Organization's title: The Red Hand
How many players would be in your organization: 8 players to start off, we may grow the organization as the scenario progresses.
Details regarding the organization: The Red Hand are a band of bounty hunters and former mercenaries who came to renown after apprehending a high-profile serial murderer in Dhirim during the war. In the time since they’ve travelled across the opening eastern frontier left in the wake of recent conflict, carrying out odd jobs.
In the ensuing peace of the Nordic-Swadian war, the Red Hand found itself running dry on lucrative work. Spurred on by spreading word of the outbreak of a new conflict, further north, between the Kingdom of the Vaegirs and that of the Nords. Hoping to find stable work, the Red Hand travelled to the banks of the Curin River, set on establishing themselves amidst the shifting hegemony.
Being manhunters, the Red Hand excel in precision, using ranged weapons such as bows and crossbows in order to pick off their targets at a distance while utilizing hunting dogs to slow down and pin their foes in the process. Most of the current members are the same men who apprehended the Red Hand murderer of Dhirim some years ago.
Formation of the CompanyBefore the company, some men of the Red Hand served during the opening days of the Nordic-Swadian war. For differing reasons they each deserted or were relieved of their posts and found themselves in the Duchy of Dhirim. During those days of the war, Nordic resistance was still firm in the face of Swadian incursions and increasing amounts of the soldiery were marshalled from the urban and fortified centres of eastern Swadia to do battle northwards. It was during these times that the first of the ‘Red Hand’ murders took place, in which a beggar had been found murdered and mutilated on a street corner in Dhirim, with a conspicuous palm-print of dripping blood embedded on the street wall above.
In the weeks to come, another half-dozen victims would fall to the now notorious ‘Red Hand Killer’ and hysteria began to grip the populace. The absence of law became ever apparent when a magistrate was murdered in such a fashion, and the reigning governor of the city grew desperate, putting out an open bounty for the killer. Several investigators and roving gangs of men answered the call, but to little avail. The Red Hand murderer continued to terrorize the populace.
It was one night that a young woman by the name of Veronica was sitting in her cooped home with her husband, Lennard when she dipped outside to run a brief errand. Lennard was roused by screams from the neighbouring alley. Startled and fearing for Veronica, he armed himself with a shovel and ran out to see his wife’s corpse and a looming cloaked figure dropping an ungloved hand into the pooling pond of blood beneath. As the figure raised its hand to the wall, it froze suddenly, its gaze met Lennard’s as a gust of wind blew the cowl off the figure, revealing the man beneath. Scars grazed his cold expression, his right eye bloodied and scraped to a dried pulp. Then without a word, he leapt over the back alley wall. Whoever he was, they were gone, and Lennard felt such sorrow and grief as he bid farewell to Veronica, that he knew that Dhirim would never know peace until this monster was brought to justice.
Lennard would spend the next weeks courting the support of several investigators who’d followed the case but most had all but given up on catching the villain, and more, feared for their safety and that of their families. None were even willing to entertain the notion that he’d gotten a good look at the perpetrator. None save for one man. Konstanty Sowa was an outsider in Dhirim, a Vaegir. He was sat in a tavern one night, drinking the day’s earnings away, when he overheard Lennard rambling to a man about his encounter and how he would never rest until his wife’s murder had been avenged.
Konstanty had an associate who had also witnessed one such murder of the Red Hand killer and had helped him gather evidence for the case by looking for other witnesses and examining crime scenes. Lowry Swipebet was a local crook who wanted to catch the killer for the bounty money. Lowry had no leads until he’d started taking his investigations outside Dhirim proper and started working with a local guardsman. Just as his investigation had ramped up though, Lowry was imprisoned on unrelated charges and soon afterward the guardsman, Arnold Bucksworth, was found murdered one night near the old town road, with a bloodied palm print on his jerkin.
Konstanty urged Lennard to help him break out Lowry so they could finish their investigation, for he too was beginning to fear for his own life for his part in Lowry’s inquiries. Lowry was imprisoned on high charges of people-smuggling, and it was impossible for them to visit him or gather much information on where he was being held. While they were looking into the local jailhouse, Lennard heard something peculiar. He learned that his late wife’s nephew was working as a guardsman within it, but he had heard from Veronica months ago that the nephew, Simon, had died in the war. Lennard decided to pay him a visit and was surprised to find him, or so he thought. He’d not known Simon well at all and only saw him on a couple occasions since marrying Veronica. Upon being questioned on his supposed death, Simon seemed caught off guard and hushed them, telling them to meet him later at a nearby tavern.
Lennard and Konstanty waited later that night to meet Simon, only to be approached by a young woman. Momentarily confused, Lennard looked at the woman as she moved in to introduce herself, and he realised it was ‘Simon’. Her name was Felicity, and since her brother died she had been using his guise to protect herself by working in the overstretched city watch. She’d known about Lowry, and the strange circumstances under which he was arrested, but was unaware of his investigation. Felicity agreed to help them break out Lowry, and together the three of them planned a break-out. She knew where he was being kept, but it was too secure for such an operation.
Later the next week, ‘Simon’ was on duty in the city prison, and was dispensing meals to prisoners. It was barely edible slosh, disgusting to even gaze at, few, if anyone, could distinguish it from.. less edible slop. That night, Lowry had a coughing fit and vomited, and was moved to a triage ward of the prison and put in a different cell. The only overnight cell was ill maintained and falling apart, the back wall was of an older structure and was backed by a small tucked away alley. Lowry and Konstanty had been waiting in this alley for the light visible through the cracks in the wall to vanish. Upon this they hammered pulleys into the back alley wall, and roped them to the back of a wagon, before drawing the wagon forward with two horses. It was slow and suspenseful, as the wall slowly gave way amidst the clamour of rumbles, crackling, and hesitant horse hooves. Then it happened, the wall loosened and fell as the horses dragged out the centerpiece, revealing an incapacitated Lowry. They tied him onto one of the horses and cut the pulleys loose, making their get-away.
When Lowry recovered a couple of days later, he told Konstanty, Lennard, and Felicity what he’d found out from Arnold. Arnold had been a childhood friend of Lowry who had gone a different path and became a guardsman in the city watch. He had heard reports of hooded travellers travelling the town road at night. Upon Lowry’s request, Arnold started keeping records of when these particular pilgrims travelled. Oddly they were never seen re-entering the city, only leaving from the town road. Lennard grew worried at the mention of multiple travellers, might it be the red hand killers? Could there be more than one? He started to suspect a messy end to all this and hired some extra hands of help, selling the home he lived in with Veronica to afford the services of the two mercenaries, Frank and Brent, who’d previously worked with investigators on the case. There was no going back now for Lennard.
From henceforth they’d be encamped outside the walls of Dhirim, by the town road and concealed from sight, waiting for a chance to see an end to this once and for all. Suspicion was high from within Dhirim, word of Lowry’s breakout had travelled around and the disappearance of ‘Simon’ had not gone unnoticed. They waited for days, the moon shifting and growing amidst the stars as they sat and scoured the area, until finally one night it happened. Frank’s hound was acting out, something was amiss. They went to scout the old town road and found four hooded figures, two with machetes and one with bloodstained garments in manacles. Tailing them, Lennard raised his sword, nearly rushing forth before, as they looked on, the mysterious figures descended into a cavern-like structure deeper in the woods, making unintelligible noises as they did so. They awaited beyond the mouth of the cave, until the flicker of dawn reached through the tree-tops and claw-like branches, illuminating the inside.
Plain clothed figures began to emerge, and the company hesitated for a brief moment, until Lennard cried out and charged, his blade drawn. Frank and Lowry let fly bolts and arrows while Felicity and Konstanty moved in with Lennard. Upon the clash of steel, more men emerged from the cave, many bearing strange marks upon their skin and some having missing features or even limbs, armed with spiked clubs and axes, they charged with unmatched ferocity. The desperate horde fought as the chorus of battle filled the night, throwing themselves at the party, the cave-dwellers fought hard, a flung axe catching itself on Frank's head and downing him instantly. Yet the company fought on, and by the twang of crossbow and slash of steel cut the deviants down to but a man, a spectre of a man whose face was entirely covered in inkings and who was missing his nose and one ear. He barely spoke common, but begged incomprehensibly, but not for his life, for something else. As the stench of blood still tainted the air, he led them into the now-illuminated cavern, a dilapidated catacomb, decorated with impaled body-parts and strange runes. He led them onwards into a prison-like chamber, they found within it several captives, many of whom did not appear to be from Dhirim or even Swadian. The inked man frantically pulled out one prisoner, a man drabbed in robes and a hood, before lashing him in view of Lennard and his party, Lennard recognised the man immediately, it was the man he’d locked eyes with, the man who’d killed Veronica. The inked man sobbed and raged before them, pointing at the man in their dungeon and begging incomprehensibly. In the end they took the scarred captive and left, never looking back into that chamber of hell or its damnable inhabitants.
Presenting the man to the governor, questions were raised and doubts were had about whether this man was truly the killer. Felicity and Konstanty had second thoughts about it, but over the next fortnight, not a single life was taken in such a bloody manner, and never would be again. The Red Hand murders were finally over. In the days to come The ‘Red Hand’ company as they came to be called, claimed their bounty, and each pondered upon their own future. Lennard had sold his house, Lowry was still wanted for his part in a conspiracy, and Felicity’s alter ego was shattered in the wake of Lowry’s prison break. So they set out to the frontier, using their newfound fame to find work and opportunity, and thus the ‘Red Hand’ company was truly born.
How would this organization help the server?: The Red Hand is an organisation that reflects the history that sets the stage for the scenario and has itself been shaped by events that directly preceded the scenario. It builds on the world itself and has context for its interactions and intentions within the scenario. Additionally it provides a potential organization for new players to work for temporarily or join that isn’t affiliated with any of the factions. Lastly The Red Hand is positioned to carry out jobs and contracts that could upset the balance of power through both confrontations or more nuanced efforts on behalf of factions or parties.
Additional requests:
Gear request:Leader Set - x1488 = Light Crossbow (light_crossbow)
396 = Arming Sword (sword_medieval_c_long)
507 = Heater Shield (tab_shield_heater_c)
Bolts
62 = Helmet with Neckguard (helmet_with_neckguard)
195 = Leather Jerkin (leather_jerkin)
361 = Leather Gauntlets (leather_gauntlet)
328 = Leather Boots (leather_boots)
Crossbow Sets - x4394 = Sword (sword_medieval_a)
488 = Light Crossbow (light_crossbow)
506 = Plain Heater Shield (tab_shield_heater_b)
Bolts
56 = Nasal Helmet (nasal_helmet)
327 = Light Leather Boots (light_leather_boots)
194 = Light Leather (light_leather)
Archer Sets - x3382 = Knobbed Mace (mace_2)
479 = LongBow (bow_f_longbow_1)
Arrows
56 = Nasal Helmet (nasal_helmet)
327 = Light Leather Boots (light_leather_boots)
194 = Light Leather (light_leather)
Four dogs to be assigned to certain characters in the organization as well for reasons stated above.Other notes: A small house to serve as our office/HQ is desired.
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