The Alcatani Fellowship

"Rod-rigo, Rod-rigo, marching through the land.......Rod-rigo Rod-rigo with his honest band.....Feared by the greedy......Loved by the needy......Rod-rigo, Rod-rigo,Rod-rigo...."

- The Marching Song of the Alcanti Fellowship

The Alcantani Fellowship is a famous Dogs of War Mercenary Company that has worked for the Lords of the Empire, the Princes of Tilea and even has worked for the common people, for he himself has felt the pain of lost and ruination, and is considered the only mercenary company that is not completely depenedent on money, but has done stuff for the good-will of the people, making him an extremely famous mercenary captain of the common people, and often his company of do-gooders has won many of battles that has earned this reputation.

It was in some desperation that Roderigo Delmonte surveyed the ruins of his crop. Yesterday he had stood upon the same spot and admired the unfolding acres of Alcatani ripening in the hot Tilean sun. Today however, where once had grown apples and citrus, vines and olive trees, there are nothing but charred smouldering stumps upon a ravaged landscape. The Passage of El Cadavo's rampaging army has left him an imporverhim and broken man. The agricultural efforts of a long and hard life has proven utterly and cruelly fruitless.

The life of a farmer, even a wealthy landowner, was never an easy one in the war-torn land of Tilea. When Roderigo Delmonte found himself destitue he embarked upon the only course of action that remained for him; he became a soilder of fortune. His workforce, faced with the unappealing option of starvation, signed up without question. In Remas, Roderigo sold his last and favourite mule and with the proceeds bought some shoddy armour, a few second-hand helmets, and a batch of slightly bent pikes. With a bit of elbow grease, a few hammer blows, and the aid of a steaming kettle, Roderigo's mean set of preparing themselves for their first battle. By the time they had finished they didn't look too bad!

History
"Miserable do-gooding, no-account, back-stabbing, underhand, "s getting" so an honest landlord can't even relieve a bunch of farmers of their crops without someone stickin' their ugly noses in. A bunch of lousy, dog-breathed.....NO I HAVEN"T ANY LAST WORDS."

- Last Words of Bernado "the Rat"

The Alcanti Fellowship's first job was not particularly glamours or lucrative - escourting a consigment of dung to a rhubarb grower outside Remas - but soon Roderigo began to gain a reputaion for reliability. The rich and succesful were prepared to pay top-price for the best troops..... but for every rich merchants there were ten small scale operators who couldn't afford the services of the more expensive mercenaries. The Alcantani Fellowship found a niche! Despite rather a modest origin the Alcantani Fellowship has proven itself on more than one occasion. Their first battle more or less set the trend. The villagers of Buccolia, a small vine growing community in the lee of the Apuccini Mountians, found themselves terrorized by a particuarly nasty gang of Orcs. These Greenskins had come to Tilea as mercenaries, but had proven so unreliable and untrustworthy that no one would employ them. So they became bandits instead, raiding the small farms and villages and generally making life miserable for poor hard-working village folk.

In Buccolia the villagers pooled all their savings to hire mercenaries to help them, but sadly no one was willing to work for seven ducats, three farthings, and a goat. Even the money lenders refused to deal with them. When Roderigo Delmonte heard of their plights he was angered and indignant! The Villagers story was a familiar tale of honest hard-working folk (rare enough in Tilea) unable to find justice in Tilea just cause their poor or powerless. Rodrigo knew this tale very well indeed. Although he had not exactly grown rich as a mercenary, what he had was enough, and so he decided to help the desperate village. The Alcantani Fellowship arrived in the dead of night, after a long march in the pouring rain. From the roadside they could see the smouldering torches of the Orc raiders as they climbed down the slopes behind the village. Tired and hungry as they were, the valiant pikemen prepared for battle. It was quite a surprise for the Orcs. They had expected helpless groveling peasants. Instead they found themselves confronted by a grim face men steel-tipped pikes, who fought with the determination of the possessed! After a short struggle the undiciplined Orc raiders lay dead and scattered. Roderigo had triumphed. In return he asked for no money - only the thanks of the villagers. This, the villager were more then willing to give!

Since that day, the Alcantani Fellowship has fought many battles, for many masters, including many of the richest and most famous mercenary Generals of Tilea. But even today they are willing to fight for the poor and helpless at rates which are far below those of most mercenary companies. Although he may never be rich himself, amongst the common people of the country-side Roderigo Delmonte is the most popular mercenary captain in the land. He is cheered and greeted wherever he goes and stories of his unselfish deeds are told around the hearths of simple folk throughout all Tilea.