Retainers

A retainer (or hireling) is a person hired by a player character (PC) to aid that character on an adventure. The number of retainers who will follow a PC is limited by that character’s Charisma score. If a retainer is not well-treated, he or she is likely to stop working for the PC and will tell others of the mistreatment. Retainers are more than just men-at-arms, soldiers hired to fight and protect their employer but only expected to take reasonable risks. Retainers are lieutenants or assistants to a PC and are expected to lend their skills and knowledge to the benefit of the party and to take the same risks the characters expect to face.

HIRING: To hire a retainer, a character must first find NPCs who are interested in the job. Characters will have to go somewhere they might find and interview interested NPCs, such as a tavern or they must pay a fee to advertise for NPCs to come and see them. The DM must create the personalities of the NPCs who come to the character for an interview.

ADVENTURES

Next the character must explain the duties of the job to the NPC and offer a rate of pay. The DM must decide what a good rate of pay would be, but this usually includes a guaranteed minimum fee and a partial share of any treasure found. Fees should vary depending on the skills of each retainer and the number available. Employers are expected to buy equipment and food for their retainers as well as pay their fees. Generally, if there are only a few jobs offered but many people looking for work, retainers may agree to work for less pay and vice versa.

Reactions

Once a rate of pay is offered the DM must roll 2d6 and consult the Retainer Reaction table to see if the offer is accepted, refused, or if more negotiation is necessary. The DM may want to adjust the reaction roll by +1 or +2 for very good offers or by -1 or -2 for poor offers or if the PC has a bad reputation.

Retainer Reactions

* The DM should roll for each retainer found. If a 2 is rolled, reactions to that character of other retainers in the same area will be adjusted by -1. If the character attempts to hire retainers in some other town, reactions will be determined normally.

* The retainer is so friendly that his or her normal morale (an optional rule; see page B27) will be adjusted by + 1.

LEVEL OF RETAINERS: A retainer may be of any level (0, 1, 2, 3, or higher) and of any class (normal man or a character class). Retainers can never be higher in level than the PC who hires them.

Elvish and dwarvish retainers should be very rare. Elves have very long lives, but their numbers are not great. Dwarves also have long lifespans (though not nearly so long as elves) but their numbers are greater (though not as great as the number of humans).

Loyalty

The loyalty of a retainer is a measure of the retainer’s morale and willingness to take risks for the PC and not run away in the face of danger. A retainer’s loyalty or morale is based on the charisma of the player character employer (see page B7). The loyalty of retainers should be checked whenever extraordinary danger is met during an adventure. Loyalty should also be checked after each adventure. The DM may wish to adjust a retainer’s loyalty due to actions of the player character, such as if the PC pays the retainer more than agreed upon, or rescues the retainer from danger and vice versa.

Using Retainers

Retainers are often used to strengthen a party which is attempting an extremely dangerous adventure.

Retainer Experience

Retainers will earn experience from adventures just like player characters do, and may rise a level in their character class once they have gained enough experience. Retainers, however, only receive 14% the experience PCs would receive, because they were only following orders and not making decisions on their own. Retainers may be awarded more than their agreed upon portion of the treasure and thus gain more experience than normal. Retainer’s earned experience is adjusted by character class adjustments due to their abilities (see page B7).