The Bachar, בָּחר

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Enunciation: Baw-Kar

The Bachar is also known as the Cleansing Fire of Shaddai. They are an order of monks charged with the protection of the Word of Shaddai, their most sacred book.

Sacred Origins

The Bachar were founded by the People of the Sands, at the command of Shaddai, or so it is said. When the black wave of Ashtubai rolled across the desert, slaughtering any who stood in their way, The People fled before the wave, and took refuge in Aphek, where the Word of Shaddai was kept guarded at all times by the priests, the clerics, and the Shields of Shaddai. Vastly outnumbered, and unuccustomed to warfare, The People's losses were catastrophic. It looked as if all would fall. That was when the Kadoshim arrived.

In the time of their greatest need, a Kadoshim arrived. Selecting the most zealous and devoted followers of Shaddai from among The People, the Kadoshim took them away. At fist, The People were dismayed, believing it was Shaddai's way of preserving some remnant of their number from what was sure to be utter defeat. For three days the fighting, and slaughter continued. The People, now with a much more grim outlook, were defeated in their hearts, but tenaciously fought just the same. It was with some surprise, on the eve of what was likely to be their defeat, the Kadoshim returned, and with him those that he originally took.

The Bachar Arise

Yet those the Kadoshim had taken were barely recognizable. Their bodies and gazes hardened, and they wielded strange weapons never before seen. Pointed metal shards, straight staves runed and imbued with power, small scythe-like implements (kama), and more. With calm deliberation they charged to where the fighting was fiercest, their feet and hands weapons themselves as they blazed with radiant light against the dark hordes of the Ashtubai. The Kadoshim joined the fighting, weilding a spear which dealing radiant death to all those around it.

The battle was won, but the war was far from complete. The People, lead by both the Bachar and the Shields of Shaddai, brought the war to the Ashtubai, having been charged by the Kadoshim to utterly destroy every living Ashtubai, a task which took nearly a year of constant fighting to complete.

The Charge

When the Bachar returned to Alphek, the Kadoshim returned. He acknowledged that the Shields of Shaddai were charged with the protection of The People, as well as the priests, but charged the Bachar with the protection of the Word of Shaddai, a charge which is still maintained to this day.