When playing the game and looking at the latest devlogs, I can’t help but notice an odd spot in the roster of Bandits and Noble Houses. While undead have necromancers/ancient priests and goblins have witch doctors, the regular human enemies lack that sort of dedicated support unit. This in mind, I
The Court Wizard
Among the halls of the highborn, men knowledgeable in many fields may be found, yet none are so reclusive as those mockingly called “Court Wizards” though they prefer the title of Astrologers. You see, it is said that the fate of all men is written in the stars and the Astrologers, who have dedicated their lives to studying the heavens, have unlocked the secret of not only seeing, but altering destiny itself. In battles they have proven themselves to be a boon to allies and a terror to enemies, for with the proper words and the correct signs, they can change the flow of fortune on the battlefield: friends will strike true, enemies will find their blows lacking and their assaults aimless. But these tricks are minor compared to the grand power of a master Astrologer, who not only share these secrets of foresight, but also know the way of shaping light itself: perfectly disguising the name and nature of a warrior to all onlookers: too often have those houses who scorn their power and slight their reputation given an offhanded and lazy swing to what they thought was a peasant militiaman, only to find the retaliatory strike of a trained knight awaiting them.
The short of it: a support unit available to noble houses that can pull two nasty tricks: Increasing/decreasing the hit chance of enemies and allies and being able to swap the appearance of two units at the start of a battle.
The Hedge Mage
Out in the wilderness, hidden in deep green glades and mountain caves there are odd hermits, who live off secluded pools and eat the moss and mushrooms that grow about their abode. Most of the time, they just die from the horrific toxins present in these, but sometimes they live: at least long enough to find out which are poisonous and which are safe. In time, they will come to learn that there is in truth, little different between poison and medicine and will start to harvest the inedible specimens to make from them a variety of helpful poultices and admixtures.
Every once in a while, when the lands are in turmoil and the bandits grow numerous, the most powerful of these self-proclaimed “Hedge Knights” may seek the services of one of these hermits. What exactly the hermit stands to gain is obscure, but to the hedge knight they are invaluable, not only gifting them with a consistent source of healthcare, but also taking to the field to administer their signature concoctions as they fight. These tinctures generally take two forms: a sludgy grey drink, brewed from spotted mushrooms that drives men into a state not unlike the feared orc berserk. Thankfully, mere men are unable to replicate the signature leaping charge of the orc, but unhappily, under the effects of the drink they will prove fearless and filled with unnatural strength and endurance. The other creation of theirs, an odd poultice made from florescent mosses, instead has a near-miraculous ability to close wounds and clot blood, putting even a half-dead man bleeding out back into the fight.
You might ask, considering the usefulness of their tinctures, why they don’t see wider employment? The answer is simple: they are uniformly half-mad hermits with no knowledge of proper medicine. Their potions, while effective, cause such devastating and horrific long-term damage that no sane person would willingly use them. But, their employers are desperate banditry and oftentimes tomorrow is a luxury that they just don’t have.
The short of it:: a support unit available to high level bandit groups that can also pull two nasty but very distinct tricks: a healing poultice that can get a wounded bandit going again and a maddening concoction that can drive a bandit into a berserk rush, ignoring morale effects and lessening fatigue.
.