Iron Sons

The Iron Sons of Tyno, known commonly as simply the Iron Sons, are a mercenary company currently active across the continent of Truyea. Known for riding into battle carrying lances atop heavily armoured horses, the Iron Sons are one of the most notorious mercenary companies in the known world. Their sigil consits of a golden hand clasping a curved sword on a dark grey field. Their official words, usually uttered as a cry before battle, are, 'Through honour comes glory.'
== History ==
The Iron Sons were founded by Artis of Tyno, a local lord from the coastal merchant city of Tyno, sometime in the fifth century. What initially started as a local unit comprised mainly of landed nobles and knights, the Iron Sons soon morphed and grew into a fully-fledged mercenary company. They saw action in multiple small conflicts in the fifth and sixth centuries under the command of various leaders, with their numbers growing all the time. At its peak in the sixth century the Irons comprised of almost 15,000 men and 5000 armoured horses, though the current company is significantly smaller. The Iron Sons are known for their ruthless efficiency regardless of the contract or contractor.
== Anaean Wars ==
The Iron Sons' most infamous contract came during the Anaean Wars of 660 to 667. A civil uprising in the Empire of Sevicia by a group of anti-monarchist revolutionaries hailing themselves as the new Anaean League led to Sevicia's bloodiest conflict in centuries, leaving almost two million dead, including civilian casualties. The Iron Sons were contracted by the Anaean League to fight for them against the Empire of Sevicia. They won successive battles at the Battle of Aeath and the Battle of Fort Saturn and were the chief perpetrators of the Otesia Massacre, in which the coastal city of Otesia was sacked and a great number of its citizens slaughtered.
In the closing stages of the war they were offered a much larger contract by Sevicia to break with the Anaean League and offer their support to the Empire instead. Instead, the Iron Sons informed the leaders of the Anaean League of this proposition before promptly taking their leave of the war. Their exploits during the conflict, including the sacking of Otesia, have become something of a fable across the continent, especially within the Empire of Sevicia.
== Military strength ==
Present-day, the Iron Sons consists of roughly 6000 men and 400 to 500 armoured horses, making them one of the largest active mercenary companies anywhere in Truyea. Despite their name and history, few of the members are Tynese, or even from Duscador; instead, the company has a diverse population of members from across the White Sea and further north in Truyea, including a number of Eragaii, Itrusics, and Erenneese.
== Location ==
Though originally founded in Tyno, the present-day Iron Sons are based just north of the city of Athon, in northeastern Duscador, though they have access to a number of ships in Tyno's great harbour and a number of the higher ranking members of the company are still Tynese nobles and knights.
Category:Military organisations