Non-player characters, all characters not run by players, are the rest of the game population.

Most players I ran games for over the years didn’t hire NPCs like link boys who carried a lantern or torch to light the way for the player character adventurers. The player characters would hire NPCS to do things like help them figure out what some item they found might be, a sage to do research in geology or plants; but not take them on adventures.

Some player character groups would hire NPC adventurers to go along with them on the adventure, for a payment of 200 gp or equal treasure share whichever was greater.

If the NPC did a good job, helped out when needed, the player characters would ask them to join the group for equal shares.

Of course, as referee, I ran these characters. I have noticed on one web forum this is not an acceptible idea… I think it works if done well.

I tried to present NPCs for the players to add to their adventuring group. Sometimes the players would turn them down for adding into the group.

As the player characters got up to levels they attracted henchmen, we would work together to decide whom arrived to support them. One player character group obtanied a small wood manor house, which they turned into a stone castle, added walls, towers, and a gate house.

Most of their henchmen worked there and didn’t go on adventures.

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Noble Houses and Knightly Orders that accept cavalier player characters. They are listed by country/origin, but note that they have a probationary period before full membership and acceptance is granted to a cavalier. It is not necessary to belong to a Noble House or Order in the country the cavalier lives in.

A. Dank Forest, Brillar

    1. Noble House of Khrin is headquartered in Brillar.
      accept: any cavalier
      probation: 18 months
      tithe: 5%
      device: a beheaded giant
      alignment: LG only
      Must be willing to attack any giant types.

   2.Noble House of Lontar
   accept: cavalier of 25 Horsemen/Horsewomen and 20 Armigers per year.
   probation: 2 years
   tithe: 3%
   device: a lion rampant ( faces to the right)
   alignment: LG, NG, and CG

 3. Noble House of Castron, The KIng’s Own, is headquartered at Brillar.
   accept: cavalier of 30 Horsemen/Horsewomen and 25 Armigers per year.
   probation: 1 year.
   tithe: 7%
   device: The Royal Coat of Arms
   alignment: NG, CG
   Code of Chivalry addition: Obedience and respect to the King.
   Must defend the King and do battle against all that would usurp His Benevolent Rulership. This includes any invasion force. 

 4. Noble House of Khel is headquartered at Deafford.
    accept: any cavalier
    probation: 1 year.
    tithe: 2%
    device: a blue unicorn.
    alignment: LG, NG

 5. Noble House of Zarnol is headquartered at Deafford.
    accept: only 27 cavaliers per year of half-elf ( gray) and half-elf ( high) ancestry.
    probation: 6 months.
    tithe: 2%
    device: griffin rampant ( faces to the left)
    alignment: LG, NG, CG

 6. Noble House of Wrendal
   accept: cavaliers
   probation: 3 years plus quality service.
   tithe: 3%
   device: The Red Sword
   alignment: LG

 7. Royal Order of Knights is headquartered at Brillar.
    accept: LG cavalier
    probation: 2 years
    tithe: 5%
    device: a stag rampant (faces to the right)
    alignment: LG
   Code of Chivalry addition: Obedience and respect to the King.

8. Order of Searguard Knights is headquartered at Castle Vasthound.
   accept: any cavaliers
   probation: until reach 5th level.
   tithe: 4%
   device: a blue tower on a red shield
   alignment: LG, NG, CG
   Will bear the brunt of all giant-type invasions. One criteria of membership is valiant attack and defense against any invasion.

 9. The Sequestered Order of Grantar Knights is headquartered at Castle Cedarlair.
    accept: LG cavalier only
    probation: until reach third level
    tithe: 3%
    device: a blue mace on a dark gray shield
    alignment: LG
    A monastic Order of Knights that live in seclusion between adventures.

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I came up with generic horse price for my campaign, and then modified them if necessary.

size                           base price   base move rate
horse, light riding     25 gp           26”
horse, light war        75 gp           24”
horse, medium war 110 gp          18”
horse, heavy war    130 gp          15”
pony                         20 gp           12”


quality         price difference       movement add
poor                -50%                       +(2d4-6)”   ( -4 to +2 )
average           —-                           +(2d4-5)”   ( -3 to 3 ) 
good              +100%                      +(2d4-4)”   ( -2 to 4 )
excellent        +200%                      +(2d4-3)”   ( -1 to 5 )
superb          +265%                       +(2d4-2)”   ( 0 to 6 )

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I have decided that Paladins will remain a sub-class of fighter.

1. Noble service cheerfully rendered.

2. Courage and enterprise in obedience to rule.

3. Respect for all peers and equals.

4. Honor to all above your station.

5. Military prowess exercised in service to your lord, baron, etc.

6. Death defore dishonor.

7. Under only the most dire of consequences ( to prevent them ) will a cavalier charge through friendly troops or destroy friendly army cohesion.

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All players should keep track of the hit point numbers for their characters. Each die gets the constitution add for bonus hit points. Entertainer sub-classes, and first level Bard, are an exception to this.

All player characters get maximum hit points at first level.

All players roll for their character’s starting hit points at second level; however, cavaliers can start at zero level and are an exception.

1. d 4 characters, if roll a 1, then reroll.
2. d 6 characters, if roll a 1 or 2, then reroll.
3. d 8 characters, if roll a 1 or 2, then reroll.
4. d10 characters, if roll a 1 or 2 or 3, then reroll.
5. d12 characters, if roll a 1 or 2 or 3, then reroll.

Two re-rolls allowed. After that, the character gets the roll. So it is still possible to have one hp on a level up.

For multi-class characters.

a. When all of a character’s classes go up at the same time.

example: Roll the particular hit die for each class of your character. Add any Constitution bonus to each die. Total all of these numbers up and divide by the number of character classes.. If the result has a fraction, round off to the nearest whole number. 0.0001 to 0.49 rounds down, 0.50 through 0.99 rounds up.

An elf fighter/magic-user rolls a 7 and a 4 on the correct dice and both classes went to second level at the same time. Constitution 18. 7 + 4 + 4 + 2 = 17 divided by 2 = 8.5 for 9 hp. This is added to the first level hp that the character already has. This continues all the way through maximum level.

b. When all of a character’s classes go up at different times the hit points are figured differently.

Chart: example: rolling up hit points for multi-class characters

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