Additional Associations for Sasserine

[TheMouthofSauron]

Has anybody created any additional associations to flesh out Sasserine.
I am still working on the benefits and the Affiliation Score.

The real Hellfire Club, and the movies Plunkett and MacLean, and The Abduction Club, have inspired this association.

On observation the Hellfire Club is a group of debauched rabble rousing nobles and rich merchants. The club got its name from the way they roll through Sasserine like “Hells Fire” creating chaos and havoc whereever it goes.

Every Inn, Tavern, Brothel in Sasserine both love and hate the club. A Hellfire club revel can put an establishment out of business or make it the flavour of the month. When a revel is called, the masked members descend on the on the drinking establishments and bordellos drinking, fighting and fornicating the night through. Usually more than enough money changes hands to repair any damage several times over and the entertainment that the Club members provide in the way of art, poems, and oratory draw a large crowd.

Club members will often end up fighting duels, as they are notorious womanisers, and braggarts, who love to invite trouble. The club is suspected of being involved in several illegal duels to the death.

Their favourite forms of duelling are light crossbows with alchemical bolts at 20 paces or elaborate roof top sword swordfights.

A service that the club often provides is to “kidnap” wives for second sons, poorer members the nobility and non-noble merchant families.

The rules for the abduction are simple:

The petitioners woo the young ladies in public, if the suitor is rejected by the family the Club then abduct the young woman from their home in the night, so the would be suitor can persuade the fair maiden to marry them before daybreak (and the intervention of their disapproving parents). The abductions are usually done during dinner parties or gatherings so the maximum show can be made. A priest is on hand to officiate should the maiden accept the offer.

No lethal force can be used during an abduction doing so no mater the provocation. If somebody is seriously harmed the abduction is declared void. The offender is either handed over to the watch or disposed of in a most gruesome and public manor depending on the nature of the incident.

The young lady is not to be harmed or taken advantage if somebody breaks this rule they are punished as above.

If in the morning the young lady is not interested then she is returned unharmed and unsullied to her family and the petitioner can make no further attempts.

On the inside the Hell Fire club are zealous patriots. They swear an oath to maintain Sasserines independence and further her cause in the wider world. The club is opposed to anybody that they see as a threat to Sasserine, from the Sea Princes to the Scarlet Brotherhood.

Often the illegal duels are little more than assassinations, revels are often used to cover strikes against the Clubs enemies.

The Club will attack the supporters, allies, representatives, suppliers and clients of their enemies. They use arson and assassination as their primary weapons.

Several members of the Great Houses the leaders of the club.

The Oath.

By word and weapon
By divine wrath and hells fire
I swear by my soul to protect Sasserine
Her people, her holdings and her freedom!

Scale: 6
Members: 60
Type: Spy Ring
GP Limit 11,200
Requirements: The club members must be male, educated, of a noble or rich background, although actors, poets, artists, philosophers, and radicals are often invited to join.

[Curaigh]

I like it, though would co-ed it and make young men the targets of abduction as well.

I added (though I do not know it's name) the canal/sewer cleaners from PH II, just because the dwarven warmage wanted to be from the lowest of the low.

[evilash]

I've added a couple of the church affiliations from Complete Champion and the Restenford Guild of Insurers, Solicitors, and Beggars (now the Shadowshore GoISaB) from PHII.

[MrFish]

I'd go with making it co-ed too simply because of the way the inheritance laws in Sasserine seem to work.

I would also have some very clear and obvious reasons for liking it as well as disliking it. Given the nature of Sasserine politics it would be one way to circumvent difficulties in arranging marriages and such as you suggest. Thus there is a sort of roguish romanticism to it. There might be ballads sung by bards about requited love justified through it.

On the other hand more conservative circles might intensely dislike this practice--they might even suggest that the group are out and out criminals, rapists and kidnappers and if caught should be executed.

[psionichamster]

we added the Z Couriers, a chemical/material delivery system, information and item gathering guild, and teleporter's hall.

Run by Z, the changeling Rogue/Psion/Elocator in my game (and founded by the same)

Known for having tons of orphans running around with bright yellow Z patches on their bags, taking lots of speed-increasing drugs, and being everywhere you want to be.

Can post stats later, don't have them here with me at this time.

-the hamster

[Xablake]

psionichamster wrote:

we added the Z Couriers, a chemical/material delivery system, information and item gathering guild, and teleporter's hall.

Run by Z, the changeling Rogue/Psion/Elocator in my game (and founded by the same)

Known for having tons of orphans running around with bright yellow Z patches on their bags, taking lots of speed-increasing drugs, and being everywhere you want to be.

Can post stats later, don't have them here with me at this time.

-the hamster

MAGIC!!!

The ZCurriers: Courier Guild

Spoiler:

Drug runners, benevolent spies, and powerful psions, the ZCurriers Guild is a slippery group comprised mostly of young manifesters lead by Z (Changeling Rogue/Psion/Elocator) In your game Z should be a largely mythical being amongst guild members. She uses her disguise skills to hide amongst her own guild and perform currier services while keeping a low profile. Only a few high ranking members know Z actually exists and none know her whereabouts, she typically comes and goes as she pleases.

Z and the history of the Curriers
An orphan from the streets of Shadowshore, Z grew up taking hand outs from devotees of Pelor. In her late teens she adventured with a powerful Raidiant Servant who brought the light of Pelor to Z. The guild was an opportunity for her to do for the children of Shadowshore what Pelor has done for her...
She's still a drug addicted, sneaky, street kid, whose too intelligent for her own good and not wise enough to know the difference – hence The Zcurriers.

The typical currier is 13-25 years old small, fast, and frail due to excessive drug use and living on food made with Psionic Minor Creation, they are usually Rogues, Psions, and Lurks, though anyone with Teleportation abilities from any class are welcome and encouraged.

Prestige classes associated with the Zcurriers are Elocator (Expanded Psionics Handbook) and Wayfarer Guide (Complete Arcane).

Few non teleporters join the guild though divine characters devoted to Pelor and alchemical, poison, or magic crafters are treasured members.
Conversion recommendations:
Alter affiliation bonuses to fit your campaign as necessary.
In a non-psionics campaign make the Zcurriers an Arcane guild for Wayfarer Guides, and the curriers should be multiclass Rogues and Beguilers with wizard, Sorcerer and/or Cleric with access to Teleport or other spells with the teleportation subschool.

In a non-Eberron caimpaign Z should be a Human.

My STAP ZCurrier stats such as they are might need updating:
ZCurriers (spy ring)
Scale 6
Capital 9
Powers Plunder, research, trade
Violence +3/4 (0)
Espionage +1
Negotiation +3/4 (0)

Affiliation score modifiers
Character level +1/2 level
5+ ranks in poisonmaking/alchemy +1
Sucessfully Craft Amp Dust/Black Lotus Poison +5
Is psionic +1
Can teleport +4
Worships Pelor +2
Providing a brand new service to the Curriers exclusively '+1 to +5 at Dm's whim
Complete important service for the Guild. +1 Each service
Elocator or Wayfarer Guide +2 each
Child of shadow feat
or Skill Focus (Craft: Alchemy, Craft: Poison Making, Gather Info, Disguise, or Profession: Drug Dealer) +2 Each
Donates wealth +1/1000 gp
No sneak attack -1
Is evil -4
No ranks in gather information -2
Ever maintaining membership in Lotus Dragons -10

Benefits
3 or lower None
4-10 +2 to gather info in any area the Curriers has a
presence, ability to purchase (through the guild) a
Currier Watch*see Gear
11-20 Free place to stay at any guildhall and access to
crafting labs and workshops
21-29 Communications network – gather info in any area the
Curriers has a presence regardless of your location.
30+ Zcurrier Watch*see Gear and ability to Summon a Zcurrier (Lurk 6/Elocator 6)to your
location (1 per week) to provide 1 free Currier
service. *Note* a currier will NOT provide combat aid.

Services provided (cost as list price or DM discretion):
Poison Merchant
Drug Merchant
Limited Manifesting Services (Including Psionic Minor Creation)
Spies and Information
Transportation (Can call on a higher level Currier for Greater Teleport if required, this may involve a fee at the DM's Discretion)
Delivery and Shopping
Knowledge Planes
Knowledge Geography
Cartography
Party Hosts/Caterers (Psionic Minor Creation-ing tables, chairs, decorations, food, drink, drugs in large quantities quality and duration depend on Fee)

Gear

Currier Watch: Magic item worth 900 gp
an original creation by Psionichamster
Becomes purchasable for 900 gp at 4+ affiliation score.
Wrist watch with 2 faces keeping separate time, it functions as a stop watch, alarm clock, and Compass.

Zcurrier Watch: Magic and Universal item worth 7200 gp
a bastardized original creation by Psionichamster
Is given to a guildmember of affiliation score 30+
Wrist watch with 2 faces keeping separate time, it functions as a stop watch, alarm clock, and Compass.
1/day can create a holographic map of the currier's location (as the spell Lay of the Land) visible to anyone with line of sight. This map can only be created 1/day but can be dissmissed and recalled
indefinitly until a new map is created.
Under the watch faces is a small rectangular mirror, displaying like a ticker, communications from other watches. This functions as Mindlink, all Zcurrier watches can “text message” with other Zcurrier
watches with a mental action anywhere on the same plane.
The Zcurrier Watch is the method by which a PC would summon a guildmember.

Amp Dust
an original creation by Psionichamster

Inhaled
Save DC 18 1gp/5 Doses – 2 Sp/Dose
Craft DC 30 High Addiction DC 14

Initial effect: +5 Alchemical Bonus to Land speed 1D6 + 4 hours, +1 Alchemical Bonus to reflex
Secondary effect: -1 Ranged Attacks, -2 Will save vs. Fear
Side Effects: Paranoia, -1 will saves
Overdose: Taking 3 doses while under the affect of the drug Fort DC 20 or 4D6 damage, 2D4 Dex Damage, 1D4 Wis damage

Think coke, speed, and meth all in one happy package. You may want to consider playing with Sanity Rules (Call of Cthulhu) if you have a character that wants to play with Amp Dust.

Please let me know if anyone actually plays a Zcurrier, it make me sooooo happy time! XD
Enjoy!

[Carl Cramér]

I have a few new affiliations in my game.

The Club
Based in Cudgel district, this is an affiliation for serious workers and St Cuthbert worshipers.

The Familiar Club
The informal but world-spanning association of bored familiars with a need to fill their time.

The Spire of Sasserine
Formerly the most important affiliation of Sasserine, the Spire is the lay organization of the church of We Jas.

The Sun Lodge
Based in Sunrise district, this is an affiliation for Pelor worshippers and friendly druids.

More on my affiliations.

[TheMouthofSauron]

Thanks
Scott & Le: I made the Hellfire Club male only as I am also using the Burning Gauntlet Sisterhood (Dragon 352 Page 98) who often clash with the Hell Fire Club. The Sisterhood see the club as misogynist brutes that are almost as bad as slavers.

Two of my characters are members of the HC and one is in the BGS. The HC members know that Neri is in the BGS and have to be careful not to be discovered.

Mr Fish: Outmoded, outdated, romanticists, I wanted Byron, Keats, and Shelly (Poets, writers, political activists) - people who are mad bad and dangerous to know. Yes the conservatives hate the club and want the Watch to crackdown on it. All of this makes for some interesting plot hooks especially when a HC member wants to abduct Lavinia so he can propose.