Which of the Xen'drik Expeditions factions do you find attractive?

[Glyfair]

The most recent of the RGPA's D&D Campaigns is Xen'drik Expeditions. The RPGA has set up 4 factions that are competing find the secrets of the Caldyn Fragments. Each faction has their own adventures, and there will be a few that all factions can play in (together or separately).

I was curious to find out which of the 4 factions the typical ENWorld member finds attractive. Below are the basic descriptions of the 4 groups and the special rules each faction has (note the campaign takes place in Eberron).

Crimson Codex: Of the four factions, the Crimson Codex has the strongest connection to dragons and their kin, and it attracts people interested in esoteric knowledge.
Being a member of this faction unlocks the skarn (Magic of Incarnum) and spellscale (Races of the Dragon) races, along with the dragon shaman (Player’s Handbook II),
incarnate (Magic of Incarnum), and totemist (Magic of Incarnum) classes. Crimson Codex faction members may be from the region of Seren.

The Crimson Codex believes that knowledge is the most powerful weapon, and members of the Crimson Codex, if literate, may choose their Intelligence bonus (minimum 1) in Knowledge skills as bonus class skills. You make the choice of class skills at 1st-level, and it
cannot be retooled (it’s placed on your Crimson Codex Adventure Journal) or expanded by increase in your intelligence score. If your illiterate character later becomes
literate, he or she does not gain these bonus class skills.

If your character already has all Knowledge skills as class skills, it starts with a crimson glyphbook as a piece of bonus equipment (see below).

Crimson Glyphbook
A crimson glyphbook is a special magic glyphbook (ECS 121) that also grants a +1 insight bonus to all Knowledge checks, bardic knowledge check, and Investigate checks for
analyzing clues. Also, for characters with the research feat, the glyphbook acts as a general-purpose library, on most subjects, and a comprehensive collection on the subjects of
Xen’drik history, geography, nature, and draconic Prophecy.

It takes the standard time to use the book as a research library (ECS 59).

Blackwheel Company:The Blackwheel Company is the most organized and regimented f the factions. It has a strong contingent of Last War veterans, and soldiers of fortune. Being a member of this faction unlocks the gnoll* (Monster Manual) and warforged scout (Monster Manual III) races, as well as the warmage (Complete Arcane), scout (Complete Adventurer), and marshal (Miniature’s Handbook) classes.

Members of the Blackwheel Company, who are of the appropriate race, may be member of dragonmarked houses. If you wish to be a member of a dragonmarked house, you must choose which house at 1st-level, and it cannot be retooled (the choice is noted on your Blackwheel Company Adventure Journal). Being a member of the dragonmarked house unlocks the following rules items (all from the ECS): Feats—Favored In House, Greater Dragonmark, Least Dragonmark, Lesser Dragonmark; Prestige Classes—dragonmark heir and heir
of Siberys.

All Blackwheel Company characters gain 50 x character level gp bonus to their equipment value (EV). The company has the financial backing equips their troops with the very best of equipment.

Cabal of Shadows: The Cabal is a loose confederation of outcasts, miscreants, and sometimes downright villains. Strangely, they may be the most diverse and accepting of the factions. Being a member of this faction unlocks the tiefling* (Monster Manual) and daelkyr half-blood (Magic of Eberron) races, as well as the beguiler (Player’s Handbook II), duskblade (Player’s Handbook II), and warlock (Complete Arcane) classes. Members of the Cabal of Shadows can be evil characters, and as so any evil actions they commit do not generate alignment shift Story Objects. Also, unlike other characters in the campaign, Cabal of Shadows characters can worship evil deities and pantheons. The following prestige classes are unlocked for Cabal of Shadows characters: assassin and blackguard. Members of the Cabal of Shadows may take these classes without meeting any role-playing requirements normally required. Also, any restricted prestige class or feat with a requirement of evil alignment can be place on a Cabal of Shadows expansion list as if it were a limited rather than restricted item.

Cabal of Shadow members who aren’t evil are still blessed (some would say cursed) by shadow. Once a day, by spending an action point, you can call on shadow to aid you. Calling on shadows is a spell-like ability with the effects of a veil of shadows (SC 228 or sidebar) and a darkvision spell (PH 216) cast on you. The call on shadows lasts for as many minutes as you have character levels plus your Charisma modifier (minimum 1 minute). This benefit is ONLY available to members of the Cabal of Shadows faction without an evil alignment.

[B}Covenant of Light:[/B] To the Covenant the search to unlock the mysteries of the Caldyn Fragments is a crusade for the powers of good, despite the person’s faith. Being a member of this faction unlocks the aasimar* (Monster Manual) and raptorian (Races of the Wild) races, and the knight (Player’s Handbook II), favored soul (Complete Divine) and soulborn (Magic of Incarnum) classes. Every good member of the Covenant of Light has received the blessing of light.

Once a day plus your Charisma modifier (minimum 1), by spending an action point, and as a standard action, a member of the Covenant can recite a small spell-like ability prayer that has the following affect on a single creature touched within the next minute: it relieves fatigue, exhaustion, sickening, and grants an immediate new save against poison and disease.

If that save succeeds it removes the disease or poison. You
can hold the charge of this spell-like ability in the same way you can hold a charge of a touch spell.

 

[airwalkrr]

I like the cabal of shadows for giving me the chance to play an evil alignment (and no, this is not a horrible idea as long as the players realize that despite their alignment, they are still heroes; the only thing that should vary is the method by which the goals of the adventure are realized). I think Blackwheel is popular because of the gnoll however, until they get around to releasing that errata that gnoll PCs don't get the racial hit dice of course.

 

[Shadowdancer]

I have interest in all except the Covenant of Light.

 

[ohGr]

I'd have to say the Cabal of Shadows, if only because the factionmaster, Greg Marks, is a good friend and someone i've been roleplaying with for 10+ years. That, and if i said something else, he might hurt me.

 

[heirodule]

I'm playing a Blackwheel Gnoll myself. I might like to try Covenant of Light but not any of the others.

Gnolls are cool (even without the 2 racial hit dice)

 

[Glyfair]

and no, this is not a horrible idea as long as the players realize that despite their alignment, they are still heroes; the only thing that should vary is the method by which the goals of the adventure are realized

Actually, I was worried that this would be a bad idea, and the reports from GenCon have cemented this thought. I agree with the sentiment, but I think in any public game, you are just asking for trouble by no only allowing evil characters, but encouraging them.

Someone is going to join a game that will take the evil too far. Worse, these games are often the ones that are played in the public eye. This isn't the game I want potential players (and possibly their parents) to be watching when they are investigating to see if this is an appopriate game to play (or their children to play).

Now, with a mature group that has proven themselves to be able to handle this is fine, in my opinion. I still wouldn't want them to be the public example of the game, though.

 

[Glyfair]

Gnolls are cool (even without the 2 racial hit dice)

I agree. In fact, Gnolls wouldn't be playable in the game if they kept the 2 racial hit dice. I would likely have tried playing a gnoll if they weren't in the faction that also opens the dragonmarked characters (so I don't have to pay $50 or more for the card that allows me to play one in the D&D Campaigns).

 

[Anti-Sean]

I like Blackwheel Company and Cabal of Shadows quite a bit - very interesting options unlocked (a Warforged Scout Scout? A Daelkyr Half-Blood Warlock? Yes please!). But Covenant of Light was the only faction with an open slot left at a recent RPGA game day nearby. It was a fun adventure and a neat group of players and characters, though (I went with a Shifter (Longtooth) Ranger penitent; a worshipper of the Silver Flame who despises his own heritage. Yaay angst!).

 

[arscott]

Covenant of Light seems a little goody-two-shoes for me. When I play the Hero, I usually play the reluctant hero or the rebel. Lawful Good just doesn't appeal that much from a role-playing perspective.

I'm unsure on Crimson Codex. It sounds like it might be really cool, or it might be really lame.

Cabal of Shadows is the only one I've actually played in so far. I played and then DMed the Faction adventure, and fun was had by all. From what I've heard, most of the interfaction conflict at GenCon stemmed from miscommunication on the part of the organizers and misunderstanding on the part of the Non-cabal characters. As long as people realize that the rule against pvp is still in effect when dealing with evil characters, then I think the cabal should work just fine.

I won't be playing Blackwheel, because I've volunteered to run the blackwheel adventures for the rest of my group. I'm a little dissapointed that I won't get the chance, though, because the faction seems like a lot of fun to play. Still, between the military aspect of the company itself and the political aspect of it's Dragonmarked controllers, It should be a lot of fun to run, too.

 

[MerricB]

I'll be DMing Crimson Codex and Cabal of Shadows, and playing in the other two.

Cabal interests me the least (and I'm DMing it so that I can keep a strong hand on the players). I really like the idea of Blackwheel and Crimson Codex.