Followers and Missions

[hethoran]

So I've been looking for a specific type of system for a while now, and have not yet seemed to find quite what I was looking for.

I'm looking for a system that can take things like named follower npcs and/or unnamed mooks that are loyal to the player(s) and can be sent on missions with tangible rewards. Basically, if you were running an adventurers guild, the players would have a way to send certain teams or members on certain missions. Or running an assassins guild and sending them on assassination contracts.

The only example I can think of that comes close is from World of Warcraft with their follower systems from Warlords of Dreanor and Legion.

I realize I could technically just say that the missions happen, but it would be nice to have some tangible short hand for the PCs to interact with the system and know the benefits of different things, as well as having some form of shorthand for determining a success or not. Does anything like this for any edition of d&d exist or is this just a pipe dream?

[Hunter Noventa]

3.5e had some rules for things like running a business or the like in either PHB2 or DMG2, while Pathfinder has similar rules, up to potentially running a Kingdom, in Ultimate Campaign. You could probably adapt some aspect of that to do what you're looking for.

[hethoran]

The kingdom running tools in pathfinder are certainly interesting, but also a little above the scope of what I am looking for. Additionally, the key to what I am looking for is something that helps with generating missions to send followers on with tangible rewards to the players, such as gold or items.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by hethoran
Additionally, the key to what I am looking for is something that helps with generating missions to send followers on with tangible rewards to the players, such as gold or items.

I was about to ask you to clarify what you meant by “tangible rewards.”

But if I understand you, it sounds like you want a mechanic for the PCs to receive money and loot without actually doing any adventuring themselves. That seems contrary to the spirit of the game, in which the player characters are the ones running the risks and earning the rewards.

I may not be understanding what you’re getting at, so please clarify if that’s the case. Are you looking for a way for the PCs to take a cut of their followers' proceeds, or do you want everything the followers obtain to be funneled straight to the PCs?

[Resileaf]

I was about to ask you to clarify what you meant by “tangible rewards.”

But if I understand you, it sounds like you want a mechanic for the PCs to receive money and loot without actually doing any adventuring themselves. That seems contrary to the spirit of the game, in which the player characters are the ones running the risks and earning the rewards.

Well, even D&D players can occasionally find fun in being the managers of a successful enterprise. It's also fantasy. :P

As far as systems go, I don't know of anything like that in D&D. You may have to create a system of your own, taking inspiration from various sources (like the kingdom management mentionned earlier).

[thorr-kan]

Poached from 2ED Al Qadim's Merchant-Rogue kit for the Thief class, but it's simple and too the point:
The second special benefit of this kit is the ability to establish a self-sustaining business. For 5,000 gp, a merchant-rogue can set up a trading company that operates while he or she is away on other business or adventures. That amount pays for business space, stock, and an employee (often a relative or friend). The merchant-rogue may invest more money, as well as the money of allies. A merchant-rogue may only run one business at a time, however. If, for whatever reason, the value of that business drops below 2,000 gp, it folds, and all investments are lost.
It takes a month to inaugurate a trading business. Each month thereafter, roll 1d10 and consult Table 4 to determine the results of that month’s business. Round up to the nearest gold piece.
Merchant-rogues may withdraw any profit or investment money from their trading company as they see fit. It’s their prerogative as owners. (Other investors may wish to “look at the books” from time to time, however.) Money earned in this fashion may not be used toward experience. If an owner siphons off enough to reduce the business’s value below 2,000 gp, it folds, and all investments are lost.

TABLE 4: Monthly Trading Checks
Roll - Result
1 - Disaster! The Hand of Fate is turned against you. Thirty percent of the money currently invested in the business is lost! We have no Fate but the Fate which we are given!
2 - Malady and poor business decisions made in your stead have hurt the firm! Twenty percent of the value of investments is lost!
3 - A slow season, nothing to panic about, but 10 percent of all money invested is lost.
4-5 - Business is as business always is, with a regular turnover of funds but little advancement. No money is lost this month, but no profits are gained. The faithful among your employees promise to redouble their efforts.
6-7 - Business is livelier. The funds invested in the company increase by 10 percent.
8-9 - Business is quite good. The funds invested in the company increase by 20 percent.
10 - Business is excellent! The gods smile upon your endeavor, and your goods are delivered into the hands of the needy at the exact moment that they are willing to pay for them! Money invested in the company increases by 30 percent! We have no Fate but the Fate which we are given!

Once a year, the local government collects a tax for operating within the city or town. The tax covers all tariffs, fees for paperwork, permits, and the like. The amount normally equals 10 percent of net worth and is assessed at the start of the year. Draconian and corrupt governments may increase this to 20 percent, as do pashahs who feel that a particular merchant-rogue has been less than forthcoming with an honest payment.
Establishing and running a trading company is a background activity, which is not meant to overwhelm the high adventure of merchant-rogues. They can still
discover new trade routes, bring back gems and rich fabrics, and bear tales of how bravely their employees have fought for them. The business makes such adventures possible; it doesn’t displace them.
A merchant-rogue may hire a head clerk to run the trading company in his or her absence. (DMs may strongly suggest this to merchant-rogue PCs.) The head clerk is an NPC hireling who manages the business for a monthly fee of 20 gp. A hireling who is mistreated or feels little loyalty may cheat on his or her boss, causing a -1 die modifier to the monthly roll for profits. The head clerk’s pay may be covered by the business or be paid directly by the merchant-rogue.
As a general rule, most trading companies with a value of 10,000 gp or less are considered small. Those with a value around 100,000 gp are still modest. When
a company’s assets have climbed to 500,000 gp or more, it is a mighty trading empire, and is accorded the attention of those of import.

[zlefin]

some of the pathfinder rules are smaller scale than kingdom building; like the downtime rules here
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/downtime
has some stuff for running organizations.

while having rewards for the player is nice; what is the cost to the player? every reward should come with a cost/risk involved. You don't just get something for nothing (sometimes the cost could just be a risk of having to get involved personally, i.e. to rescue the subordinates if they get in trouble).

for generating quests; I think there's some tables of generic quest ideas somewhere in the DMG to serve as a source of randomization.

[Quarian Rex]

It sounds like you might be looking for something like ACKS (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/99123/Adventurer-Conqueror-King-System?src=hottest_filtered). It's actually a 2E clone that has some amazing subsystems that I plunder for my Pathfinder games. It covers things like kingdom management, dungeon creation, merchant caravans, and underworld hideouts, all player run (yes, including the dungeons). The hideouts in particular seem like what you are looking for, being based around sending minions out to do various illicit jobs and come back with the spoils. this can easily be adapted to running an adventurers guild as you seem to want.