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The Broken Blades

The Broken Blades are a loose-knit band of mercenary cutthroats—former soldiers, bodyguards, and caravan warriors turned sell-swords for coin and survival. Disillusioned by years of war, betrayal, and dwindling purpose, they now seek opportunity in the lawless village of Nulb. Bound not by loyalty but by necessity and violence, they are just as likely to defend a caravan as rob it, depending on who pays better.

Once scattered across the The Wild Coast and the Dyvers, Free Lands of, the Broken Blades have regrouped under a brutal half-orc captain and made the Waterside Hostel their base of operations. Their presence unnerves even hardened criminals in Nulb, and both Temple agents and local gangs are watching them closely.

A Mercenary Company of Deserters and Dangerous Opportunists
Location: Room 2, 1. Waterside Hostel of Nulb
Faction Type: Mercenary Company (Neutral, Greedy, Disloyal

Group Composition

This ragtag group consists of hardened warriors, all seasoned in battles across Wild Coast , Dyvers, Free Lands of , and the Verbobonc, Viscounty. Led by the brutal yet charismatic captain, the group operates with a loose hierarchy, though internal strife is common due to their volatile personalities.

Final Roster (7 Members)
NameRaceRoleCR Equivalent
Dren HalvethHumanCaptain, StrategistCR 2 (Fighter 4)
Brakka VuskHalf-OrcEnforcer, BruteCR 2 (Barbarian 3)
Corven "Quill"HumanMarksman, ScoutCR 1
Oric DaneHumanArcher, FenceCR 1
Hessa ClaymoorHumanSpearhand, VeteranCR 1
Jarik FenHumanSpearhand, Bitter VetCR 1
Torlin MaveHumanSpearhand, YouthCR ½
""Blood buys coin, coin buys power. That’s all there is."
— Dren Halveth

Motivations & Operations

  • Employment-Seeking: The group is looking for work, either as bodyguards, enforcers, or raiders.
  • Flexibility in Allegiances: They are not loyal to any faction, though they lean toward criminal networks.
  • Rivalries: They frequently clash with the Crimson Reapers, viewing them as too fanatical.
  • Potential Hires: Dick Rentsch has considered hiring them for security, while Wat has been courting them for underground jobs.
'"You wanna know why we’re called the Broken Blades? ‘Cause we learned you don’t need a perfect weapon to kill."
— Brakka Vusk


Relationships with Other Characters

  • Dick Rentsch (Owner of the Waterside Hostel): Rentsch tolerates them but distrusts their volatile nature. They often drink at his tavern but haven’t fully secured his favor.
  • Wat (Bartender & Informant): Wat sees potential in them as hired muscle and has been feeding them subtle offers for work outside the law.
  • The Crimson Reapers : The Broken Blades actively avoid direct conflict with them but consider their presence a threat to their business.
  • Temple of Elemental Evil: While not openly affiliated, the Broken Blades have unknowingly worked for Temple agents in the past.
'"When the fight’s done, I drink. When the drink’s done, I gamble. When the coin’s gone… well, that’s why I keep a dagger."
— Corven "Quill"

Who Are the Broken Blades?

The Broken Blades arrived in Nulb chasing rumors of fast coin and lawless borders—precisely the kind of chaos in which their brutal skills thrive. As the Temple of Elemental Evil quietly rebuilds its networks, opportunists like the Broken Blades are being drawn to the village like flies to blood. They’ve taken up residence in Room 2 of the Waterside Hostel, living rough and waiting for offers—legal or otherwise.

Current Relationships and Entanglements
  • Dick Rentsch, owner of the Waterside Hostel, tolerates the Broken Blades—for now. He's sizing them up as backup muscle for darker dealings tied to the Earth Temple and Greater Temple logistics. While not officially on his payroll, Dick has already funneled some “protection” jobs their way.
  • Wat, the barkeep and silent overseer of the hostel’s daily operations, has provided the Blades with quiet leads—smuggler routes, caravan schedules, and merchant targets. Though his loyalty leans toward Alrrem and the Fire Temple, he sees the Blades as useful, deniable assets.
  • Lucius Graeme, courier and recruiter for Hedrack and the Greater Temple, has once hired the Broken Blades under false pretenses—never revealing his Temple ties. Dren suspects this and has begun demanding double payment up front from shady patrons.
  • Madame Selentis (Nysera Krivaltis) sees the Blades as unstable but exploitable. She has not formally approached them, but one of her disguised agents has been quietly watching their movements at the Waterside.
  • The Crimson Reapers, now entrenched at the Waterside, view the Broken Blades as arrogant upstarts—dangerous, undisciplined, and disrespectful of the Temple’s hierarchy. Tensions between the two groups are near a breaking point.
  • The Temple of Elemental Evil, particularly Commander Feldrin and Romag, could consider using the Broken Blades as temporary strike forces—if properly paid and controlled.

How to Use the Broken Blades in Your TOEE Campaign

1. The “Lost” Shipment

Unbeknownst to the Temple, the Broken Blades recently ambushed a smuggling wagon on the High Road bound for Madame Selentis's bandits at the 33. Old Mayor’s Manor. The crates held scrolls, Temple weaponry, and a prisoner meant for the Temple. Now the group must lie low.

DM Hook: A desperate Temple agent seeks help recovering the cargo. The party may be hired to track down the culprits—only to discover it’s the Broken Blades. What will they do with that knowledge?


2. Bidding War at the Hostel

Both Lucius Graeme and a Verbobonc resistance agent try to hire the Broken Blades on the same night at the Waterside. Coin flows freely, but so do threats.

DM Hook: The players may walk in mid-negotiation, or be asked to tip the scales—perhaps as witnesses, enforcers, or even saboteurs.


3. Broken Loyalty

Captain Dren Halveth is approached by Romag’s men to join the Earth Temple—but half his band resents cults and fears ending up as expendable fodder like the Crimson Reapers.

DM Hook: A civil schism within the Blades offers the party a chance to either recruit, divide, or destroy the group entirely.


Factional Fit in Nulb’s Shadow War

  • Greater Temple / Commander Feldrin: Might use the Broken Blades for local strikes or temporary guard shifts at the Hunting Cottage—though they would never be trusted with secrets like the tunnel’s location.
  • Romag and the Earth Temple: Could approach the Blades for outside raids or as backup muscle during prisoner handoffs at the Waterside Hostel.
  • Madame Selentis: May seek to weaponize their chaos by pointing them at rivals like Captain Tolub or Lodriss. She may also try to hire them to stage a false flag attack to blame on the Reapers.
  • Crimson Reapers: If the Blades gain favor with Temple agents, the Reapers may preemptively ambush them as “unworthy mercenaries.”
  • The Party: The adventurers could use the Broken Blades as bodyguards, spies, decoys—or eliminate them before they tip the balance of power too far.

DM Tip: Wildcards in Nulb

The Broken Blades are a volatile, player-reactive faction. They are not rooted in any one Temple allegiance. Use them to:

  • Create shifting political alliances
  • Introduce moral ambiguity (“Do we hire them… or fight them?”)
  • Complicate peaceful resolutions in Nulb
  • Provide dangerous, familiar faces across multiple encounters

Adventure Hooks

  • A Job Gone Wrong: The party encounters the Broken Blades mid-mission as they attempt to rob a rich merchant.
  • Betrayal in the Hostel: The Broken Blades are hired by one faction to eliminate a rival, and the party gets caught in the chaos.
  • A Mercenary’s Dilemma: The Broken Blades are debating whether to ally with the Temple, and the party has a chance to persuade or oppose them.
'"Never trust a man who smiles before a fight. He’s either crazy or planning something worse."

Bandits around Hommlet by 3orcs

Dren Halveth

(Human Mercenary Captain, Fighter 4)
AC 15, HP 38, Weapons: Longsword (1d8+3), Daggers (1d4), Light Crossbow (1d8)

  • Role: Captain & Strategist
  • A former officer turned ruthless tactician. Cold, pragmatic, and loyal only to coin. Keeps his past secret and his blade close.
""Loyalty? That’s just another word for a fool’s leash. Gold, now that speaks the truth."
Brakka Vusk

(Half-Orc Enforcer, Barbarian 3)
AC 14, HP 45, Weapons: Greataxe (1d12+3), Spiked Gauntlet (1d4), Javelins

  • Role: Enforcer & Brute
  • Once a pit-fighter enslaved in Narwell, now Dren’s unstoppable hammer. Silent and terrifying. Has a cruel sense of fairness.

Corven “Quill” Yarne

(Human Crossbowman, Fighter 1)
AC 13, HP 11, Weapons: Light Crossbow (1d8), Shortsword (1d6)

  • Role: Ranged Support & Scout
  • A half-blind drinker and ex-caravan sniper with a sarcastic wit. Keeps an ear open for rumors and an eye on escape routes.

Oric Dane

(Human Archer, Rogue 1)
AC 13, HP 10, Weapons: Light Crossbow (1d8), Throwing Daggers (1d4)

  • Role: Fence & Underworld Contact
  • A paranoid ex-smuggler who still sells stolen gear when he thinks no one is looking. Prefers to vanish before fights get messy.

Hessa Claymoor

(Human Spearhand, Fighter 2)
AC 14, HP 18, Weapons: Spear (1d6), Shortsword (1d6)

  • Role: Veteran Spearwall & Logistics
  • A no-nonsense ex-guard from Greyhawk City. Keeps the group in line and handles negotiations when Dren can’t be bothered.

Jarik Fen

(Human Spearhand, Fighter 2)
AC 13, HP 17, Weapons: Spear (1d6), Dagger (1d4)

  • Role: Angry Veteran & Infantry
  • A disillusioned soldier who drinks, stabs, and dreams of past glory. Quick to violence. Loyal only in battle.

Torlin Mave

(Human Young Spearhand, Fighter 1)
AC 12, HP 9, Weapons: Spear (1d6), Sling (1d4)

  • Role: Young Recruit & Runner
  • A naive newcomer hoping to rise above banditry. Still believes in “honor,” but is rapidly losing that hope.

Type
Military, Mercenary Group
Related Species
Dren Halveth by 3orcs

The Broken Blades - Tavern by 3orcs
Broken Blades vs. Crimson Reapers: What’s the Difference?

Broken Blades
Motivated by gold & survival
Loyalty is fleeting
More “bandits” than warriors

Crimson Reapers
Fanatically devoted to violence
Loyal to their cause
Bloodthirsty killers, not hired swords

Use them as opposing mercenary groups to create intrigue & tension!



Cover image: Nulb Banner by 3orcs

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