Al Muktar's Desert Dogs

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The Desert Dogs.

Al Muktar's Desert Dogs are a famous band of Desert Riders and Dogs of War mercenaries that hail from the arid-deserts of great Araby. [1a]

A band of bandit's and mercenaries as well as experienced raider's and skirmisher's often raiding isolated villages, and caravans, while riding in calvary and wearing light armour or leather to make them agile in their attacks. Also this Mercenary band is almost all composed of Arabyan corsairs or bandits from the inner deserts, where tribes of vicious warriors on camel-back raid the rich and fertile lands of Araby. This group however is lead by a foreigner, a man of the Empire, once known as Werner Glook, a former son of a rich and aristocratic noblemen and merchant of the great City-State of Marienburg. [1a]

Overview

Young Werner Glook was sent by his parents to an exclusive school in Marienburg - a common fate for children of rich and famous parents who couldn't be bothered to raise their off-spring for themselves. As a consequence, childhood was a lonely and deeply unhappy time for him. The school master's beat him frequently and the older boys adopted him as their personal slave. Werner lived in constant anticipation of a sound thrashing. He learned to endure things by immersing himself in dreams of foreign lands and exotic life. [1a]

Years later stepped from a Tilean merchant ship onto the harbour of Laskeik - City of the Arabyan Corsairs. His eagerness to travel the World had brough him to the greatest city in Araby. Swarthy - skinned boys dressed in rags scampered about his feet, offering to carry his bags and attempting to pick his pockets. He sent them away with a single word of command. The boy gawped in amazement and ran away quickly. They did not expected a blond-haired, blue-eyed stranger to speak their language - let alone to be so familiar with the coarse vernacular of Araby. Perhaps he was no ordinary stranger at all, but the mysterious Al Muktar - The Chosen One - whose coming was foretold that very year. [1a]

Werner knew nothing of this old legend. He was gratified to find the people of Araby friendly and generous - at least once he had spoken to them after which they generally stopped trying to steal his belongings. Words began to spread throughout the city, but Werner remained oblivious to his growing fame. One day he decided to undertake a journey out into the desert to see some famous ruins. He hired guides and camels, and set out eastward. After three days the caraven was attacked by bandits. Werner guides ran off as soon as the bandits attacked, except for blind Ibn the beggar boy who didn't realize what was going on until it was too late, and then ran in exactly the wrong direction and was easily caught. Werner being to obstinate to flee, was captured after a fierce fight in which he gave a fine display of fist fighting - a skill necessary in his school days. [1a]

The bandit leader was Sheikh Almed Shuffti, a squinted-eye son of a sand, dressed like his warriors in voluminous flowing robes. The Sheikh had never seen an Old Worlder before, but was impressed by his captives's plunk. The Sheikh decided to stake out Werner in the desert and beat him to death slowly over several days. Whilst they were entertaining by his cries and pitiful pleading, the bandits would roast one of the camels. After three days of torture and no water, Werner had uttered not one cry of pain and the only words he had spoken were to defy his captors and curse their closer relatives. The Sheik was impressed, and his men were getting a bit nervous. Surely no ordinary men could endure so much pain. They were not to know that Werner was used to beatings, having suffered far worse at the hands of his fellow pupils at school. Once they had hung him for three days in the flue of the great chimeny in the headmaster's study... He had not uttered a word then either, not even when old Meistergriek had lit the fire to warm his old bones. [1a]

Werner could hear the bandits muttering about "Al Muktar" but he had no idea that it meant "Chosen One". "Al Muktarrr", he cried out loudly as he could. The bandits, who were huddled around their camp fire, had grown scared of the Old Worlder after Ibn had told them about the legend and various wonderous things he had supposedly done in Lashiek. Also, things had begun to mysteriously disappear, mostly small valuable possessions, and Ibn was careful to explain that this was a sure sign that the bandits had fallen under Al Muktar's curse. Consequently, when they heard Werner's cry they threw themselves to the ground wailing and crying for forgiveness. [1a]

Needless to say Werner did forgive them. In fact he became one of them - the life of a desert warrior sounded adventerous and exciting. He abandoned his old names, cloths, and habits and became Al Muktar. Soon the bandits were known and feared all along the coast of Araby. They became renowned as the Desert Dogs - horsemen of unparalled ferocity wielding mighty scimitars of gleaming steel. Their battle-cry of "Al Muktar" became feared throughout the world. [1a]

Soon the Desert Dogs became such a nuisance that the Sheikh of Lasheik was compelled to hire them by means of large bribes. At first he sent them eastwards to fight the Undead. Al Muktar very enjoyed travelling the lands of the Undead, but the Desert Dogs grew restless, and soon he led them northwards through the Badlands and into the Border Princes. The dashing horsemen proved ideally suited to the fast, mobile kind of warfare in the pioneer country, and Al Muktar was soon famous in the frontiers of the Old World as he was in Araby. [1a]

Only the continued dissapearance of small but valuable items from the pockets and saddlebags of the Desert Dogs continued to trouble the warriors. Plainly they might fight harder and more loyally to end the curse that this mistreatment of Al Muktar had invoked. [1a]

Weapons and Equipment

  • 5th Edition: Hand Weapon, Horse, Shield, includes Al Muktar,Ibn the Standard Bearer, Musician and Sheikh Ahmed Shufti. [1a]
  • 6th Edition: Hand Weapon, Shield, Warhorse. [2a]
  • Al Muktar- formerly Werner Glook, is the titular leader of the Desert Dogs and the Chosen One of their prophecy. [1a]
  • Sheikh Ahmed Shufti - Leader of the Bandits that originally captured Werner Glook. Has never forgiven himself for his mistreatment of Al Muktar. [1a]
    • He weilds the Scimitar of Dakisir; The Scimitar is an heirloom of the tribal sheikhs of the Desert Dogs. it was forged centuries ago in the Kasbah of Dakisir, long ago sacked and ruined by the undead. The blade is decorated with magical texts and inlaid with gold. It enhances the wielders strength. [1a]
  • Ibn - A blind boy hired by Werner Glook as a guide to the ruins. Now the standard bearer who carries the@
    • Black Banner of the Muktarhin, The Black Banner is carried aloft by blind Ibn, who cannot see the peril he is in and so is always at the forefront of battle. The Enchanted banner increases the power of Al Muktar's attacks. [1a]

Swords for Hire

The Desert Dogs can be hired by any army except Bretonnia and the Tomb Kings of Khemri. [2a]

Miniatures

Sources

External Links

Dogs of War Online

Dogs of War
Units Dark Emissary - Dogs of War Giant - Duellist - Fenbeast - Halfling Hot Pot - Hireling Wizard - Hireling Wizard Lord - Irongut - Leadbelcher - Manbiter - Maneater - Mercenary Cannon - Mercenary Captain - Mercenary Crossbowman - Mercenary Dwarf - Mercenary Dwarf Sapper - Mercenary General - Mercenary Halfling - Mercenary Heavy Cavalry - Mercenary Light Cavalry - Mercenary Ogre - Mercenary Paymaster - Mercenary Pikeman - Mourngul Renegade - Norse Marauder - Ogre Bull - Paymaster's Bodyguard - Truthsayer
Characters Ahmed Shufti - Alphonso Garracha - Aranessa Saltspite - Asarnil the Dragonlord - Arnulf Schwarz - Beorg Bearstruck - Borgio the Besieger - Bruno Hauptleiter - Deathfang - Bjorn Irongrim - Edvard Van Der Kraal - El Cadavo‎ - Ennio Mordini - Fernando Pirazzo - Fleugweiner Sonderblitz - Ghazak Khan - Golgfag - Golthog - Gossippa Lotta - Hrothyogg - Ignatius - Isrogdal - Jack O'the Sea - Jacopo d'Arezzo - Jaego Roth - Jeremiah Tusk - Lars Mortensen - Lietpold the Black - Long Drong - Louis di Burgundum - Lorenzo Lupo - Lucciano Soprania - Lucrezzia Belladonna - Lucky Levi - Luka Silvaro - Malakai Makaisson - Mann Hirsch - Marco Colombo - Lumpin Croop - Marquand Volker‎‎ - Matthogg - Mengil Manhide - Muhannad Ru'af - Mydas the Mean - Oglah Khan - Otto Steinroth - Rienzi - Roque Santiago Delia Fortuna - Ruglud Bonechewer - Sheerglas - Torgoch - Toxote - Ulli Leitpold - Varis - Willi Ziege - Wolfgang Von Neuwald - Zara Bok
Notable Mercenary Companies Al Muktar's Desert Dogs - Alcatani Fellowship - Anakonda's Amazons - Bearmen of Urslo - Birdmen of Catrazza - Bloodaxe Alliance - Blue Herons - Braganza's Besiegers - Bronzino's Galloper Guns - Cursed Company - Giants of Albion - Golgfag's Maneaters - Grevenfeld Company - Gorskull's War Trolls - Grudgebringers - Leopold's Leopard Company - Long Drong's Slayer Pirates - Lumpin Croop's Fighting Cocks - Manann's Blades - Marksmen of Miragliano - Matthogg's Payswords - Mauls of Morr - Oglah Khan's Wolfboyz - Pirazzo's Lost Legion - Red Talons - Reivers - Ricco's Republican Guard - Ruglud's Armoured Orcs - Schmidt's Renegades - Star of Victory - Tichi-Huichi's Raiders - Toxote's Hellmounts - Torston Treehaka's Sea Axes - Van Klumpf's Buccaneers - Vespero's Vendetta - Voland's Venators - Von Kragsburg Guard - Wythel Warriors
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