Lance fell into thought upon hearing this.
The Empire's situation was anything but stable. Across its sprawling map—from the Misty Mountains bisecting its heartland, to the icy northern realms, and the endless eastern deserts—lived numerous Barbarian Tribes. Their social structures remained at a tribal stage, and they mostly practiced Shamanism.
Some tribes often conflicted with the Empire, while others cooperated. In any case, the relationships between the tribes and the Empire were extremely complex, not something that could be simplified in a sentence or two.
However, the needs were concrete. The tribes required the various resources produced by the Empire, which meant they needed money.
Mercenary Corps like White Wolf's Claws were, in fact, comprised of warriors from these tribes, undertaking missions to earn money to support their people.
It remained unclear precisely why they had offended the nobility and subsequently fled to this area.
