Henchmen Quitting

[Scott]

I know the topic has come up in the past. I was recently reading some old conversations with Ernie and he mentioned that when Tenser moved into his castle, Gary made all of his henchmen make rolls to see if the would quit or stay.
Would you make that a standard loyalty check?
I also have a check when a henchman reaches name level. It's only happened once so far. If the henchman doesn't want to be a henchman any longer there's a chance he will leave completely, and an option where the player can take the character over as a full PC. This I got from the formation of EGG's PCs that make up the Circle of Eight.

[geneweigel]

page 103 says the DM takes the role but the last paragraph says is if the player can keep them separated as individuals then the DM doesn't have to play the role. That is the way that I've been doing it with the player keeping them objectively without abuse.

[Scott]

Usually I control the henchman early on, and then slowly allow the player to take over more control. Sometimes when you using the standard 'posting notices, visiting taverns, etc.' methods, there's a chance you'll get somebody that will never be on the same page. Usually I'll control that PC for the duration of their employment. Some players just can't manage two separate personalities, and I usually keep control in those cases too. And sometimes I'll just overrule a player's decision. Usually with spell selection when the NPC's memorized spells look more like an extension of the PC's spell list, and not something the spell caster would select on his own.

[GRWelsh]

I like the idea of loyalty checks for when a PC settles down into a stronghold since that is a major shift for a henchman used to constant travel and adventuring. For henchmen treated well yet who fail their loyalty check I'd probably role-play it as parting on decent terms with the henchman simply wanting to be their own master. "Perhaps our roads may cross again..." Or even, as you suggest, allow the player to control the former henchman as a PC striking out on their own adventures...

[geneweigel]

Yeah I got of sick handing away some planned for recurring NPCs as henchmen then you have to deal with the changes in personality and some names even. My cousin had an npc that I named "Cruster" then he altered him as "Druster" and then sketched away his Gabby Hayes look.