[REAL info dump] The Red Company

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Welcome to the Red Company!

The Red Company is a band of mercenaries, scoundrels, adventurers and warriors both light and dark in disposition. A band of men and women that take up contracts and distributes them among its constituents. A band YOU belong to.

You and your party have already been on a few low level missions together, enough to gain full membership! As a Rank D party [nick named 'Dire Rats'] you now have access to Rank D missions. Missions can be found in any tavern associated with the Company.

-When making a background it is necessary to mention your coming to the Company in some form.

-As members of the Company you get a small badge with above symbol on it. It identifies you as members so its important.

More info to come.

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Pheare Rubai is the elven leader of the Company and has been for a good 60 years now. She inherited it when her father died abroad fighting in the 'Scorpion Campaign', a fierce war where the Red Company played a large part. She is well respected, and being single, much admired among the male members, though she has never expressed any interest of that sort towards a fellow companyman.

She has a bit of a short temper, though a kind streak. In short, you are treated well on her good side, and dealt harshly on her bad. You met her in person only once, when she handed you your Badges.

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The Eldritch Isles are a landmass and its islands that collectively are about the half the size of modern Australia. They are part of a world known as Atlas.

The letters are major to moderate cities only, there are many towns and suburbs beside. Any land not marked with a type is a combination of Forest, grassland, and hills.

The Red Company has at least one or more taverns in each of the major cities, though they have many others in unmarked settlements.

A- Azhar

B- Dhul Fiqar

C- Dost

D- Ceannas

E- Leid

F- Bregmenos

G- Kouno

H- Sapila

I- Iarann

J- Nisi

K-Megg

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Anvil Empire

Said to have gotten its name from its founder, the Golden Emperor Ferrarius I, Who, once a lowly blacksmith, took the legions of the city state Ceannus to the marshlands themselves with victory after victory, founding the first major nation on the Eldritch Isles. In response to the threat the United Men of the Cresent was formed. The UMC proved a thorn in Ferrarius I's side until his death. For generation after generation the two nations have traded blows, the territory surrounding the marshlands trading hands regularly. Neither are willing to go into the cursed swamps themselves though.

Recently Ferrarius IX has begun a campaign to unify the Farmers Federation, viewing the loose union as barbaric at best and anarchistic at worst.

Sterotypes of the Anvil people;

-Arrogant
-Patriotic
-Wealthy

These are not particularly true, most notably among the lower classes.

Common infantry soldiers of the Anvil dress in a type of Breastplate and often wield a medium shield and a short spear in the style of their nation. Each however posses the sidearm of a light warhammer [1d6/x2/3 lb./Bludgeoning] and a javelin.

Tamed Barbarians: These are the inhabitants of the Nisi islands, only recently captured. These are typically large men with mighty Dire Warhammers[1d12/ (19–20 x2)/10 lb./Bludgeoning] who have joined the organized legions of Anvil. These men have lost their ability to rage for their new civilized ways but retain their formidable strengths otherwise.

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Dhurna

Dhurna Is perhaps the most diverse nation in the Isles, possessing in particular many gnomes across its hilly landscape. Despite its diverse races, however, it has a solid and unifying culture under the worship of Oghma, god of knowledge. Bards permeate the land, perhaps the reason of the unified culture. Through them the spread of news and information is faster than anywhere else.

Not half a year ago the first ever Halfling King was crowned there, to immediate giggles across the Isles. A new crown had to be molded for his smaller head. King Pinto I has since stifled all mirth by immediately beginning massive production of brand new siege weapons, a type of catapult that fires its ammunition through combustion rather than rope tension. These so called cannons are causing even Anvil to sweat, even though their mettle is as yet untested on the field.


Sterotypes of the Dhurnese man are;

Naive
Clever
lazy

But are mostly unfounded.

Dhurna has never had a very large military, and has historically been a peaceful nation. What it has is a large militia mindset, everyone in Dhurna is said to be trained with a crossbow and short sword. This is a bit of an overexaggeration, but not by much. This is required because of the threat of Ogre raids almost daily.

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Tribal Lands

The Dry Sea has since time immemorial divided its people. With the extreme heat, the harsh landscape, and the vicious monsters at every turn, its difficult to travel more than a few miles easily. Such conditions have made it so that dozens of semi-unique tribes have spawned.

Against all odds two relativity large tribe have formed settlements large enough to be called Cities and command armies enough to bring war to each other, across even the harsh Dry Sea. They reside at opposite ends, and existing on the edges of the Sea means they are not only the largest, but the most well known among the other nations. (Indeed the average commoner think of them as the ONLY tribes).

The Scorpion Tribe: They are known for their highly aggressive nature, and their willingness to join forces with the monstrous denizens of the Dry Sea. Conversely those tribes they do conquer and assimilate are treated as one of their own, and often times benefit from their new allegiance... if they cooperate.

Common Warriors of the Scorpion are outfitted in a loose form of hide armor that does not overheat them like metal would. They carry short bows and scimitars. Each man carries five poison tipped arrows among its regulars, and a poison edged dagger, all in honor of their namesake.

Scorpion Monks are known for their deadly use of the Shuriken, and can be recognized by the tribal tattoos printed over their mostly nude bodies.

Cobra Tribe: Often played as the 'good-guys' because of their refusal to join with the monstrous elements like their enemies, they are in fact very distrustful of outsiders. For commerce purposes outsiders are allowed in their main city of Azhar, but not a small number have known to go missing once inside. Their wars with the Scorpion tribe has never been began by their actions but more often than not they come out on top.

A common Cobra warrior dresses in a similar hide armor to the Scorpion, though in a different style, and also wields a scimitar. Javelins and hide bucklers are added to the collection, and small poisonous throwing daggers are hidden on their person.

Cobra Shaman ride into war for more than healing purposes unlike the Scorpion's, and deal almost exclusively in the element of fire.

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Farmers' Federation

The Farmer's Federation is less of a nation and more of a group of farms and towns that agreed to unify for a common currency and other economic reasons. That way the farms to the west, ranches to the north, orchards to the east and vineyards to the south could all deal with the collective nations as a whole, and prevent them from under buying their goods. Their loose union has often been marked as a weak spot for various would be kings and conquerers, but through the power of coin mercenaries always have flocked to the nation in defense. In particular Gukor the Ugly, an orcish cheif, had almost brought the nation to its knees through his massive hords, until they were defeated at Dost by the Red Company. Recently the Anvil Empire has marked them as its next Campaign, most likely to distract its restless lower classes form the stalemate with the UMC. The Federation held the mighty empire off for several months by throwing money at the situation, as per its usual methods, but if there is a nation with gold to rival the Federation its Anvil. The Empire began buying the soldiers from underneath the Farmers, and soon the mercenaries of the Southern Isle were split even, and with the added might of Anvil's legions Dost fell.

Loss of its capital hit them hard. Prices have been skyrocketing all over the Isles for wine, bread and other good provided by them. Particularly in Dhurna, their main buyer, where some goods are almost double. The Red Company has as of yet failed to choose a side int he conflict, perhaps hoping turn a larger profit by holding out. Until then The Federation is training a makeshift army of its own and buying any one who can hold a sword straight to fight for them.

Stereotypes of a Federalist:

Greedy
Hickish
Excellent with food

These are not the rule, however.

Federation Farmers aka "Farm Fighters": Farmers and other agricultural types who take up arms use the tools they are familiar with, usually staves, sickles, sythes, longbows, and daggers. When your land is at stake you use whats closest.

Defense Soldier: The first ever non mercenary army is being raised in the federation. They are a motley crew but tend to wear hide and chainmail, and are being trained primarily with pikes and other longspears. Even a pack of half trained cowards can fight with a row of spears. Surprisingly their moral is high, especially when joined by fighters from nearby farms. Their high moral makes them less likely to break and run in a fight.

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United Men of the Crescent

The UMC is a nation forged by war, and exists only for that purpose. On the bloody battlefields around the marsh it was born, and since then the overriding purpose for anything they do has been one thing: to destroy Anvil. It is said that men there are born with a longsword in one hand and a shield in the other. This might as well be true. Fit boys join the war at 16, with little exception. After four years of battle some return home to take up other crafts, but soldiering will always be their first profession. Women are pressed into the clergy, or if they have the talent into the Mage towers. Men who are close enough to the Gods to wield their divine power, or those who study the arcane do so in the shadows. More than anywhere else the men of the Crescent hold to a strict caste system. Anyone who strays from the accepted norm is branded as an Anvil sympathizer and a traitor, and often time outcast entirely. "All for the Crescent!"

Lord Brene is a dark and foreboding man. Behind his great curly mustache and bald chin is the mind of political master. He is only matched by the War Prince Hutak in this regard. Traditionally the War Prince handled the military and the Lord everything else. Lately the two have been butting in on each others areas. The war has raged on as usual, but behind the scenes two great minds do battle in a different way.

Stereotypes of a Crescent Man:

Brutish and Warlike
Uncaring towards good or evil
Loyal

Exceptions exist, but are practiced in secret.

Crescent Soldier: Chainmail, longsword, and shield. These men are excellent in groups as well as in single combat, unlike the pure squad maneuvers of the Anvil. This allows smaller units with greater mobility on the field, their one true advantage to the superior size and equipment of their enemies.

Crescent Knight: Full plate knights in the classic sense. These men are made up of the nobility of the UMC, and more often than not are superior to all other horsemen on the field. The nobles of the crescent or sometimes even more brutish than the lower classes.

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Everything Else

Elf Territory: Elves are well distributed throughout the Isles, but in the marshlands they thrive. Not much in known of the swamp elves, because men do not tread in their lands. Rumor has its cursed.

Dwarf Territory: The Durge Range belongs almost exclusively to the dwarves, save few a few monasteries in FF and Tribal lands. They are the main supplier of Gemstones and minerals, and do good business with men of all nations, their kind roaming freely throughout.

Ashlands: Much the same as the marsh nothing is known of this island. Rumor has its the burial place of a dead god, but thats just silly.

Scattered Islands: Besides Nisi none of the islands have much in the way of anything. Through domination of the sea the Anvil Empire is in technical control of most of them, but they leave the small fries to their own devices.

Other lands: The Eldritch Isles are only a small continent, if that can even be said of it, on the World of Atlas, far removed from the others. Infighting and poor ship technology means they cannot pass the vast ocean that separates them from other lands. A few travelers have been known to stop at the Isles, but none stay long and little information has been gotten from them.

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Baleeted

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Red Company Advancement:

Elite: There are never more three parties named "Elite" in the company, and sometimes less. Each one has their own story, and their names go down in the annals for all time. Only the most dire missions are handled by them, and usually ones that affect the company itself. The leader of the Company is traditionally one of the Elite, and in the history Pheare Rubai and her father are the only successive leaders that shared a blood link.

A Class: The only rank anyone really expects to ever see. A's get the difficult missions, sometimes changing the fates of nations with their success or failure. "A Knights" or Red Knights are their nicknames, and you can make fun of them at you own peril.

B Class: The meat of the company. Many reach this rank in their maturity among the company and go no further. This is not a bad rank to stay at, with privileges the lower end isn't allowed. Dubbed "B Bears" and usually just Bears among themselves. Behind B's back the other ranks use Bugbear to mock them.

C Class Now you're getting somewhere. The C class is where things start to get interesting, and were the leaders tend to trust you with more sensitive jobs, but there is still some disrespect among the higher ups. Nick named "C Dogs", one step above rats in many's eyes, but still mongrels. Lengthened to Celestial Dogs by the C Rankers themselves.

D Class: First true Class. They are bottom rung and not much respected among the Company, but someone has to do the shitty jobs. Nick-named 'D Rats' to point out their lowliness. Sometimes lengthened to "Dire Rats" by themselves, to give a sense of unity.

Initiates: Still not technically part of the Company. Initiates are set up in small groups an given several easy missions to prove their worth and loyalty.

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And let me speak to the yet unknowing world
How these things came about: so shall you hear
Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts,
Of accidental judgments, casual slaughters,
Of deaths put on by cunning and forced cause,
And, in this upshot, purposes mistook
Fall'n on the inventors' heads:
all this can I truly deliver.

William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Where does it begin? In a small town in the Farmers Federation. In a tavern, the womb of all good adventures. In the Red Rose, largest watering hole in Rookfield, and also a Red Company establishment. Time to test your steel.



This campaign is obviously set up for a band of mercenaries, who pick from several contracts of their level. But YOU are still in control. I am placing the hooks out there, its up to you to bite or find some new bait. If you want to say "F the Company" and leave, do it! They wont be happy I'm sure, but life's full of risks. Consequences too. I would be happy, though, to see where it leads.

There's a lot of stuff to be found... will you find it all? No. So don't try. Do as you character would do, and you'll stumble on enough. You're the players! Play it, don't just walk through it. You have the potential to influence the world.

This is not a video game. Never think "The DM must have did this because of this or that, it wouldn't be fair otherwise!" That is called metagaming. Its a no no. If at level three you head into an area I planned to house a party of Ogre Mages summoning a blade demon, then you will meet that. I heavily suggest you run, or get creative quick, and not assume that I wouldn't have you meet that unless you could beat it. You'll die.

Similarly, If you find something weird like a creature not native to this plane, an inconsistency in someone's story, or something similar deal with it in character. I DO make mistakes, but I may just have done that one on purpose, and if not I may blend it into the story.

And, of course, have fun.

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Major Organizations.


Azure Blades
National Affiliation: None
Emblem: a blue dagger
Leader: Terr Damon

One of two Mercenary organizations that operate in special teams, or parties. The blades take up any mission without applying morals and, unlike the Red Company, do get involved with the politics of the Isle. Recently they have allied themselves with Anvil's southern campaign against the Farmers Federation, the largest mercenary organization to do so. They are well known for fielding particularly competent specialists in the areas of assassination and war magic.

The Illuminated Ones
National Affiliation: None
Emblem: None
Leader: Unkown

The Illuminated Ones do not truly have a name, they are only called such by others. They are apparently religious monks, and are said to only show themselves alone, dressed in any fashion though always bald. An illuminated One, according to legend, places his or herself only where their talents are most needed, and if things are done right the people never know they were there. Gentle manipulation is their game, pulling strings that shape the events of Isles. For good or bad it is up to debate. Many scholars and Governments contend that they do not exist at all, but to your average peasant the tales hold truth.

The Silver Fist
National Affiliation: Farmer's Federation
Emblem: a shining gauntlet
Leader: Segin Aota

Monks are said to be beings of peace and discipline. The silver fist only holds to one of those: discipline. Monks of the Silver Fist are called “War Monks” and not without good reason. They live to fight. It is not the wild and bloody fight of a barbarian though, it is the measured precise flow only a monk can achieve. Honor, they believe, can only be gained through personal discipline and social combat. Not often do they pick fights, but fights always seem to spring up around them. Though they reside in the Farmers Federation, in the Durge range, they are mostly disconnected form any of the regional governments.

Order of the Celestial Heart
National Affiliation: None
Emblem: Hawk with exposed heart
Leader: Sir Roger Driscol

The Order of the Celestial Heart is an order of Paladins that aims to spread justice to every corner of the Isles. While a very religious group it does not sit under one god instead is supports the entire good side of the pantheon, and urges people to take every righteous god into their heart. They set up 'chapels' in towns, sometimes multiple chapels in cities, and act as a sort of law enforcement group. Their allegiance is only to the gods, and do not enforce or heed earthly laws. This often causes strife with more authoritarian administrations, leading to the Heart being banned from many major cities. Smaller towns who cannot afford to have a concrete militia or police force especially welcome the Chaples with open arms.

Soothers
National Affiliation: Dhurna
Emblem: a sunflower
Leader: Maiden Janiel McCormick

A whisper from this all female group is the most coveted of utterings in the land. It is because their voices heal. Some say their talent is spiritual, and that they are a form of cleric, others say it is bardic due to the vocal method. However it is done, there is only one thing they cannot heal: death. Dhurna has always been a very peaceful land in the national scale, dealing only with the many Ogres and monstrous kind that reside in their landscape, and this follows through with the Soothers, who refuse to heal those hurt in acts of aggressive violence.


The Iron Legion
National Affiliation: Anvil
Emblem: an empirial Helm
Leader: Sir Expis Brand

Only the most competent soldiers in the Ilses can claim to be a member of the Iron Legion. Though based in Anvil they are not under the jurisdiction of the Emperor specifically, which allows them to take foreigners into their ranks. Soldier is the key word, for they work as a team above all else. Personal glory or gain is not a factor, they are many of one mind. A joke says their characteristic helmets meld all their brains together, and they almost get whole one out of the deal.


Brotherhood of Whey
National Affiliation: None
Emblem: a broken shield
Leader: Henry the Coin

The largest of the military style mercenary groups. They employ entire battalions, sometimes on both sides of a war. The Farmer Federation has an exclusive deal with them as their only contractor in the Southern Ilse.

Knights of the Homeland
National Affiliation: United Men of the Cresent
Emblem: Two Crescents Back to back with a lance in the center
Leader: Sir Malcolm Maxall

The Knights of the Homeland are the finest calvary in all the isles. There is no disputing this, not even in the Anvil Empire. These cavaliers are handpicked from the best of the more mundane of the UMCs already exemplary calvary and given even further training. There has not been a spear wall yet that stood against the charge of a well rested unit of Homeland Knights, but the war has spread their elite numbers thin, and finding a well rested full numbered unit is rare.


The Mouth
National Affiliation: Dhurna
Emblem: a Harp
Leader: Democratic

Dhurna is the land of music and knowledge, both of which are exemplified in the Bard and further in 'The Mouth' a bardic order stationed in their lands. Mouths are constantly moving, spreading word and knowledge like a grinning plague. Members of the Mouth do not find themselves special, as they merely do in their opinion what a bard should, tell tells and play a little music. Moths however have taken this to a new degree and have a well constructed web of members all over the Isles gathering and spreading information to Dhurna thrice as fast as anywhere else. A common tale is that Emperor Ferrarius heard of the fall of Dost and his victory weeks after every peasant in Dhurna.