The Gilded Jackals are a mercenary bandit guild motivated purely by profit. Based in Lusteris, they operate wherever gold flows—and lately, that’s meant the Hellrock Hills west of Southaven.
Unlike the idealistic Black Thorns or the secretive Duskrunners, the Jackals make no pretense about their motives. They take contracts, raid caravans, and provide muscle for anyone willing to pay. Loyalty is bought, not earned, and a Jackal’s allegiance lasts exactly as long as the coin does.
Structure
The Gilded Jackals operate as a loose confederation of crews, each led by a Packmaster. Packmasters answer to the Golden Fang, the guild’s shadowy leader who coordinates major operations and negotiates high-value contracts from Lusteris. Individual crews have significant autonomy, which makes the Jackals adaptable but prone to infighting when profits dry up.
Operations
- Mercenary Work: Hired muscle for merchants, nobles, and criminal organizations
- Caravan Raids: Targeting wealthy travelers on isolated roads
- Protection Rackets: Shaking down businesses in territories they control
- Contract Enforcement: Collecting debts and “resolving disputes” for paying clients
Hellrock Hills Presence
The Jackals established camps in the Hellrock Hills years ago, using the maze-like terrain as a base for raids on the Tradeway. When the Order of the Black Star began organizing the siege of Southaven, the Jackals signed on—not out of belief, but because Varnek the Scarred paid well and promised a share of the spoils.
With the siege collapsing, the Jackals appear to be cutting their losses. Their current leader in the hills, Sera Coldwater, has ordered her crew to pack up before they end up as casualties in someone else’s holy war.
Relations
| Faction | Relationship |
|---|---|
| Duskrunners | Tense rivalry; compete for contracts |
| Black Thorns | Mutual contempt; Jackals see them as naive fools |
| Order of the Black Star | Former employers; alliance of convenience now ending |