The first type of sidekicks for hire will be mercenaries, who will help you fight. You will have to pay them a fee every month, and assure that your adventures are profitable. You will be able to heal and equip them. However, they may prove to be more trouble than they are worth. Their main problem is inherent in the Morrowind engine - A.I. pathfinding. Often, the mercenaries will get stuck behind objects or will be unable to follow you because their jumping or climbing abilities are too low. In addition, you will not be able to check their status, and they may drop dead on you in any moment. The most frustrating thing for me, however, was that in their infinite wisdom, the designers neglected to mention to the mercenaries to stay out of my line of sight. I ended up killing one of my mercenaries by accident, while shooting arrows at an approaching enemy. Being able to issue basic commands, such as "do not engage until I fight in close combat" would help.​