Merc Leader
In the Barracks you’ll find the Merc Leader and his four-man squad of mercenaries. Pay them in advance and they’ll fight in your next battle; as he puts it, “And the harder it is, the bigger the payment.” The Barracks unlocks once Herbert has the Faith he wants for Fighting Spirit Required.
Paying the squad
Speak to the leader and pick Pay for a battle; the money cost is printed on the option. One payment buys one victory. The squad stays on your payroll through any number of defeats and only needs paying again after a win.
Every victory bumps up the next fee:
| Paying for battle | Fee |
|---|---|
| One | 5 silver |
| Two | 7.5 silver |
| Three | 10 silver |
| Four | 15 silver |
| Five | 20 silver |
| Six onward | 1 gold |
What you get for it
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Barracks quality | A paid mercenary contributes his armour plus his weapon, 1 + 1, so the four add 8. Unpaid they’re worth nothing. That’s why Herbert’s quality-12 target in Swords and Bell only takes two barricades. |
| Defence power | In the pre-battle window the paid squad is locked on, and its 8 counts toward the requirement. The first battle asks for 12. |
| Extra fighters | They fight alongside you on the battlefield. |
Quests
Notes
- Pay first, then report to Herbert. Swords and Bell reads Barracks quality at the moment you answer, and unpaid mercenaries add 0.
- Herbert drops a hint. Assigning the task, he says it “isn’t happening without that squad of Hired Swords on board”. Without them it’s six barricades rather than two.