The last camp before arriving at Vienna – hundreds of men, horses, camels, and even two elephants, a mobile town moving from the capital of one empire to the capital of another. In a few hours the servants will be the first ones to wake up, at dawn, starting fires and preparing breakfast. Only the Janissaries of the 32nd orta and the deli of the Kara Mehmed Pasha’s retinue are awake now. Their task is to protect the Turkish legation, so they keep watch at the camp’s perimeter. There is also a company of imperial dragoons bivouacked nearby. They have been escorting the envoys since yesterday. The Turkish camp is enshrouded by darkness…
The girl is not asleep either, listening to the calm breath of her lover lying beside her. She is thinking about her next report for Kizlar Aga. She will have the chance to write it down in the morning, when the convoy moves on. Absentmindedly she is stroking the man’s cheek. He smiles in his sleep and murmurs: – Esmeralda… – the Gypsy kisses him on the cheek and snuggles up to him. Bajuk Ahmed Aga sighs and dreams of her whirling in dance, looking only at him. Just for him, forever.
Ibrahim is thrashing about in his sleep, the nightmares are upon him once more – they get darker and darker as they are getting closer to Vienna. The omens are bad, none of his spells had the expected results. His dreams are full of blood and fire, howling of beasts resembling armored dogs, terrible kutrub roars, strange shapeshifters he read about in ancient grimoires. The awakening will be violent and painful aga in, like gasping for breath air after nearly drowning…
Hatmi is not asleep because he knows that his lady is still awake. He is standing guard by her tent’s entrance, where his Nya Piou (as he calls her in the language of the Old Country) lies on the bed by the Janissary officer. Hatmi is patient, he admires the starlit sky and composes a new poem for his lady. When she gets melancholic, she asks Hatmi to recite his poems to her. He never refuses. How could he after everything she did for him?
Sinan is making sure the sentries, sultan’s Janissaries and Rumelian delis, are on their posts. Solak subasi is clearly annoyed, the mission they were sent on appalling to him. But the Padishah himself assigned him a special task and Sinan obeys his master like a dog. While passing the dancer’s tent he noticed the giant keeping watch there. The African was staring blankly at the stars and muttering something under his voice.
Kushtrim was the only one in the camp sleeping calmly, dreaming the same dream over and over again for ten years now. Always the same, every night. The deli is whirling as if dancing, slashing right and left, and with each strike another giaur falls on the blood soaked ground. Battle-crazed Kushtrim is getting closer and closer to the huge gate leading to the Gardens of Everlasting Bliss. The Albanian already sees the angel Ridwan floating above the entrance and waving at him invitingly. Another strike, another body falls, another step forward. Deli subconsciously knows that
he will wake up in a moment, that once more he will not be able to enter the Assembly of Truth , but he still has hope. Another strike, another body falls, another step forward…
LEADER - BAJUK AHMED AGA
LEADER - BAJUK AHMED AGA
The Ottoman legation in Vienna is very numerous. It is led by the beylerbey of Rumelia, Kara Mehmed Pasha. The legation has its own escort that includes the janissaries from the 32nd orta under the command of Bajuk Ahmed Aga.
He is a talented leader and a good swordsman, but also a womanizer. However, ha gave up on his seductive tendencies once he met Esmeralda, a dancer from Istanbul. He fell in love with her immediately and they have been inseparable ever since.
ESMERALDA
ESMERALDA
Gypsy dancer and contortionist, the object of Bajuk’s affection from the moment he laid his eyes on her. The beautiful girl is actually a spy working on behalf of the Chief Black Eunuch and the women of the harem.
She seduced the young officer using a powerful love potion and now manipulates him from behind the scenes. Her true superiors are always kept up to date with secret letters she sends them.
Esmeralda is intelligent and charming (especially when using alchemical concoctions). She’d rather avoid close combat but can use her kindjal and throwing knives if need be.
SINAN SOLAK SUBAȘI
SINAN SOLAK SUBAȘI
Bajuk’s old friend from the janissary school. Sinan is a Subaşi (NCO) in the 61st solak orta – bowmen unit of the sultan’s lifeguard. He is an excellent archer. Left-handed.
He holds one of the records for the longest bow shot during the competitions held at the Square of Arrows. As a mark of this achievement, his janissary hat was adorned with a huge wing.
He is very loyal to the sultan. He was granted the honour of holding the sultan’s horse’s curb. This is a sign of great trust – after all an armed man so close to the ruler could easily make an attempt at his life.
Sinan has been sent to Vienna ostensibly as the envoy’s bodyguard, but he was also tasked with being the Sultan’s eyes and ears. He’s not too fond of Esmeralda. He thinks that the girl has a bad influence on Bajuk and is up to something.
KUSHTRIM DELI
KUSHTRIM DELI
A mighty Albanian warrior. Wears the pelt of the bear he single handedly killed at the age of 15. Even at this young age he showed great strength.
He soon joined the ranks of the deli (berserkers). He underwent their training, which includes both weapon use and inducing battle rage. Much like other deli, he pierces his skin with blades when enraged. Kushtrim is very tall and muscular.
Usually he is very calm, to the point of being taken for a mute. He can keep silent for days. When given an order he usually just nods
and turns around to carry out the order. He rarely asks any questions.
LEADER- IBRAHIM
LEADER - IBRAHIM
Ibrahim is the vizier’s old astrologist. He was sent to Vienna as the envoy’s advisor, or at least that’s how the official statement goes.
Ibrahim has sold his soul to the devil in exchange for long life and great power years ago, and no one really knows the true reason for his trip.
Ibrahim is intelligent and cunning, but most notably he is the powerful wizard who own spellbook – the famed Necronomicon written by the “Mad Arab”…
HATMI
HATMI
Hatmi is Esmeralda’s bodyguard. He was born in Sudan. While still a child he was captured by slavers, brought to Istanbul and castrated. His owners hoped to sell him to the sultan’s harem, but eventually he ended up at the court of Rumelia’s beylerbey.
It was there that he met Esmeralda. The two have been inseparable since. Hatmi is a giant of unbelievable strength.
He doesn’t speak much and may come across as a dumb brute, but actually he’s an intelligent, wellread, and tender hearted person. He writes poetry.
JANISSARIES
JANISSARIES
Soldiers of the elite 32nd orta boluk are among the few that were not influenced by the crisis spreading in the Janissary corps.
They are devoted to their commander and religion, they have high morale and are very difficult to force off the battlefield.
Despite having firearms they usually use it to start the fight and then move on to close combat.
Among those who accompanied the delegation to Vienna, there were veterans and the Janissary Odabasi who commanded the unit in the absence of an officer.