A Family of Old-School Henchmen

In old school play, it’s very important to introduce henchmen early on. In a game where character progression and personalization requires equipment rather than skills and feats, henchmen are a great colorful way to grow. 

It gives the player an instant replacement if and when his guy dies. It gives the party some leverage and wiggle room when the push too far. It builds for them a core team of trusted assistants for when they reach Name level. It’s an important way to grow a character’s personal power in the sociopolitical as well as martial spheres. Finally it provides for RP opportunities. 

It is important to introduce this idea during Session Zero. (More on that in a future post.) Then, during sessions 1+, you might use some of the following methods to get the PCs to pick up the entourage they should have. 

The first is to put the cost of hirelings right next to the cost of horses and boats. This gets the players to begin to consider them as equipment rather than a hassle or resource drain. 

The second is to introduce them to another party which has a large entourage. Perhaps the other party ridicules the PCs for being so poor or stupid as to not hire help. In character, they can explain the costs and benefits. 

The third way is to have an in-game bulletin board or bill post with adventure hooks and men begging for work. 

The fourth way is to put the henchman front and center and frame the hire as an act of charity. 

Consider the following: a lowly medium foot: chain, shield, helm, spear, approaches the party and asks to serve them. 

He says he has five children to feed and he needs work. He knows this lot finds gold sometimes. He’s willing to bear weight, bear shield, or even fight on a front line. But he needs to feed his kids. 

The next day, they will find he brings his grown son and his pre-teen son and daughter who will accompany him. He says that if they are paid properly they will serve as well. One medium foot and two linkboys/porters/shield maidens. 

A family of adventurer’s assistants changes the concept from cannon fodder to an interesting RP, and even tactical, situation. Do they protect the kids? Do they throw the whole family in front of danger? Should they make sure the young man has more than a a helm, shield, and clothing before they have him enter the unknown? 

Maybe one of the kids takes a shine to the wizard. Maybe the kid could be an apprentice. Many possibilities there.