Wasim Qharallah's Golden Scimitar

'l'his mercenary group stands out like a sore thumb in Greyhawk City. The group are all Tusmit men (with one exception), evidently sold on the tale that the streets of the Free City are paved with gold. They have come here to seek their fortunes (or, failing this, a good employer). They live in the Foreign Quarter, bunking up in two rooms in a local boarding house, and visiting the Mercenaries' Guildhall every day looking for work.

Their problem is simply that no one knows what to make of them. Some are fearful that they might be spies in the pay of Ket, some wonder what on Oerth a Suloise mage is doing with them, some are simply prejudiced against Bakluni warriors. Wasim is dumbfounded by his lack of success in finding work.

The group has a good pedigree. All were seasoned adventurers in the Yatils, where among their many exploits, they slew a blue dragon and took its hoard, which they cheerfully confess they dissapated on strong drink, fast horses, and faster women. They spent a year in the pay of the Caliph of Ekbir, driving off one troublesome tribe of Wolf Nomad raiders, and they are very proud of their record of decimating a Paynim caravan, stringing up the merchants, stealing the livestock and females, and skillfully running for their lives when a force of three hundred Paynim horsemen came after them.

All are skilled horsemen (with appropriate proficiencies), and are hardy men used to deprivations, sleeping on bare ground, and surviving on meager rations.

They seek only a fair reward in gold for the opportunity of running through an enemy with hard steel in a fair fight. They do not like woodland combat, ambush, or surveillance of any kind, and they chafe at being mere bodyguards to merchants, though they may have to settle for this in due course. They have no allegiances, being as happy to slay Iuis priests as they are to disembowel Furyondians. They are mercenaries of their word, however. They will carry out the details of their contract to the letter, and they will give all they have to fight side by side with those who employ them. Wasim will greatly prefer being hired by a party or individual that has access to healing spells, since his own men include no clerics.

The odd person among them is their mage, Sheroyl Kubiak, an albino Suloise from the lands of the Sea Barons who has a past she does not speak of. She joined the group in Sefmur in 581 CY. Save for Wasim, the males of this group treat her most deferentially and talk of her in terms of superstition amountine to awe. It was Sheroyl who knew where the dragon was to be found, Sheroyl who saved their lives from Paynim ambushes, Sheroyl who saved the lives of five of their number (with a carefully worded wish spell cast from a ring). Each of them would happily die for the strange woman in their midst. For Wasim's part, he respects the mage greatly and knows the value her presence adds to his entourage.

This group can be introduced to PCs almost anywhere within Greyhawk's domain, since they are actively seeking employment. If a PC party is small, this group is an excellent way of bringing up its overall strength. Wasim will negotiate for hours for their pay; he will not accept less than 25 gp per person per week for his men, and 1OOgp per week each for himself and Sheroyl (plus the cost of her spell components and any magical items she uses up). A share of acquired treasure is acceptable as an alternative if the PCs have a credible treasure map, or a concrete mis- sion involving a specific site where treasure can confidently be expected (a dragon lair, etc.).

For any bargain, Wasim demands a ceremonial sealing of the contract. He says very formally, “we share our blood, we share our oaths, we share our gold, we share our women” (Tusmit men are not renowned for lack of chauvinism). This involves cutting his own finger and that of his employer and stamping a bloody thumbprint on a square of cloth, swearing a suitable oath in the temple of any lawful deity, and payment of one week’s wages in advance (Wasim gives a gold coin in return).

The members of this mercenary group follow.