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"The winged, dragon-like wyverns are renowned for being unpredictable. Extremely driven, they are considered to be underhand, cunning, and aggressive in their pursuit of their ambitions. Bold, yet sometimes devious, wyverns tend to choose unconventional, and sometimes spectacular, ways to reach goals." — Urszula, The Zodiac Sign of Illarion

Founded in Chos and baptised in the fire and blood of Mas 74, the Black Wyvern Company is a free guild of mercenaries and professional adventurers hailing from all realms of Illarion, lending their swords for coin to those in need of their services. Some follow an ideal of freedom, glory and adventure; others are soldiers of fortune at heart; and some just love fighting.

Be it the culling of dangerous wildlife, serving as bodyguards, retrieving lost treasures or rare materials from the untamed wilderness, or bringing wanted outlaws to justice — the Black Wyverns are open for contracts of all kind, and not afraid to get their hands dirty.

To its members, the Company offers many benefits: The promise of fame and fortune; the opportunity to hone their combat skills; access to affordable, high-quality equipment and provisions; and, most important of all, the companionship of brothers and sisters in arms who can be relied on to have their backs.

⚔ The Codex of the Black Wyvern Company ⚔

These are the honourable rules by which we, the Black Wyvern Company, conduct our business. Remember and heed these rules, and you will be well-rewarded. Violate them and you will suffer the consequences.

I. Independence: We are free men and serve no one but ourselves and our clients. There is no room for split loyalty or conflicts of interest in the Company, thus you cannot be a member of any other guild nor hold a public office in any realm. Our freedom also means that each of us retains the freedom to choose which contracts and clients to accept, though we stand united in their completion and satisfaction.

II. Discretion: Silence is golden. Discretion is our watchword. Never betray the Company, its clients, or its business secrets.

III. Discipline: We are a professional mercenary company. Order and discipline are imperative. Never disobey or refuse to carry out an order of a Company superior, especially when in battle. The disobedient will be disciplined.

IV. Comradery: The Company are your brothers and sisters in arms. Give them the support you wish to receive. When working together, share your rewards fairly. Never steal from, assault, or act against a fellow Company member.

V. Reliability: Your word and handshake are worth gold. Accept no contract you cannot fulfil, never break your contract, and should you fail, reimburse your client. Those who prove unreliable have no place in the Company.

VI. Respect: Never tarnish the Company's reputation. We are not a gang of thugs, but professionals. When in town, you will respect the local laws.

Hail to the Black Wyverns!

⚔ The Company Roster ⚔

The captain — The head of the Company, managing most of its affairs such as recruitment, contracts, payments, and procuring equipment and provisions for the Company's armory.

• Captain Malchus: Yours truly. You'll know me when you see me: tall, buff, handsome, fashionable eyepatch. Serinjah clansman, former guard captain of Runewick, now building Illarion's roughest and toughest mercenary company. Master of melee combat and archery, champion of the third One Above All tournament, hobby wrestler.

The sergeant — The captain's deputy. His responsibilities include training fellow Company members, instructing fresh recruits in the basics of mercenary life, and maintaining discipline and order among them. The sergeant is an experienced mercenary who enjoys the trust and respect of his captain and comrades, and is elected by all other full members of the Company. Should the Company grow further, additional sergeants may be elected to meet its demand.

• Sergeant Lyrica "Blue" Elmswood: An elfess who prefers a hands-on approach to most things in life and is easily recognised by her signature blue hair. A former knight of Cadomyr who eventually chose to live a simple life as a huntress in wilds, where she also mastered the use of her weapons and armour.

Men-at-arms — These swords-for-hire have proven themselves through reliable service worthy to bear the name and colours of a Black Wyvern, and enjoy all benefits and privileges that come with it. They're the bravest of the brave and the keenest of the keen.

• Lahadrion: An elven ranger whose marksmanship and keen eyes make him a valuable addition to any adventuring party. Lahadrion is a master archer favouring medium armour.
• Shevelle: Do not be fooled by this young Albarian lassie's unassuming appearance: as a budding magic apprentice, she doesn't need steel to defend herself. Her dabbling in spatial magic makes her a very helpful travel companion.
• Soren: Born to an Albarian family of travelling merchants and having served in his lord's militia, this young sellsword is well-accustomed to the hardships of travel and army life, and has mastered the use of the spear and of medium armour.

Hirelings — It takes more than mere lip service to join our ranks. Hirelings are not considered full members of the Company, but rather prospective recruits on a trial period. Though on the Company's payroll as retainers, these fledgling mercenaries have yet to prove themselves to earn their keep. We will watch their careers with great interest. Now recruiting! Apply to Captain Malchus to enlist in the Black Wyvern Company.

• Celdea: A master enchantress, well-versed in the arcane arts, now earning her keep as a mage-for-hire.
• Do'urr: A giant of an orc, strong and resilient, and of an amenable disposition, shying away neither from hard labour nor battle. His keen sight makes him a natural scout and treasure hunter.
• Drathe: Though you'll most likely find him at the local tavern partaking in drink, dice, and the occasional brawl, this old scoundrel had plenty opportunity to master the use of his arms and armour.
• Isis Vanderford: A Norodaj axewoman who formerly served in the Galmairian army. She has mastered the use of her weapons and favours heavy armour in combination with a blade and shield.
• Shiani: A young, taciturn elfess, currently training her swordsmanship.

Ex-Wyverns — Those who resigned, were dismissed, or fell serving under the Company's banner.

• Beerus: Man-at-arms, MIA. This zealous son of Zelphia was as steadfast in combat as he was in his faith. A veteran heavy swordslizard, his greatest reported feat was the slaying a cursed dragon. His current whereabouts remain unknown.
• Orakh: Man-at-arms, MIA. An orc as big and strong as they come, and a master melee fighter who favoured the mace and heavy armour. Last seen mortally wounded at Cherga's cross in Galmair.
• Uhuru "Slayer" Pryler: Woman-at-arms, resigned. Charming and gentle to her friends, and a fierce warrioress to her enemies; Uhuru is a natural protector and adventurous survivalist, right at home in the untamed wilds. Not shying away from donning armour and drawing her dagger or bow, but also knowledgeable in herbalism and the art of potion-brewing, Uhuru proves to be a woman of many talents.

⚔ Relations ⚔

• The Chamber of Commerce: Cooperative
  The Black Wyvern Company considers the Chamber of Commerce a close business partner and ally. The Company assigns contracts offered by the Chamber higher priority, and the Chamber's merchants and craftsmen enjoy the Company's protection. An agreement with the Chamber affords all full members of the Black Wyvern Company a 50% discount on all purchases from Bernie Bottoms, the Chamber's guild master. As such, the Company's men are encouraged to take advantage of this beneficial arrangement by doing their shopping primarily with Bernie Bottoms or other Chamber associates. The Chamber of Commerce's guildhall also functions as the Company's current, inofficial headquarters.

Findos 76 — Having proven their skill and death-defying courage in the crucible of the dragon lair, Uhuru Pryler and Lahadrion are solemnly accepted into the ranks of the Black Wyvern Company.
May they make the Company proud and strike fear into the hearts of their enemies! Hail to the Black Wyverns!

Elos 77 — The dark days of Mas have passed, and the Black Wyvern Company, hired by Bernie Bottoms to bolster Galmair's defence, did its part to hold back the monstrosities which the darkness brought. The new year dawns and already brings change to the Company.

Uhuru "Slayer" Pryler chose to resign from her service under the Company's banner. Her selfless bravery and commitment to her comrades were exemplary and will be sorely missed. Wherever her path leads her, may Zhambra be with her.

Orakh, the orcish warrior, has proven himself worthy to wear the Company's black through his strength, skill, and his service in Galmair's defence during Mas. There is little doubt this orc has the making of a true mercenary. May his mace crush many foes, and may his purse be filled with many coins.


Black Wyvern mercenaries on their dragon hunt, with Orakh bravely charging at the beast whilst his companions pepper it with arrows.

Tanos 77 — The ranks of aspiring Company members have been reviewed. As the wheat is separated from the chaff, two rookies fell short of the Company's expectations; the aspiring mercenaries Krull and Aldric Dart have not been seen nor heard of since, and their names have been scratched off the Company's ledger.

Lins, a young, eager swordsman, voiced his wish to become a mercenary with the Black Wyvern Company. As he has yet much to learn about what it takes to make it as a professional adventurer in Illarion, the Company shall teach him the ropes and give him a chance to prove himself in his trial period. Will Lins prove to have what it takes to become a fully-fledged Black Wyvern mercenary?

Shevelle, a young magic apprentice from Albar, also aspires to join the ranks of the Company. What she may lack in experience she makes up for with enthusiasm. Though no battle-hardened sellsword like most of our members, her arcane abilities can provide invaluable support to any adventuring party. Will Shevelle make it as the Company's first mage-for-hire?

Trouble in Galmair
Law and order continue to deteriorate in Galmair. A fight broke out between Company member Orakh and local resident Thurm, who were sparring in Galmair's guard room, and the notorious murderer Greum who arrived there together with his clan's chief, Ruk'nar. Whatever may have caused the scuffle, it spilled from the guard room over onto Galmair's streets, where the craven Bloodbanes pleaded the town guard for protection. Things escalated further when Ela'Xandir, another resident of Galmair, joined the fight on the side of the Bloodbane orcs, and together with them mortally wounded Orakh.

It is only thanks to Cherga's mercy that brave Orakh continues to live. Ela'Xandir, realising the grave mistake he made by attacking a Black Wyvern Company member, begged the Company's forgiveness. As Ela'Xandir made a public apology and paid tribute to Orakh and the Company as a sign of his sincere contrition, his transgression shall be forgiven this time. As hostilities and provokations of the Bloodbanes continue, Company members are advised to keep their weapons ready to hand whenever this clan's orcs are around.

Codex amends & new ranks
As the Company grows in size and responsibilities, some changes have been made to its codex and hierarchy. The codex has been amended to include a new rule regarding the importance of discipline and following orders of superiors, especially when in battle. Though this should be needless to say, some recent cases of reckless conduct and disobedience prove otherwise.

The Company's hierarchy is being formalised through the introduction of new ranks, notably that of the sergeant. The Company's ranks are now as follows: captain, sergeants, men-at-arms, and hirelings.

• The captain acts as head of the Company, managing most of its affairs such as recruitment, contracts, payments, and procuring equipment and provisions for the Company's armory.
• The sergeant, a newly created rank, is to act as the captain's deputy. His responsibilities will include training fellow Company members, instructing fresh recruits in the basics of life in the Company, and maintaining discipline and order among them. The sergeant shall be an experienced mercenary who enjoys the trust and respect of his comrades, so he shall be elected by all other full members of the Company. Should the Company grow further, additional sergeants may be elected to meet its demand.
• Men-at-arms form the main body of the Company; all regular members are pooled in this rank. Being full members of the Company, they enjoy all rights and privileges that come with it, and shall be recognised by their black Company cloak.
• Hirelings, formerly known as aspirants, are the Company's lowest rank. They're not considered full members of the Company, but rather prospective recruits on a trial period. Though on the Company's payroll as retainers, these fledgling mercenaries have yet to prove themselves to earn their keep.

The air in the Winged Sow Tavern's dimly-lit vault was thick with the smell of smoke and ale. Three patrons occupied the floor's largest table, talking business and quaffing wine from heavy iron goblets — a mercenary gang, as one could easily deduce from the boisterous declarations of their towering, eyepatched captain, who was interviewing an armoured, blue-haired elfess sitting opposite of him. Questions were exchanged across the table, questions regarding the elfess's skills and motives for becoming a sellsword, and questions about the freedoms and benefits which their company's members enjoyed. After all was answered to their mutual satisfaction, the elfess was welcomed by the captain with a firm handshake in their mercenary company. But the reason for their carousing became clear when the captain addressed the woman by her side, a young, already tipsy lass whose unassuming size and elegant dress stood in sharp contrast to her mercenary companions: Solemnly draping a black cloak over her slim shoulders, he declared her worthy to become a fully-fledged member of their company.



The Company grows slowly but steadily; though we are few in numbers, contracts big and small are being fulfilled reliably by our mercenaries, and our ranks are consolidated with the recruitment of a new hireling and the promotion of an old one, replacing recent losses.

The elven huntress Lyrica Elmswood, also known as "Blue", emerged recently from the woods of Illarion and enlisted in the Black Wyvern Company, and already proves her skill and dedication by hunting both game and treasures.

Hireling Shevelle, earning her keep through diligent work and having proven her bravery in a dangerous expedition into a spider lair, was promoted and made a woman-at-arms of the Company. May she wear the Company's colours with pride, and may her spells never miss.

Hireling Lins, a young swordsman of Cadomyr, has not been seen nor heard of for a while. He did not pass muster and his name was scratched from the Company's roster.

Man-at-arms Orakh remains missing after his fight against the Bloodbane orcs Greum and Ruk'nar, having been last seen mortally wounded at Cherga's cross in Galmair. With no knowledge of Orakh's whereabouts or survival, he is considered missing in action and presumed dead. May Cherga have mercy upon his soul.

Elos — The Aftermath of Mas 77
The dark month of Mas has passed and a new year dawns. As contracted by Lady Valdris, knight of Cadomyr, the mercenaries of the Black Wyvern Company aided in Galmair's defence during Mas, which was beset by hordes of undead dragons and other dark creatures. Holding the walls and leading daring sallies through the lines of the besiegers, our mercenaries suffered heavy casualties, but ultimately fulfilled their contract: Galmair withstood the onslaught of Mas.

Lyrica "Blue" Elmswood in particular proved her utter fearlessness as she took the vanguard of a sally to distract the besiegers and pull them away from the walls. Her loyal service in the Company and dauntlessness in the face of death earned her the black cloak and rank of a woman-at-arms of the Company, making her a fully-fledged Black Wyvern. May her courage and hard work continue to bring honour to the Company!

Rumours of bored mercenaries engaging in wild, naked mud wrestling matches outside the city walls while on watch duty during Mas may or may not be exaggerated.


The boredom of watch duty and the bloodlust of Mas lead to creative forms of entertainment to while away the long night. Never mind the demonic portals!

Zhas — Making Friends and Peace
Zhas, the Month of Loyalty, brought a new, promising recruit to the Company: The orc Door Do'urr, a new arrival in Illarion, enlisted in the Company as a hireling and already proves to be a hard-working labourer and talented treasure hunter. Will he pass the trials that await him and prove worthy to become a recognised Black Wyvern mercenary? Time will tell.


Hireling Do'urr swears on the Company's Codex.

In the spirit of Zhas, the quarrel between Shaman Far of Clan Bloodbane and the Black Wyvern Company was settled. The slain shaman, who was spared by Cherga and returned to the world of the living, came before Captain Malchus, admitted his guilt, and apologised for his theft. As he had already suffered capital punishment at the hand of the rogue knight Sir Bidukan, Far's misdeed was forgiven and peace was made.

Ushos — The End of Greum
Greum, the fell orc and murderer of the renowned merchant Bernie Bottoms, appears to be no more. He was last seen on the 3rd of Ushos as he left Galmair through the northern gate, shortly followed by a group of Black Wyvern mercenaries. Shouts and the clamour of a fight were heard coming from outside the town walls. It is rumoured that Greum was slain that day and that his head was claimed for the bounty placed on it, though no body was found, and whatever traces there may have been of the fight appear to have been washed away.


"Tell Cherga Malchus sent'cha."

Siros — Two New Hirelings
The summer warmth stirs the people's spirits and calls them to action. One such person is the former guardswoman Isis Vanderford, who returned to Galmair only to find its town watch defunct and herself unemployed. In a bid to monetise her skill-at-arms otherwise, she enlisted as a hireling with the Black Wyvern Company and went straight to work as treasure huntress and bodyguard for hire.

Shortly thereafter, a foreign drifter breezed into town, a young, red-haired elven warrioress by the name of Shiani, who also showed interest in hiring herself out as a mercenary. Though still fairly inexperienced in this line of work, she proved to be a competent enough bodyguard and was acceped by the Company as a hireling.

Time will tell if these two new hirelings have what it takes to become proper women-at-arms of the Company. We wish them good luck!


A mug of dwarven ale, the promise of gold, and a handshake over the Company's Codex sealed the deal with Isis. Sadly, Asphyxine, who happened to sit and drink with the mercenaries, wasn't drunk enough to enlist with them. Shiani, too, was inducted into the Company in their typical mercenary fashion: A firm handshake and drinks shared with Captain Malchus and her new sisters in arms, Lyrica and Shevelle.

Bras — The Secret of Cuprite Smithing
The Company's days have been full of action and adventure. With their bags stuffed to the brim with treasure maps provided by the Chamber of Commerce, the Black Wyverns hit the road and set out into the wilds. From digging in the Northern Woods at daytime under the forest canopy's cool shade to combing the Kantabi Desert at night under the pale light of the twin moons, the black-cloaked treasure hunters scoured the land and left no stone unturned in their search for gold and glory.

All their sweat and blood paid off on the 10th of Bras when they uncovered an ancient, sealed pell which contained the elusive metallurgical knowledge of smelting cuprite ore into a workable alloy, a secret technique which until now was only known to the Drow. Who would have thought that such invaluable knowledge lay all along buried beneath some raptors' nesting site?

News of the discovery spread quickly when Bernie Bottoms, guild master of the Chamber of Commerce, cast the first cuprite ingots in Galmair's smithy, a feat which was celebrated by him and the mercenaries loudly and with plenty of booze deep into the night.


Bernie Bottoms and his hired treasure hunters celebrate their success. Praise Malachín and Irmorom!

A New Home for the Company?
With its coffers full and spirits high, the Black Wyvern Company is in the ascendant, and there are excited murmurs of plans for a proper Company headquarters somewhere on neutral soil, away from the towns and their rules. Every respectable guild needs a place to call home, a guildhall, and the Black Wyvern Company is no different. It seems it is but a matter of time until their mercenaries stake out their claim on a yet unclaimed piece of land, with sword in hand if necessary, to establish their company hall.