The Black Company

The Black Company is the last remnants of one of the Great Companies that formed in the Golden-Age of mercenaries that became incredibly influential and infamous for their many battles in the Lands of Intrigue.

Structure

The company is lead by its board of directors, which consists of all majority share holders who own more than 10% of the company, though the director of the company is the Condottiero. Ultimately, the company is lead by a council of officials that handle different aspects of the company's affairs, including a Secretary Treasurer, a Secretary Quartermaster, a Secretary Custodian, a Secretary Recruiter and then a Secretary of each individual department of troops.

Culture

The Black Company has a number of traditions that are important to the company.

Nick Names - Those who join the Company are assigned a number, and until they earn a Nick Name, they are known just by that number. Prior identity is abandoned when joining the Company. Since the Company's first major down-fall, the company hasn't had many units, so there's generally only ever been a single Lieutenant and a single Commander at a time since then, and since this began being true, these individuals have been known simply by their rank

Honorary Positions - The Black Company holds a number of honorary ranks that, despite serving little to no purpose, remain an important part of their culture. These ranks include the Master-at-Arms (also called "the first sword", but this is because each individual unit of the Company had its own master-at-arms, but only one of these was the First-Sword, but now there is only one unit), the Cornet (a junior officer, scout and signal man), the Guideon (a junior officer and prefect) and the annalist (a chronicler)

Company Uniform - The Company Uniform is a simple black uniform with certain very basic designs that sets it apart from ordinary black clothes - including simplified versions of the company insignia

Members of the Company receive the Mark of the Laughing Death - many think the mark has supernatural properties and is directly tied to why so few have defected from the company over the years

Public Agenda

To strengthen the Lords' Alliance, to explore the Savage Frontier and to generate revenue.

Assets

A number of historical artifacts.

History

Unbeknownst to most people, excepting those who have been fully initiated into the company, the Black Company was once in service of a Blackguard named Dalrath and served dark masters. Their leader was eventually defeated, and the rest of the company, broken and battered, made their way to Baldur's Gate where they reformed as one of the Great Companies - though they mainly operated outside of the Western Heartlands and were famous for their brutality on the battlefield - they could often end a conflict by merely taking the contract, as their enemies would rather be spared. Eventually, the company suffered enough losses that they had dwindled down to the size of a smaller company, but remained an Elite company under the Goldpact Knights. The company somewhat redeemed its bleak reputation when it assisted the Hellriders of Elturel in 1354 DR. The Black Company entered the gates of Avernus alongside the Hellriders and guarded their flank while the Riders made their initial advance and charged an important stronghold, winning their first victory in hell. The company faced Morlgoroth, a Pit Lord of Hell. The Commander of the company fell fighting Morlgoroth, but was avenged by Songsteel, the first person to hold the title as "First Sword" of the black company, when this individual took up the Commander's sword and killed Morlgoroth with it, resulting in Morlgoroth combusting into flames, burning the blade black forever, and creating an important artifact of the Black Company in the process. The company had suffered considerable losses and linked up with a few of the Hellriders who were retreating, thinking it was time to regroup - but were somewhat shocked to learn that the assault had, unfortunately, failed. Nevertheless, the company's new commander appeared in Baldur's Gate and was rewarded by Grand Duke Entar Silvershield, with the Silvershield, an heirloom belonging to the Silvershield family (though others have since pointed out that the shield is simply an Ironwood Shield plated with Mithral, and that the Silvershield family has been known to grant these to those they favor). In recent time, the company made its money fighting battles for small noble houses - a practice that is known as "running the gauntlet" among mercenary companies, as this is a surefire way to either rise to greatness or be obliterated in the ever ongoing conflicts between noble houses, in which mercenaries are nothing but expendable pawns. In 1484 DR, the company took a contact for Lord Edmund, a child with claim to the Fiefdom of Bedegar who intended to retake Castle Rend and make it his personal seat of power. The castle fell into ruin quite some time ago, but recently became the hideout for a band of Orcs. The attempt at retaking the castle from the Orcs seemed a simple task, best left to some of the experts and specialists of the Company, so the regulars of the Company marched to Amn, led by the Lieutenant, in search of work in the Lands of Intrigue while bulk of the officers went with Lord Edmund to retake his castle - unfortunately, the officers were, somehow, ambushed. The Orcs appeared prepared and were using human weaponry and human-made armors and almost slaughtered every single officer of the company - just three made it out of the ambush alive, and several artifacts of the company were lost to the Orcs, along with Lord Edmund who disappeared during the conflict.

Founding Date

1338 DR

Type

Military, Mercenary Group

Alternative Names

Bleak Walkers

Training Level

Elite

Veterancy Level

Decorated/Honored

Demonym

Blackguards