Gri'shaks Guide to Special Forces
Seeing the environment around Bak'nors Rock consists of dense woods, large armies are not very practical to use. Large armies are only needed for sieges and battles on great open plains as they lay south and northwest of the town of Breeg . Inside the woods small, specialized units will be much more effective then large armies. Because of this there only is a small standard army, which is mostly used, during peace time, as protection for the trade caravans and during exercises with the Omaruan army. More money is spent on the training and maintenance of smaller, specialized units. Following are some of these units and the composition of each.
These are small groups (five to ten persons in a unit) of archers specialized in taking out magic-users. Everyone in these groups must have at least a dexterity score of 13 and a constitution score of 12. Because they receive the hardest training of all, these persons have reached first level in their class. These persons are all trained in the art of camouflage, survival in the dense woods around Bak'nors Rock and tracking. A typical group consists of one or two first level rogues, three to six first level fighters specialized in the short bow, and a single first to third level ranger, whom also is the appointed leader of the unit.
The typical strategy of these groups is to approach their target (preferably a magic-user or leader from the enemy unit) and simultaneously launch their arrows, after which they will retreat to their previously created hiding places, where they will wait until the greatest commotion has passed. The group keeps spread out during their approach to the target and their following retreat; this to prevent the destruction of the entire group by mass destruction spells like fireball. The minimum distance between the members during this procedure is ten yards. They use hand signals and animal noises to communicate during their approach. After the first raid the unit will retreat to safety and wait several hours before returning to the spot of their ambush. Then they will repeat the sequence on remaining targets (in case the first target was killed) or on the same target should they think they can take it out this time. After the second attack they will retreat further, even to a distance of several hours. If it isn't possible for the unit to target a magic user or major leader, they will concentrate on patrols and their patrol leaders. They will never attack on the same spot twice, and prefer not to attack the same hostile unit more than thrice.
Each person in a mage slayer unit has been trained to avoid unnecessary risks and use much patience in their missions. They will avoid melee combat, preferring to use their ranged weapons, but are able to enter melee if forced into it. Because of their ability to plan and execute their raids with remarkable timing they are able to release all of their arrows on their intended target within one round (meaning that one person could get hit by up to twenty arrows). However, most of the time their first target is struck down by half of their attacks, before either having been killed or taken cover, so the remaining arrows are directed at the slower creatures in the attacked unit, whom have failed to take cover.
Seeing as this fighting style has an immense cost in ammo, they will try to retrieve their arrows or salvage them from slain enemies. They are all trained to make their own arrows if needed, although they will not be as well constructed as by those of professional fletchers. There are also several hidden storage spaces located throughout the woods were ammo and bows are kept in case of emergency.
The typical unit is equipped with studded leather armor, short bow, quiver containing several arrows, short sword, dagger, and supplies to survive for at least a week before having to go hunting for food.
The Strategic Hazard Intervention Teams are units consisting of starting adventurers, sponsored by the lords of Bak'nors Rock. Some of the members of a team were trained on Bak'nors Rock, the school of combat, or Gramber's Academy of Magic while others received their training elsewhere but now is in the employment of the Lords of Bak'nors Rock. Whatever their history, these persons are the best of the best in what they do, and are loyal to the Lords of Bak'nors Rock. A SHIT usually consist of four to six persons, preferably one of each of the four base classes (warrior, cleric, mage, rogue), but other combinations are possible. Should a group be contracted from elsewhere they will remain together, seeing as their experience together can be invaluable in future events. No others will join this particular group, unless absolutely necessary. Most ‘home trained' SHIT members have received their training in the lands of Bak'nors Rock: the warriors and rogues were selected from the School of Combat , the clerics from the temple of their faith, and the mages from Gramber's Academy of Magic . Seeing as there aren't a lot of temples and mages within the lands of Bak'nors Rock, clerics and mages are frequently recruited abroad, their history and motivations carefully checked. A Lord of Bak'nors Rock can, at all times, sponsor anybody they see fit, and place them within a team.
Every team remains around or within the castle of Bak'nors Rock during peace time or when not out on a mission, but are encouraged to go out on adventure by themselves should they feel like it. In case they want to leave, they have to report this first, so it's known that they are away and they will not be called for duty. Every SHIT receives mission, from time to time. But unlike other military units, the way they complete this and in what way is completely left to their own. This freedom sets them apart from any other army unit in existence. For instance, when they receive a mission to combat undead in a nearby burial mound and destroy them within twenty days, but think they lack in magical power. They are able to choose to scout around and search for magical items and such which they may use in the completion of their mission, as long as they complete their mission. After the mission is over they discover that there are more undead in the neighborhood, and they are free to set out and take on these new undead, even if their first mission is over and they are actually required to return to Bak'nors Rock.
Missions for SHIT's range from information gathering to the annihilation of a horde of monsters set for destruction. With the rise of their experience, so do the risks they are asked to take in their missions. To lessen the risks on these tougher missions, all members are allowed to keep magical items they find and use them as they seem fit. They can freely have their newfound magical items identified at Gramber's Academy of Magic , where they also are registered. Further more they may keep 10% of all monetary treasure they have left upon arriving home after a mission, using the full range of the money gained during missions as they see fit. Great trust is placed on them by the Lords of Bak'nors Rock as fraud should be pretty easy, but this is also used by the lords to test the loyalty of them. From time to time the Lords see it fit to bestow upon a SHIT a greater reward then their normal pay. In these cases the members of SHIT receive rewards ranging from gold to art, from magical items to spells and even from a house to a small castle.
Protectors and Trackers
Protector-units consist of ten to fifty persons, depending on the size of the caravan they protect, and whether it is war-time or peace-time. In any case there will be at least one protector for each wagon in the caravan. Protectors are level 0 fighters equipped with studded leather, long sword and a short bow or light crossbow. For every ten protectors there is a first level fighter acting as a sergeant, for every twenty protectors there is a second level fighter acting as lieutenant and for every fifty protectors there is a third through fifth level fighter as commander. One in every ten protectors has been trained in Tracking and one out of four of these are a first level ranger. Each caravan will also contain one to five clerics, ranging from first to third level. These clerics are responsible for healing the wounded, blessing the dead and advise to the believers of their faith within the caravan.
In case of attack, the protectors will try to utilize their ranged weapons to the fullest, avoiding one-on-one melee combat as much as possible. Should assailants surrender, they are bound and taken to the nearest city to await trail. Should the commander suspect the existence of a nearby bandit camp, trackers will be sent out to search for it. Should these trackers locate this base they will relay this information to the commander who will decide what to do with it. Usually, if the encountered bandit camp has few people in it left and the caravan has sustained few casualties a strike group will clean out this camp and take the treasures. Should the encountered camp have a large force within and/or the caravan has a lot of casualties, the location of the camp will be marked on a map which, in turn, will be sold to the nearest city, an adventuring group or kept and used to attack the camp at a later date.
X-man is the codename used for special units in the employment of Bak'nors Rock. These rogues rarely work in groups of rogues and are most often found alone or in a group consisting of other occupations (most often fighters). Each is assigned a single mission at any time, which range from scouting to spying, from infiltration to assassination. They do not only operate within the lands of Bak'nors Rock and are often found in other towns and cities, sometimes even in hostile territory. This is no problem for these persons, since more often than not they hunger for this sort of excitement.
The headhunters are the personal bodyguards of Gri'shak and are under his direct command. They only follow orders given by Gri'shak himself and are not subject to the normal command chain. They prefer to wear the leather armor they wore on their trek away from their homeland but in case of war or ceremony they are willing to wear stronger armor, to which they have easy access. They all prefer a certain type of weapon, although the battleaxe and (two-handed) sword are favorites. One of the benefits of being an elite guard unit, is that they also gain access to the magical items that their lords accumulates during his travels, which more often than not results in magical weapons and armor. Although magical armor is scarce there are several magical weapons in use within this unit. Their ceremonial armor consists of the back-and-breast of plate mail, arm coverings and legging of chain mail and a great helmet, all covered by a white robe with the symbol of Bak'nors Rock on the chest area. Together with this ceremonial armor they carry a medium shield (also with the symbol of Bak'nors Rock), which gives them an armor class of 4. Completing this outfit they carry long swords of supreme quality, all enchanted with a Continual Light spell.
When not in war this group busies itself with guard duty on several locations, patrolling the woods or whatever they actually feel like doing that day. During times of danger, however, they will stay in or near the castle, and even listen to the local commanders. In times of war they will divide themselves over the Lords of Bak'nors Rock as bodyguards, although the ones with superior weapons and armor will accompany Gri'shak.
Gri'shak only keeps a loose sense of order within this group, since this will increase their effectiveness in combat. Should this unit enter combat they can reach a berserk state in which they gain significant bonuses. This effect is usually kept in check when Gri'shak orders for it to be contained, but will occasionally start in the heat of a fight. If they are in berserk state they will remain so until all enemies are slain, after which they will become winded. Because of this, Gri'shak tries to use their berserker rage at the end of fights, rather then in the beginning.
Updated: 27-10-2003 21:17 (Text by Taco Heuts)