Published organizations to throw at party

[Oryan77]

I'm wanting to start using some type of organization like a guild or something that will be a reocurring encounter with my players.

I'm thinking about something roguish that the party rogue might like to secretely associate with. A group that definately isn't good, but not chaotic evil either.

I've heard of the Red Wizards (is that FR?). I don't know anything about them but I assume they are some type of organization of wizards? I'm interested in something like that but it doesn't have to be wizards. What WotC books should I check out to find already published organizations like this?

I'm thinking the organization's role in the world will be troublesome...they meddle in a lot of things. They'd have cells located in all major cities.

Sorry if my thoughts are not clear. This is a fresh idea and I'm really just looking for ideas that I can play off of until I get something that will spice up my world. I'm trying to get my players more involved with the world.

 

[Solarious]

First, we need to know which campaign setting you use. If it's homebrew, then we're all set, you can pluck anything you want and adapt it however you like! If it isn't then we need to know which one, so we can suggest the ones you might want to use.

For example, the Red Wizards in FR are the tyrannival LE (mostly, they're not below stooping to NE) wizards who want to rule the world, and the ruling class of the nation of Thay (hence the other name they're called, Thayans). The biggest problems to achieving their goal, really, are themselves, who fight amongst each other nearly constantly in vicious, machiavellian-like power struggles. As super-specialists, they are divided into 8 seperate power groups, each representing a school of magic, and each ruled by a zulkir. The Red Wizards of FR, lately, have been trying to gain a veneer of legitimacy by establishing many enclaves and becoming indispensible trafficers of magical artifacts (and also slaves, drugs, and less legitimate goods on the side), in hopes of gathering enough political power to gain something like local world domination.

In Eberron, they have the Emerald Claw, a band of superpatriots who are ostensibly serving the needs of one of the Five Nations (Karrnath, which incidentally have outlawed them), but ultimately serve the interests of the half-dragon elven lich, Erandis d'Vol, last sicon of the House of Vol (known popularly as just 'Vol'). Being undead has many problems, like being unable to have children to continue the bloodline, or having her uniquely-powered Dragonmark (something which is supposed to have powers way beyond the norm) completely nullified. She has a number of goals, from manipulating the Draconic Prophecy to benefit herself, seeking vengance on the elven nation of Arenal (and also Agronessen, but attacking the continent of dragons is going to take more planning), to finding a way to restore her life to her so she can claim the powers of her Dragonmark, or restoring her bloodline so the Mark of Death may continue. The Emerald Claw is basicly her hand into the temporal affairs of the world without exposing herself completely, since the Claw are supposed to be superpatriots. If you've ever watched an Indiana Jones movie, then think Nazis.

If you need help with other settings, you're going to need someone else. Except for Greyhawk, I know a little about it.

 

[Oryan77]

Well I'm running a Planescape campaign so I can pretty much use an organization from any campaign and just station them somewhere on the planes.

I use Factions but I'm looking for something different. I guess I could just play off of the factions more but I was thinking about using a smaller organization...almost like a guild I guess.

 

[smootrk]

I suggest you pick up (if only just to browse for ideas) one of the Forgotten Realms suppliments like Lords of Darkness or Champions of Ruin. Both books have lots of info (like who joins, tactics, aims & ambitions, even special abilities, PRCs, spells) on a wide variety of bad-guy groups. Lords of Darkness is rather dated at this point, and might be easily acquired at a discount somewhere, but for what you are looking for, it is great.

 

[Nyaricus]

I second smootrk's suggesiton of LoD. It's really great foe what it does.

However, may I suggest the Zhentarium? They seem like a perfect match for a re-occuring villain-type organization, and they aren't chaotic dumb, either!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

For more ambiguous organizations, I found the organizations in the back of Complete Adventurer surprisingly good (the other books in the series didn't do as well, IMO). You might want to glance in there, too.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

I've written up a few societies for Urbis which you might find useful.

The Architects: My version of the Freemasons. An "Old Boys' Club" who try to make sure that their members get ahead. Of course, that also means that members are supposed to do favors for the organization - or put their loyality to the organization above their loyality to their friends.

The Athanatos Club: They seek immortality. And what's wrong with that?

Sure, many members will be wizards. But anyone with the appropriate skills or connections might be useful. After all, finding clues to immortality might be found in old, trap-filled ruins - or on the black market for magic items. So skilled rogues will definitely be welcome.

The Secondaries: Fairly Urbis-specific, but revolutionaries have existed throughout the ages. If your rogue has some strong conviction about politics, then a revolutionary group might be up his alley...

 

[Treebore]

If you want Guilds there are plenty of such sources availabe, just not from WOTC. The easiest one's for you to get would be ENWorlds Guild series of pdf's. Look in my bookshlef there to the left to see them.

 

[LordMelquiades]

If you can find them, I really recommend these excellent products:

Touched by the Gods, Atlas Games: http://www.atlas-games.com/product_tables/AG3204.php
Arcana: Societies of Magic, Green Ronin: http://www.greenronin.com/catalog/grr1011

Chock-full of organisational goodness.

 

[Soel]

You could also use the affiliations from the Player's Handbook 2. Lots of pretty good ones for all levels of complexity (trading companies, to mage schools,) and they have rules for those interested in membership as well as its benefits.