Souls of the Chaos | Hirelings

What’s a hireling?

If you’ve not played an old school inspired game before, hirelings are NPCs the party can, well...hire...to do a job for you. Employing them can enhance your chances of survival out there or down there.

What kind can you employ?

Maybe a torchbearer, to carry lit and spare torches, leaving your hands free to explore and fight. Or a porter, to carry gear and loot. Or a retainer, who may join the party often & can hold the line or watch your rear guard to keep escape lines open, or who’s good at digging, raft building, cooking, navigation, mapping, etc.

How much do they cost?

Well, how much did you pay for that weapon, or that fancy armour? Is it worth more than that guy? How much is it worth to you to have someone make sure there’s light in the dark, or who’s strong and brave enough to follow you and make sure you leave with that heavy chest full of loot? Oh, and how loyal do you want them to be? Hirelings talk to others, so what kind of reputation do you want? Do you want to end up known as a party who looks after their hirelings, or as one who treats them as disposable? If you’re known as the latter, even if anyone is desperate or foolish enough to accept the job, do you think they’ll accept it without getting a higher rate or a share of the spoils?

So the party will not only need to find someone who might take the job, but likely they’ll also need to convince them to take it. Oh, and hirelings will need gear, and if necessary, weapons and armour. The cost of that’s on you, and is over and above their daily salary.

What was that about loyalty?

Hirelings will start with a grit score. Your GM can tell you about that. Although the player(s) control their hirelings, they have a mind of their own, and the GM can decide if they’ve just had enough. Basically, if things get real hairy scary, or if they get hit, or you don’t treat your hirelings well and keep sending them into danger, the GM may roll 2d6, and if the roll’s higher than their grit, they might bolt or start looking for the exit, thinking about heading off home, or might even join forces and turn on the party. The GM may use modifiers on that roll to factor in what’s happening in the moment. The likes of torchbearers or porters will likely start with a score of 7. Retainers might have 9. That might go up or down during an expedition, or could vary depending on how much you’re paying or treating them.

Do they have stats?

Give the likes of torchbearers and porters only max health, a grit score, and an armour mod. For retainers, make a full character sheet, because they’ll do more & if it goes south, you might need to take one over as a new character to keep moving forward!

So what about when we’re in the thick of it?

To make sure conflict moments don’t get bogged down, each type of hireling will have one thing to do, and they’ll act together in the same initiative turn. The GM will ask what your command to them is. Maybe that’ll be for the torchbearers to stay at the back and keep the place lit, for the porters to retreat to safety nearby, for the retainers muscle to flank the enemy. Make your commands quick, and make them clear. Protect and treat your hirelings well, and you might just get out of this in one piece!