The Talons

Name: The Talons
Type: Independent Mercenary Group
Leader: Mercenary King Sela
Headquarters: Nomadic, operates from anywhere within Sanctuary
Symbol: A black talon clutching a silver coin

Overview

The Talons are a seasoned band of mercenaries known for their efficiency, pragmatism, and loyalty to coin above all else. Neither noble knights nor ruthless marauders, they fall in the gray area of professional soldiers willing to take on contracts ranging from open warfare to personal security and bounty hunting. Their motto, "Steel Earns Gold", reflects their straightforward approach to business.

Structure & Leadership

Mercenary King Sela, a former sell-sword to another, commands the Talons with a balance of discipline and mercenary cunning. Her second-in-command, Rivari Blackwood, handles logistics and contract negotiations, while seasoned veterans, known as Clawmasters, lead individual squads specializing in different forms of combat.

Operations & Services

The Talons operate across various individuals, selling their services to nobles, and trade guilds. Their expertise includes:

• Battlefield Engagement: Reinforcing militias, skirmishing, and guerrilla warfare.

• Security & Escort: Guarding trade caravans, dignitaries, and high-value targets.

• Bounty Hunting & Assassination: Tracking down fugitives, or high value targets and eliminating threats.

Reputation & Code

The Talons are respected for their professionalism and effectiveness, though their rigid adherence to contractual obligations has earned them both admirers and enemies. They do not betray a contract once taken, and desertion within their ranks is met with swift punishment. While not outright cruel, they are pragmatic, prioritizing results over honor or morality.

Notable Traits & Equipment

• Signature Gear: Many members wear darkened leather and metal armor with claw-shaped gauntlets.

• Tactics: Highly adaptable, using terrain and deception to outmaneuver enemies.

• Notable Quirks: Members traditionally etch a tally of completed contracts into their armor.

Current Status

Currently, the Talons are rumored to be involved in dealings with nobles, though they are always on the lookout for the next lucrative contract.

Combat System

The goal of combat is to make it as fluid as possible with plenty of room for freeform. We run off a dice system associated with your stats. Up to ten d10 dice are rolled to determine the number of successes.

At the beginning of your turn, you have 1 main action, 1 reaction, 1 bonus action and Movement. Everyone starts with 5 blocks of movement unless otherwise augmented through another action to increase or decrease that amount. 

Certain pathways within the systems can grant bonuses to this 'Action Pool' as seen above, or can affect the move speed of your character. Below are specific groups within the 'Action Pool' and examples on how to interpret them.

Note: Keep in mind that during DM’d events, a DM may specify that certain actions not specified can be fitted into any of these categories at their discretion.

[Action] -

• Attacking 

  • Striking at an enemy using a weapon or while unarmed. 

  • [Melee / Ranged / Unarmed]
    
    

    • Throwing a weapon via disadvantage, reaching 1-10 blocks.
      
      

    • Sneak Attacking

      • Striking an enemy from stealth pre-combat, rolling [Body+Stealth] against the target's [General+Perception]. Upon success, a free attack roll is made dealing maximum damage through armor.
        
        

    • Grappling

      • Creates a contesting roll between another character via a free hand. Attacker rolls [Body+Unarmed] and the target defends. Upon success, the defender is unable to use movement for 1 round.
        
        

    • Pushing

      • Creates a contesting roll between another character. Attacker rolls [Body+Athletics] and the defender may roll [Body+Athletics] to oppose. Upon success the attacker inflicts 5 blocks knockback.
        
        

• Casting a spell

  • Spell Attacks

  • Imposing a save roll

  • Summons
    
    

• Dash 

  • Doubles your movement speed for 1 round, cannot be used 3 times in a row.
    
    

• Disengage

  • Allows for free movement during combat, cannot be the target of opportunity attacks for 1 round.
    
    

• Prepare an action

  • Temporarily put aside an action that you wish to perform and stating the conditions needed to trigger the prepared action.
    
    

• Assist

  • Target an individual and provide some form of assistance, granting advantage to the next roll based action that you would be assisting them with. This must be presented in a way that makes sense to the scenario in which it is used.

[Bonus Action] -

• Drawing a weapon
  
  

• Picking up a thrown weapon
  
  

• Drinking a potion
  
  

• Striking a torch
  
  

• Other skills and effects

[Circumstantial Bonus Action] -

Bonus Actions are organized as minor movements that may require some time but little thought and focus compared to a Main Action.

Circumstantial bonus actions are bonus actions that are done in tandem with other effects, requiring a specific action to have been made in order to warrant this type of bonus action. These still take Bonus Actions, but their requirements vary depending on what is being done at the time.

[Reaction] -

• Opportunity attacks

  • While in combat, if an opponent would leave melee range without performing a disengage action or other skill/spell that notes otherwise, you may use your reaction to make a melee or unarmed attack targeting them.
    

• Pursuit

  • When a creature begins to flee combat, a reaction [Body+Dexterity] contest can be made. Upon success, the pursuer moves 5 blocks closer to the fleeing target.
    

• Other skills and effects
  
  

Reactions are organized as spontaneous actions that are taken during any scenario and may be interpreted as needed within events and combat. These are usually used for specific skills and spells.

Attacking -

To make an attack or spell attack one would need to use one of their main skills and a sub-skill in order to represent the attack made: /skillroll [Body/Mind + Substat] 

Contested rolls - 

Making an attack is generally done by contesting rolls. Individuals in combat will describe and then roll their attack while the defender will respond to the attack and roll a defensive roll to counter it.

Winning a contested roll is determined by whoever has the highest number of successes when contested, this is demonstrated by the green and blue numbers rolled.

Breaking ties when you roll equal successes to the defender is determined by the highest success rolled between the two combatants. If the tie persists, the attacker succeeds by default. Succeeding in a tie only inflicts a Minor Wound to the defender.

A roll of 10 or (X) will count as 2 successes towards their count and is called a critical success.

Dice Checks -

When participating in PvE, DM’s will have an option to set Dice Checks or DC’s in order to quickly determine the success of an attack against an NPC creature or object.

Dice Checks: Event DM’s set the DC of a creature or object being targeted and players will roll an attack using the /skillroll command as normal. The only difference being is that they will add your first two dice rolled into a value that would equal up to 20 and compare it to the DC. Upon meeting or beating the DC, damage will be done normally as if contested.

Defending an Attack -

In terms of defending yourself from an attack in combat, it is a split decision that happens outside of the action pool and does not require one to spend any sort of action. When defending an attack, players must roll depending on if it is a melee attack or ranged.

When defending a melee attack players will roll a [Body + Athletics / Dexterity] check.

When defending against a ranged attack, players will roll a [Body + Dexterity] check.

*if defending with a shield, use Athletics.

In cases of AoE attacks or an incident that requires a save, it will be specified by the attacker or DM what should be rolled.

House Rines

Noble House, Fallen

Background

A noble house that stood prior to the Great Collapse, one that was given rank and title due to the delicate nature of defending the major kingdoms from all threats. Having a long lineage of swordsmen, this family would often be sent as training officers to the far off kingdoms that had less resources, training up the men and women that took up arms in service of their kingdom. They stood at the foothold during the Great Collapse, like many other noble houses that were called to do so. However, they were one of the few that survived the end of the world and chose to continue service by defending Sanctuary.

The First Generation

Despite all the training they had, House Rines was also put through a great deal of turmoil through this period of time. With the uprising of noble houses seeking the throne, Rines instead chose to defend their own plots from the ravaging masses that wished to have what they held. Hunkering down for the duration of this, they instead turned in to one another and divulged time to training and study.

The Second Generation

Time passed as it always will, and so did the great men of that era. When the fighting quieted, they reopened doors to try and help the crying city. With the time spent within their own walls, they truly had no idea what to expect but to see the state of what they used to call home broke them. They would join forces with another noble home that survived, House Peiter to create stations within the city to give supplies and help to those in need. When the groups of thugs would threaten the common people, the sons of Rines would be sent out to decommission them. This continued on until the rise of King Rilguard to which systems were put in place to replace the temporary ones the nobles had created.

Current Age

The head of House Rines would give up his nobility as the rise of Rilguard continued, choosing to instead raise his family. Valard Rines and his wife Bella Rines would raise three children together, staying in a smaller estate just on the outside wall that was previously owned by his family. They would raise these three in the same manner that Valard was raised, with noble etiquette but also with the same training that had run in their family for generations.