MERCENARY COMPANIES

The oldest and most renowned mercenary group in Vangaard. If you're in need of an exemplary force to help you take over an ancestral home, or force a dictator out of commission by sheer overwhelming firepower, welcome to the party. A well trained, wel equipped, and numerous military force that can get pretty much anything done.

Military firepower just looks better in red. It's that simple. Specialties include arriving in red, and making enemy forces match by the time the battle is over. Worth keeping in mind that red paint isn't cheap, so they aren't either. Worth every single coin.

Shiny armour means shiny coins. This crew will only operate in echange for electrum pieces. Now, normally, that would indicate black market dealings, but they're owned by the family who produces electrum, so that's just standard capitalism. They also usually take government contracts, so they can be hard to get hold of, but when you're on government payroll, you know it's good stuff.

Vangaards second most well known private miltary force. Not quite got the numbers of the other higher end competitors, but what they lack in numbers they make up for in quality. Top of the range military equipment in almost every aspect, tanks and power armour included. You can expect to spend a fortune in cogs, but I'm fairly confident they could make gods weep at the drop of a hat.

Two words. Heavy Artillery. If you've ever seen something on a map that you want to not appear on the next map that you buy, you hire these people. Tanks, cannons, mortars, aerial bombardment... if it goes boom, they've got the facilities to make it happen.

If you want a siege to go your way, or you want a fleet of ships sent to the bottom of the ocean with knowledge that your troops are going to stay safe, this is who you want on your side. Air support is always the best way to go. Best in class airships going to the highest bidder. If you see something in the sky that looks like it's a miracle that it even exists, it probably belongs to them.

A select elite unit, exclusively compromised of special forces soldiers from a variety of nations. If you want it done, it's going to get done. They've also recently come into posession of a Walker Mech. Go to town.

Zealotry is nice, right? Right? Ok, maybe not, but if you're looking to have something, eh... purified? Cleansed, maybe? Let's go with sanctified. Things don't get a whole lot more sanctified than this.

A archaeological group backed by serious firepower that guarantees you get your hands on what you're looking for first. As long as they don't want it more.

Bladesingers are impressive. Dancing with weapons in hand is compelling. Doing that to kill people is honestly, awe-inspiring. There's something about them that makes me feel on-edge, and I can't quite put my finger on it. No, wait, it's the hive mind. They've somehow figured out how to become a hive mind.

A force of formiddable hobgoblin warriors with the goal of founding a new township in the heart of the Frontier. Most of these guys are retired from active service, but they've lived pretty long lives, and throughout those lives, have accumulated a hefty amount of nice stuff.

Elven warriors who have taken steps away from the monarchy, feeling that it's system is corrupt. They take work on private contracts to help fund their efforts in the civil war at home

Pit fighters and gladiators who fought to earn their way to a better life, and once they got there, found out a better life was pretty damn boring. They love a challenge, and taking on work that is just skewed in favour of the target. They love a good capture mission

They wear bird skulls and feathers. That's just really damn neat. Also, they're absolutely terrifying. I once thought of hiring them for a contract and one was in my office before I even picked up the radio. I've brought spare underwear to work ever since.

A squad of paladins who've all sworn an oath to rid the world of as many monsters as they can or die trying. Can't say I've ever heard of any of them dying, so that's nice for them. Bad for monsters. Oh, they've got a lion too, which is fun.

Man, these guys scare me. If you're willing to take up arms against lawlessness in a lawless place, you've got a certain level of crazy that just needs to be noted. They roam the country, doling out justice to bandits, highwaymen, gangs and thieves... for a price. If you have a crime problem, and that problem needs a judge, jury and executioner, consider that problem solved. Watching these in action, honestly, a little terrifying.

If you need a person with powerful magical abilities detained, you absolutely cannot go wrong with The Hagmen. Bounty hunters of the highest order, and capable of dealing with all but the most powerful mages in the continent. Magical monsters are all part of the repertoire as well, so if needs to be hunted, or put in chains, they should be first port of call.

If you thought of bringing a battering ram to get that gate open, that is simly the dumbest thing I've ever heard. They have a pal that loves nothing more than ripping down structures, and will get it done twice as fast. I honestly thing he'd tear it down just for the hell of it, but transportation costs are expensive when you weigh that much.

With technology growing at an exponential rate, you'd think that good old fashioned horse mounted cavalry would be a tad outdated? Well, yeah, but it comes with it's own advantages. Horses are faster than tanks! They still aren't bullet proof, but I'm a lot more ethically opposed to shooting a horse than I am a person. Don't act like you don't feel the same!

Pirates with Snakes. Yup, a small crew of Yuan-Ti who once took a whole military spec airship by filling it with snakes and coming back later. I'm fairly confident that the fee includes the removal of the snakes after the fact, but you may need to enquire. I was too intimidated by all the hissing.

Five Dwarves. Ok, ok, five dwarves with genius level intellect. Still? Alright, hear me out... five dwarves with genius level intellect, that harnessed that intellect to encase themselves in power armour, and outfit themselves with crazy experimental weaponry. Want in yet?

Do you like animals? Do you like highly trained, fiercely loyal, and viciously brutal animals? Fantastic! It's mostly wolves and their masters, but there's also a couple of Owlbears and rumours are abound that they've got a drake. That one's off the books, though.

If you want help ensuring a place that belongs to you, stays belonging to you, these are your best pals! There's not been a siege that they haven't managed to break, and with good reason. Top shelf strategy, and magical fortification ensures that you get to keep calling it "your place".

Shock and Awe. Two words that encapsulate the methods, and results provided by these... fanatics. If you want something to make an impact, and people to never, ever forget what they just saw, ask for an invoice today!

A group of knights who have been relieved of their stations, usually through dishonourable means seeking a purpose on the battlefield. If you ask me, discharge as a result of what would be considered war crimes in more recent times, just means efficient.

Specialised in single target elimination, these are who you want on the radio when you want one specific person to have their last experience with day light. Messy or clean, the job is going to get done. Very much done. They prefer things public, because public assassinations get you more press coverage, but they'll do it quiet for a premium fee.

Barbarian Outlanders from all over. If you can manage to get them to stop arguing amongst themselves, and point them in the right direction, whatever is in that direction is getting absolutely brutalised. Life or death combat is considered a fun pass time.

Stuck outside a city wall with no way to get in? Here's your answer. Exo suits, bombardment cannons, tear gas, you name it. If it gets you in, or makes people inside want to be outside, they've got it in the inventory.

Hermits, exiles, outlanders, freaks and deserters. You'll find all them here. If you want someone to draw attention, by sheer force of strange, you've found who you need here. An occult ceremony outside of a castle so that you can sneak in with minimal resistance might be just what you need!

If you need some heavily armoured back-up, you're in luck. If you also need that back-up to be their own magical artillery, then you're in really good luck!

Whatever the hell these people were before, they're something else now. Sickos. We don't even know what they really do, but if you want some seriously messed up intimidation on your side, this is the way to go. If you aren't squeamish.

5 Half-Orc Barbarians who have rejected the progress their peoples have made over the course of generatons. They want to bring Orc savagery back to the forefront of pop-culture. They all started out by killing their human parent. Yikes.

The premium crewmates for your ship, or theirs. Especially if you're in need of an armed water vessel, they've got it. Treading water and feeling safe and secure is pretty much a given.

There's no problem with being the point of reference is there? This is your point of reference. Solid all round. Nothing special, nothing wrong. Jack of all Trades, Master of None. Reliable, dependable, affordable. Most populous group on the continent. If for whatever reason you needed to field an entire rank and file army that has as much combat training as your average footsoldier, this isn't a bad bet.

Night Raiders. If you need a frontier town cleared of guards while all of the folk in it are still asleep, these guys are the ticket. Pretty good at infiltrating a place and clearing it from the inside, or a forceful sweep are both options. Who doesn't love options?

Mainly healers, actually, but those healers come with their own retinue. 34 healers of various skillsets, who roam the lands healing wounded in exchange for donations, accompanied by 6 armed guards each. They can be hard to track down, because they don't stay in one place for very long, but nice to bump into if you need the help.

This one has me conflicted, but it's one of those things that weirdly just makes sense. Every single member of this company has been handed a death sentence, and in exchange for keeping their lives, it's mercenary work until they finally drop dead. They're cheap, but you need to be aware that half of what you hired could try to escape at any time.

The choice of every leader trying to put down an uprising. Not quite a professional soldier, but more suited to deal with a situation than your average town guard. Bolstering a standard military force with some sturdy backbone. Filter these in with some more experienced squads and you're pretty much good to go

This is the next step up from entry level. They've got some tenure, and if you need a legion that isn't just sligthly better trained security guards, this is what you need. They could appropriately police a metropolitan area, if the need arose. The kind of crew you want around if you want the right people to feel a little safer, and the wrong people to feel just that bit deterred.

Typically, the life of a soldier isn't one that lasts long. A thing to note when you're in a profession where men tend not to grow old, is that men who grow old are worth something. If you need to bolster a force, and just need that little bit of a strategic advantage, sometimes you want the old dog.

Need a crew to man a vessel? This is just who you're looking for. Now, if you need the vessel for them to man too, that's going to cost you extra! Also, seafaring vessels only. The skies weren't meant to be sailed

Farmers specialising in Guerrilla Warfare. If you're planning an ambush, get these folk in a few days early and make it look like they work the lands. What was previously a terrified farmer is now a sickle in the back of would-be occupier.

Thugs. That's pretty much it. If you need some muscle to make your protest a little harder to quash, or need a little extra weight behind your Roller Jousting Ultra Group, these smack first, ask questions later types are for you.

Not typically combat oriented, but the ranks are populated with people who are familiar with lands all over. If you need help finding a location, and help getting there, open your coin purse.

Entry level hirelings compromised almost entirely of folk too green to get work anywhere else. A glorified training camp for those looking to get into the industry, or the ultimate goal of someone looking to be the most armed and authorative person at a dinner party.