Old-School Essentials presents basic procedures for locating and hiring retainers, but much detail (e.g. pay rates) is left to the referee’s judgement. This article provides some additional detail, for groups that prefer more concrete guidelines.
Frequenting drinking establishments: Spending a night buying rounds and greasing palms in taverns costs 50gp. Per night, there is a 3-in-6 chance of successfully locating applicants (see Applicants).
Posting notices of help wanted: Spending a day posting notices in public places costs 25gp. Per day, there is a 2-in-6 chance of successfully locating applicants (see Applicants), who will apply at the specified location 1d4 days later.
Repeated searches: Each method of locating applicants may only be used with a certain maximum frequency, depending on the size of settlement: in villages, each method may be used once a month; in small towns, once a week; in large towns, twice a week; in cities, once a day.
Roll on the table below each time a search for potential retainers succeeds.
| Number of Applicants by Settlement Size | ||
|---|---|---|
| Settlement | Townsfolk | Adventures |
| Village | 1d4 | 1 |
| Small Town | 1d6 | 1d3 |
| Large Town | 2d4 | 1d4 |
| City | 2d6 | 1d6 |
Normal humans without a character class (effectively level 0) willing to join an adventuring party. See the Normal Human monster listing in Old-School Essentials. Often used as torch-bearers or porters.
Starting equipment: None.
Independent adventurers of a specific character class (roll on the Retainers’ Character Class table).
Level: Most applicants are 1st level, but 1-in-6 may be of level 1d3+1.
Starting equipment: Basic adventuring gear, weapons, and armour (e.g. using the tables under Quick Equipment).
| Retainers’ Character Class | ||
|---|---|---|
| d12 | Class | Alternatives |
| 1 | Cleric | Bard, druid |
| 2-4 | Fighter | Barbarian, knight, paladin, ranger |
| 5 | Magic-user | Illusionist |
| 6-8 | Thief | Acrobat, assassin |
| 9-10 | Halfling* | Gnome, svirfneblin |
| 11 | Dwarf* | Duergar, half-orc |
| 12 | Elf* | Drow, half-elf |
Alternatives: If using Old-School Essentials Advanced Fantasy, 2-in-6 applicants may be of one of these alternative classes. *: If using the optional rule for separate race and class (see Old-School Essentials Advanced Fantasy), roll 1d8 for class. Reroll if an unsuitable class results.
Once an applicant has been located, the hiring PC must offer them a certain wage.
Townsfolk: Will want a daily rate of pay.
Adventurers: Will want a daily rate of pay plus a share of any treasure recovered.
| Poor, Standard, and Generous Wages | ||
|---|---|---|
| Generosity | Daily Rate | Loot Share |
| Mean (–2) | 2sp | 1/4 share |
| Poor (–1) | 5sp | 1/3 share |
| Standard | 1gp | 1/2 share |
| Decent (+1) | 5gp | 2/3 share |
| Lavish (+2) | 10gp | Full share |
The applicant’s reaction to the offer is determined by a 2d6 reaction roll, modified by the hiring PC’s CHA and reputation, as well as the generosity of the offer. See Retainers in Old-School Essentials.
Generosity modifiers: The modifier listed in the table above is applied to the 2d6 reaction roll to determine whether the applicant accepts the offer.
Bonus payments: Offering to buy equipment for the applicant or give them a sum of money up front may improve the offer generosity by one step in the table above, to a maximum of a +2 generosity bonus.
Refused offers: A reaction roll of 3–5 indicates that the applicant refuses. The referee may allow player to try again with an improved offer.