The Scouts
The scouts are among the most feared and despised of all Mersidians. They are the mastermind of their commander, Merrel Trevanne. The former soldier rose quickly in the ranks gaining the attention of General Elson with his revolutionary ideas and uncanny understanding of people. He proposed a new kind of soldier and warfare.
Military intelligence.
The new soldier would be a spy, a politician, building networks, they would be mobile, stealthy, inventive scavengers, operate in secret and ride ahead of the army and gather intelligence.
It went further, Merrel introduced the idea of studying terrain, geology and even psychology, and how to use them to their advantage.
The scouts are loners, misfits on the fringes of society. The captain had a gift for spotting potential candidates. His attention and guidance assured their loyalty, tapping into their vulnerability and survival instincts. He taught them his ways to an extent. They are masters of circumstance, and brave enough to try their luck at all levels whilst still remaining underestimated.
One could argue their creation was an inevitable result of Warlocks arrival. Under his watch all has been easy. But chaos presents opportunity.