Sic transit gloria mundi
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on the Qadiri and Firemane.
Image Credit: Here.
Role: Praetorian guard unit, freedmen force.
Permission: ARGH gear available per this thread. Permission for all ArmaTech gear and all other subs made by Laira Darkhold's writer here and here. CD-X Cryptologic Key available for Firemane per this thread.
Links: Qadiri, The Pyramids of Tygara, Firedawn, Sahal Jai Azal, Four of a Kind, Tides of Darkness, Qadiri Sepoys, Communion, Stardriven.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Unit Name: The Ascended
Affiliation: Firemane Industries, Order of Fire, House Kerrigan, Hasana Jai Anhala, Shazora Jai Vahal, Siobhan.
Classification: Infantry.
Description: The Ascended are a crack guard unit in the service of House Kerrigan-Alcori and Siobhan Kerrigan. They are known for their bravery, skill and dedication. Every member of the unit is a Qadiri, a race of elves native to Tygara. What distinguishes the Ascended is that every single one of them used to be a slave. Slavery was long been a fact of life for the Tygarans. Each race practiced it to varying degrees. Stamping it out was one of Firemane's goals, but the corporation opted to accomplish this gradually, as it would do the slaves any good if they were freed and then left destitute. Siobhan Kerrigan has been heavily associated with this campaign. One thing that immediately catches the notice of anyone who happens to interact with the Ascended is that many of them are named after her.
In Qadiri society many freed slaves take the name of their liberator. In the case of slaves who have been freed by Siobhan directly or indirectly, many have taken hers. Thus Jai/Jal Saobana or Saobal is a popular surname. Jai or Jal are middle names used by Qadiri, depending on gender. Jai is used by women, Jal by men. It means of/from and precedes the clan/family of a Qadiri. Thus Jai Saobana literally means 'of/from Siobhan'. A rather bemused Kar'zun warrior in the service of Siobhan has remarked that her lady's brood had just gotten manageable before a ton of Qadiri suddenly decided to take her name and call her mother.
By adopting her name as their surname, the Ascended show their connection to their liege lady. She is known to many of them as the Great Liberator. Some refer to her as their mother. In keeping with the customs of the other members of the Eldorai family of races, the Qadiri make little distinction between biological and adopted children. However, not every Ascended is a Saobana, Saobal or any variation thereof, though they many of them are. The corps is open to freedmen in general.
Many Ascended who are not named after Siobhan call themselves Jai/Jal Anhala. It means ‘from/of liberty/freedom’, a common name for freed slaves which don’t take the names of their emancipators. An example of this is Captain Hasana Jai Anhala, one of the corps' officers. Some members of the Ascended share the faith of the Cataphracts of the Ascending Phoenix, but this is not universal. There is a bit of a competitive rivalry between both units. As the Ascended are freed slaves or those who are seeking a better life in the stars they are enthusiastic and have high morale.
Siobhan has promoted the Ascended into being a crack guard force. Several of their members used to be Mamluks, in other words slave-soldiers beholden to a Qadiri noble, and thus have military experience. This has been augmented by a very gruelling training programme under the supervision of Firemane trainers. Their training is harsh and designed to weed out the weak, opportunistic and those who cannot make the cut, but not needlessly sadistic.
Siobhan does not want warriors who only serve her because they are forced to do so, after all. Pointless sadism would reduce their efficacy and breed resentment. While foreigners are involved in the training, the Ascended are led by officers drawn from their ranks, as Firemane has moved toward a policy of letting the 'natives' lead themselves. This increases unit cohesion, has a positive effect on self-esteem and gives the soldiers something to strive for since they are not relegated to a subordinate role on account of their species.
Soldiers who have reached the end of their service receive pensions and other benefits to support themselves and their families. These are commensurate to their rank as well as any awards and citations they may have received during their time in the corps. The freedmen also receive the chance to educate themselves further. This can lead to a career in other branches of Firemane, its protectorates or the Kerrigan household when they leave the corps. Siobhan takes great interest in their progression. Aside from their obvious combat applications, she views the Ascended as a way to promote a new generation of Qadiri leaders who represent the new ways and loyal to her personally. This is particularly pertinent since the elves have moved into space.
The Ascended don suits of modern armour. It is marked with the Phoenix, the heraldic animal of House Kerrigan-Alcori. Outside of combat, they may personalise their suit by adding a scarlet cloak. They are well-versed in the use of ranged and melee weapons. Galactic Basic and Zandri, the most common Qadiri language, are the languages of command. Siobhan is quite proud of her linguistic skills and often speaks with the soldiers in the Qadiri tongue. In addition to their combat training, the Ascended receive training in fields that are of use in the field. Examples are piloting, medicine, mechanical engineering etc. Qadiri have inherent navigational talents. One could liken it to an internal compass. This makes them good pilots, sailors and travellers. It also helps them find their way in spite of averse weather or chaotic battlefield conditions.
Most of the Ascended are Non-Force-Users. However, a minority of them are strong in the Force and have been trained in its use, allowing them to use their preternatural powers to aid their comrades on the field of battle. Women outnumber men somewhat in the unit. This is how Qadiri are used to fighting, so it is not considered strange by them. While they have a matriarchal society, the Qadiri are less misandrist than the Xioquo or Eldorai. As a result the Ascended have male officers as well as female ones, though the latter are still the majority. Their barracks include places of religious worship so that they can venerate their native deities. This tends to take the form of a multi-denominated shrine. There is a small, elite bodyguard unit within the Ascended corps. They are called the Phoenixes.
Akhtar Jal Saobana serves as a chief commander of the corps. He used to be a mamluk, prize fighter and lover for a petty Qadiri ruler. However, after learning that he would never be freed, he conspired with her sister to overthrow her. Following the coup, the new queen tried to dispose of him, but he had managed to sway the slave-soldiers to his side and had the new queen and her adult family put to death and the rest exiled.
But the new slave king faced opposition from the city's population, so he took the freed mamluks, house slaves and other followers to a nearby island. There he took control, repulsing several attacks. His followers engaged in piracy to fund themselves. But they could not last long under siege, so they accepted a deal with Firemane when the humans arrived to broker peace. Akhtar is very ambitious - too ambitious, some say. He has taken Siobhan's name and is having an affair with her.
He is a Force-User and holds the title of Commander of Fire, making him one of the Order of Fire's chief leaders. Another leader among the Ascended is Hasana Jai Anhala, a former mamluk from Golconda who led a slave rebellion against the Nawab and fought a bloody guerrilla war that culminated in a last stand in the mountains. She holds the rank of Captain.
COMBAT INFORMATION:
Unit Size: Medium
Unit Availability: Rare
Unit Experience: Veteran
Equipment:
Armour:
- ACS-004 Olympian Battle Armor. Commlink uses CD-X cryptologic key. They have translators built into their helmets.
Sidearms:
Rifles:
- Reaper Plasma Shotgun
- MkI Bolter
- Agneya Particle Rifle
- ACS-205 Advanced Dual Weapon System
- Magnetic Repeater
- ACS-205 Blackblade Modular Rifle.
- ACS-202 Vanquisher Light Repeating Blaster
- Shatter Rifle
- Lance Missile Launcher: Requires two-man crew; a gunner and a spotter/ammunition carrier.
- ACS-201 Executioner Slugthrower
- Rotary Cannon 2
- High Velocity Kinetic Shatter Boltgun
- Model MGL-1. Generally mounted on a rifle as an under-barrel grenade launcher
Transports:
- Yazgid IFV
- Firedancer Landspeeder
- Bantha Class Armoured Transport
- Ghoush Class Orbital Lander
- Iron Ghoush
- Neural Band (limited to NFUs)
- APE Boltgun Ammunition
- Grenades, Detonite Charges, Devastator Multi-Purpose Mines.
- Firemane Force Suppression Devices.
- ACS-301 YVH Probe Droids
The combination makes the Ascended a very versatile unit. Force-Users are taught to integrate their powers into an overall battle plan instead of charging off on their lonesome. They are characterised by high morale, internal cohesion and tight discipline. Death charging is frowned upon. Every member of the corps, regardless of whether they are Force-Sensitive or not, receives training to resist mental attacks and manipulations. To this end, they are also taught Teräs Käsi. The Ascended are an infantry unit whose primary role is protecting the leadership and Firemane's first family. Moreover, they guard crucial installations.
However, they can also be deployed on the battlefield outside of their role as a guard force. In that capacity they can act as a heavy-hitting shock infantry unit and flexible tactical reserve. They are mobile and have a high degree of firepower due to their access to weapons such as bolters, shotguns, flamethrowers and repeaters. They utilise the upgraded version of the Eldorai Sarix, a type of energy sword, in melee combat. In addition to their fighting abilities, they are a taught a number of secondary skills that will help them fulfil their tasks. For instance, a good number of them are skilled in piloting small starships, taking advantage of the Qadiri's inherent knack for navigation, impressive dexterity and coordination.
The Ascended have access to Yazgid Infantry Fighting Vehicles, allowing them to function as a mechanised infantry should the situation demand it. The Yazgid is well-armed and can transport troops more quickly around the battlefield than if they were on foot. Furthermore, it provides an impressive amount of firepower to support an advance. It also allows the soldiers to enter battle more lightly-equipped, as they can leave non-critical gear, such as supplies aboard the vehicle. It also allows the infantry to keep up with tanks. However, the vehicle is vulnerable to anti-tank weapons and air strikes.
Its armour cannot stand up to the main weapon of a tank. Should they be engaged in combat while inside a Yazgid, the soldiers will usually dismount and fight. Technically the Yazgid has gun ports so the soldiers inside can shoot out, but this is not that practical. Visibility from inside the vehicle is poor and while small arms and blaster fire is no problem, should an anti-tank missile score a good hit, everyone inside is dead. Each company also has a few airspeeders for recon and patrolling.
Force Abilities (Force User Units Only): A small number of Ascended are Force-Sensitive. The Force-using Ascended specialise in Force powers such as elemental fire abilities, telekinesis and its various sub-applications, Force Valour, physical enhancement and Force Healing.This makes them very versatile. They can use their elemental powers to burn, blast or blind opponents, heat objects, manipulate and channel heat. Furthermore, they can summon telekinetic barriers to protect themselves and their allies from attacks.
Strengths:
- Crack infantry. They are brave, zealous, tenacious, skilled and have high morale.
- Combination of Force-Users and Non-Force-Users allows combined arms tactics.
- Infantry force. Lack support forces such as heavy vehicles and have only a few heavy weapons at their disposal.
- Vulnerable to long range bombardment such as artillery and air strikes. They have portable missile launchers to counter aircraft, but this is quite variable.
Firemane’s arrival on Tygara came as a great shock to the native cultures there. However, once the shock had worn off and the Xioquo were defeated, both Firemane and the Qadiri especially began to see opportunities. Firemane’s troops, whilst well equipped and trained, have never been large in number. An alternative source of manpower (and womanpower) was desirable. These troops could garrison, patrol, even hold positions easily, and if they were cheap they could be easily replaced.
For the Qadiri the basic cessation of large scale fighting between nations left a large number of soldiers without employment. Further, the technology, pay and opportunities in the stars were better than anything they could get at home. It helped that Firemane delivered palpable improvements instead of simply treating their world as a source of resources to be plundered. Firemane established a 'Native Auxiliary Corps' and began to recruit Qadiri soldiers for it. Very soon they came to be called 'Sepoys', a Kajwar word meaning 'soldier'. The new Sepoys has to face stigma and discrimination. Rightly or wrongly, several Firemane officers looked down on them or treated them patronisingly.
However, when the Kraal tried to raid Tygara, a Sepoy battalion was among the units that distinguished itself in combat against the invaders. They faced the lizardmen at Elvahil, a small town near New Santaissa. Abstaining from the traditional lines of battle, the Sepoys fought in small groups using the blasters given to them by the outsiders. The battle was fierce, as the Kraal could assemble a large force with infantry, vehicles and Force-using shamans.
As the Qadiri took position in the buildings and behind impromptu barricades, they faced a vicious enemy. Two less advanced cultures pushed into the maelstrom of galactic war would clash, but there was no mercy to be had. Neither side would relent until the other was destroyed. The Qadiri; escaped slaves, desperate volunteers and adventurers, now had to fight their first proper battle. Instead of muskets and cannons they now had blasters and missiles.
As the Kraal advanced, with vehicles and in groups the Qadiri opened a devastating fire on them. Old habits died hard, and the Qadiri tended to take care with their shots, even though they now could fire many blaster bolts without reloading. Moving forward, the Kraal vehicles opened fire, blasting apart buildings. Some vehicles were hit either by aerial fire or by missiles, but more pressed on, immune to the small arms fire, and soon the Kraal were in the settlement, fighting house to house. Though short of ammunition and heavy weapons, the Qadiri held out until relieved by Firemane regulars. Siobhan Kerrigan decorated many Qadiri Sepoys for their bravery. The families of the fallen received pensions.
A good number of the recruits were freed slaves, attracted by the prospect of a better life and adventure. Slavery was a fact of life among the Qadiri, but an institution Firemane considered odious. However, Siobhan and Tegaea Alcori realised that they would have to proceed slowly. Delivering an ultimatum to the local rulers ordering them to give up slavery or else would lead to full-scale warfare. Moreover, the Qadiri economy was dependent on slavery. Even if Fireman was successful, many slaves would be left destitute by immediate abolition.
Thus Firemane mandated that abolition would proceed in stages. Cooperative owners would receive compensation. Economic and technological development would render slavery obsolete and make it uneconomical. Local rulers were incentivised with the prospect of receiving advanced technology and protection. Firemane would help them develop their states and give them the means to move into the stars. However, this was tied to verifiable cooperation. Firedawn, a humanitarian organisation set up by Firemane, was charged with providing freedmen with shelter, education, clothes, provisions and help them find jobs.
Firedawn agents also helped former slaves reunite with family members they had been separated from and served as legal advocates. It arranged to teach the freedmen to read and write. Lakish became a testing bed for these policies after the local Mirza was overthrown for treason. A prominent leader of a community of rebellious slaves, Shazora Jai Vahal, sought and gained Firemane protection. She eventually joined the corporation's ruling group and became an advisor to Siobhan. This helped her free city develop and flourish, giving others incentive to follow suit.
The process was not without stumbling blocks. Rulers would cheat and try to obfuscate the continuation of slavery through practices such as debt bondage and sharecropping. Firemane had to fight wars, such as against the Khaimari Corsairs. Moreover, there were slaves who resented the idea of gradual abolition and believed that their oppressors were being allowed to go scots free. This led to several rebellions. Some of these renegades managed to make their own way into the stars, forming groups of their own.
Still many slaves were freed and given a chance at a new life in a manner that made their freedom sustainable. Many Qadiri slaves who have been emancipated take the name of their liberator. In the case of those who had been freed through Firemane's efforts, many took Siobhan's, calling themselves Jai/Jal Saobana/Saobal. Siobhan learned of this during a visit to Tygara, when she and a unit of Qadiri Sepoys investigated a mysterious Pyramid deep in the desert. There they faced many hazards, such as ancient war droids and mental torment. Siobhan was impressed with the fortitude and bravery of the Qadiri. In contrast to several Firemane officers and bureaucrats, she did not look down on them as 'sand babies'.
She also met a freedwoman called Sahmara Jai Saobana, who greeted her as her mother and lady. Sahmara had been a slave in Lakish, one of the Qadiri fiefs beholden to the Amikarese Empire. Conscripted into the Mamluk corps, she did the bidding of her mistress. She was injured in battle against Xioquo invaders. When Siobhan toppled the Mirza of Lakish following the latter's disastrous attack on the Underealm, Sahmara was hidden by her owner to prevent her from being liberated. Seeking to hold on to her property, she forced her slaves to pretend they were 'under contract' to deceive Firedawn inspectors. However, Sahmara managed to escape and bring word to Firemane, informing them of the plight of her fellows. They proceeded to punish the mistress for this deception. Sahmara had no family, so she took Jai Saobana as her surname.
Through discussion with Sahmara and Sahal Jai Azal, a former slave and knight who had sworn fealty to Siobhan, the 'Skyqueen' learned that there were many Qadiri who had been freed due to her efforts and would fight for her if she raised the call. This pleased the abolitionist and pragmatist in her, but also stroked her ego. It gave her ideas for a loyal freedmen force. After the completion of the mission, she arranged for Sahal's unit to receive more modern weapons and raised a call for the most able of her Qadiri 'children' to assemble. However, the new corps also allowed other freedmen to join since it did not want to exclude recruits who were willing and capable of fighting.
One of them was Hasana Jai Anhala from the city of Golconda, located in southern Khawjar. Born a slave, she was sold into the Mamluks at an early age. She rose through the ranks, distinguishing herself through valour and skill. After the jealous Nawab had the Mamluks' popular, ambitious mercenary commander put to death, Hasana discovered a plot to purge them. She triggered a revolt. She and her comrades threw off the yoke and fought a successful two year guerilla war against her former masters.
The rebel commander fought an epic battle against a Coalition of Qadiri states. It was won with support from a Firemane Gunship brought in by Shazora Jai Vahal, who had been dispatched by Siobhan to gather allies. Hasana agreed to join Firemane's Qadiri forces, but on her terms. She would not kneel, call anyone Mistress or Lady. The Qadiri soldier distinguished herself fighting Xioquo and Qadiri opposition to Firemane's new order and helped liberate enslaves Qadiri. She and several of her comrades joined the Ascended.
The new force did not have to worry about lack of recruits. The promise of good pay, tech, prestige and the mysteries of the stars attracted many. Indeed, the recruitment officers had to weed out recruits who tried to apply under false pretense by falsely claiming to have been slaves. Once the unsuitable had been weeded out, they were still left with a significant corps. Many of the recruits already possessed experienced in warfare, having served as Mamluks and/or Sepoys.
Siobhan took a great interest in the Ascended, inspecting their barracks and monitoring their training. It was probably a welcome respite from dealing with bureaucratic minutiae and day-to-day administrative matters. Some of the Force-using members of the corps received personal training from her. Her close connection to the Ascended was a boost to morale, but also the cause of jealousy from other Sepoy formations. The Ascended were conceived as a crack guard unit that could enter into the heat of combat where needed. It could also be deployed to suppress rebellions and protect crucial installations associated with House Kerrigan.
Recently, a squad of the Ascended, led by Hasana, participated in a rescue operation. A First Order remnant group had set up shop in an asteroid base in the Kriselist system and was using captured Qadiri as slave labourers to manufacture weapons. The Ascended worked together with an Inferno Platoon squad, commanded by Elpsis Kerrigan-Alcori, to infiltrate the base, eliminate the slavers and rescue their captives. Their two leaders had ample opportunity to bond over their hatred of slavers and imperialists.
Recently, the Qadiri of Suqua offered Siobhan the crown of their land. Their Mirza had died without an heir and her subjects wanted to prevent Shahbânu Semiramis from annexing their land. It was only a small fiefdom, but it flattered her ego and she took an actual interest in improving her new subjects' lives. Because Siobhan could not spend a lot of time actually ruling the place in person due to her many titles, she assigned Jazmaria Jai Saobana, a former slave and one of Siobhan's favourite Qadiri 'daughters', to govern as her viceroy. A detachment of the Ascended and Cataphracts accompanied her to the city. However, with Siobhan in coma, Firemane's tyrannical and exploitative policies have been the cause of growing discontent in the ranks. The fact that many Saobanas resent the loss of their special connection to their patron, and the subsequent erosion of their status has not helped. While largely an infantry force with some light armour support, the Ascended are trained in the use of modern weapons. Rumours abound of a coming Sepoy revolt.
Last edited:
