The Saltlanders of Aomia

Saltlanders

"The name? No they didn't give it to us-- not even Aomians are that blatantly cruel. Nah, this is our name. This is who we are. From all over y'know-- no land. It's been 9 years since I've been home. And what do I get for it? A blown off ear, two less fingers, and a lifetime of bad sleep. We salt the land by stealing the best ones away... people I mean, like me. The folks you find here, they're steel. They're diamond. But we... we ain't meant to go home. Not after what we've all done... the sights. So we're all our own home I guess-- take that however you want." -- Sergeant Paperbook, P.D. 435

The grand battles and multi-year campaigns of the Singularity Crusade constitute massive logistical challenges for the Aomian League. The Singularity Crusade was, in some way or another, planned for nearly three decades before its beginning. One of the most important challenges to solve was what to do about the adversaries-- or even more specifically, individuals and groups of staggering power.
By the 400s it was abundantly clear that some people were, as a rule, gifted in certain ways of magic. The Aomian League, which is to say, the capital city of Aom placed on the Bay of Aom, was surrounded by neighbors with vastly different capabilities. Aomia has always enjoyed far looser magical laws concerning its wizards and sorcerers and to the regions of the north, such as Laexa and Harpsland, these laws were non-existent or just not enforced, leading to an influx of mages. To the south of Aom City, within the Savannah of Horsh, Moroamian druidcraft was experiencing a renaissance, with Horshi druids growing so adapt at shifting their environment that their infrastructure far outpaced Aomia's own capabilities. 
Quelling these neighbors was a primary early goal for the Singularity Crusade. Indeed, in the very first year of the Singularity Crusade, Aomia lead a two-pronged assault on these neighbors. Aomia had what the other two did not and could not: the attention and power of a god.
Unknown to most of Sonnerand, the mage battles between Aomia and the wizards of Femis-Jaer are the most destructive in recent memory. The results and magical discoveries of this battle have never been made public-- but they proved to Aomia that, indeed, their god's magic could overpower even the strongest wizard. The same proved true for Horshi druids and the relationship between nature-given magic and divine magic.
The defeat of these two regions not only announced the bombastic beginning of the Singularity Crusade, they also led to the establishment of UNIT-5000.29, The Foreign Cadre of Captured and Converted Soldiers. Also known as the Saltlanders.

Diaspora

The most crazed of Aomian soldiers feel no small amount of pleasure from gathering their adversaries and posing the question "Aom or Oblivion?" The most brutal, and infamous, of Aomian military practices is the culling of all opposing theocratic officials of a conquered area. When the Singularity Crusade is done with their work, the paladins and clerics of non-Aomian philosophies and religions are, with zero exception, put to the sword. 
Despite the bad reputation, Aomia is rather hesitant to do this, and it is truly a practice born out of Aom's own demands than a selfish will. Magic users, particularly those who can control their magic, are exceedingly rare. It is a great shame to lose one. That is why the others, those who gain their powers from sources which Aom has proven to supercede, the wardens of nature, word-smiths, sorcerers, and wizards, are welcome with great enthusiasm.
"Aom or Oblivion" is offered specifically to these people; gathered and conquered, Saltlanders are the visual representation of the success of the Singularity Crusade. In the Crusade's 15th year, Saltlanders alone compose half the Singularity Crusade and Aomia takes great care in ensuring this balance is never tipped in favor of its conquered peoples.
The raze-inspired name of the Saltlanders is easily associated with their daily lives. Saltlanders are sent in as the vanguard to most conflicts these days. 
The white and black Aomian robes unify Saltlanders together, but beside that the diaspora of soldiers claim a variety of languages, styles, accents, skin tones, builds, and even races. Take, for example, the Saltlanders of Sergeant Two-Toes cadre. Two-Toes himself is a gnome from the far northern shores of Aomia who commands an ensemble of southern Horshi ridge-fighters, a couple of Glint Valley hedge wizards, and an assassin from the Ink Shores on the coast of Loch Arvanis. Even in the Assembled Trade States, this would be a head-turning group. The Saltlanders, consequentally, may be the most diverse grouping of people in the world-- especially with the occassional inclusion of Tiefling mercenaries from Pirivuwy. 
In other societies, these peoples may be hailed or recognized as the typical adventurer archetype. Individuals who can go above and beyond, or who were born with gifts and specializations that are unexplainable by typical society-- to be sure, these people are all distinctive. Among more free-thinking Aomians, it's thought that you can never meet a boring Saltlander. 
The common denominator of being conquered by the Aomians unites Saltlanders and serves as the impetuous of their actions across the nation. As one would expect, most Saltlanders harbor a degree of hatred towards Aomia, especially Horshi and Mysmerian belligerants. 
With that in mind it may be extremely easy and tempting to ask the question of "Why don't they all fight back?" To that effect, the 7 separate secret societies and conspirator-groups within the Saltlanders would agree. But none hold the individual power to make an impact, a few do not know about the other's existences, and that would be to discredit and forget about the Saltlanders who do support their Aomian masters. 
Barring the initial brutalism, Aomian control often brings very noticeable benefits for a conquered land. Cities and villages are all host to massive public works projects fully funded by Aomia, like the establishment of new highways. Aomian control is also, across the board, a massive boon to the local economy. The sons and daughters of Saltlanders have far better job prospects and opportunities after Aomian control. There's also a degree of protection that comes with their rule and, truthfully, as long as one adheres to proper Aomian practices, the quality of living improves as a result of their work. 
Some Saltlanders see or hear this and are comforted in their service to Aomia, perhaps hoping that in the decades to come the annexation of their homes will be forgotten and normalized. Others see this as an elimination of the culture of their forefathers and a disrespectful act of Machiavellian brutalism and religious cultural-washing. Both would be justified. 

Impacts

The leaders of the Saltlanders work hard to make the inclusion of new members digestible and useful. Recruits are not expected to last long, and recognition within the ranks is something that is proven and earned in the roil of combat. 
It is within the realm of conflict that Saltlander talents shine brightest of all. Sergeants control cadres of 5-15 members in entirely unique ways that both defy every conventional rule of soldier management and take into consideration the most effective elements of their parent cultures. That is to say, Saltlander fighting styles and tactics are unpredictable.
Aomian League elements follow military doctrine and code, and a private on the front lines will be, for the most part, as equipped and experienced as a private in the back lines. This is not true at all in the Saltlanders. The Hinge Generals are free to arrange and mix about troops however they see fit. The cadre sizes and purposes are multi-faceted and adaptable to the extreme, and no two Sergeants fight exactly the same.
This is why the Saltlanders are sent in first, or remain separate from Aomian-led Singularity Crusade legions. 
Saltlanders have been essential in many of the largest territory grabs by Aomia in the 420's and early 430's. Within Aomia, the Saltlanders have won the north. Loch Arvanis, one of the largest lakes in the world, is now almost entirely surrounded by Aomia due almost singlehandedly to the Saltlanders. 
The Aomian states of Ink Shore, Headwaters, Boncho Vorn, Tehch, The Quelled Lands, Aolin, Sundarth, and Drakmire are the results of the Saltlanders many successes. This has led to the Loch Lurkers of the West Lodge, situated on the northern peninsula of Loch Arvanis, hunkering down for a siege that's lasted nearly 2 years. 
Strangely, the Lurkers haven't run out of food or water. This is despite calls from Aom to poison the entirety of Loch Arvanis and/or burn the entire peninsula. Regardless of their name, the Saltlanders try not to make a habit of destroying the land (though they certainly can). The ongoing situation is largely due to the protests of Horshi druids. Loch Arvanis and the Lurker Lodges are considered sacred to druids-- though Aomian priests would harshly punish this viewpoint. 

Border Tension

The Siege of Loch Arvanis is ongoing... but for the first time since the Singularity Crusade began 15 years ago, Aomia is finally considering a concession to their ambitions. The main arm of the Singularity Crusade has formed the solid border between the ATSQC and Aomia by establishing the states of Spyglass, Aopanno, and an officially claimed section of the Arcanist Seared Badlands. 
The Singularity Crusade now rests on the Eastern side of the Spyglass Mountains; but they face a problem. On paper, Aomia completely outclasses the ATSQC and would be able to launch the invasion now with, again on paper, relatively little resistance. In the Battle of Sundarth over 10000 ATSQC soldiers (essentially the entirety of the northern military) were captured in one fell swoop by Aomia.
The issue, as Aomia has discovered, is that the people who are left, ironically, act and fight like smaller versions of Saltlanders. This is basically because 40% of the northern ATSQC's current population are displaced peoples from Aomia. AKA: those who escaped before the Crusade caught up to them.
This means Aomia faces a moral problem that even they are cautious about using Aom to solve. The Saltlanders, if added to the invasion force, will likely be fighting their own brothers and sisters. There exists a sneaking suspicion that, if they aren't careful, ATSQC adventuring groups could seed unstoppable dissidence into the ranks of the Saltlanders.
The Saltlanders, for their own part, are also aware of this. More than half of the aforementioned 7 secret groups have plans involving their inclusion in the invasion of the ATSQC.
One of these groups known as The Blotted Core has far grander plans than this. Members of this particular secret group are stalwart and blatant in their worship of Aom-- so blatant that many members have gained divine power from Aom. However, the Blotted Core has their own ideas for Aom's ideas, teachings, and the meaning of the Singularity Crusade. In their midnight talks... their own maps have new borders, with many arranged in ways that the Core believes will promote efficiency and cooperation.
They're good ideas. But they're laid underneath the stifling weight of the League's nonstop war machine.

Structure

I. Hinge General II. Lieutenant General III. Cadre Sergeant IV. Proxy V. Private

Culture

Diasporic and non-conforming, the Saltlanders do not have a singular culture-- other than the cacophony of cultural clashes it experiences. Strong elements of culture compete and blend together, their people attempting to cling onto memories that risk elimination, and the inevitable fusion result of their shared submission.

Public Agenda

Saltlanders follow the same general goals and agenda as the Singularity Crusade as a whole. That is, expand Aomian territory and support the conversion to Aomian ideals. The Saltlanders are notable as they are often called in to conduct some of the harshest missions in the League. Such missions may involve pacifying a rebellion, serving as the front line for urban fighting, or even rooting out dissidence in the capital. The Saltlanders reputation for ferociousness have earned them a fearful respect by the Aomians-- with the fear coming out of the 'foreign' elements of the Saltlander corp.

Assets

Saltlanders are not well funded or provided with quality equipment. This does not stop them. The resourceful Saltlanders make do. By scavenging, creating, or stealing Saltlanders often innovate and problem solve their way into whatever they may need for the moment. In the past decade, more than one Saltlander patchwork invention has received a patent and common use in the military-- such as a flameless ration heater utilizing the oxidation of small iron particles.

History

UNIT-5000.29 was established relatively early into the Singularity Crusade. The group came together following the conquest and establishment of the Aomian state of Aegeon, along with the annexation of West Horsh. Talented fighters who hadn't earned Aom's wrath in the fighting were offered the chance to utilize their talents in service of the League. These fighters, especially the originals from Aegeon and Horsh, were largely rangers and other resourceful men and women. As a result, the Singularity Crusade quickly set about using the Saltlanders as scouts and introductory incursion forces in surrounding states. As the amount of conquered territory grew, so too did the Saltlander's numbers and origins. Only 2 years into the Crusade, in 412, the Saltlanders not only led Aomia to conquering and claiming all of Northeastern Moroam, including the areas of Faeerien, Aolin, Mysmer, the Isle of Berg, and Boncho Vorn-- effectively sealing Moroam's northern coast and cutting off Loch Arvanis from the outside world. This same campaign saw a three-fold increase in Saltlander numbers due to the high number of hedge wizards in the Glint Valley region of northern Aom. 
Saltlander lifestyle is heavily influenced by the culture and customs of these Faeerien hedge wizards-- a few magic-reinforcing rituals are performed even by non-magic members, and dishes of salted trout toast are a favorite ration creation. Yet, the normally bland dish is made spicy and zesty when prepared by the Saltlanders. The proud warriors and druids of Horsh influence this culture even further. The stoic personalities of captured fighters serves as a model for the ideal Saltlander. Horshi tactics and, unrelated, spices are fabled among Saltlanders. Sergeants almost always use the advice of Horshi manuals when approaching conventional warfare-- as Horshi rebels are the only ones who have managed to skirt the Aomian League. There are many distinctive peoples who compose the Saltlanders, but one can easily say that the original two members influence the group the strongest-- with Faeeriens and Horshi being some of the most distinctive Aomians there are, along with the titular denizens. Though this distinctive attitude and lifestyle is also fluid, adapting and adjusting to every new group who the Saltlanders take into the fold. Sundarthians are one of the newest additions, and already Saltlander amphibious vehicles have been seen utilizing steam-technology, a specialty of the region. 
Saltlanders are united in their defeat. The shared understanding that every Saltlander has been on the losing side of Aomia emboldens a sense of rough comradery and reckless abandon. An individual can expect a solid ribbing from her peers and fellows-- but this is pure tough love. Perhaps this not-so-subtle bitterness towards their masters is what allows Saltlanders to perform so effectively, or to push the envelope on military tactics and innovations. 
That is not to say that Saltlanders are invulnerable. Far from it. The Saltlander's reputation has come at a blood price. Every innovation is delivered on the backs of the deceased. Every cultural kink of the Saltlanders is also a desperate effort to preserve whatever those people have left. The Aomians of the main Singularity Crusade utilize Saltlanders as their guinea pigs and fodder. 
After large scale conflicts, this can be readily observed in casualty reports. While the Singularity Crusade has a respectable track record of low casualties, over 70% of Aomian causalities are tacked to Saltlanders. 
Saltlanders have personalities that are as varied as the people-- and laughter, sarcasm, or philosophizing are common within their camps. Yet, behind each member's eyes-- in their inner souls-- they hold a grim truth to be self-evident. Saltlanders don't die of old age. Saltlanders don't retire. The chilling and obvious implications of those two sentences weigh heavy in every Saltlander's mind.

If you see us, you're next.

Founding Date

410

Type

Military, Marine Corps Division

Alternative Names

UNIT-5000.29

Predecessor Organization

• The Singularity Crusade

Training Level

Trained

Veterancy Level

Experienced

Demonym

Salty

Ruling Organization

Aomian League

Parent Organization

The Singularity Crusade

Location

Aomia

Military Ensemble

The Saltlanders of Aomia

20

Aomian League

85

Saltlanders, a colloquial name used by both parties, are the displaced and conquered peoples from the fringes of Aomian-controlled Moroam. These are highly capable fighters, hedge wizards, and unique individuals who chose to dedicate their services to Aomia after their lands were claimed.