SERTORIUS: FOLLOWERS

Sertori carry the spirit of a god within them, and it is tangible, manifesting as spells but also as an overall level of power and might reflected in their Divinity score. As your Divinity increases in Sertorius, you gain new spells and special abilities called Thauma, which are basically miracles (spells on a much grander scale). Divinity goes up as you acquire followers, and they are the subject of today’s article.

Followers are drawn to Sertori by a combination of awe and devotion. Initially, your following is small, only a handful of people. But over time this grows until it becomes a movement with the potential for structure and sectarian conflict. Quite simply, Sertori become the center of a new religion.

Your followers may see you as a god, but this isn’t always the case. Some Sertori prefer to be thought of as teachers or prophets, loyal to a deity greater than themselves. Others claim divine lineage. How you choose to present yourself is entirely your choice.

In time, as the following grows you can anoint disciples, special followers with whom you share a mystical connection. You can commune with your Disciples over great distances through this spiritual link. They can also help you to direct your will upon the broader community of followers (this becomes particularly useful when followers break into sects).

Once your movement reaches a large enough size (roughly one thousand people or more) it becomes harder to maintain a unified belief system. This is expressed mechanically as a roll you make each month to see if how your community of followers develops (does it split into sects, raise new leaders, etc). The closer you are to them physically, the greater your control over this. It is quite easy to stomp out heresies when you’re there to personally explain your creed or requirements. But when you and your disciples are not present, the chance of change within the community increases.

The monthly roll is not intended to replace roleplay, or serve to restrict the GM. It is simply a tool, and can always be ignored, altered or adjusted by the gamemaster to conform with events in the campaign. But it is quite useful and it leads to interesting developments. These include the emergence of new leaders in the community, conflict between your followers and other people (or within itself), the rise of new sects and heresies, and even your followers turning against you.  This can all be tracked on a handy chart at the back of your character sheet.

Beyond the mechanics of the monthly roll, movements like this can have an enormous impact on the game. They give Sertori clout and influence, they are a potential source of income, and they could be used as personal army if need be. But followers can also be lost, and if you lose enough, your power will diminish. So this becomes an important part of the game as campaigns grow.

We found followers added a great deal to play in our own games. When you acquire enough of them, the emphasis of the campaign tends to shift toward managing your base of power. Building temples, resolving disputes with rival movements, and leading thousands of people to glory become the focus. Still, it is entirely possible to put followers in the background if you just want to keep adventuring.