(Minor spoilers) NPC cohorts for a 2-man game

[martinaj]

I'm about to start up a 2-person Carrion Crown game for a few friends of mine back in the states, and I'm trying to figure out how to balance it for a party of two. Thus far, they're both making gestalt characters on a 25 point buy - we've got a monk/free-hand fighter, and an oracle/investigator rogue.

Beyond that, I'm thinking about having a series of NPCs join their party as the progress through the campaign, as either temporary or permanent companions. In some cases, they'll need to meet certain conditions or pass a few skill checks to secure an NPC's loyalty, but I'd like them to have the option of a 3rd body for the sake of action economy if nothing else. They're be some kind of hitch in which they can only actually bring one of them out adventuring at a time, while the others are either supporting them in less conventional ways (item creation, information gathering) or perhaps (later on, when the group is sizable enough) splitting into a second group and working towards some other goals. This would work out the party consisting of 2 gestalt characters with one standard NPC supporting them at any given time. What do you think of this approach? Does it address the issue sufficiently, or is it even necessary? In any case, I'm looking for feedback both on this idea, and on NPCs that could join the party. I'm shooting for at least 2 NPCs in each AP, which will be re-statted. to appropriately adress the needs and the level of the PCs. So far I've got...

Haunting of Harrowstone:

Kendra Lorrimer This one is a no brainer. She follows the PCs around from the beginning, and gives them access to an arcane spellcaster.

Sheriff Caeller Still not sure about this one, but I'm thinking if they get their trust score high enough, he at least works as a temporary companion, meaning he'd follow them into Harrowstone, but probably wouldn't leave the area surrounding Ravengro. One of his deputies might join them afterwards.

Trial of the Beast:

Trollblood The strongman from the freak show the party comes across in the beginning of the game, re-statted as a fighter. He seems like the sort who'd break off from his troupe for a dire cause, and adds meatshield to the party.

The Beast of Ledidstadt Risky, I know. Does anyone think this could work if I scale his stats back a bit? The idea is that the party gets a powerful ally, but there's the obvious stigma of traveling openly with him, and the risk of him berserking in combat. Beyond that, Caromac still has the bondslave thrall, so the party cannot always be certain of the Beast's reliability.

Broken Moon:

Duristan Provided the PCs can avoid killing him and switch him back to his original alignment, him joining up with them is a no-brainer.

Madam Ivanja Not sure what her motives for joining would be, but she seems like she'd be an interesting ally, especially if re-tooled to be a Harrower. Might change up her background a bit in order to make her more likely to ally herself with the party.
Are there any other suggestions for suitable NPCs from this AP? Perhaps one of the Prince's Wolves?

Wake of the Watcher:

Horace Croon This is the only guy I can find in this AP. All the NPCs are pretty hostile.

Ashes at Dawn:

Quinley Basdel He strikes me as the sort of fellow who has few enough loyalties and enough of an adventurous streak that he might join the PCs for a time out of gratitude after they've avenged his mother.

Ramoska Arkminos Probably the most difficult ally for the PCs to obtain, but I figure that it's possible they could convince him that the Whispering Way represents a threat to his livelihood that warrants his personal attention.

[wraithstrike]

Who is running the NPC's?

If it is you I would just tone the encounters down slightly. If it is the players I would allow them to run two PC's if they want and drop the gestalt rules.