The Byn - what do you see?

[Sunburned]

The Byn is one of the most consistently active clans in the game, yet they're not frequently scrutinized on the GDB.  I believe that this is due, at least in part, to the fact that their association as a newbie-friendly clan perpetuates the assumption that the Byn lacks complexity.  I believe this is incorrect - in fact, I think they occupy one of the most compelling positions in the game. To say they are the most dominant mercenary organization throughout the known world and stopping there doesn't identify their other important functions in the world.

Besides their basic function as a mercenary group, what political, cultural, and social functions do you see the Byn fulfilling?  Are they merely an army of journeyman killers for hire?

[Marauder Moe]

Are they merely an army of journeyman killers for hire?

Yep, pretty much.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.   I don't see a need to attempt to improve/expand what is already the quintessential Armageddon clan.

[Synthesis]

I think the Byn (functionally, if not thematically) is pretty much whatever the current Sarge(s) say it is.

[Celest]

I think the Byn (functionally, if not thematically) is pretty much whatever the current Sarge(s) say it is.

This is absolutely true. I've met Sargaents who spoke openly about the diversity of the Byn (when it makes sense IC), talking about the elves, dwarves, rinthers, breeds, etc. which hold higher positions in the organization, and then there are others who not only never once mention it, but also refuse to accept elves, breeds, rinthers, etc. into the clan. I've yet to see one turn away dwarves, though. As a result, the "Byn" as a collective group seems really cyclical, largely because we see it through one, two, and rarely three active sections of the clan at a time, each fairly independent of each other but cooperative. The Byn is, IMO, one of the coolest parts of Arm. Whenever I get into a rut (unless the Byn/training routines are part of the cause) I make a Bynner, because the experience is usually pretty fun and you meet a lot of PCs who are diverse and usually represent very compelling parts of the game world. This is also why it's hard to talk about "the Byn" as a whole; while the clan may have a collective identity, in game it lacks that sort of feel, and so people talk instead about the stuff that happened to them under Sargeant X or Y.

[jstorrie]

Sometimes I see the Black Company.

Sometimes I see Rico's Roughnecks.

Sometimes I see the Band of the Hawk.

[Wolfsong]

I usually see a mixture of The Black Company and Malazan Book of the Fallen, with Starship Troopers thrown in for a little variety.

[DustMight]

This thread has me wanting to play Byn again.

[Barsook]

This thread has me wanting to play Byn again.

[Delirium]

Nothing makes me wish harder for more widespread literacy than reading the Black Company.

Ranger/linguist with written sirihish plz thx.

[Dar]

maybe try special apping it? I wonder who is going to be hunted more. A ranger/combat wizard or a ranger with sirihish ReadingWriting.

[Jeshin]

If it can read and write, it must be magick!

[jstorrie]

derail: there definitely needs to be a RW Siri extended subguild.

[Dar]

derail: there definitely needs to be a RW Siri extended subguild.

... No?

Because half the word is going to end up learning to do it via roleplay or trying to. And it would (at least in my opinion) make no sense to be impossible to learn it with proper amount of time put in.


I imagine, one of Serpent's main reasons for choosing to keep that templar alive was to learn it afterall.

[lordcooper]

To me the Byn is, has been and (hopefully) will continue to be 'merely' an army of journeyman killers for hire.  They're the lowest of the legitimate clans and should be treated as such.  Hell, I reckon a lot of them might even be a little proud of how low down and dirty they are.

The only thing I haven't been able to figure out is if they're a step above or below the average indie commoner on the social ladder.

[Zoan]

I see poop.

[Cind]

because of the variety of persons from everywhere that can get into the Byn, with most of them leaving after a year, and the Byn's position as neutral hired muscle, i would be surprised to see a culture of its own develop.

I see poop.

they kind of already have the shit-shoveling bit, too. that's, er, culture.

[AreteX]

The Byn really does revolve around who is the Sergeant at the time because each person/character has their own view on the world and in turn, it changes the views of their runners.

I see the Byn as a place that the lower totem pole fighters might want to go to get paid.  I also see at as a place the non-fighters might go to get fed, and possibly learn to fight, or at least get their ass beat for a year as a runner, but still get fed.

I think the main problem with the Byn from what I have observed is that I don't quite see enough of them.  If you're a runner in say, Allanak, and your direct Sergeant has some contract up north, you're screwed(unless you went).  It always seemed to me like there were always alot of runners and not enough Troopers+ to keep the thing running legit.  Thats one of the reasons I don't join the Byn anymore.  I always felt lonely and then as a player, wanting to do something other than report for empty training duty and receive no contracts other than "gathering some obsidian" or something like that.

I think one of the major flaws is also that players do NOT use the Byn enough.  Perhaps they charge too much?  I'm not sure, but people should be hiring them for escorts between cities more often.  I think a big part of the playerbase goes out into the sands with their characters alone because they as OOC knowledged players know that its really only 30 squares to the other city(i actually dont know the number, really) and that they're likely to make it on their own, while mounted at least...

You know what I'm sayin?  So it really isn't the Byn's fault, because they really should be used MUCH more often than they currently are being called upon.

Otherwise, I see poop.

[HavokBlue]

The debate for hiring the Byn or not could constitute a whole other thread (250 sid just in stabling fees for a 5 man unit and division of shares means contracts paying less than 700-800 sid aren't really profitable to do all the time)

For the most part, I agree that the Byn is what it's players make it at the time.

[DustMight]

The debate for hiring the Byn or not could constitute a whole other thread (250 sid just in stabling fees for a 5 man unit and division of shares means contracts paying less than 700-800 sid aren't really profitable to do all the time)

That's a good way to look at it.  It makes their fees far more reasonable, actually.

[Cutthroat]

They're killers for hire, and theoretically supposed to be proud of it - at the least, the people that plan on sticking with the Byn would be. So proud that they don't resort to other work (foraging, hunting, etc.) to make money unless their contract somehow involves it. So, while their place in the world is fairly limited, internally there is a strict, deeper culture, that requires players to tap into it in order to enjoy it.

[Kol]

The debate for hiring the Byn or not could constitute a whole other thread (250 sid just in stabling fees for a 5 man unit and division of shares means contracts paying less than 700-800 sid aren't really profitable to do all the time)

That's a good way to look at it.  It makes their fees far more reasonable, actually.

Running a profitable unit is the hardest part of being a Byn Sargent, it takes time, rep and an established unit, I spent more than I made with my Byn Sarge, I only wish I'd lasted longer, counting on Imm contracts and VNPC contracts you dream up gets old for the unit quick.

I see the Byn as a place that the lower totem pole fighters might want to go to get paid.  I also see at as a place the non-fighters might go to get fed, and possibly learn to fight, or at least get their ass beat for a year as a runner, but still get fed.

I dunno, as a Sargent, I'd kinda keep an eye out for those who join 'for a few hot meals' as they don't generally try as hard as those who have joined to train, get paid, and earn a name. These individuals would be treated with appropriately, and made a public example of to show the Byn isn't a place for free meals, but a serious place for serious mercs. I'd guess displays like that would be well known and often enough that people would think twice about it at least.

Escorting, guarding, and training are the company's three main operations.

I think this is something people tend to overlook, the Byn are not just Mercs for hire, they are a training school too, I'd like to see more leaders sending new, unproven recruits to the Byn for a year, to get that green from their arse, and some skills and gear under their belt, if their good enough.

[musashi]

Escorting, guarding, and training are the company's three main operations.

I think this is something people tend to overlook, the Byn are not just Mercs for hire, they are a training school too, I'd like to see more leaders sending new, unproven recruits to the Byn for a year, to get that green from their arse, and some skills and gear under their belt, if their good enough.

I +1 this idea.

[Kalai]

Heh, pride. Think I became a mercenary for pride? That ain't really it. More of, I'll jump to anything you rub two coins together. That's right - I'm the two-sid whore of stabbing you. But hey I'll take what I can get, make that fifty or a hundred and so much the better. *licks lips* Don't know what to do with all this respect I wind up gettin.

(Sometimes I miss the Byn.)

[Zoltan]

The Byn has by and large always been my favorite clan, whether I'm playing the lowliest runner or at the highest levels of command. It's been a different ride every time I've been through. As people have said repeatedly, the clan culture strongly reflects the PCs that are currently in it. There are some universals to the company (coin, coin, coin) but every leader's "take" on the clan documentation can spin it all a different way. I've seen the Byn treated at different times as almost a tribe, a very strict military group, or even a band of near-criminals.

Procuring PC-related profit and coming up with "things to do" is a subject for another thread, but I'll say it can be sort of tough. Many clans that "do stuff" are already somewhat self-sufficient in combat power and the Byn is more of an extra insurance. My advice to blossoming sergeants: don't pay the runners.   After all, troopers are the "real" Bynners; the runners just work here. But see, that sort of attitude waxes and wanes, itself.

As has been said already, the Byn can be a great kicking off point for a PC's future career, and I think that's reflected well in the clan culture pretty often. "This sucks, but if I hold out and survive, I'll be a shoo-in for Lord Fancypants' personal guard/harem." There can sometimes be a lot of "transient" PCs, which I think is a cool distinction compared to many other clans IG.

Another thing I like to consider when I'm playing a long-term Bynner is the mindset that would come with the fact that your ragtag company of lowly assholes got -property- in the city states. I've always thought of that as quite the distinction for a band of commoners. Whether the company's just barely hanging onto it, or if they're standing strong, well, that all depends on the cultural climate at the time.

Basically, I think there's a flexible, hard-to-define culture to the Byn. You just have to take the docs and put your stamp on them, whether you're fresh meat, an old-balls forevertrooper, or some leader.

[Cind]

What if the Byn had their own stables? It'd save them so much money in the long run, and they'd be more willing to go on cheaper contracts.

[Delirium]

Oh boy, there goes that can-o-worms again...

An idea I've toyed with is working out a deal with the city stables; if you're in the Byn, you can stable/unstable for free, because they're paying the city X amount of 'sid per year. But I'll probably never have time to play a Byn Sergeant, so somebody else is gonna have to find out if that's possible

[Nyr]

What if the Byn had their own stables? It'd save them so much money in the long run, and they'd be more willing to go on cheaper contracts.

If you're in the Byn, you know why this isn't feasible.  If you're not, it's not your concern, it is IC.

[Desertman]

Running a profitable unit is the hardest part of being a Byn Sargent, it takes time, rep and an established unit, I spent more than I made with my Byn Sarge, I only wish I'd lasted longer, counting on Imm contracts and VNPC contracts you dream up gets old for the unit quick.

I dunno, as a Sargent, I'd kinda keep an eye out for those who join 'for a few hot meals' as they don't generally try as hard as those who have joined to train, get paid, and earn a name. These individuals would be treated with appropriately, and made a public example of to show the Byn isn't a place for free meals, but a serious place for serious mercs. I'd guess displays like that would be well known and often enough that people would think twice about it at least.

I think this is something people tend to overlook, the Byn are not just Mercs for hire, they are a training school too, I'd like to see more leaders sending new, unproven recruits to the Byn for a year, to get that green from their arse, and some skills and gear under their belt, if their good enough.

Truth, there is a lot of OOC time and work involved with making your Byn unit successful from an IC and OOC standpoint. From an IC standpoint, your only goal is to ensure your unit stays in the green with the Company. You are bringing in more income than the cost of training and supplying your men is costing the Company. From an OOC standpoint your goal is to ensure your players are active and having fun.

I think the standpoint on VNPC and NPC contracts is that they are no longer an option. At least, the last time I played a Byn Sergeant a couple of years ago that is what I was told. I was very dissapoint, I always liked that aspect of playing a Byn leader.

Another thing to remember is the Byn IS a training school, for sponsored Runners. You have to keep in mind that the Byn loses coins when they hire a Runner. The 300 coin joining fee is only meant to offset some of that loss.

The reasons new Runners are hired:

1) The gamble is that eventually that worthless Runner will eventually become a profitable Trooper for the Company. While they are a Runner they are basically little more than a training and supply expense that is slightly offset by the 300 coin joining fee they paid up front. This is one reason why Sergeants want to be a bit picky about who they hire, in theory. You want to hire people you see as having a good chance to become profitable Troopers for your unit one day, not just every slob that managed to scrape together 300 coins for a year of free meals and water.

2) A Runner is sponsored by a Higher-End Uppity-Up. A noble or merchant House, a well off independent, a Templar, etc..etc...The Byn takes these Runners because its simply good business. You want to make the people who are most likely to hire you for good paying contracts happy, and training their people makes them happy. There is also the assumption that once that Runner leaves after their year of training they will go off to be part of that House, or work for that Templar, and then you have one of your ex-members in a position of semi-authority, and thats always good for business. The buddy system.

[My 2 sids]

Code Select Expand


The Byn is a bizarre mixture of people. Many of them are social rejects; working for a business officially sanctioned by the Templarate is the only thing that classes them as hired thugs instead of bandits. Ex-slaves and fugitives are amongst the company's ranks. A very few are true warriors, dedicated to studying the Art of War. Most, however, are just honest citizens looking to make a living as best they can.  


Honestly, I figure the Byn really fits in with the VNPC population:  the everyday-Amos who isn't going to amount to anything.  The ones who don't want to stand out or socially climb.  Given that most houses have their own employee & slaves to do things like guarding/escorts/etc. (not to mention the whole "Tor Academy" sometimes I think it's a stretch for houses to always hire the Byn.  

Where I see houses looking for the Byn...

Escorting/ Guarding    I think awhile ago the Byn was offering weekly runs between the cities.  Escorting isn't just for big trips -- do trips out to the mines or salt flats  (even discrete ones... like into the 'rinith)   Indies could take advantage because of "group discount" prices.

Want to rough someone up?  (someone stole your lover?  one-uped you in front of your lord?  gave you the evil eye?)  Don't draw attention to yourself or clan... contact your thugs out.

training

Personally, I don't like the "sponsor" thing.   I think it'd work better to have Houses take notice of the graduating class.   

The fact is, the byn IS comprised of anyone who can scrape together a few sid.  Most of those smucks won't be true warriors...  teach them fighting/ how to hold a sword/ about hunting.   Then those who show potential can be recruited by houses or become Troopers. 

[Desertman]

I have always kind of seen the Byn as a group of honorable thugs, if there is such a thing.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't see them walking around acting honorable as individuals. They are scum and lowlifes and semi-criminals as individuals, but as an organization, they are what I would consider honorable thugs.

The Byn is who you hire when you need a thug a you can depend on not to turn on you at the last moment and stab you in the back. They have to have a certain amount of respectability due to their high class clients and their reputation that other true-thugs simply would not have.

The Byn doesn't get hired to murder people in back rooms the way true blade-for-higher low-down-dirty-rotten thugs would. They are just slightly above that, they have to be, at least for the majority of the time, otherwise they lose their reputation as honorable enough to not be doubted. If anyone off the street can hire you to gang-shank some indy "innocent" merchant in a alley, you are no longer a honorable thug for hire, you are the lowest of the low, and those guys can't be trusted. A fine line between honorable thugs and low down murderer.

Its in the documentation, a Byn Sergeant can not accept a contract that violates the the rules of the city state you are in. Murder is against those rules. Now, that is bendable when you are talking about the templarate doing the hiring, then all bets are off. But, 99 out of 100 times, if you are going to be hiring murderers and true thugs, you aren't going to hire the Byn, you are going to hire you a nice shifty rinther or elf or other undesirable.

If you need a dependable unit of trained fighters you can count on to not turn their backs on you or even stab you in the back, you hire the Byn. The Byn bolsters city state armies with field fodder, the Byn escorts merchant Houses and their employees and can be counted on NOT to waylay the wagon halfway there and steal all of the goods for themselves.

So when people say the Byn is a group of thugs, I agree, to an extent, but they are a group of honorable thugs. They might be looked down on for being thugs, but I think the general population looks at them with disdane for the way they live, not necessarily what they do for a living. The Byn hires some serious social rejects, barely gears them, if at all, and puts them through routines that leave them less than desirable to be around....latrine cleaning at the top of the list, they always have -that- smell, you know the one I'm talking about.

I'm rambling I think, my point is I don't think the Byn fills the social role of "Hark, there be a murdering bandit thug, he is vile and cant be trusted, the lowest of the low!" I think they fill the role of, "Well, he's dirty, and he smells, and I don't want to be around him any longer than I have to, but, what the heck, he gets the job done."

[My 2 sids]

Desertman,  I don't think anyone is calling them murderers. 

It's just that there are guards, there are soldiers, and then there are byn. 

[Desertman]

Desertman,  I don't think anyone is calling them murderers.  

It's just that there are guards, there are soldiers, and then there are byn.  

Yeah, thats what I'm saying.

(I didn't read all of the previous posts heh, if I was refuting someone else's claim, I didn't mean to, I was making the statement as a first, not a reply. )

[Reiloth]

They are murderers, though. It's pretty funny when I see people insult Bynners in public, when they're 'rinthers or unaffiliated. As if that isn't going to bite them in the ass...

The Byn is definitely dictated by the Sergeant, and to a lesser extent, the Staff running it. Byn Sergeant is the most autonomous role in Armageddon. You are required to get things done without Staff interaction on a daily basis, so it's up to you to decide how it happens.

The Byn is definitely not a group of thugs and thieves; in fact, stealing is considered 'beneath' a Bynner, with an almost elven mentality to it. If you can't make your money being a merc, what are you doing in the Byn?

I think some Sergeants come into the role thinking it's going to be like a Noble, but it could not be farther from the truth. The Byn follows, Nobles / GMH are supposed to lead, come up with the contracts, and dole them out. It's the Byn Sergeant's responsibility to keep their unit trained and ready for combat.

There's been a trend recently of looking the Byn up for grebbing, or hunting...It's really not their bag. Killing, fighting, pillaging, ambushing, and otherwise tearing it up on the battlefield is the Byn's specialty. Not finding little rocks.

I see the Byn as being the means to an end; you come up with the idea, the Byn gets it done. They aren't involved with politics, their politics end at how much coin you have in that bag. The T'zai Byn have a compound in Tuluk, at the end of the day, enough said. I've always dreamed of the Byn being in a battle, and the losing side meeting with a Byn leader, getting a larger offer than the winning side. I'd like to think they'd take the bigger payday, rather than worry about who's going to be butthurt afterwards. They are greedy sons of bitches.

[Dalmeth]

I'm rambling I think, my point is I don't think the Byn fills the social role of "Hark, there be a murdering bandit thug, he is vile and cant be trusted, the lowest of the low!" I think they fill the role of, "Well, he's dirty, and he smells, and I don't want to be around him any longer than I have to, but, what the heck, he gets the job done."

I think what you're looking for is, "professional thug."  It's just a group of people trained to hurt somebody.  They don't have to hurt anybody, but half the point is everyone knows they can.

[Delirium]

There's been a trend recently of looking the Byn up for grebbing, or hunting...It's really not their bag. Killing, fighting, pillaging, ambushing, and otherwise tearing it up on the battlefield is the Byn's specialty. Not finding little rocks.

YES. THIS, a thousand times this. Chopping down trees and digging gemstones is not the purview of trained killers! At best, that would be a training mission for Runners, and scoffed at by Troopers. The sad thing is though, the way the game economy works, you stand to make more money at that stuff, regularly, than you do at Killing Things.

[Synthesis]

"Beggars can't be choosers" comes to mind.  The Byn has always done hunting and grebbing missions, for as long as I can remember, having played this game for 13-odd years.  Like I said previously, it's mostly up to whatever Sergeant is running the show.  If you want to play a hardass "I only kill shit for money" type, you're probably not going to retain much of a crew, unless you just happen to be in some RPT/HRPT sweet-spot.

[Dalmeth]

YES. THIS, a thousand times this. Chopping down trees and digging gemstones is not the purview of trained killers! At best, that would be a training mission for Runners, and scoffed at by Troopers. The sad thing is though, the way the game economy works, you stand to make more money at that stuff, regularly, than you do at Killing Things.

Unfortunately, this an area where players should be stepping in to ameliorate the situation.

All it would take is one busybody merchant to keep the Byn regularly doing trained mercenary-type jobs.  However, few step up to do the menial labor themselves, preferring to leave that to, you know, the hired help.

[Down Under]

"Beggars can't be choosers" comes to mind.  The Byn has always done hunting and grebbing missions, for as long as I can remember, having played this game for 13-odd years.  Like I said previously, it's mostly up to whatever Sergeant is running the show.  If you want to play a hardass "I only kill shit for money" type, you're probably not going to retain much of a crew, unless you just happen to be in some RPT/HRPT sweet-spot.

From what i've seen, this is not the case.

[Synthesis]

"Beggars can't be choosers" comes to mind.  The Byn has always done hunting and grebbing missions, for as long as I can remember, having played this game for 13-odd years.  Like I said previously, it's mostly up to whatever Sergeant is running the show.  If you want to play a hardass "I only kill shit for money" type, you're probably not going to retain much of a crew, unless you just happen to be in some RPT/HRPT sweet-spot.

From what i've seen, this is not the case.

Everyone is always so certain that their experience isn't merely an outlier.

Then again, maybe times are a-changin' and people are either a) enjoying being broke or b) actually getting paid reasonably well for killing shit.  I doubt it, but I'll entertain the possibility.

[My 2 sids]

"Beggars can't be choosers" comes to mind.  The Byn has always done hunting and grebbing missions, for as long as I can remember, having played this game for 13-odd years.  Like I said previously, it's mostly up to whatever Sergeant is running the show.  If you want to play a hardass "I only kill shit for money" type, you're probably not going to retain much of a crew, unless you just happen to be in some RPT/HRPT sweet-spot.

I think you bring up a good OOC point -- the needs of the player base.  The Arm, the merchant houses, the noble houses -- all open, all hiring.  What shouldn't happen is the Byn taking over duties and RPTs that other houses could do for themselves.

Hunting/grubbing/ taking small contracts from small independents fulfilles a real need in the player-base.

[Down Under]

Yes, and by making it clear the Byn isn't your friendly neighborhood logger/grebber you help by not taking those jobs and referring elsewhere. Will they still ask? Yes. Is it a sea change? No. But it's a start.

[Yam]

T'zai Byn owns.

[RogueGunslinger]

T'zai Byn owns.

[Wolfsong]

One of the first RPTs I ever went on was a trip up around Tuluk to forage for stones with the T'zai Byn. Halflings ambushed us.

[Erythil]

If the Byn had wizards, they could be the Bridgeburners.

[FantasyWriter]

I've still never played a Bynner

[Wolfsong]

If the Byn had wizards, they could be the Bridgeburners.

Or the Black Company!

[Erythil]

If the Byn had wizards, they could be the Bridgeburners.

Or the Black Company!

I don't think the Byn are badass enough to be the Black Company.

Then again, if you read the (inferior) later books, the Black Company sort of progressively gets more and more of its ass handed to it.

[Erythil]

Another thought:

If the Byn was the Black Company, one of the Sergeants would wind up getting involved in an inappropriate relationship with Tektolnes.

[FantasyWriter]

I hated RPing with that guy with my Black robe, such a damn noob.

[musashi]

Never played in the Byn. That shit's for newbs 

[CravenMadness]

Gotta' say... I loved the Byn.  I would have stayed Sergeant of the Obsidian Fist for as long as my star character was alive... If.. things hadn't gone the road they did and I had a little falling out...


Loved it all, down to the regimented daily routines for Runners, to the sitting around the Gaj getting drunk and brawling with anyone who happened to have a funny key-word.. To running through the Red Desert being chased by raptors... To digging around in rubble for gemmer components to schlupping out the latrines... Ahh... Sewer Horrors... Memories...


As a sergeant, I took -everyone-... I was an elf though, so what can you expect.  As a sergeant, I never paid Runners for -anything-, no money for Runners until they made Trooper.  Everything they could possibly need is provided for them (which they of course pay off or return once they hit Trooper or leave).  Sergeants paid for all mount/stable fees and even held tickets for excess mounts in case members of the Unit didn't have a mount.

Jobs, I'd take everything from small escorts, someone going from 'Nak to Luir's with a load of obsidian for example... I'd take grebber jobs, I'd take 'collection' jobs (I need ten piles of bones, four rantarri hides, and eight quirri skins for X amount of 'sid.)  I'd take protection jobs for people who wanted to stay out a few days mining.  And if there were no jobs to be done immediately, I'd randomly take my Unit or anyone who was available, and we'd go out and make ourselves seen.  Ride along the North road or something, drift through town in a big noisy group.. Unfortunately in my time, nobody ever contacted us for any sort of strong-arm job or intimidation type work, it was all pretty straight forward stuff.

The trick to making money on the jobs, is to allocate reasonable numbers of mercs.  If it's a one way escort job, a single Trooper should be skilled enough to protect them, so you send a Trooper and a couple Runners.  The one Trooper gets a larger portion of the pay than if there'd been a whole Unit, and the Runners get some exercise and get to see the world a bit, and the Byn gets it's share.  Got a collection job, well designate a Trooper or two to do the collecting and split the pay between the fewer people.  Got to remember, if the Customer wants to be stingy, give them what they pay for.  Sergeants should hardly -ever- go on jobs personally unless it's something like escorting a Wagon for some House, or a big job something like clearing out the old spider nests and gith holes.

[RogueGunslinger]

Never played in the Byn. That shit's for newbs 

Mushashi is a noobie!?

[solera]

Family.  For the dispossessed.