Meet Our Encampment

Guardians of the Black Forest

We are a band mercenaries for hire. Set during the time of the 100 Years War, we travel around the known lands selling our deadly skills to the highest bidder. The Captain collects interesting and mostly unwanted individuals and uses their skills to help create a fearsome, roving band of soldiers.

Officers

CAPTAIN WOLFGANG VON RIESIN

Captain of the Guardians of the Black Forest

Weapon of choice- Zweihander

Home country- Germany

The 2nd son of a lesser lord, Wolfgang knew he would need to find his own way in the world. It was the time of the 100 Years War when he began to travel the known lands using his only skill to make a name and fortune for himself. As a mercenary, he encountered many interesting charters in his travel and began the Guardians of the Black Forest as a deadly and effective roaming troupe of soldiers.

SIR ARCUM THE INSANE

HIGH-KNIGHT

Weapon of choice- Scythe and saex

Home country- Portugal

A murderer, assassin, thief, etc. Started early at the age of eight. Traveled and joined up with the Guardians of the Black Forest when it became apparent that they paid you for killing, and he was very good at killing

Ae the VIOLENT

Knight

Weapon of choice- Hand and half sword and daggers

Home country- Ireland

Not much is know about Ae (Ai-ah), other than that she is a secretive and fearsome member of the mercenaries who enjoys the ruthlessness of the trade but would rather no one know who she is.

Fighters

Baelus Lynn

Mercenary

Weapon of choice- Ax and shield

Home country- Ireland

Baelus (By-lis) was a farmer who wanted to have more out of life. Life in Northern Ireland was not all that it was cracked up to be. When he heard rumor of Irish men and women disappearing to be sold as slaves, he knew it was time to leave. He gave the land he owned to his brother and left. He stumbled across Sir Arcum after a few years on his own. What saved him was cooking for the insane man. Thus, he was forced to join the Guardians of the Black Forest where he learned to fight and defend what he had left. 

Katalina D'Aubigny

Mercenary

Weapon of choice- Falchon and shield

Home country- France

A former courtesan from Italy who fled to France. She found that she made more money fighting with her body rather than selling it. While in France, she met the Guardians and decided to join.

Nicholai Andre Dracan

Mercenary

Weapon of choice- arming sword

Home country- Russia

Origin Story- Born in a small village in what is known today as western Russia, Nicholai lived a life of a common farm boy for sixteen years, until one summer night where he found the entirety of his small home ringed in flame. Amidst the smoke, carnage, and chaos, Nicholai managed to escaped the infernal wreckage. Orphaned and alone, the boy took to the wilderness, surviving off of what he could find, waylaying and thieving careless travelers and doing whatever it took to stay alive in such a harsh land. Whenever passing through any town or settlement, Nicholai would stop to hear whatever news or stories he could discover. It reminded him of the days when his father would tell him fantastic stories of great Russian heroes, giants, sea monsters, magical creatures, and adventure, a time when he was more of a man than an animal. Yet, stories and scraps were never enough for any man to survive off of in the depths of the cruel wilderness, which is why Nicholai found himself fighting for his life within a mercenary camp after ransacking some of their food supply. However, fate smiled on this young man as their Captain noticed the determination and ferocity in his combat, the ceaseless and stubborn way the boy would rise to his feet, no matter how many times he was knocked down, beaten, and cut, decided to take him in as a squire. He could teach this young man, hone him, and mold him into his personal warrior. No matter what discipline, lesson, or art, the Guardians of the Black Forest could never tame the fire that burned in Nicholai‘s eyes. The fire of his home.

Vedis Gruenwald

Mercenary

Weapon of Choice- Warsword and buckler

Home Country- Germany

Born in a small village to hunters in the depths of the Black Forest, Vedis Gruenwald (Grewn-vahld)  seems more at home around a campfire and the forest than large cities and scholars. After some years helping her parents, restlessness drove the young huntress to venture out beyond the hamlet she knew so well. With blessings from her parents, she joined a traveling band of bards traveling along the forests edge, and from them learned song, music, reading and the ways of the world. Two years later she crossed paths with the Guardians and decided to follow Captain Wolfgang, interested in learning his fighting techniques

William Saunders

Mercenary

Weapon of Choice- Long sword and spear

Home Country- England

William as born the son of an English knight and an Irish woman during a small Irish rebellion. An honorable man, his father opted to marry Will’s mother and take them back to England, where he lived at Warwick Castle and trained Will as his squire. These choices earned them some disapproval from the other knights and lords; and this disapproval was often expressed to young William. Because of this, he is hot headed and eager to prove himself. He trained with his father in sword and spear until age twelve. His father was then called to fight in France in 1410, and William accompanied him. It was there that he met Wolfgang Von Risen, an old friend of his father. William’s father was captured during a French ambush; and the Lord of Warwickshire refused to pay his ransom out of animosity. William escaped, however, and joined Captain Wolfgang’s mercenary company, the Guardians of the Black Forest. He hopes to earn enough money to pay his father’s ransom; and to recruit the Guardians in rescuing his mother and young sister from his father’s enemies in England.

Non-Combatant

Daire o'Dubhuir

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Home Country- Northern Ireland

Daire o'Dubhuir (Dare-ee oh-dew-er) Orphaned by violence, became a street rat and pickpocket until I was picked up by the Theives Guild as a runner. Made good friends with a blacksmith by the name of Andre, who taught me to wield an arming sword. I showed an unusual aptitude for blades, and became an enforcer and 'cleaner' for the Guild as I honed my skills. Eventually, I got tired of the place and it's people, took some gold from the Guild, and fled the country. My travels took my on a meandering path through England, down to Italy where I learned the art of Florentine and picked up my rather colorful hat. At some point I left Italy, likely in search of something more to do, and eventually fell in with the Captain and the Guardians in a bid to make some money off of my combat skills.

Dangeruese

Cooking Guild

Home Country- Germany

My father was from Germany. The 2nd son of a Noble. He meet my mother in Ireland after striking out on his own. After her death when I was young I have been traveling with him ever since. He joined up with the captain some time ago and was having me trained up to defend myself. He has been called back home by his brother and left me with the captain to continue my training and make his travel faster. I also answer to the name Danger.

Dietrich Durrer

Cooking Guild Master

Home Country- Germany

Once a scribe at a church in Nordrhein Westfalen, he left it for a chance for a better life than a soon to be monastic one. He discovered a love for cooking and became elevated to head cook. Everyone knows to never anger a cook, particularly a mercenary one.

Gerard Nachtigall

Craft/arts/music guild

Home Country- Germany

Gerard sought employment with the Guardians as a leather smith and amateur naturalist. Though he ostensibly joined to slake his thirst for adventure with a band of brothers, rumors suggest that Gerard's true motivations involve amorous affect for one of the fighting maidens.

NOVELLA

MEDIC GUILD

Home country- Sweden

Origin Story- Showed up in the encampment one evening begging for rations and was allowed of stay. Began working as a squire and medic and has become a valuable member of the encampment.

Otto Schimidt

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Home country- Germany

Found as a small child trying to steal food from the encampment, he was put to work as a squire to pay for the bread he stole. After proving to be a compitant at caring things for others, he was allowed to stay.