Bruised But Not Broken

A large mercenary company founded by dwarves after the Collapse. They can be found anywhere south of the Sarodin Sea.

Although the Bruised are filled with all manner of races the dwarves are still represented the most, especially the higher command. Not all, but many a member, from Unad to Miltok, has some kind of scar or something that is worn as a badge of pride.

Ascending order of rank

Unad (Private)

Quinbar (Corporal)

Dectol (Sergeant)

Quintak (Lieutenant)

Centak (Captain)

Ductak (Major)

Quadok (Colonel)

Miltok (General)

Death Drink

No one really remembers how the tradition got started or which member could ever be poetic enough, but it is a tradition within the Bruised nonetheless. Whenever a member has died in action the surviving company will drink a toast honoring the fallen known as the Death Drink. Traditionally the drink of choice is Hammer Spirit. A dwarven potato-based spirit mainly used for cleaning or as alchemical solvent. High in alcohol (not suitable for races without poison resistance) and low in taste (reminiscent of dirt and gravel). The few inns and taverns that have a bottle of Hammer Spirit only carry it for this occasion.

The Death Drink goes as follows:

Shots are passed along the company where the highest ranking officer will do the toast.

Neither broken nose nor arrow to the knee

A bruise none will ever see

Proudly we wear this scar

Honor to those fallen near and far

After the toast all members will slam their glasses on any surface three times before drinking it in one go followed by the chant "Forever Bruised, Never Broken!"

Camps

Banak

Here one can find one of the main training camps. The barracks are all located in one large, fortress-like, compound inside the city called Tharkathol. Outside the city the organization has a large exercise field where they put the recruits through their paces. Led by one of their most experienced officers; Quadok (Colonel) Gunnar Balmung. A hardy dwarf with a large scar that travels from his chin to the crown of his head. However, this is not his most defining feature according to most people. He has lost his right leg in the field and has replaced with a wooden one. This wooden leg however is a work of art. made from the wood of a Fir Lanear fir tree with the most delicately carved decorations and lacquered with a rare lacquer only found in the Reuel Woods that used to be sold by a nomadic tribe of halflings along the Gloamin River.

Personnel

Centak (Captain) Sointu Duldren; a dark skinned, blue eyed woman. She is one of the youngest centaks in the organizations and lives in town with her husband Kargrim, a porter. She is said to have a temper and be quite blunt.

Dectol (Sergeant) Inka Galgurn; an unassuming dwarven woman who always wears gloves, her hands and lower arms are completely burned. She is one of the most highly decorated members of the Bruised's special forces, her specialty is taking out spellcasters.

Korint

It's far away from home but there are monsters aplenty and careless nobles with ill-trained and under-equipped soldiers. Thus plenty of work for mercenaries. Camp Gharkhund can be found right outside of town. In charge is Ductak (Major) Irja Olgrur, a dwarven woman of advanced age with a particular fondness for sitting in the sun.

Personnel

Centak (Captain) Mairin Othmeir; tall for a dwarf, with brown hair, a trimmed beard, and a nose that has been broken many times. He stands and walks ramrod straight, almost like an automaton.

Midtal

The Otteun army basically runs the country but that does not mean it is free of crime or monsters, there is still plenty of work for mercenaries. Nordakul might not be the largest camp but it is a busy one.

Led by Quadok (Colonel) Ludwig von Bredow, one of the few human senior officers. He is assisted by Ductak (Major) Gurtrid Wodottir, a female dwarf with a fiery mane of auburn hair, a thin braided goatee, and a nasty scar running from her brow down the side of her nose stopping at her bottom lip. Although Quadok Bredow is in charge, most of the Bruised stationed here follow Ductak Wodottir's orders.

Stjordvik

Ever since the Accord of Aarvik business has dropped off quite a lot here. Sormarkers are more than capable fighters but there are still occasions when a mercenary force comes in quite handy. Camp Narshafad houses plenty of eager Bruised; a posting here is very in demand.

Ductak (Major) Trep 'Falcon' Ehnwind, a Dolac swashbuckler and former pirate, runs things. It is said Strebor's Corsairs have a large sum of money waiting for anyone to deliver him alive on Threepwood Isle.