Starcleaver Bounty Service

From Mizahar Lore

Evantide Tower is one of the larger outposts of the Syliran Knights, and houses the Starcleaver Bounty Service.

Starcleaver Bounty Service is located a day's ride north of Syliras within the Evantide Outpost. One need only follow the Kabrin Road north from the city to reach it. Because of its proximity to the city and the regular need to supply the company of Knights who are stationed there, most people can easily get a ride with one of the caravans for a few coins.

The Starcleaver Bounty Service doesn't take up a large amount of room within the Evantide Outpost. Despite being a self-proclaimed professional band of mercenaries and considerably small in numbers, the Starcleaver Bounty Service tends to be the main attraction to the outpost at all. The more prevalent members of the organization live here for a majority of the year, along with a few unnamed farmers, merchants, and of course a company of Knights.

Most visitors to the Evantide Outpost tend to be hardened warriors, trackers, fighters, failed squires, ex-soldiers, hunters, or just thugs that are looking for quick money. The reason is simple: the Starcleaver Bounty Service pays very well for a job very well done. They have strict rules, guidelines to how each and every single job must be performed, what must be done, and the matter of time that is allotted to execute the task. They, being hardened veterans of war themselves, have more than enough experience to tell who has a chance at not only bringing in the prize but surviving, and who doesn't have a hope.

The Bounty Office is no more than a small stone room fitted with three desks, one for each of the three leaders of the Starcleave Mercenaries, and a chair where the Nuit Kholm is always seen. Charge, Edrick Starcleaver, and Urlan Mother Malice Reneben are the three that either accept or deny any bounty, or any Hunter seeking a quick payday. Despite all three varying drastically in personality, none of them are willing to risk the reputation of their organization on weak or unsatisfactory candidates.

History

Though it may seem anathema to the tenants of the Knighthood, the Dyres family has always understood that the world is not an ideal place. While they can somewhat control what goes on within their walls, Mizahar is a much bigger place. Not only that, but their resources are not as limitless as they might seem - and they only seem limitless because the Knights make some rather tough choices.

As such, they cannot personally rescue every citizen that might be taken as a slave, or hunt down every bandit that might have shed blood on the Kabrin Road, or worry themselves over a thief who flees the city. But they are also not foolish enough to believe that their citizenry wouldn't take such matters into their own hands if emotions ran high enough. As such, when they were approached by the Starcleave Mercenaries about opening a business within their domain, rather than dismiss it out of hand they examined it as the opportunity it could be.

Though they condone the operations of the Bounty Office, the Dyres set forth some very explicit rules as to how the business could be run. Infractions carry a heavy price, and one not often seen by anyone outside the Mercenaries. As such, Starcleave make damned sure that they enforce their rules and test all applicants who wish to become a Freelancer. Any assignment brought to them as a bounty is accepted completely at their discretion, and rejection of a bounty is not always accompanied by an explanation. Sometimes they simply say "No," and once said there is no bribe that can change their minds.

Rules of the Bounty Office

The Starcleaver Bounty Service has a few rules that are required to be followed at all times. Should a single rule be broken, the consequences are dire.

1. All contracts are to be paid for up front, a sum decided by Charge, Edrick, and Mother Malice.
2. Accepting a contract requires that the freelancer proves his/her skills are competent enough for the specific mission.
3. All contracts accepted by the freelancer must be taken up in the bounty office prior to attempting to complete the contract. Meaning, if there is a bandit that is wanted and brought in before the contract was taken out, the contract is void. No refunds, no rewards.
4. Accepting a contract at the bounty office does not grant affiliation with Starcleave Mercenaries. By accepting a bounty, you are considered a Freelancer. You life is in your own hands. Your responsibilities are your own.
5. Contracts can be accepted by a party of several persons, but extra mizas will not be granted and the reward is divided evenly amongst those accepting the contract. All members must be present when the contract is accepted, finished, and concluded. If a member of said party falls, his/her portion is not collected by the survivors; instead their share will be taken to provide a proper funeral.
6. All contracts submitted are suggested to deal outside of all cities. This means that a bounty slain in Syliras for the reason of bringing him in (in case of a dead or alive status) will invoke the wrath of the Knights. All recollection of the Freelancer is ignored, and any association he or she had with the Starcleaver Bounty Office will be denied. Each city deals with the bounties differently, and as such the Freelancer is responsible for taking appropriate action when and where necessary.
7. Failed or incomplete contracts will receive no payment, full nor partial. All criteria must be met for the contract to be considered intact and valid.
8. Any persons of particularly notoriety or known to be lawbreakers are automatically denied all business with Starcleaver Bounty Service.
9. All contracts must be dealt with in a timely manner upon accepting a contract. If the contract is fulfilled, but not within the settled timeframe, then the Freelancer receives no payment, full nor partial.