Mud Jackals

The Mud Jackals are a unique and formidable ninja clan, deeply connected to the wet and muddy landscape of Azu. Their dual nature, serving both the AIS and their own interests, makes them a complex and intriguing faction within the Allied Islands of Sasoya. Whether they are viewed as protectors or exploiters depends on one's perspective, but there is no denying their power and influence on the island of Azu.
They possess a unique blend of altruism and opportunism, operating in service of The AIS when it aligns with their interests, providing protection and carrying out covert missions against common threats. However, they are also known to exploit the island's inhabitants and resources for their own gain.

Territories

The Mud Jackals have an iron fist around the neck of Azu, frequently extorting its citizens and harassing newcomers.

Composition

Equipment

The Mud Jackals are equipped with a variety of tools and assets that complement their stealthy and adaptive tactics, all crafted to aid in their covert operations across the treacherous, muddy landscapes of Azu. Their garb is designed to be lightweight, water-resistant, and functional, allowing them to move silently through their environment. Cloaks and tunics are dyed in earthen tones to blend seamlessly with the rain-soaked terrain, while their boots are specially crafted to leave no tracks, ensuring they remain undetected. To further mask their presence, they wear face wraps and masks that help conceal their identities, with materials that can be easily wiped clean of mud and debris.
Their toolkit is as versatile as it is discreet. Ladders and pitons are compact and designed for quick deployment, enabling the Mud Jackals to scale walls, cliffs, or trees with ease when a rapid escape or infiltration is needed. Blowdarts are another essential piece of equipment, used for both stealthy takedowns and disabling enemies from a distance. The darts are loaded with fast-acting toxins or sedatives, allowing the Mud Jackals to incapacitate targets silently. Additionally, they carry rope and climbing gear, essential for navigating the island's rugged terrain, scaling slippery slopes, or creating quick escape routes when needed.
Their ingenuity extends to their use of mud slingers, devices designed to launch thick mud or quick-drying clay to block paths, disrupt enemies, or create obstacles in the heat of combat. These tools are crafted with efficiency in mind and are easily concealed in their gear. The Mud Jackals' arsenal is a blend of traditional ninja tools and adaptations to their unique environment, allowing them to remain unpredictable, resourceful, and deadly in any situation.

Tactics

Aligned with their ninja heritage, the Mud Jackals are skilled in espionage. They gather intelligence for the AIS, surveilling threats and collecting information crucial for the security of the islands. Their operations are often covert, involving stealthy infiltration and the use of local flora and fauna to conceal their activities. With the abundance of rain and mud in their homelands, the earthen tones in their garbs help them easily blend in with their environment and out of sight of wandering eyes. This also allows them to set up ambushes to strike from just outside of treacherous terrain and to disappear without a trace. Lastly, the Mud Jackals use psychological tactics to intimidate opponents and control populations. This includes spreading rumors, displaying overt acts of retribution, and demonstrating their control over the environment and its hazards. These tactics ensure that they remain a respected and feared force within Azu.

by Sophie Prestigiacomo

"Mudman, mudman, comes to play, Slips through the mud, hides away. When the rain falls, he will creep, Silent and still, no sound, no sleep. Mudman, mudman, don’t you roam, Better stay safe and stay at home."

— A chant by Azu youth

Despite their homeland lacking many natural resources, Azu is plentiful in mud and clay due to the frequent rain and close proximity to the ocean.  Ever resourceful, the Mutasakaali view this bounty as a tool put their proficiency with sculpting to use in their underhanded tactics, ranging from making simple clay pots that are often booby trapped to even fashioning lifelike sculptures to unsettle and to confound those viewing them from far-away or in low visibility.
If under attack, for example, they may create these decoys to appear larger in number than they are. Likewise, they may place these figures in haunting positions such as in backyards or in windows to frighten residents into giving up their money for protection. These foreboding, lingering effigies are often the source of many urban legends and campfire stories among the locals with each telling adding more to their eerie mythos.

Silent Paths, Deadly Ends

Type

Illicit, Gang

Alternative Names

Mutasakaali

Demonym

Jackal, Sakaali

Location

Azu

Related Ethnicities

• Sasoyan Elf