The goal of this is to create simple rules for players and NPC factions to have NPC allies in their control to aid in their personal quests, crafting, and more.
Why have these rules?
As you adventure, you will meet many different people. Many of these will aid or hinder you in one way or another. Some may become regular fixtures in your life and could even become valuable allies.
Ally types and costs
- Diplomat: Gives bonuses to negotiations.
- Guard: Protects your stronghold.
- Knowledge Keeper: Bonuses to knowledge checks, specific crafting.
- Spy (informant, infiltrator): Gains knowledge about enemies or factions.
- Worker: A worker can do odd jobs or craft items in crafting rooms.
Each unit has an Armor Class, Hit Points, Skills, Attack, and Damage
Hirelings and Freelancers
There are two types of Allies; freelancers and hirelings.
Freelancers are NPC allies who can be hired for odd jobs when they’re around. Freelance allies often charge more for jobs but do not have any weekly upkeep costs.
Hirelings are allies who work full-time or part-time for the heroes, often residing in their stronghold. Hirelings can do any job assigned to them by the heroes with no costs beyond their weekly upkeep. Hirelings can not be higher level than the heroes.
Cost for Hirelings
| Level | Cost per week |
| Green (Level 1) | 5 sp |
| Average (Level 3) | 1 gp |
| Trained (Level 5) | 3 gp |
| Expert (Level 7) | 10 gp |
A hero can only have hirelings equal to their level, or the party can have hirelings equal to the sum of their levels.
Example:
Saret, a level 4 Rogue, can have 4 hirelings or their party can add all their levels together (4x level 4 characters) and have 16 hirelings total.
Ally Types
Allies are classified as a type, making it easier for the players and Storyguide to track and handle them. They are based on classes from the Character Gallery, with only select stats used. If you wish, you can pull the complete character sheet from the Character Gallery based on the named NPC class. The ally is not limited to this class; it is just a base class for the given stats. The choice of ally class and path ultimately should be between an SG and the player.
These allies can also help fill the ranks of NPC factions.
Diplomat (Bard)
A diplomat can be many things. They can be a messenger to other local organizations. They can be a house manager and herald. They could be a performer spreading the saga of the adventurers. A diplomat is the social ally of the adventurers, helping them in tasks of negotiations, public relations, and stronghold management.
Diplomat Attributes
| Level | AC | HP | Attack Bonus | Damage | Skills |
| Green (Level 1) | 15 | 6 | +2 | 5 | Acrobatics (Reflex) +4 (+6 to hide/ move silently), Athletics +1, Awareness +1, Endurance (Fortitude) 0, Knowledge +3, Persuasion +6 (+8 to lie, disguise, or forgery), Spellcraft +1, Survival (Will) +1, Thievery +2 |
| Average (Level 3) | 17 | 15 | +4 | 5 | Acrobatics (Reflex) +4 (+6 to hide/ move silently), Athletics +1, Awareness +1, Endurance (Fortitude) 0, Knowledge +3, Persuasion +8 (+10 to lie, disguise, or forgery), Spellcraft +1, Survival (Will) +1, Thievery +2 |
| Trained (Level 5) | 17 | 24 | +6 | 5 | Acrobatics (Reflex) +4 (+6 to hide/ move silently), Athletics +1, Awareness +3, Endurance (Fortitude) 0, Knowledge +3, Persuasion +11 (+13 to lie, disguise, or forgery), Spellcraft +1, Survival (Will) +1, Thievery +3 |
| Expert (Level 7) | 17 | 32 | +8 | 5 | Acrobatics (Reflex) +4 (+6 to hide/ move silently), Athletics +1, Awareness +4, Endurance (Fortitude) 0, Knowledge +6, Persuasion +11 (+13 to lie, disguise, or forgery), Spellcraft +1, Survival (Will) +3, Thievery +3 |
Guard (Fighter)
A guard is there to protect the adventurers, their allies, and their stronghold.
Guard Attributes
| Level | AC | HP | Attack Bonus | Damage | Skills |
| Green (Level 1) | 15 | 11 | +4 | 8 | Acrobatics +4, Athletics +6, Awareness +3, Endurance +3, Knowledge 0, Persuasion -1, Survival +3, Thievery +2 |
| Average (Level 3) | 19 | 28 | +6 | 9 | Acrobatics +4, Athletics +6, Awareness +3, Endurance +5, Knowledge 0, Persuasion -1, Survival +3, Thievery +2 |
| Trained (Level 5) | 19 | 43 | +9 | 11 | Acrobatics +4, Athletics +6, Awareness +4, Endurance +7, Knowledge 0, Persuasion -1, Survival +4, Thievery +2 |
| Expert (Level 7) | 20 | 57 | +11 | 11 | Acrobatics +5, Athletics +6, Awareness +4, Endurance +7, Knowledge 0, Persuasion -1, Survival +5, Thievery +2 |
Knowledge Keeper (Luminar)
A knowledge keeper can aid the adventurers in study and research. They can also craft items in the artificer’s laboratory if they are a spellcasting class.
Knowledge Keeper Attributes
| Level | AC | HP | Attack Bonus | Damage | Skills |
| Green (Level 1) | 15 | 6 | +1 | 5 | Acrobatics +3, Athletics +1, Awareness +3, Endurance +1, Knowledge +6, Persuasion +1, Survival +4, Spellcraft +4, Thievery +2 |
| Average (Level 3) | 15 | 16 | +3 | 6 | Acrobatics +3, Athletics +1, Awareness +3, Endurance +1, Knowledge +7, Persuasion +1, Spellcraft +8, Survival +4, Thievery +2 |
| Trained (Level 5) | 15 | 25 | +6 | 7 | Acrobatics +3, Athletics +1, Awareness +5, Endurance +1, Knowledge +8, Persuasion +1, Spellcraft +11, Survival +6, Thievery +2 |
| Expert (Level 7) | 15 | 33 | +8 | 8 | Acrobatics +3, Athletics +1, Awareness +5, Endurance +1, Knowledge +8, Persuasion +1, Spellcraft +12, Survival +7, Thievery +2 |
Spy (Rogue)
A spy is the eyes and ears of a faction. They can infiltrate other factions to find out secrets or try to steal artifacts.
Spy Attributes
| Level | AC | HP | Attack Bonus | Damage | Skills |
| Green (Level 1) | 16 | 6 | +4 | 7 | Acrobatics +5, Athletics +2, Awareness +3, Endurance +1, Knowledge +0, Persuasion +2, Spellcraft +0, Survival +3, Thievery +6 (+8 Hide, Sneak, Move Silently) |
| Average (Level 3) | 18 | 19 | +7 | 7 | Acrobatics +5, Athletics +2, Awareness +4, Endurance +1, Knowledge +0, Persuasion +2, Spellcraft +0, Survival +4, Thievery +8 (+10 Hide, Sneak, Move Silently) |
| Trained (Level 5) | 20 | 31 | +10 | 7 | Acrobatics +8, Athletics +2, Awareness +4, Endurance +2, Knowledge +0, Persuasion +2, Spellcraft +0, Survival +4, Thievery +11 (+13 Hide, Sneak, Move Silently) |
| Expert (Level 7) | 20 | 43 | +12 | 7 | Acrobatics +9, Athletics +2, Awareness +6, Endurance +2, Knowledge +0, Persuasion +2, Spellcraft +0, Survival +4, Thievery +12 (+14 Hide, Sneak, Move Silently) |
Worker (Commoner)
A worker makes the day-to-day tasks happen. They can craft in most crafting rooms (minus the artificer’s lab). A worker at level 5 can become specialized. Specialized workers can only work in their chosen specialization, but they gain discounts (5%) in that craft.
Worker Attributes
| Level | AC | HP | Attack Bonus | Damage | Skills |
| Green (Level 1) | 10 | 3 | +0 | 4 | Acrobatics (Reflex) 0, Athletics 0, Awareness +2, Endurance (Fortitude) +2, Knowledge 0, Persuasion -1, Spellcraft -, Survival (Will) +2, Thievery 0 |
| Average (Level 3) | 10 | 6 | +2 | 4 | Acrobatics (Reflex) 0, Athletics 0, Awareness +2, Endurance (Fortitude) +2, Knowledge 0, Persuasion -1, Spellcraft -, Survival (Will) +2, Thievery 0 |
| Trained (Level 5) | 10 | 9 | +4 | 4 | Acrobatics (Reflex) 0, Athletics 0, Awareness +2, Endurance (Fortitude) +2, Knowledge 0, Persuasion -1, Spellcraft -, Survival (Will) +2, Thievery 0 |
| Expert (Level 7) | 10 | 12 | +6 | 4 | Acrobatics (Reflex) 0, Athletics 0, Awareness +2, Endurance (Fortitude) +2, Knowledge 0, Persuasion -1, Spellcraft -, Survival (Will) +2, Thievery 0 |
Using your allies
Each in-game week, a hero may use an ally to perform a job.
Income
You can use your allies to bring in income. The higher the risk, the higher the income. Most income-raising tasks take one in-game week to perform unless decided otherwise by the SG.
Crafting
An ally can craft items for the heroes. Crafting costs the same as for characters, and the ally level requirement is equal to character levels.
Allies can craft items based on their Type.
Crafting by Type
| Type | Alchemy | Artificing | Blacksmithing | Carpentry | Cooking | Leatherworking | Poisoner | Tinkerer |
| Diplomat | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Guard | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Knowledge Keeper | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Spy | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Commoner | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Tasks
Allies can be used to complete any sort of task within their power. Knowledge Keepers could help research, and Spies could, well, spy. The benefit of keeping up with allies is that they can help the heroes with various tasks the heroes may not be able to do.
Adventuring
Allies may travel with the adventurers if agreed upon by the SG and the players. This can change the balance of the party, combat, and story. The addition of allies to the adventuring party should not be taken lightly.
If Hirelings do travel with the adventurers, they usually require their normal fee plus a percentage of any treasure found. The percentage is between SG and player and should be used to grow the story.
Non-payment
If allies are not paid, they will become unhappy. After a month, the ally leaves employment.
Leveling your Allies
As you grow in power, you may wish for your allies to gain in power as well. To level your allies to the next level, there are costs. These costs cover training, materials, and equipment. A hireling ally level can never be higher than the party average.
| Level | Cost to level |
| Green (Level 1) | 0 |
| Average (Level 3) | 200 gp |
| Trained (Level 5) | 400 gp |
| Expert (Level 7) | 800 gp |
Using Allies as Enemies
Depending on how detailed you want to be, Factions aligned against the adventurers can be used in all the same ways. While a StoryGuide may not spend the time figuring out what tasks a faction’s allies may do, it can add to the world to set up a Stronghold and Ally structure for opposing factions.