Mercenary Guild Guide Last Updated 12-29-09 - BANNER SCREENS

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Cyclohexane

Knight at Arms
The intent of this thread is to show off what I have been working on for the last few months as well as provide information of troop trees, equipment, screenshots, etc. 

The number of guilds I can add is dependent on the maximum item count in Mount & Blade of 915.  This is a hard coded limitation I have no way around and took a lot of organizing of item files to figure out a work around.  Below are examples of the guilds. 

Table of Contents: (or just scroll down)

Black Army

Conquistadors

Elephant Guard

Jotnar Clan

Serpent Host

Slavers

New Random Tavern Mercenaries

Banners

Mercenary Guild Scene Screenshot Link

Special thanks to:

MorrisB for suggesting the idea, all his feedback, and writing the majority of the background information

Kuba for getting the guilds on the map, making the quests, and incorporating the dialog into the game

Strategyman for making the scenes (perhaps we can see some screenshots)

vonmistont and Mordachai for helping me work out bugs while I learned the system and putting so much work into this mod already

Without these guys, we'd just have a bunch of troops hanging out in taverns!!!
 
Black Army

Location:  Swadian Territory
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The Black Army Guild is a balanced army that recruits from all over creating a ton of variety of different weapon masters on the battlefield.  Having a band of warriors with different specialties come together requires additional training to get them to function as a group.  As such, there is a large level difference between tiers. 

Black Army Troop Tree
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Black Army General - Matias_Corves
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Guild Master text:
(WELOME TEXT)
Hmpf.  So it is you, the last rightful heir of (Player’s chosen country of origin). Surprised, princeling ?  I may have just one eye but I can see right through you.  But don’t expect my sympathy just because we are from the same patch of Earth.  Now, state your business.

WHO ARE YOU?
You may know me best as Matias Corves.  If you don’t know that name, you must had been living either in a cave or a palace with closed doors.  I bet the latter suits you better.  I have been running the company for over two decades by now and I’m still the boss, so if you have anything important to discuss regarding the Black Army, it is me you have to chat with.

TELL ME ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE BLACK ARMY.
What you ask is not a small thing, princeling, but very well, I’ll try to sum it up.
The exact origins of the Black Army have been lost in the mists of time, as most of the company’s annals are badly damaged or have missing pages.  The only thing we can be sure of is that the company is beyond its 230th birthday, as well as it’s been pretty mobile throughout the ages, travelling from realm to realm for one reason or another.  Its power often wavered, but it didn’t cease to exist for a moment.
When I joined the Black Army at the age of 20, it composed of but a few hundred men, stationed in a god-forsaken corner of the Kingdom of Aden, serving under a Magnate of questionable loyalty.  But each member was a true veteran of his or her profession.  Within one and half a year, I took control and declared that this ancestral company’s potential is far from its top, but if we are to rise higher, we must serve directly under a king rather than one of his vassals.  Fortunately, a favorable opportunity presented itself in the form of civil war.  Practically, our employer was dead-set against the king, but we decided our future was more important than honor and other crap.  So we pretty much murdered him and executed a short but bloody inner blow against the main rebel forces.
This roused the attention of the young king.  I managed to persuade him about our loyalty towards the throne, as long as he’d be willing to pay.  Since most of Aden’s military power lies in the banderiums of the Magnates who abuse this influence to pressure the king when he’s making political and economic decisions, having a private army of unrivalled military prowess was charming for him.  Luckily for us, the Magnates were too self-absorbed to actually give damn about a small band of mercenaries... until it was too late.
After enlisted to the king’s service, the company grew in fame and numbers.  We also began an intense campaign of getting rid of potential business rivals in Aden, mostly by assimilating them into our ranks.  The growth of the Black Army eventually became an object of debate, especially since it didn’t take part in larger military campaigns before.  They wanted a proof of our abilities, so they got it: during a war with the Empire of Antaria, we conquered two towns and three castles in close succession.  Ironically, they became so frightened that yet again they plotted against the king.  I bet you can find out the results for yourself.  And so in the following years we remained in Aden’s service.  At the peak of its power, the Black Army counted tens of thousands of soldiers, its might rivaling with the full military capabilities of lesser kingdoms.
Sadly, all good things come to an end once.  When the Legion overthrew Aden, we lost our employer in the process.  No money, no fighting, just as the mercenaries say.  When the Legion practially took control of the continent, we didn’t feel like serving under them, so after a series of battles we captured a port and set sail towards Calradia.  But as if fighting against impossible odds wasn’t enough, a goddamn storm caught us and only a small portion of the once great company reached the Nord shores.  You could say I was back where I started.  Fate is a scurvy *****, that’s for sure.
But we didn’t despair; rather, we decided to begin anew, even if we had to do the dirtiest jobs.  Which we had to.  In any case, we ventured to the Kingdom of Swadia.  Its policies and issues greatly reminded us of Aden, quite reasonably.  There, one by one we rallied the separate mercenary bands under the company’s banner until we grew strong enough to deal with more difficult tasks.  After quelling some rebellions and utterly destroying a Vaegir attack force, King Harlaus welcomed us in his services.  You can probably figure out the rest.
As you can see, we are not greenhorns in this job.  If you require our services, you better keep in mind who needs who, princeling.

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE BLACK ARMY?
One word, princeling: versatility.  No matter where the Black Army is, and what are the conditions, it quickly adopts to its environment.  The assimilated mercenaries are of varying origin and fighting style, thus after some re-training, we practically have troops for every purpose.  Not to mention our equipment is some of the best quality by local standards.  True, it can take a lot of time for freshly-joined recruits to advance higher amongst the ranks, but a fully-trained warband can take on even outnumbering forces.

TELL ME ABOUT THE GUILD TROOPS, THE...

FRESH BLADES/LINE KEEPERS
Unlike in most parts of the cruel world, everyone is “born” equally in the Black Army, and only personal skill and determination - or lack of it - decides one’s fate as he or she climbs higher on the ladder of ranks or falls down from it.  Fresh Blades are the newest generation of recruits in the company, mostly freshly assimilated young sell-swords in process of retraining.  Their equipment is diverse and above-average quality, but not their skills.  As they show off their talents in battle and the training grounds they are sorted out for different purposes.  Line Keepers are recruits who insist on fighting in close combat.  They aren’t much better armed than Fresh Blades but are given wide shields to provide cover for other troops.  Afterwards, they have yet to flesh out their full potential to ascend into the ranks of either the Ravagers or the Iron Guards.

IRON GUARDS
Iron Guards are defensive foot troops.  They are usually stationed in the first line of battle, and their sole purpose is to defend their brethren and wear down the enemy.  For this purpose, they possess thick plate armors and durable shields, alas their mobility and attack strength is limited.  You could think of them as walking metal statues.  An average enemy recruit could bash one around for hours, and he’ll hardly feel a thing.  Laugh if you wish princeling, but know that many failed to get past their formations.

RAVAGERS
While Iron Guards provide defense, Ravagers carry out offense. It is critical for these groups to work in close cooperation. What Ravagers lack in armor they make up in speed and sheer brutality, making them ideal shock troops. Their weaponry is not regulated, but it matters little as long as the enemy ends up the same way: horribly mutilated, and most importantly, dead.

LINE SUPPORTERS/ASSAULTERS
Ranged combat has been generally overlooked in the company for quite a while, but time and again the existence of ranged troops have proven to be a necessity in any long-term campaign.  Line Supporters are quite defenseless but make use of reliable armament, including both bows and crossbows.  When they get experienced enough, they are promoted to Assaulters.  You don’t know what a “rain of bolts” really means until you see them in action.  They also undergo a riding course so they may choose to mount swift steeds.  They still require protection from other army branches though, but provided with the necessary defense they can make a bloody mess out of the battlefield.

LINE CRUSHERS/IRONSIDES
Recruits with reliable riding experience are likely to join the cavalry arm of the company, the Line Crushers.  I believe their name pretty much explains their purpose.  They are no less potent in mounted warfare than any medium cavalry in Calradia, nor any cheaper.  Depending on survival rate and financial state, they may join the Ironsides to represent the armored fist of the Black Army.  In the case of an Ironside, both man and horse are thickly armored and ruthlessly strong. 

RAVEN CAPTAINS
Raven Captains are veteran soldiers and officers with the experience of over several campaigns.  By the time someone attains this rank, emotions such as fear, regret or sorrow usually become completely meaningless.  In battle, each Raven Captain wears durable battle armor and their own personal weaponry, fighting alongside their troops either on foot or horseback.  It is not rare for a Raven Captain to emerge victorious against overwhelming odds, laying down the basics of yet another cruel legend about the Black Army, making sure that superstitious enemies will wet themselves in sleep.  Now princeling: want to have them?  If yes, then you have to be on VERY good terms with us. I hope I made things clear.

I WANT TO ASSIGN YOU WITH A TASK...
(Assignment text goes here)
IS THERE SOMETHING I COULD DO TO IMPROVE OUR RELATION ?
Hm, so after all you aren’t a hopeless case, princeling.  Yes, even for the greatest armies there can be issues where outside help is required. Let’s see...

(DELIVER MESSAGE)
Look at this, princeling.  Yes, it’s a letter.  And what do people like you do with letters ?  Deliver them. Bring it to (random Swadian Lord) of the Kingdom of Swadia and that’s all.  Then you can expect a little bit of sympathy from me in return, displayed in Denars.

(COLLECT DEBT)
We have an issue of late salary on our hands.  In the past, we saved (random Swadian Lord)’s sorry behind in battle and the pig still hasn’t paid his dues.  Now, I believe you agree that it would look quite unpleasant if we, lowly mercenaries would pressure him with threatening letters or threatening-looking bouncers, so a third person would provide the quickest way to settle this little problem.  Seek out the guy and send him my greetings.  Hopefully he’ll understand.  And I DO hope you won’t get the idea of stepping off with the money once you have it, because I’ll be in a VERY foul mood then.  Any questions? No?  Fine.  Then go!

(BRING RECRUITS)
In the good old days we had the potential to overthrow lesser countries - and I intend to achieve a similar level of military strength here in Calradia.  But this process is slow, and I take any chance to hasten it up.  So how about you play recruiting officer for a little while, priceling?  Bring me... let’s say, 22 Watchmen/13 Mercenary Swordsmen/13 Caravan Guards (random) and I’ll pay a good price for ‘em. Deal?

(KILL RIVALS)
To further increase our potential influence, we have to make sure that none of the local mercenary bands have the slightest chance to compete with us.  So one way or another, they have to disappear, one by one.  Since such bands are scattered all throughout the countryside, this job requires people with enough free time to actually pursue them.  Here’s my offer, princeling:  get rid of 5-9 mercenary parties by any means - kill them, hire them for yourself, capture and sell them off as slaves, I don’t care - and afterwards report back.  Then you’ll have a handsome reward.

(ESCORT CARAVAN)
We are preparing to send out a supply caravan to (random Swadian village/castle/town) to reinforce the defenses there.  Now, you may wonder, why would we need any help for that ?  Let me explain, princeling.  In this case, not only the material supplies, but the troops sent along matter as well.  There’s no point in supplies if there is no manpower to use them up, correct?  Now, if the caravan has to travel across greater distances, there is a big risk of potential attacks which exhaust and wound many escorting troops and also delay their arrival, while they are supposed to reach their destination within as short time as possible.  The result?  Either they arrive too late, or prove to be inadequate during the skirmishes and so I’ll get another request to send out yet another caravan to the same place just because a load of idiots just happened to be in the way during their journey.  Incompetence like this makes me upset, but I don’t want to send out more men than necessary.  This is where YOU come in.  Ensure a fast and safe travel for the boys, and expect your reward as soon as they reach their destination.  Understood?

(AID WARBAND)
As much as I’d like to believe, even the Black Army isn’t capable of doing everything by itself.  Especially when the logistics are screwed up... but let’s get to the point.  A pidgeon arrived with a letter, saying that immediate reinforcements are needed in (random Swadian village) to counter a bypassing enemy group.  The problem?  The letter is at least a week old, meaning it arrived late and it’s questionable if there is anything left to reinforce.  Take your own warband and check out the place.  If there are any survivors left, help them out.  If not but the enemy is there... well, I’ll leave that decision up to you.  In either case, report back afterwards.  Got it?  Good.  Then get to work!

Black Army Captain Mogar Blasius
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This unit will function as a “lord” on the map. 

Black Army Fresh Blade
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Black Army Line Keeper
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Black Army Iron Guard
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Black Army Ravager
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Black Army Line Supporter
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Black Army Assaulter
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Black Army Line Crusher
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Black Army Ironside 
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Black Army Raven Captain
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Conquistadors

Location:  Vaegir Territory (fort near coast)

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The intent is for the Conquistadors to have a fairly balanced army.  Nothing crazy strong, yet nothing weak either with a few strong points and weaknesses to balance it out.  Their location will be on the coast of Calradia in Vaeiger lands (read background as to how they wound up there).  Perhaps in V5, they will offer an alternative method of transportation across the ocean on the new map.  Here is what I have so far:

Conquistador Troop Tree
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Conquistador General – Saint Malo
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Guild Master text:
(WELCOME TEXT)
Welcome, fellow fighter.  What brings you to our humble fort?

WHO ARE YOU?
I am Alfonso Malo, or, as my friends refer to me, "Saint" Malo, Grand General of the Conquistadors and former vassal of a once mighty kingdom of the old world.  I run this branch of sell-swords, so if you are considering a long-term deal, or require massive support from us hastily, I'm the one you seek.

TELL ME ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CONQUISTADORS.
This may sound surprising at first, but my kin are not from Calradia, but from a distant continent.  Before settling here, I was Admiral of the XIII Regiment of the 4th Army of His Majesty, King Calveraz of the Kingdom of Vesapnia.  As our homeland was decimated by horrific plagues and our coffers emptied due to constant war with our neighbors, my king sealed a trade pact with the Eastern Emperor in a desperate attempt to fill the royal treasury and revitalize the army.  A fleet of 10 galleons manned by reliable soldiers armed to the teeth set sail with a king’s fortune of trade goods unknown to the East.

Alas, our journey was far from pleasant.  While we decided to take a short break on a larger island which lies far north of the Calradian coast, we realized that we weren't alone; a second force, namely the Imperial Legion built a staging point on the northwestern part of the isle, and as soon as they realized our presence, they attacked without warning.  Our regiments fought bravely but we had little chance to counter their overwhelming numbers, especially in the lush forest where we had too little space to form up correctly.  Soon, we were forced to retreat.  Luckily, they couldn't pursue us on the water, but our trials didn't end there, as afterwards, we were caught in a massive storm, and my vessel was separated from the main fleet, and eventually shipwrecked at the Calradian coast, north of the city of Rivacheg.

We tried to cut wood from the local forest, but soon our presence was discovered by the Vaegirs. Well, at least they were more civilized and allowed me to explain our situation to their ruler, King Yaroglek.  He agreed to help us rebuild our ship, but we would have had to pay for the materials, for which he set ridiculously high prices.  And, as it turned out, our ship carried the least trade goods in the whole fleet.  But on the other hand, it had the greatest number of soldiers.  I believe you can figure out the rest, my friend.  As we couldn't pay with gold, we offered our services instead.

That was over a year ago, and, as you may see, we're still here.  Ironically, by the time we had enough Denars, I realized that many of my men have taken local wives and are now fathers.  They came to call Calradia their home, and I can understand why, for many of them joined the expedition to escape from poverty, religious persecutions, and the strict social order of Vesapnia, so they had little, if any, homesickness.  Also, while waging our battles here, our company accepted many locals into its ranks, passing down our traditions of warfare, unique to these lands.  As I'm a leader who cares for his men, I agreed to stay here and lead them, for I feel responsible for their very future.

However, I'm also feeling a growing urge to warn the inhabitants of this land of a grave danger, for our encounter with the Imperial Legion on that forsaken island revealed a sinister plan.  When inspecting the imperial outpost, my scouts overheard a talk between a couple of enemy leaders, mentioning a future invasion aimed at Calradia, with a force nearly infinite in numbers.  You may find my speech laughable, but I am a man of faith and honor, and I never lie.  My men are trustworthy, and mark my words, in due time, the Imperial Legion WILL come.  Since I have little hope to find influential allies among the Calradian empires given by my current position, I can't help but expand the company and prepare for the dark times ahead...

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE CONQUISTADORS?
The specialty of our company is discipline and battlefield mobility above all else.  Well-rounded swordsmen and pikemen provide the backbone of the company, supported by crossbowmen, and lancers acting as a small but elite cavalry force.  Man-on-man, they can appear as if being in a disadvantage, but in the hands of a talented strategist, they are more than capable of dealing with even outnumbering forces.  Our shields are unique and crafted specifically for close combat and are pikemen specialize in using their long range and hitting their target, even between the sword and buckler troops.  We may not have the greatest manpower in the land, but I can assure you, my men are some of the most trained troops you will ever encounter, and our equipment is of high quality.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE GUILD TROOPS, I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE...

FOOTMEN
Footmen are promising fresh recruits who received a decent basic training in melee combat but have yet to flesh out their skills and capabilities.  Traditionally, they are given bucklers, swords and fine steel helmets, but only light armor.  As they grew more experienced, the Footmen will join either the swordsmen or pikemen branch of the company depending on their abilities.

SWORDSMEN/ RODELEROS
Swordsmen are versatile troops with a good balance of speed, armor and attack strength.  Better equipped and skilled than the Footmen, they excel in close combat, and although their small shields provide little cover against ranged attacks, they are mobile and skilled enough to get into range even in a rain of arrows.  When considered experienced enough, Swordsmen are promoted to well-armored Rodeleros, soldiers who mastered this form of fighting.

PIKEMEN / TERCIO PIKEMEN
We rely on Pikemen to counter enemy riders, which is necessary, as mounted soldiers seem to be dominant in this land.  However, unlike most polearm-wielding soldiers, our Pikemen don't use shields due to the sheer length and weight of their powerful pikes, but what they lack in defense they make up in talent and damage.  After proving their skills in several battles, they can rise to the rank of Tercio Pikemen, who are given further training and stronger equipment.

CROSSBOWMEN/ SEASONED CROSSBOWMEN
Crossbowmen are recruits who are too fearful to engage the enemy right in the thick of the fray, so they are given accurate crossbows to provide our company ranged support.  They are usually less trained when compared to our other troops, but surpass most other crossbowmen in matters of starting weaponry.  After a period of training, they become Seasoned Crossbowmen provided with reliable armor and take fencing lessons from our melee troops so they may protect themselves to a degree in close combat should the enemy get too close.

LANCERS
On an expedition across the ocean, there was little need or actual space for war steeds, but back then I insisted taking some horses with us, and now I'm glad I did.  Our company has a small cavalry force, the Lancer division, but you make a grave mistake if you consider them inferior.  With finely crafted lances and horses bred for battle, they can trample enemy infantry formations with ease and are equal in skill to any knight of Calradia.  However, since our horses are a unique breed and considerably few men in the company are trained in mounted combat, I rarely let them be fielded by anyone, except if I know our partner is not only reliable, but a man that shares my morals.  Even then, my business is war, and war is not cheap.

I HAVE A JOB FOR YOU...
(Assignment text goes here:  raid, pillage, siege, hire individual units, etc.)

DO YOU HAVE ANY TASKS FOR ME TO PROVE MY FRIENDSHIP?
You... you really mean it?  Well, friend, while I don't like to admit it, but the truth is, we can often use a helpful hand.

(DELIVER MESSAGE)
I have a letter that should be delivered to (random Vaegir lord) of the Kingdom of Vaegir.  Though it is not of great priority, if you would deliver it I wouldn't have to send an escort group, and in a relatively small company like ours, every man matters.  Of course, we don't ask you to do it for free.

(COLLECT DEBT)
One of the Vaegir lords, (random Vaegir lord) refused to pay for our services in a battle against the Swadians, and hasn't settled things with us ever since.  However, due to political issues it wouldn't be good for us to openly protest against his actions, but an "outsider", like yourself, should have little problem asking him about it.  Should he still refuse, you can still challenge him to a duel.  If you defeat him fair and square, I'm fairly sure he'll pay the requested wage.  Afterwards, bring the wage to our camp.  I can offer a part of the owed money if you're willing to help, as well as our gratitude.

(BRING MATERIALS)
We, the Conquistadors use only first-grade materials to forge our equipment, but even after a decent period of service to the Kingdom of Vaegirs many merchants are still rather suspicious towards us and charge the price of their wares pretty high, and I'm growing tired of their unfair methods.  Since you're probably more accustomed to the local conditions than me, the merchants are likely to sell their ware for less to you.  So, getting to the point, if you would purchase (4-9) loads of pure Iron and bring it to our fort, we'd be willing to pay slightly more for it than the original price - both you and us would benefit from it.  Fair trade, unlike theirs.  So, are you interested?

(BRING RECRUITS)
When we were still with the fleet, our total manpower amounted to thousands, but right here and now, I have but a few hundred men under my command.  If I intend to maintain the company on long terms - which I DO intend - then I have little choice but to employ men from the local populace.  We already have some fresh Calradian blood among our ranks, but that won't be enough.  Alas, in these troubled times I have little time to travel around the countryside to do the recruiting myself, but perhaps a wandering commander such as you could help.  If you could round up and train a band of... let's say... (15-30) Vaegir Footmen/Swadian Militia/Nord Footmen... (random selection) and bring them to our fort, we would be most grateful.

(BRING HORSES)
While we managed to carry on our duty so far, our lack of cavalry is becoming a pressing issue.  I was planning to expand the Lancer branch of the company, but I want only the best breeds in the land, and I don't trust the local stable masters too much, because they are just as suspicious towards us like the other merchants and might cheat us.  I trust your eyes are better at judging the local steeds than mine, because due to some gossip, I'm particularly interested in a certain breed.  If you could visit the stables and bring us 4 Courser /3 Hunter /2 War Horse /a Charger mount(s), we would be very thankful and eager to pay well for them.

(CATCH THE THIEF)
I'm beginning to feel that some are envious of our weaponry and armor, because a while ago a thief infiltrated our fortress and stole a few things from the blacksmith, including some blades and an old scripture that contains a secret forging method which makes our steel weapons extremely durable.  However, it was written in our own mother language so I find the chances of the secret being revealed pretty low.  Nevertheless, it would be good to have it back as soon as possible.  I did a bit of research, and I figured out the thief is now somewhere around (random village), but sending out a party of our own might be misunderstood by the locals, and I don't wish to make things worse than they are.  If you could seek out this criminal yourself and recover what we've lost, we'll reward you accordingly.

(KILL THE BASTARDS)
During one of our recent campaigns, my men were ambushed in their camp by a group of rogue mercenary soldiers while relaxing during the night.  We've lost quite a few good comrades because of those cowardly foes.  I believe they were employed by the Vaegirs in the past and sought a scapegoat for losing their jobs - so they attacked our company, trying to get rid of their new business rivals.  When I sent a messenger to challenge them to a fair battle, they sent back the crippled, dead body on a horseback, with a message written on the horse's behind, saying: "Catch us first !".  While we could defeat this honorless bunch face-to-face any day, I can't help but realize that unlike us, they have a fine amount of horses, and I won't waste my elite Lancers on this lowly band of sell-swords.  Long story short, we have neither the time nor means to hunt them down.  Still, if you share my morals, then I presume you agree that such impudence can't go unpunished.  Should you come across them with your own band of warriors, make sure they will regret what they've done.  I would reward you generously for this deed.

Conquistador Lieutenant - Agnessa
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This unit will function as a “lord” on the map. 

Conquistador Footmen
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Conquistador Swordsmen
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Conquistador Rodelero
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Conquistador Pikemen
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Conquistador Terico Pikemen
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Conquistador Crossbowmen
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Conquistador Seasoned Crossbowmen
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Conquistador Lancer
Even the back of the saddle is retextured with the eagle.  I wanted these knights to be bright and vibrate.  I think I achieved that goal…
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Elephant Guard

Location:  Khergits Territory (village near mountains)

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The Elephant Guard Troop Tree
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The Elephant Guard represents the extreme light infantry units and is a blend of African and Egyptian units.  They are lightly armored, highly athletic, with high damage output and decent defensive capabilities (i.e. shield).  They will be located in a village in Kneirght territory near the mountains (see guild master text for background details).  They have no cavalry but strong infantry and strong ranged units with a new thrown weapon, the spear.  Spears will not last long (few in quiver), but the ones that hit are devastating.  Their infantry composes of elephant tusk shaped weapons (sickle variations) and 2-handed spears.  They also sport some new features only available in SOD including body and face paint. 

The Elephant Guard Face Paint
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In case you’re wondering, yes you can also wear face paint on your character (that can be changed any time in game by pressing “C” and clicking on your character.  I plan to add additional face paints for different races / sexes in the future. 

The Elephant Guard Guild Master - Khepri
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Guild Master Text:
(WELCOME TEXT)
Greetings, wandering soul. The wind of fate foretold that we would met.

WHO ARE YOU?
I bear many names and titles, young one.  But here in the north, I'm most known as Khepri, which means "Morning Sun" in my people's language. I'm a High Priestess of the Elephant Spirit and mistress of its people, the Elephant Guard.  Should you have need of great assistance from us, you have to seek me out.

TELL ME ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE ELEPHANT GUARD.
We are an ancestral people from the distant southern lands of Calradia.  A land we call Ubum-Izwe.  The history of my people stretches back by centuries, to a time when legend and reality were one and the same.

Once, our people were composed of many tribes, each seeking dominance in the land.  One of these tribes was led by the high priestess Eliphanes - of whom I am a direct descendant -, a demigodess born from the marriage of the Dog Spirit Unakozi and a powerful tribal chief.  After a long and bloody series of conflicts which led to over half of Ubum-Izwe’s population being slain or tossed to the cage of despair, she had a vision of a giant beast that would lead her people and all other tribes to a new era.

After securing her children’s safety, she insisted on traveling alone to meet this spirit.  During her travels, the high priestess was captured by a cruel and mighty cannibal tribe and ritually eaten during a feast.  In order to prevent her soul from aimlessly wandering forever, her servants - who followed after her in secret -, decided to fight the cannibals and retrieve her corpse.  During the battle, a few warriors separated from the main army and snuck into the enemy camp to retrieve her remains. They succeeded, alas she had to be buried in her own land according to tradition.

But fate interfered; the very next morning, the high priestess’ remains mysteriously disappeared, and a creature large as a tower and skin as hard as stone appeared on the horizon.  Four massive legs bore the enormous body, and it had a tail both on the front and back of it; when it swung either, the sands would raise up in anger.  The head-tail was strong enough to lift a tree while the rear-tail was like a living whip, with the head of a snake at its end.  Two great ears, wider than any shield and a pair of monstrous tusks dominated the face.  However, despite its intimidating appearance, the creature had a noble and wise heart.

Our ancestors named this creature "Elephant", believing it to be the reincarnation of high priestess Elephanis.  Wherever it wandered, our warriors followed and guarded her.  Many tribes submitted peacefully before its presence while others tried to destroy it but met a violent end.  From village to village, town to town, the people rallied under a common God crushing all who opposed them in a righteous fury.

All of this enraged Sessar, the corpse-devouring Hyena Spirit, who caused many conflicts amongst men. Seeing the cannibal tribes who worshiped him making peace and following the new deity, he cursed our lands with a plague of locusts devouring everything green in its path.  As our people starved, so did the Elephant. But upon its deathbed, it used its tusks to wound herself and then painted glyphs upon our mightiest warriors. The people you see in our camp are direct descendants of the tribes who guarded and fought alongside “Elephant”, thus our name, the Elephant Guard.  The bones and tusks of the mighty creature have become our most revered relics, and the “Elephant” our greatest guardian deity.

However, while the tribes were united, all the villages and great cities were ruined; not many survived the terrific starvations and plagues Sessar unleashed.  As our lands and rivers became one with the desert, the shamans led our people north in search of water until they arrived at a chain of mountains.  When all seemed lost, the Elephant Spirit visited our ancestors and commanded them to cross the mountains, no matter the costs.  Many perished during the journey, but finally the spirit led us to a great valley.  It is here where we met the Khergits, people of the Horse Spirit and nomads of the steppe.  While it was within their power to destroy us, the Khergits were too busy with their own wars to worry about a small tribe settling on uninhabited lands.

Over time, we learned to communicate, and their Khan allowed us to dwell in his realm if we agreed to help him fight his wars.  After a series of battles, we were granted the land you see around us, and we developed trade relations as well, acquiring new sorts of leathers and learned different methods of weapon crafting.

However, the warrior heritage of my people would be hard to deny; the call of adventure and the unknown will of the Spirits charm them to embark on new journeys.  I myself have yet to realize the intention of the Spirits, so I decided we would live here and from time to time lend arms to others in exchange for goods.

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE ELEPHANT GUARD?
At first, we may appear as ruthless wild men, but as the wise teach us, looks are deceiving.  Our fighting traditions have been passed on for generations, thus our warriors bear their arms with unmatched skill.  And while many fight unarmored, they are far from unprotected:  see the countless scars and war paints?  During their initiation into manhood, they are taught to withstand pain usually unbearable to most of the northern Calradians.  But if they survive, their skin and flesh will be like a layer of armor on its own, like that of the mighty Elephant.  Also, even though our tribes are united since a long time, the different tribes preserved their own ways of fighting.  Some are mighty warriors, others fight using throwing spears, and a small minority, including myself, are shamans, spiritual leaders and chosen servants of the spirits.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE GUILD TROOPS, THE...

TRIBESMEN
Tribesmen are the lowest ranking members of our warrior class, men who freshly passed initiation into manhood.  They are not quite exceptional at anything, but each of them bears the potential of becoming a full-blooded warrior.  Many prefer to engage in melee where they can prove themselves, but some resourceful Tribesmen will even turn the stones on the ground into dangerous projectiles.

FIGHTERS/ WARRIORS/ CHAMPIONS
These adult men are the pride of our fighting class.  For an untrained eye, they may appear vulnerable, but as I might have mentioned, looks can be deceiving.  Both their bodies, shields and weapons are light, swift and enduring.  Even the prideful Khergits who refuse to fight on foot watched in awe once they saw them charge into battle.  With shields, various weapons, and blessed war paints, they eagerly fight in the name of the Elephant Guard until the last breath.  If deemed worthy, Fighters may join the adult Warriors, and then the Champions, fighting with the courage of those who have no fear of the spirit world.

SPEARMEN/ PENETRATORS
Our Spearmen are the descendants of former cannibalistic tribes who originally obeyed the Hyena Spirit.  But instead of revenge, the Elephant spared their lives in return for changing their evil ways.  We are now brothers, but they honor their ancestors by painting their bodies in yellow and passing down their warrior habits.  In battle, they cover their melee-fighting brethren from a distance with their throwing spears.  While this may seem primitive to you, know this: both the crafting and usage of their weapons were perfected throughout decades.  Not even the mightiest shields can withstands more than a few hits from them.  And unlike most ranged fighters, they can protect themselves in close combat.  Those who prove exceptional skill over time become Penetrators, training young Spearmen and Tribesmen.

BATTLE SHAMANS
The Battle Shamans are the heirs of the first tribe which followed the path of the Elephant, the same tribe which high priestess Elephanis once led. They carry the blessing of both the Dog Spirit and the Elephant Spirit, and as such, any mortal who angered the spirits and faces them will be lucky to tell the tale.  However, if you would wish to have them by your side, know that the Animal Spirits rarely lend out their aid for simple humans.  You need to earn their trust before their servants would answer your call.

I WANT TO ASSIGN YOU WITH A TASK...
(Assignment text goes here:  raid, pillage, hire individual units, etc.)

IS THERE ANYTHING I COULD DO TO IMPROVE OUR RELATIONS ?
Now that you ask, wanderer... I believe there is, if you are indeed eager to please our people and spirits.

(DELIVER MESSAGE)
There’s a message that needs to be carried to (random lord) of the Khergit Khanate. To tell the truth, I could ask any adult warrior to deliver it, but as the wise say, friendship is founded by small favors. What do you say ?

(KILL THE BAD GUYS)
For the last few weeks, our workers and hunters have been frequently attacked by a vile gang of ravaging bandits/honorless slave hunters//bloodthirsty mercenaries. I don’t wish to lose any more of my kinsmen to those savages, but many of the warriors are needed elsewhere, and the Elephant Guard can’t rely on protection from the Khergit nobility - as such, we could use your help, wanderer. Seek out these ill souls and send them to the spirit world.

(CATCH THE THIEF)
Not so long ago, a thief of unknown origin sneaked into our camp and stole some treasures, including one of our sacred relics, a small bone of the Elephant which was supposed to bring luck to the wearer. However, in wrong hands it brings nothing but misery to one’s life. For both our and the thief’s sake, it has to be recovered. One of our Shamans has sensed its presence in (random village). However, going there ourselves would be troublesome, as the Calradians are often far too hasty to judge our actions. Can I rely on you in this manner ?

(TEACH FIGHTING)
This land, northern Calradia, holds many secrets for us yet, one of them being the warrior cultures of its inhabitants. We practice an ancestral art of fighting, but if we are willing to survive in long terms, we must learn, and maybe even adopt the local ways of war. As such, if your time allows it, I would like you to instruct our fighters through duels. Show us how native Calradians fight, and they will eagerly learn. And we wouldn’t be ungrateful...

(BRING STUFF)
We are still in the process to adapt to the northern environment and weather. Our Khergit friends have helped us much, but alas, most recently we’ve ran out of grain/wool/tools. These are necessary for maintaining life in our village, but are hard to acquire on our own and caravans rarely pass by due to steppe bandits. If you could bring us (4-9) bags of grain/wool/tools as soon as possible, we would be most thankful.

(CAPTURE THE BASTARD)
There is a lesser Khergit chieftain who once attacked my kinsmen with his warriors before we allied with Sanjar Khan. Now that we are bound together with the Khergits, he didn’t dare to attack us anymore, but the wounds he caused will take a long time to heal, and despite the fact that he holds no ties with Sanjar, his deeds went unpunished so far. I ask you wanderer, if your sense of justice is aligned with ours, catch this man and bring him to our village where he shall answer for his crimes.

Elephant Guard Warchief - Bongani
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This unit will function as a “lord” on the map. 

Tribesmen
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Fighter
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Warrior
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Champion
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Spearman
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Penetrator
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Battle Shaman
This unit is only available after relations of 40+ achieved from quests.  See guild master spoiler for more information.
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Jotnar Clan

Location:  Nord Territory

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The Jotnar Clan Troop Tree
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The Jotnar Clan in unique in the fact that the troop tree is split into male infantry and female cavalry.  The cavalry line ranges from light to medium but all of them come equipped with some type ranged weapon (bow or thrown).  The infantry line focuses on heavy two handed infantry (swords but mostly axes) and a unique axe thrower unit. 

The Jotnar Clan Face Paint
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In case you’re wondering, yes you can also wear face paint on your character (that can be changed any time in game by pressing “C” and clicking on your character.  I may add additional face paints for different races / sexes in the future. 

The Jotnar Clan Guild Master
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Guild Master Text:
(WELCOME TEXT)
Hm, you look like a fine fellow to me. What winds drove you here to the cold north?

WHO ARE YOU ?
Velandir is my name, great mistress of the Jotnar Clan. I was elected by the Norn Council to lead our people through these dire times of war. Should you need our assistance to gnash the fangs of your foes, it is me you need to seek out.

TELL ME ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE JOTNAR CLAN.
As you wish, adventurer. It all began in ages past, when the Wolf God, Fenrir, witnessed how the waters of the north teemed with free and carefree creatures, while within the Heartlands, the people forgot who they used to be. They wanted power above all else, murdering and enslaving each other. Depressed, he climbed the highest peak of the Nedis mountain and howled at the shining Moon, calling all spirits to him with the desire of freedom. From the sea and the land, life crawled forth and took form in men and women - thus were born the Jotnar.
Alas, the people of the Heartlands grew envious of their happiness and the rich lands Fenrir gifted to them. For long decades, they fought. However, the love of freedom to which the Jotnar clinged into was also their downfall; divided into many clans, they couldn’t unite against the common foe, fearing to become what they hated the most. As such, eventually the Great Calradian Empire conquered most of them. But not all. One clan, ours, escaped their clutches, hiding away among the Nedis mountains which separate the current Rhodok and Nord lands. There we dwelled for many, many years. But while we had to hide away, the Calradian Empire did not waste time: to make the very memory of the Jotnar disappear, a vast amount of people from the Heartlands came to settle in the north and assimilate the remnants of the northern clans. Little did they know that the blood of Fenrir can’t be vanquished so easily... Yes, the old clans disappeared - but in their place, the Nords were born. The rest is well-known: in due time, the Great Calradian Empire collapsed, and the Nords claimed control of the north. As for ourselves... when the Norn seeresses saw the time of our return is now, we came forth and learned what happened in our absence. Being the last of our kin, we took the very name of the Jotnar upon ourselves to honor the lost. But meeting with the Nords was a source of joy as well. They were like our little brothers and sisters. Wherever our clansmen went, they were welcomed as if they were good spirits of a past era. Also, the Grifis Woodlands were teeming with wild horses who the Nords couldn’t tame - but we did. Those noble steeds were wild and proud, like ourselves. Soon enough, King Ragnar made notice of our doings and summoned the Norn mistresses to his audience chamber.
I was one of the younger Norns who attended to the audience. So to say, King Ragnar is nothing like the chiefs of old - rather, he reminded me of the power-hungry tyrants who brought doom upon the Jotnar in the first place. But distrust towards one man can’t be allowed to enshroud our love towards his folk. The heritage of Fenris, the lust for adventure, wandering, exploring and competition still lives on.
As much as we despise Ragnar, we decided to obey him, for the sake of our brother-nation. We hold many privilages and Ragnar provides us with all we could ever need - at the cost of unquestioned loyalty and obedience. But we don’t mind fighting alongside our Nord brethren, especially against the descendants of the oppressors, the Swadians. And tyrants don’t live forever; sooner or later, Ragnar and his ill kin shall pass away. Perhaps then we can remind the people, not just the Nords, but all Calradians... remind them of the love of Fenrir and the freedom they shared when the world was still young.
But that time is yet to come, and until then, we have other matters to attend to. My Norn sisters foresee the coming of a beast of wood, flesh and metal. It will emerge from the clouds of the sea to devour the land. It is that menace we have to prepare for...

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE JOTNAR CLAN ?
We are an ancestral folk, young adventurer, with a centuries-old warrior culture. The clan is female-dominant, but this is because only women can become Norns. Otherwise, every other clansmen is equal and free. The girls, who are more adventureous, nowadays prefer to learn riding very early and often master several weapons as they age, while the boys usually raise heavy weaponry in defense of our settlements. However, since our pact was made with Ragnar, the trends are changing. Both males and females march to war eagerly in bands, rather than as individuals. True, for the sake of defeating our enemies, a small bit of freedom must be given up, for in unity lies strength. We have to respect the ancient ways but also learn from old mistakes. Many view us as nothing more than sell-swords. Maybe it’s true. But this all serves one purpose: the freedom of the future.

TELL ME ABOUT THE GUILD TROOPS, THE...

ARMSMEN
Armsmen are young men either born or married into the clan. They fulfill most tasks around settlements and are just learning the ropes when it comes to fighting, but their potential should not be underestimated, for it is they who shall become the champions of present times.

JARLS/EINHERJARS
Passing their initiation in the fires of combat and skill, Armsmen ascend into Jarls, prideful warriors with two-handed weapons, clad in fine armor. Their abilities are fabled, but should great shame befall on them, Einherjars may emerge from their ranks, savage and vengenceful fighters who seek to unleash primal fury on everyone bold enough to cross blades with them.

AXE THROWERS
Using axes as throwing weapons is an old habit of the Jotnar, which was adopted by the Nord people. But only few can attain full mastery of this form of fighting, such as these exceptional men known as the Axe Throwers. They may not be so great in close quarters like their Jarl brethren but a single accurate throw can mean death to their opponent.

VOLVAS/SHIELD MAIDENS
Traditionally, young girls, called Volva, take part in hunts since childhood and as such learn to use nimble melee and ranged weapons very early. They train intensively to become just as great as the heroines of old. It is rare that they leave the safety of the settlement, though sometimes they accompany their elder sister and brothers in battle. After reaching a certain age and level of skill, they prepare to set off to a long journey as Shield Maidens to see the world, and maybe find a husband in the process. Tales of travelling warrior women are well-known all throughout Calradia, but not many knew where they came from... until nowadays.

VALKYRIES/DISIRS
During their journeys, Shield Maidens may gather vast amount of experience as well as fine equipment. Upon returning home, they are gifted with the honorary title of Valkyrie, showing that they are fully grown women now. But should a Valkyrie be dishonored or suffer great loss, beware, for she may take up the armor of the Disir to exact harsh and bloody vengeance.

NORN MISTRESSES
Norn Mistresses are the leading class of the Jotnar Clan, but their life is not a joyful one, that much I can tell by personal experience. Only female babies born with physical or mental abnormalities can become Norns; for example, I had a right eye that cried blood. If by some miracle they survive until the age of 3, they start a constant training in the mystical arts of farsight, along with being instructed in combat techniques with different weapons. It is rare for an adult Norn to actually go into battle, being rather priestesses than warriors, but should the need rise they are even more dangerous than a vengenceful Disir. As you may expect, it is unusual for a Norn to set off with strangers like yourself... but it is not impossible, if you manage to earn their attention.

I WANT TO ASSIGN YOU WITH A TASK...
(Assignment text goes here)

IS THERE SOMETHING I CAN EARN YOUR RESPECT WITH ?
Hm, so my sight didn’t deceive me when I thought you were a kindred spirit. Well, my adventureous friend, in a clan like ours, there’s always something to do...

(DELIVER MESSAGE)
This letter should be delivered to (random Nord Lord) of the Kingdom of Nords. A small favor, which earns a small bit of respect, if you understand my implication.

(COMPETITION)
Duels in the settlement are a daily event. Men and women compete for one reason or another, but all in all, it is for the sake of mere entertainment. It is not rare that two warriors make a bet over a smaller amount of money, but the biggest prize is the respect that one can earn by showing off his or her skills. Youngsters are most certainly inspired by such events, especially if foreigners take part. The rules are simple: you challange someone, make a bet over a prize of... about 300 Denars, meet in a small arena either on foot or on horseback, and then... may the best win ! Does it schorch your interest?

(FREE CLANSMEN)
There is a group called the Slavers who in the past sometimes ambushed our travelling brothers and sisters and took them to slavery. I know these lowly vermin have some sort of agreement with King Ragnar, so after we made a deal with him, they appeared less frequently. But most recently, a whole band of young fighters fell prey to them. I know the Slave Master who led the attack has good ties with one of the Nord lords, but this cowardice and shamelessness cannot be tolerated any further ! Stranger, I ask you - free our brethren and make sure those villains will feel the claws of Fenrir. Once you freed our clansmen, bring them home and you shall receive a good reward, I shall see to it.

(REVENGE)
It just happens that a small band of 2-3 Disirs/Einherjars (random) wish to take revenge on the same group of people for the loss of loved ones: a band of vile Slavers/rogue mercenaries/back-stabbing Nord traitors. We came to know that those folks are currently taking a rest in (random Village). Alas, alone, even the determined Einherjars/Disirs couldn’t defeat them, and we may not help either for many of our brothers and sisters have to be mustered against other foes. But you could asisst them. Take them with you and show how the children of Fenrir deal with their enemies.

(PROVIDE ESCORT)
As our fame spreads, our services are becoming more and more sought after, especially the far-sight of the Norns. While we aren’t always on friendly terms with every nation, the Norn Council rarely declines sending out at least one member to heed requests from foreign rulers or leaders of mercenary hosts. We have our reasons for that. But to accompany a Norn to her destination is often a dangerous journey, especially on unknown enemy lands. Now, there’s a young Norn Mistress who needs an escort, and I trust you know the landscape pretty well. If you agree to help her on the road, we will be grateful, but keep her safe as your own self, for protecting a Norn is an enormous responsibility.

(AID WARRIORS)
One of my Norn sisters just rushed to me and told that some of our brethren have been caught by an outnumbering Swadian/Rhodok/Vaegir warband and need help as soon as possible else they will be overwhelmed. We don’t have many fighters to spare, and as such, your aid would be most welcome - help them win ! Should you succeed, come back and we’ll be more than eager to reward your help.

NOTES:
*(Competition) - You must have at least 300 Denars to enter. Select an enemy: Jarl/Einherjar/Valkyrie/Disir and duel him/her. Fail and you lose 300 Denars. Win and earn 300 Denars and 5-8 Volvas (if you are Male)/Armsmen (if you’re Female) for FREE ! Also earns a small Renown.
**(Free Calnsmen) - spawns a random Slaver caravan with Volvas and Armsmen as prisoners. Beat them, free the prisoners and lead them back in exchange for a medium reward of Denars (and relation points).
***(Revenge) - you gain a small group of Einherjar/Disir to your army and track down a band of enemies in a random village. The enemy band is not big, but made of strong foes. Beat them and report back. No financial reward, but bonus Honor, relation points and you can keep the Einherjar/Disir in your band (if they survived, that is).
****(Provide Escort) - you gain a Norn Mistress to your group and must escort her to one of the Kings or Guild Masters. You gain a small sum from the person you delivered the Norn to, as well as some positive relation points from both the Jotnar and the other person’s faction. BUT: if you fail for some reason, it results in massively decreasing relation with the Jotnar.
*****(Aid Warriors) - Spawns a small random band of Jotnar/Nord troops somewhere along the Nord-Swadian/Rhodok/Vaegir borderlands, respectively. When you go meet up with them, the enemy warband will show up and you must battle (similarly to the quest where you are training peasants and get attacked by bandits). Lose and you fail the quest. Win, and regardless of the losses (even if all Jotnar/Nord allies are slain), report back and claim a nice reward of Denars, Renown and Honor.

The Jotnar Clan Leader  – Gunnard Bearmasher
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This unit will function as a “lord” on the battlefield. 

Jotnar Clan Armsman
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Jotnar Clan Jarl
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Jotnar Clan Einherjar
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Jotnar Clan Axe Thrower
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Jotnar Clan Völva
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Jotnar Clan Shield Maiden
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Jotnar Clan Valkyrie
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Jotnar Clan Disir
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I was trying to show some detail on the saddles here (match shield heraldry) but it’s hard to get good screen shots of cavalry.  They are always moving. 

Jotnar Clan Norn Mistress
This unit is only available after relations of 40+ achieved from quests.  See guild master spoiler for more information.
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Serpent Host

Location:  Rhodok Territory

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The Serpent Host possesses strong cavalry and weak infantry.  However, their infantry always spawn with bows making the "stand here" and "hold your fire" commands useful.  These are the favored guild of the Rhodoks. 

Serpent Host Troop Tree
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Serpent Host Guild Master - Bhey Sukbathar
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Guild Master text:

(WELCOME TEXT)
Hm, another daring youngster who tries to take on the world. I can see the fire in your eyes. So, what’s the reason of your visit ?

WHO ARE YOU ?
I am named Bhey Sukbathar, the Green Serpent, unquestioned lord and master of the Serpent Host. In case you were considering a large deal with our mercenary army, it is I you have to search for.

TELL ME ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE SERPENT HOST.
Interested in the past, young spirit ? ...Very well. The place where it started was the endless steppe, where the Khergits were born, gathering up into many different tribes, including that of my forefathers, the Swift Serpent. It was an age of conflict, but all in all, the tribes were all free, and happy. That is, until the first Great Khan emerged.

This person was no other than Sanjar Khan’s grandfather. Under his brutal leadership, he started to force other tribes into submission. While Sanjar’s family united the Khergits, it was done so by scheming and massacre. Many tried to resist them, but it all ended in even more bloodshed. The Swift Serpent tribe, under my own lead, fought for independence for a long time. I had to make great sacrifices, losing my children and wife in the process. But when Sanjar claimed the Great Khan’s throne, I realized my attempts were all in vain, so I led the tribe out of his reach, into Rhodok territory.

I knew well that as invaders or immigrants, we wouldn’t be welcome, so I hastily made an offer to their ruler that we would be their border guards in return of some land. After proving ourselves, we were granted what we wished for. However, as time passed and new blood boiled in the veins of our sons, it was made clear that we can’t keep up our old ways anymore. I willingly embraced to the tide of change that came upon us, and now, look around - we are a proud family of sell-swords, at the service of the Rhodok kingdom.

As mercenaries, we hardly take nationality into consideration anymore, but the majority of us are still of Khergit origin. And I haven’t forgotten the horrors of my younger days. The day of my death may be drawing closer with each day, but my adopted sons will carry on my heritage. For now, we are mercenaries. But one day... maybe in the distant future... we shall take back what is ours.

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE SERPENT HOST ?
Our favored way to wage war is to fight from horseback, just like our forefathers used to. As such, we are mainly a company of horse riders, capable to dominate any field, riding noble war steeds, using lance and bow. The Serpent Host is also backed up by lightly garbed foot warriors who support their mounted brethren either out- or inside the field of battle, and while not the strongest, they are devoted and numerous.

TELL ME ABOUT THE GUILD TROOPS, THE...
KAPIKULUS
The Kapikulu are fresh recruits of varying background, but the fate they share is similar: they are little more than workforce in the Serpent Host, lowest of the low. The Kapikulu maintain the rest of the army by fulfilling out-of-combat duties such as transportation and setting up camps, but in actual battle they are frail, armed with nothing but the tools they work with.

CEMAATS/ATHANATOIS
After a certain period of service, each capable Kapikulu is expected to take on basic military training with spear and bow. Upon finishing the course, they join the ranks of the Cemaats, who are lightly armored foot troops. While inexperienced and often ill-equipped, larger groups of Cemaats are more than suited for supportive or defensive roles, being armed with spear, shield and bow. However, the overall life expectancy of the individual Cemaat is low; very few survive long enough to join the band of the Athanatoi - veterans of many battles armed to the teeth, disciplined and unafraid of any peril.

AKINCIES
In case a newcomer member is already skilled in mounted warfare, the group of the Akincies await him. Young but determined spirits they are, eager to show their talents in the fray by either spear or bow, but in either case they have to be overseen by sergeants not to rush to their doom - after all, the young Akinci, in due time, will become the backbone troops of the Serpent Host.

TIMARIOTS
Archery from horseback has long held the greatest respect among all forms of fighting in Khergit society, and while we can no longer call ourselves Khergits, this view changed little. The Timariot perform horse archery on a near artistic level, but do not rely on them in intense close combat.

SIPAHIS/CATAPHRACTS
In the past, like all Khergit tribes, we relied entirely on light cavalry, but our time spent with the Rhodoks, fighting against the Swadians and our former brethren made it clear that we can’t be victorious on long terms without well-armored riders. And so, the bands of the Sipahis and Cataphracts were born. The Sipahi are on par with any other medium cavalry forces; however, re-training and re-equipping them into Cataphracts is hard to afford. Still, even a handful of Cataphracts is capable of sweeping enemy ranks, burying foes under a wave of lances and horseshoes.

BASILISK KNIGHTS
The Basilisk Knights are a completely separate branch within the Serpent Host, and with a good reason. Their tale is dark and shrouded in mystery. All I know is that they follow a sort of grotesque warrior cult on their own, hypnotizing themselves before battle to bring their skills to inhuman levels. If it wasn’t for their unquestioned distrust towards Sanjar’s family, I wouldn’t have even accepted their services at all. Their abilities are unmatched with bow and blade, but their grim ways give a reason to fear even for me. It is hard for outsiders like you to earn their respect, though once you do, you may have a fearsome force at your hands.

I WANT TO ASSIGN YOU WITH A TASK...
(Assignment text goes here)

IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO IMPROVE OUR RELATION ?
A fiery youngster you are, I see. So it seems I could use your bravery and talents, and of course, I wouldn’t be ungrateful...

(DELIVER MESSAGE)
Take this message and carry it to (random Khergit/Rhodok Lord) of (Khergit Khanate/Kingdom of Rhodok). There is no need to be hasty, but deliver it safe and sound... if you are willing to do it.

(BRING TROOPS)
While I’ve completely lost the war against Sanjar, it does not mean our conflict is over. There are still many among his subjects who would defy his rule if they had the chance. And I can give them that chance. Alas, sending my own men to spread word of this would cause great troubles for those simple folks - but you, on the other hand, should have no difficulties telling them. And the less subjects Sanjar’s family has, the stronger we are. If you could charm 8-17 Khergit Horsemen to our company, you may earn our gratitude and respect.

(KILL DESERTERS)
Sadly, charming subjects from Sanjar to us can work the other way around as well. Sometimes, traitors show up and drag those of weak mind and spirit with themselves back to Khergit domain. Wandering in small groups, it is nigh impossible to hunt them all down, but to maintain discipline the majority has to meet with a fitting end - even if by the hands of an „outsider”... and I would reward you accordingly if you happened to be that particular outsider.

(COMPETITION)
We often organize small tournaments to keep up the morale of the troops. If you feel like it, young spirit, you may as well take part in one. The rules are simple: there are four teams, and each aim to win by any means necessary. Using armor, horses and weapons is entirely legal; as such, serious injuries or even death is possible - but to make up for the high risk, the prize is great. There are three levels of difficulty; winning against the best warriors can earn a smaller fortune - if you are not afraid of facing danger.

(DESTROY CARAVAN)
The Rhodoks often charge us with harassing enemy supply caravans. I appreciate their trust towards us, but too many times I end up realizing that I have to send out too many good fighters for dealing with such an insignificant task, while I could make better use of them elsewhere. I would be glad if you, young spirit, were willing to take this mission over for this time. You may keep whatever supplies and riches you find among the wrecks, just make sure that when you’re done report back to me. Does the offer sound well for you ?

(FREE SPY)
There’s a man I sent out to (random Khergit/Swadian village) to spy around, but word came that he was caught and his captors now demand a ransom for him. Going out to negotiate would be a source of shame. Ramsacking a whole village for a single man is unreasonable. But sending a „third person” like you would have no diplomatic weight. However, once you’re there, you’ll have to make a decision to either bribe the guards keeping our spy captive or fight the town watch and free my subject from his cell. Whichever you choose, afterwards you’ll have to escort him back to the headquarters. Make sure he arrives safe and sound - if you do, you may be sure to receive a fitting reward.

Serpent Host Leader – Young Chief Pinar
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This unit will function as a "lord" on the battlefield.

Kapikulu
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Cemaat
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Athanatoi
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Akinci
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Sipahi
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Cataphract
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Timariot
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Basilisk Knight
I spent a lot of time on these guys.  Even the helm looks serpent like.  Completely unique and very rare.  These guys require 40+ relations with the guilds and the only armored horse archer in the game. 
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I dismounted them here to show off their armor.
 
Slavers

Location:  Global Enterprise (Guild located in each capitol city of each Native faction)

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The Slaver Troop Tree
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Slavers are the go-to guild for all of your questionable activities in Calradia.  They are fierce melee warriors and are primarily mounted.  The main thing that separates these units is their use of blunt weapons.  Using these units will allow for many prisoners and increased income from the slave trade. 

Slavers are completely separate from Manhunters now.  Manhunters troop tree was altered to follow the farmer upgrades.  This was necessary in order to prevent an unscrupulous SOD player from hiring only manhunter units in the tavern and avoiding the need for your own factions troops to immigrate to Calradia.  The Slaver troop tree has been redefined and they are actually useful now.  In addition, manhunters are now useful since they can be upgraded to decent units (mercenaries). 

Manhunter Troop Tree (for reference only)
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The Slaver Chief
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Guild Master text:
(WELCOME TEXT)
What do you want, nobling ? I hope it's important, cos' my time is precious.

WHO ARE YOU?
My name is not to be spoken openly.  I have my reasons for that.  Call me (random name like Cutty, Steely, Bossy, etc.).  I'm the local representative of the Slavers.  That. Is. All. Understood?

TELL ME ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE SLAVERS.
For the public, there isn't much to be known about our background.  And don't even attempt to seek for it, if you don't want to wake up in cage with a hurting head.  All you need to know that we've been running this business for a long time by now.  From the Khergit Khanate to the Zerrikanian Sultanate, our henchmen are present everywhere.  Now, do not worry.  Just stay out of the way and we won't hurt you, unless we get paid for it of course.  Or better yet, make business with us.  You won't regret it...

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE SLAVERS?
Special?  Nothing, really. Unless you consider knocking people out and selling them at the slave market on a professional level as something special.  Cos' that's what we're best at - collecting bunches of prisoners, and making profit on their sorry behind.  We also run other, ahem, "activities" which are usually not shown for the public eyes.

WHAT ABOUT THE RANSOM BROKERS AND RAMUN THE SLAVE TRADER ?
(click to show/hide)
Well, Ransom Brokers are employees who look after business with the lower classes. They buy prisoners captured by soldiers, and we sell them to nobles as slaves, who may train them as soldiers who will capture prisoners... nicely thought-out business, don't you agree?  But Ramun in Tihr... bah.  He's a different story.  That mongrel has been stealing our profit right from under our noses!  See, the Kingdom of Nords is our primary trade area.  The sea is right there for intercontinental trading, and the Nord lords don't mind our presence at all as long as we share a part of the profit with them. But Ramun and his clever business policies are a thorn in the side.  But our boss says we may not lay a finger on the guy.  I wonder if he has some past connections with him...

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE GUILD TROOPS, THE...

HENCHEMEN/SLAVE DRIVERS.
Henchemen are cutthroats, thieves, vagabonds and other typical street scum who we usually hire for one-time jobs.  Resourceful people can make good use of them in dense cities and lively villages, but in open battles they aren't worth a farthing.  They can work as meat shields, though - they are replaceable, after all.  If Henchmen desire to join the business in longer terms, they are welcomed as Slave Drivers, performing the everyday works necessary to keep things running, if you know what I mean.  Sometimes, these rabbles loot horses from stables and carry stuff for throwing, but that's not regulated.  Not as if anything would be regulated about them in the first place.

SLAVE HUNTERS/SLAVE CRUSHERS.
Once Slave Drivers are professional enough, they receive a package of new maces, armors, and horses gifted to them for the fine job.  Of course, from that point they are expected to work even more.  They are the closest group in our society to regulated fighters, acting as our main, ahem, "resource gatherers".  The most successful Hunters ascend into Slave Crushers.  Sons of Slaver Chiefs seeking firsthand experience also belong to this class, getting some nice equipment to do the job.

SLAVE MASTERS
If a Slave Crusher shows more than enough guts for bashing, but none for doing actual business, then he'll become a Slave Master, one of our elite goons.  Scum who crawl this high usually get hold of some tough mounts and black metal stuff, leading our raiding parties, living in the illusion that they actually have any sort of influence.  See, we aren't so bad people after all...

TORMENTORS.
Need some muscle?  That can be arranged.  You see, we have pretty good connections with several noble households, so we can round up some tough goons in heavy metal for whatever task you want - interrogators, bodyguards, enforcers, anything.  During employment, we give them a special spiked club originating from the far east, and trust me, it's a stunning sight to watch them in use.  Bossing Tormentors is a pleasure, but to actually be their boss, you'll need to be a really good business partner if you know what I mean...

SLAVES.
Pitiful human resource. What more is there to say  Buy them and do with them whatever you want.

I WANT TO DISCUSS SOME SERIOUS BUSINESS WITH YOUR "BOSS".
Sure thing, nobling.  Just cough up some denars and I'll see what I can do...

I WANT TO ASSIGN YOU WITH A TASK...
(Assignment text goes here:  raid, pillage, hire individual units, etc.)

IS THERE ANYTHING I COULD DO TO IMPROVE OUR RELATION?
Hm, are you serious ? Well, we can always use an extra hand in this business. Let me see...

(DELIVER MESSAGE)
You could deliver this letter of mine to (Random Lord) of (Random Kingdom).  This letter is not all that important though.  In fact, I could send out almost any higher-ranking slave hunters to do the delivery, but consider this as a supporting activity for our future friendship, alright?  But should you fail to deliver it or you open and read it, I will know, and make the necessary steps... so, how about it?

(SMUGGLING)
(Random Lord) of (Random Kingdom) asked us to deliver a supply of expensive wine to his castle.  But you see, the local laws tax these kinds of luxury quite a bit, which he intends to avoid.  Since getting caught is likely if we employ our local colleges, I think we could use a "third person" like you for this job if you're up to it...

(COLLECT DEBT)
(Random Lord) of (Random Kingdom) owes a serious amount of money for us. In the past, he made use of our, ahem, talents to carry out a job concerning his mother-in-law/half-brother/cousin/former wife/arrogant subjects (random), but hasn't paid the requested wage ever since.  Sadly, we lack the influence in the area to enforce him to pay, thus we need an outsider for that purpose... but don't think of running away with the money once you have it, cos' we'll know it.  And you don't want that.  Trust me.

(SLAVE DELIVERY)
I hate to confess, but we could use some help delivering some human cattle to (Random Castle or Town), cos' we lack the manpower for a proper escorting band for reasons beyond my authority. Take your own gang for the job and lead the rabble to their destination.  If they try to flee, feel free to discipline them a bit, just make sure they arrive in one piece.  Of course, you'll get paid for the effort.  Can you handle it?

(ROUND UP SLAVES)
My colleges at (Random Town) reported that some slaves have broken free due to the stupidity of some incompetent slave drivers.  We don't want them to run around and spread rumors of business, now do we?  Round them up and whip them back to their cages.  We won't be ungrateful... so?

(KILL THE GOOD GUYS)
We've been making some pretty flourishing profit out of the inhabitants of (Random Village), but recently a band of self-proclaimed heroes/a goody-goody knight and his retinue/a bunch of local muscle-brains/a group of religious fanatics and their champion (random) have ruined our business there.  Such arrogance cannot be tolerated, don't you agree?  Sadly, we can't interfere, as employing too many men may catch the eye of the local lord, and we don't wish to complicate things if we don't have to.  Just take your own best men and set things wrong like they should be.  You can earn quite some respect from us with this job, if you get my drift...

Slaver Lieutenant
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This unit will function as a “lord” on the map. 

Slave
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Not part of the Slaver army but can be bought at a very reasonable rate.  Their first upgrade is the farmer and it then follows the farmer troop tree (i.e. slave, farmer, watchman, etc).  They are very weak and not made for battle, but hey, they are very cheap. 

Henchmen
Slightly weaker than manhunters (lower level, about same equipment), these are the pawns in the Slaver arsenal.  They are very useful as distractions and cannon fodder. 
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Slave Driver
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Slave Hunter
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Slave Crusher
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Slave Master
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Tormentor
This unit is only available after relations of 40+ achieved from quests.  See guild master spoiler for more information.
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Random Mercenaries

Location:  Random, visit the tavern often!

In addition to the old mercenaries and all the mercenaries above (with exception of special unit that requires high relations with guild), there will be mercenaries that do not belong to a guild for hire in taverns.  Here are some examples.

Black Khergit Horseman
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These guys were already in the game but inactive.  I just added them to the random mercenary list so they will now show up in taverns looking for work. 

Black Khergit Guard
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These guys were already in the game but inactive.  I just added them to the random mercenary list so they will now show up in taverns looking for work. They will wear your banner when hired. 

Boar Clan Rider
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Boar Clan Veteran Rider
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Boar Clan Warrior
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Boar Clan Veteran Warrior
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Not quite large enough to be considered a mercenary guild but very fierce warriors.  I got this idea because there are some cool spears never used as well as slege hammers.  Now they are and have a sweet looking shield as well. 

Heraldic Knight
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These guys will wear your heraldry.  Nothing special about them but decent warriors.  They look different depending on your banner. 

Knights of Ashkolon
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Mounted axe riders.  Need I say more?

Ronin
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The closest thing to a ninja in the game.  I was thinking about a full out Asian mercenary guild but decided against it due to item slot problems.  These guys actually did not use any space since it is already in the base native game.  The kanbou weapons are new through designed by myself and amade.  They are really fun to use. 

Shining Eagles
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Nicely armored but low weapon proficiency. 

 
Banners

Below are the new mercenary guild banners:

These are not screenshots of the guild units but rather your own player character if you choose to ride under one of these banners as your heraldry.  The first picture is how it looks on the map.  The second picture is a random heraldic shield with heraldic armor. 

Black Army
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Conquistadors
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Elephant Guard
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Jotnar Clan
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Serpent Host
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Slavers
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I’m sure this one will be a favorite.  Looks like the punisher…

Boar Clan
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So that's what they look like! Nice work on it! Good to know what I am making the guild for looks like... lol!

EDIT: The shaman are my favorite troops. I think they look the best, but that's just me.
 
*Recovers jaw from the floor*

Woo-hoo...

ELEPHANT GUARD:

Good (IMO):
- Somewhat uniformed yet individually varying troops. The war of the clones is over.
- The different "tribes" are depicted well, good color themes, and the elephant symbol shows their alignment nicely.
- Items are in harmony with war paints, looks cool.
- It is easy to tell the difference between greenhorns and veterans, which can prove useful in battle (what guys you should stay near to or stay away from).
- Tusked helmets and the "anubis masks" are unique, adds a great deal of visual fun.

Problematic (IMO):
- The Guild Mistress could still use some more paints (though if you don't wish to change her further, I can make peace with that).
- Since two-handed spears are more or less weak vs most infantry and don't allow shields, won't this reduce the overall effectiveness of the Guild too much ?
- How many Throwing Spears will the Spearmen/Penetrators have ? Judging from my earlier experiences, a vast number of throwing weapons will actually miss targets or barely damage them (if they have strong shields), so they should deserve at least 5-10 per quiver, else you need to employ them in masses, which not usually works out (especially in sieges).
- The "anubis masks", while look cool, are slightly feeling-dispeling in a sense... you see, everything is about elephants, then you get shamans with a dog-faced helmet ? A bit weird for me at least.

SLAVERS:

Good (IMO):
- Deploying slaves to the battlefield grants a unique feeling (though I will feel sorry for the poor Players who need to rely on these fellas in an actual battle...)
- Overall very good selection of faces and items. It really lets you know these folks are the bad guys, whether on your or your enemy's side.
- Low-tier units indeed look more like criminals than actual soldiers, fleshes out guild identity well.
- Lovely intimidating helmets (on high tier) and shields.
- Tormentor: pure badass. Hope I'll get the chance to acquire those armors and the kanabo for myself...

Problematic (IMO):

- If possible, the Slaves could have some wounds, scars and the like to show they were "disciplined" a few times. And they don't have to be all bold if you ask me...
- The skull-symbol is a bit overused. I'd prefer more variety (at least on shields) - jolly roger themes, great hand holding a bleeding man/heart, an eye/face "crying" blood, etc...
- I don't like every helmet of the Slave Crushers... some of them looks pretty fragile, and the horns are sometimes too big. To be specific: guy in the right - cool metal helmet. Guy in the middle - needs shorter horns (long ones don't make them feel so intimidating and are just in the way in battle anyway...), and instead of a skull helmet give him a skull mask as an individual helmet or part of a helmet, like the guy in the left.
- The Slave Crushers' armors are too heraldic IMO. Make them less shiny and artistic to make them feel more criminalistic and bouncer-like.
- Slave Masters are way too elite when compared to the rest of the guild troops. They are more like black knights or fanatic Void worshipers, while they shouldn't be either IMO (black knight doesn't entirely fit the theme of the guild, and religious fanatics just get in the way when it comes to business). Only Slaver Chiefs should be able to afford that sort of stuff. The armor is so-so, weapons/shields are okay, the helmets are a bit exaggerated, and you should use a less armored horse than the Charger (how about the Adenian Light Cavalry horses with altered stats ?).

P.S.: Yep, I always have my issues, guess that can't be helped  :roll:  but I tell my opinion not for ranting, but for improvement, honestly. It worked well on the Elephant Guard if you get my drift  :lol:

P.P.S.: If everything goes well, I'll have the final versions of the Guild Master texts ready by weekend :wink:
 
MorrisB said:
ELEPHANT GUARD:

Problematic (IMO):
- The Guild Mistress could still use some more paints (though if you don't wish to change her further, I can make peace with that).
- Since two-handed spears are more or less weak vs most infantry and don't allow shields, won't this reduce the overall effectiveness of the Guild too much ?
- How many Throwing Spears will the Spearmen/Penetrators have ? Judging from my earlier experiences, a vast number of throwing weapons will actually miss targets or barely damage them (if they have strong shields), so they should deserve at least 5-10 per quiver, else you need to employ them in masses, which not usually works out (especially in sieges).
- The "anubis masks", while look cool, are slightly feeling-dispeling in a sense... you see, everything is about elephants, then you get shamans with a dog-faced helmet ? A bit weird for me at least.

1.  Maybe in the future.  For now, she is going to have to look sexy :smile:
2.  Two handed spears are actually awesome in battle.  It is only when a spear spawns with a shield does it become useless (just pokes at them).  I added the 2-handed weapon tag so this never happens.  In addition, not all units will have spears, many will spawn with shields so it will be a nice balance.  In addition, every single unit has the chance to spawn with a thrown projectile.  Lower ranks get stones, higher ranks get daggers and of course spears on others. 
3.  Right now they spawn with 2 quivers of 8 (16 total so good in open field, bad in sieges).  One of the problems with other peoples thrown weapons on units is they set them to "regular_melee" and the proficiency is low.  I did not do that.  The spearman is "regular_javilineer" (see spoiler) and penetrator is expert_javelineer (with weaker melee skills).  I agree game testing is needed but man these guys shred apart looters in no time at all (and do quite well on sea raiders, although I have not started a "real game" yet).  As a matter of fact, I may have to reduce the damage of spears because they do so well. 
4.  They are a cross between African / Egyptian and i think the background, combined with Guild Master, helps describe the warriors versus ruling class.  Remember, they are the rulers that brought together the tribes and hence to Calradia for survival.  Besides, I love the helmet and that combined with the other tusk helm (decided to keep but lost the leather armor) was the inspiration for this guild.  These guys are elite (40+ relations) and supposed to stand out. 


MorrisB said:
SLAVERS:
- If possible, the Slaves could have some wounds, scars and the like to show they were "disciplined" a few times. And they don't have to be all bold if you ask me...
- The skull-symbol is a bit overused. I'd prefer more variety (at least on shields) - jolly roger themes, great hand holding a bleeding man/heart, an eye/face "crying" blood, etc...
- I don't like every helmet of the Slave Crushers... some of them looks pretty fragile, and the horns are sometimes too big. To be specific: guy in the right - cool metal helmet. Guy in the middle - needs shorter horns (long ones don't make them feel so intimidating and are just in the way in battle anyway...), and instead of a skull helmet give him a skull mask as an individual helmet or part of a helmet, like the guy in the left.
- The Slave Crushers' armors are too heraldic IMO. Make them less shiny and artistic to make them feel more criminalistic and bouncer-like.
- Slave Masters are way too elite when compared to the rest of the guild troops. They are more like black knights or fanatic Void worshipers, while they shouldn't be either IMO (black knight doesn't entirely fit the theme of the guild, and religious fanatics just get in the way when it comes to business). Only Slaver Chiefs should be able to afford that sort of stuff. The armor is so-so, weapons/shields are okay, the helmets are a bit exaggerated, and you should use a less armored horse than the Charger (how about the Adenian Light Cavalry horses with altered stats ?).

P.S.: Yep, I always have my issues, guess that can't be helped  :roll:  but I tell my opinion not for ranting, but for improvement, honestly. It worked well on the Elephant Guard if you get my drift  :lol:

1.)  Very possible indeed but it would require an addition item slot (or two) and I just do not have them available (max is 915) for a unit that would only stay a slave for maybe a day with any training skill at all (they are level 2 and upgrade to level 4 farmers). 
2.)  Will consider but once again, it is an item slot thing.  If I could make unlimited items, I probably would. 
3.)  These are OSP helms that I retextured.  I agree that particular models may be a bit extreme but I'm going for a theme here and working with what I got.  Believe me, I did improve the OSP version significantly with new texture.  This is something I may do in the future, but for now, it would be to much work when I'd like to start another guild and think it looks fine.  Remember, a screenshot is not a good representation of in-game look (lower resolution and compressed JPEG).  They look better in-game and since 3 helms spawn, you do not see the same one over and over. 
4.)  These guys are moving up in the ranks.  I wanted them to appear more organized.  These armors I did not texture but used straight from an OSP pack.  EditNow that you mention it, they are a bit shiny.  Fortunately, that is an easy fix.  I’ll dull the cloth sections down a bit but I like the skulls and honestly, it’s not a high priority to change. 
5.)  Originally when I made these guys, they were slaver chiefs but then we made them into a guild.  I'm to deep into it now to change everything and lose item slots (plus I retextured most of what you see).  I wanted them to look fearful and the horned helms is a nice upgrade to the horned skulls.  Think about it, these guys run into your village, snatch up your family, and sell them into slavery.  That has to be profitable once you achieve the rank of Master (think captains).  I'll consider changing the horse, it was an easy selection because it looks good on the unit, has lots of crushing damage, and doesn't require a new item.  What exactly are you suggesting that does not require changing stats (which requires new item slot and I'm out of those).  I need to save item slots for 2 more guilds and about 15 specialty items in blacksmith.  This will definitely mean I have to spend time removing items not in use!

6.)  I know you got issues :smile: (easily anticipated) but I appreciate them and think it’s a better product now

Thanks for the comments and I may apply some of them later but for now, this is pretty much a finished product.  Keep in mind, I am not a modeler.  I have had some models made by some guys wanting to help out and I have done basics modeling (stretching, shrinking, enlarging, etc.), but basically I can texture and organize like crazy.  I also consider myself good at balancing units.  I do plan to try my hand at modeling in the future, but for now, I’ll cover much more ground using other peoples models from OSP / permission to use models and then retexture to match other items, than if I spend weeks on one item.  If I had to create everything from scratch, I would not have completed as much as I have (1 civilization, 2 guilds, hundreds of new items, face paints, etc.).  In other words, if you can find something and get permission to use, I’d definitely consider it but for now, I’m going to get the blacksmith items implemented (which will require hours of work that will not even be noticed in the item files). 

EDIT:  One more thing, many of the paints stretch all the way around to the back (elephant tails are actually serpents (works in with the background we discussed)) and it is difficult to get a good screen shot of all the detail (some of new weapons didn’t show up either).  I’ll work on getting a version to Kuba soon and hopefully we will have some new scenes to put these guys in as well. 
 
ELEPHANT GUARD:

2. That's fine in open field, but I'm unsure about sieges. After all, the thing the Khergits really need are good siege troops, while being without shield or having throwing weapons in a ladder-siege is pretty disastrous (not always, but often)...
3. This will require some heavy testing I guess. Some factions have tough shields, others don't, and it's hard to judge if the throwing spear itself is overpowered or not just by a few battles. Looters are usually one-hit-makes-it-dead type bandits, bad for actual testing cos' they are weak and few. Sea Raiders are better for that purpose, since they are roughly the same skill and equipment quality as EG spear throwers. Still, leading them in greater battles against a Native faction Lord is the best.
4. Hm. Guess I'll take my time to include the reasoning behind the headgear in the upcoming final text version for the EG.

SLAVERS:

5. Don't get me wrong, they look cool just unfitting. I can imagine them as sergeants and stuff but the point is, can you imagine a band solely made of sergeants ? Okay, you have the possiblity but it's like being able to upgrade every peasant to captains, which looks silly (we've discussed that in PM already anyway). They items will need a change here and there to make them look more like elite bouncers and goons, not a "nobility" on their own. Like the Tormentors :wink:  Unfortunately, as of yet no idea comes to mind what could we do with their mounts without having to change any models or making new items :sad: ah well. Time will tell sooner or later...
 
Update: 

I am completely finished with the 2 guilds, added a few random mercenaries that spawn in taverns occasionally (i.e. Ronin), and just about finished with a complete over haul of the items.py file (I removed all duplicates).  As a bonus of this, I fixed the villanese somewhat.  They had major clipping issues and I fixed 90% of this.  I could fix a lot more if I shrank thier heads (i.e. made new faces that fit inside the cloaks). 

I intend to reduce the shinnyness on a lot of the other civs as well. 

Big thing:  I started re-texturing the royal blacksmith items.  Man do they look sweet.  I need to get all these items in before sending it out to Kuba to integrate his code.  I do not have to finish, but just get everything organized so I have something to work on while he is getting the guilds working. 

In other words, things are still happening. 
 
YAAAY ! Finally they arrived !  :eek:

CONQUISTADORS:

Good (IMO):
- varying, but overall not all that differing uniforms grant them a disciplined and united appearence.
- nice use of yellow/red color theme on the armors, and love the black hawk sign.
- very good work on the helmets, they bring a new taste into the game.

Problematic (IMO):
- Saint Malo doesn't look any different from the Lancers. I wouldn't mind if he had some colored feathers poking out of the top of his helmet and decorated shoulder plates or something, just to show he's the boss. I know you have limited item space, but still...
- I know those bucklers are supposed to be small, but aren't they too small ? IMO, in siege, the Conquistadors would end up badly, since their only unit with a reliably sized shield is the Lancer...
- I don't really like that red-yellow lines covering even the "neck" part. For this purpose, you could have used a simple grey tone. I can make peace with it though.
- Is it just me, or the chest plate of the Rodeleros really bends as they wave their arms around ?
- The Lancers' mounts could have a slightly brighter armor. Right now it's too dark if you ask me.

Apart from the "issues" mentioned above, so far the Conquistadors are my favourite mercenaries. I'm definately looking forward to use them :wink:

RANDOM MERCENARIES:

Hm-hm... I see you didn't follow strictly my original ideas, not as if it was such a big problem though.

Knights of Ashkolon look badass.
Ronins are okay (though I wouldn't mind seeing some with bows or glaives).
Shining Eagles are pretty far from what I've imagined, but I presume they can work out.

Looking forward to the rest :smile:
 
MorrisB said:
Problematic (IMO):
- Saint Malo doesn't look any different from the Lancers. I wouldn't mind if he had some colored feathers poking out of the top of his helmet and decorated shoulder plates or something, just to show he's the boss. I know you have limited item space, but still...
- I know those bucklers are supposed to be small, but aren't they too small ? IMO, in siege, the Conquistadors would end up badly, since their only unit with a reliably sized shield is the Lancer...
- I don't really like that red-yellow lines covering even the "neck" part. For this purpose, you could have used a simple grey tone. I can make peace with it though.
- Is it just me, or the chest plate of the Rodeleros really bends as they wave their arms around ?
- The Lancers' mounts could have a slightly brighter armor. Right now it's too dark if you ask me.

Apart from the "issues" mentioned above, so far the Conquistadors are my favourite mercenaries. I'm definately looking forward to use them :wink:

RANDOM MERCENARIES:

Hm-hm... I see you didn't follow strictly my original ideas, not as if it was such a big problem though.

Knights of Ashkolon look badass.
Ronins are okay (though I wouldn't mind seeing some with bows or glaives).
Shining Eagles are pretty far from what I've imagined, but I presume they can work out.

Looking forward to the rest :smile:

1.)  Yea I’d like to make the boss look different but it is an item count thing.  I only have 22 item slots available without removing items not assigned to any troops and need to make 2 more guilds (maybe 3 more with slavers being a guild everyone has access to).  His face is different….

2.)  I used the existing SOD buckler (and stats) but retextured it for a leather and steel version.  Besides, I want them to have some weaknesses.  I did give them a really high shield skill and the buckler has a 200 speed rating so it Is possible it is very useful.  Only extensive testing will know for sure. 

3.)  The helms come out of an OSP pack.  I did retexture but keep the same theme.  The red / yellow was matched to the armors.  I’m already at peace with it :smile:

4.)  It is not you.  If you look closely, there are a lot of armors that do this.  It has to do with the model rigging and retexturing an old item.  You really only notice though when they are throwing up their hands and yelling victory.  Even then, you have to be very close and looking for it.  I see no problem with it in game as your running about. 

5.)  I matched the chain mail of the troops with the armor on the Lancers warhorses.  It is consistent throughout.  Also keep in mind, you lose some resolution with a screenshot compressed for internet viewing. 

6.)  Thanks.  I think I like the elephant guard the best but after I finish each guild, I like something about each. 


Random Mercs
1.) All existing SOD items.  All I did was put them on a troop and give it stats.  Well I take that back, I did adjust the alpha channel to get the shininess right.  I figure if items are going to be in the game taking up space, then they should belong to someone. 

2.) I can add glaives.  I’d rather add another troop, the Yumi for bows.  Once again, I am limited by item count limitations.  These are also just items sitting in the game wasting space but they fit nice on a random tavern mercenary. 

3.) Also items already in the game used for the same reasons as above.  Now when you visit a merchant shop and find a piece of armor, you’ll think, ohh that’s one of those mercenary armors.  Wonder how it got here…


dreadlord said:
Wish I could see the images  :cry:

I have no idea why you cannot see the images.  I have no problems...
 
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