Retainers — Loyalty & Morale
Retainers make dangerous dungeons survivable. They carry torches, haul loot, watch the rear, and sometimes fight alongside the party. When a character dies, a loyal retainer can step forward as a replacement — they already know the group, the mission, and the dangers.
Who they are: Anyone — commoners, mercenaries, adventurers. Lower-level retainers expect a half share of treasure; equal-level demand a full share. Higher-level NPCs won’t follow.
Max Retainers: A character can lead PB + CHA retainers (minimum 0).
Retainer Modifier: Compress CHA for all retainer rolls:
| CHA | Modifier |
|---|---|
| Negative | −1 |
| 0 | 0 |
| +1 to +2 | +1 |
| +3 or more | +2 |
Pay: 2–5 gp/day, plus their share of treasure.
Hiring
Find candidates: Taverns, guilds, notice boards — 1d3 available (double in large towns).
The roll: 2d6 + Retainer modifier. Adjust for context: generous pay, full shares, good reputation grant +1; stingy terms or a reckless reputation give −1.
| Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 2–5 | Refuse — and the party’s reputation here suffers |
| 6–8 | Hesitant — they can sweeten the deal once and reroll |
| 9–11 | Accept |
| 12+ | Accept eagerly — starts with Loyalty +1 |
Loyalty
Each retainer has a Loyalty score (starts at 0, range −3 to +3).
When to check: After each adventure, or when ordered into exceptional danger.
The roll: 2d6 + Loyalty + Retainer modifier.
- 8+ — they stay on
- 12+ — impressed; Loyalty increases by 1
- Fail — they quit, desert, or demand a bonus
What shifts Loyalty:
- Gave them gear they keep: +1
- Bonus treasure or extra pay: +1
- Saved their life: +1
- Needlessly risked or abused them: −1
Fair shares are baseline. Shorted or late pay means they leave immediately.
Morale
Retainers check morale when the fight turns grim — same triggers as monsters (first ally down, half the group down, leader killed, overwhelming odds).
Retainer Morale: 7 + Loyalty + Retainer modifier
Roll 2d6 against their Morale:
- Over — they break (flee, surrender, or withdraw)
- Equal or under — they hold
A well-treated retainer with Loyalty +2 and a +2 Retainer modifier has Morale 11 — nearly fearless. A mistreated one might have Morale 4 and run at the first sign of trouble.
Optional Knobs
- Death payout: Paying wergild (≈50 gp/level) to a dead retainer’s kin avoids −1 to local hiring.
- Reputation clock: Each retainer death ticks a 6-segment clock; when full, hiring gets harder until the party mends their name.
- Generous terms: Consistently overpaying may grant Edge on Loyalty rolls.
- XP growth: Retainers gain XP if they survive. Over time, they may level up — or step in as a replacement character.