The Gebrochen
Amongst the warlike people of Serpé, to be a soldier is more than a calling driven by one's own sense of duty, it is a legal requirement. All children from the day they are able to walk unaided are trained for war. It is all the Serpéans know and they are revered for it and the acts that they perform. They are taught that there is no higher honour than to serve one's faction in battle, other than dying for it.
However, the factions cannot be run by soldiers alone. Administrators, builders and technicians are also required, as well as cooks, cleaners and other forms of manual labour. Every job that makes up the infrastructure of a faction and keeps it running smoothly needs to be filled by someone. But when everyone is expected to fight, or breed as the case may be, who is left to perform these roles?
The answer to this question lies with the Gebrochen, which translates to Broken in the Serpéan language. The Gebrochen are made up of the old, infirm or unfit to fight. Those few who have aged out of the army and are now unable to move at a fast enough pace to keep up with their comrades. Those who are born with deformities that exclude them from combat. While the discovery of the Necrotic Prosthesis procedure has reduced the number of soldiers joining the Gebrochen, there are still many who are not suitable for the procedure. As they are no longer capable of providing any meaningful benefit on the battlefield, they are sent to the capital where they are assigned the menial work that the soldiers are too busy to do.
Despite the fact that the role of the Gebrochen is incredibly important as they are the only ones keeping the factions running, they are belittled and looked down on. The soldiers and officers see them as a burden on their respective factions as they are not actively contributing to the war effort. They are regularly insulted, beaten and spat at whenever they are seen. It's believed that much of this abuse comes from a place of fear, as every soldier knows that they could become one of the Gebrochen with just one single misstep. This is also why so many soldiers throw themselves into battle with wild abandon, as an honourable death is preferable to becoming Broken.
Career
Qualifications
No qualifications are required to perform any of the roles that are assigned to the Gebrochen. A role is assigned regardless of ability and they are then expected to learn as they work. The Gebrochen are often quick learners, mostly as a survival mechanism, and will excel in most professions. This has led to the Serpéan factions being able to produce some of their main exports, such as their baked goods and the various ales that they brew.
Payment & Reimbursement
The Gebrochen, in return for keeping their factions from grinding to a halt and collapsing from within, are paid a bare minimum required to survive. They are issued with fewer rations than the average soldier and paid a monthly stipend that they can use to purchase extras. However, these funds will only enable the Gebrochen to increase the number of rations that they receive to that of a soldier.
Alternative Names
Cowards, Cripples, Scum
Type
Forced Labour
Demand
Incredibly High Demand, The Gebrochen are a necessity
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