Söldner

Overview

A simple profession for those willing to take any risk to advance their position in life. Named after the german word for mercenary, as the country looks back on a long history of famous mercenery companies and experienced this modern day phenomenon first amongst all the European states.

In general söldner travel from place to place, seeking out new contacts that can supply them with profitable jobs. Profitable in this case is of course relative to the average citizen.

Often söldner look for more practical compensation, like a piece of Kybernetics plus the necessary implantation or special weapons, to improve their chances of surviving their next mission. It is an open secret that such deals often result in indentured servitude to one of the Trading Houses, a fact that does not necessarily come without its perks.

Who becomes a Söldner?

What distinguishes a söldner from a common mercenary is foremost his personality. Many people fall into killing work for hire but only a söldner does so because he doesn't care for how the world works. The reason for it can be varied but what is common amongst them is a lack of respect for the rich and famous, an attitude that breaks with all laws and traditions and the will to make the world remember their name.

You cannot be a söldner if you wish to be left alone. Hide yourself for a while? Sure. Desire to pull the strings behind the scene? Why not? But no söldner desires to remain a nobody. Every one of them wants to achieve something and is willing to risk everything for it!

How do you become one?

There is no universal sign that one is a söldner and no universal way of becoming one either. In Germany söldner brand each other with specially prepared bullet casings right above the ankle in a ritual called the Stiefelmahl. In England söldner must join the Snake-fellows, a semi-secret order, if they wish to be eligible for government work or jobs from the country's nobility. But these are localized traditions and not required to be a söldner, in the end, everything that is necessar is for a person to engage in a söldner's work, usually called Hazework.

What can a söldner strive for?

Excluding personal goals, there are several things which a söldner can hope to achieve in during his career. Becoming a privateer - similar to the pirates of the Age of Sail, a söldner can hope to eventually receive a mark from one of the trading houses. Such a mark shows that they work exlusively for one specific trading house or at least won't take work that involves damaging their sponsor. This goes hand in hand with receiving better equipment, lodgings and luxuries from said trading house. Such söldner are usually among the best of the best and make damn sure to make sure their sponsor knows how valuable they are.

Earning a reputation

Gathering connections and influence