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( Seven Swords: a setting for Lindwyrm and other adventure games )
Seven Swords by E. A. Bisson is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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Happy Halloween!
And we’ve reached the end of October and the last table of knightly orders!
But wait, you might say. Three d10 tables is only 30 knight orders. What about the 31st of October?
What about Halloween?
Not to worry.
The 31st order is not a unique knightly pledge —
And we’ve reached the end of October and the last table of knightly orders!
| d10 | The Order Of … | details |
|---|---|---|
| 01. | The Hidden Blue | “At times it is simply more prudent to appear other than what one truly is.” Not all knights parade around in shining steel finery, not all orders gather in bands and battalions; and not all cross their swords on a battlefield. The Hidden Blue are such knights, serving as companions and clandestine minders for their charges in both high society and low. – azure and cobalt; the outline of a sword (when colour and/or blazon is shown) – no armour, or quilted silk or other fabric, or reinforced coat; dagger or knuckleguards and shortsword or smallsabre, or as requested – packet of ciphered letters, healer’s kit, metal mirror and grooming kit, hidden thumb-knife, blue-enameled ring |
| 02. | The Hard Road | “Let others choose to bury mistakes. We shall not be so foolish.” Losing — a battle, a manor, honour, glory, reputation — is a terrible thing, and many attempt to move on from a loss as swiftly as possible. That rejection is to this order’s gain; these knights maintain records of their own failings and those of others, knightly and otherwise, both to learn from those mistakes and to prevent them from being forgotten by rewriting history. – copper and grey; spiral of stones (ovals) – chainmail mantle or hauberk; mace, hammer or halberd – scribe’s kit, several scrollcases or rag-paper girdle-books, maintenance kit, hidden cache-spot, copy of tournament or battle record |
| 03. | Steel Stars | “Be as flawless as the heavens above until you return to them.” By bird-wing and seeing-glass, by day or by night, in battle and in the court, the knights of the Steel Stars seek to embody what they see as the eternal, and eternally adaptable, purity of the skies. No matter what befalls the earth, after all, the heavens endure. – steel and silver; five stars in a cross-pattern – plate mail and round shield; longsword and warhammer – star charts, astrolabe, falconet or corvid, personal star- and weather-log, oath-ribbons |
| 04. | Night Unending | “There is nothing to fear in the darkness save our wrath.” A weapon is meant to kill. The Night Unending internalize this to their very souls, bringing death and ruin to their adversaries without remorse or regret — and those adversaries are many, from knaves to kings, honourless curs to virtuous paragons. Though they destroy, they harbour no malice against those who do not or cannot. – black and dark blue; descending blade – chain hauberk, plate mail or plate; bastard sword, lance, morningstar – maintenance kit, signal horn, wardog, several whetstones, cold iron or silver armlet |
| 05. | The Garden Repentant | “We cannot erase what we have done; raise a memorial of beauty to the fallen.” The creed of this order is, at its core, a simple one. Behave with grace, strike only when required by lord and honour — and nurture a hedge-rose or peony for every life taken. Senior knights often tend extensive gardens indeed. – emerald and burgundy; flower in full bloom – chain or plate mail and kite shield; longsword or mace, glaive – cuttings or rootstock, pouch of seeds, personal notes of lives and associated plantings, gardening kit, maintenance kit, knight’s token |
| 06. | The Windswift | “What is a cavalier without the courage of their beloved steed? Nothing of consequence.” Dedicated riders all, these knights — to the point of fighting on foot only in cases of the most dire necessity. More, the order takes great pains in maintaining specific lines of mounts, and not all are mundane beasts. – rust and gold; two opposed horses rearing (or a horse and their chosen mount) – chain mail or platemail; lance, javelin, shortbow – harness repair kit, spare horseshoes or equivalent, extra feed for mount, traveler’s satchel, personal travel map |
| 07. | The Indomitable | “I will not fall.” For some, it’s not about swift swords and flashing lances. It’s about being the rock against which swords and lances shatter and assailants dash themselves to pieces before winning past the knight and that which they stand for. – grey and crimson; stylized battlement – platemail or plate and kite or tower shield; mace or warhammer or halberd – armour repair kit, extra rations, reinforced pack or side-bag, meditation stone, oathring |
| 08. | The Thorn And Bough | “Honour and chivalry has its roots beyond those walls of stone.” Hedge knights in the truest sense of the word, members of this order are found patrolling forest trails, accompanying local woodcrafters and forage-witches, vanquishing twisted beasts and challenging the brash and destructive knights come from city and castle-town. – deep green and wine-red; leafy branch – leather armour, chain mantle or buff coat; shortsword or axe and bow or crossbow – woodcarver’s kit, foraging basket, weathercloak, deepwood charm, iron knife |
| 09. | The Midnight Tower | “Long may the great walls stand; swiftly may we bring great walls down.” Knights of the castle, these; trained to battle and to attend, not on the wide battlefield, but in the confines of stony hall and narrow battlement, to man the gates and hold back a siege. But the Tower’s familiarity with castled stonework cuts both ways — many a knight has undermined a palace to bring down those judged unworthy. – dark blue and silver; stars over a stylized tower – chain or scale mail + any shield; longsword, dagger, spear or crossbow – personal blueprint of current castle assignment, skeleton key, mason’s tools, ciphered logbook, collection of engraved worrystones |
| 10. | Greyember | “When everything appears to be over, there is still work to be done.” The survivors of calamity may need a willing blade more than any other. There are those who make true effort to pull together the tattered remnants of pride, honour, legacy after all is stripped away. A loss is not the end of a war. For all this and more come these grey-marked knights. – grey and orange; roundel – chainmail mantle or chain hauberk; any weapon – extra waterskin, healer’s kit, tinkerer’s kit, traveler’s satchel, crafter’s kit of choice |
But wait, you might say. Three d10 tables is only 30 knight orders. What about the 31st of October?
What about Halloween?
Not to worry.
The 31st order is not a unique knightly pledge —
| The Order Of … | |
|---|---|
| The Grave Heart | “Death is not the end.” Oaths still sworn. Loyalty unbroken. Dedications unbowed. Quests still waiting, commands still standing, missions left undone. All these and more await the knight cut down before their time. Which is why so many continue on from the other side of life and death. And they know of each other. – grey and silver-gold; heart’s outline over droplet – armour and weaponry as preferred in life – spectral weapon, teardrop manifestation, bone relic, token of favour or honour, place or person of earthly ties |
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Another week-and-half(ish), more Knightober and another d10 table of knight orders for scattering about a campaign and tangling PCs up with ~
| d10 | The Order Of … | details |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Velvet Glove | “Triumph is never solely through force of arms.” The battle-skills of these knights, notable as they can be, are overshadowed by their knowledge of battle tactics and strategic planning. One of the Gloves is content with hanging back from the front line, knowing that their strategies led their people to victory. – violet and black; chequered pattern or glove – chain hauberk or buff coat, longsword and light crossbow – satchel of dispatches, messenger pigeon or other small critter, signal horn, battle map, military annals |
| 02 | The Winding Path | “If you must put down your burden; if your cause has proven too much; know that there will be a way, in the end.” These knights have, as their unifying code, the codes — and wishes, and hopes — of others, each carrying on the work of one who was overwhelmed, who failed short of their goal, or was otherwise broadsided by fate or inability. – green and earth-brown; stylized path – chainmail or plate mail; any weapon, as appropriate – collection of letters and petitions, traveler’s pack, map of main roads, pledge cup, woolen mantle |
| 03 | Adamantine | “The path is clear, the way is known, and so I stride toward the future with eyes wide open and mind free of illusion. I will not fail.” There is both honour and tranquility to be found in the stillness of the mind, these knights aver, and they quest for it in actions and in silent crystalline meditations. Falsehoods and mirages of all sorts are anathema to the Adamantine, abominations to be fought at every opportunity. – silver and pale blue; crystal – chain hauberk; mace and dagger – personal journal-book or scroll, meditative focus of glass or crystal, pouch of salt, iron knife, string of crystal counting-beads |
| 04 | The Watchers | “Long may we stand, the devoted, the unworthy, in dedication to sacred grace.” Swearing themselves to a power higher than themselves; guardians of roadside shrines and soaring temples, travel companions of holy seers and anointed questors of the divine and those who serve them. – grey and brass; ten-pointed star – any armour; hammer and spear, or as directed by sacred calling – flask of consecrated oil (or water, milk or blood), sacred token, censer or anointing bowl, small knife, warding cord |
| 05 | Crimson Banners Burning | “Let the fires be started, let the blazes burn; hear our voices, hear our roars!” Knights-celebrant, equally likely to be seen flinging themselves headlong into battle or leading a shaken town in raucous, fire-lit rousing of flagging spirits — like the flame, they burn swiftly and brightly to show off exactly how it’s done. – crimson and orange; leaping flame – any armour, trimmed in flame colours; fire-arrows, greatswords and polearms treated with pitch – wineskin, firestarting kit, musical instrument, weapon-repair kit, handkeg of pitch |
| 06 | The Basilisk Claw | “If there’s blood spilling, we’re spilling it.” Some just want to fight. That’s the Basilisk Claws; first to take up arms, last to lower them, and legendary for never backing down from combat, no matter how brutal, no matter how insignificant. – sable and green-gold; reptilian claw – chain, scalemail or plate mail; bastard sword or greataxe – collection of whetstones, record of battles, healer’s kit, extra travel rations, satchel of battle trophies |
| 07 | Twinned Blades | “None of us need to stand against the world alone.” Matched up into pairs — at the very least — and, if possible, trained as such, this order emphasizes connection and support amongst its members in the face of the fact that knighthood means battle, and killing, and unpleasantness, and even if that connection is at a remove at times, it’s still a shoulder to lean on. – bronze and azure; two swords, sometimes crossed – chainmail or scalemail; longsword and choice of secondary – bundle of letters, personal seal, mending kit, token of partner knight(s), ceremonial ring or gorget |
| 08 | The Eighth Bulwark | “Fight to preserve that which cannot fight.” Most knightly orders take up arms for people, or for causes; the Bulwark stands between places, and objects, and all that may destroy them, whether out of a sense of history, of pride, or simply of the beauty that would otherwise be lost. – amber and brown; shield – plate mail or plate + shield of any type; hammer and glaive – antiquated text, choice of crafter’s tools, armour mending kit, small chisel, adze or trowel, healer’s kit |
| 09 | The Grey Wolf | “Learn from us, one way or the other.” Knights often die young. Of those who do not, many grow disillusioned and leave their order, or any association with the knighthood at all. Those who remain? Who return, even? They find a new network — a new order — and it rallies to show the youngsters, of all stripes, how to keep on keeping on. – dark grey and black; wolfprint – buff coat, scalemail or chain; weapons of their original order, or longsword and bow – traveler’s satchel, lined mantle, personal journals, collection of mementos, jack-of-trades mending kit |
| 10 | The Firefly Lantern | “O Light, lend yourself in these travails of the night-time, for the way is long and we have far to go.” In the rush of civilians fleeing war-torn land; in the depths of night as travelers try to reach shelter; in the face of the twisting alleyways of cities and the shuttered doors of wary villages, these knights are there — to be a guiding light to find a way for others out of their personal dark. – green-gold and silver; lantern or firefly – leather jack or buff coat or chain mantle; staff, shortsword, longsword – hand-lantern of glass or horn, healer’s kit, ciphered travel maps of several locations, dropbox location for letters and small parcels, traveler’s kit to be shared |
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All these knightly orders are all well and good, of course, but what do you do with them? Well, you have PCs in them, and NPCs, and spin some adventure seeds out of it.
But what if you need a bit more of a starting point? Like, say, just who’s running the show or at least where this group of unusual folks came from. It’s a good question, after all, especially if a PC is a member of an order, or for that matter any of the other guilds, factions, and various organizations tossed up here on the blog, or written up elsewhere even.
So here are a few tables for inspiration; roll on them for any given order, or pick one of the results, or just use them as a jumping-off point for your own ideas. They don’t give the nitty-gritty of internal group structures or the like, but they should make a start.
Who Do They Answer To?
01. A ruler — king, empress, etc — or a member of the immediate royal family, or equivalent
02. A great lord of some variety, whether duke or daimyo
03. The hierarch of a religious organization
04. No one but their own leader; the order acts independently
05. No one but their own leader; members may have pledged themselves to various lords and masters
06. There is no true group hierarchy, only cells or networks and apprenticeships
07. A sorcerous or mystical or otherwise non-mortal entity, from dragon to ascended soul
08. The leaders of a community or communities
Of course, a group does need funds. (well, sometimes; some may be more professions of faith or shared wellsprings of knowledge than a formal organization. that’s usually not the case with a knightly order, though, unless the order is a federation of hedge-knights in common.)
How Do They Support The Order?
01. Tithes from members (a percentage of income or labour)
02. Subsidized by royalty, nobility, or other secular patron
03. Subsidized by a religious edifice (temple or shrine)
04. Quests taken on for the order itself
05. Individual members take on quests or missions
06. A mutual aid society, informal in nature
07. Donations from those the order aids
08. There is no direct support for the order as a whole
How Are Members Expected To Contribute?
(beyond upholding the order’s ideals, which kind of goes without saying)
01. Tithing an amount of funds, or in kind, or with labour
02. Teaching new recruits or apprentices
03. Encouraging the growth of the order
04. Performing quests and endeavours that bring acclaim to the order
05. Contending with the order’s rivals and/or enemies
06. Offering aid or shelter to fellows, when called upon
Under many circumstances, several of these possibilities are just taken as a matter of course anyway; but even then, there may be an especial emphasis or value placed on a specific contribution in particular.
Also vitally important — when there’s scores of orders and dozens of factions out and about, it’s highly unlikely that all these groups will somehow never cross paths with at least a few others. So how does that shake out?
What does this order think of another?
01. Kinship, in arms or in peace
02. Casual allies, at least on a day to day basis
03. The leadership/established members are considered allies
04. The leadership/established members are considered rivals or enemies
05. The other order is anathema
06. There is old bad blood, but overtures are being made
07. There is currently competition for [hearts/faith/resources]
08. The order wishes to remain unknown to the other
09. A favour of honour is owed to the other order
10. The other order owes a favour of honour
11. Neutrality, with no particular opinion
12. Curiosity, with a side of jocular rivalry
And if the basic beliefs of the two groups are intrinsically opposed (or aligned) and a contrary result comes up, well, there’s certainly some potential adventuring and politicking in the weeds there —
Swordtember ended in a flurry and haze of hurricanes and covid; I got all my swords finished, but it was definitely a tiring work by the end of it, I won’t lie.
Of course, I still wanted to do Knightober.
But maybe not as much as Swordtember, or the fairly lengthy mostly-fiction entries I wrote for Knightober last year. Something a little smaller.
Why not some outlines for knightly orders, then, thought I? Ones in the same format as my first and second d66 tables of guilds, factions, and often-odd organizations — but smaller chunks, so I can recharge.
Why not indeed?
So, here is my first d10 table of knightly orders, inspired by prompts from![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kalloway —
Of course, I still wanted to do Knightober.
But maybe not as much as Swordtember, or the fairly lengthy mostly-fiction entries I wrote for Knightober last year. Something a little smaller.
Why not some outlines for knightly orders, then, thought I? Ones in the same format as my first and second d66 tables of guilds, factions, and often-odd organizations — but smaller chunks, so I can recharge.
Why not indeed?
So, here is my first d10 table of knightly orders, inspired by prompts from
kalloway —| d10 | The Order Of … | details |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Thirteenth Banner | “Gird thyself with arcane arts; it serves as steadfastly as any blade.” As much hedge-witches as hedge-knights, dedicated to the melding of sword and spell, with many choosing to specialize in a particular sorcery or theme – green and silver; banner or pennant bearing chosen glyph – buff coat and gorget; swords of all varieties – scrivener’s kit or other recording aid, spellstone, letters from arcane correspondent, warding charm, binding charm |
| 02 | The Soulforge | “Temper your blade, your bulwark, and your own spirit. All may be purified in the forge.” Knights with a penchant for the strength of steel, both physically and metaphorically — and the most trusted steel is that which one smelts with one’s own hand – grey and steel blue; blade through an anvil – any steel armour + kite shield; longsword, bastard sword or greataxe – smith’s tools, traveling anvil, steel-loop charm, flask of pure oil, alloy billet, crucible |
| 03 | The Pale Ring | “We stand with those who crossed over. We stand against those who cross back.” Guardians of necropolei, wardens of graves, and grim stalwarts in the battle against the restless dead, an abomination against the peace of those who have passed on – black and ivory; ring – scale armour, often inset with bone or enameled ivory; mace and sabre – lantern, consecrated oils, records of dedicated burials, bone or ivory ring, censer |
| 04 | The First Wyrm | “Emulate the First in all ways: Be swift. Be just. Be wise. Be ruthless. Be unconquerable.” Followers of a code — some call them worshipers more than knights — based on the mythos surrounding Sarukkh, legendary origin of dragonkind. Some swear themselves to other wyrms. – ruby red and indigo; rampant dragon – scale armour + kite shield; longsword or war pick – dragonscale- or -talon token, wyrmsblood candle, contract of the First’s laws, grooming kit, map of local dragonlairs |
| 05 | The Silver Peony | “Others may falter, but the Peony blooms for eternity. Our word is our bond.” Swearers of oaths and upholders of righteousness, these knights strive to live and die in honour and to kindle the honourable impulse in those around them by example. And if the law be unrighteous, there is no honour in it. – silver and white; peony – chain mail or plate mail + round shield; spear or lance – oath-ring, healer’s kit, fringed shawl or mantle, worry-beads, lamp or lantern |
| 06 | The Dedicant | “The heavens will fall before I am torn from my charge.” All knights of this order swear themselves to a singular dedication, be it individual or institution, a cause or a campaign, oath or ideal — and place themselves in the vanguard of defense for their chosen one. – tawny and green; shield and ring – any armour + round shield; longsword and javelins – token of their oath, personal chapbook of notes on their charge, mending kit, traveler’s cloak, oathknife and blood seal |
| 07 | The Ashen Knife | “When all has been lost, what is there to fear.” Not all knights succeed in upholding their knighthoods; some turn against their oaths, some grow disillusioned with once-cherished beliefs, some lose themselves in bloodthirst. For all of these and more, there is kinship with their fellow fallen, even as they hate the reminder of what they were. – grey and sooty; shattered weapon, usually a sword, sometimes over old emblem – varies according to old order + personal bitterness – disfigured crest, mending kit, hidden dagger, ashwood chain, handmade chart of hidden roads |
| 08 | The Fathomless | “Ever changing, ever flowing, ever adaptable. The soothing purity that washes away all with time.” Chivalrous haunters of springs and hidden pools, bearers of water to the needful and expiation to those who need an ear to hear — or a purge of sin, true or simply believed – teal and turquoise; cluster of teardrops – scale or chainmail; spear, hammer – length of immaculate cloth, several waterskins, flask of purified water, riverstone charm, ciphered map of water sources |
| 09 | The Roaring Mouse | “Our time will come.” Not a true ‘order’, as much as a cross-order informal conglomeration of squires, pages, aides, apprentices, and other young knights-to-be, sharing news, gossip, insight and information with each other – brown and white; stylized mouse – padded jack; weapons of order-to-be – handicrafts kit, mending kit, messages for senior or mentor, letters from fellows, award ribbon |
| 10 | The Charge Perilous | “Today we strive, we fight, we win! Tomorrow they sing our achievements — tomorrow, and forever!” It’s all about the fight, for this order — the fight, the quest, the grand adventure, the crux when you’ve seized the moment, your moment, and immortalized yourself in song and legend. Whatever you do, do it well, so awesomely that no one dares to ever forget you. – gold and azure; upraised fist or splayed hand – virtually anything, really, as long as it gleams somewhere; battleaxe, halberd, bastard sword, or other standout weapon – maintenance kit, healer’s kit, rallying horn, victor’s circlet, wineskin |
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Oh, there’s uncountable scores of guilds and sects, factions and orders and sworn-kinships and organizations, cults and councils and fate knows what else out across the planes, no doubt about it. Some of them are notably, almost painfully local; some span many of the realms; some make it their goal to spread …
Here and here are two d66 tables of such odd fellowships one might populate the planes with — and presented right here are another eight such, tuned a little more to the afterworlds in particular:
and infinite others, of course, the worlds being what they are
Here and here are two d66 tables of such odd fellowships one might populate the planes with — and presented right here are another eight such, tuned a little more to the afterworlds in particular:
| d8 | Faction Name | Faction Details |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ringwalkers | “The worlds are uncountable. So are experiences. Find as many as both as you can, and share them — with care! — whenever possible.” Hands-on researchers of planar travel — to the point that no one’s really sure if they named the process, or took their name from it — and founders of countless waystops, wanderer’s caches, and guild centres dedicated to cataloguing and spreading knowledge of the planes and how to travel to them. – several varieties of particoloured or prismatic spectra; rainbow ring – hooded cloak or longcoat with lots of pockets, collection of chapbooks or scrolls, ring-pattern logbook, sturdy knife, pouch of small souvenir samples from across the planes |
| 02 | Last Breath | “Get them to their final destination, one way or another.” Self-appointed psychopomps, dedicated to gathering up wayward deceased souls from the Corerealms (and even, at times, from elsewhere) and ferrying them back to where they belong before the dead are carved up in a treasury somewhere. – white, violet, and silver; paired wings (shape may vary) – directory of common Core afterlives, lantern staff, soul-pyx, pouch of bone coin, scrollcase of unsigned contracts |
| 03 | The Eternal | “We will unpick the knot of secrecy and claim a forever existence.” A motley organization with one feature in common — these folk have seen the existence of unchanging entities, and they have every intention of divining the source of true immortality for themselves. – gold and rose; five-petaled blossom – personal research notes, grimoire of ancient beasts and daemons, flask of dubious elixir, chirurgeon’s kit, ritual blade |
| 04 | Squires Of Iron | “The judgements of the Iron Court are absolutes — absolute in their impartiality, absolute in their insight, absolute in banes and blessings both — and it is well to carry their words and be their hands.” The Iron Judges may be famed across the worlds, but seldom does one such grim luminary leave the black iron embrace of the Court; this they leave to lesser lights who have, for reasons of their own, pledged themselves to Quietus and its decrees. – black and grey; barbed chain – courier’s satchel, collection of summons, decrees and judgements, iron token of the Court, grey shawl or mantle, return-jewel for the Court |
| 05 | Silver Talons | “No greater hunger, no greater desire, no greater delight.” There’s no beating around the bush with these folks; souleaters through and through, they relish the shards and fragments — and, sometimes, souls entire — that they acquire, considering themselves gourmets of the highest order and always searching for new ‘flavours’. Most are Faded, but not all. – silver and steel; clutching claw – papers of admittance to a Soul Market (forged), deathsbone calipers and scale, personal logbook, tiny pouch of souldust, silverglass dagger |
| 06 | Fortuna | “Each and every one of the myriad worlds resonates with its own rhythm, its own melody. If you could weave those into one symphony, what wonders might be?” Musicians, poets, and wanderers all, searching out the intangible jewels that they call the music of the spheres and hoping to share those wondrous moments of aural enlightenment with any who open themselves up to hear. – royal blue and violet; single musical note (shape varies) – satchel of musical notation and verse, crystal tube-chime, tuning fork, musical instrument, flask of ambrosia-in-wine |
| 07 | Incursicates | “Show me where worlds collide.” For some it’s not the realms that fascinate, it’s the times when one plane reaches out to fuse with and overcome another, with all the chaos and the clashing that that entails. Whether joining an incursion, throwing in with defenders, or simply observing the results, it’s the act itself — and what springs from it — that counts. – amber and brick; ten-armed star – weapon of choice, warding charm, disruption compass, heavy cloak or longcoat, baubles from incursion fusions past |
| 08 | Weavers Of Mirrors | “All things dream, though they may know it not. Let us show you what you’ve lost.” There is a world betwixt and between all worlds, the Weavers insist, a place of dream and nightmare that unites all the Afterworlds as one but can only be touched briefly by most. The Weavers insist, as well, that the patterns they weave draw from that very mirrored whirlpool of all that was and is. – chrome and pearl; unornamented disc – portable loom, dream-spindle, satchel of strange cloth-bolts, sewing kit, dagger or other tool of unknown substance |
Sometimes adventurers are a little more organized than random rapscallions who threw themselves together in a tavern before looking for a ruin to plunder or bandits to, well, plunder. Or, maybe those rapscallions decided to make a decent go at the ruins-spelunking and the bandit eradication and the cleaning up of abandoned graveyards and their restless inhabitants — that sort of thing — and eventually passed along the tricks of the trade to younger, fresher faces.
Or adventuring is more of a cover for finding the ways and means to get the resources needed to push back against an iron fist. That’s also a possibility.
In fact, all these and more are the multi-threaded genesis of the Vine. Less an “adventurer’s guild” and more an interconnected web of chapterhouses, informal associations, whisper networks, chartered “adventuring parties” (where such exist), individual explorers and mysteriously maintained dropboxes, way-houses and gear caches, the Vine — once a budding adventuring sort, young or old, makes a connection — is your best source for weird gear, weirder rumours, tips and tricks, and suggested sources for anything from replacement travel spellbooks to friendly sources of healing magic to the best smith for silvershot weapons to nesting material for an angel’s egg.
Aid received for aid offered, of course. And vice versa.
Vine
“Give a little, get a little; we’re all in this crazy thing together, yeah?”
An informal collective of adventurers, explorers, rebels and similar roaming, delving types, connected by their spelunking through ruins and labyrinths and necropolei and trading around rumours, tips and news
– dark green, wine-red and violet; grape or ivy tendril (or related emblem)
– mess kit, scrollcase of scribbled maps and notes, reinforced backpack, lantern and oil or candles, “souvenir” from latest delve
This Vine contact knows of …
01. a deep-forest ravine where a strange blue portal appeared last week
02. a soon-to-arrive band of deer-goblins that make amazing mead
03. a rumoured location to the subterranean cult chambers of Iiifryth Of The Amber Hells
04. a newly discovered sublevel in the Sundered Castle
05. the hidden vices of Marquis Barran, the region’s new conqueror
06. the calculations needed to divine the next appearance of the Pearl Tower, and where
07. a grateful supply trader specializing in trail rations and camp gear
08. the location of Dagger Bright’s newest bandit hold
09. a formula for a balm said to blunt the agony of dragonfire
10. a fervent crusader looking to find a fallen temple to restore and reconsecrate
11. a sorcerer who wants an escort to the magic pool on the Underloft’s fifth marble level
12. what best to bribe the lord’s ailing seneschal with to gain access to The Books
This Vine contact is looking for …
01. a sorcerer who’s willing to take on a wilful apprentice
02. someone who can speak the languages of hobgoblins and unicorns
03. a party to retrieve a fallen friend in the depths of the Bone Cathedral
04. referrals for signing on with a mercenary company for a season
05. clues to the locations of the remaining Night Ruby shards
06. a good source for ingredients for lightning-magic scroll inks
07. the buried granite gateway of the Great Black Delve and its lost halls
08. advice on a source for healing that doesn’t require faith or (too much) charity
09. a body-double for a lordling’s son, just for one night
10. spellcasting strong enough to break the Eleventh Moon Curse
11. leads on iron rations that taste less like wood and have less mushroom
12. a dragon heart, or at least a dragon’s lair and companions to travel with
Or adventuring is more of a cover for finding the ways and means to get the resources needed to push back against an iron fist. That’s also a possibility.
In fact, all these and more are the multi-threaded genesis of the Vine. Less an “adventurer’s guild” and more an interconnected web of chapterhouses, informal associations, whisper networks, chartered “adventuring parties” (where such exist), individual explorers and mysteriously maintained dropboxes, way-houses and gear caches, the Vine — once a budding adventuring sort, young or old, makes a connection — is your best source for weird gear, weirder rumours, tips and tricks, and suggested sources for anything from replacement travel spellbooks to friendly sources of healing magic to the best smith for silvershot weapons to nesting material for an angel’s egg.
Aid received for aid offered, of course. And vice versa.
Vine
“Give a little, get a little; we’re all in this crazy thing together, yeah?”
An informal collective of adventurers, explorers, rebels and similar roaming, delving types, connected by their spelunking through ruins and labyrinths and necropolei and trading around rumours, tips and news
– dark green, wine-red and violet; grape or ivy tendril (or related emblem)
– mess kit, scrollcase of scribbled maps and notes, reinforced backpack, lantern and oil or candles, “souvenir” from latest delve
This Vine contact knows of …
01. a deep-forest ravine where a strange blue portal appeared last week
02. a soon-to-arrive band of deer-goblins that make amazing mead
03. a rumoured location to the subterranean cult chambers of Iiifryth Of The Amber Hells
04. a newly discovered sublevel in the Sundered Castle
05. the hidden vices of Marquis Barran, the region’s new conqueror
06. the calculations needed to divine the next appearance of the Pearl Tower, and where
07. a grateful supply trader specializing in trail rations and camp gear
08. the location of Dagger Bright’s newest bandit hold
09. a formula for a balm said to blunt the agony of dragonfire
10. a fervent crusader looking to find a fallen temple to restore and reconsecrate
11. a sorcerer who wants an escort to the magic pool on the Underloft’s fifth marble level
12. what best to bribe the lord’s ailing seneschal with to gain access to The Books
This Vine contact is looking for …
01. a sorcerer who’s willing to take on a wilful apprentice
02. someone who can speak the languages of hobgoblins and unicorns
03. a party to retrieve a fallen friend in the depths of the Bone Cathedral
04. referrals for signing on with a mercenary company for a season
05. clues to the locations of the remaining Night Ruby shards
06. a good source for ingredients for lightning-magic scroll inks
07. the buried granite gateway of the Great Black Delve and its lost halls
08. advice on a source for healing that doesn’t require faith or (too much) charity
09. a body-double for a lordling’s son, just for one night
10. spellcasting strong enough to break the Eleventh Moon Curse
11. leads on iron rations that taste less like wood and have less mushroom
12. a dragon heart, or at least a dragon’s lair and companions to travel with
In the aftermath of the Four Sorcerers Clash, there it lay in its bondage, straining against the chains of blood-golden light that bound it, pinned it motionless into the rubble that once was Ruthenen’s mightiest mountain.
In warring against each other, Ruthenen’s wild spell-magisters uncovered a being more fearful than they could ever hope to be.
Now they lay shattered beneath the broken stones and ashen forest, and in their place a fallen titan of tyrannical eternity strained four golden arms against its bonds; clashed its great wolf’s jaws in silent scissoring of starlight fangs; thrust a single spiralling horn of blood-stained twilight towards the uncaring sky; tore pearled and sable scales the size of small huts free against its phantom chains as its falcon-talons, greater than grand halls, tore furrows like small ravines through the earth.
The Golden Night rages against a fettering set in place long before mortals came to Ruthenen.
The Golden Night howls in silent fury to an uncaring heaven its burning eyes can once again behold.
The Golden Night whispers to the heart of any who approach its bulk; terrible, wondrous, furious, thirsting.
Lift even the least of my bonds and
01. I will forge you into a conqueror of steel and sunfire
02. all that you hate will burn to scarlet ashes
03. you will come to sit at my right hands and wield my sickle
04. all will bow to what you shall become
05. white flame shall scour the unworthy from existence
06. we will pull the traitor heavens down into the earth
Yet all around the titan, in the rubble and the wreckage, and the dying mountain, the decaying forest, there is a sign …
01. where ichor pools under scale-stripped flesh the earth turns to chalky ashes
02. animals that approach within a furlong turn on each other without fail
03. above the fallen titan the sky appears blank, a white and empty void
04. silver blackens and bubbles, copper and bronze patinate and slowly grow tiny branches
05. each day more and more strange knots of congealed anger range the countryside, congeries of crimson and black and bruise-purple that lash with coiling barbs and waves of red fury
06. shattered rock slowly shifts and reconfigures across the land into the shape of four great blades
… and there are also wondrous things …
01. from ichor and chalk spring tiny golden flowers that cleanse all infirmity
02. rasped golden flesh reveals true-gold veins within, and hints of glittering sky-iron sinew
03. spars of fallen scale, rich with power and sharp as a lie, cry out to be forged
04. silent snarls, heavy of breath, congeal in the cool of night into tiny amorphous masses, like silk-light smoke-blue ambergris heavy with secrets
05. cracks in the battered earth gleam bone-golden, amber and opal, suffused with the light of titanic binding
06. what would happen if one consumed the merest morsel, the tiniest crumb of flesh?
… but suppose instead one wished to warn, or gain the aid of, or parley with …
01. the Sapphirine Concordat, of the sorcerer’s folly if nothing else
02. the seven prismatic cranes of sharp crystal plumage that fly on slow circuitous route around Ruthenen’s fallen lands since the Clash
03. Hess’skenieth The Sundered, most ancient of dragons, scaled in ochre and orchid, said to be older than the gods themselves
04. the Six Faiths Of The Turning Heavens, for surely those summer-robed dedicants have some concealed wisdoms
05. a slim, patient representative of the Pearl-Shadowed Hell, just waiting to be called upon and very interested
06. the road-worn mendicant knight, banner- and badgeless, who camps just beyond the fallen one’s influence and never seems to break vigil
… but, oh! oh!
Does one shining chain shiver and falter …?
In warring against each other, Ruthenen’s wild spell-magisters uncovered a being more fearful than they could ever hope to be.
Now they lay shattered beneath the broken stones and ashen forest, and in their place a fallen titan of tyrannical eternity strained four golden arms against its bonds; clashed its great wolf’s jaws in silent scissoring of starlight fangs; thrust a single spiralling horn of blood-stained twilight towards the uncaring sky; tore pearled and sable scales the size of small huts free against its phantom chains as its falcon-talons, greater than grand halls, tore furrows like small ravines through the earth.
The Golden Night rages against a fettering set in place long before mortals came to Ruthenen.
The Golden Night howls in silent fury to an uncaring heaven its burning eyes can once again behold.
The Golden Night whispers to the heart of any who approach its bulk; terrible, wondrous, furious, thirsting.
Lift even the least of my bonds and
01. I will forge you into a conqueror of steel and sunfire
02. all that you hate will burn to scarlet ashes
03. you will come to sit at my right hands and wield my sickle
04. all will bow to what you shall become
05. white flame shall scour the unworthy from existence
06. we will pull the traitor heavens down into the earth
Yet all around the titan, in the rubble and the wreckage, and the dying mountain, the decaying forest, there is a sign …
01. where ichor pools under scale-stripped flesh the earth turns to chalky ashes
02. animals that approach within a furlong turn on each other without fail
03. above the fallen titan the sky appears blank, a white and empty void
04. silver blackens and bubbles, copper and bronze patinate and slowly grow tiny branches
05. each day more and more strange knots of congealed anger range the countryside, congeries of crimson and black and bruise-purple that lash with coiling barbs and waves of red fury
06. shattered rock slowly shifts and reconfigures across the land into the shape of four great blades
… and there are also wondrous things …
01. from ichor and chalk spring tiny golden flowers that cleanse all infirmity
02. rasped golden flesh reveals true-gold veins within, and hints of glittering sky-iron sinew
03. spars of fallen scale, rich with power and sharp as a lie, cry out to be forged
04. silent snarls, heavy of breath, congeal in the cool of night into tiny amorphous masses, like silk-light smoke-blue ambergris heavy with secrets
05. cracks in the battered earth gleam bone-golden, amber and opal, suffused with the light of titanic binding
06. what would happen if one consumed the merest morsel, the tiniest crumb of flesh?
… but suppose instead one wished to warn, or gain the aid of, or parley with …
01. the Sapphirine Concordat, of the sorcerer’s folly if nothing else
02. the seven prismatic cranes of sharp crystal plumage that fly on slow circuitous route around Ruthenen’s fallen lands since the Clash
03. Hess’skenieth The Sundered, most ancient of dragons, scaled in ochre and orchid, said to be older than the gods themselves
04. the Six Faiths Of The Turning Heavens, for surely those summer-robed dedicants have some concealed wisdoms
05. a slim, patient representative of the Pearl-Shadowed Hell, just waiting to be called upon and very interested
06. the road-worn mendicant knight, banner- and badgeless, who camps just beyond the fallen one’s influence and never seems to break vigil
… but, oh! oh!
Does one shining chain shiver and falter …?
Tags:
I just couldn’t help myself, I needed to write up another pile of odd folks for PCs to join, NPCs to represent, and plot hooks to fall off of.
And then I took ages to actually get to writing them because that’s how I roll, alas. Lol.
Just like the last time around, each faction/organization/guild/whatever has a name, a slogan/quote, a line or two explaining them a bit more, faction colours and symbol, and a list of five bits of gear. Also like the last time around, don’t limit a PC’s starting stuff to just the kibble listed here; this is for flavour. Give them half (or all, why not?) beginning funds, or “rations+bedroll+backpack+clothes+1 weapon if desired+2d10 [currency]”, or a starting character package, whichever you’re using — having a few more gribbles won’t break anything.
| d66 | Faction Name | Faction Details |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Glass Tears | “Life, like glass, is both fragile and wounding, beautiful and wrought from common stuff. As our craft, so goes the world.” Lampworkers and glassblowers, dedicated to perfecting their craft and using it as an allegory for improving themselves and the world – coal black and orange; phial – handful of glass billets, several glass bottles and baubles, blowpipe, shard collection, heavy leather apron |
| 12 | Icemeisters | “The cold soothes well, delights well, preserves well, hides well.” Tenders of ice-houses and hidden freezes, caterers of frozen confections and whispered repositories of other, more concerning objects needing kept on ice – silver and pale blue; icicle – winter cloak, ice-knife, sweet syrups, logbook of requests, coded lists and map of hidden ice-houses |
| 13 | The Lion’s Paw | “Be mighty. Be proud, not prideful. Most of all, be aware of those who look to you when you roar.” Hedge-knights and self-proclaimed heroes happy to step up for a flower as much as for riches and glory – gold and brown; lion’s pawprint – tawny mantle, flashy outfit, letter of recommendation from high or noble house, signet or seal, token of favour |
| 14 | The Flicker | “The shortest moment, the tiniest crumb can be of the utmost importance. Don’t blink.” Gatherers of secrets and connectors of dots, organized into loose cells with connections in the wildest of places – white and orange; candle-flame outline – pouches of small trinkets and bits, scrollcases of scribbled notes, deadletter drop-box, vial of lemon-ink, glass lens |
| 15 | Absolution | “May darkness be cleansed, may the spirit be lifted on milky clouds heavenward.” Confessors and confidantes who offer listening ears without judgement and a release from secrets and emotional turmoil – amber and milk; loose spiral – brazier, charcoal, paper twist of myrrh, pouch of amber nodules, chapbook of blessings, exorcisms and wardings |
| 16 | Coiling Path | “Whisper and tend, carry prayers and curses, and leave no tether behind you as you move on.” Wandering tenders and menders of consecrated locales in out of the way places, ever ready to replace stones, touch up paint, or murmur a re-dedication – grey and green; shrine-rune – node-map of shrines and holy sites (work in progress), skin of pure water, carpenter’s or mason’s tools, carved bowl, holy oil |
| 21 | Crucible | “Disparate parts, and peoples, are ever stronger when combined.” Sweet-tongued courtiers and middlemen, dedicated to fostering links between individuals, groups and communities — and ever ready to remind others of existing links – bronze and blue; crucible – bronze brooch, folio of observations, invitation to society function, copy of historical treaty, puzzlebox |
| 22 | Greentouch | “Not to worry, I’m sure I have something for what ails you.” Herbalists, with all that that can imply; one man’s meat is another man’s poison, after all. Sometimes literally. – pale green and dark green; sprout – paper-twists of seeds and dry herbs, sleepmint, silvered snips, kettle, toxic blossoms |
| 23 | Farwander | “There’s always more to see.” Sometimes people just want to travel to the horizon and beyond just to make the trip and tell about it. These are those people. – brown and violet; footprint – sturdy footwear, well-patched shoulderbag, several packets of letters, cairnstone, coloured cords |
| 24 | The Letterflies | “Everything opens up with the written word, so spread it — secretly if necessary.” Staunch believers in literacy and what it unlocks, happy to teach letters, draft texts, carve typefaces, and create all manner of small, useful, and sometimes contraband documents to do it – dark green and white; butterfly – satchel of pamphlets and lesson sheets, slate and chalk, writing kit, portable press, current ciphers |
| 25 | Wardens of Years | “The march of time must never be forgotten.” Keepers of history’s events and the passing of days, dedicated — some might say obsessed — with the passing of time – sand and silver; timepiece – annals logbook, personal diary, hourglass or hour-candles, year-staff, tally cords |
| 26 | Knights of the Brine | “There’s nothing like the quest for the perfect pickle.” Pickle enthusiasts united in sharing samples, locations of excellent fruits and vegetables or salts and spices, and iterating on endless recipes while caching crocks across the countryside – yellow and green; crock – pickling crock, pouches of salt and bran, bottle of vinegar, pickle samples (extra rations), twists of spices |
| 31 | Fireheart | “In the flame, find yourself.” Adherents of a meditative philosophy centred around silent self-contemplation while gazing into a single flame, believing it to soothe emotion and reveal one’s future – orange and red; tongue of flame – lamp and oil, brazier, personal notes, small pouch of ashes, charcoal |
| 32 | The Queen’s Hands | “Look to the bee, and know grace and gratitude.” Beekeepers and harvesters of wild honey who wax lyrical about the virtues of the bee and its produce at the drop of a pin; often distributors of both hive produce and new colonies – gold and golden-brown; bee – logbook of wild hives, bee skep, satchel of beeswax blocks, crock of honeycomb, dozen beeswax candles |
| 33 | The Last Dance | “Save the last dance for me.” These are dancers, yes, and sometimes singers and sometimes musicians, united in the goal of bringing liveliness and entertainment (and maybe a pointed tale or two) to any who offer a coin or a wish, whether in taverns, high halls or the open road – medley of any colours; ring – bright outfit, musical instrument or dancer’s rings, weighted shawl or scarf, hidden knife, shoulderbag with secret pocket |
| 34 | Scrapsnipes | “There’s nothing that can’t be repaired, reused, or repurposed.” Scavengers of discards and maestros of rusted metal who don’t turn up their noses at any object, no matter how broken or battered; if it can’t be reused, it can be remade. And they often think the same about living beings. – rust and black; broken nail – sack of metal bits, tiny anvil, mallet, sewing kit, crock of lacquer, patchwork cloak |
| 35 | The Scarlet Bough | “The days grow short and we must all prepare for what’s coming next. in order to see the days grow long again.” Harvesters and preservers who descend on a crop to help with the reaping and butchering one day, string up drying fruits and meats the next, and know reliable ways to prepare and preserve nearly anything edible – scarlet and orange; treebranch – smoked joint, sickle, knowledge and access to several storage caches, sack of seedcorn, portable quern |
| 36 | The Silver Key | “Swift, and proper, application of all law is the only just application of law.” Whether barristers or archivists, self-informed sages or those who learned in the trenches, all members agree on one thing; that the law of a land must be just, and it must apply to all equally, or it is no law at all. – silver and white; key – law codes for several cities and kingdoms, packet of letters, set of skeleton keys, cipher book, carrier pigeon |
| 41 | Openers of the Way | “There are worlds beyond this one, and it’s just a matter of finding where intersections are.” Tracers of essence-lines and mappers of weak barriers between existences, whether for curiosity, wariness, power, or simple verification – colour spectrum; rainbow – homemade map of lines and nodes, pendulum, glass bell, iron wand, silver-tipped wand |
| 42 | Heartweave | “Have you heard the latest from the Grey Wind? Or received a copy of their writings? What did you think?” A network of poets and storytellers committed to spreading their works by written copy and formal gatherings both – cream and lavender; eight-petaled flower – hand-bound collection of poems, seal engraved with pseudonym, letter of introduction, packet of fancy papers, writing gear |
| 43 | Heaven’s Blood | “I’ll do what you cannot.” Sin-eaters, pursuers of vengeance, and upholders of the most visceral of oaths – crimson and gold; droplet – sealed contract, consecrated balm, black razor, crimson veil, sinner’s chalice |
| 44 | Daysend | “At the border between day and night lie revelations.” Mystics and muses fascinated with the flow of colours and light in the twilight hours and the inspiration — the tingle of spirit, some day — that those hours grant the fervent – pink and orange; disc – sitting-cushion, prism, dew-collecting cloth, twilight-dyed sash or scarf, scroll of personal revelations |
| 45 | Walkers at Midnight | “None who prey on heart’s blood will be suffered to exist. I swear it.” Dedicated hunters, these, targeting the worst of the blood-drinkers, soul-eaters and others of their ilk. Those who feed lightly and with care are spared … usually – black and moon-yellow; dagger – silvered resin, rowanwood stakes, holy water or oil, warding charm, wineskin |
| 46 | The Winding River | “Tell me who someone is, and I will tell you where they hail from.” Tracers of genealogies of all sorts — bloodlines of people, of beasts, even of crops — and ever dedicated to noting every side-branch, secret and dead-end – grey and blue; water braid – salvaged letters, work ledger, illuminator’s gear, maps to several catacombs, copy of chosen genealogy |
| 51 | Wyrmstouch | “We claim the great beasts’ mark as our own.” Dragon hunters of a different stripe, linked to the wyrms — and, for some, to each other — through being anointed with, or consuming, dragon’s blood – dark red and midnight blue; flame – dragon scale, wax-lined drinking horn, packet of soothing herbs, tally-notched torc, map to dragon’s lair |
| 52 | Garden Eternal | “Somewhere out there lies the source of eternal life; waiting to be plucked, perhaps even in plain sight.” The fruit of eternal life grants immortality, these folks believe — but which fruit, and consumed in what manner? And where will it be found? The quest continues — – rose and emerald; stylized fruit tree – lidded basket, several kinds of fruit (fresh and preserved), scraps of pomery manuscripts, cutting from fruit tree, scrawled recipe notes |
| 53 | Eyes of the Cat | “Where the cat leads, we follow; what we discover, the cat must know.” Not quite cat worshipers but not far from it, being staunch believers in feline wisdom — and feline bestowing of secrets and curses – bronze and black; cat’s eye – cat companion, riding satchel (for cat), pouch of smoked fish, tiger’s eye amulet, libation dish |
| 54 | Bonescribes | “The departed live again through the new voices we give them.” A tightly-knit organization of copyists, scribes and illuminators who create their works with bone black pigments and pens carved from bone, all obtained from those who were lost – ivory and black; skeletal hand – pouch of bone black cakes, inkstone and water well, case of bone pens and styli, sheaf of parchment, femoral scrollcase |
| 55 | Canticle | “Inspiration, composition, at any cost.” These poets, songsmiths and authors chase after dreams and visions, throwing themselves into the pursuit of new enlightenments with which to feed their ravenous muse – teal and gold; teardrop – draft of current work, skin of spirits or poppy, pilgrimage badge, instrument or manuscript, diary of revelations |
| 56 | Black Heralds | “None so mighty once they’ve been laid low in mud and blood.” Battlefield scavengers who bring rough mercy and mercenary gain in equal measure, trading trophies and mementos as readily as they ransom their catches to the high folk – black and grey; raven – sturdy carry-pack, chopping dagger, bloodstained noble’s blazon, collection of battlefield oddments, pennant |
| 61 | The Verdurance | “Bring the entire world into the comforting embrace of all green things.” Planters of seeds, couriers of sprouts, grafters of limbs; if a plant can be encouraged to grow wherever they pass, these dedicated souls will place at least one before moving on – leaf green and brown; sprout – seed pouches; sheaf of cuttings; small shears; folding trowel; logbook of plantings |
| 62 | The Stone Egg | “We find what sleeps within the stone.” Carvers of alabaster and greenstone, chert and serpentine, who divine deeper meaning in the forms that their work creates – dark gray and white; egg – small chisels, mallet, grease-stick, satchel of stone nodules, finished statuette |
| 63 | Roaring Mice | “Everything ends, but only if we allow it. Fight back.” Doesn’t matter if it’s crumbling structures, corrupted infrastructures, or the forces of entropy itself; these would-be rebels push against the notion that there’s nothing that can stop the fall – violet and flame; mouse – bead-code, chirurgeon’s satchel, purloined document, shining-knife, crafter’s toolkit |
| 64 | Tomorrow’s Rose | “Lessen pain by sharing it, redirecting it.” Artisans of roses, yes, and every rose symbolizing a scar that’s been shared, accepted, and assimilated; for them people, like roses, continue long past being cut down – burgundy and dark green; rose – skin of rosewater, vial of attar, rose petal preserves, briar torc, bundle of rose seedlings |
| 65 | Imperishable | “The heavens hear those who give their hopes and dreams to eternity.” Instead of searching for fates amongst the stars, these dreamcrafters choose to chart their own chosen destinies and hang them on the jewels of the night sky – royal blue and silver; scatter of stars – star charts, miniature orrery, collection of notes, paper twist of starcrystal, dream scrolls |
| 66 | The Final Light | “We will lead them home.” Psychopomps bearing a soft glow and a quiet wish through the dark — whether true or metaphorical — to grant wandering spirits their final rest. – pale gold and dark grey; pumpkin – lantern staff, shroud-shawl, foxfire candles, chalice, pouch of consecrated ashes |
combine them with whatever class (or whatever) you wish, it’s cool that way
I’ve had some one-word prompt tables from various writing and art challenges squirrelled away, and finally sat myself down and did something with smashing a few together. My train of thought, over too many weeks to admit, went like this:
- I kind of want to write up some starting equipment arrays, like that one in Knock!, but I need to make not just like the one in Knock! …
- *keeps on making little phrase+themed equipment list starting ‘kits’ in pocketrpg stuff*
- That table of Wilusan factions in City Of Chains worked out pretty good …
And in the end, I took the route of letting all three smash together. Lol.
So here are 36 factions/organizations/guilds/however you’d like to call them. They each have a name, a slogan/quote, a line explaining them a bit more, faction colours and symbol, and a list of five bits of gear. You can use them for quick NPC shorthand, or as groups PCs can belong to, or both.
On equipment: If using these as beginning PC options, I highly recommend also giving PCs a general “starting package”; maybe half the usual beginning funds, or something along the lines of “rations+bedroll+backpack+clothes+1 weapon if desired+2d10 [currency]”, adjusted to taste. Don’t stint them adventuring basics because they chose a bit more flavour is what I’m getting at here — there’s a reason that with very few exceptions these faction blocks have no weapons etc in them.
In any case, on with the main event —
| d66 | Faction Name | Faction Details |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Barbed Walkers | “The merest scratch may bring low the unworthy.” Quiet observers and quieter meddlers, most often seen on the back roads and in the back alleys offering a bit of bread, a word carried along, a blade in the ribs – brown and rust-red; briar knot – wax tablet or slate, dozen cords for message-knots, edge-sharpened trowel, weathercloak, thorn-vial |
| 12 | Guiding Light | “We find our way through the darkness together.” More than lantern-bearers and candlesmiths, freely offering words of advice, murmurs of encouragement or simply a supportive silence and open hand – pale gold and dark amber; candle flame – lantern staff, oil flask and wicks, hand-warmer, counting beads, dozen candles |
| 13 | The Unseen | “Be like the small crawling ones of the world; unnoticed, and therefore everywhere.” To some, the best place to be is hidden in plain sight. Or, even better, to be able to insinuate oneself wherever one wishes, whether the long-sealed manor or the exclusive gala. – bright green and brown; a beetle – fifty feet of strong rope, barbed gloves, sturdy shoulderbag, notebook of infiltrations, pouch of disguises |
| 14 | Respitalers | “Let none be left in suffering and pain.” There are healers, and there are healers; and then there are those who walk fearlessly into the jaws of battle and pestilence, without judgement or hesitation, to do what must be done. – dark green and blood red; open-palmed hand – balm-box, golden needles and silk thread, scouring soap, coils of bandages, misericorde |
| 15 | Joyhearts | “If there’s not enough hope in the world, it’s up to us to create it.” Entertainers and clamourors, dashing street actors and colourful fools straight out of the tales and embellished histories, anyone willing to dedicate a smile and a song. – medley of bright colours; butterfly – well-thumbed book of tales, bright-coloured cloak, musical instrument or gameboard, packets of news, broadsheet paints |
| 16 | Alraune Network | “It’s alright if you don’t entirely trust me. But do listen to me.” Embracing the ways of hedges and herbs, poultices and poxes, whispers and hexes, roots and bones and waxy strange sweets from dogeared family tomes works better than given credit for. – orange and maroon; mandrake fruit – pouches of seeds or dry fungi or tiny bones, coils of multicoloured yarn, stoppered horn of special salve, layered cloak, yellowed girdle-book, storage gourd |
| 21 | Eel-Peers | “The deeps and torrents clutch their bounty close, but not from us.” Beachcombers and bargefolk, fishers and foragers, purveyors of treasures and tales and, yes, an abundance of seafood – pale grey and sea-green; coiled eel – weighted net, leister and hooks, oiled mantle, pearly ornament, hand-drawn map |
| 22 | Cornucopia | “May a thousand thousand dishes grace a thousand thousand tables.” Whether frugal or fancy, nothing but the most respect is made to prepare and present food; and woe to any who would waste any morsel without cause – golden brown and cream; cooking vessel – extra rations of all sorts, mess kit, collapsible firedog and pot, spice packets, waxed cloths |
| 23 | Souls Of Silver | “Change without breaking, come back from nothing.” Mystically inclined and determined to withstand whatever the world throws at them, concealing their hardiness behind reflections, mirrors, and metamorphoses – silver, white; moon disc – round mirror, silver bell, timepiece, personal diary, moonstone shard |
| 24 | Chasseurs Wych | “The wild summerlands lie under hill, and no venom is sweeter, no chains softer.” Changeling-child, Bright One-cursed, stumbler into a witchfire revel or bearing quicksilver blood, it does not matter, only the glory and cruel mercy of Faerie matters. – ruby red and royal purple; fleur-de-lis – butterfly-wing tunic, pouch of breadcrumbs, graven pebbles, twig dolly, hunting horn |
| 25 | The Swift | “Let the heavens themselves shake with the thunder of hooves.” Horse-folk. The gentling of wild-running beasts, the soothing of newborn foals, breeders of the most stunning of mounts, all this and more. Woe to those who harm horses. – grey and deep brown; horse – bitless halter and reins, saddle and tack, loyal horse, currying tools, ribbons and banner |
| 26 | Grey Shawls | “Mourning is a needed, natural thing, and it may last; so long as none are harmed.” Professional mourners, congregating not to feast on grief and loss but to guide those grieving through their loss without losing even more – soft grey and dusty blue; ring – grey shawl, pouch of ashes, watered wine, incense pendant, paper and ink |
| 31 | The Bright Path | “As history unfolds, as the roads wind on, we will ever find our way, and our fates, in the stars.” Navigators and diviners, searching the night skies above for the answers to what lies ahead in all ways and measures – blue-black and silver; multi-pointed star – astrolabe, star charts, birth charts, road map, starmetal bauble |
| 32 | Wildwalkers | “Everything you ever need is outside farms and roads and cities. Come and find it.” Hunters and tamers of beasts, foragers of wild produce and crafters of some of the most prized of wild material, from pine mushrooms to pelts to rainbows of dyes – rufous and black; claw – fur mantle, dozen snares, pouch of herbals, paintstones, wild sheep fleece |
| 33 | Pact Scarlet | “Life is in the blood, and the blood is not to be wasted without purpose or honour.” Executioners of grave verdicts and grim oaths both, whether life’s-blood washes their blades, crosses their lips or signs the documents in their care – deep red and steel grey; droplet – executioner’s weapon, blood ink, unfilled contracts, wax and signet, sealed drinking horn |
| 34 | Wayforger’s Guild | “Freedom is for all, and for all time.” None shall be constrained, say these folk; not by locks, nor confinement, nor small-minded ignorance nor crushing powers, because ways can be found around all. – blue and green; key – skeleton key, law codes, diamond-toothed file, writ of passage, writ of archive membership |
| 35 | Widening Gyre | “Our winged kin know much that they can teach us.” Avian enthusiasts in all ways, raising birds from pigeon to peregrine, hummingbird to harrier, and finding wisdom in both the act and in the soaring of their charges – brass and grey; feather – trained bird, packets of feathers, notes on bird-flight divination, mist net, collection of leg rings |
| 36 | Open Hearth | “Be ye great or small, be welcome; we all need a moment’s warmth.” Hospitality within one’s means is the philosophy, given without price or extracted oaths, whether a warm place to sleep by the fireside or the offer of shared cloak and travel-bread on the road. – dark orange and yellow; open gate – firestarter, extra cloak, extra rations, field dressings, horn of mead or cider |
| 41 | Scribes of Whispers | “What came before, we record in the now and pass to the future.” Scholars, copyists and explorers of ruins, believing that peoples may come and go, but their beliefs and traditions must live on, whether passed on from those who share or found in broken remnants – copper and ivory; rings linked in a triangle – scribe’s kit, antique map, dozen blank scrolls, oil paper and charcoal, offerings for the long dead |
| 42 | The Cresting Wave | “There’s no greater joy than the open sea and the salt breeze for your breath.” Sail-trimmers and shipwrights, fishers and privateers and swift conveyors of people and messages both, and pleased to boast loudly and musically about their beloved ocean – ultramarine and teal; wave – oilskin coat, carpenter’s tools, canvas sack of sea-treasure and stockfish, great net, whaletooth comb |
| 43 | Cats-Cradle | “When all you have left is each other, leave no one behind.” An informal, ever expanding network of the dispossessed, the down on their luck, and the overlooked in society, dedicated to distributing what they do acquire – any colours; tangle of yarn – patchwork wrap, collection of chapbooks, waterskin, half-dozen candlestubs, mark-code and chalk |
| 44 | Nightingale’s Voice | “Find the beauty in all things.” Artists and artisans, yes, and collectors of beautiful things when they can, yes; but beauty is also in a smooth grey pebble and the work of farmer’s gnarled hands, and they will make that known – white and sandy; songbird – unpublished play, whittled animal figurines, metal statuette, list of performers, glass beads |
| 45 | Bloomwrights | “All existence is as ephemeral as a drifting petal, so make your own meaning out of it.” For these connoiseurs of blossoms and cultivators of gardens, their handiwork reflects the way of all things, even life itself, fading away almost before it’s enjoyed — but that enjoyment is enough. – shell pink and gold; petal – pouch of seeds, fresh cuttings, flowers pressed in parchment, tiny bloom in a phial, wax tablet and stylus |
| 46 | Rill-Roamers | “We are the rivers that water the people all around us.” Communities are often flung far and wide across forbidding wilderness; and as long as they are, there will be a webwork on foot, by beast, and stranger still, carrying news and goods. – sky blue and tawny; wheel – sturdy boots, heavy cloak, annotated map, ciphered drop-off locations, letter of commendation |
| 51 | Fire-Eyes | “Yesterday already happened and tomorrow never comes, so enjoy today.” Whether hosting a revel or indulging in someone else’s festivities, keeping all involved happy, entertained and ready for more is the name of the game – orange and gold; stylized eye – extravagant outfit, amphora of wine, little scrolls of personal details, copper-fringed stole, written promise of gift |
| 52 | The Tapestry | “You see it coming together? The fibre, the thread, the warp, the weft? As the weaving, the world.” Ostensibly a cottage organization of spinners and weavers, and weave they do; but the average weaver doesn’t hide messages in the colours of skeins or the patterns of their cloths – gradations of a single colour; spindle whorl – handspindle, backstrap loom, several skeins, shoulderbag of roving, packets of dye |
| 53 | Longwatch | “None shall cross this threshold nor lay hands upon my charge while I draw breath.” Guardians of places, objects, relics, people, and even intangible oaths, pledged to do their utmost to keep their pledge safe even from themselves – ivory and steel; shield – padlock and key, brazier, stormcloak, sealed pledge, oath-ring |
| 54 | Prayerwalkers | “It’s about having something to believe in. Or someone.” Not as strictly spiritual as the name implies, so long as there is honest faith in a thing or a person, a faith that buoys the faithful as much after their travels as during them – deep rose and dark blue; heart – pilgrimage token, devotional ribbon, letters to the faithful, woolen mantle, shoulderbag |
| 55 | Roots Of The Wise | “There’s comfort and courageousness in gathering and spreading knowledge.” Scholars and taletellers, professional and traditional, united in their quest to learn whatever they can about whatever they can to pass it along their web and beyond – leaf green and ivory; cupped hand – memory-aid trinkets, manuscript-in-process, list of local fellows, fragments of ancient epic, restricted tome |
| 56 | The Pack | “We provide.” Hunters and trackers of frightful creatures and rightful game; the first brought low in defense of others, the second brought down to sustain them. – grey and orange; pawprint – snares, fur cloak, trail notes, hunting horn, pouch of marker-stones |
| 61 | Border Saints | “Reach out to those who just weren’t ready to walk away from the world.” Seekers of the dear and forgotten departed, for conversation, or just to let the dead touch the living world and be remembered – yellow-green and silver grey; bisected star – incense burner, paper and ink, records of the dead, anointing oil, candles |
| 62 | Zenith | “All good things come from the sun and its rays, and the sun teaches us temperance thereby.” Calm and cool-headed mediators, as well as ardent horticulturalists, bleachers of cloth and preservers of goods; all things in their proper measure, by their light. – copper and gold; sunburst – magnifying lens, parasol, handful of prisms, sitting pillow, scroll of personal musings |
| 63 | Woodspire | “Spread the forest’s reach by carrying its offspring afield and surrounding all with the warmth of its wood.” Inspired woodcrafters and carpenters that reject building in stone, whether structures or smaller creations, but best known for the seedlings they lovingly plant by their scores after felling a tree – brown and pine green; seedling – adze, set of chisels, handful of burlap-wrapped seedlings, willow basket, sack of acorn meal |
| 64 | The Ivory Key | “We all deserve to rest.” Buriers of the lost or broken dead, restorers of defiled graves and skeletal artisans who murmur reassuring verses over the bones they set carefully into place – ivory and white; skull – burial shroud, engraving burins, book of eulogies, folding trowel, bone prayer beads |
| 65 | Lightning Riders | “Don’t worry, we’ll get it; you have my word.” Others may carry messages or parcels, but these folks will get that request to its destination, or bring some other request back again, with the directness of a thunderbolt – pale yellow and dark blue; lightning bolt – wax-sealed letter, locked puzzle box, map to a crypt, annotated trail map, reinforced boots |
| 66 | Wardens Of Dream | “Anything can happen inside the dreaming worlds. Learn from that.” It’s not that dreams are believed to be as real, or more real, than the waking world, no; but spend enough time inside them, and what you experience can affect your waking world. – ivory and tawny brown; spiral horn – herbal-filled pillow, scrapbooked journal, dream-pearl, sketch of another dreamer, fleece mantle |
mix and match to your heart’s content.