The Sable Company

First by tradition, and later by an addendum to the city’s charter, the Sable Company does not answer to the leader of Korvosa, regardless of the leader’s title. Instead, the commandant of the Sable Company reports directly to the Seneschal of Castle Korvosa who, as also decreed by charter amendment, cannot have less than three generations of separation between common ancestors with the city’s leader. With each new leader, the commandant pledges the company’s loyalty—usually within a few days, but in the past this has taken up to a year and, once, it did not happen at all.
Wayun Endrin formed the Sable Company from the remnants of the marines who fought to hold the land now known as Endrin Isle. After Field Marshal Korvosa commissioned him and gave him a command, Endrin worked to integrate his elite and well-trained marines with the dedicated but under-trained regular soldiers. The Sable Company works closely with the Korvosan Guard and relies on its ties with that group to coordinate efforts with the Order of Pewter and Acadamae (neither of which the Sable Company gets along with). 
Commandant Thalassinus Endrin leads his hippogriff-mounted marines in defense of the skies and waters of Korvosa. Shipboard raids and airborne threats fall under the jurisdiction of the black-clad Sable Company, and its members offer aerial and amphibious support to Korvosan Guard operations. The Sable Company is a little more integrated than the Korvosan Guard, allowing any human member to rise as high as general of the company and any other member to gain the rank of major. To date, all leaders have been pureblood Imperials from noble families, but in theory any general can receive the promotion to Commandant.

Structure

Commandant of the Sable Company: Whenever a new monarch ascends to the Crimson Throne, tradition dictates that the commandant of the Sable Company reaffirm the company’s loyalty to the crown and the person who wears it. The commandant typically makes this pledge of fealty within the first month of the new monarch’s reign, although he does have the option of delaying or even refusing the ceremony. A newly appointed commandant is also expected to make this pledge.
Despite the pledge of fealty, the commandant of the Sable Company does not answer to the city’s leader, but rather to Castle Korvosa’s seneschal. This arrangement gives the company’s commandant freedom to act on behalf of the city against a tyrannical ruler, but it potentially puts him at odds with the powerful field marshal of the Korvosan Guard.
By charter amendment, in order to maintain this balance of power, the commandant must be at least three generations removed from a common ancestor of the city’s leader. The current leader of the Sable Company, Commandant Marcus Thalassinus Endrin, is first in line to become the new seneschal of Castle Korvosa, should Seneschal Neolandus Kalepopolis retire or die.
Seneschal of Castle Korvosa: Before it became the home of Korvosa’s monarchs, Castle Korvosa provided a home for the city’s garrison. An early charter amendment gave the castle’s seneschal complete control over the entirety of the pyramid “and all structures built on it and all tunnels discovered or dug within it.” Later, when the headquarters of the Sable Company moved into the castle, a new amendment made the seneschal the liaison between the city’s leader and the company’s commandant. The seneschal can veto the nomination of any applicant to the post of Sable Company commandant.
People in Korvosa consider the castle’s seneschal as the second most powerful individual in the city, behind only the monarch. Although he no longer possesses the power to evict the monarch, he can make the city’s leader a prisoner within the castle by sealing it and calling for Sable Company marines to man and guard it. To date, no seneschal has had any reason to use such draconian measures, but he retains the power nonetheless.
When a seneschal dies or retires, the field marshal of the Korvosan Guard chooses his replacement from among the leadership of the Sable Company. Typically, the company’s commandant becomes the new seneschal, although a promising junior officer occasionally leapfrogs into the limited but powerful position. Those close to him expect the current seneschal, Neolandus Kalepopolis, to step down in 3 years, on the 50th anniversary of his appointment to the post. Many see his very close and mentor-like relationship with Commandant Thalassinus Endrin as the most obvious sign of this.

Type

Military, Marine Corps

Leader

Seneschal Neolandus Kalepopolis

Location

Korvosa