VtC00

## **Vetting the Candidates**

Characters on the Stonehearth **Ally Path** will have a more gradual introduction to the politics and power that is the Commonwealth and the Marquisate within it. This is an excellent path for players feeling out the ethic of Stonehearth, those who are emotionally invested in the canon of the Forgotten Realms, and especially those players who are sensitive to their character's alignment and appreciate playing to it.

This gives Stonehearth a chance to prove themselves as the players do the same. The Stonehearth ethic is Lawful Good in motivation, and Neutral Good in operations, roughly reflecting the realities of a chaotic world. Trust is built in reciprocity.

One of the hooks mentioned in the Ally Path Player-Character Notes page is as simple and straightforward as a recruitment poster. While no posters are necessary in Baldur's Gate or through the Marquisate (entry is *extremely* competitive), there are promotions in the Stonehearth baronies in Cormyr and Tethyr, as well as neutral-to-friendly areas elsewhere, like Elturgard.

People from outside the Marquisate sometimes have a small advantage simply because of their regional familiarity (and an understanding that they'll be assigned close to where they're originally from). These are all good ways to literally walk in the front door:

* ***Enlist in the Stonehearth Arms***
* ***Apply to the Stonehearth ArCorps***
* ***Join the Stonehearth Merchant Company***

There are also possibilities of getting a semi-insider route by joining a noble House of the Marquisate that also happens to have holdings where the character is from. This holds true for nobility and support from Lantan and Halruaa. These routes get a character close, and potentially primal, without throwing them directly in the fire.

For players ready to hit the ground running, this may be enough to get them rolling. If the Stonehearth legends are true, the Arms could chew through the evils that just chewed through the characters. Here are a few suggestions depending on what kind of character they'll be piloting on this Ally Path:

### **New Character?**

If a player is rolling a new character, figure out how close they want to be to the fire, then work with them to create a character that's geographically true to their desires.

* Allies are more likely to be on the border areas or lands distant from the Marquisate. This includes Stonehearth extended holdings: the manor in Waterdeep (and surrounding lands), or the baronies in Cormyr and Tethyr. They could be a Bedine descendant that fled the downfall of the Shadovar Netherese and now seek to fight the phaerimm in Aetheril.
	+ The Commonwealth Option: they could also be allies of Lantan or Halruaa (or hailing those surrounding areas).
* Those picking the Ally Path, but choosing to live in the Marquisate (or immediately travel to it), should include a background that would motivate them to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire of a land that has willfully chosen to live between troll kingdoms, in the backyard of Larloch, an ancient godlike lich...
* Fresh characters who at least grew up near – *and benefitted from* – Stonehearth will have elevated stats. In that case, check the character construction page: there are instructions for just such a circumstance. Will they still be overpowered? Yes, hopefully: we're here to get things done. They will also find themselves in difficult situations, caught in the crossfire as they thread the needle between threats that are out there – and the Stonehearth meteor that's about to come down right where they're standing.

A new character who is also lower level could cut their teeth on an introductory level mission like this:

* **SH-HLR:1489NP Missing Person R41** ["Pursuit of the Windwright"]

### **Imported Character?**

If the player is bringing in an old favorite, the introductory missions. assignments or quests should be well within the stock mechanics. Ease them into the high-speed, high-power Primal Magic house rules gradually – as anything less is likely to get that character killed and then nobody is having fun.

Also, from the Ally Path PC Notes page, there are three potential paths that players may consider for their imported character. They should work with you to pick the best option for their play style (and yours):

* **Local character, retconned history**. This is simply adjusting the known history of the character to account for the presence of the Stonehearth influence flowing out from the Sword Coast. Appropriate for characters based in the Forgotten Realms, those who have taken an interest to learn some of the old canon can browse the Hall of Records and learn a little of the new history of the Realms. Ask the DM/GM about the "Not Minimum Safe Distance" (NMSD) scenario...
* **Foreign character, new arrival**. Bringing somebody in from Greyhawk, Eberron or beyond makes it as easy with no retcon re-learning necessary. Whether they arrive by Spelljammer, portal or teleportation gone awry, they've arrived in a crazy new Old World. This is also a good fit for the "Not Minimum Safe Distance" (NMSD) scenario, though they can also do a version of the Reality Collapsing (RC) scenario...
* **Local character, linear history**. A Forgotten Realms-based character could appear in the Primal Reality after a more disorienting, Twilight Zone-style transition. In this case, either waking up in a strange new reality, where everything seems familiary but just a little off from what they remember. As time goes on, they may even remember the transition, blissfully blocked out by amnesia after surviving the terror that is the beginning of the Reality Collapsing (RC) scenario...

### **The keys to retcon:**

* House Stonehearth is the largest of the Baldur’s Gate patriars (nobility), including the city's "dukes."
* After chafing under the Gate politics, they branched out to re-based outside the walls. Their presence back in the gate is still large enough that they are considered the "shadow duke."
* They tried to play along for nearly a century with a semi-isolationist marquisate policy. After phaerimm were recently unleashed in the restored grasslands of Netheril (what was once the Anauroch), Stonehearth has broken their previous policy of not getting involved.
* Stonehearth are gatekeepers of magic and invention that others have fought wars over.

## **Tracking the Candidates**

Stonehearth is deadly serious about operations and results, including the effects of the operation's results. They will not hire somebody they don't believe can adequately perform to particular expectations. Likewise, the SA is just as likely to hunt down those who sabotage, betray or criminally interfere with an operation.

It shouldn't be a surprise that if Stonehearth hires a party, they track the results and keep a file. On the bright side, this means that PCs can accrue a record with Stonehearth that will eventually lead to rewards. This could be a special item, sponsorship to immigrate, trusted contractor status (which translates into pre-approval if they decide to enlist), and eventually larger rewards as they work their way up.

* **PC Progress Tracking System**

## **Suggested Ally Scenarios**

From the Ally Path PC Notes page, there are two suggested scenarios:

### **Not Minimum Safe Distance**

* **NMSD** is a first-contact quest for the PCs with a Stonehearth "representative." This takes place near where the PCs originally hail from and will address the recent rougher criminal elements that have moved in to the region.

### **Reality Collapsing**

* **Reality Collapsing** is a transitional quest, meant to facilitate the arrival of an imported character into this version of the Forgotten Realms. A variation on the Many Worlds parallel universe theory, the set-up alone rolls on the basis of collapsing quantum realities – *whole universes blinking out of existence*. The characters are essentially the debris of that collapse...

## **Potential Alternate Hooks**

If Stonehearth is at all involved in the beginning of the campaign, look to see how the agents of Stonehearth would interact with regional players in that given area. No matter where it is, House Stonehearth has done some intelligence work on the area. Check out their files in the **Stonehearth Ambitions****.**

### **Private Military Contractor**

* An adventurer outside the Arms who is willing to work at the edge, securing the "secondary objectives" that are still unholy lethal challenges. Technically, this also fits the NMSD Scenario, but could also include direct action against any evil foe. Likely targets would be trolls either to the north in the Troll Forest or east in the Trollclaw Hills.

### **Allied Arms**

* Perhaps in the Marquisate, perhaps an ally in the Commonwealth (Lantan or Halruaa), the adventurers are answering the call because there simply aren't enough of the Stonehearth Arms to get it all done.
* A recent immigrant to Stonehearth, originally hailing from Cormyr, Tethyr, Waterdeep or any of the hundreds of places in the Lords' Alliance that Stonehearth had touched. The character is looking to leverage what they know – and get into the system. Sure, they may be late to the game, but they're bringing invaluable local experience – and that's something they know Stonehearth rewards.

### **Right This Way, Sirs...**

* Here's an adaptable springboard for characters of any level, on either of the Stonehearth Ally pathways. There is some room for a Ref's custom pathway, as well.
* This sets up the arrival and a meeting with Stonehearth contacts, then eases into a potential business relationship (military retainer), with low-level equipment and a trial run to outskirts territory as a support function.
* **Welcome to North Point**