We're back with Thud & Blunder for this post and it's to introduce my next warband, that being the Free Swords Guild; swords (and crossbows and pole arms and daggers in the dark and axes etc etc) for hire to the highest bidder. A group of mercenaries who, with no war to engage in, have gathered around their captain and have set up in business in the Debatable Lands near the borders of Duchy of Langenwanger.
The Free Swords Guild
The Free Swords Guild are the remnants of the mercenary company created by their leader, Guild Captain Maximilian Heffelfinger. Born the son of a lowly blacksmith, Maximilian found that he had a taste for soldiering after being press ganged into the army of the Duke of Theilesia during the Ducal Wars. This was the beginning of a 30 year long, fairly distinguished career as first a soldier then a mercenary, working his way up through the ranks by a combination of tenacity, quick wittedness, bravado, brutal cunning and sheer good luck to reach the position of Captain of a Free Sword Company, mercenaries who's only allegiance is to their captain and their employers as long as they keep paying and the odds look good.
With the inconclusive cessation of the Ducal War brought about by the Orcish Depredations in the year EC1647* and the beating back of that orc invasion, Max and his fellow mercenaries found themselves jobless, masterless and in need of ready cash. By carefully manipulating local grievances to his advantage, Max has been able to keep his happy band of followers employed. Only employing the best ex-soldiers, the Free Swords Guild has gained a reputation for fierceness and thoroughness...though it must be added not one of complete trustworthiness.
*EC=Empiric Calendar
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| Guild Captain Maximilian Heffelfinger: 76 points Destiny 3+ Fighting Value +3 Shooting Value +1 Speed +1 Move 6" Amour Rating; Shooting 9 Fighting 10 Move 6" Traits: Leadership +3, Hero 3, Face Many Foes, Inspirational, Two Weapons. Equipment: Long Sword, Dagger, Club, Magic Potion (Ferocious Visage), brigandine |
Zoltan Farkas has soldiered alongside Maximilian for nearly a decade and is Maximilian's most trusted lieutenant or Kopfmanne. Starting out as a bounty hunter, Zoltan ended up fighting in Maximilian's company where he was enrolled by Maximilian who persuaded him to join the Theilesian side in the Ducal Wars as a sure fire way of revenging himself on the Duke of Pechorinno, who had double crossed Zoltan and had him beaten up and left for dead by the his bodyguards. Fortunately for the Duke and his bodyguards Zoltan hasn't had the chance to take that revenge so he still has a score to settle with the Duke and his bodyguard. Where ever he goes, Zoltan is always accompanied by his faithful war-dog, Brutus.
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| Kopfmanne Zoltan Farkas 69 points Destiny 3+ Fighting Value +3 Shooting Value 0 Speed +2 Armour Rating; Shooting 9 Fighting 9 Move 6" Traits: Leadership +2, Hero 2, Inspirational, Face Many Foes Equipment: Two handed sword, dagger, brigandine Brutus the War-dog 17 points Destiny 5+ Fighting Value +2 Armour Rating 8 Weapon Bonus +1 Destiny Modifier +0 Movement 12" run +6" |
Anna of Cleaves, blade mistress, mercenary and orphaned daughter of the Duke of Theilesia's Master At Arms (who left his wife and 9 year old daughter for the Ducal Wars and in which he fell) is one tough cookie. Anna has fought as a mercenary as long as Zoltan though she has only been with the Free Swords Guild a short while, joining them from who knows where (she knows but she's not telling). She has already impressed (and in not a few cases downright terrified) the other mercenaries not only with her dazzling good looks but her speed, ability and dexterity with the Zweihander sword she carries as well as her ability to hold her drink and willingness to get the beers in.
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| Anna of Cleaves. "Distract with the cleavage, dispatch with a cleave" is her motto 60 points Destiny 4+ Fighting Value +3 Shooting Value 0 Speed +2 Armour Rating; Shooting 8 Fighting 8 Move 6" Traits: Hero 1, Leadership +1, Unearthly Beauty (told you she was good looking), Weapon Master (okay Weapon Mistress), Lightning Reflexes (she is that good with her trusty Zweihander) Equipment: Two handed sword, padded tunic (size XS) |
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| Hamlet of Blickensdorf 60 points Destiny 4+ Fighting Value +0 Shooting Value +2 Speed +2 Armour Rating; Shooting 8 Fighting 8 Move 6" Traits: Will of Iron, Uncanny Accuracy, Martial Artist (basic), Healer. Magic Talent (novice) Magic Powers; Dart, Repel, Free Movement, Equipment: Dagger, Padded Tunic |
The men of the Free Swords Guild come from many different backgrounds and parts of the Ducal Confederation but they all have one thing in common; a wealth of experience of hard fighting and a disinclination to turn their hands to any other way of earning a living...two things in common. Each one specialises in the use of one particular weapon; double handed sword, long sword, polearm or crossbow..
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| Bladesmen/Swordsmen 26/25 each Destiny 5+ Fighting Value +1 Shooting Value +0 Speed +0 Movement 6" Armour Rating; Shooting 10/11 Fighting 10/11 Equipment: Two Handed Sword or Long Sword and Buckler Shield. |
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| Crossbowmen/Poleman 24 points each Destiny 5+ Fighting Value +0/+1 Shooting Value +1/+0 Speed +1/+0 Armour Rating 9/10 Movement 6" Traits; Skirmisher, Hawkeye (crossbowmen only) Equipment; Light Crossbow/ Polearm (sundering) and short sword |
An occasional ally of the Free Swords is an ogre who goes by the name of Tom-As-Wos-My-Dad. An ogre of slightly above average ogre intelligence, very slightly, Tom is somewhat under Anna's spell and is fiercely protective of her. He enjoys getting into fights; another reason for hanging about with Anna as she often attracts trouble. The other Free Swords avoid him where possible especially in battle where he tends to get carried away and lash out at anything and anyone...except Anna
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| Tom-As-Wos-My-Dad 33 points Destiny 4+ Fighting Value +4 Speed +0 Armour Rating Shooting 8 Fighting 8 Movement 6" Traits: Strong, Tough, Get's Carried Away (in combat, Tom must take an unmodified destiny roll in any other Free Swords excepting Anna, move within 3"of Tom. If Tom fails he will split his attacks between the enemy/enemies he is fighting and lash out at the unsuspecting Free Sword who has strayed too close (who should really have known better) |
So there you have them at the moment. More about the Free Swords will be revealed in the future but for the moment Maximilian is in "consultation" with a local mayor who's town is being bothered by a band of marauding orcs and is looking to hire someone to defend the town....
I have a few more warbands on the way including vampires, wizards, werewolves, dragons, sizzling gypsy dancers and the troops of the neighbouring duchy...but more of them at a later date.
Thanks for dropping by and mind you check your purse is still attached to your belt and it's still full when you leave; fighting isn't the only thing the Free Swords are good at.
"Pip pip" GJ......."hey, where's my purse gone? It was here a minute ago!! Thieving gits!!"
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