SMERSH
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What is Smersh?[edit]
SMERt' SHpionam ("Death to Spies") in Amanian. SMERSH is the secret Assassination, Counter-Espionage, and Terrorism department of the Church of Liberty (also known as the SICKLE). Smersh is an organization that was created to destroy the enemies of the Free Republic of Amania without drawing the same amount of attention as the Reign of Terror did when thousands were openly sent to the guillotine.
Ironically, Smersh's power is on the decline in Amania and this has not made many of the people involved in the organization very happy. Recognizing the failing economic system of the Free Republic, the Free Council (Or Politiburo), has been attempting to soften relations with the surrounding nations and create a detente. Smersh, due to its incredible influence, has been attempting to disrupt this peace process whenever possible.
The History of SMERSH[edit]
Smersh was founded by the sinister Strauss D'Vork (Male Human Rogue 11/Fighter 3), a brutal general who holds a position on the Free Council as the leader of the Alchemist Mages. Strauss, unlike his fellows, sees no reason to continue treating the surrounding nations with the attitude of conciliation that they are. Instead, he advocates bold military aggression and conquest as a means to solve Amania's economic woes.
This attitude proved unpopular with the Politburo and he realized he had to soften his stance if he was to keep his position. To that end, he had the Church of Liberty's head assassinated and replaced with a Homonculus that he proceeded to use in order to foster a department for the purposes of covert warfare. As far as the Free Council is concerned, Smersh is just a minor department devoted to catching spies and eliminating defectors.
The truth is, it is so much more.
Recognizing that the Church of Liberty was a hated institution that no one paid attention to, Strauss envisions SMERSH to be the start of a massive new Secret Police that will eventually replace its failing and pathetic opposite number. Smersh is building a network of spies and sympathizers throughout Winterweir in hopes of eventually overthrowing their nemeses. He does not even limit his recruitment to Amanians but anyone who will swear allegiance to the red gold of the nation.
SMERSH has already started reaping some serious successes in its subversive activities, being the ones who captured Winterweir Admiral Daelin D'Winterweir (LG/LN Male Ex-Paladin 11/Fighter 3) and brainwashed him into becoming an Anti-Amanian fanatic. Using his piratical activities against them to justify a war, it is they who began the current conflict against Winterweir. They are also responsible for starting the Civil War currently racking Tythan.
Resources of Smersh[edit]
As a high ranking elite unit within the Church of Liberty, Smersh answers only to the Politburo and sidesteps the heirarchy of the Church completely. Its members, in fact, treat the Church of Liberty's regular intelligence branches with contempt and have even been known to "flag" them in the field. Ironically, this actually makes them popular with the rank and file troopers who consider the group to be genuine patriots as opposed to the Church.
SMERSH can draw on the entire army's resources of Amania if they have to and often tend to take over any military operations that they become part of. While higher ranking, the officers of the Army tend to be afraid of Smersh operatives due to their closer ties with high command. Smersh tends to prefer smaller groups of soldiers than all out attack, however.
Smersh also has a vast collection of well trained killers on hand. The devotion to the State is so strong in some SMERSH operatives that they have been known to produce Blackguards (and more rarely; Paladins). They also employ freelancers without problem. As such Winterweir has been largely bamboozled in the intelligence areena.
Idealogy[edit]
Smersh exists to promote the spread of Freedomism across the world, at any cost. They identify this with Amanian military control and are utterly ruthless in this respect. The deaths of thousands are but a small price to pay to achieve world equality. Smersh's operatives are not all psychopaths and some are quite noble but Strauss D'Vork has encouaged the worst elements to rise to the top.
