halfling rogue
Explorer
There's info about how to create a new Faction in the DMG and I was curious, has anyone round here made their own?
D&D 5E Has anyone created a new faction?
- Thread starter halfling rogue
- Start date
steeldragons
Steeliest of the dragons
I think the more immediate question would be is anyone, outside of Adventurer League/Organized Play, actually using factions in play at all?
Remathilis
Legend
I was in the process of converting the Planescape Factions using this mechanic, but ended up dropping the project. 15 new factions was a bloody lot, and even with the Factol's Manifesto, I kept running into problems.
Wik
First Post
I have a bunch in my campaign, and yes, they're a lot of fun!
Knights of the Scale: When the demons were unleashed in my campaign, the dragons found that their eggs were being corrupted. So, most dragons put their eggs under the guardianship of a group of protectors. Even though the demonsplague is over, this practice continues (dragons are poor parents). These guys protect dragons, and educate them on honour and the like. And, if the dragons give in to evil nature, they hunt the blighters down.
The Imperial Foreign Service: Spies, diplomats, and couriers for her eminence, the Divine Caprinia I. Not liked in the Shattered Isles (where my campaign takes place), they're always followed by intrigues and politicking.
The Gray Wizards: Magic-item and spell smugglers who believe that "magic shouldn't pay taxes". They seek to trump any law regulating magical enterprises, and run the only real magic item economy in the setting. Their "night markets" that move from location to location are the best places to buy (and sell) magic items.
The Imperial War Academy: mages in the Empire must serve the army for at least ten years. After their time in the service, they often join this university, which, despite the name, isn't really dedicated to war. Instead, it studies magic and seeks to further its study.
The Green Legion: A group of druids, rangers, and awakened animals. They have some goals involving the feywild, and much of their goals centre around that (a long story). Basically, though, they're the druidic faction.
The Free Island League: Sheriffs, judges, inspectors, and guardians of the Shattered Isles, these guys also serve as navigators and sailors for the confederacy of the Free Islands in the Shattered Isles.
The Guilders: A group of loyal industrialists and guild artisans who protect the ancient ways of religion in the Shattered Isles (which tie industry with religion). They are staunch traditionalists, and represent strong economic interests.
The Unificationists: These guys believe that all the different Passions (Deities) should be worshipped in the same "house", and that the economic interests of each deity should be unattached and secular. They are spearheaded by the Tiefling Empire, which means a lot of Free Islanders distrust the movement.
The Hellhounds: A group of unified thieves' guilds that grew out of a freedom-fighting movement. While they are ultimately evil murderers and criminals, they have enough of a reputation in their history that they cash in on frequently for public support.
Knights of the Scale: When the demons were unleashed in my campaign, the dragons found that their eggs were being corrupted. So, most dragons put their eggs under the guardianship of a group of protectors. Even though the demonsplague is over, this practice continues (dragons are poor parents). These guys protect dragons, and educate them on honour and the like. And, if the dragons give in to evil nature, they hunt the blighters down.
The Imperial Foreign Service: Spies, diplomats, and couriers for her eminence, the Divine Caprinia I. Not liked in the Shattered Isles (where my campaign takes place), they're always followed by intrigues and politicking.
The Gray Wizards: Magic-item and spell smugglers who believe that "magic shouldn't pay taxes". They seek to trump any law regulating magical enterprises, and run the only real magic item economy in the setting. Their "night markets" that move from location to location are the best places to buy (and sell) magic items.
The Imperial War Academy: mages in the Empire must serve the army for at least ten years. After their time in the service, they often join this university, which, despite the name, isn't really dedicated to war. Instead, it studies magic and seeks to further its study.
The Green Legion: A group of druids, rangers, and awakened animals. They have some goals involving the feywild, and much of their goals centre around that (a long story). Basically, though, they're the druidic faction.
The Free Island League: Sheriffs, judges, inspectors, and guardians of the Shattered Isles, these guys also serve as navigators and sailors for the confederacy of the Free Islands in the Shattered Isles.
The Guilders: A group of loyal industrialists and guild artisans who protect the ancient ways of religion in the Shattered Isles (which tie industry with religion). They are staunch traditionalists, and represent strong economic interests.
The Unificationists: These guys believe that all the different Passions (Deities) should be worshipped in the same "house", and that the economic interests of each deity should be unattached and secular. They are spearheaded by the Tiefling Empire, which means a lot of Free Islanders distrust the movement.
The Hellhounds: A group of unified thieves' guilds that grew out of a freedom-fighting movement. While they are ultimately evil murderers and criminals, they have enough of a reputation in their history that they cash in on frequently for public support.
Scrivener of Doom
Adventurer
For me, factions have always been fundamental to running the Realms, and that's been the case since 2E. The 5E version of factions just added a little bit of official weight to their use but if you look at later 3.5E products - Champions of Ruin (FR), Champions of Valour (FR), Complete... (core) - you can see a lot of effort being made to give factions some sort of mechanical "heft".
I used them to make factions in my custom setting - there were seven. Merchant guild, thief/assassin guild, mercenary guild, necromancer/cleric church (Church of the Raven Queen, imported from Nentir Vale), dragonblooded nobility, magic guild, fey courts.
Yes. Hell, Planescape is designed around factions! You can't play that game without them. Factions have been a thing in FR for a while now, just formalized in 5e.
Queer Venger
Dungeon Master is my Daddy
Im borrowing from Lords of Darkness and creating 2 new factions for my games: The Fire Knives and the Arcane Brotherhood.
GMforPowergamers
Legend
I am working on a world that I want to use them in, but I haven't gotten into it yet (I still have a game running, so I don't need it yet.) It has been pitched as "When gnomes ruled the world" as mostly a joke...
[sblock=world basics]Sages have long debated if we are in the third or fourth age of the world. Many sages refuse to belive that the gods created the world already populated with kingdoms, and that something must of come before the first age, the age of Magic.
First Age- The Age of Magic had the whole world covered in magical cities of the Elves, before there were multi subraces, the Elves controled most of the world as one unified magical force. The only oppasition was from the Dragon Lords, and the Demons and Celestrials. There are rumors and stories that when the great elven cities fell that is what lead to the schism that caused the sub races.
Second Age- The Age of Technology was born when the great sundering split the elves and there magicc cities were decimated. Some fell, some were overtaken, and some just left for other worlds. This opening did not take long to fill. The Dwarves and Gnomes both built cities and started to move the water to make moble parts of the city. When the Gnomes learned to boil the water and use the steam to power movement, there artaficers ruled most of the world. A train connected a line of 5 major cities running north and south, and a second line was being built from east to west when everything went to
.
Third Age- The Dark Age was born when the great skyfall destroyed most of the gnome and dwarf cities, and the great beast awoken. The beast riped across the world, the cities were all but lost. The orcs and goblins rose up, along with the return of the dark elves. For years life survived not in cities, but as small nomad tribes moving and trying to survive as the ground itself refused to give life any more, and the sky was black and the days cold. A lot of cities are still in the Dark ages, but most people assume when the Citadel started to send out Bards to local lords and rebuild communication and written histories the dark age began to end.
Today: It is the year 774 CC (Common Calander)(1355 GR (Gnomis Reconing)) (or 2227 EC (Elven Calader)) and the world is comeing back from the brink. The world is a fratured place full of petty self interest. A world where 'good guys' still go to war with 'good guys'. A world of magic and technology both lost, and savage almost barbaric nature being all that's left. The fourth age could be the beginning of a new world, or then end of it. The Citadel wants to move this age to a new hight one that even the first and second age never truly reached.
The fourth age will be an age of dungeons and mercenaries. A darker game, one where saving the day will take a back seat to building power and getting money... A world of darkness and grey is starting to be a bit better. New small hamlets and villages are being put up all the time, and only the most savage races are still nomad.
Magic- well a lot of the high magic was lost in the fall of the first age. Today magic is very rare and coveted. It is also dangerous. There is only 1 'school' of magic and that is the citadel that teaches Bards, and it is far from universally trusted. There are some sages in towers that except apprentices, and some cities that except them, but there are also a lot of 'burn the witch' type places too. Even the most tolerant of cities hate the oath breakers who sold their souls (warlocks).
Magic comes with a high price, and a powerful side effect, however it isn't the only game in town.
Technology- During the fall of the second age a lot was lost. The way to make steam engines and full on safe black powdered is gone, the engineering to create water wheel plants and aqueducts with running water is far less then it used to be.
Mixability- For some reason some parts of tech and some parts of magic do not work togather. No mage (inless suicidal) will carry a fire arm, and no tinkerer would risk being a spell caster. Part of the reason for this, is that gunpowder and boilers are known to explode around prolonged magic.
The Citadel- "A Bards Tale"- 74 years ago Torish half fey and Daphaine the fire dancer were part of a group of adventures to raid a ruin of a Dragon lord's keep. There in the ruins they found lost magic tombs, and well there alies went on to more dungeon delving they settled down, and began repairs. For almost twenty years they rebuilt, and studied and attracted like minded sages. Fifty five years ago they opened the now rebuilt fortress and called it "The Citadel"
A place of learning and study to try to bring a new age to the world. At first no one trusted the citadel, and as such it was laid siege to, and worse. It was almost destroyed twice in the first twenty years it was open. Then came a new head master. Corina Daystar! She was beautiful and smart, and made alliances. She offered the lords of area's a deal. She would send bards, chroniclers and sages, healers and masters of minor magic's to there keeps. There they would aid in any way they could, and help communicate over long distances. The only cost of such service was room and board.
Not every lord excepted a Bard into there court... but those that did found they had an advantage over most others. [/sblock]
[sblock=write up of factions]Factions: basic information
Bard’s Citadel
The Citadel has many goals, and some say they are more nefarious then they let on. They worship Azuth and Deneir but have paid lip service to all deities.
Churches
Some churches are also factions in and of themselves.
Fey resurgence
Believers in the lost elven city theory of history, this group is on a quest to bring back the Elven Empire. They are a militant and extreme branch of Correllon worship.
Gargoyles
A society of secrets that no one is sure who is or isn’t a member of. It is said that every one of their members listen to every conversation, like gargoyles overhead. Very little is known about their inner workings
Gnomish Alchemy Guild
A group of Gnomes and Dwarves who still have the secrets of true gunpowder and steam mostly intact spread throughout the world trying to rebuild civilization.
Maguses
A loose consortium of Warrior scholars trying to unlock arcane mysteries at any cost.
Warlord’s Warriors
In the north a Half Orc warrior wants to build an empire, but he is smart enough to have sent many agents south.
Witch Hunters
A loose group of warriors trying to hunt down the things that go bump in the night, and stop the spread of magic in the world.
Deities: I need to rewrite a bit, but here are the basics...
Azuth, god of wizards LN Knowledge Left hand pointing upward, outlined in fire
Bane, god of tyranny LE War Upright black right hand, thumb and fingers together
Corellon Larethian, elf deity of art and magic CG Light Quarter moon or starburst
Cyric, god of lies CE Trickery White jawless skull on black or purple sunburst
Deneir, god of writing NG Knowledge Lit candle above an open eye
Gond, god of craft N Knowledge Toothed cog with four spokes
Helm, god of protection LN Life, Light Staring eye on upright left gauntlet
Lolth, drow goddess of spiders CE Trickery Spider
Loviatar, goddess of pain LE Death Nine-tailed barbed scourge
Mask, god of thieves CN Trickery Black mask
Mielikki, goddess of forests NG Nature Unicorn’s head
Myrkul, god of death NE Death White human skull
Paladine, god of rulers and guardians LG War Silver triangle
Shar, goddess of darkness and loss NE Death, Trickery Black disk encircled with a border
Sune, goddess of love and beauty CG Life, Light Face of a beautiful red-haired woman
Takhisis, goddess of night and hatred LE Death Black crescent
Umberlee, goddess of the sea CE Tempest Wave curling left and right [/sblock]
[sblock=world basics]Sages have long debated if we are in the third or fourth age of the world. Many sages refuse to belive that the gods created the world already populated with kingdoms, and that something must of come before the first age, the age of Magic.
First Age- The Age of Magic had the whole world covered in magical cities of the Elves, before there were multi subraces, the Elves controled most of the world as one unified magical force. The only oppasition was from the Dragon Lords, and the Demons and Celestrials. There are rumors and stories that when the great elven cities fell that is what lead to the schism that caused the sub races.
Second Age- The Age of Technology was born when the great sundering split the elves and there magicc cities were decimated. Some fell, some were overtaken, and some just left for other worlds. This opening did not take long to fill. The Dwarves and Gnomes both built cities and started to move the water to make moble parts of the city. When the Gnomes learned to boil the water and use the steam to power movement, there artaficers ruled most of the world. A train connected a line of 5 major cities running north and south, and a second line was being built from east to west when everything went to
.Third Age- The Dark Age was born when the great skyfall destroyed most of the gnome and dwarf cities, and the great beast awoken. The beast riped across the world, the cities were all but lost. The orcs and goblins rose up, along with the return of the dark elves. For years life survived not in cities, but as small nomad tribes moving and trying to survive as the ground itself refused to give life any more, and the sky was black and the days cold. A lot of cities are still in the Dark ages, but most people assume when the Citadel started to send out Bards to local lords and rebuild communication and written histories the dark age began to end.
Today: It is the year 774 CC (Common Calander)(1355 GR (Gnomis Reconing)) (or 2227 EC (Elven Calader)) and the world is comeing back from the brink. The world is a fratured place full of petty self interest. A world where 'good guys' still go to war with 'good guys'. A world of magic and technology both lost, and savage almost barbaric nature being all that's left. The fourth age could be the beginning of a new world, or then end of it. The Citadel wants to move this age to a new hight one that even the first and second age never truly reached.
The fourth age will be an age of dungeons and mercenaries. A darker game, one where saving the day will take a back seat to building power and getting money... A world of darkness and grey is starting to be a bit better. New small hamlets and villages are being put up all the time, and only the most savage races are still nomad.
Magic- well a lot of the high magic was lost in the fall of the first age. Today magic is very rare and coveted. It is also dangerous. There is only 1 'school' of magic and that is the citadel that teaches Bards, and it is far from universally trusted. There are some sages in towers that except apprentices, and some cities that except them, but there are also a lot of 'burn the witch' type places too. Even the most tolerant of cities hate the oath breakers who sold their souls (warlocks).
Magic comes with a high price, and a powerful side effect, however it isn't the only game in town.
Technology- During the fall of the second age a lot was lost. The way to make steam engines and full on safe black powdered is gone, the engineering to create water wheel plants and aqueducts with running water is far less then it used to be.
Mixability- For some reason some parts of tech and some parts of magic do not work togather. No mage (inless suicidal) will carry a fire arm, and no tinkerer would risk being a spell caster. Part of the reason for this, is that gunpowder and boilers are known to explode around prolonged magic.
The Citadel- "A Bards Tale"- 74 years ago Torish half fey and Daphaine the fire dancer were part of a group of adventures to raid a ruin of a Dragon lord's keep. There in the ruins they found lost magic tombs, and well there alies went on to more dungeon delving they settled down, and began repairs. For almost twenty years they rebuilt, and studied and attracted like minded sages. Fifty five years ago they opened the now rebuilt fortress and called it "The Citadel"
A place of learning and study to try to bring a new age to the world. At first no one trusted the citadel, and as such it was laid siege to, and worse. It was almost destroyed twice in the first twenty years it was open. Then came a new head master. Corina Daystar! She was beautiful and smart, and made alliances. She offered the lords of area's a deal. She would send bards, chroniclers and sages, healers and masters of minor magic's to there keeps. There they would aid in any way they could, and help communicate over long distances. The only cost of such service was room and board.
Not every lord excepted a Bard into there court... but those that did found they had an advantage over most others. [/sblock]
[sblock=write up of factions]Factions: basic information
Bard’s Citadel
The Citadel has many goals, and some say they are more nefarious then they let on. They worship Azuth and Deneir but have paid lip service to all deities.
Churches
Some churches are also factions in and of themselves.
Fey resurgence
Believers in the lost elven city theory of history, this group is on a quest to bring back the Elven Empire. They are a militant and extreme branch of Correllon worship.
Gargoyles
A society of secrets that no one is sure who is or isn’t a member of. It is said that every one of their members listen to every conversation, like gargoyles overhead. Very little is known about their inner workings
Gnomish Alchemy Guild
A group of Gnomes and Dwarves who still have the secrets of true gunpowder and steam mostly intact spread throughout the world trying to rebuild civilization.
Maguses
A loose consortium of Warrior scholars trying to unlock arcane mysteries at any cost.
Warlord’s Warriors
In the north a Half Orc warrior wants to build an empire, but he is smart enough to have sent many agents south.
Witch Hunters
A loose group of warriors trying to hunt down the things that go bump in the night, and stop the spread of magic in the world.
Deities: I need to rewrite a bit, but here are the basics...
Azuth, god of wizards LN Knowledge Left hand pointing upward, outlined in fire
Bane, god of tyranny LE War Upright black right hand, thumb and fingers together
Corellon Larethian, elf deity of art and magic CG Light Quarter moon or starburst
Cyric, god of lies CE Trickery White jawless skull on black or purple sunburst
Deneir, god of writing NG Knowledge Lit candle above an open eye
Gond, god of craft N Knowledge Toothed cog with four spokes
Helm, god of protection LN Life, Light Staring eye on upright left gauntlet
Lolth, drow goddess of spiders CE Trickery Spider
Loviatar, goddess of pain LE Death Nine-tailed barbed scourge
Mask, god of thieves CN Trickery Black mask
Mielikki, goddess of forests NG Nature Unicorn’s head
Myrkul, god of death NE Death White human skull
Paladine, god of rulers and guardians LG War Silver triangle
Shar, goddess of darkness and loss NE Death, Trickery Black disk encircled with a border
Sune, goddess of love and beauty CG Life, Light Face of a beautiful red-haired woman
Takhisis, goddess of night and hatred LE Death Black crescent
Umberlee, goddess of the sea CE Tempest Wave curling left and right [/sblock]
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