Chorakhe Chariot
Sarpa Chariots or Ratha are made for rapid strikes and specifically given to Sarpa Warriors that show initiative and speed above other Snake Men. Others see it as a way of removing the reckless and ambitious from the marga's ranks as a cold-blooded methodical nature is the preferred way to operate. Regardless of their true purpose, these chariots allow the Snake Men to quickly press an enemy’s flank and strike where need be. Devolved Lizardmen deliberately kept alive and raised from corrupted Spawning Pools known as the Uraga are made to draw the ornate chariots, as much for their endurance and brute strength as it allows their Snake Men handlers to flaunt their superiority over the hated Children of the Old Ones.
Chorakhe or Kaprogors - the devolved form of Kroxigors - are often chosen to draw Sarpa Chariots as they are brutal and single-minded creatures, useful for barging through enemy formations, rending those that bar their way before making it through to the other end of the enemy formation to restart the carnage. As the wheels of the chariot run down the enemy, tail-like hooks attached to the ends of each chariot collect the pulped remains or maimed survivors as they rake the battlefield in the Snake Men’s wake.
The Chorakhe reptilians stand in slouched bipedal posture when idle but assume a quadrupedal stance when they have to move fast or are charging towards their prey. Their powerful jaws and armour-tearing claws make quick work of foes caught in their rampage. Each chariot is drawn by a single large specimen and bears two Sarpa Warriors, who use tube-like vines attached to the Chorakhe’s back to rein in the creatures or control their course. The Snake Men onboard the chariot are armed with vicious halberds, which tend to be coated with a paralytic agent to expedite captures, while more fatal concoctions would be issued during times of war. A noted equipment that the Chorakhe-drawn charioteers are known to employ is the Entangler, a handheld projectile launcher of eldritch design that fires a writhing net to hold down prey, used against crowds of infantry or a single large beast.
Though the chariots are ridden into battle by the Sarpa, maintenance is done by another species of Uraga, the spiny devolved Skinks called the Tokke. Smallest of the Uraga, the Tokke are furtive, somewhat devious and jittery from occasional abuse suffered under their serpent masters. They have inherited the technical know-how of their Skink predecessors, though instead of obedience to the Slann they are conditioned to be fearfully subservient to the Blood Naga. The Tokke are charge with repairing the chariots and maintaining the other weaponry of the Snake Men, although stolen parts are not an unknown occurrence. Sabotage is unheard-of however, as the Blood Naga and Soma quickly detect any attempts at genuine foul play. The Tokke keep their poisons for the Snake Men’s weapons, lest one of the Sarpa decides one of them is acting above their station. On rare occasions the Uraga are brought to the battlefield en masse to bolster the Snake Men armies in desperate situations or to cull their population after they’ve multiplied to a certain point.
The ‘Battle of the Serpents’ was a conflict in 1312 IC between the Snake Men and the Tomb Kings of eastern Nehekhara. A Pannaga Kobra Chieftain, landing at the Shifting Mangrove Coastline, had been ordered to sack the Pyramid of King Kapemphis IV and seize an ancient artifact of great magical power. Khureshi forces struck quickly, hoping to overwhelm the Tomb Kings, but found fierce resistance as conventional poison attacks proved ineffective against the undead and their constructs. To remedy this, the Pannaga Kobra Chieftain unleashed the Chorakhe. While the Snake Men distracted the Nehekharan front lines, Sarpa Chariots were sent to strike the enemy’s flanks and the desired result was achieved. Skeleton Warriors were grinded into powder as the Snake Men charioteers hissed in delight, their halberds taking skulls apart as they passed. King Kapemphis IV responded with a chariot charge of his own, backed by Necropolis Knights and Sepulchral Stalkers. The King had misjudged, however. The Sarpa Chariots charged forward and flattened the King’s forces. While some Sarpa Chariots met their end, King Kapemphis IV found himself run down and his body parts, including his still raging head, ended up on a chariot’s rear hooks. The artifact was taken by the Snake Men, and their chariot had also found other prizes. While they were not organic matter but pieces of the undead and broken construct, both were saturated with unknown magical properties. Deeming that they could serve some function in the Naga’s experiments, particularly regarding the question of why some of the statues were formed like the battle’s victors, the serpents departed. Perhaps a still-talking head could be persuaded to tell…
Type
Cavalry
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