Yüzbaşı

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.”