CrownedSun/Followers

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Followers

x	None follow you, either because your not important enough to attract such loyal retainers...or because you desire none.
*	You have attracted the attention of a single competent companion (cohort), or two loyal followers (retainer) who follow
        you everywhere and serve you willingly.  You might instead have five soldiers (command) at your beck and call, or
        a small mob (10 rabble).  What is it that attracted these people to you?
**	Two strong allies (cohort), or five tough followers (retainer) answer to your will and do as you desire.  Alternatively, you
        have a middling force of 25 soldiers (command) who serve you, or a large mob (50 rabble).  You've begun to build a true following.
***	Three elite companions (cohort), or a band of seven followers (retainer) have answered your call and follow where you lead them.
        Or you might have 75 soldiers (command) under your banner, or a huge mob (100 rabble).  You are a true leader of men.
****	Four sworn oathbrothers (cohort), or a mighty band of nine followers (retainer) serve you with all their hearts.  Maybe, instead,
        you have a talon of 125 soldiers (command) who fight in y our name, or a small village of friends and loyal allies (200 rabble).
        You are a great leader of men, and a force to be reckoned with for your command over others.
*****	Six boon companions (cohort) serve at your side, or maybe you have a strong fellowship of 13 followers (retainers).  If you are a
        military man, a company of 250 men serves at your whim, while a leader of lesser sorts holds the trust of a town.  (400 rabble).
        Your leadership of others should never be underestimated, and those who would oppose you must also oppose those who serve you.

Types of Followers

Just as you no doubt noticed above, there are four different types of followers. Each type differs in their competence, loyality, strength of arms and willingness to do what you wish of them. These groups are largely divided into cohorts and retainers (more loyal), and command or rabble (less loyal and often not as willing to do what you wish). Each type will be described, in brief, below.

Cohorts
A cohort is an elite henchmen, almost always a heroic mortal, who serves as the loyal companion of the character. These individuals have unquestionable loyality and are notable for their overall prowess and accomplishments. They will do whatever the character wills, perhaps even dying for him, but are not meek personalities to be ignored and tossed away. Cohorts are a mixture of ally and follower, in a way, less powerful but considerably more loyal. A character's cohorts should be treated as such, especially if he only has a few such minions.
Example: Gabrielle, the loyal companion of Xena.

Retainers
A retainer is a more normal type of individual, usually an elite warrior of some sort who serves at the character's side and is willing to fight for him but doesn't have either the unbreakable foundation of loyality or the greater power of a cohort. This is not to suggest that retainers are particularly cowardly, as they are not, and they will follow the character as long as they feel safe and appreciated. They are not likely to flee from overt danger, but neither will they put themselves in as much risk as a cohort. Some might even betray him.
Example: The Twelve Disciples of Christ.

Command
A character with Command is a military leader, or at least a leader of a number of soldiers that fight for him. He is likely, especially at the highest levels of Command, to not know each individual soldier all that well -- but they serve him, either out of loyality or because they are paid. They are even more skitish than the average retainer, and will not willingly put themselves before demons or tread off unprotected into the Wyld unless they feel they have no other choice. Treated poorly, the soldiers that make up a character's command will desert. In terms of overall power, the soldiers in a command are usually competent or elite extras.
Example: Dace's Mercenary company.

Rabble
The final level of followers are not really 'followers' at all, so much as a large pool of labor and occasional aid that the character can count upon whenever the need is great. A rabble will not actually follow the character, in general, except in various specific circumstances. A caravan master with a rabble of employees, or a scavenger lord with a rabble of workers being the exception. The highest levels of rabble are likely to be, as the descriptions hint, small settlements that the character has befriended! What are rabble useful for, then? If the character wishes they can sometimes be riled up as a last ditch defense, usually treated as Militia (or occasionally as green troops) -- but only if the character can convince them that it's in their best interests to fight. They are often used for labor, various light tasks that the character needs doing, and other simple things.
Example: The Entertainers who travel with the Mirror Flag.

Rabble: Barbarian
A special kind of rabble, most often found among the Lunars, is the Barbarian. These are strong warriors, unlike most rabble, and are generally willing to go into battle at the side of their leaders. The difference between a Barbarian and a Soldier is that Barbarians are not quite as loyal nor as well-equipped or trained as soldiers. They are more than a match for most rabble, however, and can be quite deadly on the battlefield if not met with strong and well-led soldiers in someone's Command.
Example: The Barbarian War-Party of almost any Lunar, and some Solar Exalted.

Other Types of Exalted

Dragon-Blooded do not use the Follower's background, but instead their own Henchmen and Command backgrounds. The one exception is the rare Dragon-Blooded with rabble, representing employees and other sorts who perform work for him directly. Outcastes from the Threshold are immune to this restriction and buy Followers as normal.
Lunars should generally add about 50% to the numbers of their Barbarian's, to reflect the position of the Silver Pact. This makes them worthy foes and strong leaders of large barbarian war parties. Beastmen are usually represented by Cohorts, or Command for extras.
Sidereals generally do not have followers at all, but might have cohorts with the Storyteller's agreement. If so, such cohorts are assumed to be acquinatances and will remember the character. However, such close associations are quite rare among the Sidereal. The Storyteller is well-within his rights to require you to earn such followers in play, or require you to purchase the right of your cohorts to remember you separately.
Abyssals should use the Abyssal Command background instead of Followers (Command). They control some of the most frightening armies of the second age, and a potent Abyssal General can even put the Dragon-Blooded to shame in the size of his force.

comments

If you are concerned about balance, you might want to add in some drawbacks to trying to keep barbarians in civilized areas. - szilard