Sellsword

The term sellsword refers to a wide spectrum of warriors and mercenaries that sell their skills and blades to whoever can pay them. These sellswords can include warriors, professional mercenaries, enterprising peasants and noble sons who can't inherit their father's titles.

Origins and History
Sellswords were always an entity in all of recorded history. Small bands of freemen led by nobles were a rare but common sight in the age of magic and even before that. it wasn't until the late middle age period was when the realm required a quick replacement method for lost levies in war. This gave rise to the now common sellswords.

Sellswords became so popular in Clamund that foreign sellswords would sail to Clamund to seek service under the many lords that require such services. This only led to a sellsword boom as enterprising mercenary companies and small parties of heroes would take small jobs that nobles would not risk losing their professional soldiers to.

This boom was great for kingdoms in the short run, but when peace befell on the land, a majority of sellswords who were now out of the job since the realm wasn't in war resorted to banditry or just simply returned home. This only led to increasing bandit problems in the realm which sort of sent Clamund into a vicious cycle of conflict and peace.

Sellswords have sometimes become a leading cause in many conflicts that arise in Clamund's turbulent history. Their ability to raid without any ties to their contractor can only lead to false accusations and eventually a full-on war between two kingdoms.

Known and Popular Companies
There are some sellsword and mercenary groups that managed to trudge out of the grime of feuds and conflict in Clamund and manage to stake a reputation within the lands. The following are well-known mercenary companies that actively operate within Clamund.
 * The Nuln Company
 * The Boars of Ikin
 * Bastard's Sons
 * The Noble Stags
 * The Grizzly Sword Company