Sellswords and Sellsails

A sellsword is a mercenary who hires out his services to the highest bidder. Inevitably, this sort of lifestyle involves a great deal of violence and physical exertion. Many sellswords are organised into companies. Some of the sellsword companies are very disciplined, and some are nothing but rabble joined together in search of loot. Most tend to be experienced professional soldiers, as it is a profession a man tends to chose after he's tasted a few battles and learned that he's good at fighting.

Much like sellsword companies, sellsails are mercenaries that fight for whoever offers them a contract, although their loyalties are often fickle, and it is known for them to turn their cloaks on their old employers if they are offered a better deal by those they fight. Due to their naval nature, sellsail companies are often considered less versatile than their land-based equivalents, but can be used to bolstered fleet size in times of war. When they are not bound to a contract, it is not unusual for them to seek wealth through a life as smugglers and pirates.

Sellsword and sellsail companies in Essos are large and numerous, as many of the Free Cities wage war almost exclusively with mercenary armies. Westerosi companies, however, tend to be small and uncommon, as feudal lords instead rely on levied soldiers.

Notable sellsword companies in Westeros

 * Proud Beggars
 * The Truce
 * Company of the Claw
 * Midnight Marauders
 * Widow's Wastrels
 * Goldsmiths
 * Man-Eaters
 * Sons of the Rhoyne
 * Lorekeepers
 * Lightkeepers

Notable sellsail companies in Westeros

 * The Unchained
 * Bloodletters
 * Motley Crew
 * Whalers
 * The Bulwark