A lot of that *used* to be in CROWN, of course. By Vieliessar's time, if you weren't a member of a War Prince's court (and sometimes even if you were, if you were a member of a Less House), life pretty much sucked. The Landbonds were treated worse than cattle, and the Craftworkers, Farmholders, and hereditary servant classes were severely exploited. Unless you were Lightborn, one of the Lords Komen, or the War Prince, life was uncertain, power was corrupt, and justice was non-existent.

In the specific case of the Silver Star Free Company, it was one of the few Free Companies to escape the Scouring of Farcarinon (one of Bolecthindial Caerthalien's less-stellar ideas), and had a certain bone to pick with the Hundred Houses. Vieliessar's policy of enfranchising outlaws and mercenaries under her banner tended to ensure that any surviving members of Free Companies (after the Scouring) would join her. How Silver Star came to fight under her banner, however, is quite another story...