Black Bloods
The Black Bloods
“No contract is greater than our honor, and no reward outweighs the cause we defend.”
The Black Bloods were formed soon after the founding of the Order of the BloodBrothers. They are a mercenary enclave of battle-tested knights and warriors who accept contracts throughout the lands of Hallowmere.
Tempered by the heat of combat and hardened by the trials they have survived, their blood is said to have turned black—a lasting mark of resilience carried by those who have endured where lesser warriors would have fallen.
Renowned for their courage, discipline, and honor, the Black Bloods undertake contracts both great and small. Those seeking their service know to look for them within BloodHaven, where offers are presented, examined, and either accepted or refused.
Mercenaries of BloodHaven
The Black Bloods are warriors for hire, but they are not blades without principle. Their services may be sought by settlements, travelers, allied houses, merchants, commanders, and others in need of experienced protection or military aid.
Their contracts may involve:
- Guarding caravans, travelers, and valuable cargo.
- Protecting settlements, strongholds, and important persons.
- Hunting dangerous creatures, raiders, and hostile forces.
- Recovering stolen property, relics, or captured allies.
- Reinforcing defenders during sieges or periods of unrest.
- Escorting expeditions through dangerous or unfamiliar lands.
- Providing disciplined warriors for battles that require trusted strength.
No contract is dismissed merely because it is small, nor accepted merely because it promises wealth. A humble plea may carry greater worth than a noble’s chest of silver.
The Blackened Blood
The name Black Bloods is tied to the belief that the trials of battle have changed those who carry it. Their blood has been darkened by hardship, sacrifice, and repeated passage through the violence of war.
Whether understood as a physical mark, a sacred transformation, or a symbol of endurance, blackened blood represents a warrior who has been tested and has not broken.
“Fire tempers the blade. Battle tempers the blood.”
To bear the name is not simply to survive combat. It is to return from it with courage intact, honor preserved, and the strength to stand again when another worthy cause calls.
The Law of Contracts
The Black Bloods do not accept every contract presented to them. Each offer is measured against the principles, mission, and greater purpose they are sworn to uphold.
Payment alone cannot purchase their service. Contracts that demand cruelty, dishonor, betrayal, oppression, or action against what the Black Bloods stand for will be refused, regardless of the wealth or influence offered.
Before an agreement is sealed, the purpose of the contract, the identity of those involved, the expected dangers, and the consequences of success are carefully considered.
A contract may be accepted only when the cause is judged worthy and the work does not violate the honor of those being asked to carry it out.
Contracts They Will Refuse
The Black Bloods will not knowingly accept work involving:
- The murder or persecution of innocent people.
- The defense of cruelty, corruption, or deliberate oppression.
- Betrayal of trusted allies or protected settlements.
- Attacks motivated solely by greed, hatred, or personal vengeance.
- The concealment of threats that would endanger the wider lands.
- Any act that violates the principles for which they stand.
Those who attempt to deceive the Black Bloods into accepting such work may discover that the warriors they intended to hire have instead turned their attention toward the deception itself.
Honor Before Payment
Once a worthy contract has been accepted, the Black Bloods pursue it with discipline and resolve. Their word is treated as part of the payment exchanged, and abandoning a sworn agreement without just cause is considered a stain upon their name.
They do not promise victory where none can be guaranteed. They promise only that the contract will be faced with courage, that those under their protection will not be lightly abandoned, and that the warriors sent will give the task the full measure of their strength.
“Coin may secure the contract. Honor determines whether it is accepted.”
Seeking the Black Bloods
Those wishing to offer a contract must seek the Black Bloods within BloodHaven. The nature of the request, the payment offered, the expected opposition, and the purpose behind the work must be stated openly.
An offer does not guarantee acceptance. The Black Bloods reserve the right to question the petitioner, investigate the circumstances, alter the proposed terms, or refuse the contract entirely.
When an agreement is accepted, however, the petitioner gains more than hired swords. They gain warriors whose reputation rests upon courage, endurance, and the belief that a contract worthy of their blood must also be worthy of their honor.