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The Cohorts of Gashang An Overview
by James Chokey
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Introduction
The Cohorts of Gashang (whose full name is “The Cohorts of Gashang, Emperor of Flame”) are a fighting order sponsored by the clerical order of the Eight Demons. The headquarters of the order is Themeson keep, along the Rethem-Tharda border. Most members are stationed there or in the six surrounding manors. The Cohorts also maintains chapterhouses at the Eight Demons temples in Shiran, Coranan, and Golotha. A small company of Cohorts of Gashang soldiers is also stationed outside the Eight Temples temple at Geshtei.
The order's Akarata is Crasel of Merbed. He dwells at at Themeson.
History of the Eight Demons
The order was established in 714 as part of the same schism that resulted in the creation of the Eight Demons. Most of its members came from the Red Shadows of Herpa fighting order, but some came from the handful of male clergy who sided with the schismatics. At Themeson, a bloody battle raged for control over the keep and the surrounding lands, but the 'rebels' prevailed. Ownership of Themeson thus shifted from the Red Shadows of Herpa (who had seized it from Tharda in 708 TR) to the Cohorts of Gashang.
Reputation, War, and Ritual Practices
The warriors of the Cohorts of Gashang are sometimes considered to be among the fiercest of all the Agrikan warriors— even by Terahni of other orders. This perception stems partly from the fact that members of the order willingly undergo a number of painful and disturbing practices: tatooing, branding, scarification, and even sexual self-mutilation. It also stems from their unswerving loyalty to the sadistic priestesses of the Order of the Eight Demons. Most Hârnians avoid members of the Cohorts of Gashang, and even other Agrikans feel wary around them.
The members of the Cohorts of Gashang see themselves as being the wordly equivalent of the demonic cohorts who compose much of Agrik's infernal army. Members of the order paint their faces on the battlefield, hoping to terrify their opponents and give themselves strength by bearing the visage of one of Agrik's demons on their own face. Many soldiers mark their arms, legs, and bodies with permament 'demon signs' through tatooing, scarification, branding, or some combination thereof. A few particularly zealous Terhani have their faces permanently decorated in this way as well, although this tends to be fairly rare.
In addition to these more 'visible' markings, all warriors in the Cohorts of Gashang also undergo ceremonial circumcision, performed by an Eight Demons priestess, when they are initiated into the order. The theological rational behind this practice is simple. Since the severing of Agrik's Claw is seen as the 'birthing process' of the eight V'hir, it is believed that cutting the male organ of generation will 'give birth' to demonic strength and aid within the warrior. The practice of circumcision also has a more 'moral' goal— to remind warriors of the Cohorts of Gashang that they are supposed to eschew bodily pleasures in favor of cultivating the anger and violence that advance Agrik's goals.
It should be noted that a few extremely zealous warriors have gone one step further than circumcision and have castrated themselves, hoping thereby to keep their souls focused on duty to Agrik and thus avoid being tempted by the pleasures of the flesh.
In combat, the preferred weapon of the Cohorts of Gashang is the mace, which is not too surprising considering that 'Gashang' is the name of Agrik's mace. The Cohorts, like the Eight Demons, refers Agrik primarily under the aspect of 'Master of the V'hir' although it tends to place greater emphasis on his aspect of 'Warlord of Balgashang'.
Politics
The politics of the Cohorts of Gashang are much the same as those of the Eight Demons. They are on reasonably polite terms with all other orders except for Herpa the Mace and their fighting order, the Red Shadows of Herpa. Soldiers of the two fighting orders skirmish intermittently in the lands between Menekai and Themeson.
The order plays a relatively small role in Thardic politics, preferring to leave such task to the priestesses. The Cohorts are, however, negotiating with key members of the Senate over the possible return of Themeson to the Republic. The order wishes to make sure that it maintains its control over that keep and the lands surrounding it.
Although Themeson is considered by many, even in the Cohorts of Gashang, to be currently part of the kingdom of Rethem, the order has not sworn fealty to King Chafin III. The reasons for this are complex and have to do with the strong support of the crown given by Herpa the Mace as will as with Rethem-Tharda politics, but it should be noted that the neither the king nor the Cohorts of Gashang are openly hostile towards each other. The Earl of Techen, by contrast, nurses a profound hatred of the Cohorts of Gashang, and would like nothing more than to see the order destroyed and Themeson either placed under his control or returned to the Thardic Republic.
Land and Wealth
The Cohorts of Gashang hold Themeson keep along the Rethem-Tharda border, and six nearby manorial villages: Cinar, Gesino, Ernoll, Racatten, Rouhardy, and Spirane. Themeson is held directly by the Akarata, Crasel of Merbed. Cinar and Ernoll are overseen by two different Meketai of the order; the other villages are each overseen by a Telmen.
This page is part of the Hârn
Religion Team
Page last updated on July 29, 2002 by Jim Chokey