| The Keshik | |
|---|---|
 The banner of the Keshik | |
General Information
| |
| Races | International |
| Alignment | The Justice Force, The al Din Dynasty |
| Key Members | Girth, Heartbender |
| Leaders | The Crimson Archer, Shayera al Din, Hirri al Din, Haseem al Din |
| Adversaries | The Oakvales, Jagar Tharn |
Historical Information
| |
| Founder(s) | The Crimson Archer |
| Founding | 3E 386 |
Other Information
| |
| System | Military |
| Years Active | 3E 385- |
| Demonym | Keshik |
| “ | The finest archers outside of Valenwood. | ” |
— The Crimson Archer
|
The Keshik are the Crimson Archer's mercenary army of horse archers.
Background[]
The Keshik were founded by Crimson when he came into control of a large group of bandits in northern Cyrodiil and then proceeded to train and organize them. Following that, he gradually incorporated more and more bandits into the Keshik, awing them with the strength of his forces and luring them in with his promises of gold, women, and fighting. Crimson soon provided himself a strategical genius, not only finding the Keshik lucrative work, but leading them in many successful battles all the while gaining increments of reputation for his army.
By the time he was twenty seven years old, the Keshik were a highly elite fighting force, and Crimson was determined to get them the most well-paying jobs a mercenary could get.
Following the defeat of Jagar Tharn, the Keshik returned to the Crimson Archer. They were made a part of Taneth's military and Crimson based the alterations he made to Taneth's armed forces off of the successes he had with the Keshik. Since then the Keshik have been based out of Taneth, although they were later separated from the rank and file military, instead being a private force that owes it's loyalty only to the Crimson Archer. This system was designed by Shayera al Din upon her retirement as a method to make sure neither group, Keshik or monarchy, would have too much power and risk tyranny or corruption.
Following Crimson's death and Shayera's retirement, the mantle of the Crimson Archer passed around members of the al Din household. However, for an al Din to become the Crimson Archer, they first have to be approved of by the Keshik.
By the 5th Era the Keshik are one of the most famed and legendary military groups on Nirn. They act as a peacekeeping force in Hammerfell, upholding the Eight Kingdoms Treatise.
Organization[]
The Keshik are all trained as horse archers, archers who fire from horse back. This allows for a highly mobile, deadly, ranged force that can tear apart it's opponents and at the same time contend with armies larger than itself. The Keshik does have some infantry, but they are reserved only for encounters were such combat is required. The ranks of the Keshik are simple. There are the common soldiers, the sergeants who lead their squads, then the captains who lead their companies, a few colonels who lead brigades, and then the Crimson Archer himself as the commanding general of the army. Originally numbering eight thousand men, Shayera al Din raised the size to twelve thousand.
Trivia[]
- The Keshik's name, strategy, and formation is based off the real-life horse archers of the Mongol and Manchu empires.
- Keshik is a corruption of the word Kheshig, the Mongol Emperor's imperial guard.
- The leader of the Keshik needs both their hands, so that they can train Keshik in the ways of mounted archery. For this reason Malik al Din lost his opportunity to become the new Crimson Archer.