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Kalbram Mercenaries
February 17, 2026 at 02:44 AM
Rewrite with Shayla, expanded NPC details, and Royal Army dynamics
The Kalbram Mercenaries are a group of fighters stationed in Colhen, tasked with defending the village against Fomor threats. The player joins them at the start of the game. Colhen should be protected by the Royal Army, but bureaucratic failures and political neglect have left the village to fend for itself. The mercenaries fill that gap — underfunded, under-supported, and doing the work the kingdom's military won't.
Aodhan commands the Kalbram Mercenaries with quiet authority. He's calm, disciplined, and deeply respected by his subordinates. Where Marrec leads with emotion, Aodhan leads with measured assessment. He coordinates Colhen's defense and assigns missions to the player through the Mercenary Headquarters. He returns from the original Vindictus.
Marrec is Aodhan's second-in-command and the emotional center of the mercenary group. Passionate, outspoken, and quick-tempered — particularly when dealing with Dame Gwynn and the Royal Army's interference. He grew up alongside Tieve and Clodagh, and those childhood bonds shape his priorities. His clashes with the Royal Knights are a recurring source of tension. He resents the kingdom for abandoning the village and has zero patience for protocol that gets in the way of protecting people.
Ceara is an original character to Defying Fate — she doesn't appear in the 2010 game. She acts as an early guide, walking new recruits through the mercenary structure and early story events. Calm, approachable, and a natural mediator between stronger personalities.
Not technically a mercenary — Gwynn is a Knight Delegate from the Royal Army assigned to Colhen to represent the kingdom's interests. She enforces military protocol and clashes frequently with Marrec over priorities. She returns from the original game.
A junior Royal Army cadet who assists with communications between the military and the mercenaries. Young, inexperienced, polite to a fault. In the original Vindictus storyline, Ellis had a tragic fate during the Ainle campaign — whether Defying Fate's reinterpretation follows the same path remains to be seen. He returns from the original game.
The Oracle of Morrighan in Colhen. She performs ancestral rituals at the inn and guides players toward key NPCs. Gentle and soft-spoken, with an ability to communicate with animals. Deep childhood bonds with Marrec and Clodagh. She returns from the original game.
Runs the Boutique and manages cosmetic customization. Lively and charismatic — a contrast to Tieve's quiet warmth. Fiercely protective of both Tieve and Marrec. She returns from the original game.
The village mage who runs the Magic Laboratory. Distant, absorbed in summoning magic research. Creates magical prototypes and communicates almost exclusively through written notes. He returns from the original game.
A hunter and shopkeeper who runs the Traveler's Shop. Skilled in wilderness survival, fiercely independent, and not afraid to say exactly what she thinks. One of the first non-mercenary residents to help defend Colhen in the field. She teaches enemy-reading tactics alongside selling supplies. She returns from the original game.
Colhen's blacksmith. Rugged, quiet, handles weapon crafting and enhancement with minimal conversation. Players visit him for all weapon forging needs.
A treasure hunter found at the Inn. Shayla was singled out during the November 2025 Discord AMA as the most popular NPC among the community, generating more discussion than any other character. Her exact role in the story has not been fully detailed.
The kind old innkeeper who runs the AP shop. Players buy temporary buffs, upgrade materials, and dyes from him.
The tension between the Kalbram Mercenaries and the Royal Army runs through the entire narrative. The army should be protecting Colhen but has largely abdicated that responsibility. Dame Gwynn represents the kingdom's attempt to maintain oversight without providing the resources needed for defense. Marrec resents this arrangement openly; Aodhan handles it with more diplomacy but no less frustration.
This dynamic creates a story where the people doing the actual fighting have less political power than the institution that should be supporting them. The player navigates this friction from the mercenary side, experiencing firsthand how institutional failure pushes the burden of defense onto volunteers.
