Hirelings that Withers offers

[Shadow]

So who are these dead dudes that the Withers guy offers as hireling? I heard they are "souls" of warriors who died a long time ago and he brings them back again? How is that even possible? They don't seem like themselves though, they almost feel like they are mind controlled by old man Withers. Are these hirelings canon fodder?

[Ackranome]

Think of them more like trashy alternatives.

[Shadow]

Originally posted by Ackranome:

Think of them more like trashy alternatives.

Who are they? If they are truly souls of dead warriors, then why is it that whenever I talk to them, it's Withers who is talking on the dead person's behalf? If the soul has been returned to the body to fight, why isn't the soul talking instead of Withers?

[Estevan Valladares]

Hirelings are, put simply, characters you get to perform the job of a build in your group without the companion "baggage".
For me for example I always get Maddala Deadeye because I kill Astarion, but I do like to have a Rogue in my group.
When I run with Minthara, I get a hireling to replace Karlach too.

They are not meant to have "stories", to have "depth". They are there so you dont need to do things in order to have a certain companion if you dont mind their personal quests.

Folks here are full of stupid assertions about it.

Someone even said "Hirelings are bad writting". What writting ? They are not even "talking" actually, as you might realize if you ask them why they talk the way they talk.

[Shadow]

Originally posted by Estevan Valladares:

Hirelings are, put simply, characters you get to perform the job of a build in your group without the companion "baggage".
For me for example I always get Maddala Deadeye because I kill Astarion, but I do like to have a Rogue in my group.
When I run with Minthara, I get a hireling to replace Karlach too.

They are not meant to have "stories", to have "depth". They are there so you dont need to do things in order to have a certain companion if you dont mind their personal quests.

Folks here are full of stupid assertions about it.

Someone even said "Hirelings are bad writting". What writting ? They are not even "talking" actually, as you might realize if you ask them why they talk the way they talk.

They have story behind them, Withers told me they are souls of the dead brought back to their bodies to fight for me and to serve me. And also that they are at my disposal and easily replaceable.

[GREEN_APPLE]

I'm pretty sure Withers mentions it somewhere but i think they're souls that were consumed by Mindflayers that he brought back

[Shadow]

Originally posted by GREEN_APPLE:

I'm pretty sure Withers mentions it somewhere but i think they're souls that were consumed by Mindflayers that he brought back

But aint that evil? He is forcing the souls of the dead to serve me and die for me as canon fodder. And it's true I treat them as canon fodder, I sent the hireling into combat first to test the waters and they often die while I keep my main group behind and safe.

[Darkaiser]

Originally posted by KillSwitch:

Originally posted by GREEN_APPLE:

I'm pretty sure Withers mentions it somewhere but i think they're souls that were consumed by Mindflayers that he brought back

But aint that evil? He is forcing the souls of the dead to serve me and die for me as canon fodder. And it's true I treat them as canon fodder, I sent the hireling into combat first to test the waters and they often die while I keep my main group behind and safe.

Welcome to D&D 1st Edition lol! Hirelings used to be a big part of the game way back when because many abilities were restricted to certain classes. So if nobody wanted to run a Thief, nobody could pick locks and disarm traps. You could hire one in town to go with you though. You could also hire 'caddies' to help hold the horses while you were in the dungeon and to help carry loot (because coins used to weigh a LOT).

[Ackranome]

Originally posted by Darkaiser:

Originally posted by KillSwitch:

But aint that evil? He is forcing the souls of the dead to serve me and die for me as canon fodder. And it's true I treat them as canon fodder, I sent the hireling into combat first to test the waters and they often die while I keep my main group behind and safe.

Welcome to D&D 1st Edition lol! Hirelings used to be a big part of the game way back when because many abilities were restricted to certain classes. So if nobody wanted to run a Thief, nobody could pick locks and disarm traps. You could hire one in town to go with you though. You could also hire 'caddies' to help hold the horses while you were in the dungeon and to help carry loot (because coins used to weigh a LOT).

Makes sense for immersion.

[Shadow]

Originally posted by Darkaiser:

Originally posted by KillSwitch:

But aint that evil? He is forcing the souls of the dead to serve me and die for me as canon fodder. And it's true I treat them as canon fodder, I sent the hireling into combat first to test the waters and they often die while I keep my main group behind and safe.

Welcome to D&D 1st Edition lol! Hirelings used to be a big part of the game way back when because many abilities were restricted to certain classes. So if nobody wanted to run a Thief, nobody could pick locks and disarm traps. You could hire one in town to go with you though. You could also hire 'caddies' to help hold the horses while you were in the dungeon and to help carry loot (because coins used to weigh a LOT).

i'm sorry to say this but I do use hireling as canon fodder...

[Mijj]

You have their personal story intheir description when you want to hire them. You can see that they all were dead by the Absolute cultists, so I think Whiters wants to take a revenge on them and do what is in its powers.

[Shadow]

Originally posted by Mijj:

You have their personal story intheir description when you want to hire them. You can see that they all were dead by the Absolute cultists, so I think Whiters wants to take a revenge on them and do what is in its powers.

So is it poetic justice for these dead souls that they get to fight "once" more? I mean I only care if they are useful and since they died before, I was like, they will just die again, so how do I trust these dead guys will perform adequate in combat.

[Mirri]

I thought these souls were not only sacrificed and such to the Absolute but very pissed off about it, and they actually want to come back and get revenge. Withers brings them back but makes a point of not telling you what to do with them.

[Shadow]

Originally posted by Skobone:

You know how you've been meeting all these people being mind controlled by the tadpoles of the absolute? And all the people killed by those mind-controlled absolute cultists? The hirelings are either one or the other. Wither's summons them because, for one reason or another, these souls have reason to lend their strength to fight the absolute. Whether it be vengeance for having their mind and body stolen from them, or simply being murdered by the cult, they have good reason to be brought back.
In general, death and souls in this setting are very weird. Withers mentions that these souls are being brought from the Fugue plane. Essentially, they are stuck waiting for their true afterlife to be determined. Sometimes you might wait for as long as centuries for a divine messenger to bring you to your god's afterlife. You're at least giving them something to do in that time.

Plot twist, what if I serve the Absolute and I sided with goblins? Then what?

[Shadow]

Originally posted by Mirri:

I thought these souls were not only sacrificed and such to the Absolute but very pissed off about it, and they actually want to come back and get revenge. Withers brings them back but makes a point of not telling you what to do with them.

So why whenever I talk to these corpses, withers talks and not the soul itself?