Mercenary's Code

While the Code has yet to be fully formalized into law, the Mercenary Bond Council has made it clear that at a minimum, the Code consists of the following:

• "Surrender is always an option." Once offered, it must be accepted, and it must be honored. A surrendering company must immediately move to vacate the battlefield. Victors may offer the surrendered company field support (healing, food/water, etc), but the offer is not required, nor is acceptance.
• "Death is not the only victory." Most mercenary companies will battle by maneuver, seeking to put opposing forces into an untenable position rather than win by sheer attrition or casualties.
• "Rank always applies." In order for a mercenary company to be able to faithfully execute the provisions of the Code, it must have functioning leadership--deliberate attempts to assassinate leadership are a violation of the Code.
• "Prizes are allowed to be kept." A company accepting another company's surrender is entitled to choose a token of their victory, usually from the surrendered's stores. This has at times been a company standard, and it is expected that the surrendering company will look for any opportunity to take the standard back. Victorious companies demanding a costly prize of a surrendered company has been at the heart of many a company-to-company's bitter rivalry.
• "Death before dishonor." A mercenary who violates the Code against the orders of his leadership faces severe punishment. A mercenary officer who orders a violation of the Code--or knows of one from within his ranks and refuses to act to prevent it--faces immediate censure, punishment, or even execution. A mercenary leader who orders a violation of the Code may face immediate mutiny or insubordination.
• "Keep the fight between us." Companies must do what they can to minimize the collateral damage to citizens, cities, and those uninvolved in the battle. (Such facilities and individuals will be needed after the battle is over, after all.)