Followers

Followers are NPCs who generally take orders from a PC and follow their lead. They're usually people, but well-trained beasts, bound spirits, and even sentient artifacts can count as followers. PCs can gain followers mechanically (via their playbook, a move, or an arcanum), or naturally through the course of play.

Followers are, first and foremost, NPCs. You, the GM, ultimately decide what they do and what they say, and what happens to them. What distinguishes them from other NPCs is that...

• … they'll generally do as their PC says;
• … they can accumulate Loyalty to their PC, which makes them easier to lead and manage; and
• … when a PC has them do something, they can trigger player moves.

Followers also get a full set of stats, very similar to those of monsters. They have tags, HP, armor, a damage die, an instinct, and possibly GM moves.

Followers also have two additional stats: a cost and Loyalty.

A follower's cost describes what keeps them following a PC's lead. It's usually a few words, like "coin, payment, treasure" or "affection, respect" or "training." When a PC pays the follower's cost, the follower holds Loyalty.

Loyalty is a currency the followers can hold. The follower's player can spend that Loyalty to get the follower to ignore fear, behave themselves, or do something they'd rather not do. See the Strengthen Your Bond move Strengthen Your Bond for details.

Here's an example follower: