The Devaki
Angels of Heaven
The Devaki include approximately 180 different people of all ethnicities and professions from around the city. The Crusaders employ human beings as young as sixteen and as old as sixty. Many are Asian-Americans, but far from all. Male and female alike member the organization. Common laborers to lawyers, bank robbers to police detectives, high school students to retired senior citizens -- all can be found within the ranks of the Devaki. All of them are in the business of protecting their families by night while following the trade of their normal life by day.
The Devaki are broken down by rank and teams. And a Crusader's rank is based upon his or her abilities.
Standard Ranks
Private: The backbone of the militia consists of the lowest ranked, least experienced, and least trained Crusaders. These individuals have been in the group no more than a few months and have seen little action. Once they've proved themselves with blood and sweat, they earn their promotions up the ranks. Casualties among the Devaki are lower now, with no major assaults enacted. But most casualties fall from this tier. There are on average about 75 Private-ranked Crusaders in the Devaki. (Average Combat Skills: Firearms 1, Martial Arts 1, Melee 1)
Corporal: The next rank involves those Devaki who proved themselves as Privates for at least three months and grow in skill. Next to Privates, they're the most numerous militiamen. There are approximately 50 standard Corporals in the Devaki. (Average Combat Skills: Firearms 2, Martial Arts 2, Melee 2)
Sergeant: To gain this rank, the individual must prove they are able-bodied squad leaders as well as skilled fighters. Most Sergeants are assigned the field command and drilling duties of their respective squads. There are about 25 standard Sergeants in the Devaki. (Average Combat Skills: Firearms 3, Martial Arts 3, Melee 3)
Lieutenant: This is the first rank in which the Crusader can draw a salary from the organization itself. This is because to earn an officer's rank, the Crusader must prove his devotion to the Devaki. He must be willing and able to spend all of his time (except assigned days off, naturally). In other words, the work of the Crusader replaces any mundane professions that the individual followed previously. Lieutenants command entire platoons of Crusaders. They must be able leaders, skilled fighters, and demonstrate above-average intellectual capacity. There are six platoons total, and therefore six standard Lieutenants in the Devaki. (Average Combat Skills: Firearms 3, Martial Arts 3, Melee 3, Military Science 1)
Captain: Like the Lieutenant, the Captains draw a salary and "work" full-time for the Devaki. These officers command entire companies of Devaki. Currently, there are only three companies, and therefore only three captains. In times of major conflict, such as the original assault on the Kindred, capable "guest" vampire hunters (such as shen from the Coalition) are awarded this rank temporarily. They must be highly professional individuals, strong and intelligent -- the best the Devaki have. (Average Combat Skills: Firearms 4, Martial Arts 4, Melee 4, Military Science 2)
Commander: The Commander of the entire Devaki organization oversees strategies, plans tactics, designs core training regimen, and enforces policy. There is only one Commander, and that is Zannin Choki (who is also a member of the Coalition of Little Asia).
Specialists
Dragoons: The Dragoons are a team of Crusaders who specialize in combat from the backs of motorcycles. Modern-day cavalry, the Dragoons specialize in waging blitzkrieg-style street warfare. Training is very arduous for this team, who must prove themselves physically primed at all times. It is very difficult to drive a motorcycle and discharge a submachine gun (accurately!) at the same time. In fact, although the Dragoons have been training for months, Commander Choki ruled that they aren't ready for action just yet. They have more training to go. The dozen Dragoons all have the rank of Corporal except their leader, ranked at Lieutenant.
Lancers: Lancers are normal Crusaders who choose to specialize in melee techniques. Every squad has one Lancer as a pillar of traditional warfare. Against vampires, a warrior skilled with spears, stakes, and torches is invaluable. And Lancers are the best of the best when it comes to this part of vampire-hunting. Of course, this is due to specialized focus during their training. Consequently, most Lancers don't carry many (if any) firearms into battle -- they'd more likely prove a danger to their teammates than their enemies with their inadequate firearm skill. Lancers otherwise rise in the ranks the same way other Crusaders do. If they choose to rise from Sergeant to Lieutenant, they lose their Lancer status. There are 25 Lancers in the Devaki.
Provocateurs: Whereas most Crusaders embark on pre-arranged missions or encounter vampires in standard patrol routes, Provocateurs seek out their enemies. In accordance with Devaki policy, Crusaders target vampires who expose their true nature first. It is the job of the Provocateur to observe and sometimes provoke vampires into exposing themselves. This job is usually executed solo. They visit any known haunt for vampires (especially places vampires go to hunt for blood), and spend many hours at night watching everyone they can for signs of vampirism. Identities are recorded as completely as possible, though mere descriptions of noted vampires is enough. Due to its extreme danger, Provocateurs are paid agents of the organization. Their ranks are equal to Sergeants, but they're given plenty of respect for the danger they put themselves in. They also receiving a great amount of espionage-like training, and are probably the closest thing to spies that the Devaki employs. There are only 3 Provocateurs at the moment.
Sappers: Whether they work together in small two or three-man teams, or act individually, Sappers are the executors of terror. They turn the tables of fear back on the Kindred by keeping them constantly on their toes. Sappers are skilled marksman and demolitions experts. They are trained in the tactics of terror, and deployed to set examples for the rest of the vampire community to see and remember. When a party of vampires are blown up, then have their heads cut off and rammed down on poles, which are then stuck in the Prince's backyard, that's the work of Devaki Sappers. Sappers also execute smokescreen strategies. To that end, they must be among the most loyal Devaki, for they must be willing to sacrifice their freedom at times.
For example, during the initial assault on Kindred, a team of Sappers robbed a bank in the city and held the bank personnel as hostages. The city's police force responded with a great effort, and between this crisis and the ongoing riots, there were almost no police powers around to interfere with the Crusaders' attacks on vampire havens. The Sapper team eventually surrendered (at the pre-planned moment). They are still in prison. (However, Nekoko intends to get them freed, and she is going through the process legally so far. Those Sappers might have been bank robbers even before they joined the Crusaders, but they were too loyal to simply cut loose.)
Sappers are not paid agents of the Devaki, and "work part-time" like normal Crusaders. They have the ranks of Corporal. There are currently nine Sappers in the Crusaders.
Stewards: Not everyone can fight. But just because a person is unable (or unwilling) to put themselves at risk, even for their families and friends, does not mean he is useless. So long as the person is as loyal as the next Crusader, he may member the Devaki. Stewards are positions of secretarial assistance. They manage the Devaki's weapons stock and finances. They oversee schedules. They do not have full-time, paid positions, nor do they hold any rank. However, they answer only to the authority of the Commander (or Nekoko). There are 5 Stewards (Stewardesses) in the Devaki.
Militia Organization
Although this is discussed above per rank, here is the breakdown quickly. The Devaki is organized in military-like units. The largest unit employed is the Company. Each Company includes roughly 50 men, and a Captain commands the unit. Originally every company held 75 Crusaders each, but the major assaults on vampire strongholds cost the Crusaders that many. The Devaki never fully recovered all their recruits after those losses (which were chalked up by authorities as victims of the race riots).
While the smaller units are not as established as the three core Companies, the Captains have named their respective Companies. Originally divided up simply by Alpha, Bravo, and Delta, the Captains gave their Companies bolder appellations. A-Company became the Morning Crows; B-Company took the name of Black Foxes, and D-Company declared itself the Scourges of Night (or the SONs). Alpha Company earned its name after a Sabbat attack on the warehouse headquarters -- A-Company was present that night, and held out against the undead until dawn. The Black Foxes were so named due to their penchant for digging up new communal havens of multiple vampires, smoking them out, and pouncing on the fleeing leeches like a fox mauling a chicken. And the SONs took their name for a common urban tactic of patrolling their assigned routes in specially-designed, lightly-armored pick-up trucks. They would roll up on the vampires, take them out with drive-by shootings, then haul their bodies off to the fairground pyres right away.
In each Company there are two Platoons. Platoons include about 25 men, and a Lieutenant commands this unit. In each Platoon, there are five Squads. Each Squad includes five Crusaders, one of which is a Lancer. A Sergeant leads every Squad.
There is a rumor that Nekoko intends to formulate other branches of the Devaki in other cities in America. If that does occur, every city's Devaki branch will be considered a Brigade. Regional lines will determine Divisions. Perhaps the Celestial Army the Shih once held will be reborn yet…
