Standard-bearer (also spelled standardbearer) is an appointed position in the Black Company. The member in this highly-respected position travels with, and leads the band into battle holding, the Company standard, which is affixed to a crosspiece hanging from the ancient Lance of Passion.
Lady – who was Black Company Captain and who had read Croaker's Annals – wrote of the role's historical importance within the group in Dreams of Steel (chapter 58):
“ | Murgen... had been the Company standardbearer and Croaker’s understudy as Annalist. In the normal course twenty years down the road he might have become Captain. | ” |
At various times during the Company's history the standard-bearer has held more than one position. For example, Murgen was both Annalist and standard-bearer. Murgen's predecessor was not stated in the available Annals but his successor was Sleepy.
By the events of Bleak Seasons, Murgen had grown disillusioned with the responsibility, summing up the job as follows:
“ | The standardbearer is always the first guy into a scrape and he always has one hand tied up keeping a bigass pole from falling over. | ” |