RETAINERS
White Wolf Explanation of Retainers
Not precisely allies or contacts, your retainers are servants, assistants or other people who are your loyal and steadfast companions. Many vampires' servants are ghouls - their supernatural powers and blood bond-enforced loyalty make them the servants of choice. Retainers may also be people whom you've repeatedly Dominated until they have no free will left, or followers so enthralled with your Presence that their loyalty borders on blind fanaticism. Some vampires, particularly those with the Animalism Discipline, use "hellhounds" (ghouled dogs) or other animal ghouls as retainers.
You must maintain some control over your retainers, whether through a salary, the gift of your vitae or the use of Disciplines. Retainers are never "blindly loyal no matter what" - if you treat them too poorly without exercising strict control, they might well turn on you. Retainers may be useful, but they should never be flawless. A physically powerful ghoul might be rebellious, inconveniently dull-witted or lacking in practical skills. A loyal manservant might be physically weak or possess no real personal initiative or creativity. This Background isn't an excuse to craft an unstoppable bodyguard or pet assassin - it's a method to bring more fully developed characters into the chronicle, as well as to reflect the followers for which the Kindred are notorious. Don't abuse it.
The Embraced RPG Explanation of Retainers
You can never trust your allies or contacts. What value do you place on the loyalty of an individual when that loyalty can be purchased, and often with less than a King's ransom? Though Kindred do not trust even the closest of companions, Retainers (ghouls in our game) are the closest thing to unquestioning loyalty you will find during your Requiem. Retainers are kine that you have given a sufficient amount of your vitae to ensure their loyalty. Repeated gifting of your vitae, and a modest civility toward them will keep the individual at your side. Retainers may be useful, but they should never be flawless. A physically powerful ghoul might be rebellious, inconveniently dull-witted or lacking in practical skills. A loyal manservant might be physically weak or possess no real personal initiative or creativity. This Background isn't an excuse to craft an unstoppable bodyguard or pet assassin - it's a method to bring more fully developed characters into the chronicle, as well as to reflect the followers for which the Kindred are notorious. Don't abuse it.
Purchasing (Acquiring) a Retainer
Each Retainer that you have ghouled will require that you purchase an individual "Retainer Background" for that person. All Retainers will start as a Level One Retainer and will cost the appropriate amount for a level one background. When you purchase the retainer you must select the "stereotype" of the individual you have acquired. Though ghouls are vastly unique in ways that cannot be represented on paper, our stereotypes represent the general ability of all ghouls within the game.
Each Retainer will then have the ability to increase in level to a total of five dots just like every other Background. Each new level will give you additional dots to place into the sheet of your Retainer wherever you deem necessary or useful.
Not precisely allies or contacts, your retainers are servants, assistants or other people who are your loyal and steadfast companions. Many vampires' servants are ghouls - their supernatural powers and blood bond-enforced loyalty make them the servants of choice. Retainers may also be people whom you've repeatedly Dominated until they have no free will left, or followers so enthralled with your Presence that their loyalty borders on blind fanaticism. Some vampires, particularly those with the Animalism Discipline, use "hellhounds" (ghouled dogs) or other animal ghouls as retainers.
You must maintain some control over your retainers, whether through a salary, the gift of your vitae or the use of Disciplines. Retainers are never "blindly loyal no matter what" - if you treat them too poorly without exercising strict control, they might well turn on you. Retainers may be useful, but they should never be flawless. A physically powerful ghoul might be rebellious, inconveniently dull-witted or lacking in practical skills. A loyal manservant might be physically weak or possess no real personal initiative or creativity. This Background isn't an excuse to craft an unstoppable bodyguard or pet assassin - it's a method to bring more fully developed characters into the chronicle, as well as to reflect the followers for which the Kindred are notorious. Don't abuse it.
The Embraced RPG Explanation of Retainers
You can never trust your allies or contacts. What value do you place on the loyalty of an individual when that loyalty can be purchased, and often with less than a King's ransom? Though Kindred do not trust even the closest of companions, Retainers (ghouls in our game) are the closest thing to unquestioning loyalty you will find during your Requiem. Retainers are kine that you have given a sufficient amount of your vitae to ensure their loyalty. Repeated gifting of your vitae, and a modest civility toward them will keep the individual at your side. Retainers may be useful, but they should never be flawless. A physically powerful ghoul might be rebellious, inconveniently dull-witted or lacking in practical skills. A loyal manservant might be physically weak or possess no real personal initiative or creativity. This Background isn't an excuse to craft an unstoppable bodyguard or pet assassin - it's a method to bring more fully developed characters into the chronicle, as well as to reflect the followers for which the Kindred are notorious. Don't abuse it.
Purchasing (Acquiring) a Retainer
Each Retainer that you have ghouled will require that you purchase an individual "Retainer Background" for that person. All Retainers will start as a Level One Retainer and will cost the appropriate amount for a level one background. When you purchase the retainer you must select the "stereotype" of the individual you have acquired. Though ghouls are vastly unique in ways that cannot be represented on paper, our stereotypes represent the general ability of all ghouls within the game.
- Socialite
- Attributes: Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3, Wits 3
- Abilities: Alertness 2, Dodge 1, Empathy 1, Expression 1, Leadership 1, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge 3, Drive 1, Etiquette 2, Performance 1, Academics 1, Finance 3, Law 1, Linguistics 1, Occult 1
- Disciplines: one dot into reactive for your clan
- Backgrounds: Allies 1, Fame 1, Influence (Society or Media) 1, Resources 2
- Bodyguard
- Attributes: Strength 4, Stamina 3, Wits 3, Perception 3
- Abilities: Alertness 3, Brawl 2, Dodge 3, Streetwise 2, Drive 2, Firearms 2, Melee 2, Survival 1, Academics 1, Investigation 1, Law 1, Occult or Linguistics 1
- Disciplines: one dot into reactive for your clan
- Backgrounds: Allies 1, Contacts 2, Influence (Street) 1, Influence (Underworld) 1
- Professional (Lawyer or Doctor)
- Attributes: Intelligence 4, Perception 3, Wits 2, Charisma 3, Dexterity 3
- Abilities: Expression 3, Subterfuge 2, Empathy 2, Etiquette 2, Drive 1, Crafts 1, Law or Medicine 3, Computer 2, Science or Investigation 3, Linguistics 2
- Disciplines: one dot into reactive for your clan
- Backgrounds: Contacts 1, Influence (Bureaucracy or Judicial) 1, Resources 3
- Secretary/Personal Assistant
- Attributes: Perception 4, Wits 3, Intelligence 3, Charisma 3
- Abilities: Alertness 2, Empathy 3, Expression 3, Etiquette 4, Computer 3, Investigation 2, Law or Finance 2, Linguistics 3
- Disciplines: one dot into reactive for your clan
- Backgrounds: Allies 2, Contacts 1, Influence (Finance or Media) 1, Resources 1
- Research Assistant
- Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 3, Manipulation 2, Dexterity 4, Perception 2
- Abilities: Alertness 3, Empathy 2, Expression 2, Etiquette 2, Survival 2, Academics 3, Science or Medicine 3, Occult 2, Computer 1, Linguistics 1
- Disciplines: one dot into reactive for your clan
- Backgrounds: Allies 2, Contacts 2, Influence (Occult or Research) 1
Each Retainer will then have the ability to increase in level to a total of five dots just like every other Background. Each new level will give you additional dots to place into the sheet of your Retainer wherever you deem necessary or useful.
- Level Two: +1 Attributes, +3 Abilities, +1 Disciplines, +1 Backgrounds
- Level Three: +1 Attributes (2 Total), + 4 Abilities (7 Total), +1 Disciplines (2 Total), +1 Badkgrounds (2 Total)
- Level Four: +2 Attributes (4 Total), +3 Abilities (10 Total), +1 Discipline (3 Total), +1 Backgrounds (3 Total)
- Level Five: +2 Attributes (6 Total), +4 Abilities (14 Total), +1 Discipline (4 Total), +1 Backgrounds (4 Total)
- The number of Retainers you are capable of possessing simultaneously is equal to your Willpower rating.
- Retainers may only take physical disciplines, disciplines your character teaches them, or disciplines that you can get a PC character to teach them.
- Backgrounds are limited to: Allies, Contacts, Fame, Influence, Resources
- All Attributes not listed (boosted) are at 1.
- All Abilities not listed (boosted) are at 0.
- Your retainer may always make a “chance” roll to do something they are not specifically trained to do, but the consequences of failure (botching) are severe.