The Discussion Thread
The Cast List
The East is in chaos. It has been fifteen, long years since the fall of Kadmos Nikitis, Humanity's Strongest Leader, and the world has suffered greatly. In the wake of his passing has arisen the Haeres, the 10 Kings, Queens, Statesmen, and Generals who were among Kadmos's most loyal, most powerful leaders, each claiming a large swath of the dead Empire for their own. The wars over the carcass of Kadmos's achievements began soon after, and no lands are safe.
The Elves have fractured into two governments, each looking at the stormclouds on their borders whilst eyeing the other with suspicion. The Great Western Throng has sounded drums and trumpets, knowing that the fractured East would be a far easier morsel to devour than their former, powerful enemy, the Empire. The Tribes of The Dwarves continue as they have: battling one another, battling all else around them, refusing to be subdued by any would-be conquerors.
What started as skirmishes turned into full-blown conflict. Thousands are displaced by war, and though the thrones of Man, Elf, Dwarf, and Orc vie against one another, the people of the land are bound together to face the fires, the steel, and the blood.
On such group is The Iron Wolves.
For the past month, the Iron Wolves Mercenary Company have been in the service of the Avernix Tribe; a group of Dwarves and Halflings, and even Human Refugees, caught between the crushing pressure of two of the Haeres.
To the West lies the lands of General Patroklos, a man well known for both his cruelty and his wealth, seeking to add the Iron-Rich hills of the Avernix to his burgeoning city-state. Patroklos's army has already burned miles of forest and the villages therein, putting pressure on the Avernix to surrender their lands before there is nothing left.
To the East comes Patroklos's chief rival, Queen Pantea; the widow of a Statesman slain early in the Haere Wars. Known as The Even-Handed, she has been told to be far more fair in her dealings with her subjects, though her penchant for ruthlessness was solidified in the destruction of a village that refused to provide their levy of young men and women, as well as their crops, for the campaigning season. She had approached the Avernix first with the goal of peaceful annexation, but has lately turned towards raids into their borders to force the issue.
Where Pantea's and Patroklos's soldiers meet one another, blood is sure to follow: they are loyal to their lords, loyal to their causes, and will stop at nothing to stamp out the resistance that the Dwarves and their allies put up. The battles have left hundreds of humans and elves without homes as well; they now take shelter with the Avernix, who will not turn these downtrodden away: the hold of Honor binds their hospitality, though the able-bodied are also given weapons and shields with which to aid in the defense.
The Iron Wolves's contract with the Avernix is up today. The pay has already been received and distributed to the troops, leaving little left, sadly: the Avernix, while a rich land, are a poor people. The conflict has drained their coffers to near empty. Still, one of their messengers arrives to the camp of the Iron Wolves, situated half-a-day's march from their capital of Halveroth, with an offer to renew the contract. The growing battles between Patroklos and Pantea have left The Druidic Council fearful of their ability to mount a true resistance, and they have seen the prowess of the Wolves against these powerful foes. They can offer only enough silver to cover the wages of the troops and perhaps a small bit left over: 600 Gold Pieces for the month. However, they offer something else: Dwarf-Forged weapons and armor. Steel regarded as some of the best within The East, enough for at least thirty of the Wolves to be fitted with. This gear is perhaps worth more than the gold offered, but it shows how desperate the Avernix have become, willing to trust this band of mercenaries with their artisan's talents to provide such work for practically no cost.
However, at separate times in the morning, the camp is also approached by two others: a rider from Patroklos, and one of Pantea's scouts. They both present offers from their lords, for the Wolves have fought both during their time with the Avernix.
Patroklos's letter is straight to the point: He offers 2,500 Gold for the Month if the Wolves will turn on the Avernix so he can focus his battles against Pantea. He fully plans to use The Wolves to conquer the land for him, and he plainly states so. However, he admits that such assistance would make him eternally grateful, and he can be quite the profitable patron for the future.
Pantea's offers 1,200 Gold for the month to the Iron Wolves if they will join her forces in fighting Patroklos. She could honestly care less about the Avernix: they are small, and can always be conquered after Patroklos's forces are broken. However, she recognizes that the true threat to her power in The East lays in her rival, for his armies are a match for her own. She believes, however, that with the help of The Wolves, she can overcome Patroklos. While her coinage offer is not as much as Patroklos, she instead offers Land: there is a small, wooden fort that she asks the Wolves to march on and, were they to seize it, it would be theirs, protected by her own forces in return for such assistance.
These messages have been brought to the Officers of The Iron Wolves, and the general troops know nothing of any of this. Yet. Surely they have seen the messengers, but they trust in the orders and guidance of their leadership.
Inside the command tent, the founders of this mercenary company come together to discuss their prospects and their next action: either way nets them enemies, allies, and assistance. All paths have their own dangers.
But the Wolf Must Feed, and it would not be long before she was starving if a choice wasn't made.
The Cast List
The East is in chaos. It has been fifteen, long years since the fall of Kadmos Nikitis, Humanity's Strongest Leader, and the world has suffered greatly. In the wake of his passing has arisen the Haeres, the 10 Kings, Queens, Statesmen, and Generals who were among Kadmos's most loyal, most powerful leaders, each claiming a large swath of the dead Empire for their own. The wars over the carcass of Kadmos's achievements began soon after, and no lands are safe.
The Elves have fractured into two governments, each looking at the stormclouds on their borders whilst eyeing the other with suspicion. The Great Western Throng has sounded drums and trumpets, knowing that the fractured East would be a far easier morsel to devour than their former, powerful enemy, the Empire. The Tribes of The Dwarves continue as they have: battling one another, battling all else around them, refusing to be subdued by any would-be conquerors.
What started as skirmishes turned into full-blown conflict. Thousands are displaced by war, and though the thrones of Man, Elf, Dwarf, and Orc vie against one another, the people of the land are bound together to face the fires, the steel, and the blood.
On such group is The Iron Wolves.
To the West lies the lands of General Patroklos, a man well known for both his cruelty and his wealth, seeking to add the Iron-Rich hills of the Avernix to his burgeoning city-state. Patroklos's army has already burned miles of forest and the villages therein, putting pressure on the Avernix to surrender their lands before there is nothing left.
To the East comes Patroklos's chief rival, Queen Pantea; the widow of a Statesman slain early in the Haere Wars. Known as The Even-Handed, she has been told to be far more fair in her dealings with her subjects, though her penchant for ruthlessness was solidified in the destruction of a village that refused to provide their levy of young men and women, as well as their crops, for the campaigning season. She had approached the Avernix first with the goal of peaceful annexation, but has lately turned towards raids into their borders to force the issue.
Where Pantea's and Patroklos's soldiers meet one another, blood is sure to follow: they are loyal to their lords, loyal to their causes, and will stop at nothing to stamp out the resistance that the Dwarves and their allies put up. The battles have left hundreds of humans and elves without homes as well; they now take shelter with the Avernix, who will not turn these downtrodden away: the hold of Honor binds their hospitality, though the able-bodied are also given weapons and shields with which to aid in the defense.
The Iron Wolves's contract with the Avernix is up today. The pay has already been received and distributed to the troops, leaving little left, sadly: the Avernix, while a rich land, are a poor people. The conflict has drained their coffers to near empty. Still, one of their messengers arrives to the camp of the Iron Wolves, situated half-a-day's march from their capital of Halveroth, with an offer to renew the contract. The growing battles between Patroklos and Pantea have left The Druidic Council fearful of their ability to mount a true resistance, and they have seen the prowess of the Wolves against these powerful foes. They can offer only enough silver to cover the wages of the troops and perhaps a small bit left over: 600 Gold Pieces for the month. However, they offer something else: Dwarf-Forged weapons and armor. Steel regarded as some of the best within The East, enough for at least thirty of the Wolves to be fitted with. This gear is perhaps worth more than the gold offered, but it shows how desperate the Avernix have become, willing to trust this band of mercenaries with their artisan's talents to provide such work for practically no cost.
However, at separate times in the morning, the camp is also approached by two others: a rider from Patroklos, and one of Pantea's scouts. They both present offers from their lords, for the Wolves have fought both during their time with the Avernix.
Patroklos's letter is straight to the point: He offers 2,500 Gold for the Month if the Wolves will turn on the Avernix so he can focus his battles against Pantea. He fully plans to use The Wolves to conquer the land for him, and he plainly states so. However, he admits that such assistance would make him eternally grateful, and he can be quite the profitable patron for the future.
Pantea's offers 1,200 Gold for the month to the Iron Wolves if they will join her forces in fighting Patroklos. She could honestly care less about the Avernix: they are small, and can always be conquered after Patroklos's forces are broken. However, she recognizes that the true threat to her power in The East lays in her rival, for his armies are a match for her own. She believes, however, that with the help of The Wolves, she can overcome Patroklos. While her coinage offer is not as much as Patroklos, she instead offers Land: there is a small, wooden fort that she asks the Wolves to march on and, were they to seize it, it would be theirs, protected by her own forces in return for such assistance.
These messages have been brought to the Officers of The Iron Wolves, and the general troops know nothing of any of this. Yet. Surely they have seen the messengers, but they trust in the orders and guidance of their leadership.
Inside the command tent, the founders of this mercenary company come together to discuss their prospects and their next action: either way nets them enemies, allies, and assistance. All paths have their own dangers.
But the Wolf Must Feed, and it would not be long before she was starving if a choice wasn't made.
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