Another post of the Nephilim Song 4.0 design series.

After, before or maybe simultaneously to choosing goals the PCs should choose a faction.

A faction represents a group, any faction can be broken down into sub-factions in a fractal infinite regression until the great empire is broken down into tiny factions a dozen people in size who’s main concern is trying to get better work assignments from the local employer.

Each faction, no matter its size, needs a goal. The goal is what differentiates a faction from people who happen to be at the same place at the same time. This goal is what bind the members together and allows them act as one. This goal doesn’t have to be particularly lofty or idealistic, but is usually concerned with one scale higher than the faction itself.

The Mercenary’s Faction in the Warrior’s Guild is concerned with attempted to control the course and decisions of the Warriors Guild. Specifically they want the guild’s teachings to more centered on mercenaries, their business and specific training. The Soldiers Faction seek to eject the Mercenaries and train the adepts to join the established tribe and state armies.

A faction that accomplishes its goal must find a new goal or it will start to splinter and fracture. A member of a faction can attempt to change the goal of a faction even if a goal is incomplete. At no point can the goal of a faction radically change. A faction’s goals must be changed by small incremental changes.

Before we can address how to change the goal of a faction we need to mechanically define them. Factions are defined by five qualities: Force, Influence, Wealth, Infrastructure and Loyalty. These qualities range in value from 0 to 6.

Force - Force represents a faction’s ability to mount military operations. A faction with no appreciable force, such as a group of bureaucrats or pacifist monks, have a Force of 0. Mazur, the Gezz and other major standing armies with experienced soldiers and solid commanders and command structure have a Force of 6 and are capable of waging a war on two fronts.

Influence - Influence is a faction’s ability to gather and plant information. A faction of plantation ditch diggers would have a 0 influence, they are too isolated to hear much or to be able to affect the thinking of others. The Information Guild on the other hand is seems to know everything and what’s more if they want something wandering its way through the rumor mill it is on everyone’s lips within the day. The Information Guild has an influence of 6.

Wealth - This is the faction’s liquid assets. Factions with a wealth of 0 are in a pitiful state. They have no financial interests or reserves. Any tools are worn down and its members are often mistaken for beggars. A faction with wealth 6 has reserves beyond counting and vast financial interests. Supplies are plentiful, tools are new and members strut around in royal opulence.

Infrastructure - This represents the faction’s logistical and support capacity. A faction’s ability to get information, troops and supplies where they need to be is dependent on its infrastructure. A faction with infrastructure of 0 has no way to facilitate coordination and movement. Everything is done by getting everyone together and having a big meeting, individual members or responsible for finding their own way to where they are needed. On the other hand a faction with Infrastructure 6 has vast networks of agents, fleets of troop transports and a quartermaster corp that are at the front lines with the troops. Information, troops and supply move in a complicated dance that ensure they are always where they are needed when they are needed.

Loyalty - This is the lifeblood of the factions, if loyalty ever drops to 0, the faction has shattered. It also represents how dedicated the members of the faction. A faction with a loyalty of 1 distrusts the leadership and is just this side of open rebellion. They can be counted on to do what’s is in the best interest of the individual members but not much else. A faction with a loyalty of 6 believes the leadership over their own eyes and ears. They would literally sacrifice their very lives in support of the faction.

This is where I dropped off last night…

Since then I’ve written an almost complete testing harness for factional conflict.  I’ll probably have a workable pdf of it by this weekend.