Casualty Hound

  In the beginning, back when the region of Terlam had first become ground zero for the plague during the years of the War of Succession, neighboring kingdoms who cared for the situation and knew the dangers such a thing as the Esugrað Plague would bring, made a pact with one another.   Every year, the Kingdoms would pool their soldiers together and begin to perform yearly burnings in order to keep the Plague at manageable numbers and stop it’s spread. As the years went on, this group of Soldiers eventually became known as the Paladins of the Golden Order: a coalition of warriors, knights, paladins and clerics who dedicated themselves, and most often their very lives, to the understanding, containment and hopefully the eradication of the Plague. With the help of the Paladins, an Exclusion Zone was established surrounding the territory of Terlam, set as a restricted area dedicated to the research and development of weapons against the Plague.   However as the years went on, the Golden Order also set themselves up as a mighty peculiar organization, one whose second main focus and dedication, became that of the conservation and protection of many Fire beasts; those such as dragons, fire salamanders and other such fauna who had the epiphany for the natural wielding of flame. While it is unknown as to why, despite not being native to the planet, Elysium is not entirely so helpless against the Esugrað virus. Animals and creatures all react to the Hive differently, and while many refuse to even go near it, essentially leaving much of the Exclusion Zone as an ecological disaster with no native wildlife, those with the ability to set things aflame seem to be almost instinctively inclined to burn it.   While many intelligent species have claimed over the years that this is simply because of survival, as they aren't “stupid to the situation,” befalling their native home-land, as result of this almost instinctual need, Dragons, salamanders, firecats, etc are all attracted to the zone, and have actively been known to burn back the corruption that festers the land, allowing for it’s proper management and containment. While the war has gone on, many species have found themselves within the public eye. In fact, many flame creatures are revered and Mother Fire, or Gaia Fire as it is normally referred to, is either flat out worshiped or at least in the iconography of MANY of the people in the surrounding area, due to the benefit that they bring. In fact the Golden Order itself is thought to be named after the Golden Flames that many fire-beasts often produce.   And while many of these species deserve the wonder and respect given to them for their aid against such horrific foes, one particular species has effectively wormed their way into people's hearts for entirely different reasons. Since the beginning, fire-salamanders have long since been a staple and iconic figure on the battlefields, but unlike the massively more iconic dragons or spicy firecats, Salamanders have instead played a remarkably compassionate role as opposed to a combat role.   For wounded soldiers in No Man’s Land during the war, few things could ever bring more comfort than the gentle nudge of a warm wet nose, and a Salamander comforting the mortally wounded and offering companionship and respite to those dying for their country, is seen by many as a comforting way to go. Commonly known as Mercy Angels, or Casualty Hounds, Fire-Salamanders on the battlefield provide comfort to those with no chance of survival.   Because of their increased body temperature and ability to “climate control” themselves, Salamanders run no risk of contracting the plague same as other Fire beasts. Because of this, they can often stick close to those who have been infected and not worry about accidentally transmitting the disease to others.   This becomes extremely helpful, especially in the cases of Burn-Pit missions.  

Burn-Pit Operations

  Burn-Pit operations are special army missions utilized under special conditions. If it has been discovered that a village and its inhabitants are deemed unsalvageable due to an increased risk of infection and thus spread of infection, then the army has the permission of their governing power to effectively raze it to the ground along with its inhabitants in order to prevent the spread. These missions have already been a heavily debated tactic enacted by the Paladins throughout the years.   Despite what outsiders may think of such a gruesome and almost barbaric method of containing the spread, Paladins do not take these missions lightly, and they are not as common as people might assume due to intense misinformation and the propaganda surrounding them. Instead, they are deemed as a last-case scenario if and only if all other conventional methods do not yield adequate results.   During these missions, once it has been determined that a location and its inhabitants are officially “lost-causes”, then the Golden Order will shut down the area effective immediately. Once the location has been secured and the populace contained, the burning can begin.   While large dragons are often utilized for such missions, as their burn spread can cover a significant area-radius in little to no time, smaller creatures are often used to effectively “sweep up” the mess and ensure no trace of rot can be found. While Salamanders may help in such operations, it is not unlikely to see a couple of Salamanders instead curl up comforting and staying close to those scheduled to be burned. By lowering their body temperature to a safer degree, a Salamander can control the amount of heat they let off, making them safe to pet and caress and hold onto, which many will take full advantage of in their final moments before the ultimate end descends upon them.   Once a village/small town has properly been cleansed, the Fire-Salamander will then leave unharmed and re-warmed by the heat and flames. Where this behavior came from is not entirely certain, as while Fire-Salamanders are passive gentle giant’s, they don’t tend to be very social animals as opposed to most. But since the start of the war, where as dragons burn and cut away at the rot, Salamanders have instead always been one step behind, sticking by the sides of those found beyond saving, offering final moments of companionship and comfort.