Hirelings — Rescued Merchant Guards
| Situation | Check / availability | Terms / behavior | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prisoners 3 and 6 | Two men-at-arms | Each serves one year for room and board only. | Rescue them, make an offer, and supply armor and weapons. |
| Orc prisoner 2 | No wage stated | Will fight goblins and hobgoblins if armed. | Escapes at first chance, steals what he can, and informs cave B. |
| Gnoll prisoner 5 | No wage stated | Attacks rescuers if freed and able to seize a weapon. | Not a willing recruit. |
- The merchant’s Guild reward and his wife’s promised dagger are rescue rewards, not guard wages.
- Both willing guards are already represented by the existing encounter quantity 2.
Source: B2, caves:24, PDF page(s) 22, 23. Original narrative retained; original Basic D&D mechanics.