Sometime soon (possibly next session) my players are going to go to Mivon and try and cut a deal to hire a unit of Aldori mercenaries :) And I suddenly realised that I don't really know what Aldori mercenaries look like.
Normally, I would sit down and build a few to get a feel for the way they work. However, I am really strapped for time at the moment - bits of Mivon still to write, bits of Drelev still to write. I finish one PT job on Friday and a second PT job (where I need to go out with a 'performance') on Sunday and starting a new FT one on Monday that is miles away .... Busy, Busy, Busy.
So I thought I might try and pick your brains :) What do your favourite lowish level (L5/6 ish) Aldori look like? What sort of gear do they have when they go to war rather than when they are duelling at The Sevier?
Hmm - that's another thought, they are bound to watch a duel. What sort of gear do they use when they are duelling as opposed to battling?
Any help with descriptions would be greatly appreciated.
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Okay, my Mivonese Aldori probably look completely different than anyone else's. Here is my take:
Build: 5 levels of weaponmaster (aldori blade), however many levels of Aldori swordlord.
Standard Traits and feats:
1- Exotic weapon proficiency,combat expertise, weapon focus (assuming human)
2- Dazzling display
3- Improved initiative
4- weapon specialization
5- Weapon finesse
6- Aldori swordlord - Pirahna strike
7- take your pick (iron will, dodge, toughness, combat reflexes, improved disarm)
8- Improved critical
9+ Haven't mapped too much out beyond this, though probably something along the shatter defenses route might fit. I thought about whirlwind, but the very one-on-one proud nature of the swordlords makes this a stretch for the fluff side.
Bonus feats: I also gave free improved disarm at 1st level of Aldori prestige class to Brevoy Swordlords and improved critical 3rd level of Mivonese swordlords. No particular reason for either other than they are supposed to be amazing swordsmen and better than everyone else. I require them to be honorable in my game which is sort of a limitation (like code of bushido or paladins code). Mivonese are described in fluff text as dealing vicious blows, and improved disarm seems like a good way to show off for Brevoy swordlords. Basically I wanted them to have different fighting styles, and one focused on pinpoint strikes and one focused on trick swordplay seemed a good way.
Swords: All Mivonese swordlords and most Brevoy swordlords carry two blades with them at all times. One is their dueling blade, which is never allowed to be enchanted, but can be made of any type of natural substance as long as it does not detect as magical. No magic can be used during a duel, including armor, rings, buff spells, etc. This is for honor duels only, like those to submission or first blood. Duels to the death allow any aldori blade they like, similar to how they would fight in true battle. It is common among skilled or famous aldori to have their dueling blade of mithril and their warblade a darker metal like admantite.
Death: Many "old school" Brevic swordlords believe that being raised from the dead after dying is cheating and every honor duel they fight after that is a sham due to "original sin" of being rezzed. Less conservation swordlords only apply this to death in combat or a duel, or disregard this concept completely. Most Mivonese swordlords think this whole idea is ridiculous.
Mivonese Mercenaries code: If another swordsman defeats the leader of an aldori mercenary unit in single combat, either in a duel or on the field of battle, they can call for surrender. The defeated mercenary commander is then replaced with the winner of the duel. Customary honor in this situation is to ransom them back to their lord as soon as possible. While under the new command, their safety and well-being is the responsibility of the new commander, and other than during the immediate combat, they are to be kept safe until they can be returned. This does two things: ensure the mercenary units are led by a very strong commander whom the men can all respect (meritocracy) and prevents them from being hired out to other Aldori through a third party. Note that despite this ruling, Brevic and Mivonese swordlords typically prefer to fight it out on the battlefield vs using this honor code rule.
Mercenary coat of arms: Mivonese mercenary units serve under different colors when then are "on duty". For instance, House Scarlotti in my game is a white serpent on a green field, but his mercenary units are called the Black diamonds and serve under a black diamond on a red field. This way, you know if you are fighting a mercenary unit (nothing personal) or a lord's army (very personal).
Thats all I have at the moment, hope this gives you some ideas.
But what do they actually 'look' like? Gear, kit equipment etc ...
I am not to worried about the build as the mercenaries will slot into an the mass combat system where they will become a description and a number.
I also have a feeling that the mass combat will move even further into the background, and battles will become little more than a descriptive backdrop. I don't find the mass combat rules particularly exciting and at least one of my guys is a seriously tactical war-gamer and military historian. Neither he, nor I, would be satisfied with them - so they will just abstract them even further.
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you mean magical equipment?
Clothes-wise, they would likely wear tight fitting pants to keep their feet clear, loose blousy tops to deceptively hide where their body was and subtle shifts preceding strikes. I would imagine most would have long hair for similar reasons.
For a military unit:
In general, light armor like studded leather or chain shirt, aldori blades, flashy cloaks to assist with dazzling display and distract their enemies. Fast horses if possible to allow them to close with their blades ASAP, since I don't really get the impression they think much of missile weapons.
For a specific aldori:
Equipment, the best blade money can buy, two if one is magical. Magic items would be light armor, mithril chain or elven chain if possible, bracers for higher levels. Boots of springing and stiding, cloak of displacement, natural armor amulets, glove of dueling. The main feature of the build is running combat expertise at all times, so the trait to reduce the penalty would also likely be part of their training during youth. This also means that by default, Aldori tend to be smarter than your average swordsmen, since they require a 13 int.
Thank you - I take that as light armour and sword then? Presumably they are less effective in medium armour or with a shield?
I really have little concept of Aldori and how they work in combat.
We recently had a "fashion event", in our game which resulted in our kingdom's Aldori (Moreland Aldori) dressing in "Mariachi/Varisian style"!
Think a riot of colors, sequins, embroidery, and feathered hats!
Tailoring-wise, their outfits would be much like a matadors.
My original vision of them was a Renaissance/Musketeer style.
The Mivoni form units from each house, so I would assume there is some uniformity in dress and equipment- that sounds more Musketeer-like.
Unit combat-wise, I'm not sure how they should work. They are Duelists in a group, not really a unit of trained Swordsmen. I suppose they would try to break enemy formations by forcing them out of formation so each enemy could be Dueled separately? Might appear to undisciplined units as any easy target.
Redcelt list of gear is pretty good.
Thank you. Although I suspect mine will come out as more Prussian with duelling scars on the cheeks and tight fitting hussar type uniforms.
As for unit combat, I suspect there will be a glorious charge with blades flashing - in the same way as the movies always represent charges of dashing Scotsmen in kilts ....
The classic Hollywood infantry charge should be their forte.:D
Indeed - mega light infantry ...
I'd see them as fighting like Spanish swordsmen of the 16th and 17th centuries. Get in close on large formations of troops (dive in under the pikes, etc.) and start slashing at close range.
According to the information in both Paths of Prestige (with the Aldori Swordlord PrC) and the Inner Sea Primer (which lists an Aldori Swordlord archetype), as well as the art in both books for the Aldoris, I'm getting the idea of warriors in very light armor -- probably a chain shirt at best (they make up for it with Combat Expertise and some new class abilities), long hair, tight pants and loose shirt.
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Near as I can tell from the Paizo pics, it looks almost exactly like a wakizashi without the guard, if that helps. There is a picture of one in paths of prestige.... swordlord from Paths of Prestige
What is interesting about the pic is that I never paid much attention to it because I had already decided in my head and game what the swordlords and the aldori blade were like, so didn't really look at it. Sort of more like a cossack and opposite of what I said... tight shirt, loose pants, lol...
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I sort of see them that way, as Dueling Samurai. Look at the similarities, best swordfighters in the land, use exotic blades, behavior dictated by honor, join the swordpact aka Bushido code. So, in a way Choral the Conqueror defeating the Brevoy Aldori was sort of like the Last Samurai, except they got to keep their weapons.
According to the description in the PF Chronicles Campaign Setting (2008);
"...These swords are about 3-1/2-feet long, very slightly curved, and sharp only along the outer edge."
According to the description in the PF Companion Adventurer's Armory (2010);
"...Used primarily by the Aldori swordlords who rule Brevoy, these swords are a bit over 3 feet long, very slightly curved, and sharp only along the outer edge."
According to the description in the PF Campaign Setting: The Inner Sea World Guide (2011);
"These slightly curved swords measure just over 3 feet in length..."
All 3 list the sword as weighing 3lbs, a pound less than a longsword, and a pound more than a rapier.
So, we figured it was a saber-like rapier or fencing saber, since the emphasis was on dueling- which conjures up the flashy cinematic sword fights.
That's what we see- slashing rapiers that can have intricate guards and have quite obvious to everyone who sees one Quality and Value.
Too bad there is no artwork to support this, just a pair of strange pieces that are best ignored (my apologies to the artists in these two but IMO the art sucks, perhaps in the future better descriptions will be provided to the artist).
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I have always thought of them as an Oriental sword, with a disk guard and a slightly over-length grip (so that you get the two hand advantage easily).
I assume that Baron First went east to learn his new duelling style - head off East (after all he is in the right place to do that), amalgamating western and eastern styles and then coming back home as a master of his blade.
My first thought was sabre and the Germanic - Eastern European style of duelling school, which is a comfortable match so close the the Russia-equivalent Brevoy.
However, I modified it as I started to read - and decided it felt much more Katana-ish than sabre-ish. *shrug*
I even half started out with martial Arts style training schools and ranking systems - before settling on the west/east mix.
Hmm - the armour in that picture is reminiscent of eastern styles as well.