Aestas: “Golden Sword Company”
Company of the Golden Sword
Founded 27 years ago during one of the many conflicts in and around Halleck, this Company traditionally has been lead by the wielder of the Golden Sword, which Captain Rydaris has had for the last ten years. The Golden Sword is uninspiring as a combat weapon, as it really is more of a golden club with a sword hilt, but it is enchanted to use flashes of light and Great Voice / Sound enchantments to help a commander give orders on the field.
Currently, the Company has one unit of about 20 pikemen (who fight as spearmen when not in tight formation), two units of 20 spearmen, two units of 20 crossbowmen and archers, one unit of 20 heavy hitting skirmishers, a 4 man artillery / musketeer unit, and a 17 man spearman training unit of mostly fresh recruits, and some 16 officers, for a total of 157 men. In addition, another 82 people travel with the company as hirelings or camp followers, many of which are related to the troops.
Between the Company and the followers there are 18 wagons and 10 carts for the hauling of supplies and people. Most of the troops walk when traveling, as do many of the camp followers, but most keep their packs on a wagon or cart. The Skirmishers all have horses, so they are used as scouts when traveling. Everyone sleeps in tents when in the field.
The Company issues tabards with the Golden Sword emblem on a field of green and knee high brown boots as a uniform, and cloth armbands with the same device can be purchased from Black Pearl as a more casual way of being in uniform for a small fee. Most new recruits are issued a pothelm (DR4 skull, DR 4/2 back of neck, 2.65 lbs.), heavy leather hauberk (DR3 torso, groin and upper limbs, 15 lbs.), leather bracers (DR3 lower arms, 1.7 lbs.) and heavy leather knee high boots (DR3 feet and lower legs, 6.1 lbs.), gloves, a shield, a cheap large knife, a pack and a bedroll if they are destitute enough to need them, besides the main weapon of their specialty: pike, spear or crossbow. Most troops bring their own weapons and armor, or aquire them as a share or as a purchase if opportunity allows. The Skirmishers have wide leeway in their weapons, while the pike and spear units are more limited.
Officers:
Captain Alberico Rydaris (Gemiri male, 55 years old)
Wielder of the Golden Sword, a weapon enchanted to help him give orders as opposed to fight, Captain Rydaris is the third man to be Captain of the Company. His actual combat skills have regressesed since taking command, but he is a talent leader and tactician, with a particular knack for evaluating and hiring talent (Head hunter Perk) as well as for finding work. He is an avid reader, and can pass as a scholar with the help of a magical scroll which magically copies and stores numerous tomes on various subjects that he and other previous owners have had. Personally he is a likeable man who is an easy friend and people person, but those who know him well realize that he does not form deep friendships as so to easily order his troops into danger.
Company Marshal Tullis Mycennius (Keller male, 42 years old)
As the company’s second in command, he maintains the company’s readyness and training. In doing this, he operates as a very mean and brutal man when among new recruits, but respectfully stern among those who has passed his training. However, once he gets some booze in him, he looses his spit and polish demeanor and becomes the life of the party. He has been spending some extra time training Black Pearls twin sons, Erroll and Fairbank, above and beyond most recruits, leading many to speculate that he might be their father.
Lieutenant Primus Desmond Halle (Keller male, 35 years old)
Commands Center Spear. As the Third in command, Halle personally leads the Pikemen Unit in battle. Center spear will trade out pikes for spears when the situation warrants it. Halle was a sergeant in the Keller Army, and since he had no connections to work for promotion higher, left it for the mercenary life. He and Mycennius seem cut from the same mold when on duty, but unlike Mycennius, Halle never seems to be off duty. He also keeps his hair close cropped and his uniforms crisp and clean. While his men do tease him a bit on his uptightness, he takes it all in stride - cool and proffesional.
Lieutenant Jasno Tornescu (Anajastrosian male, 27 years old)
Commands Right Spear.
Lieutenant Tadda Volken (Noladen male, 36 years old)
Commands Left Spear.
Lieutenant Lydia Orayo (Alastin Female, 34 years old)
Commands the Skirmishers. A tougher woman than her frame belies, she fights with sword and shield after she throws her spear. She keeps her head in a fight, and every move is graceful rather than savage. She has augmented her skills by training in some of the Nonadir martial arts, all learned from Illuvata, which has surprised opponets. When not on duty, she enjoys cooking, mixing up styles that she has picked up on the road, such as curry stroganov or bacon wrapped shishkabobs.
Lieutenant Esmerelda Estallablanc (Mismallian female, 28 years old)
Commands Right Crossbow.
Lieutenant Guntarje Kha’Leverini (Sannathi male, 38 years old)
Commands Left Crossbow.
Lieutenant Clarice Hawkell (Noladen Female, 37 years old)
Commands New Recruit Spear. This 18 year veteran of the Company came in as “a slip of a girl with barely the skill to lift a knife,” something she reminds the green new recruits often. She often acts as a “wet-nurse” for these green recruits, often in a “good officer / bad officer” duo with Mycennius. She has servered in just about every unit in the Company at one time or another - Spear, Pike, Skirmisher, Crossbow, even in a Seige tower unit once 13 years ago. This experience plus the time with the newbies gives her the ability to know just about eveyone in the Company and their “Story.”
Sergeant Tolktar Illuvata (Nonadir male, 31 years old)
Center Spear Sergeant. Some consider him the best warrior of the company, and while not as good with the spear as Jacque Andre de Guima, he is certainly more diverse. Tolktar’s favorate weapon is his La’yat, a hand pickaxe with a length of chain concealed in the handle - not as famous as the Yanoshi/Nonadir Urum, but far more common. The La’yat is used either as an axe, a pick, a kusari, or as a comination weapon like a kama-gusari - it has even been used as a short chain rope and grappling hook. Tolktar also is a dancer, of strange moves, often starting and finishing his days with a dance with no music save his occational yell.
Sergeant Elabin Escobar (Keller male, 32 years old)
Right Spear Sergeant.
Sergeant Jacque Andre de Guima (Mismallian male, 34 years old)
Left Spear Sergeant. Most consider him the best warrior of the company, as he can do things with a spear that are simply amazing.
Sergeant Remille LeGann (Gemiri male, 28 years old)
Right Crossbow Sergeant. Remille is a small, wiry man with surprising strength. He is a crossbowman with the company, one of many. Remille hates both gunners and knights for his own personal reasons, and will aim at them in preference to other targets. Remille is irreligious, and delights in provoking debates and arguments between the various people of faith in the company, and then stepping aside to watch the fireworks. He fancies himself the smartest man in the company, but concedes that Suran is fairly bright for a Keller. Suran tolerates him because Remille has been across the Twilight belt, and has the tattoos and tales to prove it.
Sergeant Primus Tolbert Wyliesius (Keller male, 48 years old)
Left Crossbow Sergeant. This grizziled veteran warrior is the last still active merc to have served at the Company’s founding, and he served in the Keller Imperial Legion for 4 years before he joined the Golden Sword. Wyliesius is still competent as a melee fighter, and is an excellent shot with a crossbow, but his real value is his experience. He has fought against war beasts, Nonadir mercs, orc hordes and even a dragon (to a draw, it didn’t stay to fight to the end). He has survived forced marches, harsh winters, swealtering summers and poor harvests. When the unexpected happens, he usually knows a good way to handle it - such as teaching the newer mercs about “firecakes” to help them survive the harsh winter on a flour ration. Off duty, he is quick to joke around, and is skilled at turning the men’s grumblings into useful actions or stress reducing entertainments. When some men engage in some recreational contest, such as a race or wrestling match, you can bet he is the ringleader.
Sergeant Uthmar Cargiff, Master Gunner (Silverwater Keller male, 32 years old)
Artillery / Musket Sergeant. Uthmar is a native of Silverwater, in charge of the single piece of artillery owned by the mercenary company, as well as a couple of Musketeers. The small bronze field gun has a crew of three, which includes Uthmar and two “gunmonkeys” who have worked for the company for a couple of years. He is responsible for transporting, maintaining and firing the gun, which is only occasionally useful but can be terribly intimidating. When not needed elsewhere, Festus assists with the gun crew, since he can re-lay the gun in a fraction of the time that the gunmonkeys can. On one occasion, Festus was able to use the gun as a musket to everyone’s amazement. Festus recovered after a few days.
Mercenaries:
“Old Man” Creedy (Pine Marcher male, believed to be at least 70 years old)
Spearman in Right Spear. Oldest merc in the company, but with a past and real name no one knows about. This man is very intimidating just by looks alone, as with his aged visage and unblinking stare it has been rumored that Creedy is actually some sort of undead. Father Opedron has secretly tested creedy on this, and just says that if he is undead, then there is nothing he can do about Creedy. Creedy is a quiet force of nature, he rarely speaks, but spends his spare time just watching people.
Dame Cisera Rufia, Knight of Rokheas (Keller Female, 27 years old)
Skirmisher and War Priestess. Dame Rufia came into the Company after a battle where she lost the rest of her lance, and had her weapons, armor and horses taken as spoils of war. She chose the Company since it received her prized stallion “Thunder,” and her heirloom sword as part of the loot, which were returned to her in exchange for reduced pay during the next 5 years of service. She is just starting her forth, and she hopes to save enough money to rebuild her lance when the term in up. To this end, she never gambles, never spends money for something she doesn’t need, and never wastes an opportunity for money. As a knight, her council is respected during the officer meetings, and her field experience and education as a minor lord and as a priestess of Rokheas has proven valuable over the years.
Rushkan Zawaideh (Pershamon male, 29 years old)
Crossbowman of Left Crossbow. Rushkan is a tall, long-haired Pershamon man who wears garish clothing when not in armor. He is a member of a minority group from the southern part of the Pershamon Empire, and claims to be a famous rebel leader. More likely he is simply a bandit or escaped slave. Rushkan speaks both Pershamon and Keller fluently, but with a thick accent for both sorts of listeners. He fights with a powerful, but non-magical composite bow quite different from the standard crossbows and longbows used by most of the company archers. Rushkan is a braggart and an inveterate liar, but he knows any number of colorful insults and is a very accurate shot. Rushkan and Suran are drinking buddies - Rushkan is attempting to teach Persha to Suran, and to bilk him out of the fortune that Rushkan assumes that Suran is heir to.
Thad Culaine (Halleck male, 26 years old)
Spearman of Center Spear. Thad Culaine is a very typical Halleck mercenary; religious, pugnacious, and brave. Like many of his countrymen, he entered the mercenary life seeking fortune and adventure. So far, he has only recieved wounds and a moderate wage for his efforts. Thad is not especially bright, but he is good at staying in formation and following orders. Thad is part of the company’s small pike block, labeled Center Spear, who wear heavy armor and use pikes to deal with cavalry and monstrous opponents. He has ambitions of becoming a sergeant, and leading his own ten-man unit of pikemen. Thad Culaine has no close ties to Suran, but is grateful for the mage’s support - for his part, Suran would like to see Thad get his promotion if the company ever expands.
Gorbin (Durham half-orc male, 33 years old)
Spearman of Right Spear. Gorbin is one of the many spearmen in the company. He is not exceptional in any way, being a solid, experienced soldier with years of campaign under his belt. He is noteworthy mainly for being one of the few half-orcs in the company. He and Festus share some common experiences, since they both inhabit a strange world stuck between human and orcish society. Gorbin is a much more proficient gambler than Festus, who continually loses to Gorbin in various dice gambling games. Unlike some others, Gorbin is not intimidated by Festus, who respects him for this fact.
Stalysta Derost (Alastan female, 34 years old)
Skirmisher. One of the company “skirmishers” , Stalysta is a stoutly built, muscular woman with short hair and a dour facial expression. She is a skilled fighter and rider; she carries a distinctive weapon mix, including a flail and a musket. Stalysta is somewhat ill-tempered, and not well liked by most of the soldiers in the company. She returns the sentiment, being somewhat contemptuous of the line fighters… oddly, she gets along adequately well with most other skirmishers. Stalysta is most infamous in the company for being an occasional bed-partner to Festus Ogre, provided inclination, opportunity, and sufficient drink. None dare tease her about it, for fear of either Festus or Stalysta’s reactions - she has killed in duels before.
Ilyana “Yana” Fran (Alastin Half-Orc female, 23 years old)
Spearwoman of Center Spear. Yana is a 6′4 ethnic Alastin half-orc from a large family of horse breeders in the Pojoinnen Province. Her orc heritage is not readily apparent in her apperance since it comes from her great-great-grandfather, but seems to come out when she fights, drinks or swears (often). A veteran of two years with the Company, having joined with Marietta and Yuri in the Winter of 723. She treats Yuri as a sheild-brother and Marietta as one of her younger sisters. Primarily, she is a line fighter: give her a spear, shield and something to fight, and she is happy. She is a good horsewoman, and knows her horse flesh. In her time off, she’s usually itching for some manner of excitement, and has been the initiator of many good-natured brawls. She drinks like a dwarf, swears like a Gemric sailor, and fights like a full blooded orc. She and Yuri have an “on-again/off-again” bed warming relationship when in the feild on cold nights.
Theon Farmark (Templehoff Keller male, 54 years old)
Spearman of Left Spear. This grizzled veteran with 36 years of mercenary experience is noteworthy for owning his own wagon and for keeping a menagre of animals: draft oxen, goats, a horse, some chickens and several well trained dogs. Any merc of the company can, for a small fee, get a fresh egg or goat milk. Meat is a larger fee. The Company rents extra space in Theon’s wagon as needed, so Theon always has money. His dogs also help out with the watches and keep his herd safe. Theon is an accomplished warrior and decent tactician, having served in 4 merc companys before this one, with the last one being Mischa’s Marauders five years back. Theon knows more about Yuri than anyone else, having served with him in the past. He keeps this knowledge to himself mostly, but occationally shows considerable insight into Yuri’s personality.
Erroll and Fairbank Pearl (Keller/Montoc males, 16 years old)
Spearmen of Right Spear. These fraternal twins are the youngest of the new recruits into the Company, and sons to Black Pearl. They mostly do as they are told, and think that they will take the Company by storm, as some have heard Fairbank speak of what he’ll do when he’s Captain. Erroll is the quiet one, and is stronger than Fairbank, but Fairbank seems to be the dominate brother personality-wise, and is picking up his training faster - more from better reflexes and an outgoing personality than intellect. Lt. Jasno has them on the line with Old Man Creedy between them and Gorbin next to them to keep them out of as much trouble as possible.
“No Nut” Nydal Vandergriff (Keller male, 26 years old)
Spearman of Center Spear. Infamous among the Company for making unwanted advances upon Marietta Cormyr a year and a half ago. He is now half the man he once was, having matured greatly from the hazing of his fellows, a painful recovery from his wound (made worse from the women healers who forgot the pain medications), a drumming down from Mycennius, and personal threats from half a dozen hardened killers that he will not live another day if he ever did something like that again. He did not lose his testicles, despite his moniker given to him by Brandon, but it took a while before he could walk. To most in the Company, since he did eventually owned up and apologized - and changed his previous lecherous behaviors - he is accepted as a member of good standing.
Brandon Heldersson (Noladen male, 31 years old)
Skirmisher and Bard. He has been riding with the company for four years, recording the Company’s deeds in Song when not fighting as a skirmisher or working as a scout. In his off time he often works as an unoffical recruiter for the Company. To Yuri’s chagrin, Brandon usually sings th modern stories, and “The Tale of No Nut Nydal” is beginning to get old, but when Yuri and Brandon are alone, they pull out and share the old stories
Roma Beornsdotter (Halleck Female, 27 years old)
Spearwoman of Left Spear. Roma is a solid warrior who has proven herself in many battles, and her ability to keep her head in a crisis has attracted the attention of the officers, so she has been receiving some extra training for command. She eschews all advances made by any man, and openly favors female companionship. She, strangely enough, doesn’t take no for an answer when she makes a pass at whichever woman happens to catch her fancy, and she enjoys a good game of “hard to get.” Up front, she will tell you that she doesn’t understand most women, so any attempts by other men to gain insight into the female mind from her is pointless. She is stronger than most men of the Company, and takes insult to anyone who thinks she can’t do her fair share, especially from the other mercs whom she has saves over the years.
Ferris “Joker” Venetti (Gemri Male, 31 years old)
Crossbowman of Right Crossbow. Formerly a Gemri cloth merchant, Ferris joined the Company when his family hit on some bad times, including bankruptcy, scandals and divorce. He hopes to gain some start up money, and gambles at every chance he can in hopes of hitting it big. Naturally, this unlucky fellow loses more than he wins, and the more experienced mercs know that Joker will be a merc until he dies. He earned the nom de guerre “Joker” for his jovality in the face of utter ruin, usually at the card table. Fortunately for Joker, this unluckiness hasn’t manifested in battle, as he is a good shot with a crossbow, a decent fencer and hasn’t been wounded beyond scratches, nicks and minor bruises yet, a remarkable feat for a merc of even a few years experience.
Haley Rembrandt (Keller decent Niemi Female, 21 years old)
Skirmisher. Cast from a same mold as lucky, Haley is a flirtatous young woman with a certain fickleness to her. With her pixie cut red hair, small frame, freckles and lively brown eyes she is just as attractive as Lucky, which creates an interesting love/hate relasionship between the two, where one day they are the best of friends, then the next they don’t want to have anything to do with each other. She is an avid gambler, but still is too inexperienced to be consistently good at it, yet she has recently won a flintlock pistol from a game, and has been keen on firearms since.
Judd Whittier (Templhoffian Male, 30 years old)
Spearman of Left Spear. Judd is a solid warrior, but he has had just about enough of it. When off duty, he has been spending time helping his parents with their trade, and looks to take it over someday soon. He has saved his money, and is looking for a wife.
Marshall Whittier (Templhoffian Male, 26 years old)
Spearman of Left Spear. Unlike his older brother, Marshall wants nothing to do with crafts, and enjoys the excitement of combat, often sparring with his sergeant to become better. He lives as a hedonist, and he keeps a belt pouch with momentos of every place he has been to, and every woman he has slept with.
Warren Whittier (Templhoffian Male, 19 years old)
Crossbowman of Right Crossbow. Artistically gifted, Warren spends his off duty time with his parents working special designs into his leathercrafts, or he is drawing and sketching. He has a fine eye for detail and makes a decent shot with his crossbow. He fights with a pickhammer if forced into melee.
Donel Ith’Bara (Keller male, 22 years old)
Spearman of Right Spear. The illegitamate son of a March Lord and a Durham prostitute, Donel has pretensions of greatness, as he favors fine wines and all things fancy and elegant. He tries to live as the son of a Lord that he thinks he should be, and is annoyed when he is treated as the son of a whore that he is (he is often annoyed). Despite his dainty demeanor, he is a solid warrior with spear, sword, rapier and sling, all learned since he joined the Company at age 14 (he matured early in life). Donel has a very good repoire with the prostitutes among the camp followers, and has let it be known that they are under his protection, not as their pimp, but more as a friend.
Garreth Cole (Keller Male, 24 years old)
Training Spear. While somewhat green, from the Company’s perspective (he has only been with the company for a couple of months), Cole is a veteran of 6 years as a pikeman in the Imperial Keller Army. While he is part of the training Spear unit, he does train with the Center Spear Pikemen, and likely will be one of them soon. He has mostly worked out the kinks of spear combat verus the pike, and right now is looking for his place in the Company. He enjoys the lighter dicipline of the Mercenary life, even growing his hair long, and he often comments on the differences, particularly when off duty and conversing with older vets and other mercs with similar experience.
Camp Followers and Non-Combatants:
Company Quartermaster Zus Lievber Zwick (Halleck/Gemiri male, 27 years old)
Company Quartermaster. A failed caravan merchant, Zus has translated his skills into the comany quartermaster rather successfully. He and his assistants keep the company’s supplies secure, stocked and read to issue upon command. He also serves as the link between the company officers and the civilian hirelings and camp followers. Zus has learned from his failed merchant past (primarliy that he does not have the knack for sells), and now operates more as an administrator, relying upon the merchant skills of his assistants and go-betweens. He does have a knack for solving logistical problems in the field and for keeping track of a thousand things at once. Off duty, he is an avid gambler - good enought to give what he gets, and is a superb pan-pipes player.
Jeoff Whittier (Templehoffian Male, 22 years old)
Company Assistant Quartermaster. Jeoff is a small framed young man with the body of a scribe, yet has a knack for scrounging, haggling and deal-making to come up with just what the Company or merc needs. Just about everyone owes him a favor, and many officers - including Captain Rydaris - owe him more than a few. He also has a knack for animals, and uses his empathy with many of the Company’s horses, mules, oxen and dogs, plus any captured or looted farm animals. Jeoff also has the best ears of the Company, often hearing things before anyone else. His entire family works as camp followers or mercs in the Company, including his parents and three brothers (all Whittiers).
“Chaplain” Father Lumenos Opedron (Keller male, 44 years old)
Father Opedron is technically a camp follower, as he is a defrocked priest of the Keller pantheon (specifically Aurintuli) rather than official clergy. On the other hand, he is knowledgeable and remains capable of dealing with the religious concerns of the common soldiers. He travels on a mule, carrying his belongings on a second mule, setting up his chapel whenever the company halts march for the night. He has served in the past as a medical assistant, as he has some minor chirurgeon skills. Father Opedron has no supernatural abilities beyond being a good listener. Unlike many priests of the Keller Pantheon, Father Opedron abstains from nothing… he is a heavy drinker and occasional patron of the other camp followers.
Alexa “Mom” Davalos (Jastrosian female, 43 years old)
Hedge mage and healer, camp follower. Alexa’s husband is a crossbowman in Left Crossbow, and she supplements the family’s income by using her on the job training as a healer and hedgemage. He has the calm charm and experience of an older woman in her dealings, and she is easily the most popular woman of the company, as many of the troops look to her as a surrogate mom.
Dougall Kolesar (Keller male, 38 years old)
Suran’s Wagon Driver - A blonde haired Keller man in his 30’s, Dougall tends to Suran’s wagon and personal kit when on campaign. Dougall is a quiet but friendly man with a distinctively low voice. He is best known in the company for his outward piety towards the Keller pantheon, especially towards the sun god, Aurintuli. Dougall has stated in the past that he sees service to a fire mage as a way to display devotion to Aurintuli, allowing him to put up with Suran’s various blasphemies and peculiarities. Dougall has a penchant for smoking various exotic herbs grown mainly in the Pershamon Empire, and he tends to do this in private, as though ashamed of it. Suran suspects that Dougall has some secrets; his piety and faith might be an act, and he occasionally makes some very cynical observations about Keller culture. Nevertheless, since the man keeps things running smoothly, Suran sees it as nobody’s business but Dougall’s.
Black Pearl (Montoc female, 40 years old)
Camp Follower, Sutler and Fortune-teller - Black Pearl is the name of a woman in early middle age who has been an unofficial part of the company for years. Once simply a prostitute, Black Pearl has since expanded her business to include sutlery and fortune-telling, which she seems to have some knack for. Black Pearl is still an attractive woman in her way, but the camp life is a hard one, and it is rare that she provides entertainment for any but her longest term customers. Black Pearl has two teenage sons, Erroll and Fairbank, who are the newest members of the spear line. They have yet to see battle, and both are anxious to prove themselves. Black Pearl knows who their father is, but hasn’t said anything to anyone. For the record, it isn’t Suran, who finds Black Pearl a “fascinating conversationalist”. Black Pearl’s Sutler work primarily falls under the cloth and clothing products, and she maintains a network of the seanstresses among the Camp followers to keep the business running.
Kiumar Krutzmeyer (Mismallon male, 52 years old)
Wagoneer - Krutzmeyer serves as Festus’ “crew chief”, driving the wagon that often also carries Festus when on the march, preparing the rather large meals for Festus, and looking after Festus’ belongings and gear besides his normal cargo. Krutzmeyer is a native of Mismallon who served briefly in the Keller Imperial Army. He is a large, strong old man (Hamish’s father from Braveheart), unfazed by most things in life thanks to things he has seen and done. It is rumored that he is part Orcish, and that Festus and Krutzmeyer may be somehow related. They aren’t related as far as either one knows, but Festus calls him “uncle” out of habit.
Marietta Cormyr (Pershamon/Moon Shoals Keller Female, 19 years old)
Company Cartographer and Scribe, assisstant to the Quartermaster. Marrietta met and befriended Yuri and Ilyana in the Spring of 723, and having nothing better to do she joined the Company in in winter of that same year with her friends. She is a well educated young woman who ran away from her home and noble family in Moon Shoals to avoid a pre-arranged marriage. As her mother was Pershamon, she speaks both languages fluently, and she writes with a graceful hand that is the envy of many scribes. Often when she speaks with Yuri, the conversation mixes both Keller and Pershamon. Marieta can be a bit flightly, a fall back to the way she was raised, and consistently pursues anything she considers elegant and fashionable. She is well read, and is knowledgeable in literature and theology, and she shares her stories with Yuri. In the past two years she has made excellent progress and does not complain as much on the workload. But she isn’t a wilting flower, however, as “No Nut Nydal” has learned when he tried to take advantage of her when her friends were away - Pershamon women know more than just how to hide a knife. Marietta will chose whom she will be with, and so far no one in the Company has impressed her in that way.
Gretel Danis (Keller Female, 24 years old)
Seamstress and Apothocary, camp follower - Gretel is a 24 yr. old seamstress from the Old Provices in the Keller Empire, and also a young widow. She stays with the company since she has no other family other than her daughter Yvonne (13 months). Yuri befriended her after her husband’s death since he was the last to see her husband alive. Besides her considerable sewing knowledge, she dabbles in alchemy and hedge magic as Alexa’s apprentice. She makes her money as a tailor for the troops and through the sale of her healing salves, chili spice packets and love potions to those in the Company as well as the passerby. Whether the love potions work is anybody’s guess. Yuri checks up on her every now and then.
Gren “Bandit” Tarly (Templehoffian Male, 10 years old)
Orphan Company Messager and errand boy. His parents were both spears who died in earlier campaigns (mother in battle, father to disease), “Bandit,” as he has become known, has grown up faster than he should - often putting up a tough front and liking those adults who don’t treat him as a kid (only a few do). He survives by running messages and doing errends for people in the Company for a nominal sum or a meal, a job that has him interacting with, and overhearing the conversations of just about everyone in the Company, and he is willing to pass this information on, for a nominal fee (explaining his moniker “Bandit”).
Marcos Whitter (Templehoffian Male, 55 years old)
Camp Follower, Cobbler and Leatherworker. For the past 13 years, Marcos has been under contract with the Company to provide the standard issue leather armor, bracers, greaves and boots. He also makes custom belts, scabbards, brigadine armors and other leather items at extra expense. He makes a special scale leather armor, where scales of hardened leather is attached to a more supple leather backing, which allows for better field repairs as he makes extra scales in his spare time to replace damaged ones.
Adelle Whitter (Templehoffian Female, 52 years old)
Camp Follower, Leatherworker, Seamstress and Tanner. Adelle grew up in a Tanner family, and brought those skills into her marriage to a leatherworker. She does most of the tanning, if required, and much of the sewing. She has been working upon her sons to leave the mrec life and join them in the business.
Julian Fett (Keller Male, 33 years old)
Camp Follower, Whitter Family Teamster and Apprentice Leatherworker. This former Crossbowman of the Company joined the Whittier’s business 3 years ago when he lost an eye in a past campaign. He never managed to pick up the hang of shooting a crossbow again, and he does not have the skill with a spear or sheild, but is still a fair swordsman with his short sword. He now works as a teamster, animal handler and apprentice tanner and leatherworker.
Simon Nuovre (Gemri Male, 49 years old)
Camp Follower, Sutler. This Gemri businessman was associated with many merchant guilds, but has become a camp follower for reasons he doesn’t mention. He still has the old contacts, so he is the Company’s major Sutler, employing five others. He covers most everything the Company needs in used supplus, save clothing and alcohol. Well educated, he knows multiple languages and the customs of many lands, and he assists the Quartermaster with inventory and logistics issues. He also operates a service akin to a mobile pawn shop, and through this and with his shadier contacts, makes an excellent fence.
Brock (Keller male, 16 years old)
Camp Follower, Employee of Simon and Teamster. Born in the Pojoinnen area of the Keller Empire, he was orphaned early from a plague. At age 8 he was apprenticed to Simon, and has picked up considerable Merchant skill on his own. He watches over the business when Simon is away, and otherwise handles the non-business day-to-day affairs. Brock, who doen’t know his surname, has no desire to become a merc.
Carl Hydenus (Keller Male, 15 years old)
Camp Follower, Employee of Simon and Teamster. Unlike Brock, Carl is brawn over brains. He was apprenticed to Simon when his family could no longer afford to keep him, and while he follows orders well, his heart is upon becoming a might warrior. Althogh a bit old to work as a runner, he still does so to be with the mercs, and has learned much about the fighting life from it. He has saved up enough money to own his own spear and large knife, and uses his large 6′4 frame as a deterrent to potiential thieves.
Jaime Mannan (Keller Male, 12 years old)
Camp Follower, Employee of Simon and Teamster. The son of one of the prostitutes, Jaime has been apprenticed to Simon for two years. He works as a gopher, messenger and paige when not studing, and is skilled enough to be a teamster on dry mostly level ground.
Klegg Shortsmith (Dwarven Male, 139 years old)
Camp Follower, Employee of Simon and Shortsmith-Tinkerer. Managing a small anvil and bellows, Klegg is able to work small fixes or forge small metal items, the largest being a horseshoe or a knife. He is a competent Horseman, Packer and Teamster, for a dwarf, who has a fair bit of knowledge upon plants, particularly what is good for forage or medicine. He is one of the Eb’knomen, dwarves who’ve lost their Kingdom long ago and live as refuges, wanderers and surface dwellers in other Dwarven Kingdoms.
Lenore (Uthman Half-Elf Female, 69 years old)
Camp Follower, Employee of Simon and Sage. Although this truly exotic and attractive looking woman does not speak any known languages to the Keller Lands, she acts as if she understands them, and converses back in her strange tounge, even pausing for responses and nodding when appropriate, which is disconcerting until one gets used to it. Simon seems to understands her, and relies upon her expertise upon certain rare or magical goods, or for keeping a mental inventory of Simon’s goods.
Barney Helfnjornson (Noladen Male, 58 years old)
Camp Follower, Brewer and Propietor of the “Mug Wagon.” An apprentice Brewer growing up in Southern Metropole on the Coast. Twenty-four years ago he purchased a wagon and team, and started his “Mug Wagon,” a mobile brewery and bar. After a couple of incidents with bandits early on, he has spent the rest of his time working with mobile mercenary companys, being with The Golden Sword for the past 6 years. Mecenaries generally do a good job of protecting their booze, so his business has improved. He now has two wagon teams, one is a modified wagon with pull-down side panels which form seats and a bar on each side, and another wagon for extra stock and the stills for brewing a cheep beer, decent ale and strangely enough, a good meade when they are not on the move. He is aided by his son Makar in the business, and hires extra security from some of the mercs for a little extra spirits. He often is too busy to have many hobbies, but he has collected a series of “Rules of Engagment” (i.e. 50+ rules to live by, or risk death) picked up from the last 20+ years of following mercenaries.
Makar Helfnjordson (Noladen Half-Orc, 18 years old)
Camp Follower, Bouncer and Bartender of the “Mug Wagon.” Barney’s son with a half-orc prostitute, he took his son on as an apprentice when he was really young. Makar is not as tall as his father, but is much stronger and tougher, and he knows how to brawl. When a weapon is called for, he uses an old wagon spoke, which has been banded with iron for strength, as a club. He has been in enough fights that he is callous towards his enemies, but has the streetsmarts and business sense to know when he should, and when to back down - he has learned all and follows many of his father’s “Rules.”