Sheikah Cadre (Conquest)

The Sheikah are a playable faction in Hyrule Conquest.

History
Befitting a secretive cadre of assassins and manipulators, the origins of the Sheikah are shrouded in mystery. The likely origins of the Sheikah can be traced to Lord Kiro Muno of House Muno, a Hylian noble who lived during the rule of Bal Onkled. The last usurper King in Hylian history, Onkled launched a coup against King Berrymark Harkinian I in 2939 BG, ruling for nearly a century until his assassination by Muno in 2841 BG. By the following year, evidence of a cult or assassin guild connected to Muno had begun to emerge. Over the following centuries, this organization had begun to develop into a distinctive cultural, political, and ethnic entity within the Kingdom of Hyrule. It is widely believed they are largely responsible for maintaining the stability of the Kingdom throughout the Great Golden Age. Eliminating potential threats through assassination, political influence and wicked sorcery. Thus, it is likely the Royal Family and the realm at large was ultimately shaped by the actions of the Cadre. As the traits traditionally associated with Akkalan blood, crimson eyes and an innate magical power known as the  Blood of the Gods,  began to mysteriously diminish with the passing of time, the Sheikah began to become obsessed with preserving them, abducting and indoctrinating children who displayed Akkalan featured and beginning to inbreed with one another. Children born into the Cadre were subject to rigorous training in the various arts employed in their missions. Towards the end of the Great Golden Age, their mission to protect the Kingdom at all cost quickly sent them down an increasingly darker path. From assassinations and political intrigue to forbidden magic, torture, and other heretical acts. Seeking to understand and combat the dark forces plaguing Hyrule, the Sheikah established hidden reliquaries, dungeons, and temples across the Kingdom, collecting lost knowledge and forbidden artifacts.

By the Rise of Ganon, the Sheikah had developed into several distinct Clans living in the shadows of Hyrule. The largest and most powerful of the clans, the Necluda, continued to live as their own culture based out of the village of Kakariko in Eldin Province, centered in the Shadow Temple, which had become a vast prison and abattoir of the Sheikah's enemies. This nexus of suffering and madness unintentionally drew the hungry Druthulidi Dethl, which fed off the madness of the poor souls within, twisting them into undead abominations. Faced with a plague of hungry undead, the Sheikah simply sealed the Temple and all those within.

One of the Sheikah Clans, the Yiga, had grown power-hungry, and its leader, the powerful Mage known only as Bongo, secured a forbidden artifact known as the Eye of Truth. Secretly being influenced by Dethl through the artifact, Bongo slowly went mad, becoming obsessed with unsealing the Shadow Temple and unearthing its secrets. To achieve this Bongo allied in 1 BG with the invading Moblin king, Ganon. The two breached the Temple, cleansing it of its undead inhabitants and seemingly slaying the strange demonic entity at its heart - unknown to Ganon, this was exactly Dethl's plan, and it possessed Bongo, escaping into Hyrule. Bongo continued to aid its Moblin allies, orchestrating a curse upon the Gerudo and the successful invasion of Hyrule Prime and slaying of King Sil Rhoam Bospharamus and his son by the allied Blins, Yiga, and Darknut Legion. Upon learning the Triforce was hidden at Hylia Marine, Dethl misled Ganon into seeking it at Death Mountain, while leading its Yiga forces south to secure the Triforce. However, its plot was foiled by the arrival of rogue armies of Gerudo and criminal Fairies, also seeking to claim the Triforce. Caught in a three way conflict, the Yiga and their foes were all defeated by a Hylian-Zora army, and the survivors were hurled into the Mirror of Twilight for their crimes. For her treason against the Sheikah, Bongo was beheaded and her body dumped in Kakariko's well. Unknown to the Sheikah, Dethl remaining possessing the corpse, and in the darkness of the well's Dethl, twisted it into a hideous new form- Bongo-Bongo.

Seven Clans
The Cadre are currently composed of Seven Clans. Throughout history there were many more, and indeed there may be additional clans that have long since departed Hyrule. Each clan operates much like an independent state with oversight from the Cadre council. They provide resources through tribute, as well as spies, information, and soldiers. The Sheikah Cadre's military is small but highly disciplined and skilled, due in part to the long lifespan of their people. It is usually segmented and broken between each clan, but multiple clans will form combined armies when directed by the Cadre.

Civilian

 * Shadowfolk

Standard

 * Trainee
 * Protector
 * Hawkeye
 * Spy
 * Brigadoon
 * Needler
 * Smoke Screener
 * Saboteur
 * Assassin
 * Blademaster
 * Ghoul Rat
 * Crowling
 * Wallmaster
 * Floormaster
 * Moa
 * Devoured

Hero Units

 * Dead Hand
 * Demon Carver
 * Executioner
 * Nirvata Monk

Heroes

 * Impa
 * Sheik
 * Paya
 * Purah
 * Maz Koshia
 * Kohga

Titan

 * Bongo-Bongo

Trivia

 * The Sheikah Cadre's original symbol was a red Akkalan eye that served as the Crest of House Muno, After the attempted coup by Agahnim, the Sheikah added a single red tear emerging from it, representing the death and sorrow from the betrayal.