EL_xWatcher1234x
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Trench Crusade Discussion Thread
- Thread starter EL_xWatcher1234x
- Start date
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- trench crusade
EL_xWatcher1234x
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JayaReal
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Oh, you mean time travel? I don't think the Sultanate Assassin has that ability. If time manipulation is possible, it could be used to slow down the demonic and heretical forces.
JayaReal
He/Him- 51
- 9
I will add a little information about the capabilities and strengths of this Universe.
I still have other skills, but I'm busy and will discuss them later.
Note: I will post the evidence on my blog, so just wait.
Next, I will discuss several factions in this Universe.
Oh yes, I will explain the timeline of this verse.
That's all from me. If there are any mistakes, please correct me, because I am only human and can certainly make mistakes.
Powers of the Verse
- Superhuman Physical Characteristics: Obtained by several characters. Such as: Sultanate Assassin, Praetors, Lion of Jabir, Anchorite Shrines, etc. (I think many characters have that ability.)
- Magic: Owned by members of the Iron Sultanate faction, heretics, or New Antioch. Such as: Alchemist, etc.
- Disease Manipulation: Beelzebub, Heralds of Beelzebub.
- Fire & Ice Manipulation: Jabirean Alchemist (Evidence here)
- Metal Manipulation: Jabirean Alchemist (The evidence is the same as above)
I still have other skills, but I'm busy and will discuss them later.
Note: I will post the evidence on my blog, so just wait.
Next, I will discuss several factions in this Universe.
The Iron Sultanate
The Heretic Legions
The Principality of New Antioch
Oh yes, I will explain the timeline of this verse.
Timelane
That's all from me. If there are any mistakes, please correct me, because I am only human and can certainly make mistakes.
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JayaReal
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They can do it with rituals and powerful hallucinogens discovered by magi of the order.
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Most of the lore can be found here:
www.trenchcrusade.com
The official map is here:
Found the world interesting but was confused by the logistics since there is a stalemate within a fierce war for eight hundred years.
Though I found some fan explanations satisfactory. Basically, Hell seems contained due to infighting and some factions in the Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent wanting to keep the war going indefinitely. Demons need to act through their thralls since if they directly invade angels will be sent to smite them, so some demons just want to use the war to generate suffering that empowers them. Some demons might also have plans to slowly corrupt humanity.
Localized.
Lore - Trench Crusade
Dive into the horrifying lore of Trench Crusade, and discover the locations, factions and units writing the history of the Great War.
www.trenchcrusade.com
The official map is here:
Found the world interesting but was confused by the logistics since there is a stalemate within a fierce war for eight hundred years.
Though I found some fan explanations satisfactory. Basically, Hell seems contained due to infighting and some factions in the Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent wanting to keep the war going indefinitely. Demons need to act through their thralls since if they directly invade angels will be sent to smite them, so some demons just want to use the war to generate suffering that empowers them. Some demons might also have plans to slowly corrupt humanity.
Localized.
| Assassins are able to bend space and time using sacred rituals and powerful hallucinogens discovered by magi of the order. With this esoteric power they prowl behind enemy lines, hunting their targets with merciless efficiency. They can seemingly appear in two places at once, strike an enemy with startling speed and then travel back in time to a moment a few heartbeats before, safe from any retaliation. |
EL_xWatcher1234x
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JayaReal
He/Him- 51
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I don't think it's time travel.
EL_xWatcher1234x
He/Him- 3,591
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There is, but I'll need time to gather them.
EL_xWatcher1234x
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Top 3 drip
When the need is great, the Synod of Strategic Prophecy sends their famed Observers to support the war effort. This order of warrior monks lives a life of absolute solitude, sharpening their minds and bodies to make themselves living weapons in the Hand of God. Once a soldier joins the order, they very rarely leave the Temple of The Word – the only exception being when they are summoned to the battlefield, a situation where their unique abilities can decisively shift the balance in favour of the faithful. Even the slightest disturbance to their prayers or training will mean that they will not be able to commune with the Lord of All Creation. Thus the days of the Observers are spent in secluded, cloistered cells, when not practicing their martial or mental disciplines.
Observers wear a specially crafted Oculus Helmet enabling them to attune to the Voice of God. This remarkable connection grants them the capacity to simultaneously perceive the immediate past, present and future, to a degree. This allows them to perform martial feats unrivalled, but a living human is not meant to hear the Holy Words, so it comes at a cost. Since the Voice of God never decays, they must concentrate with superhuman focus to extricate the righteous guidance amidst the narrative spanning from creation’s inception to the present moment. The resonance of the Divine Echo, ringing ceaselessly in their ears, renders sleep impossible. Therefore they must resort to potent sedatives and mind-altering drugs for them to endure the heavy burden of their battlefield role for any length of time.
The Observers diligently practise the recitation of the Words of God, granting them the power to issue commands to anyone they address, friend or foe. The special metal of their helmet allows them to replicate the Holy Word as closely as it is possible, compelling any creature in creation to obey them momentarily to a degree.
Though they master many weapons, the trench polearm stands as the preferred choice for Observers. This tool allows them to skilfully vault over barbed wire and drop into enemy trenches with devastating force. Guided by the omniscient words of the Almighty, they possess the ability to evade nearly any strike. With proper focus, they foresee impending attacks within the crystal of the Eye of God that is incorporated into their helmet. As such, enemies’ efforts to take them down are often frustrated, since the Observer simply moves the minimum required to avoid any harm, knowing precisely where the blow of the Heretic was going to land.
However, even the slightest slip in their concentration means that they might lose the Voice of God that guides them, rendering them just as vulnerable to death as any other mortal soldier.
Observers wear a specially crafted Oculus Helmet enabling them to attune to the Voice of God. This remarkable connection grants them the capacity to simultaneously perceive the immediate past, present and future, to a degree. This allows them to perform martial feats unrivalled, but a living human is not meant to hear the Holy Words, so it comes at a cost. Since the Voice of God never decays, they must concentrate with superhuman focus to extricate the righteous guidance amidst the narrative spanning from creation’s inception to the present moment. The resonance of the Divine Echo, ringing ceaselessly in their ears, renders sleep impossible. Therefore they must resort to potent sedatives and mind-altering drugs for them to endure the heavy burden of their battlefield role for any length of time.
The Observers diligently practise the recitation of the Words of God, granting them the power to issue commands to anyone they address, friend or foe. The special metal of their helmet allows them to replicate the Holy Word as closely as it is possible, compelling any creature in creation to obey them momentarily to a degree.
Though they master many weapons, the trench polearm stands as the preferred choice for Observers. This tool allows them to skilfully vault over barbed wire and drop into enemy trenches with devastating force. Guided by the omniscient words of the Almighty, they possess the ability to evade nearly any strike. With proper focus, they foresee impending attacks within the crystal of the Eye of God that is incorporated into their helmet. As such, enemies’ efforts to take them down are often frustrated, since the Observer simply moves the minimum required to avoid any harm, knowing precisely where the blow of the Heretic was going to land.
However, even the slightest slip in their concentration means that they might lose the Voice of God that guides them, rendering them just as vulnerable to death as any other mortal soldier.
From a very early age a select group of Heretic youth are sent beyond the Gates of Hell to be raised as Death Commandos. Few are chosen, fewer return, but those who complete their training stand amongst the most elite of the Heretic Legions.
Barracked in the Seventh Circle of Inferno, they are taught the deadly arts of assassination by the damned souls of the greatest killers and murderers whose souls now reside in Hell. Here they undergo brutal training, mastering the use of all manner of weapons and poisons and they are schooled in martial skills by the personal guard of the Arch-Devil Beleth.They learn to slither as serpents through the battlefield, leaving murder in their wake.
Their specially forged Tartarus Claws are quenched in the waters of the River Styx, a source of poison more potent than any mortal venom. Many carry silenced pistols to take down targets unseen and unheard. Aside from their weapons, the Death Commandos are equipped with stealth generators that operate by diffracting light, utilising the heart of an innocent and infernal technologies that hide them from the eyes of God.
Once their training is complete, the Death Commandos emerge from the abyss as silent spectres of carnage. Of the Heretic troops fighting in the Trenches of the Great War, the Death Commandos are the most feared by the faithful. Most infamous in the ranks are three master Death Commandos, Cain, Barabbas and Haman, who simultaneously assassinated the Supreme Pontiff, the High Prophetess Aelia and the Holy Roman Emperor in the year 1894. This threw Church forces into turmoil and allowed the Heretic Legions to launch a lightning offensive across the Levant and Europe.
The tongues of the Death Commandos are ceremonially ripped out at the end of their training. They will never speak of what they have learned and their unnerving silence adds to their sinister reputation. They communicate with each other with a complex system of inscrutable hand signals.
Barracked in the Seventh Circle of Inferno, they are taught the deadly arts of assassination by the damned souls of the greatest killers and murderers whose souls now reside in Hell. Here they undergo brutal training, mastering the use of all manner of weapons and poisons and they are schooled in martial skills by the personal guard of the Arch-Devil Beleth.They learn to slither as serpents through the battlefield, leaving murder in their wake.
Their specially forged Tartarus Claws are quenched in the waters of the River Styx, a source of poison more potent than any mortal venom. Many carry silenced pistols to take down targets unseen and unheard. Aside from their weapons, the Death Commandos are equipped with stealth generators that operate by diffracting light, utilising the heart of an innocent and infernal technologies that hide them from the eyes of God.
Once their training is complete, the Death Commandos emerge from the abyss as silent spectres of carnage. Of the Heretic troops fighting in the Trenches of the Great War, the Death Commandos are the most feared by the faithful. Most infamous in the ranks are three master Death Commandos, Cain, Barabbas and Haman, who simultaneously assassinated the Supreme Pontiff, the High Prophetess Aelia and the Holy Roman Emperor in the year 1894. This threw Church forces into turmoil and allowed the Heretic Legions to launch a lightning offensive across the Levant and Europe.
The tongues of the Death Commandos are ceremonially ripped out at the end of their training. They will never speak of what they have learned and their unnerving silence adds to their sinister reputation. They communicate with each other with a complex system of inscrutable hand signals.
They go by many names: Ghost Wolves, the Secret Knives, Subtle Vipers, the Sultan’s Wrath. Whatever they are called, assassins of the sultanate instil terror in the hearts of even the most dauntless.
Assassins are a legendary order of mystic warriors, notorious the world over for their esoteric arts and ruthlessness. Atop a forbidding mountain broods the onyx fortress, Alamut the Unconquerable. Behind its shadowed walls great secrets are hoarded by the ancient magi. Some say that the founder of the Order of Assassins, Rashid ad-Din Sinan, best known as the Old man of the Mountain, still holds his court here. A preposterous rumour, naturally, since that would make him close to eight centuries old.
Though the Isma’ili Sect of Assassins is seen as heretical by many within the lands of the Iron Wall, a pact forged between Sultan and the Mountain ensures that the warbands of the believers often include one of these supreme killers in their service.
Assassins are able to bend space and time using sacred rituals and powerful hallucinogens discovered by magi of the order. With this esoteric power they prowl behind enemy lines, hunting their targets with merciless efficiency. They can seemingly appear in two places at once, strike an enemy with startling speed and then travel back in time to a moment a few heartbeats before, safe from any retaliation.
They do this in service of their Sultan, whose enemies they are charged to destroy in a form of ritual holy murder. To carry out this task, the assassins are painfully altered by many powerful unguents, chemicals and potions. They stand much taller than a normal man and are many times as fast and strong.
Though adept with all manner of weapons, assassins favour the poisoned blades forged in the unknown depths of Alamut. These weapons are imbued with the Supreme Poison: The Milk of Manat, also known as The Cup of Death. A simple touch of these blades upon unprotected flesh is certain death, as the body of the victim turns black and rots from within over the course of several excruciating second.
In Cthonic chambers deep below the surface, generations of young assassins are raised, where they are fed an awful, bitter diet rich with strange toxin. Generation by generation, their tolerance grows, until the blood of thesewilling vessels is drawn and the smelted into a poisonous iron. The iron is forged into wicked, curving blades and deadly spells of slaying are layered into each fold of the toxic metal. Finally the red-hot blades are quenched in the venom of the pale, unnatural offspring of a basilisk and manticore. Thus the blood of the first generation of Assassins still lives to this day, growing more potent with each generation.
Assassins are a legendary order of mystic warriors, notorious the world over for their esoteric arts and ruthlessness. Atop a forbidding mountain broods the onyx fortress, Alamut the Unconquerable. Behind its shadowed walls great secrets are hoarded by the ancient magi. Some say that the founder of the Order of Assassins, Rashid ad-Din Sinan, best known as the Old man of the Mountain, still holds his court here. A preposterous rumour, naturally, since that would make him close to eight centuries old.
Though the Isma’ili Sect of Assassins is seen as heretical by many within the lands of the Iron Wall, a pact forged between Sultan and the Mountain ensures that the warbands of the believers often include one of these supreme killers in their service.
Assassins are able to bend space and time using sacred rituals and powerful hallucinogens discovered by magi of the order. With this esoteric power they prowl behind enemy lines, hunting their targets with merciless efficiency. They can seemingly appear in two places at once, strike an enemy with startling speed and then travel back in time to a moment a few heartbeats before, safe from any retaliation.
They do this in service of their Sultan, whose enemies they are charged to destroy in a form of ritual holy murder. To carry out this task, the assassins are painfully altered by many powerful unguents, chemicals and potions. They stand much taller than a normal man and are many times as fast and strong.
Though adept with all manner of weapons, assassins favour the poisoned blades forged in the unknown depths of Alamut. These weapons are imbued with the Supreme Poison: The Milk of Manat, also known as The Cup of Death. A simple touch of these blades upon unprotected flesh is certain death, as the body of the victim turns black and rots from within over the course of several excruciating second.
In Cthonic chambers deep below the surface, generations of young assassins are raised, where they are fed an awful, bitter diet rich with strange toxin. Generation by generation, their tolerance grows, until the blood of thesewilling vessels is drawn and the smelted into a poisonous iron. The iron is forged into wicked, curving blades and deadly spells of slaying are layered into each fold of the toxic metal. Finally the red-hot blades are quenched in the venom of the pale, unnatural offspring of a basilisk and manticore. Thus the blood of the first generation of Assassins still lives to this day, growing more potent with each generation.
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JayaReal
He/Him- 51
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Have you found Him yet? I still haven't been able to find Him because of obstacles such as illness.
EL_xWatcher1234x
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Hmm
EL_xWatcher1234x
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Lore:(Ongoing)
The lands of the Sultanate are vast, and many armies can be raised from the multitude of the provinces, where one household in twenty is required to arm and equip a soldier to serve the ruler of those who believe. Most such soldiers are known as Azebs (meaning ‘unmarried’, as those with families cannot become Azebs), who serve as the light infantry on both land and the sea, as well as guarding the Great Iron Wall against the Heretic assaults. When an elite force is sent beyond the Wall to strike at the enemy or look for holy artifacts, the recruiters of the Sultan call for volunteers to join the leaders of such expeditions. Though the missions into No Man’s Land are dangerous, there are always plenty of Azeb who step forward: there is fame to be won, and chance a-plenty to acquire valuable loot.
Weaponry of the Azebs varies a great deal, as they do not have access to the superb arms, armour and alchemical marvels the elite household troops of the Sultan such as janissaries and Cataphracts do. Most carry Jezzails with a distinctive curved stock. These are handmade weapons, and consequently they vary widely in their construction. Jezzails are very personal weapons, well-crafted and their distinct curved stocks are intricately decorated.
These long arms can be loaded with all manner of ammunition: fired roughened bullets, long iron nails or even alchemically treated slivers of the Great Iron Wall. This makes jezzails highly adaptable, and less dependent on easily depleted ammo.
Other weapons and equipment include curved daggers and scimitars, pistols and sappers’ equipment. Armour is rare: Azebs are often used by their superiors as light skirmishers tie harass and tie down the enemies while the heavier troops close in for the kill. Their superiors see little reason to waste expensive armour on troops that fall in great numbers and are easily replaceable – Paradise awaits those who die for their faith, after all.
Many Azebs meet a terrible end in the cruel wars in the Trenches, and other return broken in mind and body, but there are always new, hot-blooded recruits willing to risk it all for the Sultan, a chance to kill the hated followers of Shaitan, and return to home as heroes with fabulous stories and glittering gold.
Weaponry of the Azebs varies a great deal, as they do not have access to the superb arms, armour and alchemical marvels the elite household troops of the Sultan such as janissaries and Cataphracts do. Most carry Jezzails with a distinctive curved stock. These are handmade weapons, and consequently they vary widely in their construction. Jezzails are very personal weapons, well-crafted and their distinct curved stocks are intricately decorated.
These long arms can be loaded with all manner of ammunition: fired roughened bullets, long iron nails or even alchemically treated slivers of the Great Iron Wall. This makes jezzails highly adaptable, and less dependent on easily depleted ammo.
Other weapons and equipment include curved daggers and scimitars, pistols and sappers’ equipment. Armour is rare: Azebs are often used by their superiors as light skirmishers tie harass and tie down the enemies while the heavier troops close in for the kill. Their superiors see little reason to waste expensive armour on troops that fall in great numbers and are easily replaceable – Paradise awaits those who die for their faith, after all.
Many Azebs meet a terrible end in the cruel wars in the Trenches, and other return broken in mind and body, but there are always new, hot-blooded recruits willing to risk it all for the Sultan, a chance to kill the hated followers of Shaitan, and return to home as heroes with fabulous stories and glittering gold.
Sappers are part of the Sultanate standing army protecting the Great Iron Wall. As volunteer conscripts they are deployed in the Underground Corps whose mission is to intercept and destroy the ceaseless Heretic efforts to mine tunnels deep beneath the mighty foundations of the Iron Wall. Here, in the darkness and dust, bitter battles are fought to stop the blind clawed beasts Heretics use to burrow their way into the realm of the Sultan. Most die in Heretic Underground Assault Squad ambushes or in the numerous cave-ins where death comes slowly by being buried alive. Here war is fought with fire and bullet, poison gas and fiendish traps that riddle the tunnel networks.
If they can survive for a year, the recruits become hardened veterans and are then prompted into the Sapper Corps and can serve above ground once more. They have a reputation of great bravery and daring under even the most intense enemy bombardment, as after their horrifying ordeals underground every day under the sun is seen as a blessing from Allah.
They operate the famed Sultanate Great Cannons which have sent back countless Heretic warbands and shaitan’s minions, though at an awful cost: it is easy to recognize a Sapper from the horrific burns all over their bodies which they carry with great pride as a sign of great prestige and status.
During their missions beyond the Wall they often carry experimental weapons, such as Alaybozan shotguns, and defend or take over trenches and prepare positions for other advancing Sultanate forces. They are experts in both disabling enemy explosives and setting the ingenious tufenjieff anti-personnel mines which the Sappers use to slow down enemy advance so that the artillery of the Believers can devastate the enemy as they deal with the cunningly hidden eexplosives of the Sappers.
If they can survive for a year, the recruits become hardened veterans and are then prompted into the Sapper Corps and can serve above ground once more. They have a reputation of great bravery and daring under even the most intense enemy bombardment, as after their horrifying ordeals underground every day under the sun is seen as a blessing from Allah.
They operate the famed Sultanate Great Cannons which have sent back countless Heretic warbands and shaitan’s minions, though at an awful cost: it is easy to recognize a Sapper from the horrific burns all over their bodies which they carry with great pride as a sign of great prestige and status.
During their missions beyond the Wall they often carry experimental weapons, such as Alaybozan shotguns, and defend or take over trenches and prepare positions for other advancing Sultanate forces. They are experts in both disabling enemy explosives and setting the ingenious tufenjieff anti-personnel mines which the Sappers use to slow down enemy advance so that the artillery of the Believers can devastate the enemy as they deal with the cunningly hidden eexplosives of the Sappers.
Since the beginning of the Great War some 800 years ago, the Faithful have faced a problem that is seemingly impossible to overcome: they are unable to take the battle to the enemy. For such is the supernatural power of the open Gate to Hell, that even approaching within sight of it is impossible for all but the most strong-willed and pious. Within the Inferno await domains of the Lost and legions of devils.
But in utmost secrecy the Church produced an answer to this quandary: The Paladin Program. Paladins are by far the greatest creations of the Mendelist Order. They are near-perfect Communicants for in their veins flows the purest blood that the Meta-Christ program has been able to produce. Paladins are warriors with such physical stature and inner holiness that, not only can they approach Jerusalem’s Vale of Tears, but also enter the very Gates of Inferno and undertake missions within Hell itself – and return to tell the tale. Each is said to represent near-perfection of human form, both mind and body, though much scarred and burned from the long centuries of war they have been forced to endure for the sake of all in Creation.
Paladins reside in secluded cells within a secret wing of Castel Sant’Angelo until the hour comes and the Council of Saints sends them forth to do battle. In such time the Paladin emerges from their seclusion, they go to their arming chamber and kneel at the centre upon the mosaic of the Militant Christ the Lion. They are then armed and armoured by blinded and gelded serfs (for no impure gaze or carnal desire is to fall upon the Paladin by the servants of the Church) and briefed on their mission by one of the Cardinal-Generals. They are given the Last Rites prehumously should they fall, for there is no mission more dangerous than war within Gehenna.
Originally there were twelve Paladins, but now only nine remain. Two have fallen in battle, and it is rumoured one has turned traitor – though the Church vehemently denies such slander upon pain of death. Despite ceaseless efforts, the Holy Mendelist Order have been unable to produce even a single new Paladin in the last three centuries.
It has proven just as difficult to replace their holy armour and weaponry. Since the destruction of the Holy City of Jerusalem it has not been possible to harvest more Golgothic tektites required for the machining process for the Paladin’s armaments. Thus their elaborate suits of armour (despite the fastidious care of the Dicastery of the Service of Church Militant disciples) are much scarred, burned and corroded, and many pieces of armour have been slated to be reforged in a vain hope that even the tiniest shard of the required materials could be recovered. Thus each Paladin is forced to endure searing pain like no earthly suffering where their armour has weakened, relying on their unshakeable faith during their lonely crusades into Perdition.
Each of the nine Circles of Hell has its own foul atmosphere and deadly environment from noxious fumes to burning heat or a bitter coldness below absolute zero, requiring a specific suit of armour to withstand the infernal elements. Thus when a Paladin enters the Gates of Hell, they know they must succeed alone or die trying: no help will be forthcoming, not even from one within their own order.
Paladins are used only under the orders of the Council of Saints and even then, extremely sparingly. Each mission they undertake must bring great and tangible benefits for the Church and the overall war effort, and its long-term benefit must be determined by the Synod of Strategic Prophecy. Paladins are tasked with missions such as exterminating key nobles of Hell, destroying laboratories creating some new devastating variant of the Black Grail or interrogating devils with holy fire and the blood of the Lamb until they give up their infernal plans.
But in utmost secrecy the Church produced an answer to this quandary: The Paladin Program. Paladins are by far the greatest creations of the Mendelist Order. They are near-perfect Communicants for in their veins flows the purest blood that the Meta-Christ program has been able to produce. Paladins are warriors with such physical stature and inner holiness that, not only can they approach Jerusalem’s Vale of Tears, but also enter the very Gates of Inferno and undertake missions within Hell itself – and return to tell the tale. Each is said to represent near-perfection of human form, both mind and body, though much scarred and burned from the long centuries of war they have been forced to endure for the sake of all in Creation.
Paladins reside in secluded cells within a secret wing of Castel Sant’Angelo until the hour comes and the Council of Saints sends them forth to do battle. In such time the Paladin emerges from their seclusion, they go to their arming chamber and kneel at the centre upon the mosaic of the Militant Christ the Lion. They are then armed and armoured by blinded and gelded serfs (for no impure gaze or carnal desire is to fall upon the Paladin by the servants of the Church) and briefed on their mission by one of the Cardinal-Generals. They are given the Last Rites prehumously should they fall, for there is no mission more dangerous than war within Gehenna.
Originally there were twelve Paladins, but now only nine remain. Two have fallen in battle, and it is rumoured one has turned traitor – though the Church vehemently denies such slander upon pain of death. Despite ceaseless efforts, the Holy Mendelist Order have been unable to produce even a single new Paladin in the last three centuries.
It has proven just as difficult to replace their holy armour and weaponry. Since the destruction of the Holy City of Jerusalem it has not been possible to harvest more Golgothic tektites required for the machining process for the Paladin’s armaments. Thus their elaborate suits of armour (despite the fastidious care of the Dicastery of the Service of Church Militant disciples) are much scarred, burned and corroded, and many pieces of armour have been slated to be reforged in a vain hope that even the tiniest shard of the required materials could be recovered. Thus each Paladin is forced to endure searing pain like no earthly suffering where their armour has weakened, relying on their unshakeable faith during their lonely crusades into Perdition.
Each of the nine Circles of Hell has its own foul atmosphere and deadly environment from noxious fumes to burning heat or a bitter coldness below absolute zero, requiring a specific suit of armour to withstand the infernal elements. Thus when a Paladin enters the Gates of Hell, they know they must succeed alone or die trying: no help will be forthcoming, not even from one within their own order.
Paladins are used only under the orders of the Council of Saints and even then, extremely sparingly. Each mission they undertake must bring great and tangible benefits for the Church and the overall war effort, and its long-term benefit must be determined by the Synod of Strategic Prophecy. Paladins are tasked with missions such as exterminating key nobles of Hell, destroying laboratories creating some new devastating variant of the Black Grail or interrogating devils with holy fire and the blood of the Lamb until they give up their infernal plans.
Military expeditions over the Great Iron Wall into No Man’s Land carry many risks, and their commanders are field officers known as Yüzbaşı. They are expected to lead from the front and their selection is solely on merit, with no consideration given to family pedigree or wealth. Many are promoted from the ranks of the Janissary corps.
Their bodies are enhanced by the Jabirean alchemical arts and their minds conditioned by the mystics, allowing them to face any foe unflinchingly. The downside of the mystic mental hardening is their utter disregard for pain and their cold ruthlessness on the battlefield. Casualties, both their own and those of the enemy, as well as those non-combatants who believe, are purely utilitarian to Yüzbaşı. For is it not just to send heretics to Jahannam, while the warriors who fall in battle will wake in Paradise, as has been promised?
Under the orders of a powerful pasha or emir, or even the Sultan himself, the Yüzbaşı assumes the command of an elite squad of warriors to fulfil their task, such as to reclaim holy artefacts lost during the catastrophic period when Heretics took the Levant by storm. Other times, they are told to find and eliminate powerful foes, such as Heretic nobles who were once subjects of the Sultan but have turned their backs to Allah.
Yüzbaşı are equipped with superb armour of meteoric iron, the finest carbines gilded with silver and loaded with alchemical shot, and carry kilij swords of the past heroes of Sultanate, where great deeds of old are inscribed with golden calligraphy. If they serve the Sublime Gate well, their name and glory will be etched on the blade as well to inspire future generations.
The strongest carry the dreaded hand cannons which double as deadly halberds. If they are hunters of distinction, they wear pelts of their greatest kills, such as chimeras, as cloaks, which offer protection from the powers of Shaitan.
Success brings Yüzbaşı the favour of the Sultan and along with it honour, splendid weaponry of Damascus steel, gold dinars aplenty and access to the wondrous devices and creatures created by the Jabirean alchemists in the House of Wisdom. Hunting is a noble pursuit within the ranks of the officer corps, and artificial birds of prey and automaton hounds double as potent weapons of war and are brought along to the front to aid their masters at war.
“I am the son of many chiefs. My sword is sharp and terrible. It is the mightiest of things when the cauldron of war boils fiercely.”
Their bodies are enhanced by the Jabirean alchemical arts and their minds conditioned by the mystics, allowing them to face any foe unflinchingly. The downside of the mystic mental hardening is their utter disregard for pain and their cold ruthlessness on the battlefield. Casualties, both their own and those of the enemy, as well as those non-combatants who believe, are purely utilitarian to Yüzbaşı. For is it not just to send heretics to Jahannam, while the warriors who fall in battle will wake in Paradise, as has been promised?
Under the orders of a powerful pasha or emir, or even the Sultan himself, the Yüzbaşı assumes the command of an elite squad of warriors to fulfil their task, such as to reclaim holy artefacts lost during the catastrophic period when Heretics took the Levant by storm. Other times, they are told to find and eliminate powerful foes, such as Heretic nobles who were once subjects of the Sultan but have turned their backs to Allah.
Yüzbaşı are equipped with superb armour of meteoric iron, the finest carbines gilded with silver and loaded with alchemical shot, and carry kilij swords of the past heroes of Sultanate, where great deeds of old are inscribed with golden calligraphy. If they serve the Sublime Gate well, their name and glory will be etched on the blade as well to inspire future generations.
The strongest carry the dreaded hand cannons which double as deadly halberds. If they are hunters of distinction, they wear pelts of their greatest kills, such as chimeras, as cloaks, which offer protection from the powers of Shaitan.
Success brings Yüzbaşı the favour of the Sultan and along with it honour, splendid weaponry of Damascus steel, gold dinars aplenty and access to the wondrous devices and creatures created by the Jabirean alchemists in the House of Wisdom. Hunting is a noble pursuit within the ranks of the officer corps, and artificial birds of prey and automaton hounds double as potent weapons of war and are brought along to the front to aid their masters at war.
“I am the son of many chiefs. My sword is sharp and terrible. It is the mightiest of things when the cauldron of war boils fiercely.”
When the need is great, the Synod of Strategic Prophecy sends their famed Observers to support the war effort. This order of warrior monks lives a life of absolute solitude, sharpening their minds and bodies to make themselves living weapons in the Hand of God. Once a soldier joins the order, they very rarely leave the Temple of The Word – the only exception being when they are summoned to the battlefield, a situation where their unique abilities can decisively shift the balance in favour of the faithful. Even the slightest disturbance to their prayers or training will mean that they will not be able to commune with the Lord of All Creation. Thus the days of the Observers are spent in secluded, cloistered cells, when not practicing their martial or mental disciplines.
Observers wear a specially crafted Oculus Helmet enabling them to attune to the Voice of God. This remarkable connection grants them the capacity to simultaneously perceive the immediate past, present and future, to a degree. This allows them to perform martial feats unrivalled, but a living human is not meant to hear the Holy Words, so it comes at a cost. Since the Voice of God never decays, they must concentrate with superhuman focus to extricate the righteous guidance amidst the narrative spanning from creation’s inception to the present moment. The resonance of the Divine Echo, ringing ceaselessly in their ears, renders sleep impossible. Therefore they must resort to potent sedatives and mind-altering drugs for them to endure the heavy burden of their battlefield role for any length of time.
The Observers diligently practise the recitation of the Words of God, granting them the power to issue commands to anyone they address, friend or foe. The special metal of their helmet allows them to replicate the Holy Word as closely as it is possible, compelling any creature in creation to obey them momentarily to a degree.
Though they master many weapons, the trench polearm stands as the preferred choice for Observers. This tool allows them to skilfully vault over barbed wire and drop into enemy trenches with devastating force. Guided by the omniscient words of the Almighty, they possess the ability to evade nearly any strike. With proper focus, they foresee impending attacks within the crystal of the Eye of God that is incorporated into their helmet. As such, enemies’ efforts to take them down are often frustrated, since the Observer simply moves the minimum required to avoid any harm, knowing precisely where the blow of the Heretic was going to land.
However, even the slightest slip in their concentration means that they might lose the Voice of God that guides them, rendering them just as vulnerable to death as any other mortal soldier.
Observers wear a specially crafted Oculus Helmet enabling them to attune to the Voice of God. This remarkable connection grants them the capacity to simultaneously perceive the immediate past, present and future, to a degree. This allows them to perform martial feats unrivalled, but a living human is not meant to hear the Holy Words, so it comes at a cost. Since the Voice of God never decays, they must concentrate with superhuman focus to extricate the righteous guidance amidst the narrative spanning from creation’s inception to the present moment. The resonance of the Divine Echo, ringing ceaselessly in their ears, renders sleep impossible. Therefore they must resort to potent sedatives and mind-altering drugs for them to endure the heavy burden of their battlefield role for any length of time.
The Observers diligently practise the recitation of the Words of God, granting them the power to issue commands to anyone they address, friend or foe. The special metal of their helmet allows them to replicate the Holy Word as closely as it is possible, compelling any creature in creation to obey them momentarily to a degree.
Though they master many weapons, the trench polearm stands as the preferred choice for Observers. This tool allows them to skilfully vault over barbed wire and drop into enemy trenches with devastating force. Guided by the omniscient words of the Almighty, they possess the ability to evade nearly any strike. With proper focus, they foresee impending attacks within the crystal of the Eye of God that is incorporated into their helmet. As such, enemies’ efforts to take them down are often frustrated, since the Observer simply moves the minimum required to avoid any harm, knowing precisely where the blow of the Heretic was going to land.
However, even the slightest slip in their concentration means that they might lose the Voice of God that guides them, rendering them just as vulnerable to death as any other mortal soldier.
The janissaries are the Sultanate’s elite warriors, raised from childhood in the arts of war. Captured during raids upon the desolate northern and eastern marches beyond the Iron Wall, they are subjected to rigorous martial training and indoctrination from an early age. Through spiritual and alchemical means, bound by chains unseen, their minds are carefully conditioned until they attain a complete and unwavering loyalty to the Sultan, and to him alone.
Their physical attributes are augmented by potent elixirs created by the mystic Jabirean arts. Their ornate armour is forged from the metallic formula that the alchemagi of the Sultan gleaned from the very Iron Wall that protects the Sultanate from their enemies. These soldiers are also protected by powerful talismans crafted by the blind thaumaturgists from the School of the Meteoric Omen. Armed with jezail rifles, hand mortars, yataghan blades and a devotion carved upon their very souls, the janissaries are formidable opponents indeed.
On the battlefield, janissaries excel at storming enemy strongpoints and trenches, crushing elite formations and acting as the bodyguard for high-ranking individuals. Though the Sultan uses them sparingly beyond the Iron Wall (since they also form his personal bodyguard), some janissaries are sent to the front line to bolster the cause of the Sublime Gate. In the middle of the mud, blood and dust of the trenches, their richly decorated panoply of war creates a beautiful and frightening spectacle as they charge the enemy lines, with total conviction that Paradise awaits those who fall in righteous battle.
Their physical attributes are augmented by potent elixirs created by the mystic Jabirean arts. Their ornate armour is forged from the metallic formula that the alchemagi of the Sultan gleaned from the very Iron Wall that protects the Sultanate from their enemies. These soldiers are also protected by powerful talismans crafted by the blind thaumaturgists from the School of the Meteoric Omen. Armed with jezail rifles, hand mortars, yataghan blades and a devotion carved upon their very souls, the janissaries are formidable opponents indeed.
On the battlefield, janissaries excel at storming enemy strongpoints and trenches, crushing elite formations and acting as the bodyguard for high-ranking individuals. Though the Sultan uses them sparingly beyond the Iron Wall (since they also form his personal bodyguard), some janissaries are sent to the front line to bolster the cause of the Sublime Gate. In the middle of the mud, blood and dust of the trenches, their richly decorated panoply of war creates a beautiful and frightening spectacle as they charge the enemy lines, with total conviction that Paradise awaits those who fall in righteous battle.
As the war rages against the minions of Hell, strange visions torment the faithful across the globe. Men and women touched by Heaven are granted visions, and Revelations are made by the messengers of God. Sisters of the Holy Orders are marked by stigmata and take up sword and cross as instructed by the angels. Those who have transgressed seek to atone for their sins by taking as many followers of the Devil with them to the afterlife.
So they come, the mad and the maimed, the God-touched and the guilt-ridden, all gathering around Prophets and Prophetesses, forming Trench Pilgrim Processions, disorganised groups which arm themselves and follow the prophets of the Lord unto the front lines. They fight with unrivalled zeal, throwing themselves against the Heretics and arming themselves with anything they can get their hands on, from the oldest muskets to scourges and Molotov cocktails.
Pilgrims are not officially sanctioned by the Holy See, but the Church still blesses the crusades of the Faithful. Thus the Pilgrim Processions are a common sight on the battlefields, often charging across No Man’s Land in suicidal assaults against the Heretics, directed by the visions of the Prophets and Prophetesses who lead them, and urged on by the whips of Castigators who are charged with instilling the fear of God in their troops.
The bulk of the Pilgrims are men and women with little military training, but when they don the iron capirote of a Trench Pilgrim, they can face even a demon from the deepest Bolgias of Hell unflinchingly. Nor is death necessarily an end to their mission: sometimes the Seventh Meta-Christ will deem a fallen Pilgrim worthy and bring them back as Martyr-Penitents, warriors half-way between Heaven and Earth, able to fight once more and feel no pain from bullet or bayonet thrust.
Rarer and more dangerous are the Stigmatic Nuns: Holy Sisters who manifest wounds to match those of the Third Meta-Christ whom the nuns venerate. They excel in close quarters combat, for each bleeding wound that they suffer makes them stronger, not weaker, as their devotion to suffering as their Lord once did gives them strength and endurance not found on mere common mortals. Armed with swords and pistols, they cross No Man’s Land heedless of any danger, praying to sustain wounds for the Redeemer which in turn will transform them into the very vengeance of the Lord.
In front of the Trench Pilgrims are driven the Ecclesiastic Prisoners: either captured enemies of the true faith forced to make a final act of contrition or volunteer sinners seeking redemption. Each is strapped with high explosives which are detonated once they reach the enemy lines. They dash across the killing grounds, hoping to either miraculously survive the blast and escape, or take as many followers of Lucifer with them as they can, depending on their convictions.
The most puissant of Pilgrim Processions will be accompanied by an Anchorite Shrine: a metal behemoth some twelve feet tall, a living altar of war almost completely immune to any damage. The interior of the Anchorite is covered in spikes and barbed hooks so that the monk who controls this colossus is in a constant state of torment, rejoicing in the pain so they can suffer as their Lord once did. In combat they wield adamantine Catherine wheels of massive proportions which they use to crush the sinners and heretics into a pulp, and then string them upon the wheel as a warning to others.
There is a bewildering number and variety of Trench Pilgrim Processions: The Penitents of Pious Revenge swear in the name of Saint Olga and uses flamethrowers, burning grenades and incendiary ammunition to assail the Heretics. The Pilgrims of the Iron Path follow Saint Rita of Cascia and go to battle with hammers, mauls, maces and cudgels, and hammer nails into their heads in the memory of the saint they venerate. The Theban Legion of Rome carries the heads of the heretics upon their standards in the memory of their patron, Saint Maurice. They fight with swords and other blades, competing with each other for the number of Heretic heads they amass.
Trench Pilgrims of the Procession of the Sacred Affliction are known for their zeal for close quarters combat, their armour decorated with icons and shields adorned with the depictions of the Saints, which despite appearances can withstand machine gun bullets, and the millstones they carry in order to tie them around the necks of sinners before they suffocate them in the mud and blood of No Man’s Land.
So they come, the mad and the maimed, the God-touched and the guilt-ridden, all gathering around Prophets and Prophetesses, forming Trench Pilgrim Processions, disorganised groups which arm themselves and follow the prophets of the Lord unto the front lines. They fight with unrivalled zeal, throwing themselves against the Heretics and arming themselves with anything they can get their hands on, from the oldest muskets to scourges and Molotov cocktails.
Pilgrims are not officially sanctioned by the Holy See, but the Church still blesses the crusades of the Faithful. Thus the Pilgrim Processions are a common sight on the battlefields, often charging across No Man’s Land in suicidal assaults against the Heretics, directed by the visions of the Prophets and Prophetesses who lead them, and urged on by the whips of Castigators who are charged with instilling the fear of God in their troops.
The bulk of the Pilgrims are men and women with little military training, but when they don the iron capirote of a Trench Pilgrim, they can face even a demon from the deepest Bolgias of Hell unflinchingly. Nor is death necessarily an end to their mission: sometimes the Seventh Meta-Christ will deem a fallen Pilgrim worthy and bring them back as Martyr-Penitents, warriors half-way between Heaven and Earth, able to fight once more and feel no pain from bullet or bayonet thrust.
Rarer and more dangerous are the Stigmatic Nuns: Holy Sisters who manifest wounds to match those of the Third Meta-Christ whom the nuns venerate. They excel in close quarters combat, for each bleeding wound that they suffer makes them stronger, not weaker, as their devotion to suffering as their Lord once did gives them strength and endurance not found on mere common mortals. Armed with swords and pistols, they cross No Man’s Land heedless of any danger, praying to sustain wounds for the Redeemer which in turn will transform them into the very vengeance of the Lord.
In front of the Trench Pilgrims are driven the Ecclesiastic Prisoners: either captured enemies of the true faith forced to make a final act of contrition or volunteer sinners seeking redemption. Each is strapped with high explosives which are detonated once they reach the enemy lines. They dash across the killing grounds, hoping to either miraculously survive the blast and escape, or take as many followers of Lucifer with them as they can, depending on their convictions.
The most puissant of Pilgrim Processions will be accompanied by an Anchorite Shrine: a metal behemoth some twelve feet tall, a living altar of war almost completely immune to any damage. The interior of the Anchorite is covered in spikes and barbed hooks so that the monk who controls this colossus is in a constant state of torment, rejoicing in the pain so they can suffer as their Lord once did. In combat they wield adamantine Catherine wheels of massive proportions which they use to crush the sinners and heretics into a pulp, and then string them upon the wheel as a warning to others.
There is a bewildering number and variety of Trench Pilgrim Processions: The Penitents of Pious Revenge swear in the name of Saint Olga and uses flamethrowers, burning grenades and incendiary ammunition to assail the Heretics. The Pilgrims of the Iron Path follow Saint Rita of Cascia and go to battle with hammers, mauls, maces and cudgels, and hammer nails into their heads in the memory of the saint they venerate. The Theban Legion of Rome carries the heads of the heretics upon their standards in the memory of their patron, Saint Maurice. They fight with swords and other blades, competing with each other for the number of Heretic heads they amass.
Trench Pilgrims of the Procession of the Sacred Affliction are known for their zeal for close quarters combat, their armour decorated with icons and shields adorned with the depictions of the Saints, which despite appearances can withstand machine gun bullets, and the millstones they carry in order to tie them around the necks of sinners before they suffocate them in the mud and blood of No Man’s Land.
In the immediate aftermath of the Ultimate Heresy, the Princes of the Church faced a terrible dilemma. Never had the Faith needed its finest warriors as desperately as now when the armies of Hell threatened all Creation, and yet the traitors that brought this greatest of calamities came from the very ranks of the holy military orders sworn to protect the Church. How could the Faithful trust their knights ever again, as they had proven to be so susceptible to temptation?
After much deliberation, the Council of Saints offered a solution. To demonstrate repentance for the great Heresy of the Templars, every single Crusader Knight was to swear an Oath of Penance. Whomever joins one of the military orders of their free will is condemned to damnation with but one path to Salvation: dying in glorious battle against the Infernal powers. Should they meet their end due to illness, accident or old age, they would be denied the Last Rites and buried in unmarked pits of the damned. Their vows are enforced by the Four Rites of Passage which not only enhance their bodies but also bind them to their Holy Oath in this world and the next. This made any further Heresy impossible, albeit at the price of an initiate’s soul.
There are thousands of different crusader Orders from across Christendom. Some, like the Knights Hospitaller, are officially sanctioned by the Church, with entire armies under their direct command. Other Orders are small, with but a handful of dedicated zealots, whilst others are not even sanctioned by the church at all. These might come from strange sects with bizarre beliefs that are uncomfortably close to heretical, such as the Order of Iscariot. The Church tolerates their existence as long as they focus all their resources on the Great War, and the Four Rites bind them to fighting the Heretics.
Some crusaders baulk at the four rites they must undergo, and if they refuse to do them are cast out, hated by everyone they meet. Some of these exiles form pitiful bands in order to survive, others are tempted by the promises of the Arch-Devils, and fight under the banner of one of these powerful lords of Hell.
Many of the Crusader Orders have foregone the static chapter houses and commanderies from ages past, and instead opt for Chapter Hulls. These are great machines with caterpillar treads, surmounted by a stone or iron keep and bristling with statues and weaponry. There the crusaders carry out the various tasks of monastic life, all while travelling to the deadliest regions of the crusades. They seek out the most vicious, brutal and deadly enemies and battles. This serves a dual purpose of the knights never settling in one place too long, for they are admired for their prowess in the Great War and loathed for their Ultimate Heresy in equal measure. The amplified chants of the crusaders as they march to war in their thrice-blessed armour can be heard echoing across the battlefield, striking fear in any opponent who follows the path of damnation.
Entry into the crusader orders is strictly regulated by certain tests and rites unique to each, but there are four rites of passage that enforce their Oath are as follows:
The First Rite: Propagation of the Faith – The crusader novitiate is subjected to a months’ long period of indoctrination, both through studying the precepts of the Crusader Order, as well as being subjected to endless broadcasts of propaganda films from the Ministry of the Propagation of Virtue. The lessons are fed directly into the optic nerves of the initiates by the esoteric, mind-altering machines of the Ministry.
The Second Rite: The Chemical Baptism – The crusader is immersed in a bath of powerful holy chemicals, specifically created to change their body chemistry and grant great strength and stamina. This comes at a cost as the terrible fumes ruin their lungs, making it necessary for them to breathe from tanks of oxygen enriched with incense. Their larynx, usually riddled with cancers, is removed, and in their place an amplifier is installed, allowing them to speak.
The Third Rite: The Armour of God – The crusader is then taken to the Order’s surgeons where they must endure the most painful rite. Their bodies are inscribed with gilded arcs of scripture – the words of their God written in golden ink across their body, as well as within. Their body is flayed open and an Oath of Penance scribed upon their very bones, after which they are sewn up and left to heal. These holy scripts ensure immediate death and damnation should the knight waver in their commitment to God and Church.
The Fourth Rite: Healing Visions – After their painful surgery, the crusader is sent to the healing ward. Their recuperation might take several months and the entire time they are subjected to a battery of powerful mind-altering drugs. The crusader’s mind is opened to what surely must be the voice of God, and there are many scribes huddled around these recuperating crusaders, furiously scribbling as they attempt to capture each prophetic utterance.
After much deliberation, the Council of Saints offered a solution. To demonstrate repentance for the great Heresy of the Templars, every single Crusader Knight was to swear an Oath of Penance. Whomever joins one of the military orders of their free will is condemned to damnation with but one path to Salvation: dying in glorious battle against the Infernal powers. Should they meet their end due to illness, accident or old age, they would be denied the Last Rites and buried in unmarked pits of the damned. Their vows are enforced by the Four Rites of Passage which not only enhance their bodies but also bind them to their Holy Oath in this world and the next. This made any further Heresy impossible, albeit at the price of an initiate’s soul.
There are thousands of different crusader Orders from across Christendom. Some, like the Knights Hospitaller, are officially sanctioned by the Church, with entire armies under their direct command. Other Orders are small, with but a handful of dedicated zealots, whilst others are not even sanctioned by the church at all. These might come from strange sects with bizarre beliefs that are uncomfortably close to heretical, such as the Order of Iscariot. The Church tolerates their existence as long as they focus all their resources on the Great War, and the Four Rites bind them to fighting the Heretics.
Some crusaders baulk at the four rites they must undergo, and if they refuse to do them are cast out, hated by everyone they meet. Some of these exiles form pitiful bands in order to survive, others are tempted by the promises of the Arch-Devils, and fight under the banner of one of these powerful lords of Hell.
Many of the Crusader Orders have foregone the static chapter houses and commanderies from ages past, and instead opt for Chapter Hulls. These are great machines with caterpillar treads, surmounted by a stone or iron keep and bristling with statues and weaponry. There the crusaders carry out the various tasks of monastic life, all while travelling to the deadliest regions of the crusades. They seek out the most vicious, brutal and deadly enemies and battles. This serves a dual purpose of the knights never settling in one place too long, for they are admired for their prowess in the Great War and loathed for their Ultimate Heresy in equal measure. The amplified chants of the crusaders as they march to war in their thrice-blessed armour can be heard echoing across the battlefield, striking fear in any opponent who follows the path of damnation.
Entry into the crusader orders is strictly regulated by certain tests and rites unique to each, but there are four rites of passage that enforce their Oath are as follows:
The First Rite: Propagation of the Faith – The crusader novitiate is subjected to a months’ long period of indoctrination, both through studying the precepts of the Crusader Order, as well as being subjected to endless broadcasts of propaganda films from the Ministry of the Propagation of Virtue. The lessons are fed directly into the optic nerves of the initiates by the esoteric, mind-altering machines of the Ministry.
The Second Rite: The Chemical Baptism – The crusader is immersed in a bath of powerful holy chemicals, specifically created to change their body chemistry and grant great strength and stamina. This comes at a cost as the terrible fumes ruin their lungs, making it necessary for them to breathe from tanks of oxygen enriched with incense. Their larynx, usually riddled with cancers, is removed, and in their place an amplifier is installed, allowing them to speak.
The Third Rite: The Armour of God – The crusader is then taken to the Order’s surgeons where they must endure the most painful rite. Their bodies are inscribed with gilded arcs of scripture – the words of their God written in golden ink across their body, as well as within. Their body is flayed open and an Oath of Penance scribed upon their very bones, after which they are sewn up and left to heal. These holy scripts ensure immediate death and damnation should the knight waver in their commitment to God and Church.
The Fourth Rite: Healing Visions – After their painful surgery, the crusader is sent to the healing ward. Their recuperation might take several months and the entire time they are subjected to a battery of powerful mind-altering drugs. The crusader’s mind is opened to what surely must be the voice of God, and there are many scribes huddled around these recuperating crusaders, furiously scribbling as they attempt to capture each prophetic utterance.
Combat Biologists are members of the Pontifical Office of Biological warfare, or in the case of the Sultanate, the Al-Bisṭāmī School of Ninety-Nine Names, which trains some of their failed Alchemist apprentices in a similar fashion. These scholars specialise in battlefield vivisections and collecting samples of the most powerful servants of Hell for study. These specimens are then used to develop weapons capable of driving the servants of the Pit back to the darkness from whence they came.
Combat Biologist corps are assigned to units that operate in the most dangerous battlefield conditions, and readily accompany units that operate deep within No Man’s Land, including near the Hellgate or the domains of Beelzebub. Sometimes they travel into the wilds where the Path of the Beast reigns supreme, in hopes of extracting a sample from a great unholy creature such as the dreaded Zygotic Lord. Such fell flesh might hold clues of undoing the physical and spiritual damage of the Invisible Labyrinth.
Expeditions to seize an especially great monstrosity for further study are sometimes funded by the House of Wisdom, the Duke of Antioch or one of the War Cardinals, in order to develop new ways to hurt or kill its kind on the battlefield. Irish Fianna warriors are especially sought after to take part in such dangerous missions, due their expertise in fighting the Path of the Beast. Such undertakings are deadly for both the hunters and the hunted, but those who succeed can expect great rewards, both material and spiritual.
Captured horrors are kept in specially constructed pens and cells, where they are carefully studied. Their pain tolerance is tested, and they are subjected to various chemical, biological and sacred compounds in order to identify their weaknesses. The House of Wisdom has a reinforced wing with meteoric iron doors wrought in the shape of the Seal of Solomon, whose Alchemists and their Kavass guards adhere to a strict regimen of Ruqyah. Meanwhile the Church maintains its own special prisons for enemies directly tainted by Hell, known as Cella Obscura or “hidden cells”.
Their locations within New Antioch, the Vatican, Königsberg and elsewhere are closely-guarded secrets, both to thwart potential rescue attempts by Heretic infiltrators as well as to avoid panic amongst the civilian population in case one of the creatures held within should escape. Despite all the precautions, such incidents occur at disturbing regularity. The rampages of fugitive monsters have led to the rise of many legends of beasts stalking the cities of the Faithful at night. The authorities encourage and maintain such legends to hide the truth, deploying discreet hunting parties to bring the creatures to heel.
Due to their training, hypnotic conditioning and constant exposure to captured specimens, Combat Biologists enter a battle trance when faced with creatures that would induce uncontrollable fear in ordinary troopers. They wield vivisectors, polearm blade weapons that combine sophisticated biological warfare agents and the functional brutality of trench warfare.
Persistent rumours abound about a secret organisation of Combat Biologists known either as Hand of Glory or Hamza, depending on the source.
Allegedly formed by senior Biologists both within the Sultanate and the holy laboratory of New Antioch, it is claimed that they share data and results of their research with each other, hoping that the combined efforts of the Faithful and the Sultanate would one day lead to a breakthrough that would eliminate the Black Grail and find a way to reverse the effects of the Path of the Beast.
As it is forbidden to pass on the secrets of combat biology to anyone outside their superiors, the authorities of both the Sultanate and the Church relentlessly hunt for any sign of the order, said to have some kind of hidden sigil or symbol on their bodies so the members can identify each other.
Both the Order of Witchburners and Sultanate Quadis have launched several surveillance operations aimed at uncovering the organisation and its members, but thus far without any success.
Combat Biologist corps are assigned to units that operate in the most dangerous battlefield conditions, and readily accompany units that operate deep within No Man’s Land, including near the Hellgate or the domains of Beelzebub. Sometimes they travel into the wilds where the Path of the Beast reigns supreme, in hopes of extracting a sample from a great unholy creature such as the dreaded Zygotic Lord. Such fell flesh might hold clues of undoing the physical and spiritual damage of the Invisible Labyrinth.
Expeditions to seize an especially great monstrosity for further study are sometimes funded by the House of Wisdom, the Duke of Antioch or one of the War Cardinals, in order to develop new ways to hurt or kill its kind on the battlefield. Irish Fianna warriors are especially sought after to take part in such dangerous missions, due their expertise in fighting the Path of the Beast. Such undertakings are deadly for both the hunters and the hunted, but those who succeed can expect great rewards, both material and spiritual.
Captured horrors are kept in specially constructed pens and cells, where they are carefully studied. Their pain tolerance is tested, and they are subjected to various chemical, biological and sacred compounds in order to identify their weaknesses. The House of Wisdom has a reinforced wing with meteoric iron doors wrought in the shape of the Seal of Solomon, whose Alchemists and their Kavass guards adhere to a strict regimen of Ruqyah. Meanwhile the Church maintains its own special prisons for enemies directly tainted by Hell, known as Cella Obscura or “hidden cells”.
Their locations within New Antioch, the Vatican, Königsberg and elsewhere are closely-guarded secrets, both to thwart potential rescue attempts by Heretic infiltrators as well as to avoid panic amongst the civilian population in case one of the creatures held within should escape. Despite all the precautions, such incidents occur at disturbing regularity. The rampages of fugitive monsters have led to the rise of many legends of beasts stalking the cities of the Faithful at night. The authorities encourage and maintain such legends to hide the truth, deploying discreet hunting parties to bring the creatures to heel.
Due to their training, hypnotic conditioning and constant exposure to captured specimens, Combat Biologists enter a battle trance when faced with creatures that would induce uncontrollable fear in ordinary troopers. They wield vivisectors, polearm blade weapons that combine sophisticated biological warfare agents and the functional brutality of trench warfare.
Persistent rumours abound about a secret organisation of Combat Biologists known either as Hand of Glory or Hamza, depending on the source.
Allegedly formed by senior Biologists both within the Sultanate and the holy laboratory of New Antioch, it is claimed that they share data and results of their research with each other, hoping that the combined efforts of the Faithful and the Sultanate would one day lead to a breakthrough that would eliminate the Black Grail and find a way to reverse the effects of the Path of the Beast.
As it is forbidden to pass on the secrets of combat biology to anyone outside their superiors, the authorities of both the Sultanate and the Church relentlessly hunt for any sign of the order, said to have some kind of hidden sigil or symbol on their bodies so the members can identify each other.
Both the Order of Witchburners and Sultanate Quadis have launched several surveillance operations aimed at uncovering the organisation and its members, but thus far without any success.
The Alchemists are the battlefield mystics and artificers of the Great Sultanate of the Iron Wall, schooled in the hidden knowledge of the legendary Smaragdine Tablet within the House of Wisdom. Admission is open to any with will and intellect deemed sufficient, be they man or woman.
To become an Alchemist is no easy task: they undergo many trials on their path to mastery. First are the countless lessons of the newly initiated – studying the Jabirean Corpus, translating the Keys of Solomon and learning all the Fundamental Disciplines of their primaeval science. Only after seven years of study, under the watchful and exacting eyes of the High Alchemagi, is an aspirant allowed to attempt the Three Trials required for full membership in the Order.
The first trial is to create a suit of Alchemist’s armour which protects against harm. This is an essential tool of their craft, festooned with the Seals of Solomon which enables them to bend the elements of Creation to their will and shields them even from the devices of Hell.
Next, they must create a takwin servant, a Homunculus creature of artificial life and intellect. If the candidate manages to follow the complex formula, as well as the intricate timing and temperature requirements, the creature will emerge after forty days of toil. It will act as the Alchemist’s living tool of creation, for their hands have fine motor skills well beyond even the nimblest craftsman. Vaguely shaped like a small human, it can change the consistency of its body to an almost liquid-like slime to squeeze into alchemical chambers to do their master’s bidding in extreme temperatures and in the fog of poisonous chemical fumes. Many aspirants fail here and their creation emerges from its golden celestial sphere a deformed monstrosity, filled with hatred towards its creator. It burrows itself into the Alchemist’s body to consume it from within, wearing its would-be master as a skin.
The third and final test is opening their Third Eye, the key to cosmic illumination which allows them to see the building blocks of Creation and thus be able to ensure that the elements they use are in perfect balance. Those that fail their final test are horribly changed. Their Third Eye swells to nightmare proportions and melds with their original pair, driving the aspirant mad during the process of their deformation. They spend the rest of their pitiful lives screaming of the unseen horrors all around now revealed to them. Out of mercy, alchemists that fail in this way are often put down, but there are rumours of cabals of these living failures kept alive for reasons unknown.
An Alchemist that has passed all three trials is formidable indeed: a master of esoteric powers, able to control fire and ice, metal and liquid; capable of creating intricate mechanical devices and artificial life as well as weapons of calamitous potency. In exchange for the freedom to practise their arts, the Alchemists supply the Sultanate with the peerless Jabirean battle lions, and serve on the front lines where their devastating alchemical compounds melt the flesh from the bones of enemies of the Believers, dissolving through even the toughest armour.
To become an Alchemist is no easy task: they undergo many trials on their path to mastery. First are the countless lessons of the newly initiated – studying the Jabirean Corpus, translating the Keys of Solomon and learning all the Fundamental Disciplines of their primaeval science. Only after seven years of study, under the watchful and exacting eyes of the High Alchemagi, is an aspirant allowed to attempt the Three Trials required for full membership in the Order.
The first trial is to create a suit of Alchemist’s armour which protects against harm. This is an essential tool of their craft, festooned with the Seals of Solomon which enables them to bend the elements of Creation to their will and shields them even from the devices of Hell.
Next, they must create a takwin servant, a Homunculus creature of artificial life and intellect. If the candidate manages to follow the complex formula, as well as the intricate timing and temperature requirements, the creature will emerge after forty days of toil. It will act as the Alchemist’s living tool of creation, for their hands have fine motor skills well beyond even the nimblest craftsman. Vaguely shaped like a small human, it can change the consistency of its body to an almost liquid-like slime to squeeze into alchemical chambers to do their master’s bidding in extreme temperatures and in the fog of poisonous chemical fumes. Many aspirants fail here and their creation emerges from its golden celestial sphere a deformed monstrosity, filled with hatred towards its creator. It burrows itself into the Alchemist’s body to consume it from within, wearing its would-be master as a skin.
The third and final test is opening their Third Eye, the key to cosmic illumination which allows them to see the building blocks of Creation and thus be able to ensure that the elements they use are in perfect balance. Those that fail their final test are horribly changed. Their Third Eye swells to nightmare proportions and melds with their original pair, driving the aspirant mad during the process of their deformation. They spend the rest of their pitiful lives screaming of the unseen horrors all around now revealed to them. Out of mercy, alchemists that fail in this way are often put down, but there are rumours of cabals of these living failures kept alive for reasons unknown.
An Alchemist that has passed all three trials is formidable indeed: a master of esoteric powers, able to control fire and ice, metal and liquid; capable of creating intricate mechanical devices and artificial life as well as weapons of calamitous potency. In exchange for the freedom to practise their arts, the Alchemists supply the Sultanate with the peerless Jabirean battle lions, and serve on the front lines where their devastating alchemical compounds melt the flesh from the bones of enemies of the Believers, dissolving through even the toughest armour.
They go by many names: Ghost Wolves, the Secret Knives, Subtle Vipers, the Sultan’s Wrath. Whatever they are called, assassins of the sultanate instil terror in the hearts of even the most dauntless.
Assassins are a legendary order of mystic warriors, notorious the world over for their esoteric arts and ruthlessness. Atop a forbidding mountain broods the onyx fortress, Alamut the Unconquerable. Behind its shadowed walls great secrets are hoarded by the ancient magi. Some say that the founder of the Order of Assassins, Rashid ad-Din Sinan, best known as the Old man of the Mountain, still holds his court here. A preposterous rumour, naturally, since that would make him close to eight centuries old.
Though the Isma’ili Sect of Assassins is seen as heretical by many within the lands of the Iron Wall, a pact forged between Sultan and the Mountain ensures that the warbands of the believers often include one of these supreme killers in their service.
Assassins are able to bend space and time using sacred rituals and powerful hallucinogens discovered by magi of the order. With this esoteric power they prowl behind enemy lines, hunting their targets with merciless efficiency. They can seemingly appear in two places at once, strike an enemy with startling speed and then travel back in time to a moment a few heartbeats before, safe from any retaliation.
They do this in service of their Sultan, whose enemies they are charged to destroy in a form of ritual holy murder. To carry out this task, the assassins are painfully altered by many powerful unguents, chemicals and potions. They stand much taller than a normal man and are many times as fast and strong.
Though adept with all manner of weapons, assassins favour the poisoned blades forged in the unknown depths of Alamut. These weapons are imbued with the Supreme Poison: The Milk of Manat, also known as The Cup of Death. A simple touch of these blades upon unprotected flesh is certain death, as the body of the victim turns black and rots from within over the course of several excruciating seconds.
In Cthonic chambers deep below the surface, generations of young assassins are raised, where they are fed an awful, bitter diet rich with strange toxins. Generation by generation, their tolerance grows, until the blood of these willing vessels is drawn and then smelted into a poisonous iron. The iron is forged into wicked, curving blades and deadly spells of slaying are layered into each fold of the toxic metal. Finally the red-hot blades are quenched in the venom of the pale, unnatural offspring of a basilisk and manticore. Thus the blood of the first generation of Assassins still lives to this day, growing more potent with each generation.
Assassins are a legendary order of mystic warriors, notorious the world over for their esoteric arts and ruthlessness. Atop a forbidding mountain broods the onyx fortress, Alamut the Unconquerable. Behind its shadowed walls great secrets are hoarded by the ancient magi. Some say that the founder of the Order of Assassins, Rashid ad-Din Sinan, best known as the Old man of the Mountain, still holds his court here. A preposterous rumour, naturally, since that would make him close to eight centuries old.
Though the Isma’ili Sect of Assassins is seen as heretical by many within the lands of the Iron Wall, a pact forged between Sultan and the Mountain ensures that the warbands of the believers often include one of these supreme killers in their service.
Assassins are able to bend space and time using sacred rituals and powerful hallucinogens discovered by magi of the order. With this esoteric power they prowl behind enemy lines, hunting their targets with merciless efficiency. They can seemingly appear in two places at once, strike an enemy with startling speed and then travel back in time to a moment a few heartbeats before, safe from any retaliation.
They do this in service of their Sultan, whose enemies they are charged to destroy in a form of ritual holy murder. To carry out this task, the assassins are painfully altered by many powerful unguents, chemicals and potions. They stand much taller than a normal man and are many times as fast and strong.
Though adept with all manner of weapons, assassins favour the poisoned blades forged in the unknown depths of Alamut. These weapons are imbued with the Supreme Poison: The Milk of Manat, also known as The Cup of Death. A simple touch of these blades upon unprotected flesh is certain death, as the body of the victim turns black and rots from within over the course of several excruciating seconds.
In Cthonic chambers deep below the surface, generations of young assassins are raised, where they are fed an awful, bitter diet rich with strange toxins. Generation by generation, their tolerance grows, until the blood of these willing vessels is drawn and then smelted into a poisonous iron. The iron is forged into wicked, curving blades and deadly spells of slaying are layered into each fold of the toxic metal. Finally the red-hot blades are quenched in the venom of the pale, unnatural offspring of a basilisk and manticore. Thus the blood of the first generation of Assassins still lives to this day, growing more potent with each generation.
“It is with artillery that the Sultan makes his arguments known.”
Due to the protection afforded by the Iron Wall, the Sultanate has always maintained excellence in artillery. However, the siege guns and heavy mortars that defend Those Who Believe on the ramparts of the Wall are far too cumbersome for small expeditionary forces. Thus in the year of the Hijrah 821, Sultan Bayezid III commissioned a new creature of war to act as living field artillery.
To fulfil this decree the Jabirean scientists of the Royal Artillery House have laboured for centuries to perfect the divine art of takwin. In their secret laboratories they performed countless experiments, learning many precious and costly lessons in the process. They have devised many things, but none more clever or ingenious than the Brazen Bull, called Boğa by the soldiery of the Sultanate.
The Brazen Bull is a monstrous being of immense power and vitality, capable of tearing even the bastard child of a devil clean in half. The Sultan’s armourers equip the Bulls with heavy artillery that even the superhuman Janissaries cannot lift, let alone use in battle: flame cannons, volley guns and holy blades blessed by the Word of the Great Protector.
Encasing its mighty frame is exquisitely decorated bronze armour of thrice hardened scales, covered in talismans of protection and the Grace of the Creator. On the battlefields beyond the Iron Wall, the Brazen Bull is an awesome and terrifying sight. It is a single-minded, fearless walking bulwark, a tower and shield which the war parties of the Sultanate rally behind. Such is the power of their weapons that the very earth shakes with their pounding, disrupting the enemy advance even when they fail to slay their target.
Due to the protection afforded by the Iron Wall, the Sultanate has always maintained excellence in artillery. However, the siege guns and heavy mortars that defend Those Who Believe on the ramparts of the Wall are far too cumbersome for small expeditionary forces. Thus in the year of the Hijrah 821, Sultan Bayezid III commissioned a new creature of war to act as living field artillery.
To fulfil this decree the Jabirean scientists of the Royal Artillery House have laboured for centuries to perfect the divine art of takwin. In their secret laboratories they performed countless experiments, learning many precious and costly lessons in the process. They have devised many things, but none more clever or ingenious than the Brazen Bull, called Boğa by the soldiery of the Sultanate.
The Brazen Bull is a monstrous being of immense power and vitality, capable of tearing even the bastard child of a devil clean in half. The Sultan’s armourers equip the Bulls with heavy artillery that even the superhuman Janissaries cannot lift, let alone use in battle: flame cannons, volley guns and holy blades blessed by the Word of the Great Protector.
Encasing its mighty frame is exquisitely decorated bronze armour of thrice hardened scales, covered in talismans of protection and the Grace of the Creator. On the battlefields beyond the Iron Wall, the Brazen Bull is an awesome and terrifying sight. It is a single-minded, fearless walking bulwark, a tower and shield which the war parties of the Sultanate rally behind. Such is the power of their weapons that the very earth shakes with their pounding, disrupting the enemy advance even when they fail to slay their target.
In the fabled Sultanate of the Iron Wall, deep beneath the golden gardens of Damascus, through the Cavern of the Sleeper and past the Seven Gates of Potentiality, are the vast laboratories and metaphysical factories of the Alchemists.
Using the mysterious Jabirean process called takwin, the alchemists are able to create artificial life, and produce all manner of strange, wondrous beasts and automatons to delight the masses of the souk, and grace the gardens of the Sultan.
Deeper still, in the darkest and most secret reaches of the alchemy complex, past the Seven Hidden Gates of Actuality, are the sanctums where the art and science of takwin is honed to its most keen and deadly purpose. Here they make the dreaded Lions of Jabir.
Named after the deadly hunters of the plains, the Lions of Jabir can take many forms, not all of them leonine. Each one is a unique masterwork, and they are grown according to the skills and artistry of the Jabirean scientist that created them. The esoteric arts the alchemagi employ are learned through study of forbidden Books of Solomon, and many alchemists are killed when their experiments fail or run amok. However, the Lions are in desperate demand by the army of Sultanate, so the program continues, regardless of cost and casualties.
Creating the Lions of Jabir is extremely difficult, and there are endless variables to consider. Because of this the Lions are often malformed in some way. Though still magnificent hunters in war, their malformations often cause their existence to be one of constant physical pain and suffering. The truly tragic cases are the Lions created with human-like intelligence, who are wracked with existential dread as they realise the horror of their unnatural origins.
In battle the Lions of Jabir are deadly threats and are used as a vanguard of the host of the Sultanate. The Sultan himself has a hunting pack of seventy-seven enormous Lions of Jabir that guard him day and night, and accompany him on the battlefield. The speed and ferocity of the Lions is nearly unmatched, and some even have strange powers granted by their alchemical birth. Many have armour melded with the flesh and fashioned from alchemical metals, etched with cryptic seals and sigils, and richly embellished by the Alchemists to hide the defects in their creations.
Using the mysterious Jabirean process called takwin, the alchemists are able to create artificial life, and produce all manner of strange, wondrous beasts and automatons to delight the masses of the souk, and grace the gardens of the Sultan.
Deeper still, in the darkest and most secret reaches of the alchemy complex, past the Seven Hidden Gates of Actuality, are the sanctums where the art and science of takwin is honed to its most keen and deadly purpose. Here they make the dreaded Lions of Jabir.
Named after the deadly hunters of the plains, the Lions of Jabir can take many forms, not all of them leonine. Each one is a unique masterwork, and they are grown according to the skills and artistry of the Jabirean scientist that created them. The esoteric arts the alchemagi employ are learned through study of forbidden Books of Solomon, and many alchemists are killed when their experiments fail or run amok. However, the Lions are in desperate demand by the army of Sultanate, so the program continues, regardless of cost and casualties.
Creating the Lions of Jabir is extremely difficult, and there are endless variables to consider. Because of this the Lions are often malformed in some way. Though still magnificent hunters in war, their malformations often cause their existence to be one of constant physical pain and suffering. The truly tragic cases are the Lions created with human-like intelligence, who are wracked with existential dread as they realise the horror of their unnatural origins.
In battle the Lions of Jabir are deadly threats and are used as a vanguard of the host of the Sultanate. The Sultan himself has a hunting pack of seventy-seven enormous Lions of Jabir that guard him day and night, and accompany him on the battlefield. The speed and ferocity of the Lions is nearly unmatched, and some even have strange powers granted by their alchemical birth. Many have armour melded with the flesh and fashioned from alchemical metals, etched with cryptic seals and sigils, and richly embellished by the Alchemists to hide the defects in their creations.
Anchorite Shrines are metal behemoths some twelve to fifteen feet tall, a living altar of war almost completely immune to any damage, with a diesel engine belching smoke and trumpets echoing with prayers. The interior of the Anchorite is covered in spikes and barbed hooks so that the monk pilot is in a constant state of torment, rejoicing in their pain so they can suffer as their Lord once did. The exterior is festooned with icons, holy relics and devotional prayer scrolls, each according to the traditions of the Pilgrim sect that the Anchorite serves.
The first Anchorites were built a long time ago in the fortress-monastery of Velehrad in Great Moravia. Several hundred of these battle machines were built under the guidance of Saint Methodius, though now the craft is lost, as the monastery was destroyed by a Death Commando infiltration force of the demon Marchosias
Later innovations of the Engineering Foundry of New Antioch created machine armour; a far smaller but more manoeuvrable personal protective suit based upon the Anchorite design. But the Pilgrim Processions have neither access to these marvels of modern engineering, nor do they have any desire to give up their Anchorites which act both as fearsome engines of war as well as mobile shrines that form a focal point to the prayers and devotions of the Pilgrims.
The pilot monk or nun, once installed, never leaves the Anchorite Shrine until the day they die. Once they fall in battle (or rarely of old age), their remains are reverently removed and body parts are preserved in reliquaries mounted upon the Anchorite. Thus each of these war machines is a testament to its long history of war against the forces of Hell.
In battle each Anchorite carries a great adamantine Catherine wheel as well as an immense Bonebreaker Mace to bring the wrath of God upon the sinners, heretics and apostates. In a show of piety and atonement, it is a common practice for Trench Pilgrims or Stigmatic Nuns volunteer to be broken on the wheel and serve in their final battle mounted upon this device of execution, as a sign of both their willingness to suffer for their sins, and for the spiritual protection their sacrifice is said to grant to the Anchorite. The Church frowns upon this custom, but Pilgrims flock to their Anchorites on the eve of any battle, hoping to be granted the honour of perishing upon the wheel.
The first Anchorites were built a long time ago in the fortress-monastery of Velehrad in Great Moravia. Several hundred of these battle machines were built under the guidance of Saint Methodius, though now the craft is lost, as the monastery was destroyed by a Death Commando infiltration force of the demon Marchosias
Later innovations of the Engineering Foundry of New Antioch created machine armour; a far smaller but more manoeuvrable personal protective suit based upon the Anchorite design. But the Pilgrim Processions have neither access to these marvels of modern engineering, nor do they have any desire to give up their Anchorites which act both as fearsome engines of war as well as mobile shrines that form a focal point to the prayers and devotions of the Pilgrims.
The pilot monk or nun, once installed, never leaves the Anchorite Shrine until the day they die. Once they fall in battle (or rarely of old age), their remains are reverently removed and body parts are preserved in reliquaries mounted upon the Anchorite. Thus each of these war machines is a testament to its long history of war against the forces of Hell.
In battle each Anchorite carries a great adamantine Catherine wheel as well as an immense Bonebreaker Mace to bring the wrath of God upon the sinners, heretics and apostates. In a show of piety and atonement, it is a common practice for Trench Pilgrims or Stigmatic Nuns volunteer to be broken on the wheel and serve in their final battle mounted upon this device of execution, as a sign of both their willingness to suffer for their sins, and for the spiritual protection their sacrifice is said to grant to the Anchorite. The Church frowns upon this custom, but Pilgrims flock to their Anchorites on the eve of any battle, hoping to be granted the honour of perishing upon the wheel.
No unit of the Faithful nations symbolises the military power of the Great War quite like the Mechanized Heavy Infantry.
Based on the ingenuous and divinely-guided work of Saint Methodius who created the famed Anchorite Shrines, the machine armour is all but indestructible. Due to the properties of the orichalcum alloyed steel, it can easily withstand a hail of bullets with ease and survive direct hits from all but the most powerful enemy ordnance. The articulation of each suit is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and mechanical engineering which allows the wearer to move with a surprising speed and range of motion, while sheltering them from all but the heaviest of weapons.
In the newer models diesel motors and hydraulic pistons provide additional power, but just to be able to move in a walking tank requires strength and durability far beyond that of a normal soldier. The suits are also difficult to modify, altering a short tonne worth of machine armour once the alloy has cooled down is almost impossible. Such is its strength and hardness that most smelters are powerless to shape the metal. So they shape the soldiers instead. Orichalcum steel is expensive, while flesh is cheap.
Thus the black robed monks of the Mendelist order travel tirelessly across the Faithful nations, testing any willing youngsters who wish to become Mechanized Heavy Infantry, to receive the increased pay and the glory that comes with belonging to such an elite unit.
There is never any lack of volunteers. Heretic raids on coastal towns have filled orphanages and foster homes to the brim with youngsters who would do anything to escape the monotony, hunger and harsh discipline. Most of them have lost their families to the Great War and are eager to seek vengeance, a trait skillfully nurtured by official propaganda. No consideration is given to social rank, gender, ethnicity or nationality; only willingness, a sharp mind, and a body able to withstand the Mendelists’ serums are required.
Volunteer youths are tested for their reaction and tolerance to the chemical treatments and holy smoke that a soldier must withstand in order to grow strong and durable enough to be able to move in the machine armour, while enduring the barrage of enemy fire that would cause most bones to fracture inside the suit despite its incredible sturdiness. Most fail such tests, displaying violent reactions to the slightest amounts of the blessed chemicals. Others do not possess minds strong or sharp enough to operate their suits and advanced weapons. But if they do, they achieve the rank of an aspirant. They are then moved into the care of the order in windowless vans and begin their training.
Aspirants’ bodies undergo rapid changes, fast-twitch muscle fibres are grown in a far higher proportion than usual, bones grow denser and harder, though this often leads to unwanted skeletal protrusions and ridges. The chemical injections are carefully administered by the Mendelist Order, unwanted growth in size is unwelcome, as the space within the armoured suits is severely limited. Huge quantities of protein are fed to the youth to allow the chemicals and hormones to increase the density of their body. Heightened aggression caused by their treatment has to be kept under careful control with holy smoke and opiate tinctures. Intense spiritual and technical learning sessions are interposed with physical and martial training. At eighteen years of age, they are usually physically ready for their duties.
Before they are allowed to don the machine armour for real combat, aspirants are sent on long-distance patrols and trench raid missions to harden them in battle. On the frontlines they learn from the veterans and experts the use of all manner of weapons, from a humble trench knife to heavy machine guns. This period typically lasts for a year. By nineteen, an aspirant is either dead or a veteran of many battles, and is ready to don the designated type of machine armour. They rarely have to wait for long, as while extremely formidable, casualty rates are high. Usually an aspirant dons their suit for the first time within weeks as their predecessor falls in the Great War.
However, modifying the suits is all but impossible due to their hardness, and the demands of the war require quicker methods to get the soldiers to the front lines. So when needed, aspirants’ bones are broken and re-set to fit the suit they have been given. Amputations are performed routinely to allow the soldiers to wield some of the deadliest weapons where the recoil of the gun would shatter even the sturdiest bones. New artificial limbs are then purchased from the fabled House of Wisdom of the Sultanate. These are then attached to the stumps as they can withstand the rigours of machine armour warfare.
Most machine armour suits are in continuous use, and are simply hastily repaired when a soldier of a Mechanized Heavy Infantry unit dies. Mechanized Heavy Infantry are often sent to where the fighting is fiercest, and where the missions are the most critical. By the age of twenty-one, Mechanized Heavy Infantry troopers are usually decorated heroes. At thirty, they are considered such veterans that they are recalled to serve as the household troops of the duke. These units are equipped with experimental suits of wondrous flying machine armour like the ruler of New Antioch himself, their banners and insignia decorated with the device of the Holy Lance, echoing the real relic mounted on the duke’s great battle-shield.
The standard military doctrine of New Antioch calls for Mechanized Heavy Infantry to use heavy weaponry during an advance, while shock troops sweep away enemies that swarm these walking war-towers. In addition, the suits are built according to specific specialisation in weaponry and battlefield role. Heavy weapon support, trench raids, mobile defence and anti-tank hunting are just some of the many duties Mechanized Heavy Infantry could be assigned to. Specialised close quarters Mechanized Heavy Infantry units exist as well, and are extensively drilled in the use of heavy shotguns and enormous melee weapons. Some Mechanized Heavy Infantry carry heavy ballistic shields made of alternating layers of aramid fibre mesh and thin sheets of orichalcum-steel alloy. Nigh-impenetrable, they are used as mobile cover when advancing under enemy fire.
Due to their need for fighting defensive battles, the Crown of England has developed a super-heavy version of the suit. These form mobile coastal batteries and virtual walls of orichalcum steel that repel enemy naval landings or hold the line against superior forces for extended periods of time while the Crown’s armies gather sufficient forces to repel the invaders. A unit of such English troops is permanently garrisoned in New Antioch to counter any breaches on the walls of the city.
Such manifold changes to both mind and body in a short period of time take a huge toll on the mental well-being of the soldiers. Often feeling a dissociation with their radically altered bodies, many only leave their suit as rarely as possible, uncomfortable with the stares and whispers they attract wherever they go. They can become withdrawn and lonely even when surrounded by their comrades-in-arms.
The machine armoured warriors take new war-names, the tradition upon donning their machine armour for the first time is to take on the name of the very first soldier who wore it in combat. This is seen as both a sign of respect for those who came before them and a way to disassociate the individual from the loss of their identity. The name they were born with is only recorded on their dogtags and used by their closest friends who understand the isolation and loneliness that comes with becoming a Mechanized Heavy Infantry soldier.
When one of these orichalcum-clad warriors falls in battle, the Discastery of the Service of Church Militant will go to almost any lengths to recover the suit. Specialist armoured tracked vehicles are sent into No Man’s Land to recover the armour and repair it as quickly as possible, so it can return to battle once more.
The remains of the dead Mechanized Heavy Infantry are buried in a mass grave named for the original wearer of the suit, to join those who wore the armour before them. The Order of Remembrance carves the birthname of the fallen on bronze plates that are then carefully stored in military chapels around the Faithful nations. Over the years these collections have grown into gigantic vaults where they rest, forgotten and ignored as the Great War grinds on, the names carved in bronze being slowly eaten by verdigris.
In the barracks of Saint Michael of New Antioch, a tale is told that each year on All Souls Day, Duke Constantine XI dons a disguise and comes to the Great Chapel of Remembrance. There, he reads the names on the bronze plates of the fallen soldiers of his personal household Mechanized Heavy Infantry that have fallen in battle and prays for their deliverance.
But perhaps this is just a story, one of many the soldiers tell to comfort each other, giving meaning to the ultimate sacrifice they are expected to make.
Based on the ingenuous and divinely-guided work of Saint Methodius who created the famed Anchorite Shrines, the machine armour is all but indestructible. Due to the properties of the orichalcum alloyed steel, it can easily withstand a hail of bullets with ease and survive direct hits from all but the most powerful enemy ordnance. The articulation of each suit is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and mechanical engineering which allows the wearer to move with a surprising speed and range of motion, while sheltering them from all but the heaviest of weapons.
In the newer models diesel motors and hydraulic pistons provide additional power, but just to be able to move in a walking tank requires strength and durability far beyond that of a normal soldier. The suits are also difficult to modify, altering a short tonne worth of machine armour once the alloy has cooled down is almost impossible. Such is its strength and hardness that most smelters are powerless to shape the metal. So they shape the soldiers instead. Orichalcum steel is expensive, while flesh is cheap.
Thus the black robed monks of the Mendelist order travel tirelessly across the Faithful nations, testing any willing youngsters who wish to become Mechanized Heavy Infantry, to receive the increased pay and the glory that comes with belonging to such an elite unit.
There is never any lack of volunteers. Heretic raids on coastal towns have filled orphanages and foster homes to the brim with youngsters who would do anything to escape the monotony, hunger and harsh discipline. Most of them have lost their families to the Great War and are eager to seek vengeance, a trait skillfully nurtured by official propaganda. No consideration is given to social rank, gender, ethnicity or nationality; only willingness, a sharp mind, and a body able to withstand the Mendelists’ serums are required.
Volunteer youths are tested for their reaction and tolerance to the chemical treatments and holy smoke that a soldier must withstand in order to grow strong and durable enough to be able to move in the machine armour, while enduring the barrage of enemy fire that would cause most bones to fracture inside the suit despite its incredible sturdiness. Most fail such tests, displaying violent reactions to the slightest amounts of the blessed chemicals. Others do not possess minds strong or sharp enough to operate their suits and advanced weapons. But if they do, they achieve the rank of an aspirant. They are then moved into the care of the order in windowless vans and begin their training.
Aspirants’ bodies undergo rapid changes, fast-twitch muscle fibres are grown in a far higher proportion than usual, bones grow denser and harder, though this often leads to unwanted skeletal protrusions and ridges. The chemical injections are carefully administered by the Mendelist Order, unwanted growth in size is unwelcome, as the space within the armoured suits is severely limited. Huge quantities of protein are fed to the youth to allow the chemicals and hormones to increase the density of their body. Heightened aggression caused by their treatment has to be kept under careful control with holy smoke and opiate tinctures. Intense spiritual and technical learning sessions are interposed with physical and martial training. At eighteen years of age, they are usually physically ready for their duties.
Before they are allowed to don the machine armour for real combat, aspirants are sent on long-distance patrols and trench raid missions to harden them in battle. On the frontlines they learn from the veterans and experts the use of all manner of weapons, from a humble trench knife to heavy machine guns. This period typically lasts for a year. By nineteen, an aspirant is either dead or a veteran of many battles, and is ready to don the designated type of machine armour. They rarely have to wait for long, as while extremely formidable, casualty rates are high. Usually an aspirant dons their suit for the first time within weeks as their predecessor falls in the Great War.
However, modifying the suits is all but impossible due to their hardness, and the demands of the war require quicker methods to get the soldiers to the front lines. So when needed, aspirants’ bones are broken and re-set to fit the suit they have been given. Amputations are performed routinely to allow the soldiers to wield some of the deadliest weapons where the recoil of the gun would shatter even the sturdiest bones. New artificial limbs are then purchased from the fabled House of Wisdom of the Sultanate. These are then attached to the stumps as they can withstand the rigours of machine armour warfare.
Most machine armour suits are in continuous use, and are simply hastily repaired when a soldier of a Mechanized Heavy Infantry unit dies. Mechanized Heavy Infantry are often sent to where the fighting is fiercest, and where the missions are the most critical. By the age of twenty-one, Mechanized Heavy Infantry troopers are usually decorated heroes. At thirty, they are considered such veterans that they are recalled to serve as the household troops of the duke. These units are equipped with experimental suits of wondrous flying machine armour like the ruler of New Antioch himself, their banners and insignia decorated with the device of the Holy Lance, echoing the real relic mounted on the duke’s great battle-shield.
The standard military doctrine of New Antioch calls for Mechanized Heavy Infantry to use heavy weaponry during an advance, while shock troops sweep away enemies that swarm these walking war-towers. In addition, the suits are built according to specific specialisation in weaponry and battlefield role. Heavy weapon support, trench raids, mobile defence and anti-tank hunting are just some of the many duties Mechanized Heavy Infantry could be assigned to. Specialised close quarters Mechanized Heavy Infantry units exist as well, and are extensively drilled in the use of heavy shotguns and enormous melee weapons. Some Mechanized Heavy Infantry carry heavy ballistic shields made of alternating layers of aramid fibre mesh and thin sheets of orichalcum-steel alloy. Nigh-impenetrable, they are used as mobile cover when advancing under enemy fire.
Due to their need for fighting defensive battles, the Crown of England has developed a super-heavy version of the suit. These form mobile coastal batteries and virtual walls of orichalcum steel that repel enemy naval landings or hold the line against superior forces for extended periods of time while the Crown’s armies gather sufficient forces to repel the invaders. A unit of such English troops is permanently garrisoned in New Antioch to counter any breaches on the walls of the city.
Such manifold changes to both mind and body in a short period of time take a huge toll on the mental well-being of the soldiers. Often feeling a dissociation with their radically altered bodies, many only leave their suit as rarely as possible, uncomfortable with the stares and whispers they attract wherever they go. They can become withdrawn and lonely even when surrounded by their comrades-in-arms.
The machine armoured warriors take new war-names, the tradition upon donning their machine armour for the first time is to take on the name of the very first soldier who wore it in combat. This is seen as both a sign of respect for those who came before them and a way to disassociate the individual from the loss of their identity. The name they were born with is only recorded on their dogtags and used by their closest friends who understand the isolation and loneliness that comes with becoming a Mechanized Heavy Infantry soldier.
When one of these orichalcum-clad warriors falls in battle, the Discastery of the Service of Church Militant will go to almost any lengths to recover the suit. Specialist armoured tracked vehicles are sent into No Man’s Land to recover the armour and repair it as quickly as possible, so it can return to battle once more.
The remains of the dead Mechanized Heavy Infantry are buried in a mass grave named for the original wearer of the suit, to join those who wore the armour before them. The Order of Remembrance carves the birthname of the fallen on bronze plates that are then carefully stored in military chapels around the Faithful nations. Over the years these collections have grown into gigantic vaults where they rest, forgotten and ignored as the Great War grinds on, the names carved in bronze being slowly eaten by verdigris.
In the barracks of Saint Michael of New Antioch, a tale is told that each year on All Souls Day, Duke Constantine XI dons a disguise and comes to the Great Chapel of Remembrance. There, he reads the names on the bronze plates of the fallen soldiers of his personal household Mechanized Heavy Infantry that have fallen in battle and prays for their deliverance.
But perhaps this is just a story, one of many the soldiers tell to comfort each other, giving meaning to the ultimate sacrifice they are expected to make.
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EL_xWatcher1234x
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It seems that the verse got some decent hax like Obsersver's Plot precognition Alchemist Info type 2 manipulation Assassin Space-Time manipulation. Hell environement is pretty interesting though
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Mr. Bambu
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Really don't know shit about the lore, and I'm not really one for war games, but this is one of the sickest ******* tabletops ever made in terms of aesthetic. Nothing beats Johan Nohr and Tom Bloom but Trench Crusade should not take that personally, being in the top 3 is still pretty ******* good.
Mr. Bambu
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You can add me as a supporter. I am not knowledgeable and have not followed it for awhile (back when that artist was releasing stuff on Twitter?), but I would be happy to lend a hand, particularly with ensuring CRTs get handled swiftly. It is a Very Cool Verse.
EL_xWatcher1234x
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You know that you can be a supporter and knowledgeable member at the same time ?
Don't see a reason why Explanation is separated from the power of the verse. Besides that it looks good.
How can we add it as verse page instead of blog ?
Mr. Bambu
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Make a character profile first, since we require verses to have at least one.
EL_xWatcher1234x
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I got the "lore Sampler" from Discord.
I could do profiles of The Iron Sultanate faction, but I don't know about any physical feats.
JayaReal
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certainly.
JayaReal
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I am creating a blog for several characters, but I am experiencing some difficulties because sometimes all the work I write suddenly disappears. This makes me very angry, but of course I will continue. However, I have to wait until my mood improves.
EL_xWatcher1234x
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Other members can't edit your personal blog. They can't add themselves
JayaReal
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Thank you for the information.
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Went through the some of the equipment and units:
The assassin has invisibility, and hax arrows that ignore ignore space-time and defenses.
The elite units have holy and unholy armor said to be virtually indestructible, and if I understood the modifiers right, they cancel out the Ignore Armor effect from the hax arrows.
Brazen Bulls use 300 pound holy mono-molecular blades. It seems special material can be weaponized to bypass the invulnerable armour.
Goetic Warlocks induce necrosis through their gaze. Demonic Aura Grenades cause death. Golden Calf Altar creates illusions.
Atonement Bells cause opponents to fell in despair by channeling the sorrow of the Second Meta-Christ.
Scripture Guardian words are imbued with the primordial power of Creation, and capable of unmaking anything in their path.
Beezlebub existed before time, and is the source of all past and future illnesses and plagues. Lore says that the lesser fallen angels are fighting over the Court seat he abandoned, so it is implied he is a fallen angel.
The assassin has invisibility, and hax arrows that ignore ignore space-time and defenses.
| Bow of Alamut This terrifying double-stringed bow looses its deadly barbs through both time and space. Its arrows can reach impossible distances and pass through armour by flickering through time, leaving behind a temporal slipstream that the Assassin can travel through in an eyeblink. These bows are some of the greatest treasures of Alamut, and only six are said to exist in the secret armoury of the Old Man of the Mountain. The trees producing the wood for these bows are planted into the skulls of ancient Assassins in the Garden of Alamut, passing their mystic powers on to the wood. |
The elite units have holy and unholy armor said to be virtually indestructible, and if I understood the modifiers right, they cancel out the Ignore Armor effect from the hax arrows.
| Damascus Armour No armour more splendid exists within the Sultanate than this magnificent chain mail, forged from the very Iron Wall itself by the smiths of New Damascus. They are given as a reward to the greatest warriors for their service on the battlefield by the Sultan’s hand alone. Each ring of this armour is inscribed with a verse from the Holy Quran and is thus utterly unbreakable. |
| Holy Icon Shield These shields are made from icons that have performed miracles. Mounted on blessed wood, they are harder than any steel and virtually indestructible. Only the most revered fighters in the service of the Church carry one. |
| Infernal Iron Armour This armour is forged simultaneously in Hell and on Earth, so that no weapon, whether Infernal or man-made, can overcome its protection. |
Brazen Bulls use 300 pound holy mono-molecular blades. It seems special material can be weaponized to bypass the invulnerable armour.
| Titan Zulfiqar This twin-tongued great sword can weigh up to 300 pounds, only the mighty Brazen Bulls can even lift this monstrous blade, let alone wield it in combat. Its sheer weight and mono-molecule sharpness cuts through even the thickest armour when swung by the superhuman strength of the Takwin monstrosities. |
| Marid Shovel This enormous shovel is made from alchemical bronze which makes it almost indestructible. Brazen Bulls use it for public works (such as digging canals, foundations of buildings and mining) during peacetime, while at war it is used for digging trenches, ditches and bunkers.This enormous shovel is made from alchemical bronze which makes it almost indestructible. Brazen Bulls use it for public works (such as digging canals, foundations of buildings and mining) during peacetime, while at war it is used for digging trenches, ditches and bunkers. |
| Kilij Forged for warriors sworn to the martial ideals of furūsīyah, these curved swords are honed to unsurpassed sharpness. Treated by the Alchemists of the House of Wisdom, they are imbued with the power to cut through even the Infernal Tartarus armour. |
| Tank-Splitter Sword It takes years of gruelling Mensur practice and field drills to acquire the precision and speed required to use the specialist tank-splitter swords of the Gardekorps. Despite their great size (often over 6 feet long), they are remarkably light, and due to the large quantities of orichalcum used in their forging process, they are virtually unbreakable. They are often used to disable tanks and other armoured vehicles, by either slicing their armour open or disabling them with an accurate swing to sever their tracks. Before any battle, they are treated with a special metal-corroding chemical compound which melts armour, making it far deadlier against armoured targets than those who wear none. |
Goetic Warlocks induce necrosis through their gaze. Demonic Aura Grenades cause death. Golden Calf Altar creates illusions.
Atonement Bells cause opponents to fell in despair by channeling the sorrow of the Second Meta-Christ.
Scripture Guardian words are imbued with the primordial power of Creation, and capable of unmaking anything in their path.
Beezlebub existed before time, and is the source of all past and future illnesses and plagues. Lore says that the lesser fallen angels are fighting over the Court seat he abandoned, so it is implied he is a fallen angel.
| Cup of Filth Drawn from the river of nauseating corruption vomited by the Lord of the Flies since before time began, this liquid is the source of every illness that Creation has ever known or ever will know. |
Mr. Bambu
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Without knowing the specifics of your issue, I of course can't help much; if it is a browser thing, perhaps write them out in Notepad first?
Lawiegg's name is the same on VSBW. This is generally the case.
...technically, I could.
JayaReal
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Thanks.
EL_xWatcher1234x
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Assassins are so broken
You can find more on lore, skills and equipments on Rules Compendium
Equipments:
You can find more on lore, skills and equipments on Rules Compendium
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Mr. Bambu
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Hard to say from just that. Reckon it wouldn't cause issues with us depicting the gods of modern religions, given the departures listed there alone, at least.
Mr. Bambu
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Are you using external links? I know we block Discord and Reddit, iirc, and we might block others. If you are, take the info from there and deposit it somewhere else, like Imgur or Catbox.
JayaReal
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No, perhaps because the description of the Herald of Beelzebub's feats is inhumane/disgusting.
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