The Shieldmaidens of Serry

The town of Serry in Illium's east is guarded by a militia of women warriors called the Shieldmaidens. They are an oath-bound order of warriors and rangers, independent from the Imperial Legion, tasked with protecting Serry and its surrounding countryside. Though they may lack the resources and numbers of the Imperial garrisons they are fierce fighters, well-respected in their home town and treated with great trepidation by the desert nomads they are sworn to defend against.

History

Nearly a hundred years ago a warband of desert nomads crossed Illium’s border via an unguarded mountain passage. Serry was a large wealthy town, ripe for plunder. The Imperial Legion had only a token garrison and Serry’s male population would spend weeks at a time in the iron and silver mines, many leagues away.
Folk legend has it that the nomads raided the town in the dead of night, razing the Tradehall and slaughtering the garrison in their sleeps. A local smith’s wife took up weapons freshly forged in her husband’s workshop, arming her daughters and the other women of the town. It was a pitched battle with many casualties, but the nomads were successfully repelled. According to legend the smith’s wife joined with the tanner’s old mother and the acolyte from the temple - together they called on the women of the town to surrender the hearth in exchange for spear, shield and saddle. Over a hundred women came together and formed the Shieldmaidens of Serry, a militia dedicated to defending the town of Serry and its surrounds.
The Shieldmaidens rebuilt the Trade Hall after the first raid, and the next generation would expand, fortify and turret the hall into what is now known as the Shieldhall - Serry's most impressive building.

Values and Reputation

The Shieldmaidens live by a simple code of loyalty, courage and community. Though born out of necessity they have become a fierce institution in the local area and have grown into a sizeable force (including their reserve of women in the home they are estimated to outnumber the local imperial garrison three to one). They serve as the town’s watch, guard merchants and journeymen on the road, and patrol passages in the nearby countryside.
Shieldmaidens guard their town suspiciously from outsiders, and are known to pick fights. At worst they can be little more than highwaymen, extorting money from travellers at “shield tolls”. The imperial legion is suspicious of them but generally tolerates their presence and power, as it means one less settlement to spread their thin manpower. The townsfolk are endeared to the Shieldmaidens, many of whom will still retain some duties in the home. The Shieldmaidens should be respected by those journeying through Serry and feared by any who intend to test their boundaries.

Hierarchy

The Shieldmaidens refer to each other as “sister” and to their elders as “mother”. Their commander is elected by vote, usually after much debate and ale. She appoints captains for the different groups of rangers, guardians, crafters and women-at-arms that comprise their ranks.
They fly a tan and green banner emblazoned with a ram's head, spear and horseshoe. With the heat off the Arid Waste the armoured Shieldmaidens wear plate or chain with sandy or green-coloured surcoats. Most cut their hair short and tattoo runes or totem animals on their backs and chest.

Type

Military, Paramilitary/Militia