Category:The Helping Hand
Company Name: The Helping Hand
Company Size: Small
Leader/Founder: Selyin
Contract Specialization: Mobile Protection
Current Defensive or Resource Gathering Duty: Caravan Protection
Outlying Village: Evonshire
Requirements for Joining: Must have a mount or money on hand to buy one, and at least 20 points in either Shield or Ranged
History of the Company: The Helping Hand was born in blood; its first members the remnants of a decimated mercenary company. Rallying under Selyin's leadership, they remade and rebranded themselves in 710, initially as company of mounted archers escorting caravans. It soon became evident that this was not working out they way Selyin had hoped; the advantage of mounted archers was in their mobility, but that frequently meant leaving their clients' sides, a risky maneuver that, as a rule, their clients did not approve of. So an arc after their initial creation, the Helping Hand began recruiting for a heavy defensive line as well, eventually settling on a two to one ratio of archers to defenders.
Their basic tactics are simple: when attacked, the defenders encircle their charges, and hold the enemy back, prioritizing the protection of their clients above attacking. That is left to the archers, who engage in hit and run tactics with the enemy, weaving in and out of the fray as they pepper their enemies with arrows. If the enemy turns their focus to chasing the archers, the defenders go on the offensive, attacking the enemy from behind just enough to draw their attention back, and the cycle repeats.
The first few arcs were rough going, but two events turned things around for them. First was the agreement made with Evonshire, a village that specialized in breeding and raising mounts. The second was the hiring of one of Selyin's old friends. Edyn was a woman who had left Evonshire with Selyin many years ago. Where Selyin had thrown herself into the martial realm, Edyn had taken on the magical one, and had become a defier of no small skill. Kin to earth and water alike, her inclusion in the Hand opened up realms of possibility, allowing them to shape the terrain to their advantage in combat.
As a general rule, the Hand are a easygoing, lighthearted lot. Like their leader, they know that disaster can strike at any moment, so enjoy the moment before it's gone. They have a tendency to lightly haze new members, though never seriously, and the first battle a new recruit survives will be celebrated with a round of drinks on the captain's gold.
After they survived that first battle, new members leave their handprint in paint on their armor and mount; left shoulder and right hip for the ranged regiment, opposite for the defensive division, both if the mercenary is versatile enough to fit in either. The color, orientation, and finger positioning are all left for the individual to decide, and act as a quick way for members to identify each other in the heat of battle.
Additional Information: Members who join without a mount are strongly recommended to buy them from Evonshire.