Skitterfoot joins the caravan:

[thomrenault]

So last session, my players encountered Skitterfoot at Old Megus' shack. He sent the Dire Rats after the party, summoned up a swarm of rats, and hid under the floorboards as the PC's killed off his minions. Then he surrendered, and told the PC's his sob story about being Megus' familiar. He told them that he had sabotaged her attempt to transform into a dragon, which killed her. They didn't have the heart to kill him, so now he's a familiar for the Sorceress. I'm not sure how to deal with this long-term. What do you guys think, will he be a faithful familiar as long as he's treated well, or will he plot something against his new mistress? Also does saving an evil creature have an alignment effect, because the PC who adopted Skitterfoot also convinced everyone not to kill off the Licktoads, but to help them move away from Sandpoint.

[Hoplophobia]

This sounds awesome. Does it have an alignment effect? That depends, is the PC good? If so, then no. I'd encourage this, it sounds interesting and fun and different. As for Skitterfoot, he should be suspicious and untrusting. After all he has been abused and mistreated by his former "mistress". But gradually, slowly, perhaps he begins to see that he doesn't have to be evil.

In my campaign, a goblin that they captured to show them the backway into the Licktoad Chief's hut has become the group's mascot and most beloved NPC. They have worked tirelessly to show him the different between right and wrong and educate him as best they can.

It's been an amazing experience and I highly recommend you roll with what the players do. Right now Skitterfoot perhaps has a contingency plan like he did with Megus. But perhaps he becomes a valued and trusted ally that proves invaluable in a time of supreme need...just like how this goblin might.

[Dan B Grendell]

In my group, one of the ogrekin from Brinewall Castle was spared by the Samurai in the party and ended up joining the caravan. He's learning the ways of Desna from the party cleric, as he finds her much less scary than Pazuzu, and the players see him as kind of a mascot. I like to reward that kind of in-character behavior, rather than just have the ogrekin backstab the group later (which means the samurai will likely never be merciful again). It's worked out quite well.