Army of the Damned

"Sometimes the pain just stops when I'm fighting. I can't feel my bones ache or my gut twisting into knots when I'm out there on the field."

An independent mercenary group led by the enigmatic Cafris Velcarvius. The Damned accept soldiers from all walks of life, all faiths, and all skill levels as long as they share one thing: an incurable illness, deformity, old age, or some reason they're an outcast from society. Velcarvius has collected warriors and rejects from all over the world with the promise of a death in battle rather than in the gutter. Those too sick or without the skill to fight effectively eagerly take on other jobs as flagbearers, strategists, cooks, armorers, medics, and any other task they can fulfill. Some of those noncombatants even volunteer to stand guard around the camp's perimeter to give the appearance of security, especially when soldiers are scarce.

Because of the Damned's nature and its fighters' eagerness to fight to the death, the army's strength is often in flux. Veteran warriors, tired of drinking themselves to death in taverns or feeling like a burden to their families, often join in droves, bringing their expertise with them even if they can't fight. Other times, those too impoverished to afford care for even treatable illnesses will join as well. Many with physical deformities or skin-related illnesses flock to the Damned to avoid persecution by the general population because of their appearance. Velcarvius himself suffers from a flesh-eating disease that leaves his skin cracked and broken.

However, the Damned fall on hard times as well. A good number of them die before they ever reach the field of battle and this has no small effect on morale. Other times they suffer desertions like any other army. Those that desert find that they were mistaken about the glory of dying in battle instead of in a sickbed. Even more unfortunately, many that travel to find and join the Damned never last the journey. Tactical missteps can be even more costly than they are for a normal force. Many soldiers simply don't have the stamina for a full retreat during a particularly fierce battle and their overall flexibility can be very limited for the same reason.

The Damned are a volunteer-only force. Velcarvius sometimes receives slaves and servants as payment for his assistance but releases any such individuals immediately. The small minority of healthy followers that travel with the Damned are usually freedmen who do so out of gratitude and are able to leave at any time. Many others that are not in a position to assist give gifts and supplies instead. These donations are often all that keeps the army going during hard times.

The rest are usually individual or small groups of hospitallers that are drawn to Velcarvius's cause. Though unable to cure most of the Damned's members, they provide invaluable care and relief for the most critical, help maintain proper hygiene and quarantines so no diseases overtake the camp, and generally boost morale just by their presence. Outsiders marvel at the fact that the Damned haven't been decimated by its own contagious members. In reality, their standards of cleanliness are extremely high and being a former hospitaller for the Damned carries a great deal of prestige in certain medical circles. Some hospitallers stay on for only a few years for the unique experience they can put towards being regular physicians.

As a man known for his very strict set of morals, Velcarvius is very particular about which battles he commits the Damned to. Despite their willingness to fight to the last, he refuses to waste his followers lives on causes he deems unworthy. Attempting to recruit the Damned for conflicts such as putting down slave uprisings, fighting peasant rebellions, wars of aggression, and the like will quickly earn his ire. Sometimes Velcarvius has even gone to join the other side of the conflict out of spite, only asking for enough to feed his soldiers rather than his usual price. The Damned are most famous for defensive actions, often coming to tip the scales against invaders and other aggressors.

In reality, most moderately-sized nations could probably crush the Damned with relative ease. Their delicate needs and irregular strength put them at a disadvantage against regular soldiers conscripted at their prime. This is a well-known fact to most nobility, especially those that would find themselves in opposition to Velcarvius. However, the Damned's greatest strength is their reputation. Their cause is hugely popular among the common people of the world. Attacking or otherwise mistreating them is a sure way to quickly lose the support of your subjects and risk a rebellion. Knowing this, many more prudent lords avoid antagonizing them and in fact use their reputation to their advantage. Some make very public gifts and donations to the Damned when they have other problems in their realm to distract from.

Not all of the Damned's supporters like them for the same reasons though. While many see their cause as noble or are captivated by Velcarvius himself, others are more cynical. Many believe the Damned are useful for keeping "undesirables" all in one place, namely away from the rest of society. Some lords are happy to give them surplus food or supplies, seeing it as easier than caring for the medical needs of their own subjects that would otherwise join the Damned. Still other lords see the Damned as a metaphorical leash on the commoners, a fanciful tale of honor and perseverance that can be used to pacify them (as long as those lords don't do anything to overtly aggravate Velcarvius).