Be they mex, animals or the damned, only the strongest, the slest and the most ruthless of beings are able to nervive alone in + world at war. For the common that swe are, salvation can only be found in the trust that we place in cach one of ovr brothers. The company is ovr family oer present and ov only ftv. We no longer have a past. De etn llc fc, yt ter Sree cesta filler tan aryoor on tht carb Culver, chronicler of the Brothers of Kashem.DOGS OF WAR + CREDITS CREDITS TABLE OF CONTENTS. an Book I: Tue Free Companies: Cuapren a: Tae ‘RARKLASH, § LaND oF ADVENTURE 8 = “The SOL nora ei neal za Eee, ‘The Free Companies . i : ‘The Ways of ight a ae ser ‘The Meandersof Darkness 26 Fee EERE STAN) The Paths of Destiny mero = ae) Aenerareiron Cawallon a Es sa totus pi Cuaeren a: Ox ris Wax 70 Gtony. ae in el pnt Anon, 1 Captain! My Capea Mimw/istinMiresceorotsa | 2 HIGoys — "ing sa Siete 5. tben There, Bone fat san aut edt rie 44 Captain We Need Material. Company Formation Example Gesmucrsinens Franck Ahr at Ha oul ct Before the Mission. ee During the Mission ce ty ie ee (Cuarrer 4: Arren tHe BATTLE ssn Losses and Gains. 2. Reeupeation = rian ode 3. Exclusion Fora codecs ek ee 44 Recraitment cov hen re a 2 Epon Polat sexagroes 6, Aequlsition of Attributes aia Bt Coa, _intane ver Nt, his Nese ea fed owen eh Book II: FORTIFICATIONS, NEXUSES & TITANS. “eden fenraniae 4 CHARTER Vins Hasna Matin anda TN WAR ASIN Wan Coline amare Otani, A ALIN NAR Paaess (Capturing an Enemy. Frid et Stn Pues War bo ae sateen Neutral Fighters. Seon “Three of More Payers ica era ed Seu Mas Parone (Cuarren a: ForriricaTions inset Cenes Elemente ofthe Scenery Tansarion “Targeting the Seenery ‘Pat Assaulting Fortifications Construction Material. Several Elements. “hake who RACKHAM tom itn ed y EACH. Abies of the Scenery ‘tem dCONSEEATN isAGNIOOI nope aca exw What va Nextt er Clonitow connowrmone (ow na Nena Pg “CRY HAVOC HEYBRIDY, the HYBRID" logo, in eee a frmmbes.aacaae orsacciiar Activation Linasonaor mawolrar ae Mystic nflaenee tiieettcimmi red WBACKHANE | Asal. Grp eto RACKIAN ‘ilies. see Nexus Bamples Aliso Hepa iano cece EACNONE eo y RACKHAM 4, rede apap 93 100 entre ann Boo race Book Ill: APPENDICES . Carrer 1: Missions: reas mono ase sereg gm inotuttsocstos lvoe "hefrmain hsp. initio thee aes es pcg stations rere gen eco tree ly be met te oieaton hat Oo ‘rth ater bts EACRHAN miner ar wo ory conan ala mart tbe chew ‘Matlowed: hi prof noua ehromoner hago Some mires cometa sete us ‘ced mpi CHIRAT “nd use Seer peeand oe notlcadd Now orto! tee (3510 UST LA PENDU. RACKHAM minitaresoemadein once oe gl depot 206 6572 CCONFHONTATION, ENGNAROK-HYBEID sn CADWALLON ae anes usd by RACKHAM <4 rinedinFance|THE SPIRIT OF DOGS OF WAR Dogs of War proposes a completely new gamin ode for Conffontation as wells the rulesteede for games involving the control of objectives and lesen of esceery of wuchsome the nexus, have mystic powers, Some of these rules are taker from articlesin the official magazine ofthe world of RACKHAM, Cry Havoe Until now you have known the enjoyment of the game iselE Building up a combat group and lead ing your fighters to battle. But what is left of your past victories and defeats? What have the nameless ‘warriors become? What remains of their feats? Wf the Event cards that wil be sold separately as of April | DOGS OF WAR » TABLE OF CONTENTS How ould the brave spearman_sho,_ alone anguished a monstrous bine troll be forgotton? And ae Pay pene: handed victory 2. his camp by eliminating the enemy magician, doesit Fedtseve tobe Tomer nye eg ringing © group to life having it evolve an ga personality to each of ts members is what RACKHAM lets you do with the free companies of Dogs of Ware EN PGES atte in cimllar ways, these armies refles! diveise politcal and social realities, Some resemble bandits of the worst kind or dogs of ar ile other ae popular heroes with a Beker as heart ‘This gaming mode is explained in the first part of this supplement: the Free Companies. It obViously Uses the Confrontation 3 rules! Instead of raising a temporary armed force destined to take part only asingle skirmish, you will Bild a company of soles ahd wil eee those of its membes ho, Ainited as an assault group, will go om missions ‘These consecutive skirinisies will Bring the compa ny fame and fortune, as well as artifacts, spells and miracles. Tn addition to this evolution, the individual soles walla progress independety fom one Another. “Thanks to experience. points gathere during missions, their characteristics will be able tobetiproved and new alive aoglred, the frst also explains the points that the free compa: fies of the sime alliande have incommons Fortifications, Nexuses & Titans includes revi sions for Confrontation 3 of rule articles published in various isSues of Cry Havoc. Thanks to this you be able to attribute characteristics and even ystic capacities to your scenery. What more, your fighters will have several ways of interacting with thelr surroundings: climbing up a rope to the top of a wall, placing explosives at the foot of ramparts, estoy nates cin Teeth ac Fi Reais ase aes sgl Oat dee Se ee enlisted. ‘This part also contains the tables required Sitimge shes copay ate ants ade Saeed Games of Confrontation played with the free ‘companies will know additional surprises thanks to 2006. The rules needed for their use are explained in this book\ Nel s THE fF REE COMPANIESDOGS OF WAR Taeaa: ther one oss cnehing evry bore in tay bund. Once the farmalits wor ove, Feng his plan to ws. His plan suss the tipidt one id cxr fear. Yet for some reson J wat comvneed to g0 lone it, What is it hat F aid, aesin? Ob, yo. 'm too easly ieee. stung on 1 dock in the munis Least Geel Mig corte coe Hes, the good man followed the same 0 from bir hore to the exon, Excep a ‘nr target mest barve decided to sleep lite Became Fmt ave pt at Tt tao ows pain back and forth sale waitin for bir lori to deen coming hr maker. [uss thinking abut ting brn crock stint and going back home to bed wher ily anpeared farther deran the strc. Ie bs sme when the byt forth fom set while sting It at ech eke. Abe br ro bard that be ment rab into oe the carriage’ bors, litlly krocking the poor crete tit. The trvo martodont bean bling righ in the mile of the strct and a crewed gathered arownd the fo utc, 1s preventing the cari from advancing. A planed, sented intervening to vst the 70 faa had to be mad to moar the tw ma sing berserk a throwing pche teach other tit covd? fave Bild bul Taking sdvante of cba, 1 rack to the carige and open the door without Biting, cyto thr my sinc sel ager into Miners bert. The len a tt Tm etl tig Sie suber did the Haters gener wear 2 pak Becuseintead of the ante by~omething Ccpeting to find inthe carina, war fae to fice with + bosom yong woman who eweleomed me ith 2 ream that covld hove sated all the winder in the eihbor— brood. So thre Fras ik an idiot with + dizer in my hud and m0 one to HilThis being sid 1 sid hove to thick to lone above Bee ees 1 sco of tin Sl rg nthe, tot [follrwcd. A eood bil dogen of ae and rove band B sbbed we by shncelCaelitll cated vo ntti fa fit onthe paring ny Pagina tte! behiat aay Bick gure in the chet The force of impact tow hire back- suurd is ribage hatred. T he seffold ther gen and threaten to cola. [till dont waded whats going on. The exccrtione grabs me and thr me over Bis sholter like a sack of potters. An mina crating so ic beard and the wooden trent Tevety mint le Ug deh no eae | ee ‘carrier’ takes two steps back, then and les than two hours Ister I rwss sentenced to death | by beheading for brving attempted to rob the liectensnt geno!’ whe So here Tao ty Kcr, my neck cwrenched, esting for some Kind of hooded butcher to proceed with « considerable edvction of sty phyical nterrity But ben could that oretin Heagis nes forward tori the edge and mgs into the crowd. Wits my besa banaing dowrward [ have the improrion thatthe ren is Buppeningin low motion. [re fce termed ip towards ad a mate fre bracing himvel? aguit ne ofthe pllrs bolting wp the eff. No doubt above | eof he Ken bt Fant beet bare gotten the carrisgrs sop? Whites dll Tig te leet | "Te eet of he landing Rnocks the wind ont of me «gered really been tng inthe care the [probably worl’ bre eked wp in the same pce anu. Ei fay Te shld a public exter athe? myrelf what it was like being on eer ide over the excevtion I hee to rates tals Ao, i 4 news esecntionr. Te lt one oar a big Ti, ha 8 Tet Mgt io he | 1 to give bis vamad cop tel ae at le ti ad “Excotony, do your job” T here, Mines ba fie | | his trade, Te talc infk cst ee | 2D met ie a ee | Lats to rein from oiling my parts infront of cxeybody. What silence. Tbe erst i no loge making the sib ot sound. The latent seer wast top trie at me | He makes all band geste ard [se the rhdow ofthe \ coon ae being raed, I clo gee Thor dare lnact ana clamor in the eva. I'm dea, n rincinde. 1 eg mye Ucn 1 ca by ch sh il | frrt. Pm ale | I tte ig # al 1 ot Ming as ters from me ina puddle beled ere Ted 1p. | The excentioner roughly pots me eee Fo riltismen sre sing vp the ccf’ ste, thr cipoms vn Sil hlg iO rt ss oe crusting tha with bis fet plated fry an the ground. Whe ks mtr int in mile i | arowad and ths the ard reht beh is rend itty esting bi, Te trwo oe stop dead in hie tacks a: if peri. Sidderly a violent blow hikes the seffeld, and Ber another ont. Tits swhen the executioner lifts his buge ss and sit a the trv militiamen. One ofthe i it fate reed fo other aad my vin become Bry, I bear cre of panic ard T rect ato of blow sahil the xcction pre bs wy vc the eros I thik I'm going fo pt ont. in few seconds the liewtenant | I'm norw lying on dirty bed in dark room, In. seat in ee Heh isting meth ll is mouth. fee, “Teli bt Tait hve ay ter lo. He woul neyer hove been able to act rear Mingvs in ary uy. For several seconds F have a bard time wadertanding shat her talking about. And thon it comes clear. (ie Nard To aw that 1 wu can! Yon Tree ie etm fin ms RRO bat ily nd yom Fea the cas con the block?” “We se took our share of vit Do you tink that it war cay to replace the extcetoner and the avard?” Well, OK. You got the dough?” Wis i's treredisle hors the deeee of ons rancor can be | anger proertins tothe ht of pec fll of Sats "What are yon soir to do with all thatch, Ted?” "Norw tits 4. g00d question. I'm soine to spend it all in 0 ime at all and end wep penniless before I even realize ‘what happened, of covrse. And you?” “Me Ln gis ogo back to the only thing that T ever val ew how to do, Fiche” eu ve ae to noes ya foil Tis time I'm going to ight for mylf snd my men. Theres no sway I'm goin fo risk my life for Merin or for the Empire again! Out there, there are 4 bunch of guys like you, like me, like the Kass brothers, who are willing to ‘go on advertens, All that Yhey ced is x chi?” Exeryore will tell yor that I'm infenced too catly.OLrCanaml AARKLASH, A LAND OF ADVENTURE Setanta the Wise bas alsways been cast aside by the other druids. Fis interest for the four clements has always bordered on obsession. Fle was never satisfied by the answers given by the faithful of Dann or by the words of the druids older than bim. Fle has always wanted to personally experience the truth of the primordial clements. With a little help from bis friend Breith, one of the tribe's hunters, he managed to get 4 scepter of authority and bas founded a company to explore the magical secrets of Aarklash. To do so be bas recruited Acngus, a giant barbarian who is indebted to him, and trwo fury warriors to who the chief of the tribe had taken a sudden dislike.“This fist part provides the capability to manage the progeess ‘ofa group of fghtors designated bythe term "froe company.” “There are many companies on the continent of Aarklash: mercenaries, faithless and lawless bandits, renegades looking for vengeance, you name it, Whatever their origins may be, there are certain similarities that are shared by all companies, “The companies are formed around strong personalities who fare very often thelr founders. Military veterans of numerous | campai matic faithful, many among these archetypes have become captains ‘of such an armed force. They are assisted in their job by other experienced individuals who play important roles. The He tenant and the sergeants help the captain maintain order and Aiscipine among their soldiers. The medic takes care of the wounded, the quartermaster manages the company’s resources, land the military advisor gives his counsel to the captain. And | hesearent th ony poston avalableina company there many others Jane with strange powers oF chi ‘And finally there are the soldiers, wandering warriors with an ‘oft-shady legacy looking for tiches and glory or simply trying to escape their past. ‘A frve company is thus characterized by the individuals that ‘make it up, but also by several parameters that define it as a group. THE SOLDIERS ‘A free company is made up of soldiers defined by data specific tothem, CHARACTERISTICS AND ABILITIES When he is reeruited, a soldier joins the company with the characteristics and abilities printed on his reference card as well as with any special capacities he may have. From then on, ‘hanks wo the experience gained in combat, he can improve his | characteristics learn new abilities, take on a secondary role, oF ‘even get the stats of champion. VALUE | Fach soldier hasan individual value that represents hispoten- Wialand his efficiency. When he is recruited, this value is equal to the amount of AP. printed on his reference card. From then fn it evolves when he improves his characteristics, learns an ability or takes on anew role ‘+ AARKLASH, ALAND OF ADVENTURE « Dogs of War provides anew gaming mode, the free compa les, which uses notions that are spctfic to it FREE COMPANY AND ASSAULT Grour 15 Important to clearly define the difference between these two primordial notions: the "company" and the “assault group” «The company designates the community of soldiers a 3 ‘whol, as wel as all the parameters bound toi, such as its ‘tenown or its resources, for example. “The assault group only represents the fighters who are sent to combat for a specific mission. An assault group can therefore be made up of only part of the company's members. SOLDIERS AND FIGHTERS || ‘There isa difference between the term “soldier” and the term “fighter” To understand this difference, one should know that itis possible to call on warriors who are not ‘members of the company. Thus, forthe duration ofa battle, ‘other fighters (Mercenaries, Characters, ete.) ean join the assault group. + "Soldier" exclusively designates members ofthe company. + The word “fightor” can represent any individual involved in battle, including solders. CHAMPION, A SPECIAL STATUS CCharnpions have a special status. They arent really ‘Characters, yet they can be given artifacts and be targeted by effects that normally only affect Characters, Vanue aNp Cost “The terms “value” and “cost” have very specific meanings in the rules ofthis fest part + Valu is used only to estimate the potential ofa fighter, ‘company or an assault group. ‘+The word “cost” is only used to evaluate the attributes, ‘meaning artifacts, spells, miracles and certain war sachinATTRIBUTES “The term “attribute” designates artifacts, spells and miracles. A soldier can join a group with one or several attributes, but he can especially acquire new ones atthe end of each mission, A soldiers attributes are not taken into account sehen calculating his valve. They ae subject toa cost in resources (se further) which is equal tothe amount of AP printed on their reference Immobile machines: These machines are company attributes. They are bought in the same way as other attribales even though they are not bound exclusively to a specific soldies, ‘Liturgy: Conseerations and virtues are attributes. ‘Famillaes: Familias ae attebutes. ‘Treatments: The alchemists of Dirzs treatments are attributes. EXPERIENCE With every battle they participate in and thanks to ther bri liant feats, the members of 2 company become tougher and perfect their techniques. This is expressed through the acquis: tion of experience points (EP (se p. 75), These ate then used tolet the fighters evolve Key Rous The vast majority of the company’s members are simple warri ors, but some of them can also taken additional responsibil- ties. There are two types of roles within a company: principal roles and secondary roles ‘The principal roles are essential forthe whole company. There are two of them: the eaptain and the soldiers. “The captain isthe personality around whom the whole compa: ny fs structured, His presence is primordial. The more the captain is experienced, the higher the numberof soldiers under hhiscommand can be. Ifeshould happen to disappear; then the ‘company suffers fom lack of discipline due to his absence. ‘Note: Desplte his particular status, the captain isa soldier + Under certain conditions @ soldier can be given a secondary role in the group. The secondary roles include all the fanc- tions that ean be useful in a company: This goes from liew- tenant to reeriting sergeant to medic, military advisor and ‘quartermasterTHE FREE COMPANIES Free companies are not just a series of values. That's why the following chapters wil present their role in the variouscultures ‘of Aarklach,a¢ well s famous eapeains and patrons, The chat acteristics of these captains ean be defined thanks to the rules explained inthis part while being based on suitable profile (or ‘example a dwarven armorer for a dwarven captain who once ‘Whatever the company that is erated and whatever its people ‘of origi, it is defined by four parameters that evolve from one game to the next: its strength in numbers its value, ts renown and its esourees. VALUE AND RENOWN A free company’s value isthe equivalent of the army points in ‘regular game of Confrontation. I represents the global poten: Wal ofits members ' company’s renown represents how it is sen by its members| ss ellasby those who are notin it, toften precedes the compa ny wherever goes and many warriors are willing to jin a pres tigous company. The greater it, the higher the numberof ‘warriors who come to offer thelr services. A company’s renown vaties depending on its results in combat and on the presence of ‘certain types of soldiers in ts numbers Itdefines the maximam thatthe sum ofits members’ values can reach, Example: fa company’ renown i equal to 125, then the sum of ‘the values ofall the soldiers init eannot be greater than 125. Attention! The cost of the soldiers’ attributes is not counted in ne company's value. I is only taken into accownt when forming 4 assault group (sce further) At its creation 4 company’s renown Is st at 125, bat it ean This allows a company to enlist new solders if is renown rows atthe end ofa mission The acquisition of attributes (artifacts, spells, miracles) st depend on the renown. To give soldier an attribute, the player has to use resource points (sce further. A company’s value can be less than its renown, With some exceptions, it cannot be greater + AARKLASH, A LAND OF ADVENTURE + A CoMPANY's Si PreeiNa? fenaetes Confrontation 3 limits an army's contingent to ive fighters for every even incomplete 100 A.P. (see Confrontation 3, | P- 126). This limit does not concern the strength of a free |-company-On the other hand, it does apply to the contingent of assault groups sent on a mission. STRENGTH IN NUMBERS ‘Commanding isnot an easy task and only experienced leaders ofmen can maintain discipline within large troop. The maximum strength of a company defines up to hove any sold captains ‘The actual strength of the company corresponds to the umber of members itis actualy made up of should not be higher than the maximum strength. sit can be made up of This number depends on its ‘and on the presence of officers (se p. 60) This number Resources Resources are the means used by the company to meet its needs: gold, food, mana gems, etc. They are essentially used to in fighters, such as Alles and Mercenaries, and to acquire attributes (artifacts, spells, miracles and certain wa ‘machines.oe spo a suo, aq an S900 oy posn 51209 mo pou sworn. 94) Amey pov | “pana ee Po pnom sos pe Tae = NH pnts sag arp ry se opsIY 90 (Cox asa aa) ¢aMtVA TVELINI=a1VA SaraiCTOS “sou mo mop papa pent ovenoute se 3 os mw pO a0 eb “eds pues pio ag nantes naz sys, FEF “won soon sequoia oon epoon anes saps nme 229 agus cog oy es payne sm 9 sore rere sites ao yoe nyo oe PMA PaMIOS, 2 NINA gon 59m NPP IPOH AL, 04 saimquny 80, 2) WF potou 9g er Hse nN o4D 70 ins spuoqiodxa 5301p) 24) Tunou Joy pouinsos ase saneds Sony, pasion st sous posses a0 sxe-psnsuoden kyon ae 4 oun ea ea aot fug wowdbo 532}105241. puro sy wo pond a ee oso on sua svt mmc ones was ford. a, J semousrs hoe. eR] duets oi rosa spi 9 stp eu Gem ou ued: -nprnd so pao sang ros ag spas es gomieon fpurey eee commer oe Seta pu nd og pra some (Rj seawoso0 omre AAV PhP,JOGS OF WAR + THE FREE COMPANIES oery il BARBARIANS OF AVAGDDU ‘Totem: Minotaur Tue CALL To ARMS For the Sessairs, forming a company almost comes naturally Ever since the people of Kel landed on Aarklash the plains of Avagdau have been a passage point forthe continent's various armies Since their beginnings the Kelts have been accustomed fo becoming mercenaries in the service ofthe different armies fof Aarklash. Some only do s0 occasionally while others have ‘made it their job and join a company. When their renown is such that they are known in other kingdoms, they ae called to serve far from Avagdda and sometimes reveal themselves to be selling to embrace the cause of any people. hough the Sessalrs ofthe clan's members fel this urge to travel more intensely and decide to go beyond the plans of Avagddu. Far from the clan's support, they often have no ather choice bu to accept to wage Battle in the name of others: They do so with the hope of one ay finding virgin and welcoming land where they will again be able to live amongst themselves while benefiting from the goddess's blessings. Yet al Sessirssldiers arent so by choice, Many of them are re an essentially nomadic people, some ‘ast onto the rasds of Aakash after having been excluded from their tribe. These pariahs tend to gather around a charismatic lef and make the best oft, Some decide to remain in Avagddt and to fight for the clan atts finges. Others leave their land of Birth and become mercenaries Repuration Despite the Keltpeopl'slong mercenary tradition, the Sessairs seethe companies nan unfavorable light, no matter their cause. ern ater oifon of belonging fo the clan is of utmost impoctance for this people that has been fragmented and divided so often since Its origins. ‘Are the companies sep feel bound to thee p Sessairs are wondering about these fighters who sacifce their Pride and their loyalty on the altar of money. Among the other peoples, on the other hand, the Sessairs clans? Do their members still ed? The le? To Light? Can they be tru companies are welcomed with open arms, The generals and the schemers of Aarklash are used to calling on Kelt mercenaries ever since the Age of Rebirth and the feats of these barbarians have always lived up to their teputation, However, common mortals fel a certain fear ofthese men without bonds of these faithless and lawless warriors who appear one day, sow chaos and death and then leave again at daybreak Famous COMPANIES AND CAPTAINS Murcan’s Heirs Hove war. a lot more than my own ie = Murgan Al Sessairs know this mercenary company: Its nothing less than the heir of Murgan’s horde, which has become tobe recog, nized as a fallledged teibe within the Sessairs clan. When Yelkanos, the minotaur captain of the horde, accepted this change of status, some mercenaries decided to continue leading ther life of adventurers. Since then, others have joined them and Murgan’s Hes stil fight on all fronts of Aarklash, Among the warriors gathered around Captain Murgan there are many entatves of the ancient peoples of AV repr ul, especially centaur and giant barbarians.DOGS OF WAR « THE FREE COMPANIES ‘Tue SoNs oF THANAAN Long live death, long lve war, lng lie the sacred mercenary! Cathan he Sons of Thanaan lend thet services to any aemy that has ‘to-wage battle in Avagddu. Thus, they are among both the most famous and the most hated Sesssirs mercenaries. Yet Captain Cathan remains loyal to his people. He hopes thet by offering his sword tothe various armies ofthe Ragnarok the battles will be fought more quickly, thus allowing these armies to leave the land of hs ancestors eer so sooner. The celebrity of the Sons of Thanaan and this company’s riches have attracted Kelts from smaller clans as wel as representatives of other peoples ‘THE Furtes oF CReIDNE Fight like a woman! The Furles are a group of women who were excluded from their tribe and who fight under the command ofa wartioress of Danu named Creidne, These watflotesses have all committed the same “crime” having questioned. the patriarchy ofthe Sessairs, which is absurd according to them, considering the goddess Danu’s place in tl pantheon. Left to fend for themselves, the Furies rash Aarklash living off their martial talents. Sooner or lata ofthis company’s sors lar to se the fury of combat an attack led by Creidne never portends anything good.) THE DroRADHAIN COMPANY To travel, ove frst has to get lost. Deoradbain This company was founded over a century ago. Deoradhain, a Kelt bard, hoped to find a more hospi table land for his people than the eternal battlefields of Aarklash. Accompanied by hundreds of refugees, he fought his first battle atthe Barhan border. The mass of refugees was able to cross, yet many perished, including the bard. Those ‘who survived decided to continue on their path. Today their Aescendents have become mercenaries and the quest for @ promised land is nothing more than a distant memory buted deep inside of Captain Dunham's heart Patrons Hogarth the Colossus has recently acquired great prestige In the Sessairs clan. His authority remains dependent on that ofthe druids, yt his temperament pushes him to bypass this obstacle, especially by calling on companies: Furthermore, many captains subconsciously remind him of what he had been in his youth and he spends much time acvisiig these young adventurers The one thef call the Queen ofthe Fiannas, Vird has often en accuse the Furies from the C's wrath Is ret th gs priestess esr hd fe tat she tas cent Keep tines wih depen ous Moregeneraly sews this rou note] tee out the godess pling yhich she is ote holy oe tounderstan Whew King Gf cmins defer tice irae hice 3 r=or cot ~to sere dfn lf The chosen“+ THE WAYS OF LIGHT + THE KINGDOM OF ALAHAN Totem: Lion Tue Cau To ARMs ‘The legends of Alahan are filled with wandering heroes who aro willing to giv thet life forthe ideal of Light, forthe widow and for the orphan. Now that Darkness has reappeared and. read monsters once again roam Aarklash, many young adven turers fall soca classes embark ontothe unknown, Mostofthem are the youngest sons of noble families or commoners looking for audventure “Their motivations constantly swing between ambition and hhonoe. On the one hand they consider themselves tobe the beepers ofa heroic heritage: the Barhans are and always will ‘be defenders against Evi, On the other hand they dream of having their name become engraved in legend, persuaded ‘thar their fats will bring glory, noblesse and wealth to thee family for generations to come. Some ae looking for their place in Creation. Others have a vison that they wish to share: goodness, courage and justice True Barhans chase {ear from the heats oftheir subjects. Among them virtues ot lw but second nature “These wandering bringers of justice sometimes side with tormented individuals who don't adhere tothe chivalrous Barhan ideals, ther because these ideals dont ft to their character or because they are convinced that the age of heroesis over. stracized for their lack of team spirit these solitary Barhans abandon a society in which they dost feel thay belong and hit the road looking fra land of asylum or fora cause that better suits their ambitions. Most ofthem 0 tothe fortress of Kaber where their abilities and their Iucldity prove to be most useful. Repu TION In Alahan the founding of companies is condemned by ts morals, The vagrant warriors arent inthe service ‘ofany lord o cause they aont worth any more than the miscreants they are fighting, A nobleman who decides to company and goon adventure risks a seriousloss of samong hs pers The most traditionalist lords can even decide to refuse hi thee hospitality “hisbad reputation is counterbalanced bya very favorable Popalar opinion. The frst pages of Alaris history were written by companies of heroes that, til today, fed the ination ofa whole people. Ifthe harvest is bad or a e's outcome is influenced by a company, then there isDOGS OF WAR © THE FREE COMPANIES Famous COMPANIES AND CAPTA ‘THE INSoLENTS Te tongue bs twice as sharp as the sword and twice as deadlyt ~ Kenaen, captain ofthe Insolents In Alahan there is a company whose every new adven: tuce delights the courts of the whole kingdom: the Insolnts Founded by a band of rebel reapers, this group gathers intrepid and sly young Bathans. They take as much pleasure in mocking the powerful as they do avenging thet fellow citizens for Injustice that they may have suflered. The Insolents ingenuity and impudence are legendary, Thie exploits, s they are told in the stoties oftheir chief Kenaen, are always fall of verve ‘Tur HELMers oF Louvat Honor i found tn ones ats, not n one’s Blood. ~ Knight Venrail éArnecy Following the path ofvietue is an easier task fora well-fed lord sitting by the fireplace than fora knight thrown into the wilder ness by dishonor, prey to bandits, bad weather and hunger. Grouping together these warriors threatened by the tempta tions of Darkness is the goal that Knight Veneaild'Armecy has sat fr himolf, he also having been cast out of his family by an ‘overly jealous brother. The company ofthe Helmets of Louval, thus named afterits exemplary actions at the eponymous battle remains loyal to the king and to the ideals of chivalry. After having traveled allover the kingdom to come to thea of lords in difcuty, the company has decided to leave for the East and to protect the roads ofthe Akkylannian crustdes. ‘Tue BrorHerst0op oF CeLons ‘The minions of Darkness don’t know the meaning of the word “damnation = Mataélle, mistress ofthe Brotherhood of Celohis The Brotherhood of Celohs, led by the soreoress Maraélle has made its reputation by recovering artifacts that had fallen into the hands of the forces of Darkness and by bringing their ‘owners to justice. The Order of the Chimera regulaty calls on thiscompany tocarry out missionsin hostile territory. Maraéle, however, has other plans. The young woman has taken up a dangerous quest that would surely cause her to be condemned todeath should the author the secret of life the alchemy of that brief instant where matter becomes animated. ever find out about it to discover Patrons “The Bashan army is model of organization and efficiency, 80 such #0 that the barons, the administrative and military lead ‘ers of the baronies, dont often make use of companies to give support to their troops in battle. It nevertheless happens that certain operations escape the ls of war and requice talent that can't be found in the ranks ofthe regular army. In this case the companies! multiple competences and their high adaptability snake them the ideal candidates An ardent defender of Light, the Order of the Chimera isthe continent's most powerful organization of magicians. Counting several hundred members, it strives to be the guardian of the magical equilibriam and is on the forefront in the Beld of ‘esoteric disciplines. This hermetic organization hires many ‘companies tocatry out its will Aarklash and inthe elemental reals with which itis in relation. The Chimera isalso openly at "war with the Order ofthe tam, its evil counterpart in Acheron. “Their enmity is such that certain companies ae created specfi- cally to hut those ofthe enemy. One doesnt rule a kingdom with good Sncentions” could be the motto of Kelgar de Valady, the baron of Kallienne and the grand master ofthe royal counterespionage services. The number of men placed under Jhiscomman is very smal, yet includes the best specialists of Aarklash _ When the demands it, he sends his right- hand man, Gadraan Dinasyn, togetin touch withcomps- nies. Some are hired ta. create diversions others to carry owt covert operations ‘The best ones are paid a substan tial bonus ande/ if they are tust- ‘worthy,enterinthe Crown's service.Totem: Grifia THE CALL T0 ARMS. Akkylennie is governed by numerous institut intricate laws and relations: the Empire, the Temple, Inquisition, to name a few. Very often these ent fact in secret in order to reach their goals. They t ‘on small groups of perfectly loyal and trained individual Iintheir actions than the armies and evil servants in the ‘of the imperial institutions Led by captains devoted soul to Merin, they must meet their needs on their own ‘expect any kind of clemency of support should the ‘come to the open. When this happens, their sent ‘often without appeal. for these companiesare coms harass Akkylannie’s allies or other institutions ofthe Ea Noone therefore see diference between these compan those made up of bona fide outlaws, except that the lat ‘ofthese companies remain in Akkslannie where they en bunditryandlend their services to the highest bidder. Others rom kingdom to kingdom and live as mercenaries. Paradox in ther ofthese cases these outs don lose thei faith in Merin. “Theybelieve that they have only been rejected by the man there fore weak servants ofthe fiery godland are convinced thattheycan sill eam a place inthe new Creation despite the sins that they are ‘ogulrly forced to commit Te dangeroussituation they're just rakes thelr fanaticism more honorable. REPUTATION The outlaw companies are, of course, hunted down by the Akkylannian authorities. The people, on the other hand, some- ‘mes see these groups as allies against the Inquisition’ intol- cerance. These same people often arent a ‘of companies in Akkylannic’s service. This secret is reserved +o well-positioned dignitaries and causes heavy debate in high places, Is this practie a sign of the Empire's decadence and corruption, or on the contrary a necessary evil to fight the enemies of Merin? of the existence 's probable that only the outcome of the Raginarok will provide an answer to this dilemma, In the rest ofthe continent all Akkylanaian companies are agrected withthe same distrust, be they outlaws or inthe service ofthe official powers. $ MICO ie iS Famous ComPantes AND CAPTAINS ‘THE Comany oF THE First BLoop 1 didn’ draw the first ood, but | will draw the last. = Rufio “This company is famous not only fo the affront it represents to the Akkylannian law, but also for its martial prowess, Its founders were all former conseripts who had returned to their cottages: Unable to live aay from the battlefields, they sought answers to their nightmares and delsiums in their tratesnity. ‘An overzealous inquisitor considered their meetings to be the sign ofa conspiracy and tried to arrest them. The veterans of the erusades resisted the assault, which only caused their fel Ings of revolt to become stronger. After having slaughtered the Inquisition troops they decided to form an outlaw company to defend themselves: when facing them, beware of the conse quences of spilling frst blood. Nowadays these soldiers are led by Rufio, a former conscript who is as valorous as a templar brother:R + THE FREE COMPANIES ‘Tue Dark Company sgainst Darkness with Darkness Kashern The Dark Company is one ofthe “oficial” ones that is widely talked about Its founder, Kashern, isan inquisitor whohas been disavowed by his peers. With his men he roams the continent looking fr artifacts that might help the faithful understand or destroy the servants ofthe Dark Principle or even the Principle itself. Hunted by the Inquisition, these soldiers sometimes have tactlikecommon bandits to get the resources needed fr their ‘Tit ORPHANS OF MANKENZ I shal be your father and your mother ‘The company shall be your only family = Mankent And last but not least there is a company that is very well known by those who know the secrets of che Rag'narok. After the taking of the Erratum, the faction of the Orphans of Mankenz (see The Ashes of Wrath) acquired a certain prestige among the Lodge of Hod. These templars can now operate as they like, as long as they don’t harm the interests ofthe Temple fF of Akkylannie, Thus, Captain Mankemz, always escorted by the gigantic Lysandte, leads his men on various missions. It happens that he rveruits fighters of ather peoples, yet always while hiding his true allegiance from them, PATRONS. Arkhos, the commander ofthe Temple ofthe North, does hes tate to employ oficial or outlaw companies, be they Akkylannlan ‘or orcsh, His struggle aginst che Inquisition, and hs sister Miri’s misadventures, often force him to act in the shadows. What mace being an adventurer himself deep down inside, he is more clement ‘owurd these inva who have chosen to follow a particular path TTarkia, the commander ofthe Tempe ofthe West, is some Limes forced to use such expedients. Cadwallon, the City of Thieves, is under his jurisdiction, This city’s peculiar status requires this templar to use unconventional means to inter: ‘ene in it In order to hide his implication, he doesnt hesitate to hire companies ofthe other peoples of Light oF of Destiny Furthermore the commander has a strong taste forthe occult and he sends companies todo archeological or esoteric research for him, always shrouded in the greatest of secrecy. Thisis also tru for Venerable Ambrosius, Ove the years he has there a grext numberof quests to end, of enemies to watch and frends to protect. Mis engagement in thestugae aginst the Hybrid Project barely eaves him any time to take on all of his responsibil ump fom which he hides his true intentions. les He therefore doesn't hesitate to hire ‘As for Saphon the Preacher, he sets fully dificil way: he has been given carte Blanche toliunt down Mira. Making full us ofthis authorization and the resources that come with it, he finances and manip fates bonds all over Aarklash to help him track down the felon. Saphon prefers hiring Akkylannian compa ples that are close to the Inquisition Yet he is sometimes forced to make wee of foreign companies to be ableto thout attracting atention“+ THE WAYS OF LIGHT + Repuration HE REPUBLIC OF LANEVER Except forthe trihedrons, the Cynwall companies are viewed ‘Totem: Dragon rathor negatively by their compatriots. In the Republic every audult has the duty to protect his city and his people, Those who decide to follow their own path at the sidelines of the others are almost considered to be pariahs. However, the Cynwills Tue Cart 10 ARMs {In 2 way the notion of company is strongly anchored in are very careful not to commit the same crime against these ‘Cyowall culture through the triedrons. These detachments individualists as King Seos did against his own son (see Cry ‘of three fighters are authorized to act independently through- Havoc, vol. 6) Furthermore, Noesis i philosophy that incites “est the Alliance of Light's territories. Seeing the Raginarok’s tolerance. Thus the companies'captains and soldiers only meet ‘eolution and the Republic’ oficial entey inthe war, certain limited distrust rons have preferred to group together, most often in Outside of Lanever the Cynwill companies are seen rather “Three, in order to be more efficient in their struggle against favorably. They never harbor vulgar brigands and theic members Darkness. Similarly, some trihedrons have raised their strength feel responsible enough forthe Cynills’ reputation that they Jn numbers by enlisting troops of other peoples. In either case weigh each oftheir gestures and words, ‘heir freedom of movement is accompanied by an absence of ‘ogistical support, and the trhedrons often have to provide the ‘eesources needed for their strugele against the enemies ofLight _ FAMOUS COMPANIES AND CAPTAINS fn their own “The Cynvell nation is full of mystic communities study THE ARAMtet. COMPANY {ng Noesis. While most of them choose to lead a peaceful and contemplative lif, some docide to follow the way ofthe warrior. When faced with ahopeles situation, one must often adopt an “They opt forthe noise of battle and are constantly on the move, _ rational solution. “Though they usually ight attheside of the RepublicofLanever’s — Lady Aramiel ‘regular army, these companies dont necessarily seek the victo- ‘7 of one nation over another, but rather to pierce the secret of "The Aramiel Company's famous all over Aarktash, with Lady ‘ar as an aspect of Noesis. What more, they remain loyal tothe Aramiel's reputation alternating between that of an unrivalled ‘tradition of Cynwall tolerance and welcome all the peoples of _ wartioress and an old madwoman. This former asadar left the “Light in their ranks aemy of Lanever to roam the continent and lead all those who Rather than Noesis, some Cynwalls decide on the study of desited it onthe way ofthe warrior. She thus hopes to strength ‘Lapever's past. Showing reat wisdom, these explorers prefer to en the Allianee and break the isolation in which her co ‘ether in compenies in order to confront the dangers slumber- live. Though her company mainly harbors Cynwills who wish ‘ng in the vestiges of ancient times. Their captain is always the to reach elevation, she also welcomes representatives ofall the warrior or the wisest scholar among them. These compa- peoples of Light. The Aramiel Company fights exclusively for im Lanever looking for important clues and explore dark the Principle of Clarity, experiencing each battle ike a new Sometimes they have togetthisinformation by force or lesson of lie ‘THe Explorers oF LANEVER ‘The constructs don't imitate fe ‘In truth it's exactly the opposite. =Nemtys “The Explorers of Lanever scour Aarklash looking for the Ingredients and components needed to maintain and repair the ‘eonstructs. In the course oftheir adventures they have discov fered new elements whose examination has allowed the “Nova” {eonstructs to be put back nto shape. Nemtys has been congrat late by the Guide himself and his celebrity hasbeen reflected fonthe whole company. Today itis regularly hited by the army of| "the Republico repair constructs isolated behind enemy linesDOGS OF WAR « THE FREE COMPANIES ‘Tue Iyvisipte ComPANY ‘he Invisible Company doesnt exis. = Vallren Though nobody is sure about its existence, the Invisible Company is very often the subject of conversation, Aceording to legend it was founded by an equanimous warrior named Vallren well before the Cynwalle officially engaged them- ‘selves in the Raghnarok. This company is said to have allowed its people, which wished to take part in this war, to strike the ‘enemies of Light without having to wait fr the Guides or the Republic's permission. ‘This outlaw company supposedly still exists and gots its orders from a secret influential group in the Republic. It even seems that it sometimes strikes representa Lives of the Ways of Light whose actions threaten the interests ‘ofthe Cynwall nation PATRONS Sawafl Maloth isa dragon of Larog who has decided fot part more actively in the Ragnarok and inthe Repub’ fae He therefore maintains regular contact with several compe es of Light. These allow him fo gather information on the yall’ enemies and to strike in stalthie and sometimes more ficient way than he could himself These interferences 9) are not hvays appreciated by the alianvé (se Cry Haver, vol P 6,30 more and more often Sa hides is identity fom the captain he hires Inverse, Elwyndel doesnt stop making. herself known, This Noesin ofthe way of the warrior lends brothetood in Lanover and fel that her end sigh She has decided that hee succes would bes ware woe be Foch a hires and observes many companies al over Axrélsh wit hoping to ind there gem that nap onan er. Eley ts interested mainly by Cynwall companies, yet she keeps a ef con the other peoples ofthe Way of Light ‘Ad lst but not est, Dyess known fr beng the Republic’ noticia ambassador in advan, Hix connections ithe companies are therefore mote discret his atae phils ‘i eon intervening nthe fee citys ae), Yet the Cyl nation’s Interests andthe fete ofl ‘woven somtimes force him to ake atin thea City of Thieves, When this hogpen, ania ment by cling on comps, «shally of the the Paths of Destiny: Healy deals with tha surest ones because his iol venient ould cause a crs between Duke Den Asian cf Lanret.HE UTOPIA OF THE SPHINX ‘Totem: Sphinx Tue Cau To ARMs “The Sphinxes take interest in the mortals that inhabit the continent and raise the banners of Light on the battlefields of Raglnarok, Too faraway to raise tue armies, the Sphinxes, Jn among these mortals to form companies to struggle ‘Among these adventurers, the most intrepid of them decide wage this fight with nothing but the other solders oftheir ‘company as allies. They organize ambushes and raids against -Meanders of Darkness, striking fst and disappearing just quickly. Sometimes they act atthe edges ofthe Ragnarok nd inate leader atthe right moment. Very often they hide «culture as wellas they ean andar taken for simple human ‘Other more traditionalist ones roam Aarklash looking for vestiges oftheir own civilization. They protect this ancient ige and careflly select the chosen ones of Light who be able to contemplate the serets of the Utopia. When have the posiility todo so, they move these archeological to new sanctuaries that they sometimes defend with companies. These strongholds hecome a glimmer of hope the Ways of Light. “Some captains try to unite the forees of Light, traveling hou the kingdoms of this alliance to spread the word of ‘and help the peoples of the Principle of Clarity coord thei aetions beter. This modus operandi doesn't only lead -n tothe halls of embassies, but very often onto the bate field to protect an emissary, recover documents, ete. Each of «victories strengthens the unity ofthe Alliance abit more. REPUTATION “Among theit own people the companies of the Sphinx are favorably They are the Utopias spearhead on Aarklash and ‘best hope for Light. Even though certain Sphinxes worry the marked individualism of certain captains, the latter count on the support ofa hole nation for their quest when, “To be recruited by such a company isan honor and the 0 fight for Light. Among the other peoples the reputation of the companies of ‘Sphins varies greatly depending on the allegiances. Those {Light greet the envoys of the Sphinx ike allies with oftryp- goals and words. The minions of Darkness mercilessly hunt companies, subjecting their prisoners to the most horrible ‘of torture to find out where the Utoplas refuge les. And Paths of Destiny mistrust the companies ofthe Sphinx ear- hat they interfere inthe march oftheir nations |THE WAYS OF LIGHT + Famous ComPantes AND CAPTAINS ‘Tue BRorners oF KasHem ‘May Iie for my brother. = Motto ofthe Brothers of Kashem ‘The Brothers of Kashem are one of the most famous compa- ‘les of Aarklash, all allegiancos included. However, they them selves are not aware that they are the heralds of the Sphinx. ‘Coming from all peoples, fighting on all fronts, they aze now 0 humerous that they make up a brotherhood of companies. Each captain isthe master of his men. Some seek to solve the mystery of the sarcophagus of Kashem (see Cry Havoc, vol. 4) whereas others fight for Light and others still for money and fame. For now the Sphinxes only play a secondary role inthe lie ofthese ‘mercenaries, ‘THE ANDREAS Company Udon’t want your death, but I hea this voice. = Andess “The men of the Andreas Company were explores and tomb "alders. few years ago they discovered an underground complex Jn which strange constructs were hidden. Unfortunately all of these constricts werent desctvated and the whale company was ‘captured. When the trapped soldiers woke up, the soldiers were ll wearing masks and a small construct had been implanted in the back oftheir neck, Since then they have been wandering all ‘over Asrklash looking for a man of seience capable of remov- {ng these implants. Sometimes they hear a whisper inthe back fof their mind and a strange force pushes them to wage a batle fof which they dort understand the goal. Captain Andreas is desperately trying to keep his men from going insane while he himselfalso has to stragale agains this madness. Once ina while now soldier also bearing the strange nodule joins the group. ‘Tue Lion Kriters ‘Te flesh isso weak =Al Not too long ago the Lion Killers were among the worst bandits of Alahan and Lanever. Confident of thelr reputation, they captured a Cymill scholar and his suite, Anita was 9 partofit and she desperately sought a way to escape the abuse ‘of her jllers. So she put on one of the masks that her master was studying. The object’ strange powers allowed her to take ‘control of the band, ‘She is now inhabited by the consciousness ofa Sphinx. On its ‘behalf she is lookingall over Lanever and the Syhathalna Desert fora way to build a construct that can be used to receive this+ THE FREE COMPANIES PATRONS Kashem, in addition tothe roe this city plas forthe Brothers ‘of Kashem, isthe lair of many agents of the Utopia, Hidden within the institutions they manipulate and help companies all over Aarklash to promote the cause of Light. The fee status of theie city is very useful because itatracts numerous mercenar. ies who wish to avoid the guild of Blades of Cadwallon. Solitary is a sphinx construct that is prisoner in the under. ground complex sheltering him. Eternal, he has learned £0 use he machines to which he has aceess, Like this he ean commit nate with other constructs and observe cetain sanctuaries of he Sphinx scattered all over Aarklash, Hels thus attempting to sgulde companies to him so that one of them, braver or lumsier han the others, opens the gate of his gilded cage, Kyia is » young Sphinx who wishes to participate in the Raginarok. Unfortunately her age and her entour from walking on the continent. She has therefore decided to use her powers to communicate with the captains of Aarklash and “whisper” missions to them that will help the peoples of Light. She manifests herself in the soldier dreams or as mystic’ {sand tookhet tobe a we Forbid her ns. Some have seen her as she Cynvell due to her finely crafted maskJAt the hour that the peoples of | eee me a Pe eee oe better Ba ee ea companies are becoming Or re eee ae ae of the fabulous plunder 7 Wf EANDERS »DARKNESS ee ae eC Any mission aiming for destruction ee ee oe em ed eee me coe ee ei a Ce a ae ee ae aed pe ee rg a Oe tm a eget sera‘THE MEANDERS OF DARKNESS + THE LIMBO OF ACHERON vec OO et aust cored Se er laces ealye ona hee ee as ese Ai Desecea ott nou ct toe ye accursed ‘Tue Cau To ARMS Famous CoMPANIES AND CAPTAINS Acheronian culture, ike that of Alahan, places honor atthe ‘center ofan individual's social status, Yet a Dark One's honor "THE ORDER OF THE SCOURGE {pot virtuous in any way. It Is measured according to one’s [personal power, be it clerical, magieal, martial, financial or Your pleas are in vain Dolitical. It therefore isn't rare that an ambitious young fire- ~Valnyr, black paladin of Acheron Ipeand gathers a few fleshless slaves and goes on an adventure Bo seek glory. Several years ago the order of black paladins was st Most ofthese “accursed companies” recelve the Order ofthe aceursed company called the Order of the Scourge. When its am’ blessing in exchange for carrying ovt various missions. chief, the terrifying Kain, wrote the Codex of the Scourge, re Obscure Houses thus send many agents to thefourcorners which established the black paladins as an army corps, the ‘f the world to carry out thei sinister plans and to acquire company slowly scattered to join the morbid hordes. Some, Jere power for themselves. Acheronian companies mercilessly such as Valnyr, took up ‘confront when the Obscure Houses that support them arelook- the adventure. fg for the same information or the same artifact. ‘More loyal to the principles of war of Kain’s work than Some necromancers manage to found companies and to get to his religious dogma, Valnyr and his companions roam seay to new horizons by their own means. Their motives are Aarklash locking for battles and prestigious opponents ‘ried: future compromised by crimes committed toocrudely, to crush. At the top of their lis lies the Red Lioness, the ‘he bocedom of intrigues and the need fr action, or the obtain- heroine of Alahan, fog of the influence required to free oneself from the Obscure Houses “Though they can count on no one but themselves, these “companies enjoy a rarely found freedom and are highly regard ‘ed by all peoples of Darkness. Many of them establish them- selves beyond Achecon’s borders where the scheming of the Dark Ones can't reach them. Like the Black Togas in thei ime, ‘they establish frightful sects or take possession of territorial backwaters. These ffdoms become lands of asylum bound to ‘the accursed barony by gates of Darkness and serve a8 outposts “fr Acheronian invasions. Glory tothe accursed lord eho has ‘pened the path to vietory for the Dark Ones! an’s torch and carried on with REPUTATION Ambition and the sprit of competition are principal values of ‘oe Ram, so mich so that the creation of compantosisseen with a ‘eran fondness. ln many ways the neromancers have the same ‘edatons with these companies as they do with their peers. Lf the company is young, then itis put to test before being sgven Its true mission. Usually this tests passed while compet ng with another company and the one with the better perform- lance receives the privilege of serving the master, Experienced companies are regarded with the strictest of Antransigence, yet they can expect to be rewarded gener- ‘ously. This stage of matucity is critical for an Acheronlan ‘company, for faluce is rarely tolerated and payment is never made in advance‘Tit PHANTOM CARAVAN Without Darkss, Light would be nothing but stagnation Sandi; captain of the Phantom Caravan The minions of Acheron arent all dreadful monsters or wart ‘ors coming straight out of hell, just as dangerous and alot more discreet, some roam Aarklash to fully anonymously carry out the Dark Ones’ plans. This is the case ofthe Phantom Caravan, which is led by a gravedigger of Salaiel named Sande. This od ‘man witha fascinating charisma leads a caravan of severe indi- enchanting for a handful of coins. When the night comes he robs cemeteries and leaves with duals and sells his gift several zombies following his caravan ata distance. When his horde becomes big enough itattacks isolated villages, taking no prisoners, Sands is known for his hage appetite for virgin souls. It some akes in one or two apprentices, often ‘women, who he corsupts with great delight times happens that he ‘Tue TeinteenTH Verse Bvt has its laws. 1m ts executioner =Quaestor Azram The scope of the scandal would be considerable if the Akkylannian Inquisition revealed that itlearned ts investigative ‘methods from Acheronians who are now devoted to Darkness. The Dark Ones’ judicial system also has its judges and its executioners. Quaestor Azram and his suite the Thirteenth Verse, do all they can toda ther job with such fervent zeal that he causes the Dark Ones themselves to worry: PaTRoNs The Obscure House of Acheron that employs the most companies is the House of Tanit. Its lords grant much value to the treasures of the past and don't hesitate to spend astronomical sums to obtain relics filled with history ‘The Tanits are also great voyagers. Even the masters them selves, which is rare among the Dark Ones, sometimes leave their palaces to travel down the paths of adventure ‘The Tanits’ equity and intransigence ha the keepers of Acheron’s jails. Their judges employ many ‘companies to hunt down fugitive demons, traitors and indi ‘made them viduals susceptible of endangering the Ram's interests, Master of the guild of Usurers in Cadwallon and lord of Tar-Haez (the biggest Acheronian domain outside of their own barony), Sophet Drahas is one of the most influei™ ‘dal necromancers of Aarklash. Many advantages are given to the companies that lend their services to this powerful patron. Due to his permanent contact with Cadwé soctety, Sophet Drahas appears to be more lucid than many of the Dark Ones. The riches that he offers, the fruit of his crim fal empire, ate more attractive to common mortals than treasures stolen from tombs ora bit of influence in an order devoted to Darkness. ‘The Gorgon is one of the few necromancers who enjoy treat autonomy in the face of the authorities of Acheron. The goal of her quest across Aarklash still eludes most of her peers and the impudence she shows in their regard only makes hicing companies of mercenaries instead of asking for rein forcements. The soldiers origins and convictions are of no Importance as long as venality is present and the mission is carried out without questions being asked. The destruction of the island of Tycho, south of Alahan ‘means that the Gorgon can call on to reach her ends. weir dislike for her grow. The Gorgon is reputed for is testimony to theTHE EMPIRE OF SYHARHALNA ‘Totem: Scorpion, THE CALL TO ARMS. “The most famous Syhar companies are those whose goals the search for genetic strains. Generally formed by biopsists, they travel allover Aarklash, tracking down promising prey to rob them of their genetic heritage. Though they henefit from great independence, these companies operate within Syhar society and are mandated by the oficial laboratories. The missions they carry out for private individuals only provide them with the ‘means for thelr subsistence and with cover for thelr activi Similarly, omnimancers found companies in order to test new clones or to perform scientific experiments By subjecting their creations to previously unmet combat situations, they hope {o trigger new matations and improve the strains. Samir of cially authorizes some of these scientists while others operate es outlaws. Yet most Syhar companies are made up of deserters and rejects, After every lost battle, after every strategic retreat, hhancreds of clones are abandoned behind the enemy lines like broken toys, Those that survive form companies that free them ae PE Fer sotnc persistent mors that ie hasbors an shee $f Maton. Whatever it may be, the clones of Capt “= himself a hybrid ~ have developed enowgh of a personality ‘THE MEANDERS OF DARKNESS + selves oftheir old servitude olive fece on the surface of Aarklash “They sell their services to the highest bidder inorder to ensure their survival and to be abe to one day live lke the Trueboen. “These rebel groups have contributed to the emergence of 3 ‘ew type of company the clone hunters. Belonging tothe Syhar army, these elite fighters pretend to be mercenary troops so that they can travel feoly across the continent. They hunt down the deserters, erasing the Insult alchemical perfection represent ed bythe fee clones. REPUTATION Independently of a company’s activity, its reputation in the Empire of Syharhalna depends on its relation with the authorities. Biopssts and omnimancers who operate under the seal of laboratory are respected as the spearheads of technomancy. Deserters and sclentists who don't share their discoveries are ruthlessly hunted down. In the rest of Aarklash the companies of clones are regard ced with distrust. Only experts can tel the difference between rebel clones and those that are still under control of theit alchemical masters. Yet their ability to adapt makes them ‘mercenaries that are very much in demand Famous Companies AND Captains 078. Tma freectone! Captain Nekkren = 5,2 Company 078 is probably the most famous one, though it is aleo the one that is most hated by the Scorpions. Indeed, - being from laboratory $0078, tis ade up of rebel i es, mainly hybrids and pests of flesh. Its fame comes the fact that its appearance coincides with the discov fry of the danger posed by the laboratories of the Hybrid in Nekkren Setegularly return to SO 078 to recruit new clones, yet they {<< don't refrain from employing soldiers of other laboratories ot ‘even of other peoples.j THE FREE COMPANIES The Hunrers oF INUKA You're coming with me... dead oralive Captain D'jatfar The Hunters of Inuka became famous for having apparently robbed Seted ofa part of himself. Led by Capt 0 Jaffa, an Androctis clone, the Hunters of Inuka travel from one end of Aarklash to the other seeking genetic stains. However, unlike many of their peers they only attack prey of prime importance such asa templar commander No one ean say for sure if the exploits ofthese clones are true cor f they only serve to comfort D’jffar’ growing ego. The aura fof the Hunters’ captain keeps on increasing with his comps: nys experience and renown. Who knows if one day the most powerful kings and priests won't have to fear the pain of having a sample oftheir genetic heritage taken by a biopsist acting at the orders of Dafa? ‘Tue LipeRators Feel the power of Darkness ~Captain Via The Liberators gained great notoriety after having set up an 5. Despite the escort protecting the elves, the Liberators managed to capture and ambush ofa delegation of Cynvall schol bring back to Synarhalna one ofthe most brillant albeit severe- Iycrticized by fellow countrymen fr is research on Darkness) ‘minds of Lanever. Thats the mission ofthe Liberators to roam Aarklash and give a land of asylum to those who, like Dirz in the past defy the ight shackles ofthe civilizations of Light Ie is therefore a true crusade, whichis led bya viear of Dice, Ya PATRONS Sasia de clones and the is is willing to help all reneg companies that welcome them. By entrusting missions te those who share the same curse as her (feedom), she hopes to make her own cause advance. Subconsciously she thus gives mon 1g to hee personal rebellion against Athan Zalchil, What more, » company planning an attack on Sere’ forces would find a steadfast ally inthe Rose of the Desert. However, this alliance would only be temporary. Sasa’sinvolvement in the cause ofthe bel clones for many Trueborns and captains, proof that Kis impossible to trust the one they nickname “the Felon” ‘As for Sallas Yesod, he uses mercenaries of Aasklash to gather information on the perfect being that he i trying to crate, He has no compassion for the companies he employs and doesnt hesitate co hire captains of other peoples. When his shameful collusions are discovered by the alchemical empire, Yesod takes advantage of his status of biopsist to disguse hs covert opera- tions as scientific missions, DiJabril the Voyager © ularly calls on Syhat compa: nies. Very often the captains he recruits arent aware of all the ins and outs of their mission. Yet it seems that the contracts offered by DJabril are closely linked to the Syhar cause and may be dictated by Arh-Tolth himself. Only the most renowned companies can hope to be contacted by this mysterious personal ity forthe missions he proposes are highly risky and very often involve enemy companies that are no less renowned and dangerous.THE WEB OF ASHINAN sm: Spider Tue CALL To ARMS The Akkyshans are among the most belligerent peoples of Aarklash. Unless one oftheir laws prevents them from doing so, they take possession of everything that they need with avid siolence. Therefore many of them gather in coteries to carry out ‘lds. The ever-rising frequency of ths pillaging has fostered the emergence of companies specialized in the coordination sand the execution of such assaults The dark elves are also very vindictive. In their culture the carrying out of vengeance has a religious aspect. Some vend. tas, however, target distant of well-protected offenders and therefore require considerable means. In the the authorities of Ashinén call on companies experienced in Incerventions in foreign lands who they pay hefty to cleanse the affront to theie name. Certain personalities willingly disclose their grievances in public and show excessive generosity to those who help them get revenge, Yet no one is fooled these are just pretexts. These missions of vengeance are sources of prestige for the generous patrons as they are for the valorous warriors who “spontane- fly” defend them, And finally, the children of the Widow are prolific. Th armies need a great number of fighters and therefore of recep tacles for their eges. Some companies provide the service of ‘capturing vietims destined for sacrifice. Others, mandated by the big cities, led convoys of hundreds of prisoners tothe Forest of Webs. And lastly, some look for very specific hosts in ‘the name of patrons who wish to provide the best environment Nar ‘+ THE MEANDERS OF DARKNESS © REPUTATION The Akkyshans’ military doctrine places grea value on special ‘operations and allows the hicing of companies. The latter there fore play an important strategie role and are seen favorably ‘among their people, They form the army’s vanguard and contrib- tute to the success of many military ventures. If he manages to reverse the course of a battle before it has even begus, then & good captain can expect to be given a reward equal to several times a general’ pay. While the companies enjoy considerable popularity among the people, they are sometimes viewed with distrust by the upper classes when they act off the battlefiold play in the conspiracies that divide the matsiarchs makes them dangerous and unpredictable, thee loyalty being proportional to the sums paid by their employers, role they Famous CoMPANIES AND CAPTAINS ‘THE BLADEMAIDENS Your agony begins here. Enjoy t =Captain Atshara “The Akkyshans owe their reputation of assassins to the companies that, like the Blademaidens, sell their services to whoever Is brave enough to get in touch with them. These warrioresses have raised assassination to an artform and they carry out their missions like spider spinning its web. Aishara, their captain, isa woman whose striking beauty has escaped the transformations inerited from the goddess. Yet one ust has to ‘meet her gaze to realize tha a predatoress i roaring inside her: Re arty‘TH BARGHESTS OF MALROR Alkkyshane in His Majesty’ entourage? That's preposterous! =A Barhan courtier Litde information is available on the Barghests of Malror. This company constantly travels outside of Ashindn's borders in the service of ts mysterious employers, Under the command of Maleor, 2 sorcerer, the barghests place agents inthe entourage ofthe most important personalities of Aarklash In reality none of these claims are true, The Barghests of Malror are a combat group that has been sent abroad by Naleal (one of the high priestesses of Lithys) to place themselves in the service of the lords of Darkness who have done her favors. There the watrior Zarran and his men test their combat techniques against ever more powerful foes, They will nly eetutn to Lithys to accomplish thei final mission: to take power in the name of| Naleal and kill Seaéin, the mateareh, Tae Rectuses Be glad! You will bear my ofpring, ‘Sharrejn, the chief of the company ofthe Recluses, has estab lished her domain in the vicinity of Indatté. Hidden in these sacred ruins where no Daikinee would dare venture, she is preparing an operation that could very well sel the pot city’s fate. At nightfall her warrioresses appear ftom their lair and prowl the city to abduct voyagers. They bring their prey back to thee Ine to lay their eggs. Their young feed on the corpses. Indatté is atthe verge of the most terrifying assault of is histo ry: its only a question of time PATRONS ‘The companies being the Akkyshans’ social and military Instruments, there is no shortage of patrons. Among the most illustrious ones is Vilyad Hayann, the Master of Daggers, chief of Ashinin diplomacy. An expert negotiator, he benefits from substantial resources to employ numerous companies recruit ed wherever his travels lead him. He hires them to destabilize ‘governments of Light, to sow discord, and to spread his own influence over Aarklash. OF cours, he simultaneously employs several companies to carry out his plans and never reveals the true objectives of the missions he sends them on. ‘The Akkyshans regularly harass Cadvallon with raids. So ing in the City of Thieves is very risky for the children of the Widow. Yet that isa risk taken by Synatya, an Akkyshan who converted to the ideal of Light. She takes an even greater (or more hopeless) risk by fighting against her homeland: she calls on companies to fil the conspiracies and invasion plans thought up by her kind. Synaiya takes eare to hide her pres: cence from the eyes ofthe Akkyshan authortles and often ses ‘middlemen to deal with the companies, For decades Lady Gadtiss was considered to bea courtesan of high standing, Few rivals openly dared toresisther and according torumorshe had the powerto make her opponents waat to put an end to thei days. Through endless scheming Gaériss has become Seadlin’s court Indy thus reaching the highest spheres of power However in the meantime the rumors abowt her have changed considerably. Some say that she has been struck by madness: Gaériss employs extremely expensive companiesto look for rare animal or plant species in the four cornets of Aarklash, often in very hostile regions, And she wants them intact.‘OF CAER MAED “Totem: Stag Tue CALL To ARMS The Drune clan isextremely tight-knit and it isnt easy forone ofits members to pull away from the wyrds authority to found hhisowa company. Therefore only a cause that is favorable for the clan can push a Drune to become a captain, ‘Of couse, the hunting ofthe faithful tops the list of thet caus- s Bursting from the Black Wods, the Drune companies roam the continent looking for press to kl altars to desecrate and temples to ransack. At the fringes of the Ragnarok, they perpeta- ate the essence itself ofthe Gnostic tradition, The small size of their companies, in comparison tothe hordes that march onthe butlfields, mustn't let one believe that thei ats have no reper czusions. The companies that hunt the faithful contibate to the run’ reputation all over Aarkash,Terrorizing all the peoples, they spread the fear of the warrots with the horned helmets ‘Other Drunes found companies of plunderers. Loyal to the tradition of raiding partes, they roam the plains of Avagddu and the other lands near the Black Woods. Thete they attack ‘camps of merchants and sometimes go all the way tothe coast to search shipwrecks for booty. When theie loot has become 0 much that they can just baroly carry it on their backs, these pillagers return to the Black Woods and et the whole clan bene- ft feom theie plunder However, what pushes the biggest number of Drunes to go on sdvontures is nothing less than the quest for the Horned King. very year young warriors form small groups and, following a brunch, they eave the Black Woods to golooking for Ceraunnos, “Their quest and thei steugales lead them allover Aarklash and their nomadic life sometimes forces them to work for a local ignitary im exchange for food and equipment. REPUTATION Because, in their own way the Dene companies support the 00d reputation among their breth ren. Ther feats of arms are all victories to be included in the clan storios and the testimony that they bring back from all lover Aarklash just feeds the hatred that the Drunes feel for the peoples that worship the gods. Thus a Drune company ean altvays count on the support of the clan's community and can clan's cause, they have ‘easily recruit new members Inthe continents ther kingdoms the Drune companies are often feared by the authorities, yot plunderers are no more dangerous than any gang ofbandits andthe hunters ofthe falthful dant cause that many death. The population nevertheless feelea deep-rooted Areod of these ruthless warriors, these implacable man-eaters “Though the damage that these companies inlet s more psycho- logical than iis physial it sno less horrendous.DOGS OF WAR = THE FREE COMPANIES Famous COMPANIES AND CAPTAINS ‘THe CLAN OF THE FAMISHED Gnosis is just an excuse to keep us mired in poverty. fant clearly se this. Captain Oran ofthe Clan ofthe Famished Paradoxically, the most famous Drune company is the one that’ has defied the inerditions thatthe others respect. The Clan of the Famished belonged toa horde that was fond of aids. During «particularly difficult campaign their chief decided to recruit elt mercenaries. After a victory eared at a heavy price, those ‘who would become the Clan of the Famished were witness to the incredible profits made by these mercenaries Listening ony to their greed, they decided to renounee the savage life of the people in order to get their share ofthe pie inthe civilized kings ddoms. Under the karnagh Orans command they now sow terror | hiring out their anger and their weapons to the various factions in these countries, which remain decadent in their eyes. The Famished dont keep their soldier's pay fora very longtime, for they pend it on long nights of debauchery ‘Tue Company oF RUINS 1 dream of the day that Dun-Scaith is purified by the blood of ~Kallgy captain of the Company of Ruins Luckily there are companies that do honor to the Drunes! devo ‘on, Thus the Company of Ruinsis formed by warriors who have sworn to defend Dun Scaith despite the return ofthe Sessais. “These soldiers wage a fierce insurgency against the ones they ccansider to be occupiers. Captain Kallgyr around the hope that one day weakened by the tireless attacks, the Sessair wil abandon the city. This company only leaves the vicinity of Dun-Seath to attack merchant caravans or to recruit new Drune ot Devourer soldiers thers his men ‘THe Sisters oF CRUELTY With speed and cruelty is how {will destroy the enemies of our people ~Captain Merwynden The company of the Sisters of Cruelty provokes terror in all the towns that lie near the lack Woods. These lanyths are the vanguard of many Drune hordes. A few days before abatte they study the enemy defenses and sap them through acts of guerilla warfare, Thus a report that mentions an attack le by a unit of| farious women often announces the attack of a much bigger horde Led by Merwynden, these wartioresses are a very dark omen for the Drunes' neighbors PATRONS Wandyr the Bloodthirsty regularly hires captains for missions inthe vicinity of the Black Woods. He does soto give Inns a certain freedom at the fringes of the Drune polti- cal system, which is directed by the wyrds, The companies he ‘thus employ allow him to get information on potential targets and on enemy troop movements. And finally, his lack of disere- ‘tom (or his status) sometimes prevents him from carrying out certain tasks on his own, He then sends a Drune company to da the dirty deed for im. “The formor Nekron acts without the wyrds’ blessing. He helps and encourages many companies to venture ever further into ‘enemy territory to destroy temples and ransack cites there For a Jong time the reasons for this thirst for war remained mysterious, but the truth is starting to come out. For Nekron the beginning of the Ragnarok shouldn't wait for the return of CCernunnos. Through the incursions that he promotes, Nekron provokes the Prunes’ enemies and pulls his people into a splral that can only lea to total war the Ragnarok [As for Sheenagh, she’s an old lanyfh whose body is now too worn to be used to fight. Yet her determination hasnt been ‘weakened. She dreams that her people will one day occupy other caves than those ofthe Black Woods. Ather asking, many Deane companies have gone plundering far beyond the borders of their land of birth to go looking for other hospitable woods. ‘Sheenagh hasnt chosen the new land of asylum yet. She uses ‘companies to test the surveillance and defenses ofthe various kingstoms in the vicinity, keeping an eye open fr the slightest ‘weakness so that she can installa olony:THE POSSESSED OF THE ABYSS Totem: Hydra THE CALL TO ARMS Like 2 hydra, the dwarves of the Abyss have several fees land only one mind. Mid-Noris present in each one of his chile en, from the imple warrior tothe powerful dominant. Most 1 at the order of a dominant (or ofthe Despot himself) witha specific goal in mind. companies are therefore form The first goal of many captains i to found a colony in order tory o to spy on the enemies ofthe Despot. “The makeup of these groups is very often the same: a faithful h the spirit of Mid-Nor, a magician charged with converting prisonersinto possessed fighters, and ahandful ‘of warviors to defend the Init: These companies move theough- ‘out Aarklash under cover of the night or, forthe most skilled to take over ate ‘ones inthe company of lepers and vagrants “The most promising companies often go under the command ff the Despot himself, They ate sent on dangerous missions that always more or less have to do with Immortals, ther tue sams, and the sanctuaries where the most powerfal of them sleep. Indeed, the Despot is seeking to enslave such entities ‘The place where they rest then becomes a holy or accursed place that is vigorously protected by the local population, which the companies must confront. Even asleep, some Immortals affect their surroun 1k sometimes happens thatthe Despot's grasp on one of his 4 servants weakens, Such an event Is always the result of ‘obey an enemy who has stolen his eanopie del) or of scale mystical undertaking (uch as aritual performed by fo magicians). It happens even les often that sch indy this remains possible, Wh colony and join companies that are loyal to Darkness. the Despot's serves “The arrival ofa company ina colony is sometimes seen ‘nen hart, Some settle with the firm intention of their ranks grow tothe detriment oftheir hos or osm to join them in thei mission, Some colonies thus seek to ‘own goals without fae of ba , themselves and to pursue th commandeered in such a way: Individuality and fede Jrosover, relatively limited eonceptsamong the possessed thers everything sees everything and understands everything, “THE MEANDERS OF DARKNESS + Those few possessed whohave beenableto weaken the Despor’s influence on them are considered to be dangerous de, ts and traitors ofthe worst kind. They are ruthlessly hunted down and Aestroyed, Famous COMPANIES AND CAPTAINS “The companies of Mid-Nor rarely take on heroic names, unless their enemies have given them one. They are therefore designated by the name of their captain, ‘Te WarcHers oF METHRAL ‘The past holds the keys to the future Metheal ‘To the east ofthe Plateau of Giants the possessed have recent ly discovered the remains of an ancient goblin cult devoted to the Void. Thest of Mid-Nor has thrown the Despot into such a state of perplexity that he hae larities between thiscult and tha ‘ordered the constitution of companies charged with clea faithful of Mid Nor, has gotten most satisfying results, Alas, the goblins are also on the trall of thelr origins and skirmishes are ever more this mystery. Among these, that of Methra ier AEE le Ys Hare § s GOL SEA Tok a . * mzrei ‘THE COLONY OF MANILIA Be ready to strike wherever your enemy least expects li Arthar The lictor Arthar and his companions, who are known for ther scouting talents, have been given the mission to enter the city of Manilia atthe border between Alahan and Akkylannie, to establish a colony there. The forces of Light are powerful and watchful there, which makes the task ever more calleng: ing. Yet the rewards awaiting the company are worth the tou ble: several ofthe city’s notables own valuable works that have belonged tothe Dark Muse, a mystic who has died a long time ago and whose experiments had almost thrown the kingdom of Alahan into Darkness. Arthar ha also sensed the presence of the Lodge of Hod within the city’s walls ‘Tue Vacnants My name, my real names Pengrir. The one who wants to take it from me will have to confront me! ~Fengele All those who were present at the battle of Harsha remem ber the fire elemental that took on the Dominant Sinron in 2 spectacular explosion. The flames had set ablaze the resinous forest in which the clash was taking place and the devastating fire raged on for ten days and nights, ‘When the Dominant got back up again, he wasnt the same. Mid-Nor was no longer inside him. He was again called Fengrie, son of Tir Ni-Bor. The wandering wartir leftfor Avagddu, His last memories asa slave of the Despot, albelt vague, concerned the fate ofthe Kelt lands where many mercenaries roam. PaTRoNs CCadwallon is desired by all and the Despot is not an excep tion to this rue, Installing a colony in the Free City will have taken several decades and countless attempts. The Dominant Yh-Azahir has succeeded this feat thanks ¢o the support of| the necromancer Sophet Drahas and to his own ingenuity. The ‘one they nickname "The Insane” has in effect drawn from the homeless population, from the lepers and from outsiders to create “lost” warriors, possessed fighters of other race. Little by lite he is building up avery efficient information network and instills patriarchal eat devoted to Darkness among those that civilization has rejected. Yh-Azahir thus coordinates the activi ties of several motley companies scattered all over Cadwallon and its surroundings ‘Yh-Karas has been given the mission to gather and then cnslavea tcnity of especially powerful Immortals of Darkness: the Trinity of the Abyss. To this day the Immortals Ephorath and Elavid have come under the Despot's control. Only the last one, Eszorkd, has avolded the grasp of Mid-Nor thanks to the zealous intervention of the templar knight Vedath, his ‘guardian, The hunt has begun all over AarKlash: the colony of| Ephorath won't know res until itis complete The Despot himself doesalt understand the true importance ‘of the union ofthe three Immortals. Without him knowing it Ephorath is plotting to ta plan requires Eszord to be foune. ‘The Fangs of Fie are an important point of passage forall vessels crossing the Migol Sea. They are also the biggest pirate hideout of Aarklash and the fefdom of Yh-Sankunréin, one of| the most powerful lictors of the Despot. This master enchant control of the possessed, yet his x, who is revered like an evil deity by certain native tribes, Is spreading his influence over the many ports that dot the islands, ‘where many companies atin his name.THE OPHIDIAN ALLIANCE otem: Serpen! THE CALL 10 ARMS The Ophidian Empire is dead, yet its rebirth has begun with fall ofthe Erratum, the secret library hidden in the founda tions of Cadwallon (ee'The Ashes of Wrath). The Tainted, these ophidians who are giving in to avery strange disease, are more ‘numerous everyday and no longer hesitate to open. Obsessed with their desires, they gather al sorts of wart ors around themselves who are entirely devoted o their cause While giving into Vice, many ophidians have execute or freed their slaves. The ater left to themselves in a world where pity isa favor, wanted to protect exch ther by forming companies. Others went to the outposts of mercenaries to sell their services to the highest bidder + THE MEANDERS OP DARKNESS + These rootless warriors often share an endless hatred for their former masters who have maimed their soul with their hypnotic conditioning. Such companies are perfect candidates when it ‘comes to confronting the Serpents The ophidians who remain loyal to the ancient precepts of their civilization jealously guard thei last sanctuaries. Out of fear of revealing ther existence, they hise companies or send their own slaves FY out missions that are indispensable for the survival of their shelter: Most foreign companies only have contact with slaves and are given just the most basic informa tion required for them to carry out thelr task Alas, this i not always enough and some sanctuaries fall If they don’ give in to Vice, some survivors refuse talivelocked up again. They ty tofind their place on a continent beingset ablaze by war of hungry forrevenge, they hunt down the Tainted-ones who ate responsible for ther nation’s fate. Some join the armies lof Acheron or of the Empire of Syharhalna, thus putting their sills inthe service of Darkness,DOGS OF WAR + THE FREE COMPANIES: REPUTATION The ophidians are very few and they rarely move in groups “Most ophidian companies are made up of a Serpent and his retinue. The image they have therefore depends enormously on individ acts. Many Tainted-ones have abandoned thei slaves. The formation of 4 company is therefore a vital necessity even ifan ophidian’s power i phenomenal, he becomes easy prey if he remains alone in ‘world governed by mammals, The Tainted make their reputation among thie brethren with the influence that they manage to acquire in their own name or that oftheir cause More than ever do the loyal ophidians need companies to meet their needs and defend theit interests, From their point of view ‘t's only by remaining united that they have a chance to survive the events ofthe Rag/narok. loyal ophidian who shows initiative and efficiency or who managesto save his people's heritage in site ‘ofall dangers gets the full support of one of the oldest nations of ‘Aarklash, Famous COMPANIES AND CAPTAINS ‘Tue Erratum Memory is the most procious of jewels; itis worthy of all sacrifices. -SiArodh A handful of ophidans have survived the massacre ofthe Erratum. Grouped together in the vicinity of Cadvallon, the Erratum is eying to intercept the convoys of precious works thatthe emplars ce transferring to hee fort and the Solitary Lede “Thinking that thy werent mumerous enough to sk thee lives om etacking convoy, thee ci, 'Arodh, has taken the inate to contact the guild of Ferrymen which as control of the Cit of Thieves trangportaton network. In exchange frit support the ophidians must leave ita part the loot or reve some oftheir secrets to ‘THE BLoop-ReD ‘The cause, the crusade, the noblesse? Hat The result is all that Mongoose “The company ofthe Blood-Red has recently appeared in the port of Ogh-Hen-Kir. ts reputation is already that ofa group of beta mercenaries devoid of any humanity: Ihas annihilated no les than the other companies that go in its way. Its sald that Mongoose and hismen ae former templrs or clones ofthe Scorpion possessed bythe desert demons, Ihishagecourtand wasfaced witha rcbelion from which hecouldat ‘escape. Mongoose and his men gather al the resources required to ‘build smal army destined to destroy ophidian sanctuaries. ‘Tue Grave The traitors hav revealed themselves. The time for punishment has come. “Scythe S'Cythe is a orion, an ophidian responsible for justice. n these times of secession and war, his task scoms to be endless His kind has given him all the power needed to avoid the many ‘threats that weigh down on thelr people. ‘Te Glaive metes out ‘guick justice, methodically and rigorously. Unlike his brothers, this sion doesnt condition the bloodhounds that accompany ‘nim. According to him, diversity strengthens efficiency. His soldiers’ loyalty is maintained through generous pay and the | right to take tbut from his powerful victims. PATRONS ‘The most famous and most infamous of the Tainted-ones is without a doubt S'Erum, the former sydion who has gien in to Anger. After having executed the last defenders of the Eratum and having permitted the fll ofthe sanctuary, he went straight to Kaiberto look or an individual who, in hieyes, the cause of ‘the schism that i splitting the Ophidian Alliance: Sy de Ketber._ ‘'Erum, now allied with the powers of Darkness, alls on expe- Tice cpr reais Shatow ce tinct HN in battles inthe vicinity of Kaber. His great knowledge of the human payehe makes him more sociable and more complacent ‘than most otherophidians, Yet one masta mishuge hin his its of fury are frequent and nly slaughter can appease the Vice, ‘Ayan was Eu last slave and can supply valuable infor- ‘mation to anyone loking for the fallen sion. She remained in | Cadiwallon after the fll ofthe Fxratumand hasengage erselfin the citys dangerous life. Having mivedfelings about hee former | master, she sometimes employs companies charged with finding and gathering the lost treasures ofthe Ophidian Alliance. The best among them have the privilege of assisting her in her own ‘operations, which are hardly ever asyomesto carry out | Some ophidian recluses have lved away fom thei kind for so Jong that their people’ fate sno longer important to them, as longs ther race survives. This isthe cas of S'Ygma, anophidian hidden his sanctuary off the coast of Alahan for many decades already. Benefiting from great influence on several Barhan lords, he uses their resources to look for traces of the mysterious Sphinxes. Onee his thirst for knowledge hasbeen quenched, he willbe ableto wave the specter ofthe ophidians bigest enemy to ‘uy orally hs beothers around a common cause. 38mrsuet) Pp | neTHE DEFENDERS OF TIR-NA-BOR Totem: Boar THE CALL TO ARMS The dwarves are a conservative people that is proud of its lands, The live turned in on themselves and those who go on adventure often daso because they have to. Thus many captains sce rejects, dwarves banished from their fortress as punishment or through injustice, Forced to live in a world that i too bi for them, these outeasts gather together and form frve companies that sometimes look more ike bands of bandits than mili ‘Yet it happens that a dwar feels an emotion so strong that it pushes him to leave the Aegis. This emotion can be a need for vengeance. It int easy to make a dwarf angry, bat when it happens, then nothing can stop him. Due to the dwarves ‘sprit de corps, the avenger rarely ever leaves alone. Heis often accompanied by members of his family or by his best fiends. “These expeditions sometimes lst years and can give taste for traveling to the ones taking part in them. Once vengeance has been gotten, some dwarves choose to continue their journey and to participate in the Raginarok in thei own way; almost in the background, [And finally, move and more dwarves are becoming aware of thei role on Aarklash and work forthe collective memory of the peoples by leaving their fortresses to study the mysteries of| Creation, They alto try to discover the influence of their gods Jn natural and magical phenomena. Only dwarves would try to ica task! MANIA | THE PATHS OF DESTINY + REPUTATION “The dwarves of Tir-N&-Bor are intrigued by the free compa nies coming from theis people. Most of them don’t understand ‘what could push a dwarf leave his ancestral fortress. Yet this cling does't turn into mistrust or aggressiveness. Itisrather 2 form of uriosty: the fee companies gather strange people. On the other hand those who have been banished ate greeted with hail of stonesin all frteeses. Beyond the Aegis the dwarven companies are percsived with ‘mistrust. Those that were born of an exclusion or a vendetta are inevitably a source of trouble for the countries they travel through. As for the dwarves who are seeking to plerce the secrets of Creation, they are seen as visionaries by most peoples. Only scholars and academics welcome them with open stm. Famous COMPANIES AND CAPTAINS ‘TH Conveyors Anywhere, anytime, yet always on schedule “leek “The Conveyors are specialized in the transport of precious merchandise all across Aarklash: gold, alphax, mana gems and even diplomats. No threat can discourage these dwarves aslong isks. Led by Captain Ulrek, they ‘ross the continent from coast to coast, always leading a convoy. Ulrek dreams ofthe day that his company will travel in modi: fied armored chariots. But for nowhe must content himself with several wagons excorted by razorback riding dwarves fs the reward is worth the ‘Tux Eve or Opvin Tims going to cast aneye -Rilda ‘Thoughit doesn' ofciallyexist, the Eye of nit isa company “inthe service of Tie Ni-Bor. Named in honor ofthe patriarch of the dwarven gods’ only eye, its mission iso inform the dwarven syabout the various countries of Aarklash. The information St gathers is not limited to troop movements, but aso includes raphy, oy fo unnoticed, Captain Rilda claims that her men and herselt ive been banished from ther fortress. pulation, logistics, and much more, For them to“THE FREE COMPANIES ‘Tue ALPHAX Kuiors We don't stick to ounpasitions we leave d Kd The Alphax Khots define themselves as valiant warriors fighting forthe glory of Tir-NA-Tlor. Many dwarves take these former Khor wartiors for visionaries. Whatever it may be, Captain Knud’s soldiers haw they can change the course of battles: Until now they have of proven many times over that refused to be integrated in the army of Ti-NA-Bor, for they ‘only want ta be commanded by a chief who shares their chival rous ideal Yet they mightsoon be incorporated because some dwarves are drawn to the Alphax Khors and the awareness that they have ofthe necessity to goon the offensive PaTRons Thorolf's < mountain-warrir with a calm personality, yet, its stil better to have him a8 a friend. He is che keeper of 44 mine of gold of great purity and also of the Aegis. Alone, sometimes handicapped by his large sie, he provides ore to free companies that accept to help him in his task. When his immortal senses warn him of a danger, he sends valor ‘ous dwarven warriors to fight in the name of the Aegis Sometimes he eal on soldiers to ensure is own protection, for his mine i desired by the enemies of Ti-NS-Bor. As for Taw the employs many free compa: nles for espionage missions. He is aware that himself on what is happening ‘outside ofthe Aegis ifhe wants tobe able to defend his people correct inertia forces him to use free companies His-acts boider on insubordination and ly. The Republic's place him-in a delicate situation. Tao. Kaie therefore only employs trustworthy captains and makes it clear to them that treason fs not an option. Dankard also acts in the shadows. This thermo:priest is seeking to prove the exist ence of Uren, thegod ofthe forges;and to do 0 he has chien to resprt to comparison. He sends ree eompanies all ver Aarklash to study or steal other peoples’ inven- tions, He ( convinced that even in the Syhar machines there les hidden the god fof the forges! essence. Most of the free companies that he suppocts aren't aware of this goal and dow believe jn it. That doesnt matter: Dankard is sure oF himself!‘+ THE PATHS OF DESTINY + Het all goblins dont join a company at their own fre will ‘The clans regularly throw individuals from thei ranks who are seen to be unworthy or simply bothersome ‘These outcasts, who the members ofthe Uraken clan call ronins,” tend to group together to improve their chances ‘of survival. Some of these free companies become bands of bandits while others become units of mercenaries {some finaly, travel far away from e swamps to tablish new colonies, REPUTATION Sree poy Young xventrers Bsrepid engineers ar revere expe. flow BPs eg scormedikc the mos dingsting ofroeches ten they F petiitn empty-handed. Furthermore, they automatically I erect fh por they amas enough is Ebay eof nobly. nhs dctatrsip of sures the BM gens ac hoe wih he most hes yea THE RATS OF NO-DAN-KAR ‘Totem: Ret THE CALL TO ARMS “The goblins claim to have invented the concept of free compa ny. Though nobody believes this claim, it may very well be true: the youngest goblins don stayin one place because they 0 wish to prove their worth in the eyes ofthe powerful of No-Dan-Kar. Every year young goblins gather around a more of less crazy objective and go on adventure with the hope of finding fame and fortune, Many never return, yt the stories told by the rare survivors are so exciting thatthe next generation can'resistthe callof adventure! This phenomenon doesnt only concern young goblins. The officers of the No-Dan-Kar Battle Academy and the scientists teeming in the empire's ites never stop inventing new martial techniques and new machines that then have tobe tested The goblins actions are turning Aarklash into a gigantic field of ‘maneuvers where the zaniest inventions and ideas clash. Allthis wouldn't be possible without the free companies of adventurer engineers who ae specially trained in the handling of machines Ihat areas dangerous for them as they are forthe enemy. EAI Ent ot the roins. On the other hand brats and all Rearing ny nthe sume of te big cies these outcasts s popular heros ‘heother peoples don trast the goblins very much Be they eae ble, the chico of Rat abees end up ‘sng trouble wherever they o, Only patrons who ave noth ee eating ire eeeiting al ontaee compe nies They belive thot though the goblins have a tendency for the worst they ae also capable ofthe best an their adapabil ityandingenity no longerhave o be proven Famous COMPANIES AND CAPTAINS ‘Thr Seven SaMURATS Honor sometimes demands that everything be lst. =Myamoto Gobushi ‘The Seven Samurats are the most famous company ofronins Their eaptain, Myamoto Gobushi. was already famous before this group was formed. He used to teach the art of war atthe ‘Graken school. Disgraced for having dated contradict Oraken Gobushi hit the road accompanied by his mos loyal stadents Dishonored, he now fights by the side of other outcast of No Dan-Kar to make justice and honor prevail. Declared an outlaw by the imperial authorities, this fre company regularly sufers hheavylosses, which are luckily compensated forby fresh recruits teracted by the renown ofthe Seven Samaras.DOGS OF WAR + THE FREE COMPANIES Tite Risk-TaKeRs War isthe most beautiful of inventions Glycerine The Risk‘Takers are a: motley bunch of engineers, soldiers and pirates from all over No-Dan-Kar, It would have fallen apart a longtime ago iit weren't for Captain Glycerine’ ron hand. Indeed, this old she-goblin, who looks like a madwoman, combines a certain charisma and devilishly creative mind Every battle is the source of inspiration for a new invention whose testis cause fora battle, which in turn isa new source of Inspiration. This vieious circle causes the company to travel to the four corners of Aarklash and i seems thatthe fourney is far ‘THE Aromium Company Aarklash Today we congue ~Captain Atom The Atomium Company gathers the dieipls ofthe famous Professor Atomiumm, who is nov captain, Cast out by his clan, scorned by his peers, Atomium has deckded to conquer the world to get revenge. The disciples who followed him are ether the most devout he stupidest onesscho were studying inhis laboratory. Yet Atomium has everything going for him: being 4 goblin mutant, he has an oversized and prolif brain, Every morning he wakes up with a new plan of conquest and therefore anew mission to ‘carry out. One day he wil triumph PATRONS The infamous Yaktisa (see Cry) Havoe, volume 7) ‘employs many free companies of No-Dan-Kae, Confined to Zoukhoi, he uses these groups to ove trouble in the empire and prepare his landing Thought he prefers using goblins to preserve a eeftain liseretion, he doesn't mind hiting compa nies of ores or Wolfen when a bigger fr ‘of impact is required. Some of these eaptalns are not paid, yet Yakisa has promised thet position of ehoice in his future empire 6b Zouk. To counter this menace Bazdka aso makes use offre companies. Hesends someall ove? AE "he empire to fight his biggest rival and healso sends some to Zoukhet. These groups must ithe as much information as possible to allow BaxGa ‘outmaneuver his archenemy. Furtheriars Baxi counting on using free companies to flash ut the yaks gueri Jas once hostilities have been triggered on the rebel archipelago. Like his nemesis, he prefers usin sctions go unnoticed, bt he also employs mercenaries ound to ins that the companies the famous guild of Blades. Far from this horrendous quarrel, Gidzzit the Bell Ringer ‘continues on his quest for magical knowledge. Hungry for new spells, he gathers clues onthe location of parchments and spell books as quickly as he ean. He then sends feee companies to the four corners ofthe continent to get the precious works and bring them back to him, The captains he employs come from all backgrounds and rarely understand their patron's motivations. What move they often return empty-handed because Gidexit’s clues ate cryptic or devoid of any sense. However, after count less attempts and missions the magician has built respectable collection ofparchments and books,THE BRAVES OF BRAN-O-KOR Totem: Jackal Tue Catto ARMS The ores, nomads intheit wn lands, ae used to ina tent, What more, they were genetically design resistal types of climate. Everything in their cular in their nature makes them destined fora life of ing. Yet many ofthem are fiercely attached to Braa-O sand dream of the day that thei nation finaly is recogni Those who don't share this dream form a company and looking for adventure elsewhere. Some orcish tribes become free companies out of necessity \War and disease have decimated them and only a handfidh of their members ar left. They can then either join another tribe or save their dignity by traveling the roads of adventure, Pride thus pushes the ores to become mercenaries. Be they warriors or trackers, they are generally known for their intogrity and their eficieney. War isa part of orcish culture and of Bran-O-Kor' landscape. Some of the most aggressive tribes wage a constant guerila war against Akkylannian and Syhar invaders. Like the clan of Trackers, some free companies seek glory by harassing the enemy inhisvery own territory. Such companies also plunder neighbor {ng countries in the search for equipment and rare materials. The shakas’ sacred rites sometimes make them see mystic visions and prophecies whose interpretation can lead to the creation of companies. These have a sacred character and are {given missions ofutmost importance. The most vigorous shakar aithera hondfal of warriors and go themselves on the long jour ney that thei strange dreams have inspired. The ways of Jackal and of coyatl are impenetrable. REPUTATION “The ores are the youngest “race” of AarKlash and in no way ace they numerous enough to have a standing army. Each one of them is warrior and must defend his kin, his clan and his homeland. That's why their own people see the orcish compa nies, which are so quick to put their strength into another one's service and to leave Bran-O-Kor, negatively. These fighters can Join their brethren in times of war, yet thee chiefs, as mighty as they may be, may not sit atthe council of mystics and of rts es ae “Thisin not true forthe companies that re formed atthe shakas Initiative. These can frely cross the tribal teriaties and can sometimes ask for reinforcements to carry out their mission. However, woe to the captain who pretends to be an envoy of the shakas tobe able to wrongly get what he desires. He is given ‘a punishment that is level with his greed by being left to the predators ofthe canyons, his wrists and ankles tied, Famous Companies AND CAPTAINS ‘THE AMOxs oF ARUKORO Whoever tries tenchain the Amoks wil dislike a dog Kuan “The ores are known for their huge physical strength. When they are unlucky enough to fall into enemy hands, they are sometimes enslaved. The Amoks of Arukoro are one of those companies whose reason to be isto free their imprisoned broth es. Led by Kuan, an Amok slayer whose clan was putin chains and left to starve by the Syhas, retreat from anything to reach their goals. They have thus ever ‘committed a slaughter in the Pit of Claws, in Cadwallon, to free ‘bw0 of their kind who had been captured by goblin smugglers. he Amoks of Arukoro don't(OGS OF WAR + THE FREE COMPANIES ‘Tut Broruernoop oF Nine MinaGes You say Im going crazy? 've looked the Rag navok in the face Like you cast feds on pe Lukorok, Nothing destined Lukorok for adventure when, under his master’s watchful gaze, he took coyal forthe frst time, Possessed by powerful sprit, he hallucinated for days and had nine nightmarish visions concerning he future of Aarklash at the outcome ofthe Rag'narok. Shortly after his awakening the ‘vigorous master of rites gathered the Brotherhood of the Nine Mirages and went on a long quest whose true goal remains lunknoven to date THE RAPTORS OF SHALAKH Payment is to be made in advance. Or else also tell you where the trap is only afterwards Masikura After having worked with the Akkylannians of the Temple ofthe East for years, the Raptors of Shalakh have developed an tunusual taste for money (according to orcsh standards), This company has left Bran-O-Kor to conquer a rich and fertile continent. Renowned scouts, the Raptors sll thelr services to er can pay the price, no matter the cause or the place, Some among them stil have some seruples lft They fear the day that Masikura, their chief, is made an offer by the Syhars. ‘Would he dare accept it and thus definitively turn his back on PATRONS The orcs count onthe elders to pas their people's trad tions and precious se xs down to the younger generations This brotherly felingis found inall level oftheir society, including in the companies. The later often lt 4 mentor guide them and advise them in their Avangorok the Elusive, the symbol of the oreish people's resistance against its enemies and chief of the Tracker clan, ‘often takes in groups of young wartiors who wish to fallow in his footsteps. He sends them offto theaters of oper they carry out acts of guerilla warfare against Akkglannian and Syhar targets: assassinations, ambushes, sabotage, etc The ores’ shamanistc spirits prow! in the dreamscape named the“ Many instinctive magicians think snd of the Long Sun that this domain is a magie Realm that is subject to unusual Jaws and may even be an unfinished Realm, This Is believed by Nurkhal, an ore who for a Jong, time traveled with the merchant caravans between Bran-O-Kor and the port of Ogh Hen Kir, More learned than his broth ets, he calls on companies to find the entrance to the Land ofthe Long Sun, He secretly hopes that this Realm will become a refuge for the ores the day that the Rag'narok ends up destroying Aarklash, During the ores oxodusa handful of warriors decided to flee even further than the rest of their people. These aedventurers crossed. Aarklash all the way tothe Behemoth Mountains where they settled and formed acommaniy. Nowadays the orcs of the Behemoth, led by Vika the Brave, have to push back the ever more violent assaults of the Acheronia hordes. They therefore call on companies to watch the edges oftheir domain and to Ture the intruders into trapsTHE CHILDREN OF YLLIA ‘Totem: Wolf Tue CAL TO ARMS Wolfen society, which is based on the pack and on relations of dominance, is similar to that ofthe free companies. Yet these ‘00 social structures convey very diferent values. The pack is ‘basic cultural component whereas the company has a specific goal, beyond just its own survival ‘The Wolfen are divided Into two large categories: those who are sedentary and those who are nomadic. The former protect the territory on which they live; the latter travel from place to place, following their game and their instincts. The alphas of some companies consider al of Aarklash to be a Wolfen hunt ing ground and scorn borders. They attack the other peoples bastions to prove the obvious superiority oftheir convictions and to harass the Craftsman, the spirit of elilization, the embodiment of everything that is contrary to nature. “The Wolfens predatory nature pushesthem toaggression when too many of them share the same protectorate. To avoid useless bloodbaths, the weakest among them (often young adults) leave and go on a quest for other hunting grounds, Some defy their pack leaders o ind old stone ciecles that their shamans have to awaken again with very dangerous rituals. ‘The companies that havea territory and abundant game pend ‘much time onthe mysteries of Via and uselunarbridgesoviit strange Realms. The members of these adventurous companies ‘who return back to Aarklash after such a journey are trans: formed, having been touched by an otherworldly power. They ‘bing back the celestial metal fom which are forged the Fangs ofthe Stars, the sacred weapons of their people Reput ATION ‘The Wolfen don’ distinguish much betwoen a pack and a ‘company. In their eyes they are groups held together by power led by a leader Some pack leaders, hungry for domination, try to subjugate ful bonds, ‘company captains to raise their own pack’s strength, It can also happen that a charismatic caps rallies young reeruits to his cause and thus deprives a pack of valuable warriors. packs therefore see companies as potential rivals and only allow them to stay on their territory the time that it takes for them to accomplish their mission, Mere rarely, some packs see the companies as the true lps of Lhelifeofther peopl, as wanderers ofthe Paths of Destiny as scouts cor as messengers. They weleome them with hospitality and never ‘miss out on questioning them thoroughly onthe state ofthe word ‘Tite Buastine Wixp ‘A predator must learn to hunt alone Vatkacis The Wolfen packs all know Valarie and the company of the Blasting Wind. Valkaris is an accomplished prowlet. The inge- ‘nity of his traps is only equaled by the plethora of wonderful Storios that he brings back from hs travels. His long journey has often let him confront the chaos that fs menacing Aarklath, Very worried about the Raginarok, he takes with him hunters and young warriors to prepare them for survival ina world that, according to him, can turn upside down at any moment The packoft Blasting Wind thus prowls wher- ‘ever one least expects it to be, from the vicinity of Kallienne to ‘the desert of Syharhalna,DOGS OF WAR « THE FREE COMPANIES Valkaris also hides a secrete is one ofthe messengers of the Firsthorn, who was Yllia’ lover and father ofthe Wolfen ‘Tue Resturss May your death be without rest =Simgen A grave guardian's duty is to wate over the pack’s tombs and to avenge any desecration. Some packs arent big enough to correctly perform one or the other ofthese tasks and call ‘on the Restless. Led by § this gloomy looki and punishes tomb raiders, imgen, a wandering grave guardian, group of warriors seeks stolen treasures The Restless never ask for payment when it comes to “liber: ating” an ancestor who was turned into zombie by necro: Despite his devotion, Simgen is tempted by the desire to learn more about the dark arts, He knows that this is forbid {den, yet ringing back the dead would allow him to raise an army and avoid the loss of valorous warriors. ‘Tue Onactas The rune is not the key to the future, but the firs stone of the road leading ther. “Tildarak More and more Wolfen are tring of Yili sibylline omens and are joining the Spawn of Devastation. Others adopt an attitude that is just as violent, yet wiser they direct thelr acts toward very specific goals. Such ix the case ofthe company ofthe Oracles, which is led by the rune guardian Tildarak, He draws runes to find the traces of present, past and future events. With the help of his companions he untangles the web of Destin, solves apparently unsolvable mysteries strikes his enemies when they ‘thought they were sae, and prevents horrible tragedies PATRONS he Wolfen have a tribal structure. A pack only meets others ducing formal ceremonies or exceptional event, such as having to Join forces to push back an enemy army. The Wolfen compa nies are therefore usually sponsored by their own pack or by a specific pack leader. There are, however, exceptions such as Kassar the Fugitive Because of his rebellious and solitary characte, this outstand- ing warrior never stays in the same place for along time. His journeys bring him to meet many different companies that he doesn't hesitate to contact in times of need. He rewards his companions for a day by giving them mana gems, precious stones or other valuable objects that are easy to carry, Those who manage to earn his friendship are sometimes given the privilege of his teachings Isakar the Watcher ‘of Wolfen companies. His close relations with the Kelts of o an exception among the patrons the Sessairs clan make him one of the most fervent partisans ‘of a certain tolerance toward civilization. According to him the salvation of the Wolfen depends on the struggle against Darkness and on the humane’ becoming aware ofthe damage thatthe proliferation of eties wreaks on the savage lands. He therefore calls on companies to carty out specific missions in which violence has to be carefully directed. Kaéliss the Silent, the Datkinee prince ofthe Howling Pack of CCadwallon, hopes to rllyal the Wolfen and Daikinees wander ing on the roads of Aarklash. He is planning on giving them 1 place to live: the stone circle of Caer Laen, which had once ‘been desecrated by the Devourers of Vile-Tis. Kas alls onall those who are willing to help him on his questTHE DISCIPLES OF THE BEAST Totem: Hyena THE CALL To ARMS The Devoures live without fear of god or man ang just follow thei Instincts Unlike their brothers who remained faithful to ‘lia, they dn't hate or avoid the cities to which their wander: Ings lead them. Most of the time they scttle in them without looking for trouble, happy to have simply founda land of asylum Unfortunately thei lifestyle and their deste to spread the reve- lations ofthe Beas tend to provoke hostility among ther hosts. Inthe face of this threat many bands act preemptively and let ‘heir most violent inatinets unfree, Their horrifying misdeeds hinder the efforts made by bands that, ted of being hunted like stray dogs are looking fora land that can harbor al of the Devourers as @ whole Some disciples of Vile-Tis work alone but the vast majority of them gather in companies. Their small yet constantly growing numbers force them to unite and to protect each other. They dont have many atherchotcesifthey wish to survive the wrath of d gods and the retaliation that their acts of destruction, These companies, experts in guerilla warfare and lighting ‘operations, preach total freedom and sll their services to those ‘who take the rsk of getting in touch with them. Their captains recruit all kindof outcasts with various talents. ‘The most dangerous Devourers are also the most discreet ‘ones They entirely devote themselves tothe art of war as taught by Vile-Tis to his most zealous disciples. Their ives then have ‘no other goal but to contront ever more formidable enemies, to perfect thet and to reach the perfect balance «+ THE PATHS OF DESTINY between animal instinct and the sclence of combat, Their companies are the armed hand of the Beast and they act in hi name during their deadliest missions REPUTATION The individual reputation of « company of Devourers is ver important to its captain. Among a people where every form of authority i violently rejected, only charisma and renown allow 2 company to attract new recruits tha are indispen sable forts goalstobereached. A Devourer captain who istoo authoritarian ‘or too prone to failure has a high isk of ing his companions leave to join his rivals fhe doesnt end up getting his throat slit before that, Companies of Devourers are usualy greeted with hostility istrust by the other peoples, except their allies. Many of thom are declared outlaws and are hunted by the authorities ‘especially in Alkylannie where the revelations ofthe Beast are considered toe intolerable insults to Merin Famous Companies AND CAPTAINS ‘THE PALADINS OF THE BEAST Where are your divine protectors while I massacre you? Athos [As soon as his eyes were opened to the truth of the Beas, Athros embarked on a terrifying crusade. "This flesh-eater travels the roads of pilgrimage pirtuality but rather to destroy the holy places where believers gather. Som: not scekit Devoutrers, inspired by this simple yet s0 symbolic quest, h foined this lone guerilla wha isnt afiaid of death. They are called the Paladins ofthe Beast © Tie Fanos or Stee What name should I put on your eran ideal that they haveto find Within themselves. This i Steel, who are ed by the master of carnag. we case of the Fa Balkanie. ge-Devourers devote themselves mainly to the tof war and their weapons are for hire by whoever xn afford them. They perfect their mastery of combatTHe HYENAS oF THE Come here lets see how much your fami he Hyenas of the Ynkard is a company made up mainly of hualf-elves attracted by the Rag'narok’s promises of fortune The nations are investing considerable means for thelr wa and a twisted mind can easly makea profit rom this. Coram and his wartiors therefore wat forthe en attack the weakened winners. They then reap the feults of theie shameful victory and flee toward new horizons: They also attack convoys and don't hesitate to negotiate a ransom for the prisoners they take PATRONS Iesall in a young company of Devourers’ interest to travel to the teritory that stretches from the Forest of Caer Maed to the Plain of Tears. This s the domain where Kalyar the Awakened and his band prowl, caught between the templars ofthe North, the Sessairs and the dwarves of Naél-Tarn. Kalyar, who is endowed with a beight mind and ie very well informed ab the activities in the region, calls on companies to steal dwarven metals, haraee Akkylannian convoys or ransack recently estab lished colonies in order to maintain the balance of forces that allows him to prosper. The companies can keep their plunder as they givea pat of t to Kalya's band. fren, being a mercenary, was the frst Devourer to ight on s battlefield, Though he is now pursuing his own quest, many are the captains who stil get in touch with him to ask for his help in combat. He then transmits thelr request to the ne panies. Afterall, ll golds good forthe taking sen and his half elf companion Scruple also call on compa. nies when thet skills alone arent suifcient to each thelr gal The captains thea make the best oft and support the mes ‘of Vile Tis destructive temperament withthe hope of earnin panies sometimes have the privilege of m ing Styx, the Apostle ofthe Beast. This frightening Devo fosters projects of large scale whose stakes are often impen etrable. Wealth is of no concern to him, so much s0 that he fers huge rewards to whoever accomplishes all kind of insar projects. The captains, however, ate less interested in his gold than in Styx’s blessing, The mightiest desecrator of Aatklash is ble ta give superhuman powers to those who show themse worthy ofthe Beat.THE GUARDIANS OF QUITHAYRAN Totem: Scarab THe CALL To ARMS Ithas been centuriesthat the Daikineeshaventleft Quithayran, Nowadays the Ragnarok arouses the curiosity of some of them, who decide to leave the land of birth to rediscover Creation. Though they are intrepid, they nize that Aarklash i full of dangers. The first step in their jour so wise enough to recog: ney s therefore to look for other adventurers who have the same wish and to found a company of voyagers. In spite ofthe distance, most ofthese companies remain loyal to Laureken and don't hesitate to fight for the interests oftheir nation, Others spend so much time among other peoples that they end up losing this bond and become mercenaries. These explorers aren't the only elves that leave Quithayran The Daikinees who are the closest to the fayes are aware of the problems that they meetin the other parts of Aarklash. Some don't hesitate to found a company and cross the continent to sive support toa faye in danger. Most ofthese companies soon er or later end up in Cadwallon. Indeed, in the City of Thieves ogres et fayes the same way that others eat cookies. The Datkinee women also have to face a serious problem, Struck by Sean's curse, they die when giving bieth to their frst chil. Though most of them accept this fat for the sake of their peoples salvation, others refuse to be sacrificed inthis way PATHS OF DESTIN’ nd fle their land of birth, hunted by their husbands or bro ers, The slyestor luckiest among them meet other par form companies, They can thus honts that are organized to try {getaway sometimes dream of indinglove again among the men track them down, Those who ‘ofa different people than tein REPUTATION Because King Mi yl has officially engaged the pe (Quithayran in the Ragnarok, the Daikinees accept that an ever growing umber of them leave the sacred companies, they standard, yet they see the usefulness in theca ret that they don't serve under the royal ains’ approach They remember those who left to seek the god of Dawn in the ‘of Rebirth and the beneficial aspect that these an have, Thus, a captain who returns with open arms, unless he has reject gins to become themaclves, their return isnt even an option. They are hunted like animals and heaten to death for thei crime The other peoplessee the Datkinee companies inthe same way as they do the ple of Quithayran in general with a mix of fascination, curiosity and mistrust Very few mortals know the Dakinees and the sight ofthese warriors bearing vegetal armor and exotic weapons can trouble even 9 hardened veteran. Trae ye tron) Ghost-town, ines Paver utasDOGS OF WAR + THE FREE COMPANIES Famous COMPANIES AND CAPTAINS. ‘Tue Dawn WarcHERS Every evil has its remedy. -Lymutlle “The Dawn Watchers are formed of Dakinee men and women ‘whoare convinced that thee sa remedy for Seadlin's curse. Led by Lymaélle, an experienced sentinel, these soldiers travel all ‘over Aarklash looking fora solution, no matter what it may be Be tan orcish plant, blessing of Light or an alchemical proce dure they will try anything. Indeed, they remember the fool's hargain thatthe Syhars had offered them a long time ago and suspect that there is some truth in it, The company is therefore lvestgating and wages battle when those they are dealing with remain deaf to the distress ofthe people of Quithayran, ‘Tue Saviors Using my if force to foed Aarklash, yo! To feed ogres, no! -Naryela “The result of the fasion of two almost decimated companies vl offayes, this company watches over the latter and struggles aguinst their elimination in Cadwallon. Captain Naryela is herself faye that just barely escaped death. Beneath her childlike appearance bolls a terrifying hatred for ogres and those who organize the massacre of her people. Apart from this vendetta the Savior organize the exodus ofthe faye fron Cadwallon to the Emerald Forest. For now this free company hasalt been declared outlaw by the duke, though conflicts with the guilds or the leagues are inevitable of elves ‘THE ComPANY OF LARONN ‘Being in harmony with the natural forces doesn't exclude being able to negotiate a good price. ~Lorentys AllDatkinees aren't mystical beings living ina dreamy word. ‘Through contact with the other peoples some develop a very Ihumanlike pragmatism and sense for business. Thus the mercenaries of the Company of Lardan commonly engage in ‘trade. Under the orders of Captain Lorentys they travel all ‘over Quithayran looking for rare plant and animal species that they sell for @ heavy price in the port of Indatté. When they lack merchandise they ensure the security of convoys traveling the seas or the land and they serve as intermediaries with the authorities of Laurcken. Though they are motivated by profit, they maintain a certain respect forthe sired forest and haven't officially ben declared pariahs, PaTRoNs Master Sulandryl isa powerful mage in Laurcken who main- tains special harmony with the natural forces of Aarklash. ‘Accustomed to protecting the magical balance of Creation well before his people joined the Raginarok, he maintains a network ‘of companies that operate for him all over the continent. Thus atthe slightest sign, he sends one of them to do the requlred job (freeing or imprisoning an elemental, opening or closing a portal, tc) Sulandeyl employs Daikinee o foreign companies in exchange for return favors o for Cade ducats, A the ent of th sared ret, Eltedir hasbeen worrying about tne Dainese cs they ded to parti the Real Ths od faye rootrare so dep tha they prevent i at vig ctr eal erp himself up to date on the Rear: When the news tn Peto woraome to him hi seal sss fo a= cour, Unfortunate his opinton a avs nough oti (eral oer venton oi id trode the eri soda employ after ad Wall attains Maérith owns many shops in Indatté. For a long time slendy she bas teen aking fer (hehe to the oxisde wodd if onl to find «remedy rene eee Mlectng their women, She uss ll of her in ience SoA faving to ge beth \ ‘Meth thought she sa asgn in King Mer dechation of waren etched «var Dulas et eam tee perog rae eyed eee inal tang patel rer are Mere ae ccoiteel at i llgtoa iad leo eel ware i thayadwallon, everything hasTHE GUILDS OF CADWALLO} Tur Catt To ARMS ‘The guilds of Cadwalion have many institutions at Aisposal to protect their Interests inthe ety. Beyond tk walls however they depend on their business partner and military allies, Sometimes ths isnt sulfcient. The ake, forthis conflicts with the citys fee status, disap proves the sending of troops outside ofthe city. Yet this doesnt bother the guilds, which apply apoliey of "don't tel, don't ask” ‘When a guild has to take care of its problems itself, forms a company and sends it on a mission. Ifthe cap proves tobe competent enough, then the company becom Permanent and serves the guild's interests in the fo corners ofthe continent. The guild of Ferrymen and the gulld) of Blades are accustomed to this, for thei activities involve relations with the other nations of Aarklash. Independently of the guilds’ directives, merchants and lsmen sometimes take the initiative of forming their ow companies. They also need to protect thelr interests outsides of Cadwallon (protecting thelr convoys, their repretentatives, fc). And finaly, even though the negotiation of trade agree ‘ments in principle the guild’ responsibility it happens that rising merchants negotiate their foreign contracts on their own, The Thieves, who have relative freedom to act, are the quickest to take this liberty. Some merchants push this logic even further and hie compa: nies to avoid the taxes to be paid to their guild. Disguised as a merchant caravan, they go and establish a full-scale trade business. And when they claim to have "resisted" an attack by bandits, in reality they are hiding the plundering of a competi tor. The companies inthe service of these intrepid merchants from the dukes and the therefore have a doubly illegal status guilds point of view ~ yet which i also twice as lucrative REPUTATION 1m Cadwallon the reputation of the fre companies is ambiva- lent. The spirit of enterprise is strongly encouraged by the guilds and the founding of a company i generally seen asa profitable venture, However, the ree companies aea.m ‘Andif there's one thing thatthe guilds pay attention to then t's {hele accounting. Publily, therefore, the Cadwe companies are is oftaxevasion, encouraged and welcomed, Yet in the backrooms of the guilds each ofthele missionsis 1 object ofan investigation and those guilty of fraud are mercilessly “penalized Beyond the city’s walls Cadwallon’s companies are received rather well. The guilds’ profesionalism no longer has to be proven and their will to keep a good reputation encourages them to keep an eye on their captains. The potential employers are therefore reassured. This Is also tre for the authortes, for a guild's activity in a country is often the objct ofa treaty that clearly defines its rights and its duties. ‘The only ones who rally mistrust the guilds areno others than the Cadwis who ate proud of their freedom and dont ike sein *heirfellow citizens throw theme the Raginarol exdlong in Luckily for them the free \Cadwalton) watch that the gulls undertakings don endanger the Pree City Famous Companies AND CAPTAINS ‘Tue Invisinne Ancurrecrs Morals are a human construction tke al others. “Korales ‘The Invisible Architects Keep an eye on the activities of the other guilds, These fighters, who come fcom the guild of Architects, are thinkers as well a8 solders and are very keen on watching over thei fellows’ ethics, Captain Korates isa former acuillery officer who is obsessed with the guild’: moral and esoteric ideals, He inspires his men with fervent speeches, even In the heat ofbatteHE FREE COMPANIES Tue Taume HUNTERS We have more than one trump hidden up our sleeve. Twenty to to be exact -Shalandea Led by Shalandra, a Syhar, the Trump Hunters travel ll over Aarklash looking for Vaniuss Tarot. Working forthe guild of Fortunetllers, this eompany has to locate all the cards and identify the individuals they represent. Officially Shalandra hasn't been ordered to keep the magle cards for herself, yet ‘amor claims the contrary ‘THe DEATH TRICKERS Death is very accommodating mistress. =Gornyr Depending. on one's point of view, the Death Trickers repre sent the best or the worst ofthe guild of Blades. This guild entrusts the firebrand Gornyr's ogres and men with missions that havea reputation of being so dangerous that i is certain that no mercenary will come back alive. Yet every time the Death Trickersretuen. Not all of them, but enough to let che ‘company las. ‘Tue SHADOW TRANSPORTERS. {he shortest road ist always the fastest one ~Anselis, The Shadow Transporters are Frrymen who are special lao in the smugaing of highy illegal products: saves, cones, Acheronian spellbooks, gems, artifacts, ophidians... These soldiers are experts in under ‘cover activity. Yet when discretion is no longer enough, they are abways ready to charge Captain Antelis boasts about being an Uuncvalled marksman and he never stops sping for new war trophies. Tue Coutectors Bad debts make bad fiends —Harkol When debt reminders nd attomey'sletters are nolong cr sufcient, the guilds of Cadwallon all know that they can call on the Collectors. This company of the guild of Goldsmithsisable to collect funds at the far side of AarKlash, ‘or in the deepest sewers ofthe ety. Combining negotiation shillgand martial aptitudes, Captain Harkol and his soldiers Roots * ioeTue Company o Ases 1 have good news and had news -Nessalia The identity of the grand master of the Usurers is a secret to ‘no one. Yet Sophet Drahas doesnt only lead this guild he also administers his fiefdom of Taer Haez, Furthermore, he has to maintain his rank in Acheronian society. Since he can't be everywhere at once, he regularly calls on the Company of Ashes. [Nessalia, a young Acheronian captain versed in necromancy, has surrounded herself with intrepid Usurers who deliver their master’s word everywhere and sometimes make it respected through the use of arms. ‘Tue S6x Company The hand ts quicker thaw the eye. Sol “The guild of Thieves har turned robbery into a true artistic discipline. One ofits masters is no other than S6l pirate with a troubled past. This man named after an ocean could have become a grand master, yet he preferred to improve his art instead of going into politics. He therefore formed the ‘Sol Company, which gathers the best burglars of Cadwallon. No stcongroom in Aarklash can resist the nimble fingers of these fighters PATRONS Myros Doghin, hearth master ofthe great steelworks (see Cry Havoc, vl.3), employs companies (associated with his guild or not) to tdvance his political ambitions. Wanting to become next grand master ofthe guld of Architects, he or tricks and ambushes to underinine Aghallyn's power and bring forth her incapacity to manage the guild Elisandred'Orval isa highly experienced fortuneteller so much so that she can glimpse the magical potential of tart much more ‘than her fellows. She has come tothe conclusion that this power should remain the privilege of few and expecially her on. She ‘therefore hires companies to avoid the proleration of fortunetl: rs on Aarhlash, She ordrs the captains to eliminate bothersome ‘magiclans or, on the contrary, to reeruit them by force izes dirty That, in any case, is what Commander Arthas, who is nicknamed ‘the Commander” by everyone, is convinced of. This former Akkylannian conscript who has gone into exile in Codwallon is sure that war spreads moral values, that it raises man above his beastly nature. He therefore sends companies to the four More than a form of art, war is a bona fide life ethic comers of Aarklash to form units with this ethie in mind. The ‘surprising results ofthese teachings on the troops morale diss pate the ridicule surrounding the Commanders ideas. A Cadw by birth, daughter of pirates, Marienna has traveled allover Aarklashall her life. She isnow old enough to beagrand: mother and insists on righting a wrong that has been bearing down on her for many long years: the map of Aarklash is incor rect. She therefore sends companies all over the continent to gather correct data, Marienna hopes that between the number ‘of companies involved and her own knowledge of cartography, Aarklash will nally show its true face As for Baryim, hes one ofthe scribes of the Goldsmiths, The accounting books that this goblin cooks are among this guilds most valuable poss the grand master finds out about this, then ll that Baryum will stil be able to do is watch the daisie sons. Yet one ofthese hooks is missing. If row From underneath He therefore hires companies (sng funds embezzled from the _guild) to get back the valuable document The Usurers and the Thieves are waging a ruthless war fr the ‘contol ofthe Cadwé underworld, Of course the militi and the dluke frown on this bloodshed. To avoid ending up in the prison ‘of Ten Thousand Paces, Elawen employs companies from the four comers of Aarldash and sends them on the Thieves’ tails “The usuress allows herself to commit anything, from attacking ‘convoys to assassinations using companies as proxies, Far from these quarcels, Voltran meticulously carsies out his jobs collecting the Valuables Appropriation Tax. This levy which is the Keystone of the guild of Thieves, causes many problems. Convinced that even his closest coworkers embezzle funds, Voltran has decided to use the services of independent companies, be they Cadwé or not. Theit mission isto heep an ‘eye on the tax collectors and to neutralize those who defraud the guildhE ma ater ON THE ROAD TO GLORY For over 4 century the order of the -valkyries of Alaban has been in dis- Sofia van Orden, a pythia of has never been able to bear the shame. With ber sis ter and Ewo -valkyries who share her views she founded the Sisterhood of the Chimera. These young women have left their order to travel across the baronies and inspire the people of Alahan with their feats of arms. They secretly hope that one day their wee iGte Pekeshgiad honor to the order of ~valkyrics. T his devotion and sincerity have touched two paladins, who have joined the warrior sisters. One of them, Otto yan Flelm, honors the tradition of chivalrous love by courting Valeria van Orden, Sofia’s younger sister.‘When building a company, each player has 125 renown points, 50 resource points and 90 experience points at his disposal, which he can use to recruit his first soldiers, acquire their tributes and give them previous experience The soldiers who ‘originally found a company are usually experienced warriors AAs they fight ever more battles, some of them ean acquire status or power worthy ofa Character. The formation ofa company goes through certain steps whose order must be respected. 1.°O Captain! My Captain!” to choose captain, Hi guys!” of how to recruit soldiers. 3. "len there, done that, or how to giveand use the fist expe: rises aie 4. "Captain! We need material” or how to acquire attributes. Any type of fighter can become a member of a company with only theee exceptions: Characters, Elementals and Immortal, INCARNATED CHARACTERS Incarnates are unique. They pursue personal goals and don't intervene without a good reason to do so. Therefore they cannot be recruited by a free company, neither when it's being formed nor by being reeruted later con. Its, however, possible to call on their services on an exceptional basis. Furthermore, the soldiers ean get the status of champion during theit evolution. Champions ean be given artifacts and’ can be targeted by effects that are normaly reserved to Characters ELEMENTALS AND IMMORTALS. ‘The bonds that link Elementals and Immortals to their summonersstenotasstrongasthosethatsubjugateFamillars, and are consequently more ephemeral EHlementals and Immortals cannot be recruited as fll: fledged members of a company. Instead, a company can call on them in the same way that it can hire the services of Mercenaries Exception: immortals whose rank includes a spe: *: This bonus doce’ apply ifthe “Leadership/X" ability is limited to certain type of fighter (auch as Cypher Luthar: leadership, whick only apples to Keratis warriors) + ON THE ROAD TO GLORY * 1. O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN! The ereation of free company always starts with the choice of the non-Character miniature that willbe promoted captain, All fighters, withthe exception of the ones mentioned below, can take on this role ) unless they have a POW value, an aura of faith or the“Leadership/X" ability ‘+ Musiclans and standard-bearer + War machines witha Weight value (such as the armored chat fot of Tir Na-Bor) + Familiar. + Fighters without DIS (meaning “DIS The captain's value is the frst one to be added tothe company's. Example: A Jackal master frites is choten tobe the captain ofa company of oes of Bran-O-Kor Hs value belug 32, the company’s vale is therefore also 32, Because the company’s re its atill possible to recruit soldiers fora masin The choice of captain conditions the company’s people of origin and any possible faction, as well sits maximum strength nbers (see. 60) Its better to avoid naming a captain of “Irregular” or “Regul ‘quickly reaching its strength limit the eaptain and/or lieutenant has the “Leadership/X" ability then the company additionally gets a bonus in its maximum strength rank, forthe company would risk(OCS OF WAK + THE FREE COMPANIES The numbers given in the table below indicate the maximum number of soldiers that can be listed on the company sheet, Example: A company led by an Elite captain endowed with ter ip/D and assisted by a Veteran lieutenant can have a uaximum strength in numbers of 9 fotrtn ecrenne! BNORReen tint MAX STRENGTH. RANK DEPENDING ON. CAPTAIN'SRANK LIEUTENANT RANK Creature < Irvegular Regular Veteran Initiate Devout Special Elite Adept slot Living Legend Master (Characters cannot join a company except as occasional fightors. On the other hand, the rules on free companies Introduce the status of champion. This status Is normally acquired when a soldier has gathered a certain amount of experience points. However, when the company’ captain is ao chosen, he automatically acquires the tite of champion, ‘Bons inthe maximum strength provided by Leaddership/: A champion can be given artifacts in the same way as a Captain: +2 Character. Lieutenant: +1 Dean Major Ally Virtuoso 15 +5. Avatar Attention! Tis free promotion of the captain tothe status of champion only happens daring the company’s formation. Notes Though a fighter i not forced to use all of his attributes | It can happen that a company changes captains while de during « mission, he still benefits from their effets between two | evolves. this ease the new captain does not automatically battles. This is why, ifthe captain (or the lewtenand) benefits | becomea champion. fiom Leadership/X thanks to an attribute, then dhe company benefits from the associated bonus in strength, A champion can be targeted byall effects that are normally reserved to Characters. However, this particular status does, not give the fighter the other abilities and special capaci- ties that are specific to Characters (Counter attack, Master Allsoldiecs with Reinforcement, no matter how they getit, | strike etc). These abilities are acquired by using experience benefit from Survival Instinct instesd, This modification is | pofnts considered tobe printed on ther eference cards. “The "Solo/X” capacities reserved to Characters can be Ifa fighter already has Survival Instincsthenegets +1on | | acquired by champions. the final result of rolls bound to this bility.‘+ ON THE ROAD TO GLORY + Porno tomn entant ‘When a companys captains killed, there are two possbiities Ifthe company has a Heutenant in its ranks, then this soldier can immediately be named tobe the new eaptain. He ives up his role of lieutenant and takes on that of captain there isno lieutenantin the company, then suffers fom certain penalties until a soldier aequies the role of leuten- ant and is named captain: + During missions the soldiers suffer from “1 on the final result of thee Discipline tests, inclading for Tactical cells, +A company without a captain cannot recruit any new members. DISCHARGE OF THE CAPTAIN “The captain can be antafter phase 3 ‘The dismissed captain is immediatly replaced by the lieu- tenant, who therefore loses his old role. The captain cannot be discharged if there sno liewtenantin the company. ‘There is a risk that the captain reacts badly to his demotion issed tobe replaced bythe lieuten- ‘When a captain is discharged, the payer rolls 1d6: ‘The discharged captain immediately leaves the compans. 2. HI GUYS! “The free company now exists, fr ithas a captain. Yet he won't ‘goon missions all alone. That's why troops have tobe recruited. ‘Most of the time they are fighters from his army of reference or its Allies, The free companies go on exciting adventures and it ‘canbhappen that they atract Stateless fighters or Mercenaries. AFFILIATION OF THE SOLDIERS “The people the captain comes from determines that of his eompa- ny. The other soldiers can then be chosen among the fighters of the same people as him or among Mercenaries, Stateless fighters nd Allied peoples in accordance with the paths of Alliances (see Confromation3.p. 127. ALLIES, MERCENARIES AND THE STATELESS ‘When it comes to managing compan “Mercenaries are conskdered tobe Ales. ‘The rules on the limits of Allies, Mercenaries and Stateless fightors are different than those presented in the third edition ‘of Confrontavion. In a free company this Limit depends on the , Stateless ightersand 61 ££) The captain remains in the company, yet he loses to points of Discipline (witha mininnu of DIS 0) as wellas the “Leadership/X" ability if he has i (uness ts Bound to an atuibute other than the scepter of authority). to The captain say in the company without sufering any penalties Ifthe dismissed captain hasa scepter ofauthority then tis Immediately given tothe new captain. Ifthe latter already has the "Leadership/X" ability then ths attribute has no effect. Note: When a new captain is named atthe lead ofan exist- ing company, then he docs not acquire the status of champion. Tie dismissed captain, however, keeps this status. (CHANGE OF caPTAIN AND STRENGTH IN NUMBERS If the company’s strength is greater than the authorized ‘maximum after a change of captain, then the soldiers in excess afe not removed. However, no other soldiers can be recruited until ts actual strength in numbers becomes less than the authorized maximum, ‘company's strength and not on its value, The number of Allies, Mercenaries and Stateless fighters ina free company should not bbe more than one in four soldiers. If thisproportionis surpassed due toan exclusion or the death ‘of one or several soldiers, then the excess Allies, Mercenaries and Stateless fighters don't leave the company, but it cannot enlist others as long sits strength doesnt allow i. Example: A company whose currontstrngth is of 13 members ‘aha up to three Ales there are already three of them and itsstrengt falls to 11 or less, then it normally can only have two The tree Allies nevertheless remain in the company, yet itcan't enlist a fourth one until is strength reaches 15 members. The new Ally is then considered to be the company's sixteenth recrult, which allows ito include upto four Allies.DOGS OF WAR THE FREE COMPANIES + Mercenary captains: Ifa Mercenary is named eaptain of a company then all Mercenaries - no matter their people ~ are considered tobe of the same people as him. They ate therefore ‘ot counted in the authorized proportion of Allies. Eva A Grin Mercenary is chosen to be the captain. Al Grifin warviorsas wellas those with the Mercenary” ability can his company without restrictions. ono cene Mercenaries ae faithless and lawless fighters who dont ‘ae for who they ae fighting a longa they ae paid “To represent this, there is another way to call on Nese sted fing elie in + Musicians and standard-bearers: A company can only enlist rmusielans and standard-bearers of the same people as ite captain. FAcTIONS ‘A captain can be bound to 2 community, a clan, a partic lar tribe (such as the Brotherhood of Bronze othe ores ofthe Behemoth) or a faction (such as the baronies of Alahan, the Houses of Acheron, the Wolfen packs, et.) All rules concerning these groups apply tothe free compa nies. Consequently, ifthe captain is bound to a faction, then all enlisted soldiers (except Allies) must also be bound to this The fighters bound to particular group must be so when they ate recruited If the captain is not bound to any particular group, then the recruited soldiers cannot be bound to any faction other than ‘one that may be mentioned on their reference ca. Examples A Wolfen player has chosen a captain bound to the pack ofthe Path of Opal. As a consequence, all Wolfen solders recruited ‘must also be bound to thi same pack. The company therefore cannot reeruit a shadow tracker since this profile is bound to the pack ofthe Wheel of Dreams +A Dwarf of TinNé-Bor player founds a company that is free ofall bonds. He can therefore enlist forge guardian Veterans whose rank mentions the fortress of Kar An-Tyr; but he eanot bind a soldier ofthe plains to this fortress orto any other one. Attention! The predators of blood ofthe pack ofthe Red Oaks ‘are an exception to this rule. They may be bound to any other pack. VALUE OF THE SOLDIERS. ‘When. soldiers recruited, his value is equal tothe amount of AP printed on his reference card. Example: The first reeruts ofthe Jackal master ofrite's company are an aurochs horn blower (ale: 18 A.P.) and two ore brutes (17 A. each). By adding their values o that ofthe Jackal master frites, one gts total of 4 ofthe 125 renown points that define the company's maximian value when it is formed. There are ‘therefore 125 ~ 84 = 41 points lefttoreerut other soldiers PARTICULAR AFFILIATION 1a recruit belongs toa particular group, such as a barony of Fighters without a POW value cannot aequite points inthis characters “42 perrank:a magician can increase his POW by two points without changing rank, but he has to walt until he changes rank tobe able to gain third and fourth point. This aso counts fo the following points * Fighters without an aura of faith cannot acquire points in this characteristic. “Fighters without Aspect values cannot acquire points in these characteristics, +2 por rank: faithful can increase his Aspect total by two points (and not each Aspect) without changing rank, but he has towait uni he changes rank tobe able to gain a third and fourth pont. Tis also counts forthe following pointsGreeters ‘The modifications of characteristics provided by attributes are not taken into account when calculating the cost of Improving them. Example: soldier with ATT 4hasan artifact that increases his ATT by +1. Despite this, the soldier only has to spend 23 EPtogo rom toS i ATT. " | EVOLUTION OF ABILITIES “The experience points pained by a soldier have two types of effect on his abilities. They ean allow him either to improve one Ihe already has orto acquire a new one. Inpmovine aN aBiLiTY a “The abilities ehat can be improved are those associated with Variable value. Yt all ofthese cannot be improved. Thus itis ‘not possible to increase the bonus bound to the “Regeneration! x" ability. Im the table to the right, the second column indicates the Improvement's cost in FP, and the “Gain" column indicates the numberof points to add to the value associated with the modi- fied ability once the experience points have been spent. And finaly, the number in the last column indicates the maximum amount of points that ean be added to the abiity’s initial va, ‘Once this maximum has been reached, the ability can no longer be improved. 85 + AFTER THE BATTLE + Exception: An ability bound to an attribute cannot be improved. Examples: “*An-orcish brontops rider already hus the ability. To improve this ability by 1 point he will have to spend ISEP. “A soldier i benefiting from the ‘Cure /6" ability thanks to a ‘minor rune of healing. This ability cannot be improved by spending EP. “implacable ACQUIRING AN aBiLiTY Every ability ix bound to minimum rank. An ability can only be acquired by a soldier whose rank is equal to this minimum or higher. tne eres aa TEES a a 1s a 6 Artifact /X Concentration )X Cure x Devotion /X. eRe Impleable/X Inteton Insect Leadership /X ee Mate Maes! =m ee, 35. Recuperation (X gipsie ribo sno War ery /XRanks: 1 irregular 2. Regular 3. Veteran | 4. Special / Elite / Adept / Zealot / Creature 5. Living Legend / Master / Dean 66. Major Ally / Virtuoso / Avatar In addition to this condition, some abilities can only be soquired by soldiers with a particular status + Rank: An ability reserved to a specific rank can only be acquired by soldiers with the appropriate rank or who have evolved from this rank Example: The “Assassin” ability is reserved to the rank of “Special” This means that only soldiers whose rank is (or was) “Special” can acquire this ability. «Class: Certain abilities are reserved to specific fighter classes, suchas magicians, faithful, war machine servants, and soon. + Cost (in EP): This column indicates the amount of EP to be spent to acquire the concerned ability + Number of accessible abilities: As long as his rank level is less than 5, the same solder cannot acquire more than three new abilities during his evolution. He ean acquirea fourth one after going from rank 4 to rank 5, anda fifth one after having volved from rank 5to rank 6, I is impossible to get rid of an ability once it has been aequired, A soldier cannot acquire an ability he already has a second Attention! The abilities ound to an artifect are not taken into ‘account in the maxinniom mumber of abilities that a soldier can learn A soldier can be given an artifact that provides him with an ability that he already has. He can also learn an ability from which he is already benefiting thanks to an artifuet In either case, he is considered to have the ability in question only once. ‘If this ability is bound toa valu, then it isthe better one that applies. Example: A soldier has the “Cure / 6° ability. The player controlling hi nevertheless decides to give him a supreme rune of healing which provides the "Cure /4" ability. When the soldier leaves for combat with this attribute, he is considered to Ihave the “Cure /4” abiley, Ifthe player decides to send him on ‘4 mission without his supreme rane of healing, then the soldier benefits from “Cure 6. ACQUISITION OF A “SOLO” CAPACITY If the company is bound to a particular faction (House of Acheron, barony of Alahan, etc), then certain fighters have access to “Solo” capacities. IF such a capacity wasn't acquiredomnes econ Comias nae ce ee) Ete Leap 1 a 8 Warrormages Lal 1 3 al 2 ‘Warrior monks sack 3 an « ‘ al 8 | Martyet 1 al 6 + Special 48 | Masteareher 4 ai @ 3 all 36 | Mastersrie/0 z al ‘8 + a 36 | Materyefthearcna) 4) Paremagians, «8 ‘ Large Size 0 Mechanic /6 2 Servants wf VeryLange Sze Minlyer 3 Servants 8 2 ail 18 | Negation 3 Poremagicans = 12 2 Al ® Pare Fatal 3 a 2 | Pare 4 a @ ‘ a a4 | Pty 3 Faithful 8 4 Special Possesed 7 ail 6 Maiclans | Precision 3 ai %6 Faithful alin ery 4 ail Sia [counter atack ‘ All 36 | Rapid reloading 4 Champions % ne /6 4 ail a | Rpiiy 3 ail %6 EDevetion 1 1 A 6 | Recovery 4 Magicians | Disengagement /6 4 ail | Reese 3 Ail 2 3 al 24 | Reorentatin 2 al 2 3 Faithful 48 | Resolution /1 ‘ All 2 Fansticiom 2 All 18 | Rigor ‘ al 4 @ ail vs | Rates 3 al 4 3 al 30 | Sapper 3 Serrants 2 | 3 a 4 | seo 4 Spell 3 al % Magicians 48 ade 3 ail %6 thf 3 Magicians 4 ‘Sequence / 1 4 all 2 | ssment a al 2 | Sharp shooter ‘ ai 6 Hard-boled 3 all “36 | steadfast 2 All 8 4 ite Sates 4 ail 8 Warsiocmages 72 Summoner 1 ‘ Magllans 8 “Warrior monks | Faithful 3 Fathi a [Target 3 ail 8 1 ‘ all 32 | haumatargis 3 Fatal u 3 all 2 Mic ‘ ail ™ sive 3 all BB] arceys9 2 al 2 fnstinctive firing 3 all 36 | Warn = 2 Warhone”DOGS OF WAR © THE FREE COMPANIES: atthe soldier reruitment, then it can be later on by spending, EP. The amount of EP to spend is equal to the capacity’s value in A. times 10, Reminder: The "Solo" capacities eserved to Characters can be acquired by champions. ACQUISITION OF A SECONDARY ROLE A secondary cole is a particular status that provides the ‘company with advantages in certain situations. These roles are subject to variable conditions, Anysoldir who ions can take on such aole. Als, like abilities, these roles can only be taken on by fighters with # rank that is high enough. Like the other evolutions, the acquisition of role requires an investment in EP. meets the con Prerequisites: + To acquire rol, the soldier must have Discipline (even DIS 0) or Fower oran aura of faith «The jobs of musician and standard-bearer are already conside cred to be secondary roles, Such fighters therefore cannot equi another role. + Fighters assimilated with Allies cannot take on a role in a company. + Soldiers of “Creature” rank, or who have evolved ftom this rank, whose DIS slower than 3 cannot take ona role The same soldier can take on only one role ata time and itis impossible to give up role onceit has been acquired. Reminder: Theroleofcaptainisa primary vole. The captain can ‘herefore acquire a secondary roe just ike any other soldier. ‘With the exception ofthe role of lieutenant (which is unique), several fighters can have the same role. The elects of some of| them are cumulative whereas others are not. This is specified in the tole’ description, ‘With the exception ofthe role of lieutenant, which canallow a soldier to become captain, the other roles do not evolve. And finally a well-organized company is more attractive, To represent this, the attribution of certain roles toa soldier provides the company with a bonus i renown. Example: When a soldier becomes the company’s medic Its renown immediately increases by five points ‘These bonuses apply as soon as the role Is acquired and are taken into account even ifthe role in question is already held by a different member ofthe company. Example: /fa second soldier acquires the role of medic then the company’s renown increases by another five points 88 Lirurenant (15 EP) Minimum sank: 1 Bonus in renown: + 10 “There canbe only oneliewtenant n'a company. His presence increases the company’s maximum strength, This ‘bonus varies according tothe lieutenants rank: Ithe captain ies, then the lieutenant can take his place (sep. 6), SERGEANT (10 EP) Minimum ran Bonusin renown: +5 Cumulative For every sergeant the company’ssmaximum strength is Increased by +1. A company ean have only one sergeant for every 5 full point in its actual strength Ifthe company’s actual strength decreases and the number of sergeants becomes too high, then the concerned soldiers never- theless keep their role Example: A company with an actual strength of 12 can have 2 Sergeants in its ras. It has to wat for its strength to become IS to beable to name a third one Matrrary aDvisoR (a5 EP) Minimum rank: 3 Bonus in renown: +5 Not cumulative ‘The presence of a military advisor has an influence on the choice af missions (Gee p. 71). What more, a military advisor can allow his company to shorten or lengthen the missions’ duration, During exch game, before the Tactical rol of the last round, 2 military advisor con (if he is standing on the batlefiel) try to Influence the course ofthe game. To do o, the player control- ling him rolls 146. On a result of [=]to [7] the advisor does not ‘manage to impose his sense for tactics. Yet on a 2, (Hor Fhe «an decide to lengthen or shorten the game by one round. In the latter ease the game ends immediately ftwo military advisors {in opposing eamps succved their rll, then the two players can attempt to agree on the choice to be made. If they cant agree, then the game's duration remains unchanged, [No matter how many military advisors there are ina camp, player can make only one rol ofthis kind per game.QuanrenMasrer (20 EP) Minimum rank 3 Bonus in renown: +5 Not cumulative ‘The quartermaster hasan influenceon the wages earned by the ‘company a the end of a mission Ifthe company has a quarter master, then the player has to roll 146 at the end ofthe mission (during phase 1 after the battle). This rll snot to be made iall ofthe company’s uartermasters were Killed Outright during the mission or ifthe company did a retreat. the company is victorious, then the result is increased by +1 it was defeated, then the result is reduced by = =Jor The company gains four additional resource points. 2|or 22 The company guins seven additional resource points ‘or The company gains ten additional resource points. Mepic (as EP) Minimum rank: 3 Bonus in renown: +5 Not cumalative The medic is @ practically in company. His presence allows the aftereffects of the Wounds suffered by the fighters tobe lessened (se Recuperation spensable element for any Prosrecror (20 EP) Minimam rank: 3 Bonus in renown: 0 Cumulative Inevery mission the prospector ean be sent off to go exploring instead of taking part in the battle, In this case he cannot be included! on the mission sheet. If company has several pros pectors, then they canal be sent exploring at the same time At the end of the mission, when the company’s gains in resources are being calculated, 146s tobe rolled for every pros pector who was sent of to go exploring =] The prospector was attacked. He returns with empty hands anda Critical Wound. A recuperation roll is to be made [7 The prospector has made a minor discovery that eatns the company three resource points. The prospector gains 4EP. The prospector has made an ‘company eight resource points, The prospector gains EP. the prospector has made an important discovery that earns the company 13 resource point. The prospector gains 8 ED. I) The prospector has made a major discovery that earns the company 18 resource points, The prospector gains 10 EP, The company also gains five points of renown, FH Theprospectorhas made an exceptional discovery thatearns the company 23 resource points. The prospector gains 12 EP, ‘The company also gains 10 points of renown, resting discovery thatearas + AFTER THE BATTLE + ym any aftereffects, : Axcuemasr (25 EP) ‘Minimum rank: 4 Bonus in renown: 0 Not cumulative When an alchemist is present ina company, then the acquis tion cost of potions of strength, of resilience, of speed and of vivacity is reduced by two resource points forall soldiers. Furthermore, the use of these types of potion no longer requites @ roll of the die to he made, They therefore have an effectona Tracker (15 EP) Minievam ranks 3 Bons in renown: 0 Not cumulative If a tracker is listed on the mission shee then the player controlling him benefits from +2 on the final result of his Tactical ol forthe approach. What more, he can pass his turn ‘one additional time during this phase, even fhe has more ards and more fighters than his opponent.DOGS OF WAR « THE FREE COMPANIES Priest (30 EP) ‘Minimum 3 Honus in renown: +10 Cumulative Reserved to faithful The presence ofa priest gives the company a mystical dimen: sion that motivates its troops and increases its recognition. I at least one priest is included on the mission sheet, then the company gains five additional points of renown during phase 1 alter the bate fa priest dies in the recuperation phase, hebecomesa martyr thecompany immediately gains 20 points of renown, This bonus «can be aequiced several times bythe same company, Pries’s aptitude: A priest can acquire the "Resurrection special capacity. This costs him 30 additional EP. This speci capacity can then be used every time one of the company’s solders dies during the recuperation phase To be resurrected, the dead soldier must have at least 10 unused EP left, [Fthis condition i met, then 146 sto be rolled = |to[2| "The gods refuse to answer the priest’ prayers and the soldier is not brought back to life [Fhe soldier is resurrected. He loses 10 EP, but these are not considered to have been used (his Increased). These points ae therefore not noted inthe ED used” space value is not ‘This rolls to be made atthe end ofthe recuperation phase. no priest is present in the company at this moment (orf the ead fighter doesnt have the required 10 EP), then the deceased cannot be brought back to if, Only one resurrection roll can be attempted per fighter, no ‘matter hove many priests thezeare in the company. On the other hand, the same fighter can be brought back to life several times during his career A priest may not use this special capacity on himself, yet he «an use it on another priest. A priest resurrected in this way. doesn't become a martyt: his “temporary” death does not provide the company with 20 points of renown. However, when «priest succeeds in bringing a soldier back from the dead, his ‘company immediately gains 10 points of renoven, REcaRurren (30 EP) Mi Bonus in renown: +5 Not cumulative The recruitment of Allies, Mercenaries and Stateless fight- rs only costs the company a quarter oftheir value instead of hall in resource points. The wages to pay fighters who arent members of the company (Mercenaries, Characters, etc) are also reduced by 10% (rounded up to the higher integer). yam rank: 3 teens: eran a ADJUSTMENT OF THE SOLDIERS’ VALUE Depending on the acquired improvements soldier’ value ‘must be adjusted during this last phase, To calculate a ighter’s new value one hast ad together his cost n AP. as indeated con his reference card with 105 of he tte amount of EP used since he was recruited (rounded down tothe lower neg Example: A Jackal warrior whose cost in A.P. is equal to 23 has ‘used 54 EP since he oined his company, His values therefore 23 +528, 6. ACQUISITION OF ATTRIBUTES During this phase the company's members (as wells the new recruits) can be given attributes, ‘Theacquisition ofartifactsissubjectto the samerulesas when the company is being formed.‘+ AFTER THE BATTLE «Paes. < char Pv >, ae 4 NEXUSES6'T [TAN Soe . : a |] oe re heDOGS OF WAR gars n. The Syhars make a whole fuss about it. | Hurry up, little brother! They're quickly going t0 spat us ened by reason with all the noise we're going to make. We're not fete vary I's dangerous. | @ use ticker) Its not for ating that T was called “the bout renewal, s new ag ans science. Bah! Rubbish, Science and remists of Dit are proof of this, Speaki Meteor” back in the arenas of Cadwallon. “Amok slayer” which, ‘by them! Hal The throne will is what the old shaka im the garden of Tailors had called thee And He ls bis a sag ie dks me em I dnage forward. Fis wepon 1 fice dev com the horizon. ‘The Lands om the door and smices if to bits with «single blow. Sfavuc geet aprise whe aon is defecng and ware of birds fy off ito the cool morning ix 1 thovt from: the bottom of ny lanes b ito the darks, my rwcanom held i ale, Who a have my two maces. We're gt the Barhans a bn wa have aball can aoe ont the tal fers a the clones pointing their crossbows at me. No time to rink. 1 throrws myself to the slide across the room like 4 beraling ball rolling aervow. Fle docnt like attacking “toward the pir 1 bit the shine of + clone and rock him care aint my Tucky day The pln breaks down at the same tine atthe door Fea read the sprie on Asbrus ice We avere being expected. Tie ses to come to tantill as [ wotch bots fring in low motion at ny brother Fora facton of econd Chick thi b's a gon aleay icte ye aye bie ing ou mison on my ov «wher 1 go bererk Tes true tht it takes 4 hile for amc to act ary but swhen I do, J vealy do. Go ax bxo, don’ bother wing for the others to sat the job. Prveres, Fle watches the amburs Fle Bars the tical clicking of te Sib exosbous and er or, mabe 20, bets act ruck ir Ad's cet. Le-vebly tbs lot more to stop an orc. Dasbram rusher to belp bis brother, taken by an rncontallble anger Florble cries nse frm the Brine Some are aimaltike hows ober are deperste lamecs. A. clone goes erabing sent the dorfame ani leery raies bir arm toward the light. The Blow of 4 hamancr crabs bim again the wall with + tering cracking rowed. He collar like puppet in a cloned of det. ine over the butte 4 few ze coins sd