The Vine
The Vine is a ranger and intelligence cartel that operates in the jungles and coasts throughout Origin Islands jungles and especially around the outer edges of Arolend cities. They watch every road, every stream and river for movement by lizardfolk, goblinoids, orcs or other outsiders.
These mercenaries are a well organized and self sufficient band that has been in operation for thousands of years. This is possible because of the majority of elves that maintain the continuity of the organization.
Structure
The overall structure are 12 divisions, each lead by a Master General. These master generals form the supreme council that runs the organization. The most senior Master General is the chairperson of the council.
Each division consists of 20 to 30 brigades. Each brigade is commanded by a Major. The brigade consists of 4 to 10 platoons of 20 to 30 rangers. In addition to the platoon each brigade has a reserve where apprentices, trainers, and quartermasters belong until sorted to a platoon. Each major typically handles the contracts to protect villages, trade routes, or have a territory they plunder. The plunder side tends to happen in the wilds between cities where they may waylay a caravan to interrogate and take tribute.
Culture
This organization is elf centered and xenophobic. parties of all elves are typically not harassed, but mixed company are. The organization can tend to racist toward lizardfolk, and Soki humans. They are going to go out of their way to make any party of lizardfolk pay and turn around and go back where they came from. This attitude pervades all levels of their organization.
Public Agenda
The Vine is supposed to be vital to commerce, public safety and keeping hostile soki invaders out of elven lands. The vine works hard to recruit new rangers from rural villages, and their pitch is alluring to young men and women who seek adventure.
Assets
The Upper echelons enjoy having a king's ear, a princesses approval. They are remarkably good at continuing to get financial support and allowed to sweep any illicit activity under the rug. The Master's General each have a fortress within a day's ride to all of the major Arolend cities. They have personal guard staff and usually a brigade or three on hand at any given time. The Master Generals are wealthy and have quotas for their Majors to collect each year to fill their coffers. Most of that money comes from security contracts, there is a significant portion that comes from theft.
The Majors may have a bivouac that may be a fortress but more often it is a camp they keep mobile. Majors are always short of coin and lean on their captains to bring in more money. They have to be careful as if they become to rely on pillage too much they may get the ire of a prince or lord. Often times they choose to mass and go on raids in Soki areas to make up the shortfalls on their quotas.
Most rangers live rough but are well equipped to live outside for long stretches of time. Their training is hard and conditions are rough but they get a steady 3 meals a day and some pay so long as they follow orders. No matter what those orders are.
History
As the region fell into technological darkness The Vine was created to protect the country side from raiders, both foreign and domestic to Arolend areas. Over time the organization has shifted and changed but over a 1000 year period the current organization formed.
Demography and Population
The organization is mostly Elves, Humans and Half-Elves. The general break down is 64% Elves, 15% Half Elves, 12% Humans and then rest are other races, mostly in support roles or as specialists like magic users.
Technological Level
Having been formed as the technology failed all around them the Vine is disdainful of technology. They do not trust any ancient technology, they only trust their own hedge magic, and they rarely deploy guns and similar weapons. They will be wary of even taking a cypher or relic as tribute, having a sort of low level superstition that these things lead to ruin. It is also because the few trade caravans that deal in cyphers are coveted by the city princes they will punish anyone who tries to pilfer from them.
Foreign Relations
The Vine is universally hated by the Soki on Origin Island. Members can be summarily executed if found in or around a city. When the Vine is going on adventures in Soki lands many city states will ally together to try and exterminate as many as they can. In most cities there is a standing bounty on Vine Members.
Dragonborn who run trade caravans to Soki cities have a dislike for the Vine, as they are often harrased and fleeced trying to travel through Arolend lands. The more seasoned traders hire elves to be the "front" of the caravan and the actual owners take up the rear, bribes already negotiated.
The Vine do not range much further north, and their numbers thin out, but many villages are proud to have Vine rangers keeping strangers out of their towns.
Agriculture & Industry
The Bivouacs and other compounds may contain forges, fletchers, armorers, and other craftsmen who outfit the rangers. Most of their raw materials are bought, but a certain amount comes from tribute.
Rangers are trained and expected to live off the land while in the field, however in the Bivouacs they typically buy local food and serve it to the troops.
Trade & Transport
The Rangers live and move light, and the platoons may have horses or other mounts, but most travel on foot. The Brigade may have a transportation hub that contains several carts, oxen, and other means to pack up the host and move out.
Education
The Vine provides a decent education to young recruits. They learn basics of survival and how track and fight with bows and blades. They learn guerilla tactics and how a small force can defeat a much larger and heaver force. most are taught basic reading and arithmetic, and how to make maps.
Officers are given extensive training in the ways and philosophy of the Vine along with more complicated ways of managing organizations and making sure the accounts are correct.
The Vine Connects to all
Founding Date
955A
Type
Guild, Fighter / Mercenary
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Veteran
Location
Related Ethnicities
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