Here's what I came up with for
Service in an Organization.
Service in an Organization
Your character spends a year or more at service in an organization: a church, thieves' guild, order of knights, school of magic, etc. Your character may rise in the ranks, access magic resources, or gain the favor of a powerful ally.
Creating Your Organization: You are a member of an organization. This organization has a size and ideal, both of which you can choose or roll for on the following tables. The size of your organization effects its reach and the number of ranks; it is easier to earn a position of power in a smaller organization, but the geographic reach of its influence will be smaller as well.
The size of your organization also affects the number of ranks, or positions of power. For example, a tiny guard outpost would have three ranks (perhaps Infantry, Captain, and Commander). On the other hand, a gargantuan network of monasteries that stretches across the planes would have 18 ranks (novice, monk, master of novices, cantor, steward, prior, abbot, etc.).
You start at the lowest rank in your organization, unless a higher rank makes sense based on your background or the events of the campaign. As you rise in ranking, those loyal to your organization recognize your authority and influence, and defer to you if they are of a lower rank.
Size (1d6)
- Tiny. Reach: one settlement. Ranks: 3.
- Small. Reach: one region. Ranks: 6.
- Medium. Reach: three adjacent regions. Ranks: 9.
- Large. Reach: five adjacent regions. Ranks: 12.
- Huge. Reach: continental. Ranks: 15.
- Gargantuan. Reach: worldwide (or extraplanar). Ranks: 18.
Ideal (1d8)
- Wealth. The members of our organization seek gold, treasure, or a dragon's hoard.
- Power. The desire for political, arcane, or martial power drives the members of our organization.
- Worship. Our organization works to further the interests of a powerful deity, fiend, or other extraplanar presence.
- Loyalty. An oath is sworn by every member of our organization to a single ruler, cause, or people.
- Glory. The members of our organization wish to achieve the impossible, and to be known across the realm.
- Knowledge. Forbidden knowledge, explorations of new places, or inventive innovations drive the work of our organization.
- Destiny. Our organization is founded upon a prophesy; we seek to fulfill, prevent, or witness its fated events.
- Vendetta. The members of our organization work to eliminate a single threat, enemy, or organization.
Resources: Being at service to an organization requires your character to have access to a location belonging to that organization, such as a temple, guild hall, or academy. You must also be a member of that organization, either through your background or events in the campaign.
Your character's service either includes free boarding, or pays enough to afford modest lifestyle expenses. By paying into the organization, you gain a bonus on ability checks made to gain benefits.
For every 100 gold pieces you give to the organization during the year of downtime, you gain a +1 to the ability check made to determine benefits. You may not gain more than +10 to this check.
Resolution: At the end of each year, make a Charisma (Persuasion) check, or an ability check using a skill or tool appropriate to your organization, such as the ones in the following table.
Organization - Ability Check
Temple - Intelligence (Religion)
School of Magic - Intelligence (Arcana)
Guild Hall - Intelligence (Artisan's Tools or Thieves' Tools)
Druid's Circle - Intelligence (Nature)
The total of the check determines the number of benefits you gain after the year of service.
Check Total - Result
1 - 10: You earn one benefit.
11 - 20: You earn one benefit, and rise in rank.
21+: You earn two benefits, and rise in rank.
Benefits (1d8)
- You gain the favor of a powerful NPC in your organization.
- You make contact with an ally in another location: when you arrive at a new settlement, you may choose for this ally to be present.
- You earn 1d10 x 100 gold pieces.
- You earn a special title within the organization. When brandishing this title, you may gain advantage on appropriate ability checks, or access to new locations, within the organization.
- You are given an uncommon magic item as recognition of your service.
- You gain an assistant, a skilled NPC who can help with your work (though does not willingly enter combat).
- You are given ownership of new property.
- Your organization grows in size.
Complications: At the end of a year of service, there is a 10% chance a complication occurred. These complications may open opportunities for further roleplaying and adventures.
Complications (1d6)
- A faction of your organization splits into a rival group with its own ideal. This group may be neutral to your cause, or may be hostile.
- A member of your organization becomes your rival.
- Your organization discovers the location of an important treasure, magic item, or ruin, but it is guarded by a powerful enemy.
- You lose the leader of your organization due to death, arrest, or a dramatic loss of faith.
- Through a shift in leadership, population, or outside influences, the ideal of your organization changes.
- An unhappy ruler, jealous rival, or mischievous bard spreads false rumors about your organization, earning it a false reputation (for example: piracy, zealotry, or rebellion).
