Firestarters

The Firestarters company was founded in 1618 from the surviving members of the Legion of Doom. The Legion of Doom's tragic expedition through a planar rift saw great losses in men and magical items, including several of its stakeholders from death or post-expedition retirement. Returning 295 years from the day they stepped through the rift in 1323, the members found that their company's stronghold of Port Wang was also wrested from their control by the simple passage of time.

The company spent the better part of a year recuperating and recruiting replacements, then took contracts from the Imperial Trade Guild to deal with a major regional slaver organization known as the Slave Lords. After espionage and reconnaissance missions, the Firestarters assaulted the Slavers' Stockade, putting most of the fortress's members to the sword before demolishing the structure with gunpowder set in the tunnels underneath. Wayeth the stakeholder died in the assault, losing several major magical items. While the company reconstituted and readied an infiltration strike into the Aerie of the Slave Lords, the Slayer's Brotherhood discovered their preparations and assassinated one of their henchmen.

With the Slave Lords alerted to their plans, the company withdrew from their contract to pursue other objectives--starting by destroying the Slayer's Brotherhood temple headquarters. They next annihilated the Hill Beater goblin tribe and recaptured Wayeth's items.

The company then went to the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. There they assaulted the fortified manor of the fire giant king Zorg, putting him and his entire court to the sword and seizing his vast wealth, then built Fort Accamar nearby the entrance to the Caverns. They passed through the magical gates and guardians securing Iggwilv's hoard, and looted artifacts of great power.

The company then performed a strike against the Master of Death, killing him in his tower in a surprise attack. On their way out, they captured a flying ship, which they named *Fuze.* They now travel using a magical Lantern to loot Iggwilv's interdimensional laboratory.

A more detailed record of the company's activities can be found on the Firestarters Calendar.

The current list of members can be found on the Firestarters Roster. The list of its fallen members can be found on the Firestarters Graveyard. Its current primary stakeholders are:

* Wang Long, Youxia, a heavily armored Zhistrayan lancer, one of the original founders of the Legion of Doom in 1321. With a sword reforged from a death god's own, his speed of response to the flow of battle is unmatched. Prior to going through the rift, Wang was cursed with the fate to become a statue; however, though he saw many companions turned to stone since that day, Wang remained hale. He emerged from the rift to find that this destiny may have been fulfilled instead by the enormous statue of him erected in Port Wang. The discovery that returning to his beloved city of Port Wang would ensure his assassination by the city's leadership left Wang Long deeply embittered and ready to blaze a path of destruction.
* Aesri, Halfling Hedgewitch, a powerful enchantress, also present at the Legion of Doom's founding. Changed into a halfling after drinking from the Well of Chaos, she rides on a palanquin on the back of her ogre henchman Sheaug. Aesri's unique path of magic meshed with the natural learning speed of her halfling form resulted in a rapid rise in her magical prowess. However, the frailness of her small body requires her to wreath herself in as many magical protections as possible, lest even a stray arrow spell her doom. In addition to having an enormous repertoire of spells that she can cast a seemingly endless number of times each day, Aesri is a master alchemist and capable healer.
* Hanno, Arcane Warrior, a peerless battlefield commander hailing from Glantri. Initially hired into the Firestarters as a henchman of the elven knight Wayeth, he inherited his boss's position as stakeholder along with most of her possessions when she was slain. Hanno founded a trade enterprise consisting of a fast ship running high-margin luxuries between Tyrus and Lunaceum, which allowed him to personally bankroll the party's operations. Hanno had part of his brain replaced with a magic gem in the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth by stone spiritfolk as part of de-petrifying him, which gave him a link to the element of earth and power over lesser earth spirits.
* Shev, Stone Giant Earthcaller, driven out of his tribe for forbidden research, who met and joined the Legion of Doom shortly after they returned from the rift expedition. Shev's strength and durability are immense, and he wields a custom-sized polearm of great power. Shev typically lacks in initiative, and when away from companions who can tell him what to do will often ponderously think through all courses of action. He is also generous to fault; the scroll of Restore Life and Limb he owns is kept in a locked box that the other company stakeholders keep keys to, to prevent him from using it frivolously. Fort Accamar was named by the company in recognition of his accomplishments.
* Ebreo, Dwarven Vaultguard, a deadly and seasoned veteran of many battles as part of Swords in the Underworld, who was recruited by Hanno during a visit to Glantri. Ebreo's mercenary contract had proved far too peaceful for his liking, and he chafed to get back into action once more. Told of the Firestarters' in-progress expedition to the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth and the many dangers found within, he joined the company and got on a fast horse to the coast that very day, with orders for his henchmen to pack up and bring his army behind.

Important affiliates of the Firestarters include:

* Kirth, Ildar Dwimmerknight, an outcast from the Ildar society from the other side of the planar rift. To the unaware observer, he appears to be only an elf, though one of considerable magical and martial power. Seeking to find a world the gods had not abandoned as they had with the Ildar homeworld, he joined the Legion of Doom and fought valiantly alongside them. He has maintained an association with the Firestarters, though has been more interested in exploring the lands of his new home.

The Firestarters' members have designed 8 spells: Aurelia's Alleviation of Adversity, Darth's Disorienting Dream, Hanno's Hasted Hour, Hanno's Heroic Hustle, Hanno's Honed Havoc, Hanno's Hulking Height, Salman's Superlative Shot Salvo, and Wayeth's Wave of Weariness.