Hundjlei

Part of Armies of Otheia

The Hundjlei are the elite military force at the direct disposal of the Augkara Otheia. They are renowned across Otheia and beyond for their superior fighting abilities, zeal, and ruthlessness.

## History

Originating from the ashes of the old Arteli empire as one of many disparate groups, the Hundjlei rose to prominence among them for their sheer aptitude for survival and violence. From the northern plains of Nomos, their homeland was barren of any natural resources, and so they carved out their existence through raiding one another. Eventually, these raids became conquests, and they were united under Hundjl the Great. Under him, they began to conquer lands and peoples beyond their own region. Their culture producing superior fighters to almost all nearby, they swept through the lands to their south and east, before turning west.

There, they encountered the Augkarate of Otheia, reeling from the Pentarchy War. They managed to conquer vast swathes of land throughout the northeast of the Augkarate, overrunning almost every army sent against them. The Hundjlei were only stopped at the Battle of Lake Ersers, by the combined armies of all realms of Otheia.

Being defeated, the Hundjlei swore fealty to the Augkara, as was their custom. Thusly they became the personal army of the Augkara.

Throughout House Roral’s possession of the title of Augkara, the Hundjlei, while still highly formidable, have slowly declined, falling prey to overconfidence, arrogance, and the mystique about their abilities. Despite this, they remain feared throughout Otheia.

### Training

In the modern day, the Hundjlei have migrated into Otheia, and reside there. As such, their culture has become less hardened over time. Recognizing this, the Augkara, and Hundjlei officers have devised that prisoners from across the Augkarate, who would otherwise be sentenced to death, are sent, under guard, to the lands where the Hundjlei originated. There, with minimal supplies and basic combat training provided by authorities, they must survive for two years. If they survive, having battled the elements, starvation, disease, and each other, and having their culture broken down and rebuilt, they will be welcomed into the ranks of the Hundjlei, and their formal training will begin.

They are trained in barracks to be the best in all forms of melee combat. This training is grueling, and involves many duels to the death among applicants, to break down the bonds recruits may have made, and determine who is the greatest fighter. Once they have passed the training, they are awarded their iconic Kanzali knife and their kubanka cap, and are accepted as full Hundjlei.

### Appearance and fighting Style

Hundjlei soldiers are issued with a long, curved sword, along with a unique type of heavy armor, titled Hundjlskib. As a badge of office, the Hundjlei wear a type of cylindrical fur cap known as a kubanka. As a badge of rank, they wear a long Kanzali dagger (with a hilt of differing construction, depending on the rank of the soldier). When out of combat, the Hundjlei wear black or gray uniform comprising of a thigh-length shirt and trousers. As a result of their near-uniform appearance, it becomes nearly impossible for an outsider to tell the rank or position of an individual Hundjlei soldier.

In the modern day, the Hundjlei have abandoned the use of light cavalry, preferring instead to fight as mounted heavy infantry. Their aim is to close the gap between themselves and the enemy as rapidly as possible, before forming into groups of three to fight. They adopt a triangular formation, allowing the enemy to envelop them, and battle with their backs toward one another.

Being drawn from across the Augkarate, the Hundjlei know the land, and, when out of their easily distinguished uniform, become nearly impossible to differentiate from other travelers. Thus, they are excellent at covert operations, and are able to conceal themselves for extended periods of time.

### Use of Hundjlei

The Hundjlei are a key element in maintaining stability within the Augkarate. Officially they are used by the Augkara as a neutral policing force, a third party who takes action when disputes or other dangers grow too great to ignore.

In reality, the Hundjlei are used to maintain the Augkara’s control over the Otheiae. When a House or Realm becomes a threat to the ruling Augkara’s own power, and that of his House, the Hundjlei are often sent to disrupt and destroy their war effort, often posing in the uniforms of the victim’s rivals, or as bandits. While their fighting-style is instantly recognizable to most, their involvement is rarely known, as a testament to their effectiveness as fighters.