Squad Games — A Mercenary Company Turn-Based/Tactical LitRPG

The Baron

Name

Unknown

Nickname

The Baron

Race/Nationality

Human/Durnish

Age

31

Daily Wage

7 pence

Action Stats

EXP Level

3

Action Points

3

Hit Points

15

Core Stats

Might

6

Agility

12

Grit

6

Intellect

11

Skills

Thievery, Disguise, Knives (proficient)

Equipment

Weapons

Dagger (damage 3-12)

Armour

Padded

Other

Lockpicking and other tools of the trade, Coin of Deception

Twerk

Name

Wilson Turk

Nickname

Twerk

Race/Nationality

Gnome

Age

50

Daily Wage

7 pence

Action Stats

EXP Level

3

Action Points

5

Hit Points

22

Core Stats

Might

14

Agility

6

Grit

5

Intellect

10

Skills

Ambidextrous, axes (proficient)

Equipment

Weapons

Hand axe (damage 3-18), Hand axe (damage 3-18)

Armour

Breastplate, helmet

Other

The Bowman

Name

Christoph Gerd

Nickname

The Bowman

Race/Nationality

Human/Hargon

Age

19

Daily Wage

3 pence

Action Stats

EXP Level

2

Action Points

3

Hit Points

15

Core Stats

Might

8

Agility

7

Grit

5

Intellect

4

Skills

Bows (competent), Knives (novice)

Equipment

Weapons

Short bow (damage 2-12), Dagger (1-4)

Armour

Padded

Other

Arrows of Conflagration

Auntie

Name

Femke Gerd

Nickname

Auntie

Race/Nationality

Human/Hargon

Age

48

Daily Wage

7 pence

Action Stats

EXP Level

3

Action Points

4

Hit Points

21

Core Stats

Might

5

Agility

5

Grit

13

Intellect

11

Skills

Medic, Staves (novice), Bows (novice)

Equipment

Weapons

Cudgel (damage 1-4), short bow (1-6)

Armour

Padded

Other

Medical kit, Potion of Healing

Mila

Name

Liudmila Stradenko

Nickname

Mila

Race/Nationality

Human/Livanian

Age

20

Daily Wage

3 pence

Action Stats

EXP Level

2

Action Points

3

Hit Points

13

Core Stats

Might

3

Agility

10

Grit

8

Intellect

5

Skills

Thievery, Knives (novice)

Equipment

Weapons

Dagger (damage 1-4)

Armour

Padded

Other

Lockpicking and other tools of the trade, Medical kit

Manslayer

Name

Edmund Rigge

Nickname

Manslayer

Race/Nationality

Human/Durnish

Age

34

Daily Wage

3 shillings

Action Stats

EXP Level

4

Action Points

6

Hit Points

29

Core Stats

Might

14

Agility

9

Grit

11

Intellect

7

Skills

Swords (master), Shields (master), Spears (expert), Knives (expert)

Equipment

Weapons

Longsword (Slayer, To Hit +2, Damage +1, damage 6-41), Short Spear (damage 4-24), Knife (damage 4-16), Shield of Resistance (damage 5-15; double shield defence)

Armour

Chain mail, (+Shield)

Other

Ashlyn

Name

Ashlyn Sawrey

Nickname

None

Race/Nationality

Human/Durnish

Age

21

Daily Wage

9 pence

Action Stats

EXP Level

3

Action Points

4

Hit Points

19

Core Stats

Might

8

Agility

9

Grit

8

Intellect

9

Skills

Swords (proficient), Shields (competent), Knives (competent)

Equipment

Weapons

Longsword (Greenblade, ?, damage 3-24), Knife (damage 2-8), Shield (damage 2-6)

Armour

Leather

Other

The Explorer

Name

Jaelin Topolski

Nickname

The Explorer

Race/Nationality

Human/Livanian

Age

26

Daily Wage

8 pence

Action Stats

EXP Level

3

Action Points

4

Hit Points

20

Core Stats

Might

7

Agility

10

Grit

10

Intellect

8

Skills

Scouting, Bows (competent), Knives (competent)

Equipment

Weapons

Shortbow (damage 2-12), Knife (damage 2-8)

Armour

Padded

Other

Rod of Light

‘It’s dangerous, Betty,’ Edmund said, trying to pacify his wife. ‘There’s a town full of brigands. And my companions aren’t exactly the professionals we’re used to working with.’

‘And I haven’t faced countless dangers in the past?’

‘This is different.’

‘How? We used to take on our enemies together.’

‘Because I can’t afford to lose you again.’

She said nothing to that. Her silences were getting more frequent, and longer.

They left Avolo for Eisenberg. There were eight of them, sent to defeat a force of twenty. Edmund was reluctant to take on the role of leader of their group. All the same, he knew they were reliant on him. Ashlyn and Twerk offered solid support. But the three of them were the only fighters in the group, and it was fighters who were needed for this mission.

When they stopped for the night, he and Ashlyn went through their sword drills. She was learning to fight with Greenblade. It had a longer reach than her previous sword, which took some getting used to.

‘It’s no heavier,’ she declared, seemingly pleased with her new weapon.

‘Try it with your shield,’ Edmund suggested. ‘That’s where things can get tricky.’

She did as he suggested. He had already noticed that about her—she accepted tuition well, with none of the defensiveness that was common amongst warriors. He struck out with Slayer, forcing her to defend, then let her move on to the attack.

‘What?’ she asked. ‘I can tell by your expression I’m doing something wrong.’

‘Not wrong, exactly. But you’re very aggressive with the shield.’

‘I was always taught to use the shield as a second weapon.’

‘Which is true. But think of it like this. Your sword—even more so now you have one with magic—will get you your kills. Use your shield strike in a way that opens up your opponent to your sword strike. And make sure you can bring it in for defence. You’ll do more damage in a battle if you can preserve your hit points.’

‘Makes sense,’ Ashlyn conceded.

The Bowman had returned from target practice and watched them train. ‘When will I learn the blade?’ he asked.

‘When you’ve mastered the bow,’ Edmund suggested.

‘Huh. What about this sword, then, Ashlyn? Have you worked out what it does yet?’

She frowned. ‘No.’

The green jewel in the pommel was the only clue they had as to what magic had been imbued into the weapon, and it had revealed nothing so far.

‘Perhaps you’ll find out when the fighting begins,’ Edmund suggested.

‘That’s your concern?’ Twerk demanded.

Edmund hadn’t noticed the gnome was there.

‘At least you were given a magic item! I’ve been left empty handed!’

‘But none of the weapons were the right size for you,’ Ashlyn said. She held her sword out, as if offering it to Twerk.

‘Exactly! It’s discrimination.’

‘It’s discrimination that the barrow had no gnome-sized weapons?’ Edmund asked, genuinely confused.

‘Of course it is! Humans don’t notice it, because everything in the world is human sized. Makes everything ten times harder for the likes of us.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Ashlyn said. ‘Next time, we’ll look out for something for you.’

Twerk couldn’t find anything to object to in that statement, and wandered away, grumbling to himself.

Next morning, they took it easy. There was no point in tiring themselves. They would attack at night, when the brigands were in bed. Even if they had a night watch set up, Edmund didn’t expect it to be very serious.

The Explorer led the way. Twerk walked with him. Edmund couldn’t tell whether that was because the gnome thought he was in charge, or because he enjoyed Jaelin’s company. He and Ashlyn formed the rearguard, drifting back far enough to allow them to talk in private.

‘Whoever taught you the sword did a fine job,’ Edmund commented, reminded of his thoughts from yesterday’s practice.

‘My father.’

They walked on in silence, and Edmund thought that was all she would say.

‘It was just me and him. When he died, the local sheriff used his friends in the courts to take my family’s lands. They left me with nothing but the clothes on my back, and the weapons in my belt. I’d heard about Gal’azu, and decided I had nothing to lose. I thought it might be a fresh start.’

‘I’m sorry, Ashlyn. I came here for a fresh start, too.’

She was silent again for a while.

‘Edmund?’

‘Yes?’

‘What’s the story with your wife?’

He couldn’t help but smile at the way she asked. ‘Me and Betty were inseparable. We crewed together for years—a perfect team, you might say. She got ill. A horrible disease. I didn’t know what to do with myself after she died. Like you, I ended up on a ship to Gal’azu. But Betty came with me. I still speak to her sometimes. When we’re alone.’

The rest of the crew had stopped, curtailing their conversation.

‘What is it?’ Edmund asked.

‘Eisenberg,’ The Bowman said. ‘In striking distance.’