The Tome Of Drow Lore.pdf - RoseRed

an equal number of war slaves - ogres, ettins and trolls
broken to the will of their drow handlers.
Most commonly, these mercenary organisations are formed
by drow warriors who, after being pressed into service to
fight for one of the Noble Houses, are unwilling to go back
to their dreary lives in the lowest depths of drow cities. By
recruiting enough like-minded drow into their ranks, these
drow warriors can escape the tedium and destitution of their
ordinary lives for the fame and wealth of a mercenary. The
drow who make this choice consider the short but exciting
life of a mercenary a fair trade when compared to centuries
spent in the dark pits of a drow city.
At the other end of the spectrum lie the smallest mercenary
companies. Usually, these are simply adventuring
companies for hire, consisting of a handful of highly skilled
and talented individuals. Rather than hiring themselves out
to fight wars, these groups tend to specialise in thievery,
assassination, exploration and bodyguard work.
Culture and Leadership
The primary culture in most mercenary groups is extremely
military in nature. Authority is based on rank, and any order
given by a superior is expected to be followed instantly.
Discipline and punishment in a group of mercenaries is
generally stricter and crueller than in a regular army and
is necessary to maintain order in a group of violent, armed
dark elves.
The smaller mercenary companies
of skilled adventurers are usually
not so strictly organised, as there is
less need of it among such a close
group. However, there is usually
one individual who proves more
charismatic than the others and slips
into the leadership role.
Place in Drow Society
Mercenary companies would not
exist if their services were not in
demand. Though many Noble
Houses dislike having a force of
uncertain allegiance like the Fist
of the Deep pass near their city,
Noble Houses are also the most
frequent users of such mercenary
companies.
Smaller Noble Houses make use
of mercenaries to supplement
their limited forces, whether for
an assault on a rival or for defence
against an assault by a rival. The larger and more powerful
Noble Houses rarely use mercenaries as defensive forces,
preferring to hire such companies for risky ventures in
some distant area of the Underdeep while keeping their
own, more loyal forces close at hand.
One risk for anyone who hires a mercenary company
for battle is the possibility the other side will purchase
the company’s services in the middle of combat. Some
companies are infamous for this practice, while others are
renowned for never accepting such an offer while under
contract to an employer. Obviously, the latter can charge
more for their services.
None of the drow mercenary companies charge a flat fee
for their services. Rather, the fee is based upon the kind
of work required and the number of mercenaries required
to do it. Guarding a Noble House’s fortress home for a
few days, for example, will certainly be less expensive then
sending an entire mercenary company into battle against a
host of morgoshe. Not only does the latter require more
mercenaries, but it is extremely dangerous.
Small companies of adventurers are hired by large and
small Noble Houses, temples and anyone else with the coin
to pay their usually disproportionate fees. Much like the
larger mercenary companies, the fees for these small groups
of adventurers are predicated upon the danger inherent in
the task they are being hired to perform.
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