Project - Grey Company - Mercenary groups of Oerth Part 1

Grey Company - Mercenary groups of Oerth Part 1

A company always on the run
A destiny, oh it's the rising sun
I was born, a crossbow in my hands
Behind the shield
I'll make my final stand, yeah
That's why they call us
Bad company
I can't deny
Bad, bad company
Till the day I die
Until the day we die

Greyhawk 579cy

These are interesting times for the Flanaess. The forces of Iuz are on the move, the Great Kingdom crumbles, the Baklunish west has been stirred to life by the rise of a death cult, the frozen Suel barbarians to the north are raiding in unheard of numbers,  the natives of Hepmonaland wage war against the trading colonies... it is a good time to be a mercenary.

(The computer game Battle Brothers has gotten me thinking about running a different kind of Greyhawk Campaign. The players form a mercenary band instead of the normal adventuring party. Yes they search for treasure where they can find it but there is plenty of easier and more available coin to be made as mercenaries doing everything from caravan guarding, bandit hunting, treasaure seeking... to aiding in open warfare. A group of 3-5 players run a company of 12-20 player characters and henchmen that work from city to town hiring out when they can or finding their own employment when no contracts are available. For example...)

Verbobonc 579cy, the viscounty is beset by an invasion of goblin wolf-riders. The Verbobonc Lancers have their hands full, the militia is overwhelmed (and some body needs to handle the crops and man the shops) and the Viscount has begun hiring mercenaries. The Flanaess is troubled and few realms have aid to spare... the rise of the mercenary company is at hand.

In the viscounty the following contracts are being offered:

1.  The bounty on bandit heads is at an all time high. With open warfare against the goblin tribes Verbobonc Guardsmen and Lancers have their hands full. The Viscount is offering bounty for the heads of proven bandits as well as hiring out mercenary groups to assault known bandit strongholds even those outside the borders of the viscounty. The Black Crows, a group of around 30 outlaws, has taken over a derelict town in the swamps to the south-east of the viscounty, the flee the Lancer patrols but the Lancers are busy fighting wolf-riders; the Viscount seeks a mercenary company to root them out.

2. Riverboat and caravan guards are needed. Losses to river pirates and outlaw bands are starting to take their toll and the merchant guild of Verbobonc is seeking to hire small mercenary bands to guard particular shipments. Provisions will be provided.

3. A large tribe of wolf-riders has set up near Nulb and a set battle is brewing. So far the number of skirmishes increases day by day. Mercenary companies are needed to aid in these fights and the general push against the main wolf-rider horde.