Mercenary Banner
Description
While these banners are most popular among the Free Companies of the League. They are also used by companies of Urizen sentinels who embrace the doctrine of offering assistance at the vital moment on foreign battlefields.
They have also seen extensive use in places where small groups within a nation feel the need to fight on a battlefield apart from the rest of their nation. It is not common, but a band that has an interest in a specific territory, or feels a strong obligation to the folk of another nation, can use one of the banners to accompany an allied army even as the bulk of their national forces fight elsewhere.
Rules
- Form: Magic Standard.
- Effect: A band bonded to this banner may travel to a battle that their national banner is not attending. The banner must be bonded to a single character from a nation whose national banner is attending that battle. While the banner is assigned to another nation you cannot travel to a battle with your own nation.
- Materials: Crafting a mercenary banner requires ten measures of dragonbone and seven measures of iridescent gloaming. It takes one month to make one of these items.
“Love to accommodate you...” repeated her lieutenant, from just behind her shoulder.
“But the fact is that right now the Empire finds itself with more wars than it can comfortably fight – and to be frank, it's a seller's market.”
“Yes, a seller's market...”
The elderly Navarri let his gaze travel over the two figures across the desk. Although they dressed like gaudy fools, he doubted that their Free Company could have accrued so much wealth and power without a shrewd mind directing things. He had the uncomfortable feeling that the two women had already stopped seeing him as a lean old man with tattooed skin, but were instead staring at what they felt to be a big bag of thrones sitting opposite them.
“And I appreciate you taking the time to see me, Captain Lucrenza, I really do. I'm sure you're schedule must be quite hectic. But if the fighting disrupts the use of the trods, or worse still, provokes the Vallorn in the region, then surely the whole Empire will suffer.”
Lucrenza waved a hand, “And I deplore such a possibility, honoured Brand, I truly do.”
“Truly.”
“But those are matters for the senate to take action on, not a humble guilder. I can't be expected to foot the bill for the entire Empire's defence. We already do our bit by providing excellent soldiery to the Empire at affordable prices.”
“Very affordable!” nodded the lieutenant.
“In that respect, madam, I fear our definitions of affordable may vary somewhat. Nevertheless, the Navarr will take the field against the orcs, even if it means that we must sacrifice our lives while others merely seek to turn a profit.”
He gritted his teeth, “I have been given leave to ask your price. It will be met.”
Lucrenza smiled, “Why, I feel a sudden rush of patriotism overtaking me already...”