Retainer Loyalty
When using retainers as described in the Stron-gholds and Followers supplement, this opti-onal rule can help you give retainers an extra sense of being their own people with their own goals and motivations. It is not intended to replace any form of roleplaying, storytelling, or character development, but rather to aid each of them. It's a system intended to add a feel of personal motivation and development to NPCs.
Much of the reason we enjoy roleplaying games is that we don't control everything; the dice determine much of what happens to us. This enhances verisimilitude, in that we can't just say "I hit the orc and he dies," just like we can't decide such things in real life. Similarly, although an author can say "the young squire looked up to his Leige Lord as a hero, and hung on his every word," it means more if we as players can earn that loyalty in a way that feels legitimate.
In that vein, I hae come up with what I feel is a fun and easy way to track and build the loyalty of a retainer. This system can easily be used for any NPC, no matter what rules you use to run them at the table.
Ideals and Anathemas
Under this system, each retainer has a list of Ideals and a list of Anathemas. You don't need many, maybe two or three for each list, just enough to give the NPC some world views.
Ideals are simple; things the retainer holds to be import-ant. These should be ways of living within the world, or per-spectives and opinions about people, places, organizations, events, or the like. For example, a retainer's ideals could be "complete quests that aid the kingdom," or "win a battle against foes that are superior in number or level."
By contrast, Anathemas are things that the retainer hates. Like ideals, these should be related to behaviors and actions relating to the world around them. For example, a retainer's anathemas could be "harming innocent people," or "betraying the kingdom."
Ideals and Anathemas may or may not change as the story progresses, the retainer grows and changes as a person, and their relationship with their leader evolves.
Loyalty Score
Additionally, under this system every retainer has a Loyalty score, which measures their relationship with their leader. When the retainer first joins their leader, their Loyalty is equal to 5 + their leader's Charisma modifier. If the leader's Charisma modifier changes at any point in the future, that change is applied to the Loyalty score of each retainer who follows that leader.
Increasing Loyalty
At certain points, a retainer's Loyalty might increase; potent-ial instances are listed below. Every time one of these events occurs, the leader makes a Charisma check against a DC equal to the retainer's Loyalty score. If the check is success-ful, the retainer's Loyalty score increases by 1.
The potential moments to gain Loyalty are:
- Leader completes a quest personal to the retainer
- Leader takes an action that falls within the retainer's Ideals
- Roleplay provides a moment of bonding such as sharing an important event together
Decreasing Loyalty
Similarly, a retainer's Loyalty can be lost; potential instances are listed below. Every time one of these occurs, the leader makes a Charisma check against a DC equal to 25 - the retai-ner's Loyalty score (minimum DC of 1). If the check is succ-essful, the retainer's Loyalty score decreases by 1. If the check fails, the retainer's Loyalty score decreases by 1d4.
The potential moments to lose Loyalty are:
- Leader fails a quest that is personal to the retainer, or declines to undertake it
- Leader mistreats or betrays the retainer
- Leader takes an action that falls within the retainer's Anathemas
If a retainer's Loyalty score drops to 0, the retainer leaves their leader's service. They might do so immediately, or at some point appropriate to the narrative, but it is guraanteed.
Effects of Loyalty
A retainer's Loyalty score also has a Loyalty modifier, much like an ability score. The Loyalty modifier is calculated in precisely the same way as any ability modifier.
Whenever some event comes into play that tests the retain-er's dedication, the retainer must make a Loyalty check. The DC depends on the event in question, and can be anyth-ing the DM feels is appropriate, using the following examples as a guideline.
DC 15. Perform some action that the retainer doesn't rea-lly want to do, but which doesn't fall within their Anathemas. For example, crawling through a filthy sewer.
DC 20. Reveal personal information about the retainer's history or personality. This may occur many times throughout the course of a campaign, as a leader continues getting to know their retainer.
DC 25. Perform some action that falls within the retainer's Anathemas. This also immediately triggers a check to decre-ase the retainer's Loyalty score.
Feat: Leadership
Prerequisite: Active stronghold, and at least one retainer
You inspire greater loyalty in those who follow you. You gain the following benefits:
- Increase your Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
- You get a +5 bonus on Charisma checks made to increase a retainer's Loyalty score.
- Whenever you make a Loyalty check for one of your retainers, the check is made with advantage.