How best to roleplay a weird cohort XP development

[Nifft]

Cohorts abandon you if you don't treat them right. So do animal companions. A druid with leadership would apply the penalty for "causing the death of a cohort" to his leadership score for causing the death of animal companions. It is a measure of how well you treat followers and how likely new ones would join someone with your reputation.

Also, if you are applying the proper in game time delay in summoning new animal companions, then druids cannot sacrifice their companions "for free".

Er, no. Animal companions aren't Cohorts -- if they die, you don't take a Leadership penalty.

However, that's irrelevant to my point, because I'm talking about what a Druid gets for free -- without the Leadership feat.

As to "proper in game time delay", I assume you mean this:

If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.

... yes? Relative to certain other class features:

If the familiar dies or is dismissed by the sorcerer, the sorcerer must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means he loses 200 experience points per sorcerer level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. [...] A slain or dismissed familiar cannot be replaced for a year and day.

... I'd say the cost is quite low.

Cheers, -- N

 

[roguerouge]

She died in a forest battle with shadows after her lord made a tactical error that saw her swarmed. She died a horrific death and her last living sight was of him hopelessly trying to save her in time. No sooner had she died when her soul was corrupted and she assumed shadow form and was hellbent on making him share her miserable fate. He, however made a better decision and channelled a powerful blast of divine energy to free the corrupted souls, including hers.

Days later her soul answered the call to return and was resurrected. She came back somewhat drawn in appearance, with streaks of grey in her hair, and a slight tremble. Her memory of her death is a vague nightmare she doesn't really remember.

I'm just looking for an angle to play on to reinforce in character why she'll advance slower now.

You already have it: mourning, fear, a bit of a lost faith in the leader...

 

[the Jester]

Perhaps she is now constantly, morbidly obsessing about death? She learns less because she acts more out of fear than out of bravery; instead of finding a way to win, she looks for a way not to lose.

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

Thanks guys, you've given me enough material to work with.

I'm going to play her as overstating of the risks, being descriptive of the possible bad result, and being dragged forward because she fears more the feeling of being left behind.

(We decided to play as close to core rules as written for this campaign, so we're just going to have to handle these rules.)