Chapter IV: Non-Player Characters
It might come to pass that participants in the campaign might have want or will to recruit, hire, or otherwise gain the service and company of one or more characters. Such persons might range from a mere lantern-bearer to a retinue of loyal servants to a mighty elf-prince on shared errand. Though it be possible for all manner of folk to join one’s party for a duration, not all kinds might be easily sought out.
Only the lowest level of character types can be hired. The employing player advertises by word-of-mouth, by posting notices in alehouses, or writing letters to such persons as might be interested, or know others so inclined. Such efforts cost time and coin, the particular expenditure being determined by the referee.
Note that some might be wont to haggle over wages or be otherwise reluctant to accept offers of work. Mercenaries are unlikely to work for less than 8 pence a day—the average wage for an infantryman—and the more perilous the quest, the higher the wages most will expect. Clerics and other clergymen will be very reluctant to hire-on with parties of ill-repute.
Monsters of mannish sort might be lured into service, if rarely and usually for but brief and uneasy stent. Goblin-folk are easy enough to bribe, but a handsome offer of money or swag would be needed to induce any such creatures to accompany an adventuring party for any but the slightest task. Ettin-folk, likelier to demand payment in livestock than coin, tend to be more receptive of such offers, if little more trustworthy. Whatsoever offer one makes will apply certain bonuses or penalties to the reaction of the monster, determined by the rolling of 2d6 by the referee, modified by the employing player’s charisma:
| Dice Score | Reaction |
|---|---|
| 2 | Attempts to Attack |
| 3-5 | Hostile Reaction |
| 6-8 | Uncertain |
| 9-11 | Accepts Offer |
| 12 | Enthusiast, Loyalty +3 |
An “uncertain” reaction allows for additional negotiation, but any roll inferior to 6 precludes further offers.
Capture of Non-Player Characters
It being the case that most hold life preferable to death, a failed morale save might cause a man or thinking monster to surrender or otherwise be subdued. Should this come to pass, one might make an offer of service as per the above. One might also through diplomacy or duress extract from captives valuable information, ransom them for leverage or profit, or—depending upon the laws of the country—sell them into slavery.
Loyalty of Non-Player Characters
Those in a player’s employ will serve with relative loyalty so long as they think themselves well-treated by their master (or mistress). That they be regularly paid, given fair treatment, be not continually subjected to to excess peril, and receive such bonuses and rewards as befits their service is of great import. Appraisal thereof rest upon the referee, but might be guided by the following principle: whensoever one or more persons hire-on, a loyalty check is made by rolling 3d6, modified by the employer’s charisma score and such adjustments as warranted by the offered wage. It is advised that results be kept from the player, that treachery or remarkable troth retain their shock.
| Loyalty Score | Morale Modifier |
|---|---|
| 3 | Always Flees |
| 4-6 | -2 |
| 7-8 | -1 |
| 9-12 | -- |
| 13-14 | +1 |
| 15-17 | +2 |
| 18+ | Never Flees |
When that conditions of especial peril or frightfulness arise, non-player characters will need make morale checks. Poor morale—whether due to the unfaithfulness of the servants or due to circumstances such as hunger or niggardly division of swag—will retard the proper execution of duties.
Relatives
At the referee's discretion, a player may designate one relative of his character to inherit his possessions[1] should the character die or disappear for such period that death be reasonably presumed. Thereupon the relative would inherit the estate of said character, paying a 10% tax on all goods and monies. The relative must start at the lowest level of whichever class he selects, but will have the advantage of said inheritance.
Should the original character return, he takes possession of his estate once more (referee’s option as to the willingness of the relative to relinquish it), but must himself pay a 10% tax in order to reclaim it. Optionally, the relative may be allowed to remain as a non-player character in service to the player-character.
Those characters without relations will lose all their possessions should they disappear and not return before such period designated as establishing death. One might alternatively bequeath his estate to a fellow adventurer.