Due to Cyclohexane's changes, I had to re-write the Black Army's texts at some points. Here's the improved version:
(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 death” really means until you see them in action. 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. Due to the weight of their armors and weaponry, it is rare to find an Ironside who makes use of a shield but it is often unnecessary as they usually cleave the battlefield clean before they would actually need it.
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 weapons, fighting on horseback alongside their troops. It is not rare for a Raven Captain to emerge victorious even 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!
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 death” really means until you see them in action. 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. Due to the weight of their armors and weaponry, it is rare to find an Ironside who makes use of a shield but it is often unnecessary as they usually cleave the battlefield clean before they would actually need it.
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 weapons, fighting on horseback alongside their troops. It is not rare for a Raven Captain to emerge victorious even 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!
