The Ducal Scouts are a force of frontiersmen and skirmishers that were raised by the late Duke Rocco to patrol the border of Everwatch and Harmonias. The Scouts are made up of mixed bloods, half-breeds and rough and ready rascals used to living on the borders of the humanoid lands. Recently their ranks have swelled with remnant ‘half-bloods’ looking for a safe home after the liberation of Harmonias. Some of these ‘half-bloods’ look very full blood humanoid but no one is pressing the issue as long as they toe the line and follow orders. Within the scouts, fieldcraft, stealth and observation were always valued over rigid military discipline and foolhardy courage. They were stationed along the border and frequently spread in to the humanoid lands where they often laid ambushes and fought running battles with the orcs and their allies. A rough band that, in the words of the late Duke, “Took the war back to those that would make war on us.” No questions were asked about a recruit’s past and as long as they behaved within the Duchy of Everwatch they were not overly bothered. Many were indeed ‘poachers turned game keepers’ and one of the few cast iron rules was that no blood feuds were carried over in to the Scouts. They knew the border lands well and in many cases were even the raiders that came across it. Any deserters re-captured by the Scouts were always executed, so few joined them lightly though also more than a few joined from commuted death sentences.
They relied heavily on ranged weapons backed by sword and spear. Duke Rocco called them his best skirmish troops and also the least to be trusted with his purse. Indeed they have a reputation for looting from the humanoids they kill which is unsurprising given the number of rogues within the ranks along with fighters and rangers. They are accepted by the other Ducal troops and even respected for their scout skills but never really loved nor wholly trusted. The Knights Heroic of the Heironeous Temple particularly despise them for their unchivalric and underhand tactics. The head of the Scouts was ‘Widowblade’ Naldesh, an alleged worshipper of wickedness and gifted unconventional war leader. After the death of Duke Rocco and the fall of Castle Everwatch, the Scouts had been scattered and ceased to be an organised force. Lady Katalin reformed the unit under Krayvan Sankari (Pronounced: Craven Sank-our-ee) a capable Half-Hobgoblin Captain and half-brother of Mulabarsh, the then leader of the Kal-Varzt Hobgolin clan. They shared the same father Geznem, who had a sordid taste for human females. Geznem had over twenty offspring, that he acknowledged, and undoubtedly many more he did not. For a while Krayvan Sankari was even made chieftain of the Kal-Varzt but was betrayed by his clan followers and barely escaped with his life. The Kal-Varzt Hobgolins later abandoned their fortress of Fal’n’fort (Telchion) when Rufus Renfrew and his mercenaries marched on the keep. They fled south to Harmonias and joined the ranks of the humanoids only to be defeated again.
When Margrave Quellin of Harmonias ordered the Hextor led slaughter of all with humanoid blood within his lands many half-bloods fled north while most full bloods fled south. A number have offered their services to the Ducal Scouts and those that are strong of arm and fit of mind with a ‘decent enough’ character were accepted in to the ranks. Thus a second company of Ducal Scouts has been formed. With the end of the Humanoid rule the scouts stand at three forces. The largest 2nd company is based as Astonwick were close to 400 scouts help Lady Agnes clear the surrounding lands of humanoids remnants. The 1st company is the oldest and most established and is based at Castle Telchion where it keeps an eye on the Orc’s Cleft and stops any remnant humanoids from moving in to Everwatch. The newest force is the 3rd Scouts who are stationed at Maidenvale from where they patrol the nearby lands.