Varushka military concerns

The schlacta are the most common group of professional soldiers in Varushka. They stand ready to defend the valleys that form Varushkan society. They are the defensive core that shields the people against its enemies, whether those enemies are ravening wolves, rapacious bandits, or rampaging orcs. The schlacta tend to be the best armed and best armoured of Varushkan warriors, but they also tend to see the most combat. As professional soldiers they tend to favour the heavy weapons of war such as broad swords, war axes and bardiches. This sets them apart from other Varushkans who tend to favour weapons that are also tools – the hammer, bow or spear and most especially the woodsman's axe.

Not all schlacta work for a boyar; any organised group of men and women that fights for a living could be called schlacta. Several travelling merchants maintain schlacta to protect themselves and their caravans. There are even mercenary bands of schlacta who offer their protection to others in return for money.

Some particularly brave – or reckless – Varushkans follow the tradition of the wagon raider. These opportunists seek their fortunes by launching forays into barbarian lands to grab whatever riches can be found. They live in tight-knit communities of hard-bitten veteran soldiers, forming well-defended wagon trains. The wagon raiders are especially skilled in the use of the great pavisse shields, and these hardened gangs are adept at desperate fighting in close quarters. They are also treated with suspicion – there are plenty of stories of wagon raiders who bring back more terrible things than riches when they return from the deep forests.

As well as schlacta, Varushka is home to the warden brotherhoods who combine martial might with the clever use of amulets, talismans and magical devices to oppose the threats of the Varushkan wilderness. Many wardens are champions of Imperial Law, and they are often seen as romantic, dashing and above all heroic figures by the people of the vales.