Factions

## **Factions in the Forgotten Realms**

In the Forgotten Realms, five factions have risen to prominence. These factions seek to further their own aims while opposing destructive forces that threaten the folk of Faerûn. Each faction has its own motivations, goals, and philosophy. Some are more heroic than others, but all band together in times of trouble to thwart major threats.

Factions are an important part of the D&D experience, but characters don’t have to become a member of a faction right away, or at all. Belonging to a faction sometimes means having responsibilities, but it also carries with it support and rewards for service. Characters can belong to multiple factions at once, but must deal with the consequences if such factions conflict.

## **Faction Advancement and Benefits**

As a character allied with one of the factions goes on adventures, he or she earns renown for accomplishing tasks that align with the faction’s goals. This is expressed in the awarding of **renown points** at the end of a quest or adventure.

Each faction can award different renown points to adventurers. As characters earn renown, they progress in the ranks of their factions, granting them greater authority and additional benefits.

### **Faction Benefits**

The following benefits apply to all factions. Refer to each faction for specific rewards. All rewards are subject to the approval of the Dungeon Master and are sometimes unavailable.

#### **RANK 1: Initiate (0 Renown)**

This is the rank a character receives when first joining a faction. It is available any time the character wishes to join. For the five major factions, it is also available on character creation.

**Participate in Faction Activities**. You can participate in any activities that are considered specific to your faction.

**Earn Renown**. You can earn renown points in your faction and advance in rank.

**Receive Your Faction’s Insignia**. All new faction members receive an insignia of their faction, fashioned into a wearable or held item. Refer to each faction for a description of its insignia.

#### **RANK 2: Agent (3 Renown)**

Agents have shown that they are aligned with the faction's goals, and can take on more responsibility.

**Sanctioned Missions.** During certain adventures, you may be given the opportunity to undergo a sanctioned mission on behalf of your faction. Some of these missions are considered secret and must be completed with discretion. Completion of these missions might earn you additional benefits or enable you to advance to higher ranks within your faction.

**Apprenticeship to an Adventurer Mentor.** Your character can serve as an apprentice to a higher-ranking adventurer from within your faction. The adventurer serving as mentor must be another player and not a character controlled by the Dungeon Master.

**Faction Training.** Your character can take advantage of accelerated training programs for tool kits most often used by your faction. This training comes at a lesser cost than usual tool training, taking half as long (125 downtime days), but you must pay an additional 125 gp as a training expense for each proficiency. Refer to each faction for details on which tool kits are available for training.

#### **RANK 3: Stalwart (10 Renown)**

You must be at least 5th level and have completed at least 1 sanctioned mission to advance to Rank 3.

Stalwarts are reliable faction members, entrusted with many secrets, and deserving of additional support during adventures.

**Faction Downtime Activity.** You gain access to a faction-specific downtime activity that gives you additional benefits when you use it. If you wish to know if your faction has any specific downtime activities for the current campaign, ask your Dungeon Master.

**Item Procurement.** With an expenditure of resources, you can acquire a magic item from your faction. To procure the item, you must go on minor adventures for your faction (represented by downtime days), perform bribes, charitable acts, and provide provisions (represented by the expenditure of gold) in service of your faction. A character may attempt to purchase any number of items so long as they pay the associated downtime day and gold costs for each item. Refer to each faction for a list of procurable items.

 Rare

#### **RANK 4: Mentor (25 Renown)**

You must be at least 11th level and have completed at least 3 sanctioned missions to advance to Rank 4.

Mentors are trusted voices within their given faction. They are looked upon as champions of the faction’s beliefs, and as mentors by those of lower rank.

**Become a Mentor.** You can designate Agents or Stalwarts as your charge. The adventurer serving as apprentice can be another player, or you can attempt to requisition a faction-specific NPC. Refer to each each for details on NPC followers that can be requisitioned.

#### **RANK 5: Exemplar (50 Renown)**

You must be at least 17th level and have completed at least 10 sanctioned missions to advance to Rank 5.

Exemplars are deeply ensconced within the leadership of their faction and have a great degree of influence, guiding faction decisions.

**Become a Faction Exemplar.** When you play this character along with other members of your faction, you can choose one lower ranked member of your faction (Agent, at a minimum) to begin the game session with Inspiration. This must be used by the end of the game session, or it is lost.

## **Major Factions**

The following five factions have a profound effect on the political workings of Faerun.

### **The Lords' Alliance**

The Lords' Alliance is a political and economic coalition of cities spread throughout the North and the Sword Coast. The alliance owes its success to effective cooperation and diplomacy between its members, who work to align their separate settlements toward a mutual purpose. This cooperation is easier during times of crisis, making the Lords' Alliance a powerful force when threats require a united front.

### **The Harpers**

Members of this clandestine network of spellcasters and spies pride themselves on being incorruptible defenders of the greater good and champions of the oppressed. The organization is benevolent, knowledgeable, and secretive.

### **The Order of the Gauntlet**

The Order of the Gauntlet is a dedicated, tightly knit group of holy-minded crusaders driven by a finely honed sense of duty and honor. They seek to uphold justice as best they can, and to continually test their mettle against the forces of evil.

### **The Emerald Enclave**

The reach of the Emerald Enclave stretches far and wide across Faerun. Living deep in the wilderness demands great fortitude and the mastery of certain fighting and survival skills. The enclave is charged with defending sacred groves, protecting endangered beasts that cannot fend for themselves, and preserving the natural balance.

### **The Zhentarim**

Members of the shadowy Black Network consider themselves part of an extended family, and rely on the larger organization for resources and security. Zhentarim bonds of oath and honor hold the network together and galvanize its members in united purpose. When a merchant caravan needs an escort, a noble needs bodyguards, or a city needs trained soldiers, the Zhentarim provides the best-trained fighting forces money can buy.

## **Minor Factions**

The following factions have been introduced in a specific campaign or adventure saga.

### **Descent Into Avernus**

* Flaming Fist
* Hellriders

### **Elemental Evil**

* Elves of the High Forest
* Order of Samular

### **Waterdeep**

* Xanathar Thieves' Guild
* Bregan D'aerthe

### **Spelljammer**

* Star Elf Rebellion
* The Consortium (Arcane)
* Nevermind Cartel

## **Player Organizations**

The following organizations have been established by player characters who have amassed enough experience and fame to gather followers. These organizations are similar to factions in that they attract like-minded members, however they do not have ranks, renown, and rewards as factions do (although they may offer their own rewards in a different manner).

* Knights of Aion (a knightly order founded by Emerick Faramond of Faramond Company)
* Order of the Silver Dragon (a knightly order re-established in Barovia by Drakos Warbinder)

* Wavesilver Company (a merchant company founded by Cirdan Wavesilver and colleagues)