I'm currently running The Wormwood Mutiny and I want to make sure my players have an enjoyable and interesting crew for their new ship once the mutiny takes place. I've decided to keep a few NPCs who will level up with the group, staying 2 levels below the PCs as if they were cohorts.
I'm going to use Ambrose "Fishguts" Kroop and Sandra Quinn as two, since they're both fully written NPCs who are friendly to the PCs and are written into a role like this already. I'm also choosing Rosie Cusswell because I have a halfling Bard in the party who's sweet on her, and she seems like a good follower to have around. I have a party of 5 PCs, so ideally I'd like to choose two more followers to level up.
The hostile NPCs won't be sticking around in this capacity, and I'm intentionally ditching Conchobhar Turlach Shortstone because he's an arrogant prick who the PCs don't really like. (I like to give each of the NPCs a little personality, with a mix of positive and negative aspects.) Also, as I mentioned before, we already have a bard PC who is quite similar to him.
So, which of the remaining NPCs seem like good pseudo-cohorts?
- "Badger" Medlar
- "Ratline" Rattsberger
- Barefoot Samus Toppin
- Crimson Cogward
- Giffer Tibbs
- Jack Scrimshaw
- Owlbear Hartshorn
- Shivikah
- Tilly Brackett
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So, which of the remaining NPCs seem like good pseudo-cohorts?
- "Badger" Medlar
- "Ratline" Rattsberger
- Barefoot Samus Toppin
- Crimson Cogward
- Giffer Tibbs
- Jack Scrimshaw
- Owlbear Hartshorn
- Shivikah
- Tilly Brackett
I'd go with Owlbear and Crimson off that list. Give them a little muscle. In my game no one trusts Crimson, but he keeps hanging around. Makes for a fun dynamic. Kinda like Jayne from Firefly.
In truth though you should pick whichever NPC's your party ends up interacting with and enjoying the most.
Crimson as Jayne! I love it!
Do what you can to bring them each alive and see which the characters respond to. Sort of a throw it against the wall and see what sticks method. Let the players respond and keep what works.
In my game, Crimson's one-half religious zealot (s!%& might hit the fan when he finds out the party's bone oracle practices necromancy and is not, as she convinced him, a fellow adherent to Pharasma's doctrines), and one-half shady black market dealer. If I was running the game just a smidgen sillier, he'd have an oversized coat with oversized pockets to pull all of his goods from. I suspect that he'll end up as the new ship's quartermaster if none of the PCs take the job.
I can also vouch for Owlbear; despite our barbarian captain whaling on him in their first encounter, the party's rather fond of the big guy (if only because it's good to have such the massive brute as your friend instead of as your enemy).