The 111th Company of Orm and the Iron Door of the Rani

 The adventuring centered around 'The Complex' has caught the attention of local ruler the Rani. Since the events that revealed that underworld occurred, there were rumors of her newly strange behavior and distracted attentions. That all changed when the monstrosity called Oloth El'gg Ssuson came to Orm and the raids that followed in its wake. The Rani declared the unregulated delves into 'The Complex' and the culture of recklessness around it responsible for these ill fortunes befalling Orm. To prevent such things from occurring again, the Rani has seized control over the entrances to this underground dungeon.

Who Can Delve into 'The Complex'?

Under the decree of the Rani, only those authorized to delve shall be granted access to the underworld space known as 'The Complex'. Rumor has it that she auctioned off early access to a foreign adventuring group known as the Illustrious Company of Khourau (an NPC party from the Principality of Kouz). Members of the knightly Order of the Dragon belonging to the contingent lead by the Bronze Dragon have been running hunting parties into there as well.

As for the adventuring communities around the Drinking Crow and the Burning Witch, they currently are allowed to travel in and out of the dungeon as long they pay a 10% tax on any treasure being brought out of 'The Complex'. This access can be lost by either being caught once doing the following:

• Utilizing an undisclosed entrance outside of service to the Impossible Fortress and its ruler the Rani.
• Working against Orm in the service of a power based within 'The Complex'
• Murdering a member of the 111th Company

Or earning three strikes by being caught:

• Evading the Iron Door tax
• Utilizing a known but closed entrance
• Operating in the interests of a foreign power over the interests of Orm
• Acting with blatant disregard for the safety of a member of the 111th Company

 Evading the tax will be forgiven if the tax is later paid with an additional 5% penalty fee.

How Does The Rani Maintain This Control?

In order to regulate access to 'The Complex', the Rani has seized control of the publicly known entrances to the dungeon. The northern entrance, located in the ruins of Orm-of-Old has been sealed with a stone cap due to its dangerous nature. A large oozing entity dwells at the foot of this entrance's stairs. It has killed most of the adventuring party that encountered it and ebbed its way up to the surface world as it did it.

The more commonly used cliff-side entrance, located on the beaches to the north of Orm, has been sealed via different means. A iron door has been installed into the cliff controlling access both entering and leaving the dungeon. It is here that the Rani currently authorizes access and collects her 10% tax.

To manage her entrances and collect her taxes, the Rani has granted a contract to a group experienced with the underworld beyond: the Exalted 111th Company of Hirelings and Retainers. To bolster the 111th's efforts and abate the influence of the strange waters that trickle out the cliff-side entrance, the Rani has gained the services of retired adventurer Bors Redbeard.  

In addition to guarding the entrances to the dungeon and collecting taxes, members of the 111th Company can be hired to assisted in delves operating out of the Iron Door. A strange underworld with grand treasures and even greater untold dangers awaits beyond the Rani's Iron Door. Adventures seeking it rewards often hire assistance for their perilous expeditions. So far, 45 souls have been claimed by this Underworld with 23 of them being those hired into service.

Below, those seeking the Company's services will find their rates and terms of service. Those that find them disagreeable can look to the Illustrious Company of Khou for mercenaries or the Lamplighter Guild for torchbears. Services hired outside of these organizations risk a blackmark with them all, fines, and potential imprisonment.

The Rules

Here are the standard rules for retainers (what B/X calls NPCs that adventure in dungeons with player characters). We are deviating from them a quite a bit. There are separate rules for long term retainers (currently living in an unfinished blog post).. Here, we are delving into folks a player would hire a session at a time. Here are basics:

1. No reaction roll is need to hire a retainers from the Company and no gold is needed to be spent in order to recruit potential candidates.
2. The below table contains rates for employment:
   

   How to Hire a Member of the 111th Company
   Gold Spent	Dice Rolled to Determine Hireling
   5gp	Roll a d6 on the hireling list
   25gp	Roll a d20 on the hireling list
   50gp	Roll a d12+8 on the hireling list
   100gp	Pick a hireling from the list
   PCs with poor standing with the 111th Company pay at a rate of one tier higher
   Player’s looking to increase the loyalty of a Company member for a delve can step up the payment by a tier beyond the tier they are hiring for (along with observing the 1/2 treasure share standard).

3. Treasure shares of 1/2 are standard. The below table shows how changes in treasure shares modify loyalty scores:
   

   Treasure Share	Loyalty Score Modifier
   None	-2
   1/4	-1
   1/2	Standard
   1	+1
   Gift of Magic Item	+2

4. Why are we even talking about loyalty so much when the PC will not have a long term relationship with the retainer? It will be tracked in two ways.
1. During the session, retainers put into particularly perilous situations will make loyalty checks rolling 2d6 (modified by reaction bonus, etc.). On a failed roll, they will flee.
1. Upon hire, members of the Company are trusted by the guild to be able to appraise reason risks of danger during their employment. Those that flee due to failed loyalty checks when asked to do something especially perilous (like being abandoned in a dangerous part of a dungeon, asked to fight against overwhelming odds, etc.) do not allow for refunds nor do they allow for negotiations on future rates. 
2. At the end of a session, the retainer will roll a loyalty check (based on similar modifiers as above) to check the PC's standing with the Company. Failed checks at the end of sessions have cumulative results as follows:
• 1 failed check puts the PC in bad standing. They must pay one tier higher to hire the services of a Company member.
• 3 failed checks sees the PC banned from hiring the services of members of the Company.
5. How do I modifiy loyalty checks outside of pay, treasure shares, or charisma modifiers?
   

   Action Taken	Loyalty Roll Modifier	Effect to Standing.
   Known to have killed a Company member.	-	Banned* or 1 strike is gained if it is determined to have been for reasonable means.
   Rumored to have killed a Company member.	-2	-
   Cruel treatment of a Company member.	-1	1 strike
   Went back on word to the Company or Company member.	-1	-
   Risked life for a Company Member	+1	-
   Ransomed or rescued a Company Member.	+1	Removes a strike
   Saved the life of a Company Member.	+1	Removes a strike
   Returned a Company Member to life.	+2	Removes two strikes or grants special standing.

6. Wergild of 100gp or a full share of treasure (which ever is higher) is paid to retainers maimed to the extent they can not longer adventure or to their families if they parish. Failure to pay automatically bans a PC from using the Company's services in the future.
7. Company members gain XP from adventures (track by the DM). Should they advance beyond Level 1, their standard treasure share advances to 1 full share.

Members of the 111th Company

1. Chauncy upbeat and polite orphan form the streets of Orm

    Level 0 Orphan. HD 1d4. Attk Dagger +0 (dmg 1d4). Wears a tunic and a jaunty half cape (AC 10)

    At the end of each session, roll a d6. On a 1, Chauncy takes on the class (or closest comparable class)     of the PC that hired him.

2. Axel Cerulean War veteran that has 'seen some things'. More than likely drunk.

    Level 0 Man-at-Arms. HD1 d4. Attk Scimitar +0 (dmg 1d6). Wears a ratty old military uniform            (AC11). Always carries a wineskin.

3. Theela Ruul towering amazon exiled from her tribe. Known to get caught up in the heat of battle

    Level 0 Amazon. HD 1d4. Attk Handaxe +0 (dmg 1d6). Wears fur vest (AC 12).

Drone 7 by their creator Rob A.

4. Drone 7 survivor of the decimated communist collective called the Red Hive.

    Level 0 Drone. HD 1d4. Attk Mace +0 (dmg 1d6). Wears an artificial carapace (AC 14) 

5. The Sargent one-eyed grizzled Cerulean War veteran. Terrible at ranged attacks.

    Level 0 Woman-at-Arms. HD 1d4. Attk Polearm +0 (dmg 1d10), Dagger +0 (dmg 1d4). Wears a            standard issue buff coat and uniform (AC 12)

6. Palla another

    Level 0 Amazon. HD 1d4. Attk Polearm +0 (dmg 1d10), dagger +0 (dmg 1d4). Wears the scales of a     wurm of the wastes (AC14).

Wooh Man by their creator Marie

7. Wooh Man 

    Level 1 "Human". HD 1d8/1d6/1d4*. Attk dagger +0 (dmg 1d4). Wooh Man is never without their         fur coat (AC 12). Infravision 60'. Detect construction 2-in-6 chance. Saves as a dwarf. Can do the         drudge work of three people.
    *When reduced to 0 HP, make a death save. On a failure, Wooh Man is dead. On a success, roll new     HP for Wooh Man with a hit dice of 1d6. If reduced to 0 HP again, follow the above steps but with         the new hit dice of 1d4. Each time this happens, Wooh Man become shorter.

Pudding by their creator Josh

8. Pudding also known as 'Worm-eater'. Can mimic human speech with an unsettling, screeching voice.

    Their numerous scars feed rumors of them being escaped pit fighting beast in a nice sweater.

    Level 1 Mutant-Thing. HD 1d8. Attk Claws x 2 +2 (dmg 1d4+2) and beak +2 (dmg 1d6+2). Wears a      custom chain shirt (AC 14). Has a 2-in6 chance on listen rolls. Can only be surprised on 1-in-6           chance.

9. Murfy Underachieving neophyte in the Transcendental Congress of the Aureate Precepts and self-        proclaimed anarchist.

    Level 1 Magic-User. HD 1d4. Attk dagger +0 (dmg 1d4). Wears the same black tunic and a half cape     every day (AC 10). Roll 1d12 to determine what spell she knows at the beginning of every session.

10. Merry Mako the Singing Spearman known for his laugh and near-constant humming or whistling

    Level 1 Fighter. HD 1d8. Attk spear +0 (dmg 1d6) or dagger +0 (dmg 1d4). Wears a beat-up half-           plate (AC 14).

11. Butterfingers burglar and pie thief with a strong love of pastries- especially hand pies.

    Level 1 Halfling. HD 1d6. Attk dagger +0 (dmg 1d4). Wears street clothes and juanty hat (AC 10). 

Gorky by his creator Sean

12. Gorky A small and purple faun-like being from the Frisculating Fens. Mischievous and rowdy.  

    Level 1 Goblin of the Glooming. HD 1d6. Attk dagger +0 (dmg 1d4). Wears a red & white robe             (AC10). AC +2 when attacked by enemies taller than a human. Infravision 60 ft'. Move silently             3-in-6 chance.

13. Armunn Drum masked holyman devoted to recording the final days of the world.

    Level 1 Cleric of the Watch. HD 1d6. Attk Mace +0 (dmg 1d6). Wears chainmail under his maroon         and gold robes (AC 14).

14. Shoeless Vo young urchin from the rough part of town. Refuses to don footwear of any kind.

    Level 1 Thief. HD 1d4. Attk sling +0 (dmg 1d4) or dagger +0 (dmg 1d4). Wears a leather apron over     ragged street clothes with a bandana accent around her neck (AC 12). All thief skills 1-in-6 chance         except Hear Noise 2-in-6 and Climb Walls 4-in-6 respective chances.

Steffi by her creator Josh

15. Steffi comes from an unpronounceable place to the north where people braid each other' hair and        eat something called 'hagfish'. Her native language uses the dwarfin alphabet. Aloof, per the tenants     of her faith.  

    Level 1 Paladin of Jólakötturinn, the giant cat of winter. HD 1d8. Attk sword +1 (dmg 1d8+1).             Wears cat-themed plate armor and carries a shield (AC 18). Immune to disease. Can lay on hands for        a total of 2 HP per day. Carries a ball of yarn.

Yeoman Klang

16. Yeoman Klang claims to be a former sailor from the Holy-Empire-That-Is. His face is scarred by         acid and has a sickly pallor. Known to display a extra degree of loyalty from time to time.

    Level 2 Thief. HD 2d4. Attk short sword -1 (dmg 1d6-1) or crossbow +1 (dmg 1d6). Wears leather        armor (AC 13). All thief skills 1-in-6 chance except Hear Noise 2-in-6 and Climb 5-in-6 respective         chances.

Sed-Thaan by his creator Curtis

17. Sed-Thaan laconic holy warrior from wastes. Prefers protecting and healing. Carries a big book.

    Level 1 Paladin. HD 1d8. Attk fist +1 (dmg 1d2+1). Wears robes over full plate armor and carries a         tower shield called Lecturn (AC18). Immune to Diseases. Can lay on hands to heal up to 2 HP per         day.

18. Smokey Proag Halfling elder who claims to have had her own adventures back in the day.

    Level 3 Halfling. HD 3d6. Attk Short Sword +0 (dmg 1d6) or sling +1 (dmg 1d4). Wears leather             armor over a gown (AC 12). +2 AC against attackers larger than human size. Listens with a 2-in-6         chance. When underground, hides in shadows with a 2-in-6 chance. 

Doogan by his creator Sam

19. Doogan Grumpy chef and culinary rival of the Bludoon.

    Level 3 Dwarf. HD 3d8. Attk Frying pan +0 (dmg 1d6). Wearing a line cook's hat and a leather apron     (AC 12). Infravision 60'. Detects construction and room traps with a 2-in-6 chance. Listens with a             2-in-6 chance. For purposes of movement, considered one encumbrance rank slower.

Sunya Strong

20. Sunya Strong Strongest there is. Most seasoned member of the 111th Company (outside of maybe         Smokey). Exceedingly loyal to those that do right by her.

    Level 2 Fighter. HD 2d8. Attk two-handed sword +3 (dmg 1d10+3). Wears chainmail (AC 14). Has a     Strength of 18.