Gray Lancers

The Gray Lancers are a renowned mercenary company headed by Captain Lochlain Kohler, who inherited his position from Captain Deost. Their current base of operations is Tempestia, where they serve as the stalwart defenders of this small territory.

History

Their history is somewhat shrouded, as the original conception was made for a different world, and a different campaign; due to resolved continuity issues they've been planted firmly in the world of the Broken Dagger.

The company was headed by an older gentleman named Arn Grindel until his death in battle in a distant region of Amasynia. The responsibility then passed to Deost to lead the Lancers home as Captain; it was at this time that he swore a promise to Arn's memory that the Lancers would one day have a place of their own in the world, where the men could rest, relax, and live their lives in peace.

The Old Days

The mercenary company settled a wide range of wars, border-skirmishes, and territorial disputes. Their greatest rivals at the time were the Black Dagger guild, who extorted different jobs from under them and were a persistent thorn in the Lancers' side. The two companies clashed frequently in different border-skirmishes, and would sometimes even take jobs just for the sake of fighting each other. The Daggers once even managed to capture the Captain of the Lancers for an extended period of time. Little is known of what happened to their Captain during that imprisonment, and none in the Lancers themselves ever ask.

Thessilane-New Dauntless War

Under the command of Deost and in the employ of Duke Burel of Thessilane, the Gray Lancers entered the Thessilane-New Dauntless War. Given the charge of stopping enemy Wizards and other covert activities, the Gray Lancers' efforts greatly aided Duke Burel's forces throughout the prolonged war. Given letters of marque allowing them to operate a secret privateer fleet, the Gray Lancers also raided shipping up and down the New Dauntless coast, seizing goods and war materials. This led to quite a haul for their coffers, and was their greatest - and most profitable - campaign.

Tempestia

With the proceeds from the Thessilane-New Dauntless War, under their Captain and with negotiations from Duke Burel as a personal favor, the Gray Lancers were granted lands across the Sisakoon Mountains near the border with Derry.

They carved out a country not under Trae Kelsan rule, founded by mercenaries as a haven for mercenaries - complete with progressive governmental attitudes - and created a grand Mercenary Guild. However, since they house most of the mercenaries in the region - and because of the beauracracy it entails in fairness, and civil law - Trae Kelsa's King Chedwry hasn't deigned it necessary to infiltrate or interfere with its rule.

The Present

At present the Gray Lancers are stationed in Tempestia as its law-keepers, and its border-guards. The majority of the Lieutenants from this era are now Tempestia's provinicial lords, and serve on the council of Tempestia. It is a peaceful country, for all that it is populated by a singularly warlike people.