The goal of this is to create simple rules for players and NPC factions to have NPC allies in their control to aidMana per Level: 1 Casting Time: 1 Standard Action Range: Tou... More in their personal quests, crafting, and more.
Why have these rules?
As you adventure, you will meet many different people. Many of these will aidMana per Level: 1 Casting Time: 1 Standard Action Range: Tou... More 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 Value, Hit Points, and Skills.
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 | Hiring Cost | Cost per week |
| Green (EasyYour skill is doubled when a task is easier than normal. Eas... More) | 0 | 1 gp |
| Average (Average) | 200 gp | 3 gp |
| Trained (Challenging) | 400 gp | 5 gp |
| Expert (Very Hard) | 800 gp | 10 gp |
When employing hirelings, it is required to maintain a balanced hierarchy of skill levels. Each level of skilled workers requires oversight from more experienced hirelings to ensure smooth and productive operations. Without this balance, inefficiencies, mistakes, or even catastrophic failures may occur. You may hire up to three hirelings of a given skill rating before you must employ a hireling of superior skill.
Skill Balance Rule:
For every group of hirelings in operation, you must maintain the following ratios:
- For every 4 Green Hirelings, 1 Average Hireling is required.
- For every 4 Average Hirelings, 1 Trained Hireling is required.
- For every 4 Trained Hirelings, 1 Expert Hireling is required.
Expert Hirelings can operate independently and do not require Legendary Hirelings supervision.
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. An Ally follows the progression of Basic NPCs. Unless stated by the StoryGuide, they are not SagaBorn, so they do not have Legacy items or TalentsExtraordinary abilities that define your character. More. They have six Skills that compromise their main abilities that are based on their Level. Any other skills checks are half of their main skill chance.
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.
Main Skills: Bargain, Fast Talk, Persuade, Listen, Strategy, Melee Weapon (Any)
Diplomat Basic Attributes
| Level | AV | HP | Stats | Average Damage | Skill % |
| Green (EasyYour skill is doubled when a task is easier than normal. Eas... More) | 0 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 25% |
| Average (Average) | 2 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 50% |
| Trained (Challenging) | 4 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 60% |
| Expert (Very Hard) | 4 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 75% |
Guard (Fighter)
A guard is there to protect the adventurers, their allies, and their stronghold.
Main Skills: Brawl, Dodge, Melee Weapon (Any), Ranged Weapon (Any), ShieldMana per Level: 1 Casting Time: 1 Standard Action Range: Sel... More, Throw
Guard Basic Attributes
| Level | AV | HP | Stats | Average Damage | Skill % | SpecialA special success if the roll is equal to or less than 1/5 t... More |
| Green (EasyYour skill is doubled when a task is easier than normal. Eas... More) | 0 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 25% | Reduce value of Stronghold Defense Check by 1 |
| Average (Average) | 2 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 50% | Reduce value of Stronghold Defense Check by 2 |
| Trained (Challenging) | 4 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 60% | Reduce value of Stronghold Defense Check by 3 |
| Expert (Very Hard) | 4 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 75% | Reduce value of Stronghold Defense Check by 5 |
Stronghold Defense – Any Guard stationed at a stronghold assists in its defense and reduces the value of a Stronghold Defense check depending on their level.
Knowledge Keeper (Luminar)
A knowledge keeper can aidMana per Level: 1 Casting Time: 1 Standard Action Range: Tou... More the adventurers in study and research. They can also craft items in the artificer’s laboratory if they are a spellcasting class.
Main Skills: Knowledge (3 fields), Medicine, Research, Spellcraft
Knowledge Keeper Basic Attributes
| Level | AV | HP | Stats | Average Damage | Skill % |
| Green (EasyYour skill is doubled when a task is easier than normal. Eas... More) | 0 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 25% |
| Average (Average) | 2 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 50% |
| Trained (Challenging) | 4 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 60% |
| Expert (Very Hard) | 4 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 75% |
Spy (Rogue)
A spy is the eyes and ears of a faction. They can infiltrate other factions to findMana: 5 Casting Time: 1 hour Range: 15 miles Target: Single ... More out secrets or try to steal artifacts.
Main Skills: Disguise, Fine Manipulation, Hide, Melee Weapon (Any), Spot, Stealth
Spy Basic Attributes
| Level | AV | HP | Stats | Average Damage | Skill % |
| Green (EasyYour skill is doubled when a task is easier than normal. Eas... More) | 0 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 25% |
| Average (Average) | 2 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 50% |
| Trained (Challenging) | 4 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 60% |
| Expert (Very Hard) | 4 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 75% |
Worker (Commoner)
A worker makes the day-to-day tasks happen. They can craft in most crafting rooms (minus the artificer’s lab).
Main Skills: Craft (any two), Repair
Worker Basic Attributes
| Level | AV | HP | Stats | Average Damage | Skill % |
| Green (EasyYour skill is doubled when a task is easier than normal. Eas... More) | 0 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 25% |
| Average (Average) | 2 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 50% |
| Trained (Challenging) | 4 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 60% |
| Expert (Very Hard) | 4 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 75% |
Using your allies
Each in-game week, a hero may use an ally to perform a job.
Income
| Level | Income per 10×10 (weekly) |
| Green (25%) | 15 gp |
| Average (50%) | 50 gp |
| Trained (60%) | 75 gp |
| Expert (75%) | 150 gp |
| Legendary (90%) | 300 gp |
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. An ally must have space to craft, which can not be used by others to craft at the same time.
Allies can craft items based on their Type. If a ally is crafting, then can not perform other actions that week. Example: A guard may do some blacksmithing, but when crafting, they do not count as a stronghold guard as their time is taken up with the craft.
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 | |||
| Worker | 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.
If a task is contested, the ally must do a skill roll to see if it is successful. If the task is complex, multiple skill rolls may be necessary. A player and StoryGuide should work together to figure out ways to use allies in fun and meaningful ways.
Example: Qeirin is a faun spy under the employ of the ranger Dorin. Dorin sends Qeirin to spy on an enemy’s stronghold. The SG decides that it will be 3 rolls to gain information, and that failure of the roll may cause harm or even death to the spy. Qeirin must roll a Navigation, a Stealth, and a Spot check to bring back information. The player rolls each skill: Navigation, Success 45 /out of 54; Stealth, Sucess 39 /out of 65; and Spot 59 /out of 64. Qeirin comes back with information on the leaders of the keep and their schedule. If they had failed their stealth, they may have gotten injured in an escape, and if they had fumbled the roll, they may have ended up deceased at the hands of the enemy.
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. A good rule of thumb would be to divide the treasure GP worth by the number of heros and npc allies and then again by half. That would be the portion of treasure kept by the Ally.
Morale
Allies have a morale that has a range of 0-20 that begins at 10. Based on the actions of the heroes, the morale can go up or down. Morale can be a bit subjective, but in general, if the allies are treated well, their morale goes up. If they are mistreated, it goes down.
Non-payment
If allies are not paid, they will lose morale. They lose morale at 1 point per week when not paid. If they do not get food, water, and shelterMana per Level: 1 Casting Time: 1 Standard Action Range: 5... More provided, the loss is tripled. If their morale reaches 0, 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.