Mercenary Guards

The Carrionite Rulers of the Dead Sands were never really populous enough to create armies of their own, nor did they enjoy combat in the first place. As a result, for as long as the desert kingdoms have existed, the armies of the Carrion Kings have mostly been comprised of numerous divisions of mercenaries. The Carrion Kings’ infantry, then, is almost entirely made up of these mercenary forces. As one might expect, they range in quality. The weaker, inexperienced fighters will often not last long against any strong warrior, but the most experienced and talented of their ranks hold the line significantly better. Ultimately, though, these are borderline-expendable forces that are mainly used to hold the line whilst other units deal the real damage.

Mercenary Guards are the lowest ranking mercenaries fielded by the Carrion Kingdoms. Untested and unproven in battle, they are tasked with the simple job of protecting the towns and cities of their benefactor. This involves patrol duties, the preventing of crime, and the capturing and/or execution of criminals. That said, the Carrion Kings are very aware that most of their wealth is kept in their cities, and so the majority of these guards are kept there. Towns and larger villages will usually only get a small group of guards - and smaller villages are lucky to get any troops at all. Like all mercenary groups, these guard divisions are comprised of multiple races and multiple genders. Orcs serve alongside Imperials, and High Elves and Dark Elves fight together. All are considered equal (and equally expendable) in these forces. As long as the coin keeps coming, they have near-unbreakable oaths of loyalty to their respective monarch. Should they fall in service, however, it is not a huge loss for their avian overlords. For there are always those ready to take up arms in return for coin, a steady stream of souls to replace those that were not up to the challenge.

## **Variants**

Though they serve the same general purpose, some units in a country's military are given different equipment, in order to serve slightly different functions in the overall army. The severity and size of these differences varies on a case-by-case basis. Some units are given only slightly different weapons, whereas others are given new and unique technology.

### **Spearmen**

Spearmen are, as the name suggests, armed with bronze spears. They are the typical rank-and-file of the guard, what one would typically see in Carrion settlements. Their polearms make them better equipped for dealing with larger targets. In a battle this would be used against horses or war beasts, but in domestic affairs these weapons are perfect for crowd-control. As a result, spearmen are normally the units that are deployed against gangs and groups, as well as rioters when and if the situation requires it. The reach of the spear also allows the guard to deal with violent criminals without putting themselves at too much risk.

### **Swordsmen**

Instead of spears, swordsmen are given curved, sickle-shaped swords called a khopeshes. Though these blades do not have the reach of the much longer spears, it means they can operate in closed conditions without impediment. As a result, swordsmen are normally deployed to tackle situations in close quarters. This includes the clearing out of bandit camps and the capturing of criminal rackets, often housed in caves or warehouses. Since the shorter range of the sword, by design, forces the user to get closer to the target than a spear does, swordsmen are often comprised of more experienced guards.