The Game Mastery Guide or the NPC Guide have plenty of candidates.
One of my groups 'requited' Happs to help them for a while, and is now Marshal of the Empire. Of course this requires a certain battle to end with an outcome that allows it to happen.
My other group killed him outright though.^^
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When I started to GM the Savage Tide AP and none of my four players wanted to play a Cleric, I used Kyra. Granted, she was going to effectively be a DMPC, so I changed her over to a Favored Soul (because a spontaneous caster was easier for me to run as a DMPC), but it worked out just fine. I played her through the whole AP like that.
-Skeld
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Kobold Druid of Gozreh. Fun Meepo moments, healing, survivalist stuff, no worries about "super-healbot-cleric" time.
Reformed bandit Oracle. Again, plenty of backstory present just in that description, can heal, but won't replace any of the current characters.
How about an Adept or other NPC type class? They won't be any good in a fight (well, not really), but can have the necessary skill-set and spells to help out where needed.
Any of the named NPC's in Stolen Land can suffice, even some of the bad guys...Tartuk, if he were Atoned or redeemed somehow (perhaps if reincarnated again?), Mikmek the kobold, even Bokken, if the party manages to convince the crazy old hermit to move around a bit.
Jhod the Cleric of Erastil really stands out, though, as he's intimately tied into the land (Erastil), generally trying to improve the community, and is a Cleric to boot.
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Perhaps the new iconic Oracle Alahazra from the pdf download for free rpg day. With her clouded vision, she would rely on the pcs to guide her through the stolen lands, while still being able to provide healing and close combat support. Give her a fake Jamaican accent, and you're set to go :P
With the potential for Kingmaker to extend across a number of years in Golarion what about the potential of having a young NPC to act as somewhat of a: gopher, errand boy/girl, mascot, squire? I'm not talking toddler or anything, but throw a 12 or 13 year old kid with some spunk and potential into the mix.
You could then place a character class on them that fits the style of the game your players set up once play begins. They would be a level behind the party to begin with. Major at the start, but less important as things progress. Then as your NPC levels and ages you will have a character that the players have (hopefully) invested a lot of time and energy into teaching, protecting, etc.
This approach would also allow you to avoid having an NPC that was able to sort of auto-pilot through situations from the get-go. They will become powerful just like the party does, but you aren't going to have the problem of a heal-bot, a monstrous race, or someone that hogs the spotlight.
You know that was something that I was considering in the back of my mind. What would you recommend to do about stats? I already know it would be quite easy to throw this "kid" in as a random encounter somewhere once they start exploring. The child is the son/daughter of a trapper who recently passed through the trading post. Someplace close the trapper was killed and the kid managed to hide.
The nice thing about an NPC is that the players really don't have to know too much about stats. Keeps things mysterious for them and allows you to adjust things as needed without everyone blowing the "wait no fair" horn. However you are going to need something to go on for day-to-day game mechanics.
Normal "kid" adjustments seem more suited for pre-pubescent youths (totally my opinion). Most of the 8th & 9th graders I know are fairly capable humans. For a pubescent kid (13 or 14) that is going to be used in your campaign as a party member and someone to hang on to I'd generate their stats in the manner that you do with the other players. They should have the raw physical and mental materials to really be something just like a PC. What they are going to lack compared to a PC is experience. They should start with their stats, enough hitpoints to survive a dagger wound and a couple skill points to help define what they can contribute on day 1. Other than that it is up to you to build a personality that the party can cling to. The last thing you want is for the party to see them as baggage (Chunk from Goonies).
Race is still totally an option, but for me Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes and Halflings are a bit harder to get behind a "kid" motiff. It's easier for us as humans to get behind a human, half elf or half orc. Again that's my opinion and everyone's mileage may vary.
Once the party turns over to level 2 (or maybe even 3 if it works better story wise) you can assign a real class level to your NPC. This gives you the freedom to study what the party does for a level or so, build the personality of the NPC separate from his/her skill set. And then you can have him/her assume the most fitting class role. Then you've got a character that crosses the line between Ensign Ricky and a full fledged considered member of the gang.
If your players have an argument about what magic items or treasure to give the NPC that they most deserve you've succeeded :)
In terms of this campaign in particular you also have a potential NPC to act as ruler of the nation if your group decides they want to bash monsters more than squabble over land rights and edicts.
and...sorry about the wall of text... no more coffee for me this morning
The blood elves, a thought extinct subrace who have been hiding in very small numbers in the stolen lands. (these elves have NOTHING to do with WOW, they are an OLD homebrew race)
Earthdawn has had blood elves long before WoW, so I believe this. Earthdawn's blood elves are very creepy. It is certainly a good name.
I can't let go of the idea I had of this goth girl cleric of Pharasma, who keeps spouting prophecies of doom and is easily bored. I like your kid idea, and giving her a level in an NPC class (or possibly ranger) would keep her powered down (and easier to run).
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With the potential for Kingmaker to extend across a number of years in Golarion what about the potential of having a young NPC to act as somewhat of a: gopher, errand boy/girl, mascot, squire? I'm not talking toddler or anything, but throw a 12 or 13 year old kid with some spunk and potential into the mix.
I like this idea too. One of my favorite NPCs was a oracle-like spontaneous clerical caster who entered the party as a "squire." She was a half-fey girl from a village near a magical wood with some very hostile and powerful fey. (The "half-fey" background was flavor mostly; I didn't use the template.)
A PC female fighter rescued the girl from some village thugs, and her grandparents almost begged the PC to take the girl out of town for her own safety. The PCs--who didn't all like each other--all thought the NPC was great, and she stayed with them as party healer till the game's end.
Keys to her success: She pulled her weight from the beginning, and her personality wasn't annoying. I'm sure that you can think of mascot counterexamples from film or TV.
A nice thing about spontaneous casters like the oracle: Their powers can develop at their own mysterious pace without the need to explain why the party mascot suddenly knows magic. Also, the power's source can provide a possible story hook.
One of my favorite (and most useful) NPCs was a cleric of the "party" deity. He was drunk, or seemed so most of the time, and always introduced himself as "Saint Justice of Bacchus" (or whoever it was).
The party never knew what level he was, or how useful he would be from one encounter to the next. He did save their bacon occasionally with healing, but would often flee in terror from random creatures, had strange phobias (bathing, crossing running water) and would occasionally say something out of place (boorish and crass to a high lady, or use a mincing voice with very large words when talking to a half-ogre bandit leader). He also usually was pretty oblivious and would blurt out things that while true, weren't always the best thing to say at the moment.
I made sure he was useful enough they wanted him around frequently, but they knew they couldn't depend on him, and would often try to get rid of him when something delicate was going on (leading to the awesome looks of terror on the players' faces when he would turn up at the "wrong" time).
In short, I could use him to save them from bad luck, hint they should run away or go in a different direction, or when things were going too well, just throw a nice wrench into the works.