Be they students, retainers, new recruits to your order, or neophyte members of your faith, you have access to a small set of dedicated assistants and servants. Entourage Assistants are a role-playing addition, that may be used in RP threads, and sometimes even get involved in local action. While they may well have the skills (especially if they are running businesses on your behalf) they are not there to create loads of special gear for you - However, they may be used to 'assist' in various crafting and item creation attempts by using Aid Another.

Examples:

• Gandred is an Entourage Assistant to Sir Cyrus who runs a forge temple in Ringbridge. Using Gandred Cyrus's player was able to meet some new recruits in Restov, chat to them on the journey, and then get involved in a combat scenario when the new recruit had to deal with a Werewolf problem in Cyrus's town or Ringbridge.
• Alanna is an Entourage Assistant to Marik, who oversees the trading operation at the Sootscale Kobold mines. When an adventuring group passed by the mining camp, and started to ask questions, Marik's player was able to interact with the group through Alanna, and get a bit of extra RP in.
• Lolli is an ex bandit, who started her entourage-life as a travelling companion to Vik, she has worked for V&A shipping and is now nanny to the Lodkova-Sud household.

Prerequisite(s): Free at Level 2 for Campaign Games

Benefit(s): You gain a number of low level NPCs to represent your entourage. You may never have more than half your character level + Charisma Modifier entourage members. This maximun includes Entourage -Assistants, Entourage-Cousins and Entourage-Allies. Leadership Feat (Characters who take the leadership feat may use their Leadership(Followers) score instead of their level when calculating the number of Entourages they can recruit. This effectively means you can have half your character level + 2xCharisma Modifier entourage members)

Role: Entourage Members are not adventurers and have opted for a safer life in a support role, they have chosen, quite deliberately, not to fight monsters or wars for a living. If you take an Entourage Member into particularly dangerous situations (or situations that are not normal for their level and class) they may leave your service. Most PCs use their Entourage Members to manage their businesses, estates and strongholds and recruit suitable people. Note (skills for running an estate are profession:Merchant, Knowledge:Local and Diplomacy (although Intimidate and Bluff work as well))

Most Entourage members expect be employed managing your household, organization or business enterprises. A Divine Adept might oversee a chapel, an Arcane Adept might be your magical assistant or an apprentice, an Expert might serve as a Butler or Ship’s captain, while a warrior might oversee a contingent of guards. It is, however, perfectly acceptable to take a suitable Entourage Assistant along with you as a Squire, Personal Assistant or Bodyguard – so long as you leave them somewhere safe outside of the main area of danger. Ie – They can ride along with you, build your camp., look after your horses, cook your dinner etc - BUT you must always ensure that they are safe (perhaps leaving them to look after the camp) and expect them to withdraw from the scene of any major conflict. Note A squire or armiger will be OK travelling with you and looking after your horses and your camp site - but they need to have a suitable class, skills and equipment. Just don't take them into dungeons or expect them to take part in the fights with monsters. If you hire an Expert as a Librarian (for example) with all those non-combat, non-outdoors related skills - don't expect them to be pleased at the thought of traipsing around the country side looking for things to beat up.

Entourage members are the best of the rest. They are a step above the everyday labourer and have had something go right for them in life and, better still, they have decided to take you, your family and your businesses as their employers. Generally these will be Adepts, Experts or Warriors, occasionally Aristocrats - and they will be loyal to you, so long as you treat them properly. No abilities lower than 8, at least one ability must be greater than 12 and no ability should be more than 14 (after racial adjustments). You should check out the NPC Pages in my house rules, as I allow variant Adept and Warrior archetypes.

• 10 point build
• Full HP at first level
• 30gp starting money
• 1x trait

This is the same specification that I use for most Craftsmen, Minor Aristocrats, Minor Leaders, Guardsmen, Temple Priests etc. TBH, most NPCs, of this type, that I write are built as (Str:12, Con:12, Dex:12, Wis:12, Int:12, Cha:12) which works out close enough.

Potential: Levels 4, 5 and 6 are important to your most important Entourage Members. The Entourage build rules allow you to have a stat at 14 - advancing to level 4 lets you increase that to 15. At Level Level 5 (or higher in some cases) the entourage may take a PC class OR a Prestige classes - so long as they can meet all the prerequisites. Entourages may never have more than two classes.

Entourage-Assistants are the people who help you run your estates and businesses, and are among your most loyal servants and employees. They will serve you loyally and faithfully and always look after your best interests. Many Entourage-Assistants end up running strongholds (or estates) for their employers, and you might want to bear the stronghold rules in mind when you design your Entourage-Assistants. Note (Profession{Merchant}, Knowledge{Local} and Diplomacy are important skills for running strongholds. Lawful alignments can be befeficial as well)

• Recruitment: You may only recruit one Entourage-Assistant per level.
• Starting Level: Entourage-Assistants start at Level 1 even if they are a replacement for someone who dies or leaves your service.
• Advancement: Entourage-Assistants advance one level every Campaign Round, unless they are at their level limit.
• Level Limits: An Entourage-Assistant will never have more than half the levels that your PC does, nor advance beyond Level 5.
• Race: Core races. Anything else will need an awfully good backstory.
• Class: Entourage-Assistants will generally have levels in the Adept, Expert or Warrior Classes Note (I allow the use of various NPC Archetypes in my game). Commoners or Aristocrats will be an exception and need an awfully good backstory.
• Build: Entourage-Assistants follow the rules all NPCs that are outlined on the Character Creation Page. Details ( Playing an NPC - I like players to run some of the NPCs for me. It gives you another opportunity to RP, and helps me add diversity to the NPCs. Generally these will be Adepts, Experts or Warriors. Use a 10 point build, full HP at first level, 35gp starting money and 1x trait. At least one ability must be greater than 12 no abilities lower than 8 or higher than 14. You should note that I allow Adept Archetypes, details can be found on the House Rules page. If you think that a particular Entourage-Assistant is likely to be promoted to Entourage-Cousin or Entourage-Ally, you should give them a 14 stat.)
• Equipment: Entourage-Assistants start with 35gp of personal equipment, then get an extra (Level x 35gp) every time they advance. You provide the basic gear to do their job. You can provide extra equipment, such as your cast-offs, treasure that can't be used elsewhere or that are brought for cash.

One step up from Entourage-Assistants, your Entourage-Cousins become part of your extended family. They have the best interests of the family at heart - but expect you to make sure that they are treated as part of the family as well. Entourage-Cousins are often assigned a Manor (Hamlet or Village) in your stronghold that they expect to be passed down to their children, although in a few cases they 'own' family businesses instead. If you die without a spouse or Children - your Cousins will inherit your estate.

Note: You do not need to be a member of a Noble House to recruit Entourage-Cousins.

• Recruitment: Entourage-Cousins only become available when your PC reaches level 6 and you may only have Level/4 Entourage-Cousins Note (L6, L8, L12, L16, L20)
• Starting Level: Entourage-Cousins start at Level 4 even if they are a replacement for someone who dies or leaves your service.
• Promotion: You may promote one of your Entourage-Assistants to become an Entourage-Cousin so long as they are level 3. They automatically advance to Level 4. Note (If Possible you should use your ability bonus to advance a stat to 15. They might be able to qualify for a Prestige Class when they reach L6)
• New Recruit: You may recruit a new Entourage-Cousin directly. This will be an NPC that you know of, or have some other connection with.
• Level Limits: An Entourage-Cousin will never have more than 2/3 the levels that your PC does.
• Advancement: Entourage-Cousins advance to L5 as normal, but then gain experience according to the property they control. NOTE (All PCs and NPCs gain a small amount of experience per year according the number of BPs their Character controls. BPs that provide XP for the Entourage do not provide XP gains for the PC)
  
• Race: Core races. Anything else will need an awfully good backstory.
• New Build: Entourage-Cousins follow the rules for Entourage that are outlined on the Character Creation Page. However, the use a 10point+1 build to represent their advancement.Details (Use a 10+1 point build, full HP at first level, 1x trait. At least one ability must be greater than 12 no abilities lower than 8 or higher than 14. Exception - One ability may be 15 to represent the ability bonus gained at Level 4)
• Class: New Entourage-Cousins will have levels in the main NPC classes (Adept, Expert or Warrior - note that I allow the use of various NPC Archetypes in my game) Classes although, under exceptional circumstances, some new recruits may be an aristocrat from a very minor family (parents were wealthy enough to send their child through some sort of finishing school by are not Aristocrats themselves).
• Advancement: At L6 or above, if they have at least one stat at 15, and the appropriate prerequisites, any Entourage Assistant may advance to an appropriate Prestige class (Such as Duellist, Sword Lord or Noble Scion). If you want the Entourage-Cousin to advance to a Prestige Class, you should read at this page BEFORE creating / promoting them.
• Expectations: An Entourage-Cousin might expect to be given a small business, an empty Hamlet or an empty Village as their manor. All of them would expect to be able to build it up, so that they have a legacy to leave to their children. Note (ie 3* accommodation and an income, at least)
• Equipment: Entourage-Cousins have basic equipment worth 350gp. The rest of the WBL level is taken up below.
• Bonus A new Entourage-Cousin brings one BP of gold, materials and influence to invest in your family's stronghold. A promoted Entourage-Cousin, who you have nurtured from L1, brings 2bp of investment with them.

Entourage-Allies follow the same rules as Entourage-Cousins, however they do not become a part of your family, nor do they add their income to your estates - they expect to develop estates of their own, on your land, as your allies. Therefore, any income from the Entrourage-Ally's businesses or lands must be spent on developing their estates for their benefit - although that can benefit you in terms of taxes, land control and balance. They don't expect you to spend your income on developing their estates.

Example: Lutz of Clan Stigmar, has signed an alliance contract with Marik Aeris. He has contracted his defence points to Marik (adding to Marik's defence score) and agreed to build a religious buildings in Marik's holdings (Thus helping out with balance across the estate). This is funded by income from his property that Clad Stigmar earn from the developments they make (ie magic items from the Religious buildings, or economy from any other developments). Both Clan Stigmar and House Aeris benefit from the arrangement.

Allies never inherit your estates, however, they expect their own estates to be passed down to their children. However, the Allegiance does pass down the generations.

1. Entourage-Members are your most loyal servants, employees and allies - they go about their business quietly, in the background making sure that your life and businesses run smoothly. You (the player) are their voice - you decide what they say (and pretty much) how they behave. You could have one Entourage-member who is quiet, polite and unfailing does stuff in the back ground. You might decide that another Entourage-Assistants is sassy and talks back a lot, but still does the job. Or you could choose to have an Entourage-Assistant who always screws up - but you keep on anyway.
2. You can find a Entourage-member for just about any role. If you want a live-in masseuse who provides benefits on the side, that's cool. If you want a Travelling Valet, Personal Assistant, Top Class Chef, Cushion Fluffer, Hair Dresser, House Priest, Minstrel, Business Manager etc - that is cool too.
3. Entourage-Members are supposed to be a part of your main Character's in-game background and will rarely be more than a low level NPC. It may not be appropriate to use close family members who you think could become significant at some point - because as soon as you use them in this role, they effectively get taken out of the game. Someone who is a distant relative, a not-to-bright cousin, or a sibling you are prepared to have play a minor role in the game, is a better way to get family involvement.
4. Entourage-members are still NPCs and the DM has the absolute right to take over posting and decision-making for them at any time. However, this will only ever be when you have taken them into danger, abused them etc …. _{(or as part of a plot point)}

All entourages advance one level at the end of each year UP TO level 5.

Then Entourage-Assistants stop.

• Entourage-Cousins and Entourage-Allies may advance further – BUT they do it by gaining experience. This is the same process for my named NPCs such as Helga and Maril.
• Every NPC gets 250xp per year. This represents their general learning etc.
• NPCs with a Local Role get 450xp – Tib, who is bailiff for the leMaistre estates falls into this category.
• NPCs with a state wide role get 650xp – Rikka and Borric (the main officers for Midmarch) get this.
• Characters who controls property (Entourage-Allies) gets an extra 100xp for every BP of income.
• NPCs who play an active role in a Fuzzy thread can get 50XP for RP. Although it needs to be a decent set of posts. In exceptional circumstances it might be 100xp.
• If the NPC is in an active role, they may get another 100/200 xp per year as ‘pseudo adventuring’ experience. Helga and Maril fall into this category.

Optional: I give Borric, Rikka, Tib and Mia (who do most of the work to run Midmarch and the leMaistre estates) a share of the XP generated by BP from those estates. However, that means that Henry gets less XP and advances more slowly. If you did that for your entourages, you would advance more slowly as a result, because that XP would be assigned to the PC.

OK, it is not very pretty - but pretty tables are complicated in this wiki :)

This is a straightforward example of how the relationship between a PC can develop into an Entourage-Ally relationship - and how the entourages might level up. It assumes the PC (Hobin) gets one level advancement per year. Things might happen a bit faster (two PC levels some game years) or slower (Two game years for a PC level) - but I think it is about right.

This is a brief analysis of the Accounts / progression - this was just Holbin's investment coupled with the the minimum that Henry and the Pharasman's offer to all settlements. Holbin could also have promoted Myra to entourage cousin in R8, and use the bp that brings to develop the town rurther.