The Tavern windows were brightly lit and although the door was closed it was obvious from the sound within that there was a great deal happening. The men of the Tyrsis City watch had been summoned to the Inn by a frightened serving girl with a story of violence and debauchery, proud of their fearless reputation the Watchmen had followed her into the Brewers Quarter, as They got closer to the Tavern, The Naiads Nethers, a less than salubrious establishment at the best of times, they began to have second thoughts at the volume of noise emanating from the Tavern across the square. As the nervous guardsmen gathered across from the Tavern, the doors burst open and a number of large figures spilled into the square, roaring and brandishing chairs and stools. Ogre Mercenaries! The Guardsmen looked at each other and, as a man turned and fled into the night.
The Mahou tribe have a long and turbulent history of fighting both in their home territory on the Mammoth Steppes and in faraway places.
When they fight away from their Tribal lands it is usually because they have been formed into a Mercenary Company by the Tribal Matriarchs in order to gain treasure or fighting experience for their warriors. They will find a veteran warrior to command the newly formed Mercenary company and outfit the warriors from the Mahou tribal stores. Then they will head off South to the lucrative Lands there, they always seem to be in want of Mercenaries and the Mahou are happy to oblige them, for a price of course.
The Mahou will always be accompanied on these expeditions by the Red Goblins in the role of advance Scouts and latrine attendants to the Ogre Mercenaries.
Such a Mercenary Company is Albillo’s Band of Mahou Ogres. They are a relatively newly formed Mercenary Company that has struck out from the Mammoth Steppes and headed south along the shores of the Sea of Bari towards the lucrative employment grounds of the Trade routes of Estacarr. This has brought them into contact with both the Free Dwarfs of Bowland and the Abyssal Dwarfs of the Crater of Nas’Teel who belong to the Hellforged Legion of Brass. Albillo’s Band have already made a reputation amongst the Halfling Tinkers and Human Merchants of Estacarr as steadfast and reliable Caravan guards. When not employed the Ogres of Albillo’s Mercenary Company have based themselves in the Brewers Guild quarter of the Free City of Tyrsis, quite what the reasoning behind this is has remained idle speculation as Albillo shares his plans with nobody. Needless to say, that the Doge of Tyrsis spares no effort to keep the Ogre Mercenaries employed and away from his city as much as possible.
The Ogres of the Mercenary Company consist of a majority of younger more adventurous Ogres with few hoary older warriors and these have collected together to form the nucleus of the Company as heavily equipped Siegebreakers, with their large pavise shields and mighty crushing weapons they are the epitome of brutal Ogre warfare. Supporting these doughty Warriors are the younger warriors called Boomers, wielding their vicious Bangsticks, short ranged but wide bored handguns that are designed by the Dwarf Artisans of the City. These allow the Ogres to deluge their enemies in hails of lead, bits of metal, pottery, rock-chips and the occasional Goblin body part. There are always plenty of these guys in a Mahou Army due to the Bangstick being a favourite way for the Ogres to deal death to their client’s enemies and this has carried over to their Mercenary Company. In addition to the Boomers on foot there are a small number of the Boomers that ride round on Chariots and blast anything within reach, they are at once an annoyance and a boon as they hurtle round the battlefield getting in people’s way but the vast quantities of smoke they produce can obscure an enemies view and disrupt their shooting against the Ogres. Once a Boomer gets a bit older and less happy to go to short range they are transferred to the ranks of the Shooters, given massive crossbows and encouraged to rain death on their enemies from a long way away with unerring accuracy (at least that is the plan).
Leading these Troops are the Boomer Sergeants and Sergeants, the latter mounted on Chariots to both increase their view of the battlefield and to allow them to get to where they are needed most. These grizzled veterans are the backbone of the Mercenary band and provide leadership and cohesion to the troops as well as increasing the combat power of the band overall with their shooting and fighting skills.
Normally a band of Ogres is accompanied by a host of Goblin servants and auxiliaries called Red Goblins, however the fast-moving nature of battles for the Ogre mercenaries and the fact that the Ogres Billet in a Human City mean there is but one Goblin in the employ of Albillo’s Mercenaries, Crabstik, a Red Goblin of extraordinary prowess and fortitude (for a Goblin that is) who looks after the Mercenaries Crocodogs. He exercises them, feeds them, Grooms? them and even tries to guide them into battle. Mostly he makes a nuisance of himself by hanging around at the back of the battle screaming at his vicious charges.
Also supporting the fighting troops of Albillo’s mercenary band is Notagarramok, an Ogre warlock of unsurpassed (for an Ogre at least) magical ability and also sartorial elegance, Notagarramok accompanies the Mercenary band and uses his skills with Magic to support and succour the fighting troops, blasting foes with electricity or draining their very essence and transferring it to the Ogres to keep them in the ranks. He is also the Mercenaries chef and Doctor. Notagarramok brings another asset to Albillo’s band of Mercenary Ogres, Blodwyn the Mammoth. Blodwyn is the pet of Notagarramok and also the units Mascot and Albillo’s personal Mount. All the Ogres agree that Blodwyn is a Big Deal and they follow Blodwyn and Albillo into battle for the greater glory of the Mahou Tribe and several wooden tubs full of gold!
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