History

The Iron Company’s humble origins can be found several decades ago in the Kingdom of Mjoll, for it was there that a young Einher man by the name of Vidar Torrinson emerged from the blood-soaked internecine war that tore his clan apart in ages past. That conflict taught him many things, but the most important lesson he learned was this; patriotism is shit. Clan Conlan answered the call to war, marching alongside those clans to whom they were bound with alliances forged of honor, marriage, and obligation. Vidar watched as the war slowly tore his clan to bloody pieces, a once-proud family reduced to a few scattered survivors who tried in vain to carry on the memory of their slaughtered forebears. Disgusted with the dishonorable hypocrisy of his so-called kinsmen who butchered their fellow Einher in a pointless civil war, Vidar left Mjoll with little more than the sword on his back and the company of a few of his clan’s legendary smiths.

Still, a man had to eat, and Vidar had no trade but killing. He led those few who had followed him to the Kingdom of Berphaunt, years before its ascension into an empire, where it was said that the then King Louis Berphaunt had two things that every mercenary wants in a patron; a vast host of enemies that needed killing, and deep pockets. At the time there were hundreds of small mercenary outfits roaming the Kingdom, with many composed of little more than jumped-up brigands who thought that the killing of Sprawn orcs would be an easy payday. Vidar and his clansmen fell in with one of these groups, a bunch of barely trained and violent ne’er-do-wells who called themselves the Stolen Swords, on the account that most of their weaponry was actually stolen or looted from one source or another. The fighting in those days was perhaps more brutal than the battles he was used to, as Sprawn orcs gave no quarter and neither did they. Casualties and desertion rates were exceptionally high back then. Still, in many ways this work was more honest than the fighting Vidar was used to; no more killing for vague notions like honour that the Jarls would use to motivate the unthinking brutes he used to fight alongside. They got paid, they killed, and it was enough. For a time.

For people of ambition, contentment breeds dissatisfaction, and when people like Vidar have enough, their minds inevitably turn to thoughts of having even more. The more patriotic citizens of Berphaunt will never admit this even to this day, but the war with Sprawn took a heavy toll. Duvainian warships and the naval blockade they manned all but cut off maritime shipping, and the Orcish hordes made overland trade extremely risky at best. Centralized economic planning and control could only do so much, and it was not long before gold and silver were effectively useless in Berphaunt. Iron kept its value though, and the smiths of Clan Conlan were still loyal to Vidar himself more so than the actual commander of the Stolen Swords. Slowly but surely Vidar increased his control over the flow of iron, and if you were not in his good graces you could forget about ever getting replacement gear forged or existing gear repaired. Those that were loyal to Vidar, however, received weapons and armour of extremely fine make. These were the people who were far more likely to survive their battles with Clan Sprawn, and as such Vidar’s influence over the Stolen Swords steadily advanced.

Torvald the Loud, the “commander” of the Stolen Swords, was not a bright man. However, even he could see what was happening to his band of sellswords. He demanded that Vidar bring his cousins into line and forge new iron weapons for everyone, not just his chosen. Unsurprisingly, Vidar refused, instead using the opportunity to provoke Torvald into a mortal challenge for leadership of the Stolen Swords. Vidar wore the armour forged by his kin, while Torvald did not. With one foot atop the bloody corpse of his former commander, Vidar assumed command and proclaimed that they were the Stolen Swords no longer. Iron delivered him these warriors, iron armoured them, sheltered them, and paid their wages. Iron was the bedrock upon which he would build his legacy, and henceforth they would be known as the Iron Company. Hundreds of mercenaries who had formerly been reduced to wielding ramshackle Orcish weapons taken from the dead left their own bands and flocked to his banner, and it was said that only the Berphauntian army itself was better equipped.

The Iron Company has since sown terror across a thousand battlefields, caring little for who they fight or the reasons for it, so long as they’re paid what they’re owed. A reputation for success and good pay led to the Iron Company absorbing many of the smaller mercenary bands that had previously roamed the lands of the Berphaunt, and in a little more than a year their numbers had swollen to such a degree that Iron Company Chapter Houses began springing up all over Maud’madir.

Occasions of Note:

The Iron Company has a plethora of its own legends, some of which are detailed below.

In the year 2237, the Felnir Chapter House was wiped out to the last man by a horde of Undead, thanks primarily to a lack of magic weaponry and mages, and to the sheer numbers of the necromantic hordes. The Chapter Houses of Mjoll and Acasa joined in common cause with the local Savar and worked for little more than operating expenses to purge the undead hordes and avenge their brethren. A new Felnir Chapter House was finally established late in the year 2238, and counts amongst its numbers some of the most skilled Undead Hunters on the continent to this day.

In the year 2239, the Mjoll Chapter House considered taking a contract with the desperate Einher clans to fight in The War of Fire and Frost. This offer was rejected as most felt that at the time it was a lost cause, and that the Einher could not pay what was promised. Instead, they resolved to leave the land to the accursed Ice Elves, rather than die pointlessly and with empty pockets. The Chapter House was abandoned as they sought better pastures elsewhere, but soon cursed their decision when the Horn of the Einherjar came into play and almost single-handedly changed the course of the entire war. They were only permitted to establish their Chapter House years later when they agreed to fight for Orin the Bastard at a reduced rate.

In the year 2246, the Iron Company took the contract that would change everything for the up and coming mercenary band. Styphon’s Army of the Black Wyrm was gearing up for a major offensive, and his generals were offering a truly staggering amount of gold to entice mortals to serve under his banner. At first, service in Styphon’s forces was everything his representatives had promised; Tiefanue’s soldiers fell like wheat before the scythe, and piles of ill-gotten loot overflowed from their supply wagons. The Iron Company did quite well for itself during this conflict, and many veterans of those days still carry weapons and armour of peerless make that were taken from Tiefanue’s fallen heroes. During the siege of Angelguard, Vidar himself slew the famed Kaelite paladin Rickard Brightstar, claiming the legendary Defender known as Night’s End for himself.

However, in the year 2256, the otherwise easy and profitable campaign suddenly took a turn towards disaster. As the Army of the Black Wyrm pressed further into Tiefanue, the Tiefanese resistance became more and more stubborn as the beleaguered Kingdom found its resolve. In response to this increased level of resistance, the forces of Styphon began to employ the Undead in greater and greater numbers with each passing engagement. The Iron Company was not ignorant of who Styphon was, and were not as a whole put off by this. At least, not at first. Some of the mercenaries were known to fight alongside his undead forces in pitched battles, and the Iron Company even employed a small number of Necromancers themselves. Necromancy and its use was not the issue.

The Army of the Black Wyrm commonly raised any of its living soldiers that had fallen in battle, with the exception of those sworn to the Iron Company. After the disaster in Felnir, most soldiers of the Iron Company were averse to being raised themselves, and as such had contractual provisions in place to prevent this from occurring elsewhere. These stipulations were not enough when progress within Tiefanue ground to a halt however, and the Black Wyrm’s necromancers began raising any formerly living being, friend or foe, previous affiliation be damned. The Iron Company was shocked and appalled as their battle brothers and sisters were raised and twisted into undead abominations; abominations that fought for free no less. Vidar has been quoted in the past as saying that this fact was arguably worse. At any rate, these proceedings led to the Iron Company gathering together and holding an emergency meeting where they resolved not to meet the same fate as their newly-raised undead brethren. Although the act of breaking a contract did not sit well with Vidar, the thought of seeing all of his warriors slaughtered and turned into undead shock troops for Styphon’s army was far more unconscionable. Thus, the retreat was sounded and the Iron Company deserted the Army of the Black Wyrm on the day of June 12, 2256. This date marks the only time that the Iron Company has ever broken a contract before its completion, or the client’s final death. When challenged on this point, most within the Iron Company will argue that Styphon broke their contract first.

As they marched, despair began to set in. Every soldier from the lowest latrine digger to Vidar himself struggled with their decision, and with the trouble they were now certain to face having made enemies of both Styphon and Tiefanue. They were alone, trudging through hostile territory with the irregular forces of both sides constantly nipping at their heels as they fled. Many called to their commander Vidar for guidance, and for the first time in his long life, he had nothing. All he would say was that they needed to keep pressing forward, and then perhaps some of them would survive.

By all rights, the Iron Company should have ended there, dying from a thousand tiny cuts before either the Teifanese military of the Army of the Black Wyrm caught up to them and delivered a finishing blow. However, it seems that fate had other plans, and the King of Berphaunt long had his eye on the group. A lone mage clad in a simple red robe unexpectedly met with Vidar and his Iron Lords in the town of Silverbreach. While this mage seemed unassuming at a glance, all that witnessed them agreed that the air around them hummed as if alive with arcane power. As his army took their rest and recuperated from their long flight, this person explained that they were but an agent of the most powerful and generous King to ever walk the lands of Arthos, and they were here to make them an offer on his behalf.

King Louis Berphaunt offered protection from the powerful enemies the company had made, as well as the chance to sign an exclusivity contract with the Emperor worth more gold annually than the economic output of many small nations. A few of the more paranoid Iron Lords suspected that the Shiloth herself had expertly engineered their moment of vulnerability, but that even if that was completely true, it changed very little. Without aid they were well and truly done. Thus, Guildmaster Vidar signed the contract, and the Iron Company became the most powerful Mercenary Guild on Maud’madir overnight. They had risen to prominence before this, but the direct patronage of the King brought the Iron Company to a level of success undreamt of previously.

With the massive piles of gold the Empire could throw at them, they were able to expand incredibly quickly, and soon nearly every major city and region of Maud’madir had its own Chapter House. The Emperor seems content to let the Iron Company conduct its business freely, but rumours swirl that he uses the Chapter Houses to project Berphauntian might into nations that would otherwise be hostile to an official Berphauntian military presence.

During the war against the Brood, the now-Emperor’s legions were solely depleted as the foul insectoid hordes took heavy toll upon their ranks. The Emperor was loath to leave any of his own fortresses or outposts in Berphaunt itself undermanned, lest his enemies amongst the traitorous Whiteraven Alliance take advantage of his nation’s temporary moment of weakness. Furthermore, the Emperor’s new imperial mandate was justified by the threat that the Brood posed to the continent, and imperial troops needed to be seen out there on the front lines, holding back the insectoid tide. By placing mercenaries on the front lines to shore up any holes that formed, the Emperor would inevitably be undercutting his own propaganda efforts by providing concrete examples that his military forces were not enough. Emperor Louis would be playing right into the Whiteraven Alliance’s hands. As such, the Iron Company was largely regulated to duties similar to that of a Home Guard, and were not seen on the front lines of the war with the Brood at any point. They patrolled borders, collected customs duties, policed major cities, and so on. So long as they were paid well, they were quite happy to do so. The kind of soldier that craves glory over coin does not last long in the Iron Company. Fortunately for the Iron Company, these circumstances provided a path towards a seat at the Grandmaster’s Table. With so much of the Emperor’s traditional forces occupied elsewhere, he was forced to rely upon the Iron Company more and more to keep his Empire stable and his people secure. With each contract the Iron Company integrated itself deeper within the inner workings of the Empire, and as the war dragged on many of their erstwhile competitors were either forced out of business or threw their lot in with the Iron Company. Even if they had not uncovered and prevented an assassination attempt on the Emperor in the year 2260, they might have simply forced their way onto the council by the sheer weight of their influence and wealth. That incident, however, was enough for the Emperor himself to sponsor their ascension to the status of a Prime Guild. Little else is said of the distant cousin who tried to seize the Emperor’s throne that day, save that she and her co-conspirators were given to a cleric of Pandora so experienced in his trade that even the Crissen’Thalan blanche at the mention of his name.

Doctrine and Practices

The Iron Company currently holds an open and binding contract with the Emperor of Berphaunt that takes precedence over all other contracts and never expires. Dubbed the Primus Contractus, it dictates the favourable terms of service that the Iron Company has with the Emperor, with any new operations simply being added to the contract as sub-contracts. The interests of the Empire must come before any other contract, and as such they cannot take a contract that directly harms the interests of the imperial court, unless they are commanded to do so by the Emperor. This generally means that the Iron Company will reject almost any contract that asks them to come into conflict with soldiers of Berphaunt, or to damage or destroy property that belongs to the imperial court. Sub-contracts handed down by the office of the Emperor take primacy, and every effort must be made to complete them in a timely and professional fashion, even to the detriment of other contracts. Aside from these stipulations, the Iron Company is free to sign any contract it wishes.

The Iron Company prides themselves on being consummate professionals, and aside from their notable desertion from The Army of the Black Wyrm in 2256, a contract once signed, will always be upheld to the best of their considerable abilities. “Where gold and glory lead”, as they often say. That is of course, only true so long as the client holds true to their half of the contract. The Iron Company is quick to desert if payments are not made on time. Betrayal or non-payment on the part of the client often results in the Iron Company blacklisting the client across all Chapter Houses, sometimes even offering extremely favourable terms to the client’s enemies.

Most major cities and settlements of note across Maud’madir contain Iron Company Chapter Houses, and it is there that a potential client might engage their services. Each Chapter House is led by a local officer called the Tribune, and amongst their responsibilities is the negotiation of contracts for any and potentially all of the mercenaries under their particular command. The Tribune is solely responsible for setting terms, negotiating payment, and so on. Unless the Chapter House is deploying at full strength, a rare occurrence, most contracts are left open for any Iron Company mercenary in the area that wishes to take it. However, if the contract requires that the Chapter House put the majority of its strength behind it, The Tribune themselves will organize the required personnel and even take the field themselves if the chapter is deploying its forces on a battalion level. This typically only happens when the company is contracted for large-scale military engagements, and is quite uncommon. Most of the Iron Company’s day to day is composed of protection details and security work, with urban policing and bounty hunting filling in the gaps.

Code of Conduct

The Iron Company expects that all under its banner act in accordance with their Code of Conduct, listed below. Please note, this is not a code of ethics, the Iron Company exchanges violence for coin and does not overly concern itself with matters of morality. Rather, these rules are meant to minimize risk to their operation as a whole.

1. The Contract is Iron, once signed it is unbreakable by all but their leaders, the commanders known as the Iron Lords. Breaking it is the same as betraying the Iron Company itself.
2. Each fighting person is entitled to leave the Iron Company and stop taking contracts should they wish to retire from active duty. However, if they do so they are still considered to be bound by all other oaths sworn to the Iron Company, upon pain of final death should they betray these oaths.
3. If the contract allows it, give quarter when quarter is asked. Warriors that have nothing to lose fight like a cornered jackal, and fresh veteran recruits can often be found amongst the defeated.
4. So long as you remain loyal to Company and Contract, you are permitted to do anything to secure victory. Subterfuge, assassination, ambush, the use of foul magics, all of these and more are permitted. This does not protect you from the laws of the land, just those of the Iron Company.
5. Make no sacrifice that is unnecessary to fulfill the contract. Good soldiers are hard to come by, and you must not throw away the lives of good fighters in the pursuit of glory or honour.
6. Spare civilians your sword, unless their death is required to fulfill your contract or they take up arms against you.
7. Pillaging and looting are only permitted if they are included in the terms of the contract, or upon the orders of the commander in the field.
8. The Emperor of Berphaunt is your liege-lord, no matter where you hail from or where you reside now, you owe your fealty to him above all else.

Organization

The Iron Company structures itself much like most military organizations, where power and authority is codified by a system of ranks. However, it is notably different in that the Iron Company does not have a Commander-in-Chief like most militaries. No one person within the Iron Company can unilaterally command the full strength of the Iron Company, not even Vidar Torrinson himself can give the order for the entire company to march as one. Instead, that power lies within the Emperor of Berphaunt. As stipulated by the Primus Contractus, only the current Emperor or Empress themselves may command the full strength of the Iron Company. Historically this power has only been used to set broad strategic goals, with all of the actual administration and field command being left to the Council of the Iron Lords.

The Iron Company has divided the continent of Maud’madir into five separate administrative regions, and each Iron Lord has command over one of these regions. The Iron Lords meet once annually to report on the activities of their Chapter Houses, discuss policy, and vote on any policy changes that would involve the entire guild. The policy shifts are rare, mostly because it requires a two-thirds majority to pass and most Iron Lords are currently satisfied with how things operate . Beyond their annual meeting in the capital city of Berphaunt, each Lord enjoys a great deal of autonomy with regards to how they manage their respective regions. It is only at this meeting that they are equal, however, and if an Iron Lord visits the territory controlled by another Chapter House, they must defer to that region’s Lord, nor can they command the troops of another Iron Lord. Tribunes are appointed to individual Chapter Houses and are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the chapter.

Due to various regional factors, there is no set standard number of fighters that each Chapter House can field, and the following listings are only general guidelines. Each Chapter House controls a single Legion, up to a maximum of 500 mercenaries strong. Each Legion is then divided into four Cohorts, each containing up to 100 mercenaries, except for the Cohort Peditata which can sometimes reach up to 200 mercenaries. Each cohort has a specific purpose and role within the Iron Company.

The Cohort Peditata is composed of the rank-and-file infantry, the soldiers most visible on campaign. Mercenaries make up the bulk of this cohort, but Rangers, Templars, and Witch Hunters are not uncommon either. Stalwarts are rare but prized for their abilities in the shield wall, and Conquerors often find themselves leading the hardiest bands of shock troops. They typically fulfill contracts that require the direct application of martial violence such as eliminating bandits, guarding property, escorting important people through dangerous areas, and so on. They are capable of fighting as individuals, in small groups, or in full formation in a manner not unlike the Emperor’s own armies should the contract require that. They typically compose the bulk of the Iron Company’s soldiers assigned to a contract, and complete the vast majority of contracts.

The Cohort Magicae is composed of all those who consider magic and its applications to be their primary specialization, and as such is mostly composed of mages and battle-mages. They are typically fielded in a support role to augment the more martial forces of the Peditata, who would otherwise often lack the means to deal with deadly supernatural threats such as the Undead. Healing mages are amongst the most commonly requested magic auxiliary forces, but everything up to and including necromancers can be found slinging spells alongside their more martial brethren. If the contract’s resolution is beyond martial means, they typically take the lead with the Peditata. The Magicae forbids no magic in and of itself, but still abides by the laws of the land where they reside with regards to forbidden magics. the Iron Company does not allow its magic-users to wield illegal magics without writs or other legal permissions if those are required, as doing so could place the entire Chapter House itself in great jeopardy.

The Cohort Logisticae is composed of all of the logistical staff required to keep a mercenary company at an operational standard. Quartermasters, cooks, washer-people, blacksmiths, alchemists, paymasters… all of these and more find their place in the Cohort Logisticae. While they are primarily responsible for keeping their fellows equipped and fed, most contracts will see at least one smith attached to the soldiers responsible for completing said contract, if only to keep their armor from falling to pieces. The Iron Company is not a merchant house or tradesman’s guild, and usually does not accept contracts to outfit prospective clients with arms and armour. Exceptions to this have been made under special circumstances. The Iron Company prides itself on keeping its soldiers well equipped at no cost to the individual soldier, thus the primary responsibility of a craftsman in this cohort is meeting that expectation. Usually this means equipment of standard quality, with basic healing alchemies and rations provided. Weapons of a special material can be requested from the armory to deal with specific threats such as the fae, with more powerful weapons such as magic swords and contact alchemy either requiring permission from the Logisticae Centurion (or higher) for temporary usage. These are occasionally given as incentives for particularly dangerous jobs, or as rewards for superior performance in the line of duty. That being said, so long as a crafter meets their obligation to the Iron Company, they are free to moonlight and sell their skills to whomever they wish, so long as said client is not an enemy of the Company.

The Cohort Sicarius is where the Assassins and Nightblades of the Iron Company find their place. Like the Magicae, the Sicarius often work as auxiliaries with the Peditata. They are usually tasked with precision strikes that are designed to tip the odds in favor of the Iron Company’s regular martial troops, methods such as the assassination of high value targets or the raids on the enemy’s supplies/armaments being the ones most commonly employed. In large scale engagements they are used as irregular troops that perform flanking and ambush maneuvers, quick and surgical strikes designed to sow chaos and disorder within the enemy’s ranks.

Ranks

Iron Lord: The Iron Lords compose the Council of Five that guides the Iron Company’s policies and activities on a continental scale, and each Iron Lord has direct command of one of five administrative regions. They direct policy for their region and set broad strategic goals that the Tribunes below them are expected to meet. If they so desire, they may assume direct control of any Chapter House sworn to them. The Iron Lords rarely take to the field, but each is an incredibly formidable combatant should the occasion arise.

The Iron Company’s founder, the venerable yet still extremely dangerous Einher warrior Vidar Torrinson is called the Princeps, or the First Amongst Equals. His vote upon the Council of Five carries two votes instead of just one, and no meeting of the council can begin without his presence. He is also responsible for maintaining correspondence with the Emperor of Berphaunt, and making his desires for the Iron Company known to the rest of the Lords.

Tribune: Chapter houses of the Iron Company are administered and led by the Tribunes. The Tribunes are responsible for the approval of all new contracts, the admission of new recruits into their ranks, and the creation or approval of regional policies. If a Tribune takes to the field they are also the ranking officer and expected to take command of the troops present. So long as they meet the strategic goals set by their Iron Lord, each Tribune has a great deal of power and autonomy with regards to how they conduct their Chapter House’s operations. In Chapter Houses that exist outside the Empire of Berphaunt, the Tribunes are often forced to deal with less funding and manpower than what the imperial chapters receive, and often curse this fact while deep in their cups.

Secretariat: Administrators that perform much of the administration duties that a particular Chapter House requires, such as collecting the reports composed by the various Centurions and preparing them for the ranking officer’s perusal.

Centurion: Commander of a single Cohort. Their exact duties vary depending on the Cohort, but they are commonly expected to serve as both commanding officer and overseer of their Cohort. Unless a Tribune or Iron Lord is present, each Cohort’s Centurion commands their forces on the field. They are also responsible for monitoring the performance and conduct of their troops, and if necessary, making corrections should they not meet their Tribune’s expectations. Corrective discipline measures most often start with the simple denial of privileges, such as the removal of alcohol privileges or short forced marches for minor infractions, to the withholding of pay, public lashings, and even banishment or execution for the most serious of breaches. Execution and banishment must be approved by the Iron Lord that holds imperium over said Chapter House.

They are also responsible for approving all promotions with the Cohort. Most commonly this is from the rank of Triocinium to Munifex, but they also have the authority to fill any rank beneath their own. They are ultimately responsible only to their Tribune and the Iron Lord to which they are sworn. Each Centurion is expected to file quarterly reports justifying any and all non-routine decisions they have made for each quarter-year. Should the Tribune of a Chapter House die, the most senior Centurion will take their place until the Council of Iron Lords can appoint a new Tribune at their next annual meeting.

Optio: Second in command to the Centurion of a Cohort. The Centurion can choose to temporarily cede parts of his authority to the Optio should they wish to divide their workload. In that case, they act with the authority of a Centurion in that narrow field. For example, many Centurions find the training of new recruits repetitive, and delegate the observation of their training to their Optio.

Tessarius: Third in command of a Cohort, often the head of the watch and administrative staff. Each Chapter House keeps a significant amount of coin and equipment on hand to pay and outfit its troops, and as such each Tessarius is both responsible for organizing their Chapter House’s bureaucracy as well as maintaining an armed watch over its holdings. Two to four soldiers per location stand guard at all times, working in a three hour shift around areas such as the barracks or vault. These shifts are kept short to stave off the boredom and complacency that usually results from longer sentry shifts. Each watch shift is usually staffed by Munifexes from both the Magicae and the Peditata, to handle both physical and magical threats. If circumstances such as low manpower prevent this level of organization, the watch will make do with whomever it can find to ensure that its holdings at least have one pair of eyes watching them at all times. Standard protocol in the event of a threat is to sound the alarm first, and then to either stop the triggering event or delay it long enough for the majority of the active soldiers to respond.

Decanus: Commander of up to a ten-person strong squad of troops, equivalent to a sergeant in most other militaries. They are the most commonly seen field commanders, and are the link between operational command and the strategic battlefield. Due to the Logisticae being a logisticaical support Cohort, Decanus often take the role of shop foreman for a particular trade in that particular Cohort.

Signifier: Carries the battle-standard for the Cohort, and echoes the call for the retreat if called upon to do so by the field commander.

Munifex: This rank merely indicates official membership in the Company as a soldier, nothing more. Equivalent to a private. At this point they may petition their Centurion for a transfer to another Cohort, and if said proposal is sound they are usually approved.

Carnifex: Largely equivalent to a Munifex in rank, these soldiers are chosen for their exceptional martial or magical skill to serve as champion-like figures within their respective units. When duels are to be fought or a particularly hard target presents itself, it is the duty of the unit’s Carnifex to bring it down. These warriors are paid a double wage for the increased level of mortal danger that they are expected to face.

Tirocinium: New recruits that are not officially members of the Iron Company until they complete their training. To join, one must simply present themselves before the local Tribune, state their intent to join the Iron Company, and swear the oaths. The Tribune then places the recruit into the Cohort that best reflects their skills. Illiterate warriors are not placed with their mage brethren, for example. With rare exceptions, soldiers that blur these lines such as Templars and Witch Hunters are placed within the Peditata. Then, each and every new recruit is subjected to basic training drills for roughly a month. This training encompasses basic military skills such as fighting in formation, discipline, and martial training. They are also taught the history of the Iron Company during this time.

Once this month is up, each Tirocinium is then subjected to at least two months of training specialized to their particular Cohort. Mages are drilled on their incants, skill at directing their magic, and so on. They tend to spend almost as much time in the local libraries studying magical theory as they do fighting. Warriors are drilled over and over until their skill with their chosen weapon becomes muscle memory and they can obey the shouted orders of their Centurion without needing to think. The Logisticae trains its recruits via a typical master/apprentice relationship, in which the recruit is bound to a Munifex of greater skill who gives regular reports to their Centurion. Once the Munifex feels that the recruit has learned enough, said recruit is presented with a test of their skills, designed by the Centurion. Their exact nature varies from Chapter House to Chapter House, but they often involve the completion of their duties within a strict and short time frame, combined with additional obstacles. All recruits are carefully monitored by their Centurion, and once the minimum three-month period is over, they may at their own discretion promote said recruit to Munifex once they feel that the recruit has established a base-line level of competency. If said recruit does not meet their expectations, the Centurion may choose either to send them back for more training, or terminate their employment with the Iron Company.

The Iron Lords

Vidar Torrinson, Einher: Lord of the Southeast, the home of the first Chapter House ever established, Vidar is the founder of the Iron Company and its and First Amongst Equals in the Council of Five. He alone controls the line of communication with the Emperor of Berphaunt, and serves as the guild’s representative at the Grandmaster’s Table. Outside of that role, Vidar is completely focused on guiding the Iron Company towards the accumulation of coin above all else. Vidar has a keen mind for profit, and spends much of his time poring over the ledgers and reports forwarded from a myriad of Chapter Houses, ordering changes small and large designed to minimize expenses and maximize profit.

Some say that the clan war that shattered Clan Conlan broke Vidar as a young man, and that his lust for coin replaced the yawning void within his soul that was left by the absence of any god to believe in, or family to care about. They do so quietly however, as Vidar is not kind to those who attempt to pry into his personal affairs. He pays his mercenaries well, keeps them well armed and armored, and enjoys the loyalty of the rank and file as a result. He can be affable and charming if required, and still maintains an Einish love of drink and song.

Though he is in his twilight years, Vidar still takes to the field and fights with the common Munifexes when the mood strikes him. Few warriors can match his skill, though he is not as strong or fast as he once was, his experience has lent him a sort of efficiency with his movements that has more than made up for his slowing reflexes. He carries a relic into battle, a former Defender by the name of Night’s End. In decades past it was said to be a tool of the Light, a sword that glowed eternal with a light that blinded all those with darkness in their hearts. At least, that is what it did when a Champion of the Light held it within their grip. When Vidar took it from the fallen Tiefanese paladin that wielded it, that light winked out and has since never returned. The divine magic within the sword faded, and for several months it was simply a well-made piece of sharpened steel. But as Vidar used this tool of the Light in the pursuit of selfish profit and violence, something began to change. Now, whenever he draws the blade, a low but penetrating wail keens from the blade. His mages theorized that something has taken up residence within the steel, though the exact nature of this entity is unknown to any of The Cohort Magicae, and he has as of yet been unwilling to hand it over to the Conclave for further study. Vidar keeps it bound within a magic scabbard marked with Dark magics to keep it silent when not in use. When drawn, he can sharpen and direct this wailing to slay his foes at a distance, or to create barriers of solid sound that no spell or blade can pierce without significant concentration and willpower.

Morgan Gyorn, Human: Lord of the Central region, Morgan was formerly a Warrant Officer of the Berphauntian military prior to joining the Iron Company in its early days. Back then the Iron Company was a chaotic mixture of Einish clanspeople, semi-reformed brigands, and unscrupulous sellswords that lacked any real discipline or cohesion with their fellows. Vidar held them together with his charisma, but someone or something else was needed to turn them into a truly effective fighting force.

During their time serving with the Berphautian armed forces, Morgan rose through the ranks of the non-commissioned officers while serving in a variety of roles, and had done everything from camp logistics to training squads of soldiers, even leading them into pitched battles by the time they met Vidar. Unfortunately, Morgan was not of noble blood, and thus the higher ranks that they deserved were forever closed to them. Every move they made to try and earn their commission was inevitably stymied by some weak-jawed imbecile with more money than talent.

So, when Vidar offered them that very thing they craved more than anything, Morgan declined to sign up for a new term when their contract with the Berphautian forces expired, and signed on with the Iron Company. Since then Vidar has come to rely on Morgan perhaps more than any other Iron Lord, for it is them that designed and implemented most of the Iron Company’s current training and logistical regimens. Without their work, the Iron Company would still likely be little more than a disorganized band of howling brigands.

Sigird Stonesdottir, Einher: Lord of the Northeast region, Sigird is the daughter of one of the venerable Clan Conlan smiths responsible for Vidar’s rise to power. Sigird chafes at her responsibilities managing people, feeling much more at home in the forge than in the council chambers. If her father had not fought so hard to secure her position as an Iron Lord as he prepared for his own death, she might have rejected it altogether. Out of respect for her father, she took the position and tries to stomach the more tedious aspects of it as best as she can. As such, she almost never takes the field, preferring to manage her Chapter Houses as though the people in them are little more than numbers on a balance sheet. While the quality of her warriors’ morale has dropped slightly as a result, her focus on blacksmithing and all things related has led to her Chapter Houses being even better equipped than most. Masterwork weapons and armor are nearly as common amongst their ranks as their normal, steel versions.

It is whispered in very hushed tones amongst some of the lower ranks that Sigird, having reached the heights of what her artifice is capable of, is seeking the knowledge of those who work with technology. She pays extremely well for Avian and Gnome visitors to share their knowledge, and it is said that deep within her dungeons resides a curious looking human-ish man with golden teardrop tattoos embossed on his face, right beneath his tear ducts.

Alessia Lorandasoral, High Elf: Lord of the Southwest region, Alessia is an extremely skilled mage and the newest addition to The Council of Five. By the time the nation of Suvant threw their lot in with the Empire, Alessia’s career with the military forces of her homeland had long since been terminated. Even the most morally flexible of High Elves had a hard time stomaching the kind of war crimes she was accused of. Such salacious rumors are best not repeated, but signs of blood sacrifice were often found in locations where Alessia and her unit were deployed. It is said that her powerful connections with those in high places kept her from execution, but even they could not prevent her exile from Suvant. That ironically, was probably what saved her life. When Suvant fell during the Brood War, Alessia could only laugh at the irony of it all.

Lacking other prospects and seeing the potential that the Iron Company posed for a person with talents like hers, she quickly rose through the ranks. Her natural magical talent and broad intellect did most of the work, while rumors of stubborn superiors unwilling to step aside disappearing screaming into thin air that smelled faintly of sulfur quickly silenced the rest of the naysayers.

Alessia is cold, cruel, and most of all, calculating. She will not sacrifice soldiers or resources without cause, but will do so without remorse if that is what victory requires. She is rarely seen upon the battlefield itself, when she decides to support her troops directly she does so through the use of powerful ritual magic. In matters of magic the other Iron Lords often defer to her wisdom and expertise in that area.

Dominicus Da’Shere, Dark Elf: Lord of the Northwest, Dominicus Da’Shere is a Drael’Thalan noble that stood to inherit little from his family’s Antiochian estates. Like many second sons, he was forced to make his own way in the world, albeit with the kind of head start that a wealthy man’s education provides. Taking a small group of assassins and alchemists with him, Artorius and his fellows settled in the Empire of Berphaunt where they found work in the shadows “taking care” of people who had become problems for other, wealthier people. It was around this time that the Iron Company had begun to pick up steam under Vidar’s guiding hand, but he was still lacking a certain type of specialist. Dominicus and Vidar met through a mutual contact and ended up working together on a few contracts. They complimented each other’s forces so well that they agreed to a merger, with Dominicus becoming the third Iron lord to sit on the council.

Though he is a Drael’Thalan noble by birth, Dominicus possesses little of the common hatreds towards the surface folk that are prevalent in Antioch. He has not, however, entirely lost his arrogance or sense of style. He tends to favor a more subtle, cunning approach to warfare and leans heavily upon the Cohort Sicarius to accomplish his goals. As such he is the one the other lords look to when discussing policy regarding the Iron Company’s shadowy activities. Dominicus is also the man responsible for the Dark Elven terminology that pervades the Iron Company. When asked about the matter Vidar laughs and usually says something along the lines of that he was never good at coming up with names for things, so he let the Dark Elf do it.