Blood Corps

The Blood Corps was a semi-official group within the Imperial Army that developed in Nesaria towards the end of the Second World War and into the War of Independence. They saw action in many engagements during the War of Independence, but most famously in the Battle of Bouliers of 1952-3. Over the course of their history, a total of around 30,000-40,000 soldiers joined the Blood Corps, the overwhelming majority of which died in combat. The Blood Corps were both admired and reviled by their enemies and allies for their inhuman fanaticism; entirely and utterly devoted to the singular purpose of warfare, they discarded everything that did not further their military goals, and paid little to no heed to the deaths of their friends or the high risk of death to themselves.

They went into battle with black uniforms, and it was rumoured that they were forbidden by their superiors to not stop fighting until it was painted red. They wore distinctive black metal face-masks devoid of any detail to hide their identities - which also doubled as protectors against shrapnel - and most went out of their way to not show any skin at all by covering their entire bodies. The terrifying image they created was burned into the memories of all those who had the misfortune to fight against them.

Though Inecurians generally admire the heroic courage of the Blood Corps and their undeniable contribution to Imperial victory in many battles, there is a great deal of discomfort over their total disregard for the lives of themselves or others, and their all-consuming lust for war and death. What is perhaps more disconcerting than the actions themselves is how exactly so many ordinary folk were led down a path of what can only be described as *the* furthest extreme of military dedication. The group formulated seemingly on its own, as it was not fostered by the Imperial Government, and they had absolutely no concerns beyond waging war upon the invaders that threatened their homeland; they were utterly apathetic to all political ideologies, having no clear affiliation at all beyond the Empire and a clearly Elvetan belief, as they frequently referenced "coming home to Alveron".

Some conspiracy theorists have speculated that the utterly inhuman, insanely fanatical devotion of the Blood Corps to war and their total disregard for their own lives was not the product of political indoctrination, but manipulation by the Dreadfolk, or more likely a Dread Titan, with theories as to why a Dread Titan would want to do this varying wildly. It is a theory based on no evidence at all, and which runs counter to the information issued by the Imperial state and the Imperial Inquisition that magic has disappeared and the connection to the Dreadlands is cut off, but there are isolated historical cases of Dread Titans being able to manipulate the minds of mortals in a similar manner, and it is at least more logically consistent than the idea that tens of thousands of ordinary men were convinced into this suicidal mindset through mere propaganda. Proponents of this theory claim it is bolstered by the testimony of the few members of the Blood Corps who survived the war, who all struggled to give coherent explanations as to why they fought in such an inhuman manner, and often forgot significant details of the battles they fought in.