Al'Badadi Dervishes

The Al'Badadi Dervishes are an elite military unit within the Al'Badadi Empire, as well as an order of religious mystics. They are known for their iconic metal masks, their fusion of dance,swordplay, and magic, and their secret teachings of the The Civilized Gods. They are deployed in battle as powerful shock troops, able to cause serious casualties and sew fear and chaos among the enemy.

While thier efficacy in battle is uncontested, there are still many within the empire who whisper rumors of the Dervishes' beliefs and ways. Outsiders are not permitted within their base, the Monastery of the Dervish and the order guards their secrets jealously. They are sometimes said to be a blasphemous cult but few will say such things publicly, lest you draw their ire.

Due to their high status and low numbers, Dervishes are only deployed to face down the most serious threats to the empire.

Composition

Manpower

The dervishes are small only boasting numbers in the hundreds at any given time. This is due to the incredibly exhaustive training regiment required to become a dervish. Their numbers are also kept to a manageable size to prevent the mystic secrets of their art from escaping their grasp.

Equipment

The most iconic piece of Dervish equipment is their metal mask. Each mask is an identical expressionless face, made of bronze or iron and gilded in gold leaf. This is used both for intimidation on the battlefield and as a part of their religious ceremonies. A dervish is never seen in public without their mask, making their identities anonymous.

The dervishes are only lightly armored, preferring to be as flexible and agile as possible to preform their battle-dances.

Weaponry

The dervishes are armed primarily with a sickle-sword called a Khopesh, which is wielded with one hand. This frees the other hand for use in casting magic spells or to grab the opponents shield or weapon. They are also typically armed with at least one dagger or short sword in case something happens to their kopesh.

Structure

The exact structure of the dervishes hierarchy is a mystery, as it is based on the secret mystical ranks within their order. Only the Emperor or Empress can call the Dervishes to action, and only when the need is great. The emperors have often kept them at arms length, due to the dervishes autonomy.

Tactics

The dervishes' battlefield strategy is nearly as iconic as their appearance. They use their superior speed and mobility to their advantage, allowing them to maintain an element of surprise The dervishes will advance on the enemy formation head on, using magic to protect themselves from projectiles. Then, just before they they impact the likely heavily armored front line, they use teleportation to bypass the now confused infantry and land either deep within the formation, or behind it to the now exposed lightly armored support.

Once the Dervishes enter the melee, they begin their battle dances for which they are named. They become whirling masters of death, striking with their blades so quickly they become shimmering blurs. This highly mobile dance of death keeps them from being pinned down and eliminated, along with magical protections and illusions. The Dervishes move like a highly choreographed performance, graceful and deadly in equal measure. All but the most disciplined foes are too disrupted by the sudden assault to react with anything but an immediate panicked retreat, ending in a total route.

Training

The training to become a Dervish is said to be harrowing. Dervishes train recruits from the time they are children, both physically and spiritually. Little is known about either process as the dervishes do not want their secrets exposed.

Logistics

Recruitment

The Dervishes recruit exclusively from the slave markets across the Al'Badadi Empire. It is unknown what traits they are looking for but occasionally a representative from their organization will arrive unannounced to purchase a slave child to be trained.

History

The Dervishes began as an order of monks dedicated to contemplation of the The Civilized Gods. Rumors persist that their organization was founded as and continues to be a heretical cult. There are whispers of blasphemous rituals to secret gods but the Dervishes do not reveal their ways to any outsider. As the Al'Quam peoples coalesced into the Empire, the Dervishes found themselves increasingly militarized. Proving their effectiveness in combat, the empire became their official sponsor, as long as they did not look into the Dervishes too closely.

Type

Shock

Founding

Around 400 B.E

Overall training Level

Elite

Used by

• Al'Badadi Empire