Männerholz is a town of about 1200 residents, mostly human but with a few dwarves and halflings, situated along the Middenheim-Erengrad road, about 50 miles west of the much larger town of Salkalten.  The adjacent forest provides more than enough lumber, but also enough rumors of monsters to keep the local militia always vigilant, and to keep most people from venturing too far in.

And while those rumors can usually be counted on to be little more than fantasy and exaggeration, there are sometimes real threats to go with them.  Such as the recent reports that some sort of non-human marauders have been attacking traders on the way over from Nordland.  Details of the attackers vary, but those travelers who have survived the attacks all speak of their ferocity.  The Elector Count's army is busy dealing with some kind of trouble on the Kislev border, and the town militia is better suited to stay around here than to go out hunting, so it has fallen on Baron von Kennicht to hire some mercenaries to solve the problem.

For the price of 30s per person for up to a week's work, it turned out that your little band was available.


Aldwin - this mercenary company may be more diverse than most, but being a mercenary in the Empire still feels more like fighting for the humans than fighting for the elves - what drew you to this?

Gertrude - the hard work you do now is definitely different from the hard work you did in the past, even if there is some overlap.  What's been the hardest change for you to adjust to?

Glorin - of course you've made your vows and there's no turning back, but what do you miss most about being able to live in the mountains with your people?

Louis - you're a Breton on the opposite end of the Empire, working for your pay like a chump.  Whatever your private thoughts about this might be, what's the public face you put on?

Ludwig - you've left your old life behind, but there's something about it that still nags at you from time to time - what is it?

Maberos - what bothers you the most about being in human towns?  What helps you put up with them?

Milas - your family was kind of a big deal where you came from; do the local halflings know who you are?  Do they have opinions about that?

And for all of you - if the old rulebook is to be believed then 30s per week is above average for a mercenary in the Empire; are you okay with that rate?

This message was last edited by the GM at 18:32, Thu 23 Nov 2023.

Grimm sat by the fire, watching the flames jump and dance as he sharpened the edge of his great axe. He missed the feeling of being underground, the safety of a mountain overhead protecting him from the cold wind and rain that seemed to bite all too often out here in the eastern reaches of the Empire.

As usual he cursed the day he made his fateful mistake and landed himself in exile, but at least now he was able to count himself one of a company rather than being all alone in this bleak land. He still struggled to adapt to these lands with their trees and rivers and vast open grey skies. At least with the company he was able to earn some coin to feed and clothe himself. Though he wasn't sure that 30 silver a week was going to amount to much.