAT INFORMATION:
Unit Size: Medium
Unit Availability: Rare
Unit Experience: Veteran
Equipment:
Armour:
Rifles:
- Mk 1 Boltgun
- SR-1
- Reaper Plasma Shotgun
- ACS-202 Vanquish Light Repeating Blaster
- ACS-205 Advanced Dual Weapon System
Support Weapons:
- MD-1
- Lance Missile Launcher
- Model MGL-1. Usually mounted on another rifle as an under-barrel attachment.
Melee Weapons:
Transports:
Misc:
- Misc. mountain climbing gear, drills and digging tools. Grappling Hook.
- Detonation Pack, Devastator Multi-Purpose Mine, Grenades.
- CD-X Cryptologic Key for Commlink.
- Firemane Force Suppression Devices.
- APE Boltgun Ammunition.
Mountains can be dangerous during any season. Hazards include lightning, the wind, avalanches, extreme cold and crevasses. Frostbite and avalanches may be a greater threat than enemy blasters and lightsabres. Thus mountain warfare requires a special type of training. Aside from fighting the enemy, a soldier must also contend with dangerous terrain and extreme weather. The Wardens are experts in this type of warfare.
The core of the unit is composed of Kar'zun. These silicon-based life forms are essentially walking, sentient rocks. Traditionally, they live in mountainous terrain. They are incredibly strong, tough and resilient. Being made of the tougheness of stone, they are extremely resistant to both heat and cold. They can even endure arctic conditions. Equipped with sniper rifles, bolters, Lance missile launchers, sonic weapons, and demolition charges, the Wardens have a good deal of firepower for an infantry unit. This can allow them to punch above their weight. Their main goal is to ambush, delay and harass enemies, and creating rockslides and using the ground's natural hardness as shrapnel makes sense. They excel at climbing and rappeling, allowing them to reach difficult areas or bypass enemy forces and entrenched positions.
Unimpeded by armoured vehicles or a long supply train, the Wardens can be deployed in environments where the terrain prohibits the use of armoured units. Strictly speaking, this is something regular line infantry can accomplish, but the Wardens have the necesary skills to endure extreme climates. They are adept at securing and maintaining climbing paths and routes in mountainous terrain. Among other things, this helps keep supply lines open for allied forces. The Wardens are also a useful instrument during counter-insurgency operations. Mountainous terrain is harder to access and thus a natural area for insurgents to set up sanctuaries or use as a route to transport supplies and personnel.
Whoever occupies the high ground first has a significant advantage, so the Wardens need to dislodge an opponent, they are fond of drilling tunnels under mountain peaks, fill them with explosives and then blow up the summits. Using their mountaineering skills, they can move supplies, search for trapped comrades, set up observation posts and search caves, wells and the like for hidden enemies and disarm explosives concealed in passes. Their climbing gear and training means they can traverse rough terrain and move equipment without the use of dropships or jetpacks. This is good because transports can be forced to remain grounded due to bad weather or alert enemy forces.
A few of the Wardens are Force-Sensitive. However, their Force connection manifests in supplementary abilities that enhances their natural skills, rather than giving them the preternatural powers commonly associated with Force-Users. This manifests in abilities like Force Sense, Tapas, Breath Control and improved reflexes. Their enhanced senses improve their ability to stay aware of their surroundings and anticipate dangers. Tapas is useful in an extremely cold environment, while Breath Control is beneficial at high altitudes where the air is very thin.
Strengths:
- Crack infantry and mountain warfare specialists. They are experts in combat, survival and movement at high altitudes.
- Kar'zun are extremely strong, durable and resistant to extremes of heat and cold.
- Specialists, not all-around assault troops. They are very strong inside of their niche, but lack heavy assault vehicles, bombers or similar integrated heavy support.
- While strong and durable, Kar'zun are also quite slow, which a more agile opponent could exploit.
The Kar'zuns are a silicon-based race of rock people who originated on Kaeshana along with the Eldorai. They are strong, tough and honourable, but also a wounded people. Though reviled as barbarians by the Eldorai, the Kar'zun had a highly developed culture and were in fact more technologically advanced than their rivals. They were particularly skilled artisans and engineers. For more than two thousand years the Eldorai and Kar'zun warred for dominion over Kaeshana. It all began when the Kar'zun defeated the Eldorai Queen Aegina and sacked Santaissa. This caused the fractious Eldorai to unite under a single Queen, the first 'Star' Queen. Some gains were made by both sides, thousands fell, and technology improved.
For a while the Kar'zun held sway. They took advantage of internal strife among the Eldorai, who warred amongst themselves for the crown, to attempt to stake a claim to all of Kaeshana. Their King, Arz’alor, seemed unstoppable. Finally, the tide turned, when Ariane Saedaris took control of the Eldorai and launched a holy war against the Kar'zun. The Kar'zun troops fought with ruthless skill, but in the end the Eldorai prevailed. The result of the Battle of Az’vakarz was a total defeat of the Kar’zun. Indeed, that name means Death Sorrow, and the King was slain in battle. Tens of millions of Eldorai and Kar'zun would die in the bloody war. The Eldorai sacked Vak’zahr, the Kar'zun capital, killing any Kar'zun they could find. It took decades for the Eldorai to fully subjugate the Kar'zun. But their victory was a total one. The few surviving stone people were deported to reservations far away from their homelands.
They were also disarmed. In a shocking near-genocide, the Kar'zun were driven to the brink of extinction. Ariane's daughter ended the slaughter, but they were not allowed to return to their ancestral habitats. The Kar'zun members of the Wardens are descended from a tribe that managed to hide in the mountains. They were joined by deportees who managed to escape the 'reservations'. Though the Kar'zun had been broken, the Eldorai continued to fear and maltreat them. They were supposed to stay confined to their reservations, serve as labourers where useful and othewise be invisible.
Eldorai clerics and nobles often stirred up hatred against the 'Stone Demons' in order to distract the common folk from internal and economic problems. Deep in the mountains, these fugitives built their own hidden city with an extensive system of underground tunnels and shelters.. They lacked the means to liberate their kin from the Eldorai yoke. The Eldorai launched several punitive expeditions, though they were unable to fully drive out the rogues. Kar'zun eat rocks, so starving them was impossible. Over time the Eldorai concluded it was not worth the cost, though their air force launched periodic bombing raids. Eldorai maps in school classes never showed the settlement.
Some restrictions on the Kar'zun were relaxed when the Eldorai Matriarchy joined the Omega Protectorate and Firemane set up shop on Kaeshana. However, they still had to deal with many restrictions as well as systemic racism. At the time, Firemane's leaders knew little of the stone people. Siobhan had been trained by an Eldorai Jedi Knight and had close ties to Star Queen Silaqui III. Her knowledge of the Kar'zun War was based on biased accounts in Eldorai history books. Thus she was initially receptive when Eldorai nobles approached her with a request to help the Matriarchy remove the 'barbaric Kar'zun insurgents'. The presence of the Kar'zun was a source of embarrassment to the Eldorai noble responsible for governing the province.
Both sides fought a series of skirmishes. Firemane had more advanced technology than the natives, but the Kar'zun fought tenaciously. They knew the lay of the land and were experts in mountain warfare, setting traps, staging ambushes and causing avalanches. Firemane gained ground as the Kar'zun were forced to pull back deeper into the mountains, but casualties were steep. Siobhan participated in an operation and only her telekinetic powers enabled her to survive a rockslide. She ended up fighting Kar'zun ambushers. However, the fortitude and valour of the stone people impressed her. Thus she ordered that captive Kar'zun were to be spared, intervening when she heard that Eldorai troops were executing them. Firemane turned out to be rather ill-informed about the Kar'zun situation.
Despite Eldorai protests, Siobhan chose negotiation. The suspicion that she might be facilitating ethnic cleansing did not sit well with her. She had an Eldorai officer summarily executed. Contact with the Kar'zun group revealed that they were civilised and ordered, and mainly wanted to be left alone. Siobhan's decision to abort the campaign led to a tense standoff with Eldorai troops, until the Queen agreed and disavowed her subordinates. Much to Siobhan's displeasure, the Eldorai noble who had instigated the campaign got away with a slap on the wrist.
However, Siobhan remained in contact with the Kar'zun rogues. Eventually the Kar'zun were emancipated after the liberal Tirathana VII came to the throne. When Kaeshana had to be evacuated, Siobhan's contact with the rogues contributed to her decision to lobby for the Kar'zun to be saved, too. Following the Battle of Kaeshana and House Cadalthor's failed coup attempt, Siobhan decided to arm and recruit Kar'zun in significant numbers.
Their loyalty and valour contrasted with the duplicity of the space elves. The Eldorai Queen was a weak-willed vassal who was reliant on Firemane support to stay on the throne. As a result, Siobhan no longer saw any reason to hold back out of concern of offending Eldorai sensibilities. The Wardens of the Peak were one of the units that were formed from Kar'zun recruits. Siobhan remembered the rogue Kar'zun's prowess in alpine warfare and Firemane lacked a dedicated force for that.
In return for resources that would help the stone people make their own way in the galaxy, Firemane received the right to recruit a small number of warriors. For the Wardens, it sought warriors experienced in mountaineering, scouting, and assault. Over time, recruitment was expanded to include Qadiri and Xioquo. The former tended to be members of the mountain tribes that had long feuded with the plains empires of their homeworld and later proved tough opponents in battle with the humans of Firemane.
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