The Company of the Claw
Perhaps the most feared company of them all, what gives this group an edge over their competitors is the scythebeasts that fight alongside them. As well as horses and a few griffons for aerial support, they have not only tamed rippers through unknown means, but their captain-general personally rides a Gyüragma of the east, one of the most infamous of all Porpuda’s many predators, into battle. It is not known where they originated or how they managed to tame the creatures of the east, but the result is easy to see for anyone. With an established career fighting in the east and in the Isles, their exploits and supposed power are widely deemed to be a reason for their fearsome reputation.
Current captains members of the Company of the Claw include:
Yekkat ‘the Beastmaster’ Tarran, doubling as the captain-general of the company and their spiritual leader, with his men giving him an almost divine status due to his control over red fires and beasts-at least according to eyewitnesses. Tall, Cunning and fearsome, he is a master of deception on the battlefield.
Saena, the Bershkit commander of the cavalry, and supposedly Yekkat’s lover. She manages the administrative side of the company compared to Yekkat’s spontaneity.
Darrek, the blue haired cage master coming from the Highlands right on the Jazyart border. A monster of a man standing at least seven feet tall, he is a most fearsome man to fight. He also manages the company’s griffons, training them to drop rocks or even explosive materials on opponents to deadly effect.
The Golden One; an exiled priest from the Golden Yamachai kingdom of the east, this madman is the spiritual advisor of the Claw, and was the one to first proclaim the Beastmaster as a god given flesh.
Seznaz; a notorious Vrain colony, they have grown to effectively be the muscle of the Claw, large enough to overpower even individual centaurs in combat through massing of their units.
Ashanai; a centaur archer commander, whispered to be a hermaphrodite of some form.
A notable former member of the group is Argus, who once served as the commander of the Claw’s pike man as well as the torturer, before Yekkat exiled him with threat of a painful death, allegedly for a crime even Yekkat saw as repulsive.
Structure
Instead of being run by a traditional captain-general, the leader of the Claw is deemed the ‘Beastmaster’ and is revered in an almost divine way by his followers, who often accept orders without question, for it would seem that animals and fire obey his commands. Aside from this, organisation is of a standard form, though rigorously delivered to maintain a degree of professionalism. A priest is present to offer spiritual advice and rigour to those in the company as well.
Assets
Being wealthy due to its experience and the Beastmaster’s supposed power, they possess great riches and six ships to their name. Along with this, they have a few dozen Rippers under their control and the aforementioned Gyuragma as Yekkat’s personal mount. As well as this, they have two thousand horsemen, a hundred Vrain colonies of various sizes, one thousand centaurs and four thousand infantry, making them the largest company in the Isles by far.
History
Over the years since the company appeared in the history archives in around 630AF when reports of them from Vongchou came in, the association with the clawed scythebeasts was a more symbolic one, though some of the beasts may be kept as pets by captains. In this recent generation however, the term has taken on a more literal meaning, as Yekkat, upon gaining ‘mastery’ over the beasts, ascended to leadership. At this point, his power, rumoured to derive from a shard of the Great Crystal, gave the Claw a more literal power to its name.
Mythology & Lore
The Golden One claims that Yekkat is divinely appointed by his land’s gods or even a god himself due to his power, said to come from a Shard itself. He claims that Yekkat’s divinity was uncovered when journeying underground to slay a monstrous Gyüragma, but emerged riding it and surrounded by rippers, with veins that glowed red.
We pay in blood.
Founding Date
Unknown, at least a century old.
Type
Military, Mercenary Group
Alternative Names
The Crimson Riders, the Claws, Red Death
Demonym
Clawmen
Economic System
Traditional
Parent Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Divines
Location
Notable Members
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