Because adventuring is hard work, often PCs will hire the brave, strong, and foolhardy to help them on their endeavors. These followers fall into two categories, Retainers and Henchmen.

All followers act on the initiative order of their patron PC.

Retainers are NPCs with stats like monsters who work for coin. PCs may give orders to their retainers in battle. Giving orders counts as a Quick Action if it’s less than a few words. Alternately, a PC commander can spend an Active Action on their turn to roll a Tactics check to have them perform special or more complex maneuvers that round. Retainers behave as the GM sees fit if they are given no orders by their PC commander.

Henchmen on the other hand are NPCs with stats like that of a real PC, and they work to further the mission of the PC. They serve the goals and interests of their patron, and do not require payment. However, they must be recruited to serve the PC and their beliefs and goals must closely match that of the PC. Furthermore, it is expected that any riches from an expedition that goes to the PC's share should be shared equitably with the PC's henchmen.

PCs are powerful leaders, and as such will acquire NPCs in their service. Retainers are controlled by the GM, but given orders by their PC commander. Retainers generally demand 10gp per HD per day in service under dangerous conditions and a fraction of that if serving in a less stressful capacity.

A PC can’t command more than their CHA retainers.

Retainers are all created from one of the retainer classes and are hired from the retainer deck.

Retainers only advance in skill and power under certain circumstances.

A PC may recruit a number of elite followers known as henchmen or “hench.” Hench work for free and have superior morale and check modifiers. Hench are all created from one of the regular PC character classes. If henchman abandoned, abused or mistreated, they immediately leave the service of the PC at the GM's discretion.

Henchmen advance in skill and power just like PCs, except they may only do so by spending the gold given from their patron PC's share of any adventure.

If players want to recruit Retainers or Henchmen, they must spend at least a week of time and money in town. During this time, they are doing their best to find able-bodied free men interested in work.

Henchmen may be recruited from the hench deck, in which case they usually start around 3rd level or so. Alternatively, they may be rolled by the player just like a new 1st level PC.

Recruiting requires a CHA check to draw potential followers, and a second successful check to convince one or more of them to join on with the PC patron.

PCs can garner renown, a rating of their infamy. The higher their renown, the more likely an NPC knows of a PC’s exploits.

Renown = PC’s highest ability mod + level.

The GM can choose to roll for an NPC’s familiarity, judging off of the PC’s renown. If rolling, the GM rolls 1D20; the NPC knows the PC if equal or under their renown. If the GM thinks it likely or unlikely that an NPC would know the PC but still wishes to roll, they may do so at advantage (the NPC is more likely to know the PC, take the lower result) or disadvantage (the NPC is unlikely to know the PC).

Hench may be dismissed from service, or they may decide that their patron's treatment is poor or they decide that they have their own agendas so they strike out on their own. In these cases, the Henchmen leaves the PCs service and returns to the hench deck.