Adventi Shorekeepers

The Federation of Advent makes a point of keeping its activities within its watery borders, but there are times where enemies of the Federation attempt to escape to the safety of dry land. When this happens, the Shorekeepers are called upon. These elite commandos have trained to hunt their prey and do battle on every terrain imaginable. They form small, three member teams and have been called to serve throughout various regions across Isesda, from the Reman islands all the way to Avalier. Shorekeepers are not predominately any one member race of the federation, but they do represent not only some of the most well-trained of the federation forces, but also their most loyal. As such they are trusted to function autonomously and are rarely questioned about field decisions made. To face the shorekeepers is a terrifying prospect for most surface races as they bring a military efficiency to match the most disciplined land-based troops alongside strange, submarine magics that disorient and devastate their unprepared foes.

Composition

Manpower

None on the surface can be certain how many cells are acive within the Federation at any given time, but there has never been a need for shorekeepers where they haven't had the manpower to dispatch a team. On exceedingly rare occasions they're even able to field multiple teams in a single area. This may indicate a much larger group than most presume, but it could also be indicative of magical travel capabilities which are not revealed to the surface dwellers.

Equipment

While each cell is able to customize their equipment to best suit their collective skills, all shorekeepers have access to high quality weaponry and armor, often with powerful enchantments. Their more powerful equipment is known to rapidly decay if allowed to dry out making extended service on land impossible. The shorekeepers seem to have a means of counteracting this themselves, but whether magical or mundane no surface dwellers have been able to determine how it is done. One resource that is almost always employed by shorekeepers is a variety of submarine poisons which they deploy remorselessly, but with precision. Such toxins are rare on the surface, but some have been recovered and found their way along underground trade roads.

Weaponry

Perhaps the most common weapon seen is a spear with a wicked hook on the butt end. This weapon is effective at all ranges and against both armored and unarmored foes and should be considered exceedingly dangerous. Beyond this, a variety of close and long range weapons are deployed dependent on the team and their unique preferences.

Vehicles

Shorekeepers will sometimes utilize marine mounts, such as kelpies and giant warcrabs, but most often they travel through magical enhancement to allow for greater stealth in any environ.

Structure

Each cell has a leader who is responsible for contact with the Federation forces leadership who has called for shorekeeper intervention, a focused mage responsible for support and upkeep of equipment, and an infiltrator who is responsible for tracking, tracking, and (as the name implies) infiltration. The cell acts independently of official Federation actions, but is empowered to act in the name of the Federation. They are not considered above traditional leadership of the forces, merely outside the normal chain of command.

Tactics

Shorekeepers are often called upon when traditional solutions have failed. As such, they usually don't have a great deal of time to act, but they do have very specific targets and goals. They prefer to impede their quarries movements, disorient them to weaken their defenses, and then strike swiftly while the enemy is off balance. Noctournal strikes are very common. They're also known to attack from unexpected angles due to their multi-environment training. It is not uncommon for shorekeepers to strike from positions thought secure by their enemies, such as backed up against an impassable swamp or solid rock formation.

Training

Shorekeepers are selected from the most effective members of the Federation forces and as such already hold extensive training before they even begin shorekeeper training. What they encounter when such training begins is... extreme to say the least. Some die. Many wash out. Those who withstand the demanding program are among the most elite combatants on the face of Isesda.

Type

Special Forces

Overall training Level

Elite