Sellswords

When you’re a lord or king in a realm of many regions with delicate alliances and an almost constant state of war, sometimes your levies just aren’t enough and you need more fighting power. This role is filled by Sellswords, which are companies or groups or simply forces for hire that can be bought to fight for you. No two Sellsword companies are the same however, their allegiances and strengths vary, and it’s up to you which one to hire. If you’ve even got the coin.

Here is a cohesive list of Sellsword companies that are hireable. Note that some have specific requirements for hiring:

Khal Moro’s khalasar
Khal Moro’s khalasar is the typical Dothraki band of screamers only interested in plunder. They’re led by Khal Moro, a khal who has successfully defeated any enemy he’s ever come across… or so he says. More likely, he was exiled for crossing salt water, and has since made his fortune as a sellsword. His troops are all cavalry, as fighting on foot is for women and cowards, although he’ll make an exemption if the price is right. Most are light cavalry, with only hardened leather for protection, but Moro and his honour guard wear light plate armor, although no helms. 30% of his men are archers, who shoot in the mounted style of the Dothraki. His loyalty is changeable and his men liable to flee if failure is possible, but he commands 3,000 screamers, all ahorse.

Troops:
 * 900 Archers, mounted
 * 100 Heavy Cavalry
 * 2,000 Light Cavalry
 * 0 infantry, ships or elephants

House Velaryon’s Noble Fleet
Following a political schism 200 years ago over slave treatment, House Velaryon was exiled from Valyria, to never return. Over time they changed from slave-sellers to merchants, with Lord Lucerys and his sister-wife Rhaena now the richest people in the Narrow Sea, while their children Rhaenyra, Jacaerys and Alyssa command their military. While their main business is trade, the House also has a large, and skilled fighting force, that it hires out to worthy candidates, as well as to protect its interests. This fleet contains heavy infantry and cavalry, but the core of the force is light infantry and archers, perfect for naval combat. The Velaryons have the honour of a noble house of Valyria, and are unlikely to break unless defeat is all but certain.

Troops:
 * 40 ships
 * 800 Archers
 * 500 Heavy Cavalry
 * 300 Heavy Infantry
 * 900 Light Infantry
 * 0 elephants or Light Cavalry

Harpy’s Sons
In the days of old, the Ghiscari legions ruled over an area almost the size of the Valyrian Freehold. Today the empire lies in ruin, though many claim to be its descendants. The Harpy’s Sons are one of those, claiming to be the true descendants of the legions. Row upon row of freemen in formation, trained with spear, sword and shield, are commanded by a mysterious figure known only as The Harpy. The Harpy’s Sons are predominately Heavy Infantry, with a small amount of Light Cavalry and Light Infantry for scouting, 100 Heavy Infantry for officers, and 400 slingers. Their legions will fight until defeat is likely.

Troops:
 * 400 Archers (slingers)
 * 100 Heavy Cavalry
 * 50 Light Cavalry
 * 2,400 Heavy Infantry
 * 50 Light Infantry
 * 0 elephants or ships

Shields of Sarnor
The Shields of Sarnor is a legion of the thousand best soldiers of the Sarnori Empire, picked every five years from each of the city-states which make up the country. These soldiers tour the realm, taking contracts to show the world the power of Sarnor. The commander of the Shields of Sarnor is currently Hazmor Arai, a cavalryman from Saath. The Shields are largely made of Light Infantry, with the few horses captured from Dothraki given to the best soldiers to make a Light Cavalry. The Shields are fairly loyal, but will flee if victory is difficult to attain.

Troops:
 * 12 ships
 * 300 Light Cavalry
 * 700 Light Infantry
 * 0 elephants, archers, Heavy Cavalry or Heavy Infantry

Corsair King of the Basilisk Isles
The Basilisk Isles lay in a region to the south of Essos known as Sothoryos. These isles are so wretched and despicable that even Valyria only uses them as a penal colony. Every now and then, a pirate with higher aspirations aims to become king of the region, usually by brutally murdering his predecessor. The current Corsair King instead left beforehand, choosing to become a sellsword company for the plunder. Most of his army are Light Infantry thralls, but he also has freemen Heavy Infantry, a small contingent of archers and 100 Light Cavalry. The Corsair King is a survivor, and will flee at the first sign of trouble.

Troops:
 * 27 ships
 * 200 Archers
 * 100 Light Cavalry
 * 200 Heavy Infantry
 * 1,500 Light Infantry
 * 0 Heavy Cavalry or elephants

The True Iron Fleet
A thousand years ago, Harlon Greyiron was the eldest son of the previous king, chosen in the days of the kingsmoot. He brought a hundred ships and three thousand men to press his claim, but lost to a Harlaw of Ten Towers. Enraged, Harlon left with his fleet, vowing to show his valour through raving. Today the True Iron Fleet has little resemblance to the fleet of Harlon, with sailors from dozens of nations all serving under their banner, though they keep many Ironborn traditions. Their current leader is King Torgon III, a full-blooded Ironborn. Their fleet is almost entirely Heavy Infantry with a few archers; a true Ironborn does not fear drowning, and has no need for a horse on the open seas. The fleet fight fiercely, but will flee if defeat is likely.

Troops:
 * 100 ships
 * 200 archers
 * 2,300 Heavy Infantry
 * 0 Light Infantry, cavalry or elephants

Spotted Dogs
The Spotted Dogs are the scum of the earth, all collected under an ever-changing command based around which ever man can keep the company together through force of will. The Dogs have existed for a century, selling their swords to anyone that will pay, regardless of reputation. Their current commander is a Summer Islander who has served in the company for over two decades. Their force is a mix of every kind of unit, and they flee at the first sign of danger.

Troops:
 * 500 archers
 * 500 Heavy Cavalry
 * 500 Light Cavalry
 * 1,000 Heavy Infantry
 * 500 Light Infantry
 * 0 ships or elephants

Princess Serenei Saan, of the Stepstones
The Saan family have been privateers since time immemorial, the legacy of a fighting fleet passed down father to son. In recent years however, the fleet suffered from mismanagement, with two brothers fighting over control of the fleet and threatening to tear it apart. To remedy this, the family chose their first ever female leader; their niece Serenei, the self-styled Princess of the Stepstones, who has consolidated the fleets under her control with several fulfilled contracts, as well as increasing the quality of her troops. The Saan fleet consists of mainly infantry, as well as 1,000 archers and the pride of the fleet, ten elephants. Due to Serenei’s desire to become more reputable, they will not flee unless defeat is all but inevitable.

Troops:
 * 140 ships
 * 10 elephants
 * 1,000 archers
 * 1,000 Heavy Infantry
 * 1,490 Light Infantry
 * 0 cavalry

The Worldly Warriors
The Worldly Warriors are a sellsword company that prides itself on the equality of all, regardless of their station. True to their name, they contain men from as far afield as the Shadow Lands and Lonely Light, ranging from Yi Ti peasants to Valyrian lordlings, all in a company where promotion is based on merit instead of rank, and where every contract is accepted or declined based on a vote of all members. Their current leader is Daven Newport, a former blacksmith from Andalos, and a majority of the forces are heavy units, with a third being archers. Unfortunately the democratic nature of the company means that they have a lack of cohesion and as such will flee if defeat seems possible.

Troops:
 * 5 elephants
 * 500 archers
 * 500 Heavy Cavalry
 * 500 Heavy Infantry
 * 0 boats, Light Cavalry or Light Infantry

Symeon Sevenstars
While many Andals have migrated to Westeros, some have remained in the east, even under the increasing pressure that the Valyrian Freehold places on the area’s independence. One of them is the warlord Symeon Sevenstars, and his army for hire. He commands five thousand religious fanatics, dedicated to spreading the Faith of the Seven across the entire world. As such, these soldiers are highly trained and unlikely to flee under almost any circumstance… but they will also refuse to work with any other religious group, especially those tree-worshippers of the West… Symeon’s army is structured much like any other Andal army, with roughly a quarter of his force being Heavy Cavalry, and most of the rest being infantry of some variety.

Troops:
 * 50 ships
 * 10 elephants
 * 500 archers
 * 1,250 Heavy Cavalry
 * 500 Light Cavalry
 * 750 Heavy Infantry
 * 2,000 Light Infantry

Can only be hired by Andal culture

Garin Nymeros
The Rhoynar are a river culture on the river Rhoyne, renowned for their water magic and beautiful palaces. Despite this idyllic surface, the nation can summon an army of two hundred and fifty thousand warriors if needs be, and sends a small detachment overseas to protect its interests, as well as to occupy younger sons and daughters that might otherwise claim their elder sibling’s titles; their current leader is Gavin Nymeros, a younger son of Ny Sar. These swordsmen fight in the Rhoynar style; lightly armoured troops designed to fight around water, without heavy armour to weigh them down. The force also contains 20 elephants, trained to swim through the deep waters of the river system. However, in order to fight effectively using water magic, the forces must be close enough to water.

Troops:
 * 120 ships
 * 20 elephants
 * 1,200 archers
 * 200 Heavy Cavalry
 * 1,500 Light Cavalry
 * 1,100 Light Infantry
 * 0 Heavy Cavalry

Can only fight within 2 tiles of water

The Brightstone-Shell Exiles
Fifty years ago,, Lord Jon Brightstone and Lord Dywen Shell were brutally executed inside their own keeps, and their lands given to the Kings of Heart’s Home. However, most of their swords escaped across the Narrow Sea, along with several members of each family. They did what many exiles do; form a sellsword company to prevent the loss of all their soldiers, and take contracts while reforming into a professional army. Their army is specifically designed to take down an Andal, cavalry based army, with a strong, well disciplined Heavy Cavalry and Infantry to stall a cavalry charge, as well as 1,200 crossbowmen to pick them off. Their leaders are Lady Arwyn Brightstone and Lord Addam Shell, both experienced commanders and veterans of scores of battles against Andalos. Understandably, they will only accept contracts in Westeros from houses of First Men blood, and refuse to help the culture that stole their homes in any way, and will almost never flee from a battle as a result.

Troops:
 * 50 ships
 * 50 elephants
 * 1,500 archers
 * 2,000 Heavy Cavalry
 * 200 Light Cavalry
 * 1,200 Heavy Infantry
 * 100 Light Infantry

Can only be hired by First Men culture

Unsullied
The Unsullied are slave troops from Slaver’s Bay, designed to have one mission; kill all their enemies. They fight with sword, shield and spears of three separate lengths, and go through an extensive training regimen from the age of five, where they lose the ability to feel pain and emotion. They are also castrated, meaning that while they are less powerful (and only lightly armoured), they are unswayed by the fairer sex, and much more willing to be commanded. They have leaders chosen randomly every day, and will not flee the battlefield under any circumstances, even if it means their own life

1 gold per Unsullied + cost of trip and upkeep of Unsullied