The Forlorn Hope

[Byron]

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Trenton Outpost, New York, Liberty

02/25/824 A.S., 21:25 Sirius Standard Time

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"Sure thing, give it to me", Elena had replied, stretching her arm on the other side of the table to grab Nick's datapad. "I see you are quite proud of it."

And as soon as she started reading, she instantly understood why. What a monster of a text that is!, she thought. Nick must have truly put a lot of effort into this... Getting into it, Elena was more and more baffled by what he had been able to put together, and how reputable it all sounded. In the end, she just sat there, with her mouth and eyes wide open, completely speechless. Nick obviously enjoyed this sight.

But as much as she liked what he wrote, she would honour his draft in ... her way. She laughed: "Nick, anybody ever told you you've seriously got too much freetime? If not, I'm telling you now. You've got too much." Making a small pause, as she sipped from her Ale again. "Otherwise? I love it, mate! Nothing to criticize from my side! Looks like we found a perfect businessman in you."

After that, she pulled a tablet pen out of her jeans, and quickly signed her part of the charter. Then she gave the datapad to Sarah, grinning ear to ear. "Have a look at it, Sarah. It's amazing!"

Forlorn Hope Charter

Foreword: Upon the signing of this document I indicate my acceptance and understanding of all the terms, ideals and instructions provided below, and hold myself fully accountable as a member of The Forlorn Hope to hold true to these aforementioned terms, ideals and instructions and to accept the consequences of my actions regardless of their harshness should I breach the agreement.

Forlorn Hope leadership and membership: The Forlorn Hope is unique from any other organization in that while we have a clear hierarchy of rank, all members vote on matters concerning the Forlorn Hope with the exception of recruitment. Members partake in votes concerning jobs, policy changes, alliances and other related matters. Recruitment is voted on solely by the highest ranking members of the Forlorn Hope, in an attempt to regulate the quantity and quality of new recruits.

♦A simple style of ranking has been provided here, merely for reference: the Knight Captains and the Knights. The Knight Captains are the leaders of Forlorn Hope, and would be the members approached by outside interests for contracts and other issues. The Knights are the rank and file of the Forlorn Hope and make up the majority of our numbers. Aside from specific matters that only the Knights may vote on, every member of the Forlorn Hope may vote on any matter, and the decisions made by this assembly will drive the Forlorn Hopes actions.

As you can see from the above, the Forlorn Hope is not an organization of ranks and tiers, except where it must be, but rather a democratic endeavor where each member casts their vote on the majority of matters to decide the next course of action.

Recruitment Process: Each potential member of the Forlorn Hope is to be carefully vetted before being chosen. We emphasize quality over quantity, and seek to improve ourselves with each addition to our ranks. For this reason, recruitment is something only handled by the Knight Captains of the Forlorn Hope, and is voted upon amongst them. Candidates are sponsored by one of the Knights and brought before the others for an interview. Should the candidate receive a majority vote in their favor, they are welcomed into the ranks of the Forlorn Hope. Should a tie or majority vote pass against the candidate, their application is withdrawn, and they must be sponsored again in the future should they wish to attempt to join again.

Employment options: The Forlorn Hope is not only a company of mercenaries, but also provide a few other services, such as hauling, and blockade running. To this end we accept a varied array of contracts and jobs, with these most commonly being:

• ♦ Escort Work
  ♦Scouting
  ♦Hauling
  ♦Blockade Running*
  ♦Item Procurement or Retrieval*
  ♦Military Scale Action*
  ♦Counter Insurgency Action
  

Additionally, while it is preferable for contracts to be brought to one of the Knight Captains, if a Knight is contacted with a potential contract, they are to present it to the Knight Captains, who will determine if it may be voted on or not. This is to prevent contracts that would harm our reputation or the Forlorn Hope directly.

*Please note, that while you may contact us about less than legal jobs and offers, it is in your own best interests to ensure that you fully understand the ramifications of such actions, and the consequences they may incur.

Code of the Forlorn Hope: The tenants of the Forlorn Hope are simple, and are what defines us.

• ♦Respect the members of the Forlorn Hope, for they are your family
  ♦Humble in victory, Gracious in defeat. Let your skills speak for themselves, and seek to better yourself daily. A defeat is merely another lesson for you.
  ♦Fight hard, but fight for the right reasons. There is no dishonor in defending a noble cause, nor is there shame in championing a downtrodden cause that is righteous.
  ♦Integrity and honor. As long as you pilot your ship, let your word be true and do not falter to carry out your promises.

Signatures of the Knight Captains,

Nick Stenn:__________ Elena Voigt:E Voigt Sarah Fenn:__________