The constant warfare and border skirmishes of the Seven Cities spawn many mercenary companies and warrior orders. One of the largest and most well known is the Order of the Septime Lancers…
Slyboots (Septime Lancer Utility 6)
Control of your position on the battlefield is key to a swift victory. You take a moment to note where the proper footholds are and dance across the battlefield as if there was nothing in your way…
Encounter • Martial, Stance
Minor Action Personal
Effect: You assume the slyboots stance. Until the stance ends, you ignore difficult terrain when you shift. If you are mounted, the effect also applies to your mount.
Flashing Riposte (Septime Lancer Attack 7)
Your enemies are foolish to try a charge against one of your order. Their poor aim only gives you more opportunity to flourish.
Encounter • Martial, Weapon
Immediate Reaction Melee
Trigger: You are missed by a melee attack.
Target: The triggering creature.
Effect: You shift 1 square to a space adjacent to the target. If you are mounted, your mount instead shifts 1 square to a space adjacent to the target.
Attack: Primary ability vs. AC.
Hit: 2[W] + primary ability modifier damage.
Insult to Injury (Septime Lancer Attack 9)
You run down your target, skewering him with full force before quickly drawing your side arm to finish the job.
Daily • Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee
Target: One creature.
Attack: Primary ability vs. AC.
Hit: 2[w] + primary ability modifier damage, and the target is restrained until the end of its next turn. If you are using a spear, as a free action, you may stow your weapon and draw another before making a melee basic attack against the target.
Miss: Half damage, and the target is slowed until the end of its next turn. If you are using a spear, you may stow your weapon and draw another as a free action.
Special: When charging, you can use this in place of a melee basic attack.
Encourage Bravado (Septime Lancer Utility 10)
Your presence inspires bravery and flair in your allies.
Encounter • Healing, Martial
Immediate Reaction Close burst 5
Trigger: An ally charges an enemy, ending his movement within the burst.
Effect: The target can spend a healing surge and regain additional hit points equal to your charisma modifier.
So… How does this tie in to the Mercenary theme in Soldiers of Fortune?
The Mercenary as presented in Soldiers of Fortune, represents a slightly different end of the fighting spectrum in Midgard. The Mercenary is a sly melee fighter, with a varied selection of abilities. He fights for those who pay, with no regard to values or country.
The Septime Lancer in a lot of ways is a mercenary. The main difference is that instead of being devoted to self, he shows devotion to the order, and of course, his horse. Most of his abilities show his devotion to either those fighting with him, or otherwise provide benefit in mounted combat.
Part of the Order’s Edicts, is an exceptionally strong devotion to their current contract. A mercenary might be swayed to drop a job if a better offer comes along, depending on their personal codes. A Septime Lancer always sees his contract through.
A PC with this theme might represent a former member of the Order, still benefiting from and adapting their training. If they’re still a member of the order, maybe he’s on loan to the party as part of a contract or the PCs may be mercenaries themselves, hired by the order to help fill out the ranks on some specialized jobs.
Regardless, I would encourage DMs to allow Order PCs to take Mercenary specific feats.
So yeah. . . I guess that’s the Short answer.
I like this, Brian. Great work! As for the Mercenary in SoF, it presents the profession in a non-traditional light. There are many reasons for becoming a mercenary, some of which include devotion and loyalty to a kingdom or empire. I wanted to stretch the job into a more amicable light.
I really like what you’ve done with this and thing it is a great way of presenting sellswords using new optics.
Very nice work, Brian – still keeps the flavor (and some of the Feat names) of the original, while making it thoroughly 4E. Keep up the good work! MM