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Liber Sodalitas: Erzsaks Drake Riders

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Liber Sodalitas

Erzsak ’ s Drake Riders

Liber Sodalitas

Erzsak’s Drake Riders is a mercenary company

of warriors-for-hire featuring a small army of

foot soldiers and specialists, all acting as

support for the company’s shock troops,

the firedrake riders. Founded by a

discontented ex-soldier named

Ludvel Erzsak, the group

has evolved from a one-

time adventuring band

to a grand organization

with both might and

reputation.

History

Ludvel Erzsak was an idealistic young man

who became a cavalry soldier with dreams of

making a difference in the world and

becoming an honest-to-good, real-life hero.

His fantasies were quickly shattered, though,

first by the great amount of time spent on

menial chores done simply for a sergeant’s

amusement, and later—and more tragically—

by the realities of war against a weaker

neighboring city. After ordered to obliterate

an enemy outnumbered five-to-one by

cavalry alone, let alone by infantry,

young Erzsak decided that

committing other people’s

crimes under the guise of orders

was not for him. A short time

later, he bid family and friends

goodbye, grabbed his horse and

deserted his post, escaping into the hills to live

in isolation.

Ludvel Erzsak and Fulminous

This product requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons,

Third Edition Core Books, published by Wizards of the Coast Inc.

This product utilizes updated material from the v3.5 revision.

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Along his roving travels Erzsak performed

small jobs, his martial training often providing the

perfect source of work, from a post as a bouncer at

various rowdy inns, to being a peacekeeper at local

festivals, to impromptu vermin-hunter for groups

of terrified farmers. Catching on to the trend,

Erzsak decided that perhaps there was a living to

be made out of being muscle-for-hire. Slowly,

Erzsak gathered around himself a small group of

like-minded individuals, forming an adventuring

band known as Erzsak’s Swords; an uninspired

name for sure, but it did give the group a sense of

identity and communality. Before long the group

had made a name for themselves, traveling the

countryside and hiring out their services for a

moderate price. People soon began to flock to the

banner of the Swords, adventurers and young

warriors-to-be, all seeking to share in the

reputation of Erzsak and his group. From a motley

band, the group eventually expanded to the size of

a company. Leadership and ranks were established,

and specific units were put into place, from foot

soldiers to cavalry, from support to command, all

under Erzsak’s leadership. Then fate intervened,

and the fortune of the Swords changed forever.

having developed new combat techniques designed

to take advantage of the beastly mounts, and their

presence fearsome, routing enemy troops with

little more than a charge. Their reputation

established, Erzsak’s Drake Riders became one the

premier mercenary companies of the land.

Tenets

Erzsak’s Drake Riders are ruled by a specific code

of law set down by Erzsak himself back in the days

of the Swords. In it, Erzsak delineates the duties

and responsibilities of each member of the

company, as well as the behavior expected out of

each soldier while on an assignment. Among the

most notable tenets, members are not allow to loot

or pillage, kill or take advantage of innocent

civilians, or use excessive force against an

obviously inferior opponent. Additionally, Erzsak

always reserves the right to refuse a contract if he

feels the cause goes against his personal beliefs,

which is why all assignments must be presented to

Erzsak for his approval. While he does fight for

money, the experience of his youth left an inedible

taste in his mouth against the excessive use of

power.

On the run after a staggering loss in battle that

left the Swords at one-third its numbers, Erzsak

stumbled upon a narrow path leading into a hidden

valley nestled between mighty peaks. Irrigated by

warm springs, the valley was quite fertile

considering its altitude and location in the midst of

stony mountains. It was also home to a small

family of firedrakes, wingless dragons the size of

heavy warhorses with a nasty bite and even nastier

fire breath. With magical help the firedrakes were

easily controlled, and the company moved into the

hidden valley, making it their new home. The

company began training using the firedrakes as the

backbone of a mighty new cavalry; Erzsak was

determined never to lose so many of his soldiers

ever again.

Strange as it may be for a mercenary company

to have such an exacting set of rules, Erzsak has

always had a very clear idea of what is right and

wrong, an idea that not even gold has managed to

corrupt. All members take an oath to live by these

tenets while a member of the mercenary company,

and any individual found to have broken the code

faces punishment of fines, imprisonment and

expulsion, depending on the severity of the

transgression. In cases where the transgression has

affected a local community, the guilty party is then

turned over to local authorities to face local law.

Since the days of the Swords, Erzsak has only

had to deal with such cases a handful of times, a

fact for which he is grateful, though he would not

hesitate to dispense justice whenever needed.

Two years later, leaving behind their families,

the company reemerged from the valley as

Erzsak’s Drake Riders, ready to show the world the

might of their new cavalry. It did not take long for

Erzsak’s Drake Riders to debut on the battlefield as

elite mercenaries. Their training was unequaled,

Organization

Erzsak’s Drake Riders are numerous enough to

dispatch units to different assignments at the same

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time, complete with support staff. Erzsak and his

captains have worked out a few organizational

models for the company that make good use of the

available resources and allow the Drake Riders to

diversify and yet remain effective. Each unit has a

minimum amount of time that they must be con-

tracted for, and all payments are made half up

front, half upon completion, no exceptions. In

cases where the Drake Riders are not able to

perform the duty for which they were hired to their

employer’s satisfaction, they are free to end a con-

tract early for a kill-fee of half the remaining total.

PRICES FOR MERCENARY

SERVICES

The prices below reflect the average price for

contracting the services of Erzsak’s Drake

Riders, divided by unit. Individual prices

reflect extra troops that can be added to a unit

for the specified amount. Erzsak always

reserves the right to negotiate the final price of

a contract. All prices include payment for all

troops included in each unit.

The largest unit is the company itself, under

the sole and direct command of Ludvel Erzsak.

Erzsak's second-in-command, Captain Antonius

Julianus (Ftr9) oversees the general day-to-day

affairs of the company, as well as the coordination

of all branches. Under Erzsak and Julianus, at the

company level, there is a command group of five

Captains (Ftr8) who oversee all infantry and

cavalry lieutenants and sergeants; one

Quartermaster (Exp7) who oversees the entire

support branch; three chaplains (Clr5/Ftr1) who

oversee fifteen acolytes (Clr2); two War Sorcerer

(Sor5/Ftr1) who oversee six battlemages (Sor3); a

Master Scout (Rgr5) in charge of ten scouts (Rgr1);

and a Master Musician (Brd7) in charge ten other

musicians (Brd1). Except for the captains, all

members of the command group have the rank of

Lieutenant.

Unit

GP/Day

Squadron

25 gp

Great Squadron

90 gp

Wing

250 gp

Company

1500 gp

Drake Rider (single soldier)

3 gp

Drake Rider Unit (4 drake riders and

1 drake rider lieutenant)

15 gp

Infantry Unit (10 soldiers)

3 gp

Chaplain, Master Scout, War

Sorcerer or Master Musician

20 gp

Acolyte, Battlemage, Scout or

Musician

5 gp

Captain

20 gp

The troops are divided into combat and support

branches. The support branch includes all animal

and drake handlers, teamsters, smiths, artisans

(carpenters, leatherworkers, masons, etc.), cooks,

and laborers. These people are then divided as

needed among the various units, and go alongside

any dispatched unit, depending on the length of the

assignment. Support personnel are armed with at

least a club, though many elect to use personal

weapons and even armor, if available.

Ludvel Erzsak, Commander of the

Drake Riders, with Fulminous (plus

cohort and followers for each)

300 gp

weapon available. Infantry is divided into units of

ten soldiers, one of which is a sergeant (War3). All

infantry is equipped with leather armor, and either

a pole weapon, or a hand weapon and small

wooden shield. Sergeants may use personal

equipment as desired.

The combat branch includes all fighting

personnel, and has various subdivisions. Infantry

covers all foot soldiers (War1), which are then

grouped into hand-weapon soldiers (sword, mace,

axe) and pole-weapon soldiers (longspear, halberd,

glaive, etc.), tough all are trained to fight with any

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Cavalry, the other combat branch division,

features the unique troops that give the company its

name, the drake riders (Ftr6). Drake riders operate

in units of three to five soldiers. A drake rider

lieutenant (Ftr7) is in charge of each unit, though

any drake rider can be designated as unit leader if

no ranking officer is present. Drake riders are

normally equipped with chain mail, a hand weapon

of choice, and a lance. Drake mounts are only fitted

with a military saddle; barding, due to the drake’s

anatomy, must be custom made and is expensive,

meaning only officers have it as standard

equipment, though some drake riders have saved

enough to purchase the armor for their mounts.

acolytes, two battlemages, two scouts, two

musicians, and extra support (five valets, four

teamsters and four wagons, two smiths, two cooks,

four artisans, ten animal tenders, and thirty

laborers). A Wing may only be contracted for a

minimum of two months (60 days).

Only the wealthiest patrons can afford to hire

the whole company at once, though it has happened

in the past for immense operations such as the Siege

of Castle Karrak, the liberation of the Duchy of

Zelkariss, and the invasion of the goblinoid realm

of Urdrukh-Grambog. The company is composed of

three Wings and three Squadrons, plus Ludvel

Erzsak and the Command Group, plus all remaining

acolytes, battlemages, scouts and musicians, plus

all remaining support personnel. The Company may

only be contracted for a minimum of three months

(90 days).

The smallest unit dispatched for basic

assignments (peacekeeping in a small town, hired

muscle for a local lord, guards for a small or

medium caravan, etc.) is the Squadron, consisting

of one drake rider lieutenant, three drake riders, ten

infantry (choice of weapons is up to the client), an

acolyte or battlemage, a scout or musician, and

accompanying support (two teamster and two

wagons, one smith, one cook, three animal tenders,

and five laborers). A Squadron may only be

contracted for a minimum of one month (30 days).

At any given time, there are as many as twenty

extra drake riders, one hundred infantry, one

acolyte, battlemage, scout and musician, plus all

related support personnel, stationed in the hidden

valley, all of whom can be called into service at the

company level if needed, or held back as reserves.

The Great Squadron, normally used for larger

assignments that are still on a manageable scale

(peace enforcement for a large town, extra muscle

for a small army, guards for a large caravan, etc.),

consists of two Squadrons plus one captain, one

lieutenant (either a Master Scout, Master Musician,

War Sorcerer or Chaplain), three more drake riders,

ten more infantry, an acolyte, a battlemage, a scout,

a musician, and extra support (two valets, two

teamsters and two wagons, two smith, two cook,

two artisans, five animal tenders, and ten laborers).

A Great Squadron may only be contracted for a

minimum of one month (30 days).

In addition to the units, patrons are able to hire

extra troops to enhance contracted units, all of

which come with their necessary support personnel.

Ranked officers may only be hired depending on

the unit contracted: drake rider lieutenants beyond

those in an unit can only be hired alongside four

more drake riders, forming an unit; regular

lieutenants (Master Scout, Master Musician, War

Sorcerer or Chaplain) can only be hired at the Great

Squadron level; Captains and Ludvel Erzsak may

only be hired at the Wing level.

Erzsak always reserves the right to allow

smaller units than a Squadron to be hired, and to

approve or deny extra hired troops, especially when

it concerns his ranked officers or his own services.

For truly large assignments (hired guards for a

city, specialized troops for an army, etc.), a Wing is

called into service. A Wing consists of five

Squadrons plus three captains (one of whom is

named Wing Captain), two lieutenants (either a

Master Scout, Master Musician, War Sorcerer or

Chaplain), one extra drake rider lieutenant, five

extra drake riders, twenty extra infantry, two

Becoming a Member

The life of a mercenary company is a hard one, and

new recruits are always needed. Regardless of

assignment, all members are expected to always be

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tested in mock mounted combat against an

experienced drake rider (use the Drake Rider

Soldier NPC below). Mounted on a heavy

warhorse, the petitioner must endure at least fifteen

minutes of combat against the drake rider,

demonstrate proficiency in mounted combat and

tactics, and manage to inflict at least 50 points of

damage on the drake rider or the firedrake mount.

All damage dealt during the mock combat is

nonlethal, and magical healing is available upon

completion. After the test, if Erzsak and his

captains feel the petitioner has what it takes, the

petitioner is signed, made to take the oath, and,

blindfolded, taken to the hidden valley, there to

train as a drake rider. Training to become a

full-fledged drake rider takes a year, after which

the new drake rider joins the regular company.

ERZSAK’S DRAKE RIDERS’

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Alignment: Any non-evil

Support: Craft or Profession skill 4 ranks

Infantry: Base Attack Bonus +1, Martial

Weapon Proficiency (any sword, any spear),

Light Armor Proficiency.

Drake Rider: Base Attack Bonus +6, Base

Will Save +2, Handle Animal skill 4 ranks,

Ride skill 4 ranks, Mounted Combat.

on their best behavior. Only outright evil people

are turned away from the company. Beyond that,

there is room for the general alignment spectrum,

as long as members remain on their best behavior,

do not openly break the company’s oath or any law

of the land, or manage to hide their activities

extremely well. Members are informed upon

joining, however, that there are secret informers

among all the stations and ranks, ever vigilant of

everything around them and reporting to Ludvel

Erzsak himself.

NPCs

Ludvel Erzsak

Now in his middle years, Erzsak still maintains the

vigor of youth, tempered with the wisdom of

experience. Secretly still weighed down by guilt

over various vicious loses on the battlefield, he

cares deeply about everyone under his command.

Erzsak is the consummate commander, forever

worrying about his troops’ wellbeing.

Support staff (teamsters, cooks, handlers,

smiths, artisans, etc.) is always in demand and are

hired constantly depending on their expertise.

Support staff, however, rarely makes the transition

to the fighting arm, what most petitioners are

interested about.

Erzsak is an imposing figure, standing just

over six feet tall and with the lean, muscled body

of an experienced fighter. While perhaps not as

nimble as he was a two decades back, he is

certainly just as strong, practicing daily to keep his

martial skills in top shape. His once black hair is

now cropped short and peppered with white, and

his signature long mustache, a throwback to the

custom of his grandfather’s time as a knight, is now

fully snow white. A lifetime as a traveler and

mercenary under the harsh sun has tanned Erzsak’s

skin, giving it the appearance of cured leather.

Erzsak normally wears his enchanted breastplate

over some well-worn clothes, magical flaming

longsword at his side. Erzsak's mount, Fulminous,

is the alpha male of all the firedrakes of the hidden

valley. It took Erzsak a long time to train the

firedrake, and even longer to gain its trust, but after

Those petitioning to join the infantry must

demonstrate an aptitude for combat. Infantry

sergeants oversee the petitioners, putting them

through various tests, and choosing only the top ten

percent to join the company. New recruits are

sworn in with the oath, signed for a two-year tour

of duty, and assigned to a unit. After their initial

tour of duty a soldier has the option of joining

permanently or going his way.

Those skilled in mounted combat that wish to

become a drake rider must first meet with Erzsak

and his captains for a demanding interview that

includes magical scrying. Once the interview is

completed, if the petitioner proved worthy, they are

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