The Janissary Order stands as the most exalted martial institution within the Serrakhan Sultanate, forged in secrecy and sanctified through generations of unbreakable oaths. Composed of hand-selected veterans from the Sunsteel Legion, the Janissary are chosen not merely for martial prowess, but for unwavering discipline, cunning, and an almost sacred loyalty to the sovereign ruler of the Sultanate—first the Sultan, and now the Avatar of the Sun.
Their presence evokes awe and reverence throughout Shariz and beyond, viewed by the people as living legends, walking relics of the Sultanate's golden heritage. Tales of their deeds are told across every oasis camp and city bazaar, their names recorded in chronicles passed down from generation to generation.
Origins & History
In ancient times, when the Primarchs of the Sun still walked The Sands of Serrakhan, it is said that only six Janissary existed at any time, each one chosen by a Primarch as their mortal champion. These six were clad in resplendent ceremonial armor, inscribed with solar script and emblazoned with relics of their victories. When the Temple of the Seven Suns was sealed early in the fourth age, the tradition of the six champions faded into myth, but the Janissary Order endured.
Throughout the Fourth Age, the Janissary grew into a formalized institution beneath the Sultan’s banner. Each Janissary was required to forge their own distinct armor and personal weaponry—a custom overseen by the famed master smith, Sul. The armor was as symbolic as it was functional: an embodiment of the warrior's soul, lineage, and victories. No two Janissary appear alike; some don lion-headed helms, others wield crescent glaives carved with ancient Drakkhid bone.
Answering only to the Hand of the Sultan, the highest-ranking member of their order, Janissary have long operated with near-absolute autonomy in matters concerning the Sultan's life and will. So powerful was their station that not even the Holy Order of the Sun dared to question a Janissary acting on the Sultan’s decree.
This power was not without sacrifice. In Serrakhanian tradition, when a Sultan died, all his sworn Janissary were expected to be entombed with him, guarding their regent in the afterlife. Many legendary warriors met their end not on the battlefield, but sealed in golden sarcophagi deep beneath the Palace of the Sun.
The Exalted Enclave
In the early years of the Fifth Age, Sultan Hakim Atis sought to revive the dwindling honor of the Janissary. He commissioned the construction of the Exalted Enclave, a sacred bastion in the southern cliffside of The Serrakhan Scar. There, the Janissary trained in isolation under brutal trials and sacred rituals, fostering a new generation of living legends.
Among these was Vicerys the Viper, the last Hand of the Sultan, a desert-born noble and master of the twin khopesh blades. Known for his silver tongue and unmatched tactical genius, Vicerys embodied the golden age of the order. He was revered not only as a warrior, but as an advisor and philosopher, shaping the ideology of the Janissary in their golden years.
The Sultan’s Showdown
When Talyen, Avatar of the Sun, revealed the truth of Malekith's corruption and the cursed lineage of the Sultanate's Sphinx bloodline, it was in the Palace of the Sun that the confrontation reached its climax. To The Sunsations’ surprise, the Janissary—who had stood ready to defend the Sultan at any cost—laid down their arms.
Sultan Hakim Atis, admitting his accursed bloodline, allowed Talyen to take his head. In that moment, the Janissary chose honor over blind allegiance, and the era of Sultanate monarchy came to an end (see: Sultans Showdown).
The Janissary Order has since been reformed under the Senate of the Sun and serve now as the elite royal guard of the Avatar, protectors of the will of the people. Their role remains sacred—but tempered by justice, no longer by fear. New laws, introduced by Lord Protector Shanara the Salamander and Lord Commander Kairus the Brass, allow for induction of Janissary from all walks of life, not only those elevated through lineage or Legion service.
Vicerys, now aged and weathered by decades of service, chose not to return. Instead, he entombed himself in silent vigil over the crypt of Hakim Atis—his former lord, his burden, and his oldest friend.
Legacy
Today, the Janissary Order stands as both a reminder of the Sultanate’s lasting legacy and a beacon of its rebirth. Their legacy is interwoven with the rise and fall of rulers, the secrets of the Primarchs, and the genesis of a new civilized age.
A Janissary’s blade does not merely defend. It speaks of history, sacrifice, and unyielding loyalty—to the realm, to the people, and to the light of the sun that watches over the sands of Serrakhan.