Black Raiders

Banner of the Black Raiders, by AnerexoMexo

### Main Goal

To capture Vem and weaponize his disease for Skorj, while also keeping Skorj installed as the overlord of Grognear and its surrounding lands

### Allies

The Other AF Gangs
Skorj
The Pillars

### Enemies

Various Wasteland Colonies (formerly)
Vem
Dead Jungle Inhabitants
Kol Drocco
Sovereign Slayers
Grognear Residents

## Current Condition

### Status

Dissolved

The **Black Raiders** were a major antagonistic faction present in the third arc of Sins of the Empire, the Scourge of Grognear. They were an Abyssal Fortunes sub faction allied with Skorj and the Pillars that ruled over Grognear and its surrounding lands. Along with the Red Magicians, their initial goal was to capture Vem in order to weaponize his disease for Skorj, but soon their main goal became exterminating the Sovereign Slayers. They were the first of the six gangs to engage the party. Originally led by Captain Cloven, and then by Captain Desmond, the Black Raiders tended to be cocky, brash, and hot-headed.

## **History**

Before their days with the Seven Gangs, the Black Raiders were a prominent bandit group in the Wastelands known for stealing from unsuspecting convoys and merchants. Various Wasteland factions tried to end their robberies, but none of them were successful. At a high point in their careers, Captain Cloven led his men to raid an Abyssal Fortunes convoy, as he saw them as new blood in the area. This would backfire immensely as both Ivar and Skorj were traveling with the convoy. The Black Raiders were defeated quickly and given an ultimatum. Ally with the Abyssal Fortunes or face death. Cloven chose the former.

Later, they would embark on their quest of hunting down Vem in order to weaponize his ailment. Whether they found this discovery or Skorj assigned them to track down the prophecy child is unknown. After failed attempts to capture Vem, they got reinforcements in the form of the Red Magicians.

## **Beliefs/Behaviors**

From their successful life of robbing merchants, the Black Raiders became extremely confident in their skills and their brains. The fact that Captain Cloven, who was already extremely egotistical, led the group also bolstered their narcissism and superiority complexes. Although their members were extremely smug, the group had a real sense of comradery from the life and death stakes that they constantly juggled. This egotism was somewhat humbled from their humiliation at the hands of Ivar and Skorj, but it didn't damper their mood in the long term.

They also played into the stereotypical raider getup, wearing lots of black and covering their garments with threatening symbols like skulls, swords, and crossbones. Once Captain Cloven was murdered by the Sovereign Slayers, a sensible and stoic man named Desmond rose up to replace him. His attitude made the Black Raiders less arrogant, but the undertone of friendship still remained.

## **Accomplishments**

* Instilled fear into various Wasteland colonies through their pillaging.
* Set up a gang that also felt like a family for its members, encouraging affability and kindness within the group.
* Survived a combat encounter with Skorj AND Ivar with no major losses.
* Set the plan of capturing Vem into motion.
* Surrounding the Sovereign Slayers and brandishing their tactical capability.
* Regrouping after the death of Captain Cloven and continuing on with Captain Desmond as their new leader.

## **Failures**

* Got their raiding party subdued by the Abyssal Fortunes and forced into an alliance.
* Failed multiple attempts at capturing Vem, causing tension and frustration within the gang.
* Lost numerous amounts of members to the Sovereign Slayers.
* Failed to do any real damage to the Slayers when they were cornered. Their egos got the best of them.
* Suffered a major loss after the death of Captain Cloven.
* Eventually **dissolved** once their second leader, Captain Desmond, was slain by the party. Soon after, Skorj and his allies all crumbled and Grognear was liberated from the goliath tyrant.

## **Trivia**

* Out of all the seven gangs, the Black Raiders were the only one who had a new leader rise up after the death of the previous one.
	+ All of the other gangs fizzled out after the deaths of their leaders, but the Raiders managed to recuperate slightly.
* Additionally, they were the first of the seven gangs to encounter the party. Their alliance with Skorj was not known at first, but soon came to light as the Slayers discovered more about the Grognear conflict.