The Black Company

[NOTE: This page is currently under construction. The campaign to which this information is important has not started yet.]

The Black Company is an organization centralized in Shardrethen City, created by the enigmatic figure Yianora Black. It was formed in response to the chaos breaking out in Valrithen, and worked to help stabilize the city and the country as a whole. The Black Company was structured into five units: Kappa, Theta, Gamma, Sigma, and Epsilon. Each unit was made up of a small group of mercenaries that answered only to Yianora's "ambassador," Avacia Linastra.

## Origins

The Black Company was formed in 1297 in response to an event that those in the company call "Hour Zero," where a town called Couth's Corner was laid siege by a group of undead. Couth's Corner's defenses did not prove sufficient to repel the attack, and it was due to the intervention of Avacia Linastra and what would come to be the Black Company's Kappa unit that the town survived at all, although heavy casualties were still suffered.

Following Hour Zero, Avacia extended an offer to the others who joined him in the defense of Couth's Corner, and eventually other skilled mercenaries, on behalf of his benefactor, Yianora Black. This led to the formation of the first three units of the Black Company: Kappa, Theta, and Gamma.

After Hour Zero, the situation within Shardrethen continued to degrade, and the country became more dangerous. In response, the Black Company formed the Sigma and Epsilon units in order to extend their reach and to help their response time to any potential incidents.

## Operations

The Black Company serves a number of important roles in Shardrethen, especially centralized within Shardrethen City. With the city's usual defenders stretched thin, the Company acts as a defense contractor for the city. Avacia deals directly with the city government to know where his Company is needed most, and to make sure his mercenaries are paid for their work. Each unit has its own purpose, so contracts are made with the units directly.

The Company adheres strictly to a simple moral code underpinning every action taken by them and their agents: "for the greater good." Any action that can be justified in this way is seen as acceptable by the Company's standards. Violating this will result, along with all other circumstances, in the removal of the offending member from the Company and all possible action taken against them by the Company.

### The Phalanx School

The Black Company also owns and operates the Phalanx School, a combat training center which offers tactics and weapons training to Shardrethen soldiers, as well as to others at a fee. Their courses offered range from simple close quarters combat and marksman training to advanced unit tactics and combat strategy.

The Phalanx facility itself is located towards the center of the city, and is itself a highly defensible position that can act as a garrison in an emergency, with an on-site stockpile of supplies and weapons, including a number of spell components common to combat-oriented magic.

### The Honed Blade

Avacia also has the assistance of a blacksmith named Zachariah Walker, as well as Zachariah's company. Though Zachariah does not directly work for the Company, he and his employees provide a lion's share of the Company's equipment, and members of the Company and the Phalanx School get a discount in private dealings with Zachariah.

## Units

Each unit within the Company answers directly to Avacia, and rarely work with each other. Rather, units are encouraged to cooperate with other organizations within Shardrethen City, and this cooperation was encouraged by Avacia's multiple connections within the city. Each unit's members are outfitted with a number of enhancements in order to increase their combat effectiveness. The units are as follows.

### Kappa Unit

Kappa unit, the first unit formed within the Company, is made of seven members. All seven of Kappa unit is highly skilled with magic, whether divine or arcane in nature. Kappa unit has magical armor and accessories in order to bolster their magical capabilities, to allow them to utilize their magic for longer. Kappa is considered the homeguard of the Company, working within and around Shardrethen City.

### Theta Unit

Theta unit is a six member unit comprised of veterans of the Venaxxian and Shardrethenian military, now turned mercenary after disenfranchisement and opposition to those institutions. The Company outfitted them with tools and items to allow them to synchronize tactics and information together, to make sure they stay organized and in tandem. Theta is sent to hunt down threats along the main roads like bandits and roving monsters.

### Gamma Unit

Gamma unit is the largest unit at 12 members, and is a large scouting party that rarely returns to Shardrethen City. Gamma unit scouts and maps out threats around Shardrethen and reports them back to Avacia so he can best order the other units.

### Sigma Unit

Sigma unit is comprised of five influential figures which, rather than deploy to combat monstrous dangers directly, work to support and rally populations and assist in rebuilding and defensive measures. When a town has been ravaged by calamity, Avacia sends in Sigma.

### Epsilon Unit

[Incomplete, the players still have to make their characters]