The Ironbrand Militias

Professional Soldiers • Contracted Force • The Steel Hand

Professional mercenary companies operating across the frontier. Not bandits or thugs but trained soldiers with military discipline, standardized equipment, and officer hierarchies. While most hold primary contracts with the Orvain Consortium, they maintain operational independence and professional standards. Where other factions fight for ideology, the Ironbrands fight for pay—but they fight well.

The Professional Soldier's Creed

Captain Garran Holt

Commander of Garrison Rails Company • The Ledger and Sword

Appearance: Late forties, graying at temples, scarred from two decades of professional violence. Wears his uniform immaculately—polished boots, pressed coat, badges aligned perfectly. Carries both ledger (for accounts) and sword (for enforcement) at all times.

Background: Rose through ranks from common soldier to captain through competence and survival. Never lost a contract, never broke discipline. Consortium's most reliable military asset. Personally wealthy from bonuses and wise investments but lives modestly—wealth goes to company improvements.

Philosophy: "Soldiers are tools. Professional tools deserve professional treatment— fair wages, good equipment, medical care, pensions for survivors. In return, I expect perfection. Unprofessional conduct gets you drummed out. Cowardice gets you executed. Competence gets you promoted. Simple system."

Moral Complexity: Has ordered actions he personally finds distasteful—evictions, strike-breaking, "debt collection" from desperate families. Justifies it as professional duty. Keeps detailed records of every order followed, every life taken. Some nights, he reviews the ledger. Drinking helps.

Sergeant Klem Rudder

"The Torch" • Infamous Disciplinarian

Reputation: Burned three towns "to preserve order." His philosophy: fear prevents chaos. Excessive force isn't excessive if it prevents future problems. His men follow him because he wins; everyone else avoids him because he's a monster with a badge.

Methods: Preemptive brutality. If a town might become problem, make example before it does. Collective punishment for individual crimes. Public executions pour encourager les autres. Officially reprimanded twice for "overreach"—promoted shortly after both times because results speak louder than ethics.

Reality: His towns stay quiet because everyone's terrified. But his methods create long-term resentment, future rebels, justified revenge. Other Ironbrand captains consider him unprofessional—soldiers who enjoy violence too much are liabilities.

Lieutenant Sarah Blackwood

Rising Star • The Conscience

Background: Former schoolteacher turned soldier after bandits destroyed her settlement. Joined Ironbrands for revenge, stayed for professionalism. Rapidly promoted due to tactical brilliance and genuine concern for her soldiers' welfare.

Internal Conflict: Increasingly uncomfortable with some contracts—evicting families, protecting obviously corrupt officials, suppressing legitimate grievances. She follows orders but questions them privately. Represents younger generation of Ironbrands who want more ethical standards.

Future: Either she'll adapt, become cynical like Holt, and succeed. Or she'll maintain principles, refuse a contract, and get drummed out. Or she'll find third option—reform from within. Outcome uncertain.

Corporal "Ironside" Venn

Supernatural Specialist

Expertise: Survived four encounters with supernatural threats through luck, improvisation, and learning fast. Now trains other Ironbrands in supernatural combat—salt rounds, iron weapons, protective rituals, knowing when to retreat.

Reputation: Called "Ironside" because he allegedly survived a Stormcaller strike— lightning hit his breastplate, should have killed him, he walked away smoking but alive. Truth less dramatic (lucky angle) but reputation useful. Soldiers feel safer with him along on supernatural contracts.

Professional Respect

Most Ironbrands recognize Duncan as fellow professional operating under different constraints:

• "He does the job, takes payment, delivers results. That's professional."
• "We've been on opposite sides twice. Both times, clean fight, no cheap shots."
• "He's killed fourteen of ours over the years. We've killed zero of him. Respect."
• "If he'd sign a contract, I'd hire him tomorrow. But he won't, so we're enemies when paid to be."

Captain Holt's Offer

Twice approached Duncan with employment offers:

First Offer: "Join Garrison Rails. Lieutenant rank, 5,000 crowns annually plus bonuses. We need someone who can handle supernatural threats." Duncan declined—doesn't want authority over others, doesn't want orders.

Second Offer: "Then consultant basis. We call when we need psionic expertise, you name your price per job." Duncan declined again—doesn't want to be on call, values independence.

Holt's response: "Respect the decision. Door's open if you change your mind. Meanwhile, if we're contracted to bring you in, we'll try. Professional courtesy means I'll warn you first."

Rules of Engagement

Unofficial understanding between Duncan and most Ironbrand companies:

• If contracted to capture/kill Duncan, they try. He evades or fights. No hard feelings.
• If he's hired to protect something they're attacking, clean professional violence.
• If they're on same side by coincidence, temporary truce, watch each other's backs.
• No targeting families, no collateral damage beyond unavoidable, no torture.
• Mutual respect means clean kills if it comes to that—professional courtesy.

The Supernatural Problem

Increasingly contracted for supernatural threats they're not equipped to handle. Standard training doesn't cover Fen-Wraiths, Hollow Men, or ley-storms. Casualties mounting. Companies debating:

• Option 1: Refuse supernatural contracts (lose lucrative business)
• Option 2: Develop supernatural training (expensive, uncertain effectiveness)
• Option 3: Hire psionic specialists (contradicts neutrality, some won't accept)
• Option 4: Charge premium rates, accept casualties as cost of business

The Ethics Question

Younger generation (represented by Lieutenant Blackwood) pushing for ethical standards:

• Should there be contracts Ironbrands refuse on principle?
• Is "just following orders" sufficient moral justification?
• What's the difference between soldiers and thugs if both do same actions?
• Can professionalism coexist with conscience?

Old guard (Holt's generation) dismisses this as idealistic nonsense. But recruitment suffers when reputation becomes "Consortium's brutal enforcers." Debate ongoing.

The Consortium Dependency

Most companies rely primarily on Consortium contracts. This creates vulnerability—what if Consortium cuts them loose or demands terms Ironbrands can't accept? Some captains diversifying client base. Others doubling down on Consortium loyalty. Different strategies, uncertain outcomes.

The Rudder Problem

Sergeant Rudder's excessive brutality tarnishes entire Ironbrand reputation. His methods work short-term (towns stay quiet) but create long-term problems (resentment, revenge, justified resistance). Most captains want him gone. But he delivers results, Consortium likes him, and he has supporters who share his philosophy. Internal politics deadlocked.