Fighters &
Mercenaries
Hauscarls:
These are warriors that have taken an oath to a liege lord. This oath
is for life and the Hauscarl is bound by it as long as his Liege
upholds his end of it. By law only Knights and nobles may have
Hauscarls and this is strictly enforced.
The
Liege is obligated to provide decent food and secure and safe shelter
for his man, an equipment allowance, a decent mount when needed,
regular monthly pay sufficient to support the man's family, a weregild
to be paid to the family in the event of the man's death in his Lord's
service, proper medical care, a just and equal share in loot and booty,
and fair treatment and decent leadership. (This means that the Lord can
not order his man into a clearly hopeless fight). The Lord accepts
these obligations for life. If you can't afford to support a Hauscarl
and his family then you should hire mercenaries. In return the Hauscarl
swears to lay down his life at his Lords behest and to die in defense
of his property, family and honor. He will obey his Lord's commands in
all things and place his Lord's interest before his own.
The
amount of the monthly allowance is negotiable and depends greatly on
the quality of the man. The share in loot and booty need not be equal
to the Lord's share but it must be equitable and equal to what any
other Hauscarls are receiving. The Weregild owed by the Lord is
generally three months to one years worth of pay. The amount varies
depending on the wealth of the Lord, the importance of the Hauscarl and
how the man met his end. Death while defending his Lords person always
requires at least one years worth of pay.
Free Fighters:
These are mercenaries pure and simple. They fill the rolls of
bodyguards for wealthy merchants, caravan guards, etc. They are also
employed by nobles who do not have the resources to support Hauscarls.
Many
of the free fighters, also called `money fighters' are Katallan in
background. These are able to command a slightly higher price
(typically 5%) because they are regarded as being more reliable than
most other mercenaries.
A
mercenary supplies his own armor, weapons and horse. The employer must
supply food, shelter and gold. (Silver is acceptable!). A mercenary
gives his `Sword Oath' not to desert his employer for a better offer,
to remain at his post until the contract expires, and not to surrender
unless faced with clearly insurmountable odds. A mercenary that fails
to honor his oath will find future employment difficult. However,
should the employer ever become remiss in his obligations, either by
failure to pay, supplying poor or inadequate rations etc., a mercenary
is entirely justified in leaving him for a new employer, even if this
is in the heat of battle!
One
important note. Mercenaries will always accept the surrender of other
mercenaries and will not permit their brethren to be slaughtered.
