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[Let's Read] Legacy of Mana
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<blockquote data-quote="Libertad" data-source="post: 8147131" data-attributes="member: 6750502"><p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/OOkskSc.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p> <p style="text-align: center"><strong>Chapter 5:Orders & Societies and Chapter 7: Backgrounds</strong></p><p></p><p>Although technically two chapters, the subject matter is so intertwined they may as well be covered together. Here we detail the major power players in Imaria as well as rules for PCs who join such vaunted organizations. The major exception is the Iltherian Empire, for the only PC backgrounds for that are ex-members who deserted or escaped from slavery.</p><p></p><p><strong>Old vs New:</strong> An awful lot of flavor text has been cut from the orders in the new book. Some such as the Iltherian Empire were mostly left intact, while others such as the Merchant’s League and Vanguard got significantly cut in size. I’m going to be mostly drawing upon the older versions for this chapter.</p><p></p><p>Although by far not the only people jockeying for power in Imaria, the following eight organizations have either a wide enough pull and reach to make their presence felt across the world, or are more involved in matters of interest to adventuring types.</p><p></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/9h8vz8m.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><strong>Iltherians:</strong> There is hardly a place in Imaria which does not know the name Iltheria. In spite of its short 20-year reign, they’ve made grand and terrible changes to the face of the world. Their origins lie in a mercenary company led by a wicked man by the name of Bravensca. Entering into an alliance with a necromancer by the name of Trahlyle, the mage revealed to the warlord the secrets of forging renik and filled his head with dreams of an empire. Bravensca’s band struck at wizard’s towers and other magic-rich places, looting the grounds and expanding their coffers to get more soldiers and renik steel. The Iltherians grew even larger, slaying monsters and bringing food and aid to peasants whose Blooded rulers were unable or unwilling to address their subjects’ woes. Soon such support grew into outright rebellions, with peasant uprisings weakening lands for an Iltherian takeover, and the intelligence reports of mere soldiers with anti-magic swords being responsible were dismissed as trickery and illusion. By the time a united alliance was forged, the Iltherians had allies both overt and covert in too many places to the point that their rise was all but assured.</p><p></p><p>The Iltherian Empire is in theory a meritocracy, where skill and ruthless ambition determine one’s station rather than magical potential. This was an appealing recruitment process, but in the empire’s later years there arose a calcified order of senior generals rife with nepotism. Emperor Bravensca was a great military leader, but a poor civilian one, and he was loath to delegate tasks to advisors. This helped set in motion various domestic problems that contributed to Iltheria’s decline.</p><p></p><p>Iltherians are taught that mana is a destructive power which will inevitably become a tool for the few to oppress the many. When such rhetoric failed, they pointed to the existence of magical horrors and supernatural monsters to strengthen their points instead. The Empire relied on divisive rhetoric to whip up hatred against magically-talented people and races, who were blamed for all manner of problems.</p><p></p><p>The Iltherian Empire is a military dictatorship, and the term “Iltherian'' is used interchangeably between citizens and the order of renik-wielding knights. The bulk of the military is formed by Knights who are outfitted with special renik swords and training against supernatural threats, and undergo a special ritual where they bind part of their soul to a renik sword. The empire also has auxiliary forces of conscripted militia, slave-soldiers, and brainwashed berserkers. Iltherian Knights are not an elite or exclusive order: they range from frontline infantry to special agents and officers, and their primary identification and rank is via a numbered sash. The Emperor was naturally 1, and there used to be an intricate process for determining the rise and fall of numbers. Postwar the system is now much more subjective and ad hoc given the divisions and collapse of order where regiments were forced to fend for themselves. Knights are divided into three types of soldiers based upon their specialty: Defenders are primarily combatants, while Inquisitors rely more heavily on mana-disruption techniques. Relic Hunters are highly-skilled mobile forces who specialize in the hunting down and disruption of magical items and artifacts. Albeit not an official designation, wilderness scouts are highly prized for their skills. There has been some experimentation in new forms of soldiers and renik weapons in the postwar period, such as brainwashed auxilary berserker suicide-bombers whose renik armor is triggered to explode once it absorbs enough magic, or the repurposing of broken renik shards into arrowheads to poison magical beings. Unfortunately said suicide-berserkers and renik arrowheads and armor are not given stats in this book.</p><p></p><p>After the Empire’s fall, many Iltherians felt shame for their past deeds and sought to correct the harm they’ve done. Reformist is a catch-all term for such Knights, while loyalists of the Empire are known as Old Order or Purists. Among the Reformists is a specific organization, the Iltherian Guardians,* who seek to use their training to bring the balance of mana back into the world. As part of induction they break their renik sword, embedding the shards into a staff of wood to turn into a spear known as a reave. Although they will still use mana-destroying powers in times of need, they are against replicating the renik-binding ritual responsible for making Iltherian Knights on moral grounds. Guardians and Reformists alike have a long way to make up for their past crimes, but they are nothing if not dedicated.</p><p></p><p>*this is a stupid name for people trying to break away from the empire’s violent legacy.</p><p></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Cb3XLxQ.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>We get not one, but three new backgrounds related to Iltheria. <em>Freed Iltherian Slave</em> grants proficiency in Athletics, Survival, land vehicles, one type of artisan’s tools, one bonus language of choice, starts play with various labor tools (miner’s pick, small knife, etc) and their feature grants them great physical endurance such as “shrugging off exhaustion completely.” Which makes me ask, is this merely flavor text or is this outright immunity to the Exhausted condition?</p><p></p><p><em>Iltherian Guardian</em> is only available to those with levels in Iltherian Knight. They gain proficiency in History, Persuasion, one language of the player’s choice plus Krymarian or Thalagrantian, and start play with some travel gear and a reave. Their feature grants them knowledge of how to turn renik shards into a reave, and those who would be normally hostile to Iltherians are less so due to their aura and how they carry themselves.</p><p></p><p><em>Iltherian Reformists</em> are the other class-exclusive background. They are those who are aware of the empire’s flaws and do not wish to see the old days return, but still believe that the empire can be changed to something more moral...which contradicts the text about them being a catch-all term for former members. They are proficient in Athletics, Intimidation, the Krymarian and Thalagrantan languages, have mostly RP-related gear (former memento of home, sash with their former Iltherian rank, etc), and their feature means that commoners are more fearful of them and more likely to do what the knight wants, if only to get them out of their hair.</p><p></p><p><strong>Arctine Federation:</strong> The northern tribes were used to tough living, but the loss of mana and unreliable trade routes as a result of war forced them into a larger alliance out of necessity. The Arctine Federation’s priorities are maintaining stable lines of communication and travel, and coordinating efforts and reallocation of resources via mutual aid. Major decisions are convened during a council of tribal leaders, and while rather insular there’s encouragement in recruiting foreigners with specialized skill sets to aid the realm.</p><p></p><p>The <em>Arctine Federate</em> background grants proficiency in Medicine, Nature, Water Vehicles, Navigator’s Tools, a bonus language of the player’s choice, starts play with various survival equipment, and the ability to subsist comfortably in cold environments and familiarity with all seabound ships as a feature.</p><p></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/OqXOAl4.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><strong>Diamond Skull:</strong> Originally the Diamond Skull was a clandestine order of spies and assassins for the Lynnvander family.* With the rise of Iltheria they had their hands full, operating even after the fall of their patron house and engaging in guerilla warfare against the renik-bound knights. They were instrumental in the assassination of the Iltherian Emperor, but it was a pyrrhic victory as they too suffered great losses. As of the postwar period the Diamond Skull is in a precarious position; there are lots of people who even if originally joined with good intent have grown comfy in their positions as crime bosses, smugglers, and other illicit trades. Others still hold loyalty to House Lynnvander as a primary concern. The Skull has yet to fall into civil war due to their recent losses, but that doesn’t mean that individual members are jockeying against each other. They’re also so named as their leader is said to hold a diamond skull which grants the wielder magical powers...and has done nothing to prevent ambitious up-and-comers from plotting to overthrow their leader.</p><p></p><p>*wait, I thought they were idealized pseudo-paladin types!</p><p></p><p>The <em>Diamond Skull Slink</em> background grants proficiency in Deception, Stealth, Thieves’ Tools, Firearms, knowledge of the Skull Sign code language, starts play with some mostly-flavorful equipment, and a feature where they can automatically find a Diamond Skull contact and safehouse in a settlement of at least 2,000 people. Optimally tailored towards roguish characters, although a bit superfluous for actual rogues who already have Thieves’ Tool proficiency.</p><p></p><p><strong>Exuro Mane:</strong> Founded by the wizard...sigh...Evanndenkainen, the Exuro Mane is a secret society of magic-users of all stripes who entered into a mutual defense pact against Iltherian depredations. Evanndenkainen built a secret lair in the Glasslands of Dravanyia (or so he claims) and has doled out arcane knowledge and artifacts to those who earned his trust. The organization’s requirements in joining are simple: be a spellcaster, even if you know but only a single cantrip. Its goals are simple as well: safeguard magical items, rescue and train what spellcasters they can, safeguard ley lines, and achieve the destruction of all Iltherians, both civilian and military. Oh wait, that last one is...not so simple.</p><p></p><p>Mages of all stripes suffered greatly under Iltheria’s reign, and the Exuro Mane views every imperial citizen who didn’t dedicate their lives in fighting the government to be equally guilty. Even deserters and conscripts are not spared, and Evanndenkainen brooks no argument against this. This makes the Exuro Mane extremists in the eyes of some, but the organization’s goals as well as Iltheria’s crimes allows others to overlook this.</p><p></p><p>The <em>Exuro Mane Neophyte</em> background grants proficiency in Arcana, Insight, Herbalism Kits, knowledge of the Light cantrip, starts play with various ‘scholarly’ equipment, and a feature where a secret tattoo of membership can only be revealed by the light cantrip, and all Exuro Mane members can grant the Neophyte safe refuge and magical training if they require it (and are expected to reciprocate in turn). I’m rather fond of this feature, as it has a nice flavor for a secret society.</p><p></p><p><strong>Merchant’s League:*</strong> Based out of Phaelan’s Republic, The Merchant’s League is an inter-continental organization whose first and only concern is free trade and material enrichment. The League as a whole does not discriminate when it comes to their business dealings, meaning that they frequently fund both sides of a war. Postwar their primary concern is keeping trade routes open and safe from banditry, monsters, and tariffs.</p><p></p><p>The <em>Merchant’s League Associate</em> background grants proficiency in Investigation, Persuasion, Air Vehicles,** firearms, two languages of the player’s choice, starts play with various merchant-related equipment, and their feature allows them to sell any type of item to any merchant even if said merchant has no need of the item at the time.</p><p></p><p>*the relevant entries in the book also refer to them as the Merchant’s Guild, even in the same pages as “League.”</p><p></p><p>**strange choice given that Lunalians closely guard construction of their airships.</p><p></p><p><strong>Old vs New:</strong> The newest version mentions that they’re the most powerful organization in Imaria, but oddly enough gets scant mention elsewhere in the book or how they’ve made their mark on the world in a manner similar to the Iltherians.</p><p></p><p><strong>Order of Ivy:</strong> Although old and rich in history, the Order of Ivy gained newfound prominence during the Age of Loss. A paramilitary order of elves and elven allies, the Order of Ivy is dedicated to safeguarding elvenkind. Sometimes that means reclaiming lost stretches of forest from monsters and regrowing them, but a lot of the time it means striking out against Iltherians and those who would oppress and kill elves. They are a secret order split into individual cells who undergo a magical ritual which imprints a tattoo on their skin. Said tattoo is a vine that grows leaves every time a member completes a mission for the Order.</p><p></p><p>The <em>Order of Ivy Leaf*</em> background is very much a guerilla fighter type. Proficiency in Acrobatics, Stealth, Poisoner and Herbalism Kits, knowledge of one language of the player’s choice, possession of mundane equipment and a free Poisoner’s Kit, and the aforementioned tattoo as a feature. The feature’s a bit underwhelming as it doesn’t really come with anything besides being able to identify fellow members, and feels a bit like a reprint of the Exuro Mane feature minus the mutual aid.</p><p></p><p>*term for the lowest-ranking members.</p><p></p><p><em>Crystalfellen Survivors</em> represent surface elves who managed to stay alive during the Age of Loss, which is pretty much all of them. They gain proficiency in Nature, Survival, the Krymarian language and one other of the player’s choice, start play with various survival gear equipment and a Healer’s Kit with which they’re not proficient, and their feature allows them to identify any kind of plant or animal in a forest and can always spot natural hazards ahead of time.</p><p></p><p><strong>Old vs New:</strong> This background originally gave Surface Elven as one of the bonus languages, but given that you can only take this as an elf you’re already knowledgeable in said language. One of the new version’s improvements.</p><p></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1owpEXP.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><strong>Silver Sword:</strong> Like the Diamond Skull, the Silver Sword was made up of loyalists of the House of Lynnvander. But unlike the Diamond Skull they are primarily warriors and knights who have a strict code of honor and are more or less unified in wanting to see the return of their patron Blooded to rule. However, this makes them quite conservative in a “some are born to lead, others to follow” line of thinking. This has lost them quite a few potential allies and groups containing non-Blooded leaders. The Silver Sword’s duty will not be truly complete until they retake Lynnvander’s former palace, which now lairs in the Iltherian capital.</p><p></p><p>The <em>Silver Sword Initiate</em> background represents a squire or low-ranking warrior. They gain proficiency in Athletics, Animal Handling, one type of gaming set, longswords, knowledge of the Krymarian language, and start play with typical adventuring gear plus a silver longsword. Their feature allows them free aid and lodging with fellow Silver Swords, can tell whether or not a human is Blooded or not at a glance, as well as their Blooded house.</p><p></p><p>The <em>Reincarnated Bloodline</em> background isn’t related to the organization per se, but is similar in that it reflects a similar calling in representing a Blooded who in a past life was a particularly notable individual of their house. They gain proficiency in Insight, Perception, two languages of the player’s choice, have a smattering of equipment ranging from a Bloodline Coin to a Healer’s Kit (which they’re not proficient) to fancy noble stuff, and their feature grants a literal once-in-a-lifetime ability to gain supernatural insight into a present dilemma by calling upon their past life.</p><p></p><p>The Reincarnated Bloodline may initially seem attractive in the granting of the Perception skill, but they gain a Kit with which they are not proficient (starting to see a pattern here), and their feature is both subject to DM Fiat and one-time use. Not a stellar choice.</p><p></p><p><strong>Vanguard:</strong> The Vanguards are a far-spanning adventurer’s guild whose primary duties are finding, rediscovering, and repairing the ley lines of Imaria. They also seek to protect the Blooded rulers as an equal priority, as their organization arose from ex-soldiers of Blooded houses who perished fighting the Iltherians. But their text mentions that they also “don’t mind fighting for the little guy,” too.</p><p></p><p>The <em>Vanguard Novice</em> background is an oddly-scholarly choice. It grants proficiency in History, Arcana, knowledge of one Wizard cantrip, and starts play with scholarly adventuring equipment. Its feature allows the Novice access to any library in Imaria, and they have an easier time of studying research pertaining to magical lore.</p><p></p><p>I almost can’t help but wonder if the Vanguard was originally intended to be another type of organization before being turned into a generic Adventurer’s Guild style one.</p><p></p><p><strong>Thoughts So Far:</strong> A lot of the new organizations are rather bog-standard: Evil Empire, Rebels Fighting the Evil Empire, Merchant Empire, Thieves’ Guild, Adventurers’ Guild, etc. I do get that some of them are necessary for the setting, such as the secret mage order or the noble yet stuck in the past knights. But barring a few exceptions a lot of them lack that special pizzazz which lights the fire for inspiration. The Diamond Skull was the strongest one in that their ties to the criminal underworld were once necessary, but now a black mark against them in a postwar world. That kind of stuff differentiates them from other “thieves’ guild” archetypes in fantasy RPGs, and allows for different factions with their own goals.</p><p></p><p>Again, we see more cases of the book saying something but not following up elsewhere. The Merchant’s League, much like dragons, are inferred to be one of the most powerful groups in Imaria, yet their influence and impact on the setting as a whole is not shown here or elsewhere in the book. More word count is dedicated to the Iltherians by contrast.</p><p></p><p>Of the eight groups, three of them are dedicated to restoration of the Blooded in some way, shape, or form. Although the text infers imperfections in the system, I can’t really see how the Vanguard are all that different from the Silver Sword besides having a broader focus beyond the Lynnvander house. While the Iltherian Empire is clearly a greater evil, it seems odd that there’s no faction option for people who don’t want to return to Blooded rule. There seem to be more inferences of cracks in the foundation, and not just in the implications of the Iltherians drawing their ranks from people failed by the system when the Blooded were in charge. Be it the Capital-G Good Guy Lynnvanders employing assassins and shady types via the Diamond Skull or the Silver Swords looking down on non-Blooded leaders, there’s material to work with in casting a critical eye on the seeming peace during the Age of Lynnvander. But the book leans harder in the other direction.</p><p></p><p><strong>Join us next time as we cover new core classes and subclasses in Chapter 6!</strong>[/I]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Libertad, post: 8147131, member: 6750502"] [CENTER][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/OOkskSc.png[/IMG] [B]Chapter 5:Orders & Societies and Chapter 7: Backgrounds[/B][/CENTER] Although technically two chapters, the subject matter is so intertwined they may as well be covered together. Here we detail the major power players in Imaria as well as rules for PCs who join such vaunted organizations. The major exception is the Iltherian Empire, for the only PC backgrounds for that are ex-members who deserted or escaped from slavery. [B]Old vs New:[/B] An awful lot of flavor text has been cut from the orders in the new book. Some such as the Iltherian Empire were mostly left intact, while others such as the Merchant’s League and Vanguard got significantly cut in size. I’m going to be mostly drawing upon the older versions for this chapter. Although by far not the only people jockeying for power in Imaria, the following eight organizations have either a wide enough pull and reach to make their presence felt across the world, or are more involved in matters of interest to adventuring types. [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/9h8vz8m.png[/IMG] [B]Iltherians:[/B] There is hardly a place in Imaria which does not know the name Iltheria. In spite of its short 20-year reign, they’ve made grand and terrible changes to the face of the world. Their origins lie in a mercenary company led by a wicked man by the name of Bravensca. Entering into an alliance with a necromancer by the name of Trahlyle, the mage revealed to the warlord the secrets of forging renik and filled his head with dreams of an empire. Bravensca’s band struck at wizard’s towers and other magic-rich places, looting the grounds and expanding their coffers to get more soldiers and renik steel. The Iltherians grew even larger, slaying monsters and bringing food and aid to peasants whose Blooded rulers were unable or unwilling to address their subjects’ woes. Soon such support grew into outright rebellions, with peasant uprisings weakening lands for an Iltherian takeover, and the intelligence reports of mere soldiers with anti-magic swords being responsible were dismissed as trickery and illusion. By the time a united alliance was forged, the Iltherians had allies both overt and covert in too many places to the point that their rise was all but assured. The Iltherian Empire is in theory a meritocracy, where skill and ruthless ambition determine one’s station rather than magical potential. This was an appealing recruitment process, but in the empire’s later years there arose a calcified order of senior generals rife with nepotism. Emperor Bravensca was a great military leader, but a poor civilian one, and he was loath to delegate tasks to advisors. This helped set in motion various domestic problems that contributed to Iltheria’s decline. Iltherians are taught that mana is a destructive power which will inevitably become a tool for the few to oppress the many. When such rhetoric failed, they pointed to the existence of magical horrors and supernatural monsters to strengthen their points instead. The Empire relied on divisive rhetoric to whip up hatred against magically-talented people and races, who were blamed for all manner of problems. The Iltherian Empire is a military dictatorship, and the term “Iltherian'' is used interchangeably between citizens and the order of renik-wielding knights. The bulk of the military is formed by Knights who are outfitted with special renik swords and training against supernatural threats, and undergo a special ritual where they bind part of their soul to a renik sword. The empire also has auxiliary forces of conscripted militia, slave-soldiers, and brainwashed berserkers. Iltherian Knights are not an elite or exclusive order: they range from frontline infantry to special agents and officers, and their primary identification and rank is via a numbered sash. The Emperor was naturally 1, and there used to be an intricate process for determining the rise and fall of numbers. Postwar the system is now much more subjective and ad hoc given the divisions and collapse of order where regiments were forced to fend for themselves. Knights are divided into three types of soldiers based upon their specialty: Defenders are primarily combatants, while Inquisitors rely more heavily on mana-disruption techniques. Relic Hunters are highly-skilled mobile forces who specialize in the hunting down and disruption of magical items and artifacts. Albeit not an official designation, wilderness scouts are highly prized for their skills. There has been some experimentation in new forms of soldiers and renik weapons in the postwar period, such as brainwashed auxilary berserker suicide-bombers whose renik armor is triggered to explode once it absorbs enough magic, or the repurposing of broken renik shards into arrowheads to poison magical beings. Unfortunately said suicide-berserkers and renik arrowheads and armor are not given stats in this book. After the Empire’s fall, many Iltherians felt shame for their past deeds and sought to correct the harm they’ve done. Reformist is a catch-all term for such Knights, while loyalists of the Empire are known as Old Order or Purists. Among the Reformists is a specific organization, the Iltherian Guardians,* who seek to use their training to bring the balance of mana back into the world. As part of induction they break their renik sword, embedding the shards into a staff of wood to turn into a spear known as a reave. Although they will still use mana-destroying powers in times of need, they are against replicating the renik-binding ritual responsible for making Iltherian Knights on moral grounds. Guardians and Reformists alike have a long way to make up for their past crimes, but they are nothing if not dedicated. *this is a stupid name for people trying to break away from the empire’s violent legacy. [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/Cb3XLxQ.png[/IMG] We get not one, but three new backgrounds related to Iltheria. [I]Freed Iltherian Slave[/I] grants proficiency in Athletics, Survival, land vehicles, one type of artisan’s tools, one bonus language of choice, starts play with various labor tools (miner’s pick, small knife, etc) and their feature grants them great physical endurance such as “shrugging off exhaustion completely.” Which makes me ask, is this merely flavor text or is this outright immunity to the Exhausted condition? [I]Iltherian Guardian[/I] is only available to those with levels in Iltherian Knight. They gain proficiency in History, Persuasion, one language of the player’s choice plus Krymarian or Thalagrantian, and start play with some travel gear and a reave. Their feature grants them knowledge of how to turn renik shards into a reave, and those who would be normally hostile to Iltherians are less so due to their aura and how they carry themselves. [I]Iltherian Reformists[/i] are the other class-exclusive background. They are those who are aware of the empire’s flaws and do not wish to see the old days return, but still believe that the empire can be changed to something more moral...which contradicts the text about them being a catch-all term for former members. They are proficient in Athletics, Intimidation, the Krymarian and Thalagrantan languages, have mostly RP-related gear (former memento of home, sash with their former Iltherian rank, etc), and their feature means that commoners are more fearful of them and more likely to do what the knight wants, if only to get them out of their hair. [B]Arctine Federation:[/B] The northern tribes were used to tough living, but the loss of mana and unreliable trade routes as a result of war forced them into a larger alliance out of necessity. The Arctine Federation’s priorities are maintaining stable lines of communication and travel, and coordinating efforts and reallocation of resources via mutual aid. Major decisions are convened during a council of tribal leaders, and while rather insular there’s encouragement in recruiting foreigners with specialized skill sets to aid the realm. The [I]Arctine Federate[/I] background grants proficiency in Medicine, Nature, Water Vehicles, Navigator’s Tools, a bonus language of the player’s choice, starts play with various survival equipment, and the ability to subsist comfortably in cold environments and familiarity with all seabound ships as a feature. [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/OqXOAl4.png[/IMG] [B]Diamond Skull:[/B] Originally the Diamond Skull was a clandestine order of spies and assassins for the Lynnvander family.* With the rise of Iltheria they had their hands full, operating even after the fall of their patron house and engaging in guerilla warfare against the renik-bound knights. They were instrumental in the assassination of the Iltherian Emperor, but it was a pyrrhic victory as they too suffered great losses. As of the postwar period the Diamond Skull is in a precarious position; there are lots of people who even if originally joined with good intent have grown comfy in their positions as crime bosses, smugglers, and other illicit trades. Others still hold loyalty to House Lynnvander as a primary concern. The Skull has yet to fall into civil war due to their recent losses, but that doesn’t mean that individual members are jockeying against each other. They’re also so named as their leader is said to hold a diamond skull which grants the wielder magical powers...and has done nothing to prevent ambitious up-and-comers from plotting to overthrow their leader. *wait, I thought they were idealized pseudo-paladin types! The [I]Diamond Skull Slink[/I] background grants proficiency in Deception, Stealth, Thieves’ Tools, Firearms, knowledge of the Skull Sign code language, starts play with some mostly-flavorful equipment, and a feature where they can automatically find a Diamond Skull contact and safehouse in a settlement of at least 2,000 people. Optimally tailored towards roguish characters, although a bit superfluous for actual rogues who already have Thieves’ Tool proficiency. [B]Exuro Mane:[/B] Founded by the wizard...sigh...Evanndenkainen, the Exuro Mane is a secret society of magic-users of all stripes who entered into a mutual defense pact against Iltherian depredations. Evanndenkainen built a secret lair in the Glasslands of Dravanyia (or so he claims) and has doled out arcane knowledge and artifacts to those who earned his trust. The organization’s requirements in joining are simple: be a spellcaster, even if you know but only a single cantrip. Its goals are simple as well: safeguard magical items, rescue and train what spellcasters they can, safeguard ley lines, and achieve the destruction of all Iltherians, both civilian and military. Oh wait, that last one is...not so simple. Mages of all stripes suffered greatly under Iltheria’s reign, and the Exuro Mane views every imperial citizen who didn’t dedicate their lives in fighting the government to be equally guilty. Even deserters and conscripts are not spared, and Evanndenkainen brooks no argument against this. This makes the Exuro Mane extremists in the eyes of some, but the organization’s goals as well as Iltheria’s crimes allows others to overlook this. The [I]Exuro Mane Neophyte[/I] background grants proficiency in Arcana, Insight, Herbalism Kits, knowledge of the Light cantrip, starts play with various ‘scholarly’ equipment, and a feature where a secret tattoo of membership can only be revealed by the light cantrip, and all Exuro Mane members can grant the Neophyte safe refuge and magical training if they require it (and are expected to reciprocate in turn). I’m rather fond of this feature, as it has a nice flavor for a secret society. [B]Merchant’s League:*[/B] Based out of Phaelan’s Republic, The Merchant’s League is an inter-continental organization whose first and only concern is free trade and material enrichment. The League as a whole does not discriminate when it comes to their business dealings, meaning that they frequently fund both sides of a war. Postwar their primary concern is keeping trade routes open and safe from banditry, monsters, and tariffs. The [I]Merchant’s League Associate[/I] background grants proficiency in Investigation, Persuasion, Air Vehicles,** firearms, two languages of the player’s choice, starts play with various merchant-related equipment, and their feature allows them to sell any type of item to any merchant even if said merchant has no need of the item at the time. *the relevant entries in the book also refer to them as the Merchant’s Guild, even in the same pages as “League.” **strange choice given that Lunalians closely guard construction of their airships. [B]Old vs New:[/B] The newest version mentions that they’re the most powerful organization in Imaria, but oddly enough gets scant mention elsewhere in the book or how they’ve made their mark on the world in a manner similar to the Iltherians. [B]Order of Ivy:[/B] Although old and rich in history, the Order of Ivy gained newfound prominence during the Age of Loss. A paramilitary order of elves and elven allies, the Order of Ivy is dedicated to safeguarding elvenkind. Sometimes that means reclaiming lost stretches of forest from monsters and regrowing them, but a lot of the time it means striking out against Iltherians and those who would oppress and kill elves. They are a secret order split into individual cells who undergo a magical ritual which imprints a tattoo on their skin. Said tattoo is a vine that grows leaves every time a member completes a mission for the Order. The [I]Order of Ivy Leaf*[/I] background is very much a guerilla fighter type. Proficiency in Acrobatics, Stealth, Poisoner and Herbalism Kits, knowledge of one language of the player’s choice, possession of mundane equipment and a free Poisoner’s Kit, and the aforementioned tattoo as a feature. The feature’s a bit underwhelming as it doesn’t really come with anything besides being able to identify fellow members, and feels a bit like a reprint of the Exuro Mane feature minus the mutual aid. *term for the lowest-ranking members. [I]Crystalfellen Survivors[/I] represent surface elves who managed to stay alive during the Age of Loss, which is pretty much all of them. They gain proficiency in Nature, Survival, the Krymarian language and one other of the player’s choice, start play with various survival gear equipment and a Healer’s Kit with which they’re not proficient, and their feature allows them to identify any kind of plant or animal in a forest and can always spot natural hazards ahead of time. [B]Old vs New:[/B] This background originally gave Surface Elven as one of the bonus languages, but given that you can only take this as an elf you’re already knowledgeable in said language. One of the new version’s improvements. [IMG]https://i.imgur.com/1owpEXP.png[/IMG] [B]Silver Sword:[/B] Like the Diamond Skull, the Silver Sword was made up of loyalists of the House of Lynnvander. But unlike the Diamond Skull they are primarily warriors and knights who have a strict code of honor and are more or less unified in wanting to see the return of their patron Blooded to rule. However, this makes them quite conservative in a “some are born to lead, others to follow” line of thinking. This has lost them quite a few potential allies and groups containing non-Blooded leaders. The Silver Sword’s duty will not be truly complete until they retake Lynnvander’s former palace, which now lairs in the Iltherian capital. The [I]Silver Sword Initiate[/I] background represents a squire or low-ranking warrior. They gain proficiency in Athletics, Animal Handling, one type of gaming set, longswords, knowledge of the Krymarian language, and start play with typical adventuring gear plus a silver longsword. Their feature allows them free aid and lodging with fellow Silver Swords, can tell whether or not a human is Blooded or not at a glance, as well as their Blooded house. The [I]Reincarnated Bloodline[/I] background isn’t related to the organization per se, but is similar in that it reflects a similar calling in representing a Blooded who in a past life was a particularly notable individual of their house. They gain proficiency in Insight, Perception, two languages of the player’s choice, have a smattering of equipment ranging from a Bloodline Coin to a Healer’s Kit (which they’re not proficient) to fancy noble stuff, and their feature grants a literal once-in-a-lifetime ability to gain supernatural insight into a present dilemma by calling upon their past life. The Reincarnated Bloodline may initially seem attractive in the granting of the Perception skill, but they gain a Kit with which they are not proficient (starting to see a pattern here), and their feature is both subject to DM Fiat and one-time use. Not a stellar choice. [B]Vanguard:[/B] The Vanguards are a far-spanning adventurer’s guild whose primary duties are finding, rediscovering, and repairing the ley lines of Imaria. They also seek to protect the Blooded rulers as an equal priority, as their organization arose from ex-soldiers of Blooded houses who perished fighting the Iltherians. But their text mentions that they also “don’t mind fighting for the little guy,” too. The [I]Vanguard Novice[/I] background is an oddly-scholarly choice. It grants proficiency in History, Arcana, knowledge of one Wizard cantrip, and starts play with scholarly adventuring equipment. Its feature allows the Novice access to any library in Imaria, and they have an easier time of studying research pertaining to magical lore. I almost can’t help but wonder if the Vanguard was originally intended to be another type of organization before being turned into a generic Adventurer’s Guild style one. [B]Thoughts So Far:[/B] A lot of the new organizations are rather bog-standard: Evil Empire, Rebels Fighting the Evil Empire, Merchant Empire, Thieves’ Guild, Adventurers’ Guild, etc. I do get that some of them are necessary for the setting, such as the secret mage order or the noble yet stuck in the past knights. But barring a few exceptions a lot of them lack that special pizzazz which lights the fire for inspiration. The Diamond Skull was the strongest one in that their ties to the criminal underworld were once necessary, but now a black mark against them in a postwar world. That kind of stuff differentiates them from other “thieves’ guild” archetypes in fantasy RPGs, and allows for different factions with their own goals. Again, we see more cases of the book saying something but not following up elsewhere. The Merchant’s League, much like dragons, are inferred to be one of the most powerful groups in Imaria, yet their influence and impact on the setting as a whole is not shown here or elsewhere in the book. More word count is dedicated to the Iltherians by contrast. Of the eight groups, three of them are dedicated to restoration of the Blooded in some way, shape, or form. Although the text infers imperfections in the system, I can’t really see how the Vanguard are all that different from the Silver Sword besides having a broader focus beyond the Lynnvander house. While the Iltherian Empire is clearly a greater evil, it seems odd that there’s no faction option for people who don’t want to return to Blooded rule. There seem to be more inferences of cracks in the foundation, and not just in the implications of the Iltherians drawing their ranks from people failed by the system when the Blooded were in charge. Be it the Capital-G Good Guy Lynnvanders employing assassins and shady types via the Diamond Skull or the Silver Swords looking down on non-Blooded leaders, there’s material to work with in casting a critical eye on the seeming peace during the Age of Lynnvander. But the book leans harder in the other direction. [B]Join us next time as we cover new core classes and subclasses in Chapter 6![/B][/I] [/QUOTE]
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