The Companions
The Companions are a group of warriors who take on private and public contracts for the people of Skyrim, and who purportedly carry on the tradition of the Five Hundred Companions of Ysgramor. Although the two groups offer a similar service, the Fighters Guild historically had a strong presence in Skyrim until the Companions seemingly replaced it entirely in the Fourth Era. They are based in the city of Whiterun, within the mead hall Jorrvaskr. The most elite members are included in the Circle of Jorrvaskr, and the chief councilor and arbitrator is known as the Harbinger, after Ysgramor, the "harbinger of us all" and the only real recognized leader of the Companions. Each new Harbinger is chosen by the last.
in the late Second Era, Kyrnil Long-Nose "gathered the true hearts of the Companions in the wilds" and invaded Jorrvaskr, "killing the usurpers" and becoming Harbinger. He founded the Circle, named after Ysgramor's Circle of Captains. The elite Companions of the Circle served as examples to other members and effectively formed a governing body bent on venerating the old ways of "honor through blood".Secretly, however, the Circle and subsequent Harbingers had been practicing Lycanthropy pursuant to an agreement with the witches of the Glenmoril Coven, who had established a presence in Skyrim.
The specifics on how this agreement came about and the parties to it are not known. Though Long-Nose created the Circle and is lauded for "returning honor through blood" to the Companions, a Harbinger named Terrfyg is credited with first turning the organization to "the ways of the beast". Regardless, the Circle accepted this "gift" from Hircine as payment owed to them by the witches for services rendered, but were deceived into believing it would not be a permanent affliction. Around 4E 201, some members of the Circle, led by Harbinger Kodlak Whitemane, would eventually conclude it was not a gift, but a curse with serious spiritual implications, and worked to eliminate it from the Companions. During this time the group was targeted by a group of werewolf hunters called the Silver Hand who succeeded in killing several members of the Circle including Harbinger Kodlak Whitemane himself. Seeking revenge for the death of their leader, the companions wiped out the Silver Hand at their hideout. The Glenmoril Coven was also destroyed by a new warrior on orders from Kodlak before his death. Using the severed heads of the witches, the surviving Circle members cleansed themselves of their beast blood and also cleansed Kodlak's soul, allowing him to go to Sovngarde.
Structure
The Harbinger
The Circle
The Companions
Public Agenda
Help the people of Skyrim by offering both private and public contracts. Since Tolsirion MacLyon has become the new Harbinger, he has focused the efforts of the companions on the defeat of the Thalmor presence in Skyrim. He is trying to make the Companions to work in tandem with the Fighter's guilds of the other provinces.
There are standing orders, for the Companions to harass, and hinder all Thalmor operations they come across, or if the risk is too great, they are too find out as much as they can on the Thalmor operations. If Tolsirion commits either his holdings, his province, or the College of Winterhold against the Thalmor, the Companions have pledged to aid whatever organization he commits.
It is possible the other Jarls or the Empire may prevent them from interfering with the Thalmor. If this is the case they are not to engage and instead report back to the Harbinger.
Type
Guild, Fighter / Mercenary
Training Level
Elite
Veterancy Level
Decorated/Honored
Leader Title
Location
Comments