This expansion allows you to hire mercenaries to follow you on your quest. When playing solo, this will make the game faster since there is less to keep track of than with complete heroes and the mercenaries fights in a similar way as the enemies. There are 15 named characters with there own story to choose from and an unlimited amount of generic characters from all professions. You can also choose from 3 different breeds of dogs to accompany you. Your canine friend will evolve with experience and learn new abilities just like your hero. Finally, there are 10 different types of familiars for your wizard to acquire, each with it's own benefit. As you fight together the bond between you and your familiar will strengthen and increase your effectiveness. —description from the publisher