with a number of staff whose wages a re part of the fran-
chise's cost, providing not only labor but story potential.
Each franchise rank grants a number of new staff
membe rs who live in th e franchise headquarters or
within its geographic scope. The cost of maintaining
s taff is included in a franchise's costs. Each staff mem-
be r has a proficie ncy bonus equal to^2 +the franchise's
rank. For s killed hirelings or c rew, the DM might substi-
tu te NPC statistics when that seems appropriate. Each
time a franchise gains a rank, existing staff members
can be gifted with early re tire me nt (that is, fired). and re-
placed a longside new hires that fit th e fr a nc hise's needs.
A franchise might engage all kinds of hirelings and
agents over the course of a campaign, but specialized
franchise staff fall into four different categories.
MAJORDOMO
A majordomo administers a franchise headquarte rs.
They typically reside within the headquarters and sel-
dom leave it. sending out communications through a
dedicated messenge r (at no extra cost. and traveling on
FILLING POSITIONS
A franchise's majordomo can take a company position
(see the next section) in addition to the positions taken
by the characters. Especially with a small party, it can be
good to have a majordomo lill a useful position that no
character wants to take. No other NPCs can take company
positions.An employee is like a l'riend you pay..- Omm Oran
foot or by means the franchise provides). A majordomo
is proficient in Charisma ( Persuasion) and two skills of
the DM's choice.
The OM is encouraged to use the rules for c reating
nonplayer characters in c hapter 4 of the Dungeon
Master's Guide to detail the majordomo. giving this
individual a vibrant personality and backstory. The ma-
jordomo's goals should be aligned with the franchise
and with Acquisitions Incorporated as a whole, allowing
them to properly act as an ally and steward for the party.
It can be helpful to a campaign to provide the major-
domo with a backstory that complements a franchise's
evolution over time. A sage might research how the fran-
chise gains ne w capabilities. Or pe rhaps the majordomo
was th e pilot of a vessel capable of planar travel, who
s lowly applies those features to the headquarters. A ma-
jordomo of a franchise modeling itself after a spy organi-
zation might cons tantly invent devices for the franchise,
making continuing progress as the party returns with
gold. lore, a nd resources.UNTRAINED HIRELINGS
As described in the "Services" section in chapter 5 of
the Player's Handbook. untrai ned hirelings provide gen-
eral labor. and can function as builders. cleaners, por-
ters. and other workers. Untrained hirelings can work
for a franchise or its allies. perhaps te nding a garden for
a noble family or helping a merchant unload cargo from
ships. They will not engage in combat and do not leave
the headquarters to join the party on adventures.
The OM should name a t least one hireling who acts
as a leader for any interactions with groups of untrained
laborers. Providing hirelings with a similar background
(such as a band of ex-soldie rs or reformed criminals)
can add personality to the group. Consider using the
rules in chapter 4 of the Dungeon Master 's Guide, apply-
ing th e results of a single set of rolls to the entire group.
Those hirelings could all s have their heads zealously, be
brawny bul absentminded, play various musical instru-
ments, use colorful oaths and exclamations, and s o on.
Group ideals, bonds, and naws, along with a shared
his tory, can all add depth to a group of untrained hire-
lings. Those musicians might be connected by the ideal
of tradition. a nd bound to the franchise to protect a cul-
tural heirloom they value above all else. Their flaw and
secret could be that they stole the heirloom from their
former employer, a rival merchant organization. Over
time, the same hirelings might show up as part of the
characters' adventures time and time again, revealing
aspects of their past and c reating story continuity.Joe TITLE ANO BENEFITS
What the Player's Handbook calls untrained hirelings are
often referred to as "subemployees" within an Acquisitions
Incorporated franchise, while skilled hirelings typically
gain the more prestigious title of "intern." It's entirely up
to individual franchisees what awesome titles they bestow
upon their staff members in addition to {or, indeed, in lieu
of) perks such as an occasional wage.Cll/\ Pl ER 2 I <.;ROWING YOUR FRANCHISE II