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The Nightstalker Brigade was the most elite military unit of the Lady's Empire. They were "the crack outfit in the northern army, rigorously trained for night operations and combat under wizard's war conditions" and specialized in hunting wizards. They won a famous victory against the Black Company at least 2 years before The White Rose, and later they played a key role in the city of Oar in The Silver Spike.

Before The White Rose[]

The Nightstalkers became renowned for routing the Black Company at the Battle of Queen's Bridge. During this battle, the Company lost 100 members (half its strength) and even the Annals were abandoned during the Company's hasty retreat. According to Case: "before Queen's Bridge [the Company] had been so glibly invincible that half the empire had been convinced the gods themselves were on their side". The Nightstalkers took 18 Black Company prisoners, cut a minor wound on each of their cheeks, and then turned them loose.

The Silver Spike[]

During The Silver Spike, the Nightstalkers and their commander, Brigadier Wildbrand, were stationed in Oar to help the Empire reclaim the stolen silver spike. They were among the many units of Imperials who overturned the city and questioned many residents in their search for the talisman. A professional outfit, they offered claim chits for confiscated silver items after Old Man Fish started the false rumor that the spike had been melted into different objects. They eventually rounded up a number of wizards who had flocked to Oar to find the spike for themselves.

At first the Nightstalkers answered to Gossamer and Spidersilk, powerful twin sorcerers from the Tower at Charm, until the arrival of Exile. A Nightstalker corporal who became known to the spike thieves was later briefly captured alongside Brigadier Wildbrand by them. The most cunning of the four thieves, Old Man Fish, gave Case and Raven the same kind of cheek wound which the Nightstalkers had once given Black Company prisoners. If his plan had succeeded, it would have caused a dangerous confrontation between the outnumbered Nightstalkers against the other Imperial units in the city.

After Exile, Gossamer, Spidersilk, and a large collection of sorcerers from the Tower were killed in a clash against the Limper, Brigadier Wildbrand and her Nightstalkers were the last surviving authority figures in Oar.

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