The Bloody Claw

The Bloody Claw is a Westerosi sellsword company created by House Reyne loyalists after Roger Reyne was killed by House Lannister forces at Castamere. It is unknown as to who founded the company. However, they were first noted around 290 AC in the Westerlands.

History
In 290 AC the Bloody Claw entered the service of House Kenning and Farman as outriders and scouts to prevent ironborn raids.

Their commander was Ser Duncan Vikary.

Shattered Kingdoms
Many of the Bloody Claw joined the service of King Cillyan Reyne in Castamere, as did their commander, Ser Duncan. They were disbanded until 305 AC when Lord Lyonel Cloverwood reformed the company from soldiers from the Reach and took them to Essos.

For just over five years the company remained in Essos, fighting for Daenerys Targaryen in her wars in the Disputed Lands. They joined her invasion of Westeros and after the Bloody Claw secured Dragonstone for the Targaryen Queen their contract had been completed and left her service and made straight for the Westerlands, recruiting men on the way.

King Cillyan Reyne had recently declared himself and retaken the ruins of Castamere. In 310 AC, Castamere was under siege and near out of supplies. Lyonel was able to maneuver unseen into the Westerlands and attack the Lannister army's flank and eventually lifting the siege.

Afterward, Lyonel Cloverwood, who had renounced his claim of Northmarch, performed hit and run guerilla tactics on the Lannister forces with great success.

In 314 AC, the Bloody Claw attacked a heavily guarded caravan heading from Lannisport to Crakehall. Although the attack was thwarted, in the fighting, King Joffery Lannister was killed. His mother, Queen-Dowager Cersei Lannister put a bounty on the Bloody Claw's head.

"A dragon for a claw," it was said.

Disbandment
The Bloody Claw kept moving for the next couple of years, but the constant attacks and harassment were taking their toll on the sellsword company and forced them to flee the Westerlands. Lyonel ordered the disbandment of the company for a year. They were to meet in the early months of 319 AC at Castamere and join King Cillyan's forces fighting the Lannisters again.

The Death of Lyonel
In the downtime, Lyonel traveled to the Riverlands to visit his family at Seagard. There he was assassinated by a young boy who had been blackmailed by Queen Cersei. The future of the Bloody Claw's after Lyonel's death is left unknown.