My players all like politics in their game. They dislike too many factions. For my group keeping the seven noble houses of Brevoy straight would be an unpleasant task. Not fun. That said, they all love good characters whether that’s Game of Thrones or Conan. Keeping the balance between politics and people is key for me and my group.
Names are easy to forget, but a person can be memorable. I want to give NPCs characteristics that my players find interesting and seek to know more about. This can in turn lead them towards understanding that person’s goals, connections and political aspirations. I can use this one person to introduce a ‘faction’, without having to say, “This guy is a Garess noble.”
Perhaps an example.
Kestren has drawn quite a bit of the PCs attentions. I decided to run him as an arrogant seeming jerk. He was shamed by the exile forced upon him and while he sold his sword he never gave up an ingrained sense of superiority his noble birth afforded him.
I wasn’t sure how my group would take him, but the party face Cordimir has taken to keeping Kestren in the loop. Steadily, the group has taken to reporting their findings to Kestren. They keep him in the loop and see that they can trust him. They bring him bandits that have surrendered and sworn oaths to make an honest living in Kingsford (the small town starting around Oleg’s). They have claimed rewards from him for the heads of bandits. They have begun to trust him so much that when they found Falgrim near the bandit camp the group just handed him over to Kestren. No questions. This trust has paid off with some discussion of who was paying to station him in the Greenbelt. Introductions may follow.
This is how I plan to use this trust.
In my campaign, the Swordords are divided about what to do about the minor noble houses that owed their loyalty to house Rogarvia. There is a spectrum of ideas about how to proceed. There are some that would provoke outright war (by colonizing an area to the south of Brevoy in the Greenbelt for example). Some would simply forgive past transgressions and move towards reconciliation by taking advantage of the weakened position of these minor houses and move to empower themselves with other noble house (though not likely Surtova).
The problem I have always faced in running a game is bridging these two worlds. Keeping the political intrigue interesting and grand, and at the same time keeping the story personal.
This is where I bring Kestren into play. He is hired by a Swordlord named Vassari. The oldest member of the council of blades, Vassari has grand plans to avenge himself on the Issian dogs that have taken far too much from the Rostland plain. He is spearheading the initiative to colonize the Greenbelt in the name of the swordlords in the hopes that it will provoke the Issians into making a faulty first step or even better provide a new loyal ally that will further strengthen their position in southern Brevoy.
Kestren will bring the news from Restov that grants the PCs their new Barony. He will bring more support from Restov both in the form of settlers and soldiers. This involvement does not go unnoticed by those that move against the swordlords.
Thanks for reading and thanks to those whose ideas I have stolen from these boards.
In contrast to the loyal and helpful Kestren, my players have had the delightful acquaintance of a singular Mr. Teedum. This fellow is directly inspired by the Module Carnival of Tears which I will be running in my game. Mr. Teedum is through and through a bully. He masochistically pokes and prods and forces his way on anyone and everyone just because he can. He hails from a small settlement in the Rogarvian region of Southern Brevoy. Staunchly Brevoian, Mr. Teedum sees himself moving his boss into a dangerous but perhaps profitable part of the world. He has no love of the Swordlords, but doesn’t have any idea of their involvement in the Greenbelt.
Mr. Teedum’s boss is another class act. Speaking with a nasal voice if at all, Mr. Kreed is an unscrupulous business man. Skilled in the art of making people work for him, Mr. Kreed has developed a method of indenturing his workers by paying them in arrears but keeping the food coming and the beer flowing thereby keeping his workers in debt to the ‘company store’. He has so far indentured nearly 40 men in the service of his lumber consortium using this method. This includes several of the bandits that surrendered to the PCs. Mr. Kreed’s first goal here in Kingsford has been to establish his own company tavern and games room. Of course, each of his workers will be able to keep ample tabs open at this fine establishment.
This pair of unwelcome newcomers to the fledgling town of Kingsford (Oleg’s) has galvanized the PC’s relationship with Kestren. The PCs have made it a clear goal to keep the burgeoning power of the logging cartel in check. Fearing a possible organized crime organization taking shape the group has begun moving against the pair every chance they can. There have been many opportunities for the group to wage PR battles in the town commons to swing public opinion. The possibility of a significant influence in Kingsford beyond the swordlords his has even made Kestren accept the newly captured Akiros. The former bandit lieutenant will begin training with several of the surrendered bandits from the Stag Lord’s fort and will form a sort of independent militia.
So how do these personalities tie back into the broader political landscape that this campaign is tied to?
Mr. Kreed sees the Greenbelt as a legitimate investment. He hopes to make a killing in this lawless backwater. This dovetails nicely with a Rogarvian Noble house’s attempt to recover some of their lost sway in the capital New Stetven. The Harte family has been faltering of late. Gerrard Harte had 4 children, but his two beloved sons have both been taken from him. Leaving him with two daughters to marry. He has little to use as leverage for a better fate for them than he had himself and so Gerrard has pegged his hopes on Mr. Kreed’s venture to the south.
This particular venture can play in the favour of House Harte. There is money to be made in the lumber trade and having a direct line to the ancient woods of the Narmarches would provide Gerrard’s family a favourable position to attract better suitors for his family and more wealth to use in the struggle with local swordlords.
This one minor house’s interests in keeping their options open in a seemingly benign way is complicated by the fact that trade directed through the greenbelt and into Restov is very politically dangerous for all involved. Since the normal flow of goods through the Hooktongue has been staunched by boggards and a neglectful ruler at Fort Drelev, the Greenbelt seems a lesser evil to the merchants of Mivon eager to access the northern markets. Traders have been trickling through in past years, some even untouched by the Stag's men.
This mercantile interest in the greenbelt will lead to an increased political presence by the Rogarvian noble houses intent on curbing the influence of the Swordlords. Depending on how this tension is resolved by the PCs, this could play right into Vassari's hand and war could result, or a more diplomatic resolution could be possible.
Really, I hope that my PCs will come up with an ingenious solution that I haven't considered and make these factions come alive. We shall see.
