Hirelings may be found in the town of Inkwell; you spend a couple of evenings and some copper and silver on ale and food. Before each session I will roll to see who has come to town or departed.
Rates for hirelings are negotiable, and have ranged from 4-5 gp per day to sharing a full share with an adventurer. Typical fair wage is likely to be 3-4 gp for an expedition up front plus some percentage of the take (1-2%). Paying more gets you more loyal hirelings. I will keep track of hirelings and their success - it is possible for them to level (although they are not stealing exp from players).
A reputation for losing hirelings to the dungeon will make it harder and more expensive to attract new ones.
Currently in town there are:
Experienced delvers with at least one confirmed trip into Ran Lithby's Folly.
- Aleris, a fighting-woman who is very favorably disposed towards Daukai the Eloquent (he paid her over 60 gp after their last expedition together, enabling her to buy herself chain armor).
- Anixter, a female mage who has ventured into the Folly and survived a horribly belly wound dealt by a bizarre monster smelling of cinnamon and wielding two jagged swords. She claims to be able to magically lock doors, or to produce magical brilliance which can be used to light the way in the underworld.
- Gerke, who is a lay member of a holy order, not yet inducted into the mysteries of the faith. She survived an encounter with a medusa along with Hoyt.
- Seamus, tough-looking, plate and shield clad caravan guard. He bears a sword and a sling and claims to be able to hit an apple off a tree at 40 yards.
- Arthuri is ugly and not very bright, but seems tough as nails and is the only person in town wearing plate armor and an honest-to-goodness heirloom longsword. He must be some petty nobleman's third son.
Untested recruits, mostly veterans of recent border conflicts come to seek their fortunes:
- Gloadae is a well-spoken but clumsy young woman who seems to be expert with the spear that is always in her hand. She is a former imperial trooper.