Mount&Blade/Companions

In Mount&Blade you are not the only hero. When exploring the taverns of Calradia you will come across some named people who are willing to join your cause, for a price of course. Their locations are random and will change from time to time, so check taverns regularly until you find all of them. In 0.950 and newer you can pay a Traveler to tell you the location of any companion (30 denars per name).

Just like your character, companions heal between battles on a percentage basis and can never be killed or taken prisoner, although some mods alter this.

At low levels, companions are very weak; most of the time if you don't completely obliterate the enemy you'll end up realizing that your companions have been knocked out. However, since companions can level just like the player character they can end up much more powerful than even the highest-level troops. Outside battle they contribute their skills to the party as a whole (see the party page).

Likes and dislikes
In 0.950 and newer, each companion has individual likes and dislikes. Each companion likes one other companion and dislikes two others, and these feelins are mutual. Over time, their dislike will likely make one decide to leave. If you follow the story a companion tells you during your fist meeting you will get an idea of what companions and actions they will like or dislike.

Specialization
Each companion tends towards a specialization. Their skills will contribute to the party as a whole where applicable. When a companion's health falls to 25% or below the name will be shown in red text (with "Wounded!" added), and any skills that were aiding the party will not work until they heal above 25%. Those with healing abilities should be kept at the bottom of the party list to ensure that they see less battle and therefore are less likely to be wounded too badly to heal others.

Customization
One of the biggest advantages that companions have over standard troops is that they can gain levels and develop their skills in the same way as your own character. You can even customize their gear, outfitting them with exactly what you want them to use.

To customize a companion's abilities, open the party screen when on the world map (P) and talk to the hero you want to upgrade, then choose "Tell me about yourself", and you will see that companion's character window. To customize their equipment do the same but choose "Let me see your equipment", and you will see the inventory. Just as with your own character you can only use equipment if the companion meets the minimum requirements.

Kidnapped Daughter exploit
One of the merchant quests, Rescue kidnapped daughter, involves rescuing an NPC who joins your party. She can be equipped and upgraded just like your other companions. While you have to deliver her in order to finish the quest, you can keep her indefinitely as long as you don't go near her home town (if you go too near she will leave your party and the quest will complete). You can get her back by doing the quest again, and she will have the exact same statistics and equipment that she had when she left your party. Because she is a unique NPC you can only have one Kidnapped Daughter at any one time.