Under Emperor Grogar in his new Tambelon, the standing army of the goats was reformed dramatically. A complex system of rank and formation was put in place where before there had been no standing army, militia drafted instead from the domains of the noble houses. Grogar’s approach to a rigorous foreign policy (I.e. Rapid Expansion up to and including World Domination) was to put into action this system of war-camp and battlefield administration in its most cutthroat and cynical manner, brutal but effective (Or as effective as Grogar needed). Officers were not promoted by bloodline or wealth, at least not primarily. All had to demonstrate fighting-and-killing potential for nothing else would please Grogar.
Already, the powerful Halls of Necromancers and Inquisitors made use of Grogar’s favour by taking key positions in these war-camps and as Grogar introduced the Vog culture and the migration of the Antifer to Tambelon, the war-camps fell under command of only the most ruthless and fanatical and while all were dedicated to their Emperor, infighting was common in or between war-camps from the lowliest Degans to the highest Warlords. And like all things in Tambelon, it was held aloft upon the backs of slaves.
Regardless, Grogar turned the goatish armies from colourful nobles whipping hordes of armed peasants into shape into a ravenous marching meat-grinder, felling hills, drying rivers and trampling over whole civilisations, first crushing Grogar’s domestic enemies among his own royal household and then on to his foreign foes such as the Agagrine League, the Kingdoms of Noss and the Gossamer Crusade before his blood-red eyes at last focussed on the young and unpresuming Equestria.
Whatever the conflict and whomever led it, one thing remained the same...
Those that Tambelon left dead in the ash and dust were the lucky ones.

Formations

Attendance- 10 Goats with 2 Slaves and 1 Degan (Sergeant)
o 13 Total

Assembly- 10 Attendances, commanded by 1 Evocator (Captain), 1 Deligant (Lieutenant) 1 Erktor (Watch-Sergeant) 1 Signant (Standard-Bearer), 1 Kavicer (Horn-Blower), 1 Tongul (Drummer), 1 Shorka (Medic), 1 Boksha (Messenger), 1 Junior Inquisitor and 1 Shadow-Priest, usually 10 Private Slaves for Officers’ Use (20 Total)
o (100 Goats, 20 Slaves, 10 Degans)
o 150 Total

Enclosure- 10 Assemblies and 1000 Levies, commanded by 1 Executioner (Colonel), 1 Pursuk ‘Axe-Cleaner’ (Lieutenant-Colonel), 8 Drungas (Majors), 1 Taskmaster, 1 Majordomo, 1 Special Signant, 1 Senior Inquisitor, 1 Warlock, 25 Higher Slaves (30 Total)
o (1000 Goats, 1000 Levies, 500 Elite Chargers, 200 Slaves, 100 Degans, 10 Evocators, Deligants, Erktors, Signants, Kavicers, Tonguls, Shorkas, Bokshas, Junior Inquisitors and Shadow-Priests, 100 Private Slaves)
o 3,000 Total + 30 Command (3,030 Total)

Battle-Herd- 10 Enclosures and 1 Thurk ‘Hoof {of Tambelon}’ (General), 1 Council Envoy, 1 Castellan, 1 Master-Inquisitor, 1 Necromancer, 5 Advisors, 10 Council Staff and 20 Prized Slaves (30 Total)
o (10,000 Goats, 10,000 Levies, 4450 Elite Chargers, 2000 Slaves, 1000 Degans, 100 Evocators, Deligants, Erktors, Signants, Kavicers, Tonguls, Shorkas, Bokshas, Junior Inquisitors and Shadow Priests, 1000 Private Slaves, 10 Executioners and Pursuks, 80 Drungas, 10 Taskmasters, 10 Majordomos, 10 Special Signant, 10 Senior Inquisitors and 10 Warlocks, 450 Higher Slaves)
o 30,000 + 30 Major Command + 300 Minor Command (30,330 Total)

War-Herd- 10 Battle-Herds and 1 Warlord (Marshal), 1 Lord Inquisitor, 1 Ringer of the Three Bells, 1 Mercenary Leader, 1 Herald, 1 Paymaster, 1 High Charger, 1 Master-Assassin, 1 Irregular General, with 2 Retinue for all but the Warlord, 3 Battle Slaves (Healer, Scholar and Scribe) and 3 Pleasure Slaves (33 Total)
o (100,000 Goats, 100,00 Levies, 45,500 Elite Chargers, 30,000 Mercenaries 20,000 Slaves, 10,000 Degans, 1000 Evocators, Deligants, Erktors, Signants, Kavicers, Tonguls, Shorkas, Bokshas, Junior Inquisitors and Shadow Priests, 10,000 Private Slaves, 100 Executioners and Pursuks, 800 Drungas, 100 Taskmasters, Majordomos, Special Signants, Senior Inquisitors and Warlocks and 4500 Higher Slaves, 10 Thurks, Council Envoys, Castellans, Master-Inquisitors and Necromancers, 50 Advisors, 100 Council Staff and 200 Prized Slaves)
o 300,000 + 333 Major Command + 3000 Minor Command + 30,000 Mercenaries (333,333 Total)

Grim-Host- 3 War-Herds and 1 High Lord of Tambelon
o 999,999,999 + 1 (1,000,000 Total)

Officers

Degan- Sergeant (By its Modern-Equestrian Equivalent) of an Attendance, or ‘Yudza’ commanding 12 Goats

Evocator- ‘Voksh’ in Tambel. Captain of an Assembly, or ‘Shadki’, commanding 150 Goats
o Deligant- ‘Gozrid’ in Tambel. Lieutenant of an Assembly commanding up to 50 Goats under the Evocator’s authority
o Erktor- A word meaning ‘Awake’. Watch-Sergeant of an Assembly commanding 20 Goats under the Evocator’s authority

Executioner- ‘Thazhek’ in Tambel. Colonel of an Enclosure, or ‘Mauk’, commanding 2000 Goats
o Pursuk- A word meaning ‘Axe-Cleaner’. Lieutenant of an Enclosure commanding up to 500 Goats under the Executioner’s authority
o Drunga- A word meaning ‘Supporter of Many’. Major of an Enclosure commanding up to 200 Goats under the Executioner’s authority

Thurk- A word meaning ‘Hoof’ short for the official title, ‘Hoof of Tambelon’ {Thurk Tambelur). General of a Battle-Herd, or ‘Raza’gon’, commanding 30,000 Goats

Warlord- ‘Orzok’ in Tambel. Marshal of a War-Herd, or ‘Oz’gon’ commanding 300,000 Goats

High Lord of Tambelon- ‘Gra’Vog Tambelur’ A figure of both political, military and arcane leadership, a High Lord of Tambelon will officially be in command of a Grim-Host, or ‘Xagaban’, of up to 1,000,000 Goats. Only the most trusted and capable of the Emperor’s inner circle may ever hold such a position.

Professions

Slaves- ‘Glak’ in Tambel. The primary workforce of Tambelon in wartime, slaves will serve as non-combatant labour either on the move or at camp. A position indiscriminate of species, gender or age, a slave will either be a civilian caught in the field or road or an imprisoned combatant who the officer has judged to be no longer a threat. Regardless, they are the lowest of the low. On the road, they carry the baggage trains and anything the troops cannot carry on their own backs. At camp, they cook, clean, take letters and packages to and fro, aid officers to the best of their abilities and generally provide lease for any who order them. Abuse is a given and rape is common. However, if a soldier kills a slave he is ordered to replace them, either by serving as a replacement himself or by finding and capturing somecreature alone.
Unless ordered, their duty is to wait primarily upon their officer; two for a Degan and ten for an Evocator.
However, officers of Executioner rank or higher are permitted to bring slaves from home or alternatively single out slaves they find most useful or interesting, appointing them Higher Slaves or ‘Arglak’. These slaves are not permitted to leave the officer’s quarters but are guaranteed a certain amount of rest and safety and no other goat but their officer or a higher-ranking goat is allowed to touch them or even speak to them without permission. Higher slaves will often have particular skills or assets that make them important to the officer, more like house-staff than actual slaves. But a lot of the time, these higher slaves are chosen for their attractive appearances and their qualities in the bedchamber. They may not necessarily be willing servants, merely ones the officer wants for himself and how well or ill they are treated depends entirely on their officer.
An Executioner is allowed twenty-five higher slaves for himself out of fifty-five slaves for his camp. A Thurk will only have thirty higher-slaves for himself with twenty serving as Prized Slaves or ‘Shkiglak’.
Prized Slaves can only be captured from behind enemy lines and serve more as living war trophies than actual labour, a testament to the officer’s daring efficiency.
And a Warlord has six slaves of a ceremonial position. Three Battle-Slaves or ‘Razglak’ and three Pleasure Slaves or ‘Luzhglak’.
The three battle slaves will consist of a personal Healer (‘Sarshork’) who is granted permission to heal their officer and only their officer; a Scholar (‘Ogigri’) whose task it is to educate or entertain the officer through mundane leisure such as books, musical instruments, board-games or whatever the officer would choose; and a Scribe (‘Fizkra’) whose task it is to record and document not only their officer’s letters and orders but their feats in battle and deeds in Tambelon’s name.
The three pleasure slaves have only one real task, entertaining their officer through pleasure; be it music and dance, theatrical performance, acrobatics, comedy or, most commonly, sex. But the origins of each slave is important, carrying a special significance in Tambelon. There is the ‘Beauty’ (‘Zanbel’) who will be a goat concubine from Tambelon representing the glory and supreme splendour of goatish Tambelon; a ‘Wonder’ (‘Dibka’) who will be a creature from a conquered or allied state, representing the exotic mystery and charm of far-off lands; and a ‘Grace’ (‘Nasgin’) who will be a creature from an unconquered territory captured by the officer usually from the campaign currently underway, representing the certain domination of the enemy on the frontier and victories to come.
Regardless, however glamorous or pitiful their conditions, a slave’s life is dependent on their master and in many situations, they die with their masters, willingly or otherwise. If a camp falls, the Erktor is ordered to kill every slave. Each slave is branded upon entering the camp so if they escape, they can be located and hellish punishments await.
Many enemies of Tambelon are told by their leaders to never be taken alive, for their own sake. For whether one finds themselves a prisoner or a slave, as soon you pass in chains under the banners of a Tambel war-camp, hope is dead.
“Slaves built the great kingdom of Gith and sustained the mighty empire of Tambelon. Yet their one reward in life and death was to be buried underneath it.” ~ Master-Druid Duthan Grufel

Levy- ‘Natza’ in Tambel. Fresh conscripts, often drafted on the road, civilians who don’t resist their march but also look well-enough to serve in the army. These are also indiscriminate of species and gender and thus occupy a position similar to auxiliaries and, in a War-Herd, are under the command of an Irregular-General. In Enclosures or Battle-Herds, they will be overseen by one or more Drungas or Advisors that the officer in charge of the camp has allotted. These levies will be trained in-camp for the duration of the campaign. While not slaves, they are considered inferior to the goats-of-war and are treated as expendable, often sent first into a fray and last to receive camp rations. Since they can represent a security risk if they desert or defect en-masse, Tambelon troops and officers are ordered to keep a watchful eye on them at all times. In most cases, levies are treated as traitors and cowards by their own countrybeasts but there have been cases were large groups of levies, often from the same community, revolted and aided the enemy behind the army lines. Powerful warlocks and necromancers sometimes attach dark-magical devices to them in the form of collars that will kill its wearer if they break formation or turn upon their masters while Inquisitors occupy themselves on levies that disappoint on a day by day basis. Throughout their time at camp, a levy is taught to forget all he once lived by through the physically and mentally brutal training processes of the taskmasters and it’s rarely that long before they are as obedient and unquestioning as any goat, willing to sacrifice their lives for the glory of Tambelon and its Emperor.

Charger- ‘Hurdri’ in Tambel or ‘Ublaan’ meaning New Heirs. The goat equivalent of Equestrian knights, the Chargers are the Goatish Warrior Elite, highborn goats-at-arms, trained by the best and whose upbringing and practices have blessed them with enormous, curling horns that better imbue their bodies with raw arcane energy, granted the honour of leading the War-Herd’s terrifying charge. Stampeding in formation at near-breakneck-speed, the charge of the Chargers is a sight worth seeing if one is prepared for a fright. Collectively, a Charger formation can send the first, second and third lines of an enemy army quite literally flying through the air, sometimes in pieces. They churn up the earth behind them, guaranteeing that any who survive the initial charge stumble and choke in the dust and soil, easy meat for the lockstep legions following up behind. Due to their highborn heritage, the Charger’s armour and equipment are provided by the wealth of the nobility, both personal and from what remains of regional taxation. As such, the Chargers are armed and armoured grandly with the best metalwork available. They’re given their own adjacent camp and will often take slaves, sometimes one or more concubines, to entertain them while at ease. An Enclosure shall have a detachment of around five-hundred Chargers while anything the size of a War-Herd shall have around forty-five-thousand. The Charger was once the symbol of Gith’s military power, the backbone of their legion, resplendent in conquest. Since the founding of Tambelon and the limits Grogar placed upon the feudal nobility in favour of the Halls of Necromancers and Inquisitors, most suspect that the Chargers have lost a lot of their former majesty but in fact, there are more Chargers in the Tambelon Army now than there ever were. The reason behind this is that in Gith’s time, Chargers, back then known as Blaan, stood as officers, only rarely coming together in a charge which were much more common in fables and folk tales than they ever were in actual military history for practical reasons alone. Since the reformation of the standing army under Grogar, Chargers became a separate force, an elite guard, first into the fray with their noble house’s name on their lips, bringing great honour to their families, smiled upon by their Emperor, heroes of their homeland. But this in itself has a more sinister intent. Grogar both honours and weakens the noble classes that may threaten the Emperor’s seat by placing the Chargers ever at the front for it is the sons and grandsons of the those houses that stand there and charge and for every Charger that dies a glorious death in battle, there is one less noble heir who inherits the ambition of his father.

Assembly

Signant- ‘Brinzil’ in Tambel. Bearer of the flag, or Barinzak, of an Assembly (Usually based on the flag of the Special Signant with a small modification). Serves as a principal recruiter and always accompanies their officer when reporting or negotiating. The occupation is often held by a relatively skilled mage who may defend their position if attacked while still bearing the banner with their body.

Kavicer- Bearer of a war-horn. Serves as a signaller and musician for troop morale. The reason varies. Sometimes the horn is their own, thus making them unfit for regular service but still serving the army nonetheless. Other times, the horn is from a comrade or former master, thus commemorating their fallen brethren and sounding the troop movement with their voice in spirit. And on some occasions, the horn comes from an enemy slain by the Assembly or its officers, thus utilising a trophy of war to push the troops to more glories.

Tongul- Bearer of a war-drum. Serves as a signaller and musician for troop morale. Similar to the Kavicer, the skin of the drum can be from either a fallen comrade or slain foe. However, in some cases, the Tongul utilises materials of special property to imbue the drum with sonic force, negating enemy magics and damaging enemy morale. There are a number of different beats a Tongul plays depending on the movement of an Assembly and the order of its officer. If an Assembly is too spread out or indisposed to hear the orders of their officer properly, it is the Tongul’s drums that signal whether to charge, retreat, hold the line or stand to.
[Note: For many centuries, the horns and drums of Tambelon’s armies, and Gith before it, heralded doom to many smaller, weaker states. So it was that at times, when Tambelon wanted an enemy to surrender, they would simply have a Kavicer and a Tongul blow the horn and bang the drum outside their walls as a herald of their doom, the sound surely being the first and last sound they would hear if battle ensued. Eventually, a song from the western regions around Tambelon ‘Oh How They Blow, Oh How They Beat’ became popular and Tambelon would send musicians to play the song to enemies further away. However, this practice died out when Tambelon began warring against pony states who apparently saw amusing double-entendres in the song which rather negated its intimidating intent.
When informed of this, some sources claim that Grogar himself was heard to remark ‘I can’t believe what passes for humour in these ponies!’]

Shorka- A war-medic. Since Grogar banned the practice of Allososamancy (Magic used to heal others. Healing oneself was still permitted but only the Emperor Grogar was allowed to heal others or give that permission to his trusted.), Shorkas became redundant in the field, usually only taking to battle if an officer was at risk. Common soldiers made do with their own survival skills. At camp, a doctor’s tent would be set up and rudimentary means of medicine and surgery made ready. Other times, during Tambelon’s more ambitious military pursuits, they’d study enemy corpses or prisoners, experiment with biological materials and suggest to their officer methods of irregular combat based on any such discoveries. Shorkas can sometimes be soldiers no longer fit for service as it is a profession looked down on by most but is exempt from other tasks around the camp.

Boksha- A confidential messenger. One of few army positions that is not exclusive to goats. Unlike the signant, the Boksha’s task is to serve as an intelligence operative for the Assembly and any connected task force. They gather intel by any means necessary and report to their officer directly without the leave of his retinue. Due to the paranoia or just plain cruelty of some officers, a Boksha’s life is often short, killed for knowing too much or a botched operation blamed on faulty intel. In some cases, a Boksha is ordered to deliver a message to another officer with said message bearing an order to kill the creature who delivers it. However, in some cases a Boksha can excel, proving themselves a valuable asset to their Assembly and the interests of Tambelon at large, occupying a position similar to an Equestrian secret agent. In almost all cases, a Boksha is given a means to swiftly commit suicide in the event of capture. It is said that the Inquisitors have ‘very special methods’ for dealing with a Boksha who deserts or defects and each Boksha is informed of the methods upon taking the job, knowing what any thought of disloyalty will lead to.

Junior-Inquisitor- ‘Nin-Huxhar’ in Tambel. camp officer in charge of prisoners and the questioning thereof. While the Erktor ensures the keeping of any prisoners-of-war, it is technically the Junior-Inquisitor who has charge over them, starts by taking their names and finds out everything else through their own methods. While not exclusive to those capable of magic, all Inquisitors higher than junior level must possess some magical expertise. In general, Junior-Inquisitors will either be ambitious acolytes not made for battle or paradigmatic thugs who use simple but effective means of inflicting pain to gain information, punish dissent or simply for its own sake. Prisoners of high standing will never be given to a Junior-Inquisitor, that position is reserved to those higher up the Inquisitorial hierarchy.

Shadow-Priest- ‘Xaltam’ in Tambel. A field-mage. Usually a recently graduated acolyte mastered in one of the schools of permitted magic. Commonly an all-rounder in terms of magical practice, mastery of any one school is not necessary but it can be useful. Often the powerful school of necromancy cast their less-promising graduates into the role of an Assembly’s Shadow-Priest, ensuring that they may prove themselves useful to Tambelon if not their mentors. These practitioners will utilise simple spells such as essence-draining, blight and zombification to aid an Assembly in battle. In some situations, they serve as some sort of spellcaster-bodyguard to their officer and can often be counted on to evacuate their officer personally via teleportation. Through this, a Shadow-Priest can gain a certain prestige but the ladders of the spellcaster hierarchy are slippery indeed and for every Shadow-Priest that climbs higher, there are ten of his former class-mates he had to send to the ground.

Enclosure

Taskmaster- ‘Flugyer’ in Tambel. A quartermaster and disciplinary officer. In an enclosure, there are at least a a thousand goats, a thousand more fresh levies and around hundred slaves and this number requires an officer in charge of their census, task schedules, adequate food and rest and, of course, their discipline and obedience. While there are allotted officers for each group of soldiers, levies and slaves, a Taskmaster has charge of the camp, similar to an Assembly’s Erktor but not so much a military role, although many are more than capable of defending themselves. Their role is technically administrative as one of their tasks is the cataloguing and necessary distribution of supplies but commonly, this is a task given to one of their more adequate slaves. Many, almost all, who take the occupation do so for one reason only; the opportunity to hold the scourge. Their chief instrument, a symbol of their authority perhaps, is the scourge; a long, trailing whip, made by wrapping a thorny root in strips of leather, stuck together with resin and then soaked in urine; a fearful device which rips through the air with a bitter crack and carves out a horribly thin strip of flesh from the bone, awful to imagine, hellish to experience. The scars of a scourge last forever. None are exempt from the possibly of feeling it upon their hides. Whoever falls short of their officer’s favour, be it the lowliest slave to the Pursuk himself, receives the lash. For this, a Taskmaster is often seen as an upstart with an inflated opinion of himself and one who receives little to no respect from any in the cap except his officer and even then, only what little is considered owed. But a Taskmaster is never permitted to kill, only maim as a punitive measure. Execution is a military officer’s right and if a Taskmaster, losing himself in his own work, kills a member of the camp under punishment, accidentally or otherwise, protocol dictates he is to be hung on the flogging posts, gagged with his own thorny lash and each member of the camp, from the slaves upward, line up behind him. Then each goat is handed a small primitive device that is designed to strip off flesh an inch at a time and take a piece off the taskmaster one after the other. Considering an enclosure has more than two-thousand personnel at camp at any given time, no Taskmaster has ever recorded to have survived this punishment.

Majordomo- ‘Graglaka’ in Tambel. A supervisor and teacher of slaves. The highest a slave may rise in a war-camp, a Majordomo is his or herself a slave, one who has earned such complete trust and loyalty from their master, the Executioner, to be placed in a position where they are to ensure all slaves become as loyal and trustworthy as they are. To this end, they become experts in breaking the slaves psychologically, since it is impractical to physically damage one who is meant to serve ably. Many majordomo are eunuchs, castrated slaves removed of horns that occupy a significant position in Gith society as slaves who are, indeed have to be, loyal only to their master; for who else will want them now? They are creatures neither male nor female, creatures who are whatever their master deems them, creatures who lack the qualities that would make somecreature a threat. In some cases, the Majordomo will be a slave that the Executioner has known all his life, many eunuchs occupying positions similar to nurses or schoolteachers in wealthy houses. But to the slaves, the only creatures over which they have power, they are some of the most terrifying individuals imaginable. In the few records collected by escaped or freed slaves of Tambelon, the Majordomo is always regarded as the most insidious, calculating and fanatical of their overseers, never to be crossed or underestimated for none experience their devilish methods of brainwashing and emerge as the creatures they were.
“There was one slave; we all knew him as Krambel but he still remembered his name, his wife, his children, his home, his country, his life, always said he’d escape and return to them. He would not break, no matter how many times they beat him or scourged him or scraped and seared and scarred him. He would not break. He would not be a slave. Then the Majordomo called on him. He took Krambel to a tent and talked to him. He did not lay a single hoof upon him. There was no sound of anger or hatred or deceit or pain. Yet when Krambel emerged from the tent, everything free was gone. He did not remember his wife or his children or home or anything else before he was a slave. All he knew now was his master and how to serve him. That was all he knew, that was all he was. We feared all the officers but none more so than the Majordomo. The Drunga would beat us with his hooves, the Taskmaster would lash us with his scourge, the Inquisitor would bleed us with his instruments and the Executioner would slay us with his blade...But only the Majordomo could rob us of our very minds!” ~ Slave known as ‘Munkha’, freed by Equestrian Operatives during the Noss Resistance.

Special Signant- ‘Arbrinzil’ in Tambel. A higher-ranking Signant for the Enclosure’s banner. The banner for each enclosure is unique in design, determined by the Executioner and his inner circle, often denoting a special deed or event they were part of. If the banner of an Enclosure is lost, it is considered a sign that Emperor Grogar’s favour has left them and the unit is dishonoured. In this event, the Special Signant’s family are arrested and killed for his failure, whether or not the Special Signant survived the battle in which his banner was lost. Stepping up from the ordinary common-born Signant below him, the Special Signant is often a member of a minor noble house and will defend himself with powerful spells. When attacked, the troops are obligated to protect their Special Signant, the officer marshalling under the banner. If the Enclosure’s Executioner, senior officers and the majority of their troops are lost with the banner, the Special Signant’s family avoid the death sentence as it is concluded that all present fought to the best of their abilities.
[Note: Officially anyway. Often it depends on how well the battle went for Tambelon at large whether who gets killed for it back home. Generally, in the case of officers excusing their failure, Special Signants make good scapegoats, pun not intended.]

Senior-Inquisitor- ‘Ara-Huxha’ in Tambel. The Inquisitors of Tambelon are the nation’s judicial system, painting a perfect picture of just how warped the Tambel sense of justice is at its very fundamentals. They perfect the practice of inflicting pain, arguably making it an art-form. Once an Inquisitor-in-Training, an Acolyte of Truth as they are called, begins his studies, he learns until his masters assign him a post. The Juniors are considered willing but mediocre procurers of unwillingly-transferred information. The Senior Inquisitors by contrast are much more precise, more patient and far more creative in their methods. Prisoner of war suspected of keeping information are transferred to them directly. And once a Senior-Inquisitor begins his work, he is not finished until he knows everything there is to know about the prisoner. While a Junior-Inquisitor operates in the same area used for the prison in full view of the other prisoners, a Senior-Inquisitor will have a tent of his own, containing all his instruments and devices of varying size, shape and purpose, and prisoners are sent in when called upon, never returning as the creature they were before. Often their tent will be placed close to the prison itself so that those not yet called upon by the Senior-Inquisitor can hear the screams and then torture themselves by merely imagining what might be going on. Since only Master-Inquisitors are allowed to use magic (The use of magic in torture often highly unpredictable as it can kill a subject too quickly in most situations), the Senior-Inquisitors favour the mundane methods of torture, both physical and psychological. There have been reports that when the prisoners fall asleep, the Senior Inquisitors bring their empty instruments of torture close by and operate them, the noise alone being enough to terrify prisoners in their dreams so much that they blurt out secrets in their sleep. Once information is prised from a prisoner, however, their torment does not end. Senior-Inquisitors are taught to keep pressing until nothing else remains, whether that exhausts the prisoner’s mind or body first, information has value, life does not.
“Knowledge is a resource. And like all resources, it must be harvested. Equate it to an ambitious miner. Once a source is discovered, it must be pursued to its deposit and picked at from every possible angle until it is exhausted. Afterward, look for more sources. There is never any juncture in which questions should stop being asked, nor any juncture where the lack of answers should be tolerated. An Inquisitor does not pursue what he wishes to know, nor what others do not wish him to know. An Inquisitor pursues everything anycreature in his power can possibly know. Everything.” ~ Lord Inquisitor Munzu’phal, Deputy Highmaster of the Gongross Academy of Truth and Justice.

Warlock- ‘Rauga’ in Tambel (A word meaning ‘godless’ although curiously the exact translation is “free from Gods”.). A battle-mage. Commonly a practitioner of all-round offensive magic, usually among the Twin Halls of Grim or Fel Magic. Magical experts in a war-camp are usually there for hooves-on experience in aiding the expansion of Tambelon’s Empire but at Warlock-level, one is no longer there on orders from the camp’s officer but from the Twin Halls and their administrators among the Brominian Council. While a Warlock shouldn’t disobey the rules around the camp or lead troops without leave from their superiors, they are not technically under the Executioner’s authority and only accompany or guard him if the Warlock wishes it. Of course, their behaviour reflects upon their masters whatever the case but a Warlock’s priority is magical research, investigating and seizing sources of arcane energy on the battle field or behind enemy lines and, wherever possible, demonstrating the power of Grim and Fel through devastating magical spells upon the foe. In the face of an enemy mage, a Warlock is called upon and a magic duel ensues, a sight always worth watching.

Battle-Herd

Council Envoy- ‘Axubok’ in Tambel. A representative of the Brominian Council, Tambelon’s chief ministry. Rather than a subordinate, the Council Envoy’s task is to supervise the Thurk. Since the Thurk is a high-ranking officer with a long leash as far as administration is concerned, the Council Envoy needs to ensure the Thurk stays loyal to the empire. While the Thurk and his retinue ensures the Brominian Council receives field reports, the Council Envoy acts as secret intelligence at camp, reporting any unusual incident or suspicion of impropriety. It will often be the case that the Thurk and Council Envoy are at each other’s throats while at camp.
o Council Staff- ‘Xiglamu’ in Tambel. Attendants of the Council Envoy. Usually creatures who have been removed of tongue so as not to be able to give away any secret the Envoy, and by extension the Brominian Council, may hold. They are also often castrated so as to not sully their duties with carnal thoughts or, Grogar forbid, matters of sentiment. In some cases, Council Staff are removed of almost all bodily sensors and magical-devices implemented into their persons to make them more like automatons guided and commanded by the Brominian Council Envoy. At camp or in the field, Council Staff will double as bodyguards and will usually be more than a match for any attacker, many being private guard of noble families or prized foreign henchbeasts, bound to give their lives to protect their master and his most vital secrets of the state.

Castellan- ‘Dakulzath’ in Tambel. A Lieutenant-General of a Battle-Herd. Almost always at camp, overseeing security and ensuring camp duties are kept. While the Thurk is at camp, the Castellan serves as their primary advisor and succeeds the Thurk if ever they are slain in battle or executed. Since a Thurk will commonly make his camp in or around a castle structure or within a populated area, a Castellan also represents the Battle-Herd in a political capacity when necessary and ensures it can make proper use of any resources available.

Master-Inquisitor- ‘Gra-Huxha’ in Tambel. If whatever a Senior-Inquisitor can do is enough to give a creature nightmares then those nightmares must themselves have nightmares of whatever a Master-Inquisitor can do. Whomever is sent to the Master-Inquisitor of a Battle-Herd must be a most formidable prisoner, possessed of strength and resolution to outdo even the Senior-Inquisitor’s capabilities. And inevitably that strength and resolution does not last once the Master-Inquisitor begins his work. Little is known, in detail, about how the Master-Inquisitor pries information from an unwilling subject but what is known is that the Master-Inquisitor has earned his title through demonstrating his skill in Algeamancy, a complex magical school that studies not just how to inflict arcane agony upon a subject but do so in a way that does not kill them or drive them insane. By mastering this school of magic, the Master-Inquisitor himself becomes a prison which his subjects may never leave, not into death; not into madness; not until he is finished with them, however long that takes.

Necromancer- ‘Thanogra’ in Tambel. The favoured mage sect of Emperor Grogar, its masters comprised of his first acolytes and his most loyal or promising servants, the Necromancer’s school of magic is based around the manipulation of death and undeath. Perverting the ancient and sacred ways of Thesh to trap magical essences between worlds and steal the life force of their fellow goat or those considered lesser creatures, the Necromancer is almost always a creature of absolute cruelty and self-interest, with no concern over the living or the dead unless they further his or her own means. When they take to the battlefield, an enemy host soon finds themselves outnumbered no matter the battle looked to begin with as the dead on the battlefield rise at the Necromancer’s command and clash once more, no matter which side they stood on in life. Often the power of a necromancer does not stop merely at animating corpses. Experimentation is a key tenant of Tambelon Necromancy and entire subspecies of undead creatures owe their existence to one Tambelon Necromancer’s sick curiosity many centuries ago. Under Grogar, Necromancers are taught, above all, to seek eternal life through any means necessary, keeping their spirit and magical essence bound to the world until they have achieved their foul ambitions and keeping their essence, if not their body, strong and sustained by draining the essences of any who fall before them.

Advisor- ‘Ranvik’ in Tambel. Officers singled out for their long-term strategic input rather than their military expertise in the field, Advisors occupy a more clerical position, effectively a high-ranking scribe or scholar. This is not to say they are harmless however. Many are expert political manipulators and are looking for any opportunity to turn their Thurk upon their personal rivals. In fact, statistics have calculated that at least sixty-percent of the infighting between Tambelon war-camps comes from the Advisors trying to outplay their colleagues both in and between the camps. Because of this harsh, unpredictable social landscape as well as the Thurk’s tendency to execute advisors who he or believes have misled the camp, the turnover rate for advisors is absurdly high. Combine this with how commonly an advisor will fake his or her death and there is a common practice for Thurks to not bother remembering their advisor’s names until they’ve lasted at least a year, in most situations numbering them for convenience’s sake. If captured, an advisor will always have a means to commit suicide. In fact, this is a requirement and a Thurk will often check to see if the method by which suicide will be implemented is on the Advisor and works, often singling out a slave to test.

War-Herd

Lord Inquisitor- ‘Vog-Huxha’ in Tambel. To call the Lord Inquisitor a torturer would be insufficient. Rather like calling a megalodon a cartilaginous fish, it doesn’t capture the full measure of just what sort of world the Lord Inquisitor lives in or, in some mays, creates for his of herself. In fact, to call the Lord Inquisitor a ‘monster’ is insufficient. The word monster, at least, implies there is some reason why they cannot be anything else. But a Lord Inquisitor is the highest level of the Tambelon Inquisitor’s Guild. He or she has aimed, practiced, studied, trained and graduated to be a creature who’s only purpose, only pursuit, is investigation through agony, leaving compassion, mercy and tolerance behind like so much refuse. Pain and, indeed, the fear of pain is synonymous with the title. So much so than in a lot of cases, the Lord Inquisitor does not even need to start working on a prisoner. The prisoner is simply told the Lord Inquisitor has come or been called upon and they shall give away anything they have yet to divulge, such is the terror that the mere title of the Lord Inquisitor radiates. It is said that the favourite part of a Lord Inquisitor’s work is the first and second stage of an interrogation, curious in its comparatively minor methodology. The first stage is a simple introduction involving no torture where the prisoner is verbally, often politely. And if nothing is achieved, the second stage is a full and detailed description of all that will happen to them if they do not cooperate. Most prisoners break at the first stage, given the Inquisition’s reputation, and few persist beyond the second. It is said that inflicting the fear of pain is so much more enjoyable to the Lord Inquisitor than actually inflicting the pain itself, so devoted they are to their own egos and the power they have over their subjects that watching every horrifying realisation and their prisoner’s imagination torturing themselves before the actual torture even starts is the sweetest amusement for them. In the history of Equestria and the civilisations that stand among its equals, there have been more than several times a creature’s profession or title has been used to classify their general moral calibre, often with a certain degree of bias involved. But this historian believes there is no debate on this particular matter. If one is ever so unfortunate to stand before a Lord Inquisitor of Tambelon, they should know that they stand before one of the world’s most open and unapologetic examples of pure evil.
“Fear the Lord Inquisitor. Hide no thought from him.
Fear the Lord Inquisitor. Hide no thought from him.
Fear the Lord Inquisitor. Hide no thought from him.”
~ The only words ever recorded from Crusader Commander Euthrix Mothwater, captured by Tambelon troops during the Gossamer Crusade, rescued by Equestrian Operatives during Operation Crazyquilt, having already been introduced to the Lord Inquisitor and released. Went into shock four hours after being rescued.
o Keeper of the Metals- ‘Zathok-Dhatz’ in Tambel. An attendant of the Lord Inquisitor in charge of the safekeeping of all his instruments. Due to the fact that few, if any, give away any individual details on how the Lord Inquisitor operates, not a lot is known but as far as can be speculated, the Keeper of the Metals keeps every instrument, if not clean and fresh then at least completely operative. In many instances rusty, dulled or splintered objects can be more effective than instruments kept as ready as the day they were forged. It is possible the Keeper of the Metals is his or herself a forgesmith from the Inquisition, having created most of the items the Lord Inquisitor uses in his work. What is known about him, however, is that his job is his life, quite literally. For if a single instrument fails the Lord Inquisitor in his work, the rest of his entire armoury is summarily tested upon its Keeper. And under the Lord Inquisitor’s watch, there will be no relief for the failed Keeper of the Metals, not even into death, until each and every instrument is tested.
o Keeper of the Oils- ‘Zathok-Yajhyal’ in Tambel. An attendant of the Lord Inquisitor in charge of the safekeeping of the various toxins and drugs used in Inquisitorial pursuits. We know that the Keeper of the Oils is an alchemist who found favour with the Inquisition not only through expert knowledge of the acquirement and concoction of the many potions and poisons that may induce involuntary truth, abject pain stimulus, nightmarish illusions, numbness, suggestibility or even simply keeping the body and mind alive during torture but also through experimentation. The Alchemists of Tambelon had all restrictions in their craft lifted under Grogar, creating a college full of deranged scientists and mercurial suppliers eager to gain favour with the exceptionally powerful Inquisitors Guild. Under a Lord Inquisitor, a Keeper of the Oils will be at the top of his or her social circle, admired and envied by their peers. But this, like with the Keeper of the Metals, comes at great risk. Often the Lord Inquisitor will want proof that the Keeper of the Oils always has their mind on their work and, at random intervals, may demand they ingest one of their drugs for the Lord Inquisitor to see. And if it kills them, it is considered proof of nothing other than their own incompetence which the Lord Inquisitor has just punished appropriately.

Ringer of the Three Bells- ‘Clogra-Zelbelur’ in Tambel. One of the highest-standing ranks of war-mage, hoof-picked from Emperor Grogar’s most devoted of worshippers. The Ringer of the Three Bells is a sacristan who blesses the War-Herd in the name of Emperor Grogar and imbues them with magics of Grim and Fel and any other practice in which they may excel. Invariably, the Ringers of the Three Bells are fanatics, leading communities of Grogars’ most fervent worshippers. They carry the symbol of Grogar’s rebirth, the Sonorous Staff bearing the Three Bells, a replica of Grogar’s own notorious staff of power. None can say what metal the bells are made of. What material has ever been recovered and investigated states that is not any metal known to Equestria or its neighbours. But the Ringer of the Three Bells always sleeps outside with the Staff stamped in the ground before his or her head. Through this, it is believed, the ringing floods their dreams and Grogar speaks to them. Their prophecies are what guide the more religious Warlords. Other times, the military leaders are content to let the Ringers of the Three Bells operate on their own. After all, being the highest ranking and most trusted masters of Necromancy is not mere sophistry. Few are those who can stand against one who receives the Emperor’s personal favour, at their hooves the power to raise whole armies from the dead no matter how deep they’re buried. In some situations, a Ringer of the Three Bells is beyond death, having done as Grogar did and cast their spirit to Grim and Fel, bound to the mortal plain but very much not-mortal. Liches, the undead remains of the most powerful wizards of Tambelon, their rotting flesh and exposed bones held together by pure magical potency, ready to rain absolute havoc upon any who they deem unworthy in the ever-watching eyes of their Emperor.
o Caller of Blood- ‘Shavzar-Gor’ in Tambel. An attendant of the Ringer of the Three Bells who handles the mundane aspect of any ritual. The Caller of Blood is in charge of bloodletting and sentient sacrifice when the Ringer of the Three Bells conducts a powerful spell which requires channelling life essence and blood-magic. In many situations, the Caller of Blood is not, his or herself, a magic-caster, instead serving as the Ringer of the Three Bells’ chief bodyguard. These vary in shape and form. Sometimes they’re fervent goatish warriors or assassins with whom the Ringer of the Three Bells shares perhaps the closest thing to friendship they can experience. Other times, they’re hideous, hulking monstrosities of dead flesh and dark magic obeying the Ringer of the Three Bells’s every whim without even the possibility of question. Regardless, whoever wishes to do harm upon the Ringer of the Three Bells must first go through the Caller of Blood.
o Caller of Shadow- ‘Shavzar-Grym’ in Tambel. An attendant of the Ringer of the Three Bells who handles the arcane aspect of any ritual. Typically, the Caller of Shadow is the apprentice to the Ringer of the Three Bells and thus a student of a most powerful magical expert. In this scenario, it is the work of a moment for a Caller of Shadow to do as his or her job suggests, call upon shadow magics, concentrate the powers of grim and fel, steal life essence from the dead or hapless living and grant such power to their master in any such ritual they carry out. In the case of a battle, the Caller of Shadow will stand behind their master and if the Ringer of the Three Bells is ever slain, then they will take up the staff and succeed them. With this in mind, there have been some instances where a Caller of Shadow murdered their master to take their place. This is rare indeed and no mean task besides, to date no less than five counts on record, but if this ever occurs, it is never punished, not even by the Halls of Necromancy. After all, the Ringer of the Three Bells is meant to communicate with Emperor Grogar. If Grogar allowed their deaths in such a way, clearly it was because they had lost his favour and thus earned their fate at the hooves of their successor.

Mercenary Leader- ‘Grayim-Kadra’ in Tambel meaning Master Mercenary. Gith is, and always has been, a fiercely proud and suspicious civilisation. Xenophobia is rife and though Grogar was comparatively egalitarian about who he appointed to high office, he made no attempt to instil any sense of tolerance or equality into his new empire of Tambelon. Mercenaries were once common in the goatish domain but Grogar famously forbid the use of it, declaring that a goat should only ever take up arms in the name of his Emperor and those who did so for coin were no better than criminals. There was a loophole however in that this only applied to Tambelon itself. An officer of Tambelon is perfectly within their rights to hire foreign mercenaries. In a way, it is seen as beneficial to morale, reminding the troops that while other species lack loyalty to their rulers and homeland and scrounge a living off faraway conflicts, the goats of Tambelon stand ever faithful. However, the opposite effect can be just as easily conveyed for an officer who relies on the aid of lesser beasts is considered weak and unpatriotic. Nonetheless, Grogar always admired cruelty and ruthlessness in any beast and that lesson still reigns true. Wherever the goatish legions of Tambelon march, they inspire fear and horror but also, to certain creatures, opportunity. Mercenaries only ever fight for one side- the winning side; and as long as an officer of Tambelon can keep his troops in that prized position, they may depend upon a less conventional but no less effective aide in the conflict. Tambelon war-gold is always considered valuable, a sign in some mercenary communities that their earners have been ‘where the action is’, but there have been instances where a mercenary leader joined a War-Herd out of principles and ideals. Though in some ways, this is more frightening for what possible principle and ideals could make any creature fight beside a War-Herd of Tambelon?
o Mercenary Commander- Referred to only as ‘Aryim-Kadra’ in Tambel meaning Higher Mercenary. Their exact title will vary depending on the Mercenary Leader themselves. Whatever their species, origin, religion, creed or cause, they lead the mercenary detachments and, if they’re wise, interact with their Tambelon allies no more than they have to.

Herald- ‘Temzal’ in Tambel. A Chief Military Diplomat among the War-Herd and almost always, to use the vernacular, a colossal pain in the flanks. Gith society was rooted in ideals of physical, cultural, arcane and religious supremacy over all rivals and under Grogar these ideals became the key tenants of Tambelon’s non-violent foreign policy. When a Herald meets with foreign figureheads, invariably his or her points of order will only barely fall short of being threats and sometimes not even that considerate. If those the Heralds meet with do not imediately abase themselves at the hooves of one of Tambelon’s own ambassadors, it is considered a personal insult which will be mediated by the War-Herd and possibly the Inquisition. In battle, the Herald serves as something of a morale officer, bellowing the will of Grogar and trying to spur the troops into a sense of keen fervour. The Herald also has charge of the War-Herd’s musicians as well as propaganda in peacetime.
o Keeper of the Horn- ‘Zathok-Klav’ in Tambel. The head of the Klavicers.
o Keeper of the Drum- ‘Zathok-Ton’ in Tambel. The head of the Tonguls.

Paymaster- ‘Gradzavi’ in Tambel. Keeper of the War-Herd’s finances and official Quartermaster. Under Grogar, the ages-old practice of looting was reorganised, though it was no less brutal than before. Troops could take whatever they could carry from both the enemy living and the dead, including but not limited to wives and children, but all of it would be carried to camp, placed in an area of containment and distributed as the Tambelon law of plunder is dictated. A Paymaster meets and catalogues every delivery as well as organises the assembly and transport of prisoners and slaves. Troops are taught that foreign treasure is considered worthless, fit only for melting down into materials to better serve Tambelon. And since Grogar’s reforms did away with most artisan craft, art and artefacts in general are rarely prized. Food and water for the march ahead; metal and material for ammunition and repairs; prisoners for slavery and interrogation; these are what the troops of Tambelon are taught to pursue in the case of raiding and occupying unconquered settlements. Anything else is destroyed or given to the Paymaster who appraises it and sends it the court of Tambelon to see what price the various nobles are willing to offer. The Paymaster will usually be a figure of great personal wealth themselves and depended on not just for his or her money but their knowledge of how to make it. They must be an expert in organisation and logistical efficiency. What necessities don’t come from plunder the Paymaster must acquire through other means. It is far from rare for a Paymaster to try cheating his or her officers but a grave fate awaits those caught doing this and the Paymaster knows it. One does not survive in the despised merchant-class of Tambelon by being careless.
o Vaultkeeper- ‘Zathok-Grajka’ in Tambel. Guardian of the War-Chest, the accumulated plunder of a campaign, overseeing its containment and transportation. Usually a foreign mercenary whose payment and life depends on the safekeeping and delivery of the plunder. After all, a Paymaster is not a military officer but of the merchant class, one more used to buying loyalty rather than instilling it through force. The Vaultkeeper and his or her guards stand stock-still at camp, guarding the War-Chest like a palace. They arrange themselves in two or more rows both encircling the War-Chest, half the guard facing outwards to watch for intruders and the other half facing inwards to watch the War-Chest...and the other guards.
o Tollkeeper- ‘Zathok-Praath’ in Tambel. Warden of the tolls and post-blocks. As a War-Herd travels, conquering territory along the way, it will keep detachments of troops close to occupied zones for security. Since there’s rarely any point plundering what’s already been conquered and sacked, this detachment will keep itself sustained through setting up numerous tolls at roads, bridges and gates. The Tollkeeper is an officer, usually a spare Drunga or Advisor, given charge of setting up and administering the tolls, mapping them out and routinely sending fresh troops, supplies and information to and from the tolls.

High Charger- ‘Xhurdur’ in Tambel. A grand commander of the Chargers. To command the Chargers, the single-most highborn and well-equipped force in Tambelon, should only go to one all of Tambelon has high hopes for. A goat that embodies the values that Tambelon and Gith before it was built on. Every noble child among Goatkind dreams of becoming High Charger (Those who dream of becoming Emperor will try very hard to forget that dream for their own sake), idolised and adored by Tambelon’s peasant-folk and envied by all his peers. But since the foundation of Tambelon and the power Grogar took from the noble classes, honour and chivalry have gone to the dogs in favour of far more devious, cynical power-games. Not to say Gith was completely free of such things but only in Tambelon did that become the only way forward. Most truly noble figures died with Grogar’s rebellious siblings. The High Charger will be one who, however much they spit upon the upstart officers, necromancers and inquisitors, exemplify their worst habits just as vividly in their mad ambition, abject vanity and never being happier than when they are slowly crushing any remaining life of those they’ve defeated.
o Chief Lieutenant- ‘Argozrid’ in Tambel. Second only to the High Charger in both might and ambition, the Chief Lieutenant is, in some ways, the most dangerous goat the High Charger will ever know. Similar to the Caller of Shadows to the Ringer of the Three Bells, the Chief Lieutenant succeeds the High Charger if ever they are killed. In some cases, it is necessary for the noble house whom the High Charger belonged to adopt the Chief Lieutenant so as to avoid losing the continuous favour such an officer among their kin would bring them. Unsurprisingly, there are numerous cases of a Chief Lieutenant assassinating the High Charger in order to take their place. To avoid this, some noble houses, through the ancient but effective method of nepotism, arrange for their heirs to take both positions of High Charger and Chief Lieutenant, the High Charger’s safety ensured by a member of his close family holding the rank of his Chief Lieutenant. But even then this does not always guarantee the High Charger’s ‘sudden and unfortunate demise’ at the hooves of unknown killers in battle or at camp with the dutifully-mourning Chief Lieutenant obliging to fill the empty seat of their beloved kin.
[Note: However, even this is rarely clean. For the Chargers themselves are permitted to investigate the death of their commander and if there’s enough evidence (For them anyway) to put the Chief Lieutenant at the top of the list of suspects, then the Chief Lieutenant is immediately put to death and the noble houses convene to choose the next High Charger and Chief Lieutenant.
After all, there’s only one goat who could become the next High Charger but there’s just under fifty-thousand who could become the next Chief Lieutenant.]
o High Signant- ‘Grabrinzil’ in Tambel. Bearer of the Grand Grimafel. In contrast to the High Charger, the High Signant’s only real hope for recognition is through open and debasing sycophancy towards the High Charger and his family. The High Signant is considered an undignified position as they are meant to hang at the very rear of the charge, carrying forth Tambelon’s official banner, the Grand Grimanfel which bears the three bells triangulating the goat skull with one horn grey with black flames and the other amber with silver flames denoting the twin schools of dark Grim and light Fel, the warped magic which Grogar used to claim absolute power over his domain in both life and death. While this would be considered a great honour to the average goatish soldier, to a Charger this means missing out on the glorious charge from which they bear their name, in essence not really being a Charger at all. In some situations the dishonour is avoided by arranging for the High Charger to appoint their spouse or betrothed to the position, perfectly acceptable for a High Charger to ensure his beloved’s safety while also granting them the glory of participating in the charge, however less-exciting. Other times, however, the position of High Signant is used to punish wayward heirs of noble houses as it brings the house itself great honour for a child to serve as High Signant but will promise the bearer itself nothing but boredom and humiliation.

Master Assassin- ‘Zasgarga’ in Tambel (Literally meaning ‘Killer Of All Creatures’). The Goatish Order of Assassins has a long and very proud history. Originally, the Assassins were agents of the Grand Vestiary, under direct command of the Chamberlain or ‘Bog’, privy to all the Emperor’s closely-guarded secrets and fears. They operated as a secret service, trained in the ways of espionage, sabotage, theft, abduction and, most importantly, assassination. For matters of both secrecy and propriety, they were not allowed to call themselves assassins. The term used was ‘Keepers of the Bedchamber’ as technically, by carrying out their duties, ‘They helped their Emperor sleep better’. Indeed they helped a great many creatures sleep better, though not always thanked for it. Through this, the Grand Vestiary doubled as the Intelligence Bureau of Gith. Since the founding of Tambelon, Grogar, upon learning of it in full as all Emperors are shortly after coronation, found this whole affair distasteful. The Grand Vestiary was disbanded, security of his bedchamber granted to some of his more deadly wives and concubines, and the assassins, much like the Chargers, were transferred to the standing army. It is they that are most familiar with the Bokshas and through the information sent to them, they plan out ways to best remove threats that conventional military matters aren’t best suited for. The Master Assassin is the highest of their particular class, master of weapons, poisons, magic and the ever-important skill of seeing whilst not being seen. It has been theorised that Tambelon’s Master Assassins go through advanced teaching by necromancers and it’s easy to see why. Not only are they able to kill without leaving a mark but their teachings have become broader and more bloody. To disguise a specific kill, it is not uncommon for a Master Assassin to kill hundreds at a time to disguise the method of the kill itself, investigators fooled into believing it was a localised incident or even, if no mark is left on the body, a disease. Regardless, the saying that the assassins coined back in the days of Gith is just as appropriate today...
“When you have a war before you, you need either one of two things to ensure victory.
An army of tens of thousands, all with sufficient weapons, armour, ammunitions and provisions with able direction, camp maintenance, continuous sustenance, discipline, utterly-reliable strategy, the means to diplomatically organise surrender, no small amount of luck throughout and the inevitable reality that many will die before they return.
Or...
One Master Assassin.
The choice is yours.”
o Chief Apprentice- ‘Arzili’ in Tambel. The most capable of the Master Assassin’s students. Unlike in the case of the High Charger or the Ringer of the Three Bells, the Chief Apprentice of the Master Assassin does not succeed their master, instead is expected to die with them. As such a Chief Apprentice will, appropriately, do all they possibly can to ensure their master’s survival. Tambelon assassins are not expected to sustain prolonged combat however capable they are as fighters and so the Chief Apprentice carries with him always the means to escape or evade attackers or pursuers along with any instrument that can safely and securely kill a target that one can carry. As such, the Chief Apprentice is obliged to be able to carry heavy weights while also being sufficiently light on their feet. To balance this, a Chief Assassin is trained to look for immediate means to kill on the journey itself, mastering improvised weaponry as well as timing. Regardless, nothing is quite so dangerous as a Master Assassin and their Chief Apprentice working in perfect coordination. Not that anycreature would realise just how dangerous until they were already dead by the pair’s hooves.
o Camp-Master- ‘Zordu-Gra’ in Tambel. A Primary Intelligence Officer who catalogues collective Boksha findings (An important job given the lifespan of the average Boksha.) and sends it first to the Warlord and then to the Master Assassin, holding off from showing it to any other until expressed permission has been given by both parties. Intel and secrecy are the main priorities for an Assassin Camp-Master and through them, the Master Assassin finds out what they haven’t already discovered themselves and may plan accordingly. A Camp-Master will sometimes be called to infiltrate enemy territory themselves and operate a safe zone from which the Master Assassin and Chief Apprentice, provided they’re still alive, can be smuggled safely back to the War-Herd along with information gathered in between or after the death of the intended target. If the assassination fails, the Camp-master is in charge of the elimination of all the War-Herd’s contacts behind enemy lines so as not to leave any remaining security risks.

Irregular General- ‘Nanzok’ in Tambel. A levy’s life is cruel, miserable and usually short. But in some rare cases, there are groups of levies that impress their officers and become prized units in their own right, allowed to act as a semi-independent war-camp with its own officers and training methods, transferred from campaign to campaign with a Drunga or higher officer with a contingent of Tambel guard overseeing the camp. Similar to both the Mercenary Leader and the Master-Assassin, their two closest subordinates are an immediate chief-lieutenant and a master of the camp under their personal command. Through this, a mere levy can rise to the position of Irregular-General, subordinate to a Warlord and overseeing more complex forms of warfare such as guerrilla tactics, deception, terrorism, insurgency, smuggling or intelligence. But unlike the mercenary, the Irregular General is genuinely committed to Tambelon’s cause, having demonstrated the wish and ability to survive in the gruelling political landscape of Grogar’s empire. For some, this is considered an ultimate test of ruthlessness and severity for if a levy can not only survive but rise to the top in the Tambelon war-camp, it’s a sign that he or she is absolutely ferocious, on par with Grogar’s best and brightest, and has little to fear from the enemy but also can live with the burden of none truly loving them for those in their camp will desire their position, the goats they serve will regard them as a slave and those they once, in a previous life, called friend and kin surely curse them bitterly in this world or the next, the blood of their own homeland on their hooves forever more. Precisely the sort of creature whom the Emperor Grogar admires.

Vog- Eventually, the infighting between camps and the distrust the various officers, nobles, necromancers, inquisitors and others had for each other irritated Grogar. He wouldn’t have minded the infighting if it led to its intended purpose, the strong prevailing, instead of delays and mis-steps in situations that would prove costly. Like all princes of Gith, he had been raised to believe the goat and its empire was perfection and that perfection would one day inherit the world. So it was that Grogar sought a way for a highly-accomplished goat to master all necessary forms of not just warfare but Tambelon life in general, to become lords not like the ones who betrayed him and joined his siblings in rebellion but chief subordinates of his choosing whom he could rely on no matter what happened and whose victory, even if were over one of their own would benefit him and his empire. Those who would do the impossible if he willed it.
So it was that the Vog, a throwback from Reiziger's savage reign of terror, became the master of Tambelon warfare, the word itself meaning ‘Excellence’. And through the Vog, what little remained of old Gith’s ideals and virtues were crushed beneath Emperor Grogar’s wilful and malicious tyranny.