Retainers (mage V20)

Mage Information

Retainers

“What will it be tonight, sir?” When the battle’s over (or shortly before it begins), a faithful retainer can bind your wounds, sharpen your weapons, clean up the bodies, and make sure you make it to your 8 o’clock meeting in the morning.

Unlike Allies or Familiars, such Retainers aren’t skilled in the mystic Arts or combat; unlike Backup or Spies, they’re not faceless guns or founts of information. Each retainer is a devoted servant, employee, mind-controlled servitor, lab-built construct, or even a very minor spirit who does your bidding with a decent sense of loyalty. He’ll tend your house, your gear, and your overall busywork. Perhaps he’s a pathetic lab-assistant, a mundane apprentice, a lover, or a devoted friend. He’s your Igor; she’s your Moneypenny. So long as you treat such characters with respect (and maybe even if you don’t), this Background gives you extra sets of hands.

As with the aforementioned Backgrounds, each Retainer is a Storyteller character in his or her own right. That character’s loyalty depends a lot on circumstances, but she can generally be counted on unless things get really bad. With few exceptions, a Retainer’s skills are strictly mundane. He might know some yoga or have office experience, but he won’t be hefting a machine gun anytime soon! If and when you train up a Retainer character, that character becomes an Ally instead.

Lab-built constructs and spirit retainers are essentially normal human beings with a certain special effect and origin but no unusual powers beyond, perhaps, unusual strength or the ability to float around the mansion. Other than that, they’re just plain folks. Rich people have several retainers on staff, but you don’t need to be wealthy to have this Background. A homeless mage might still enjoy the loyalty of the kid she saved from an abusive dad.

X -- You’re doing your own laundry, dude!

• -- One retainer.

•• -- Two retainers.

••• -- Three retainers.

•••• -- Four retainers.

••••• -- Five retainers.