Order of the Cohorts of Gashang

The Cohorts of Gashang is a fighting order dedicated to Agrik, god of fire and war. The order was formed in 714 when Agrikan warriors clawed their way to power through treachery and violence during the schism that also gave rise to the clerical Order of the Eight Demons. Faced with potential enemies on all sides, the order has recruited aggressively and indiscriminately. The order counts among its members the worst sorts from both the Thardic legions and Rethemi chivalry and has a reputation for violence and brutality that is considered excessive even for Agrikans.

Although indiscriminate recruiting has rapidly increased the order's numbers, most of the new men have been of relatively low quality. Few have any sort of true religious fervor, and most are little better than mercenaries. The order's leaders do little to curb the excesses of the men, believing that a reputation for brutality serves as an acceptable alternative for true discipline. Although the order now has companies of murderous warriors, those units lack discipline and martial skill. The order's hold on Themeson Keep (on the border between the Kingdom of Rethem and the Thardic Republic) may be relatively secure but its forces are over-stretched, caught between the Thardic legions and the Red Shadows of Herpa, a rival Agrikan order.

The Cohorts of Gashang article describes the order's history and current situation, membership and recruitment, and organization and practices.