Army of the Shadowblades

BackgroundAbout seven centuries ago, the half-orc warlord Jrumaash went into battle with his sixty thousand soldiers. His hated enemy, Frak the Kobold King, awaited him with a force of hundred thousand soldiers. When the first trumpet sounded, the Acheronian Cube that the armies met upon became the place of unbelievable, horrible bloodshed for many days again. Put short, there were no survivors. The armies wiped each other out completely, and in the end, Frak and Jrumaash battled each other face to face. And just as Jrumaash felt the kobold's blade cut through his chest, did the half-orc's mighty spear pierce Frak. That, it seemed, was the end of one of the countless meaningless battles of Acheron.

But it was also a new beginning. Jrumaash owned a magical bracelet that was able to store his soul after his death. With his great force of will, Jrumaash's soul reached out for his dead body and just a few minutes after the warlords death, he moved again. It took some time for the half-orc to adapt to the new situation. But then, as he watched the bloody battle-field, he smiled, realizing something. He had always led his armies into battle to smash his direct enemies. Despite sometimes enormous losses, Jrumaash always won in the end. But why had he risked his own life so many times? His soldiers were there to fight for him. And in the long run, all but his soldiers would become his enemies. He had to take a new approach at things.

PhilosophyJrumaash is the destined Ruler of the Multiverse, and those who serve him are the only ones worthy to live. Smash all others in the way that you're most capable of, and you will be rewarded. A higher rank is symbol for power, and in the end, power is all that matters.

Primary Plane of InfluenceAcheron. Chant has it Jrumaash is hiding within one of the cubes of Acheron, scheming and planning. It's said he's a lich now. Actually, it's not true. His body isn't more than a skeleton now, but he's not undead. Rather, Jrumaash's soul is still trapped within the necklace, and by willpower alone (without any negative energy), the half-orc controls his body. Only his highest generals ever get to see him, though.

Allies and EnemiesThe Army of the Shadowblades doesn't really have any allies, and everyone is considered an enemy in the long run. Of course, this doesn't mean members of the Army can't use others, but in the end, they're just tools that will be destroyed.

EligibilityWorthy cutters are always approached by one of the Recruiters, special high-ups of the army who've got a whole arsenal of spells and magical items to find out if someone's fitting. A cutter fit to join has to be lawful evil or lawful neutral in alignment, and he has to fit into a very militaristic organization in which betrayal means death, and the hierarchy is very modron-like.

BenefitsAlthough cutters can't decide what tasks they want to take over, they're always given tasks fitting their abilities. They're given a particular assignment to work on, given a basic equipment needed for it, and told where to go when they're stuck or finished. If they're stuck without fault, they're supported again, otherwise the assignment is taken from them, and they get another, completely different one - usually one that's meant as punishment. If they finish a task, they're rewarded, either with items, money or even land, or with a promotion to a higher rank (where they have subordinates whom they can give assignments themselves, so they can fulfill their own assignments easier).

RestrictionsMembers of the Army of the Shadowblades never have any free time (except as a rare reward). They go on missions, be it as a soldier on Acheron, or retrieving an artifact from the Plane of Ooze, or seducing an enemy warlord to find out about his/her plans. "Shadowblades" usually don't have any real friends, except if they're fellow Shadowblades, for everyone else will ultimately be an enemy.