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"Ah, Carcassonne. I came into Bretonnia over the mountains, and my first job was as a “Shepherdess.” Me and the rest of my company. We had a sheep to look after. We protected Bessy from half a dozen Orc warbands, and then the stupid animal fell down a cliff. I decided to move on..."

Marietta, Tilean Mercenary.[1]
Carcassonne Shepherd

A Carcassonne Shepherdess.

The Shepherds (fem. Shepherdesses) of Carcassonne are the dukedom's first line of defence against the Orc raiders who infest the mountains.[1c]

Role[]

"Don’t argue with the Shepherdesses."

—Tilean mechant’s advice to his son before the latter left for Bretonnia.[1b]

Peasants cannot, of course, be trusted to fight independently, and it would greatly shame Bretonnians to hire Mercenaries. However, the flocks of sheep in the foothills of the mountains do need protecting, and so there is no shame in hiring shepherds who can defend themselves.[1c]

Shepards often work alone, though a new recruit may be paired with an older individual. Obviously, a single Human, no matter how well trained, cannot expect to take on an entire Orc war-band, so the Shepherds are trained to gather information, slow the band down, and report its location to the local nobility.[1a]

They also look after flocks of sheep. A shepherd who loses his sheep is mercilessly mocked by his fellows, which leads many of them to take absurd risks to recover even a single lost lamb.[1a]

Shepherdesses are particularly renowned in the rest of Bretonnia for strength, courage, and a complete lack of feminine charm.[1c]

Nobles would have to hide their heritage in order to become one of the shepherds, but it does happen.[1a]

Notable Sheperds[]

  • Gertrude - Gertrude is an experienced Shepherdess, active in the southwestern region of Carcassonne. She looks the part: a heavily built, grim Woman with short hair and a Longbow. In her time, she has led dozens of small Orc war bands into traps and guided parties of Knights to larger groups.

Sources[]

  • 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Knights of the Grail (RPG)
    • 1a: pg. 95
    • 1b: pg. 92
    • 1c: pp. 64-65
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