A SHORT HISTORY OF THE BASTARD BROTHERS
"Once upon a time, a Centurion was a big womanizer, and ended up with four kids (three sons and a daughter), each one from a different woman - one son from his wife, the rest from lovers. The Centurion was rather wealthy and loved all his children equally, and his wife was Zerrikanian so she was used to the thought that a man can have many women by his side.
However, as the children grew up, the only 'lawful' son grew cold towards his siblings, he thought he was above them (while in fact he was just an arrogant whiny little dickweed who needed a good spanking). As the Centurion aged, the siblings began quarreling who would inherit the wealth. Then the Centurion died - some say because of old age, others say it was poisoning, the case was never cleared. Still, due to Imperial laws the 'lawful' son got all the wealth and properties and kicked out his siblings. The girl and the two boy siblings got pissed and soon murdered the 'lawful' son and disguised the event as an accident. But even after that, their claims to their father's wealth were denied by the authorities and were gifted to the Centurion's other relatives instead.
This was the point when the three siblings got truly pissed and decided they would ****up all this buerocratic **** make things change, by radical means if they have to. The two boys became mercenaries, and through skill and born talent soon rose in fame and respect, while the girl married an influential Imperial nobleman and thus ensured the financial safety for her brothers. After the husband's unfortunately early departure from mortal life, the girl inherited his wealth and used it together with the two brothers to form a new guild of mercenaries. As the two boy brothers met and allied with many others like themselves during their travels - bastard children ripped of their heritage even though they were often more competent than the 'lawful' children -, the guild became known as the "Bastard Brothers".
This was long decades ago, and the guild has only expanded ever since. However, while the Bastard Brothers are a reliable asset for the Empire, the commoners look upon them with hate and despise, because the majority of the members are not much better natured than raiding bandits and are of questionable origin to say the least, as the Bastard Brothers have no objection against recruiting criminals fleeing from the law. Life within the guild can be tough, though, cos' unpopular members tend to end up mutilated and thrown into a river or a barrel within an abandoned alley. It is also a common rumor that the Bastard Brothers are employed by imperial authorities only because certain nobles would pay almost any price to keep up their good reputation and avoid leaking information about certain 'past affairs'...
Still, despite their sinister attitude, questionable past and criminal activities, the Bastard Brothers remain a significant force within imperial cities and armies alike; in towns, they often help patrols to catch criminals like slave-traders (though many claim that the Bastard Brothers do this only cos' they don't want local business rivals...), while in the battlefield they act as the Legion's hired shock troops. The Bastard Brothers are the most ruthless rabble of murderers in the service of the Legion, and those Centurions who hire their services are often quite eager to send them charging in the first line, hoping that the ensuing slaughter will 'fix their past mistakes'... but there are always plenty of bastard children, cutthroats, killers and such to fill up the ranks.
Having many sources of income (including, but not limited to: extortion, larceny, smuggling...), Bastard Brothers can afford good quality equipment for themselves and generally fight in melee where they don't have to restrain themselves. Each guild member uses a personalised equipment, the only regulated piece is the helmet, which always covers the face and thus prevents others from discovering the guild member's identity."
Date of writing unknown.
Author also unknown, and probably dead.