Level Up (A5E) (+) Project Chronicle: Adversaries and Allies

Steampunkette

Rules Tinkerer and Freelance Writer
Supporter
The world is fraught with peril, friend. You may find yourself in battle with great beasts and lashed by terrible storms, but the greater danger comes from those who have a mind and a will to do harm. Whether this is a tempter seeking to draw you into lustful debaucheries and lotus fueled hazes, wardens following your steps, cultists of twisted godlings, or those who look to flesh of any variety as sustenance.

But also among those of will you will find allies in any cause you pursue, no matter how great or terrible. Within these pages I will tell you of those I have known as both enemy and ally. Friend and foe. And let you pick your own path, your own comrades. But know that if you join my foes, all that I have shared with you in these chronicles will not prepare you for my wrath, or the wrath of my allies.

-The Chronicler-

So obviously we need groups of people to help flesh out the world and give people positions to oppose, or ally themselves with. Villains, cults, and the like. So that's what this thread is going to be for. Here's what we've got so far:

1) Moadi's Hammer. Slavebreakers in service to the legendary Moadi, who killed his masters with his hammer and fled into the mines of Achelb to gather other slaves to his cause. Does he still live in the mines, or has someone else taken up his hammer and his name? How do they live in the caves? What is their main goal going forward?

2) Secret Keepers. An organization mostly made up of Rangers, probably, who scours the deserts of Annam for treasure-hunters and tries to steer them away from places where their foolish footsteps will unleash terrible evils... Or failing that, kill them, to hide what remains in the sands. Some of them know terrible truths, all of them know legends.

3) Atorkhan and his Seventy and Seventy. A band of rogues and thieves in the Scorpion Lands, lead by the bandit king Atorkhan. No one has seen Atorkhan in a hundred years, though. And many bands of thieves in the Scorpion Lands claim to be a part of the Seventy and Seventy. Is there really a band, or is it just a bunch of people benefiting from a long-dead bandit's reputation?

4) Cult of the Dreamer. In service to a "God of Dreams", this cult does it's best to spread the use of Goran Powder, an addictive drug that induces intense hallucinations, visions, and dreams. It's said that some who fall into the sleep of Goran Powder may even channel this fallen god into the world by allowing him to waken in them.

5) The Coven of Widowghast, a Neasc witch coven who rule many small villages through fear while remaining in the forests themselves. They demand tributes from the places they terrorize in exchange for keeping the horrible curses and beasts at bay.

6) The Tower of Maray. Near to Qesh, it is one of the few Mage Towers in the world It is also one of the strongest and most well known. It's master, Maray, is said to be a thousand years old and is only ever seen once every five years, standing on a high parapet, declaring graduates and his acceptance of new students into the tower. Not every student graduates... and those who do not are never seen again. His mages travel on his behalf, serving the interests of those they contract with, but ever Maray's purpose above all others.

 
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Tales and Chronicles

Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix
Oh, I got a magic item for you, from my LARPing days:

Throne Breaker
Unique Light Hammer, requires Attunement.

The legendary miner's tool used by Chainbreaker Moadi while working in the in mines. While attuned with it, all weapon attack rolls and damage rolls receive a +2 bonus. Furthermore, you and all allies within 10 yards (30 ft) have advantage on ability checks to escape a grapple.

You can spend 1 charge to cast Freedom of Movement on yourself with a duration of 10 minutes. The hammer has 3 charges and regains 1d4 charges at dawn.
 

Steampunkette

Rules Tinkerer and Freelance Writer
Supporter
Definitely like the idea of a "You can't hold me down" hammer for Moadi's legacy item. Could also grant the Enchantment Bonus to persuasion and intimidation checks made while the hammer is visible.

Make it Persuasion for those who are against slavery, and Intimidation for slavers.

Might want to stat out the various characters from the short-story excerpts as their own figures in the lore for enemies and allies. Could be fun?
 

Tales and Chronicles

Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix
Make it Persuasion for those who are against slavery, and Intimidation for slavers.
Is it a little too vague? I dont recall if L-U has ability checks that specific, but if so, that be a nice touch. It'd be nice if slavers (or other ''shadow-touched'' NPC) add a specific Humanoid subtype.

Like:

Bandit Lord
Humanoid (Slavers)

or

Cultist
Humanoid (Sorcerer)

This way you could make the weapon a +1 weapon, +3 against creatures with the Slaver subtype and 1 expertise dice on Intimidation checks against creatures with the Slaver subtype.
 

Steampunkette

Rules Tinkerer and Freelance Writer
Supporter
That's not a bad idea.

And no, LevelUp/A5e doesn't get that granular by default. But it's meant to be more Flavorful than Useful. Something interesting tied to the item, independent of the system's standard method of working.

The DM knows whether some NPC is a slaver or not, and can adjust accordingly.
 

Tales and Chronicles

Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix
I'd maybe add a feature that boost Renown for both Slavers and Slaves by the enhancement bonus.

And: On your turn, if you use the Help action to help an ally resist a situation causing them to Grappled or Restrained, the enhancement bonus of the weapon increase to +3 for 1 hour.
 

GuyBoy

Hero
The Sacred Band : An Ellenic group of warriors who travel as mercenaries seeking the immortality of battle. They do not necessarily serve the highest bidder (though they do expect payment) but the one who offers the greatest glory.

The Hunters of the Dead: A group led by the ranger Teerka following the death of her half-sister Xrione, who was raised as a revenant. The group offers it services to any threatened by the undead, particularly sentient undead.
 

Tales and Chronicles

Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix
The Hunters of the Dead: A group led by the ranger Teerka following the death of her half-sister Xrione, who was raised as a revenant. The group offers it services to any threatened by the undead, particularly sentient undead.
This is absolutely awesome, I was about to post my own:

Pilgrims of the Last Dawn: A group of disciples who gather sentient undeads to allow them to atone and seek forgiveness before walking one last time under the cleansing, burning sun to reach their final death. To them, undeath is a curse that can be removed to allow safe passage of the souls, and if you kept your sentience while undead, it means that your will to be something better was greater than the curse, thus showing the possibility of using that willpower to reach salvation.
 

GuyBoy

Hero
The River Snakes: A smallish band of river pirates led by a person (or maybe something inhuman) known as Slith the Venomed. They hide their small canoes in reed beds along the Cobra River, attacking vessels at night, when they set anchor to sleep. Trade goods are stolen, all crew are murdered and left with tongues cut out for whatever reason. The unfortunate boats are then set free to drift downstream with the current.

The Beasts of Men: A cult out of the wild forests of Neasc, these savage warriors file their teeth to points and then hunt captives through the dark forests to kill and devour. In doing so, they gain aspects of the Beast deity (think combination of lycanthropy and Wendigo legend). There are legends of heroes who have survived these hunts, some who even turned the tables on the Beasts of Men......
 


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