The Viridian janissaries (pronounced vuh-RIH-dee-an) are an elite group within the Viridian military. Janissaries are all recruited from among young orcs of the Druzda Khanate, and given years of training to drill them into deadly and extremely loyal soldiers.
Location
The janissaries can always be found in close proximity to the Viridian king or queen. In practice, this means that most remain within the city of Ilirnas, the Dominion's capital. When required to complete their missions, janissaries travel both within Viridia and abroad, though generally attempt to maintain a low profile when doing so.
The headquarters, living areas, and training grounds of the janissaries are within Fort Solen. Located on the north side of Ilirnas, this two millennia-old star fort has been continually upgraded and maintained by the janissaries since they adopted it as their base. It is rumored that tunnels connect Fort Solen to various sites across the city, and that the janissaries use these to travel undetected.
History
For much of their mutual history, the Dominion and the Druzda Khanate were in a low state of war. The Druzdan orcs raided the towns of the eastern Viridian provinces, and the Dominion attempted to repel incursions and strike back when possible. After years of unsuccessful attempts at diplomacy, in Y9285* Viridian administrators finally negotiated a treaty with the Khan at the time, Grivkam Khur. In exchange for a hefty yearly "tribute", the Khan agreed to cease raids and allow the recruitment of young orcs into the Viridian military. Though this agreement has wavered occasionally in the centuries since, these orcish recruits have been molded into the janissaries, one of the best trained and most prestigious branches of Viridia's military.
Though initially used as shock troops, by Y9300* the janissaries had entirely shifted into their present role as bodyguards of the monarch. They acquired Fort Solen to use as their base of operations in Y9322*.
Recruitment and training
Prospective janissaries are recruited by Viridian observers during the Druzdan tradition of the Proving Time. Particularly strong, aggressive, or clever orcish children are brought back to Viridia, where they are then trained and molded into potential janissaries. While some orcish families view it as honorable and proof of strength for their children to be selected, others consider it an insult to be forced to follow the orders of far-away foreigners.
Potential janissaries undergo not only martial training, but also a magical and more general education. Alongside intensive drilling in athletics, weapon use, and survival skills comes tutelage in arcane magic, linguistics, biology, and other academic topics. Those undergoing this education are also taught to respect and follow their leaders in all circumstances, in order to mold them into their possible future role.
Upon reaching adulthood, all prospective janissaries must undergo a series of trials to prove they have mastered the required skills. This is the culmination of their training, requiring them to synthesize together everything they have learned. The trials are incredibly difficult, and most potential janissaries fail - it is highly unusual for more than ten or fifteen to pass in a year.
Those that pass the trials are inducted into the janissaries and given their full set of responsibilities. All janissaries are expected to maintain their training while they remain in service, and some even continue to attempt the trials on a yearly basis to ensure they do not falter.
Failing to pass the trials, or otherwise leaving their training early, could be the result of a number of causes. Most are simply not able to keep pace with the incredibly demanding requirements, but some are forced out early due to not demonstrating enough loyalty towards their leaders.
Those who left training early or failed the trials still find many opportunities open to them. The level of skill one must attain to even be allowed to continue training is solid proof of one's competence, and many former recruits join mercenary companies or other branches of the Viridian military. Others set off independently to become adventurers or work as personal security for the wealthy.
Interests and activities
Ensuring the safety of the Viridian monarchs is the central duty of the janissaries. While they undertake other missions on occasion, protecting the king or queen and their close family always comes first. A small detachment of janissaries usually remains near the monarch at all times, while the rest work to gather information, scout locations where the monarch will visit, and neutralize potential threats before they pose a problem. As the janissaries are all orcs, and mostly operate in areas where orcs are a small minority, they maintain a large network of spies and informants to assist in intelligence operations. Reportedly the janissaries also have a highly advanced magical espionage team, able to scry across the world and use magical means for efficient interrogation.
The janissaries are known to maintain extensive plans to ensure the monarch can be moved to safety should a danger arise. As part of this, they also keep a watchful eye on critical infrastructure around Ilirnas, including the Anchor Site in the city and the bridges that connect Ilirnas to Felasan.
The janissaries are beholden only to the monarch; they are outside the normal military chain of command. They are given a wide latitude to accomplish their goals as they see fit. While the janissaries generally attempt to avoid unnecessary force, they have nonetheless gained something of a reputation for favoring direct solutions that may inconvenience or injure bystanders.
At times, the janissaries work alongside the rest of the Viridian military in cases where their training and expertise is required. This is a highly infrequent occurrence, however.
Membership
The janissaries are few in number, perhaps a few hundred at most at any given time. The role carries with it a great deal of prestige and respect, as only those deemed most skilled and loyal are rewarded with the position.
Janissaries can be recognized by their red uniforms with ornate gold trim, usually worn alongside a leopard, bear, or lion pelt used as a sash.
While all janissaries are martially trained, most also improve their combat prowess with the use of magic. A majority of the janissaries are magi, with many others are trained as fighters, rogues, or investigators.
On the whole, janissaries tend to be more traditionalist regarding their role. Despite Viridia's long, slow decline, collectively the organization believes they should continue their serving as they have for centuries.
Conclusion of service
Upon reaching the age of 35, all janissaries are entitled to enter civilian life as a reward for their loyal service. Many, however, choose to remain in the force until well into their 40s - while there is no official maximum age, aging individuals are eventually pressured into retirement.
Viridia has long maintained a practice of granting large land grants in the Silverwood Hills as estates to retired janissaries and their families. While there have never been large numbers of janissaries at any given time, through the generations and over the centuries the orcish population of the province of Vitheoda has grown markedly. Some families that now inhabit the region are the descendants of janissaries many generations removed. Under Viridian law, the retired janissaries and their descendants are given political autonomy within the Silverwood Hills, exempted from taxation, conscription, and Viridian law.
Unrest in Vitheoda has slowly grown among this orcish population, as they noticed Viridian administrators seemed to ignore their concerns once the retired janissaries and their families were no longer useful. The self-styled khanate of Hkarzda was declared in Y9932* as the culmination of these beliefs, a situation the Dominion still has yet to resolve.
Notable individuals
The leader of the janissaries is given the title of Right Hand, reflecting their responsibility to directly serve the Viridian monarchs. The current Right Hand is Modun Salar. A staunch traditionalist, Modun has exacerbated tensions with the breakaway orcs of Hkarzda by repeatedly advising the current Viridian king, Santus V, to intervene and put down the rebellion forcefully.