Retainers and You

For the benefit of the new(er) players who may not be aware of this, Retainers are like Weapons: If you don't have them in your +inventory, you don't have them with you.

If you don't have a Guard Retainer with you, then you don't ICly have a Guard with you. If you don't have a Lancer Retainer with you, then you don't ICly have a Lancer with you.

NPC family members can be created by +crafting a Retainer, and then using the +craft/name command to name them. So if you want to RP having your twin sister following you around on your adventures (for example), you'd need to make sure that there was an NPC retainer in your +inventory that had your NPC sister's name on it at the very least. If you didn't, then she wouldn't be there.

Background NPCs can be @emitted without issue providing that you don't use them to "Ghost" other characters. They should be used to provide flavor and a sense of population to a scene, not to act as standby as your own personal bodyguard.

This means that while it is valid to @emit staff in Manors and Keeps, they shouldn't really benefit your character in that scene. There is also nothing wrong with talking about NPC family members or friends in passing conversation as if they were real characters, providing they remain out of the the scene in a physical sense.

The exception to the rule are Dukes and Duchesses. In their home turf, we have to allow that they are able to call in the House Guard when under threat. This should only be done under duress (for example, when a Duke/Duchess is threatened with physical harm), when they have been caught attempting a crime, or - again - as background flavor, dealing with other NPCs who are not (and will not) interact with any other PC present in that location.

Imperial territory is handled by Staffers, who can and will bring The Law down on you if you give them reason to.