Stonehearth Subjects

The characters have grown up *in the system*. They might be Stonehearth blood, maybe they're part of the 120 or so core families that were part of the Stonehearth Merchant Company (SMC) from a century and a half ago, their family surviving the big city of Baldur's Gate. Maybe they're part of the 50,000 or so who have been in the marquisate for a few generations.

Whatever the case, they've bought in – and been rewarded for it. They've had access to schools and learning processes that would make modern Earth pale by comparison. They've been well fed, challenged at the right pace and now join the elite.

All Stonehearth will ask them to do is... *The Impossible*.

## Risk to Rewards Ratio

An interesting parable about being a faithful servant once said, "To whomever much is given, of him will much be required." It has been paraphrased a thousand times since then: "With great power comes great responsibility." This is the role of the Stonehearth subjects.

Character builds for those on the inside will have the highest stat builds, but they will be tasked missions that would easily kill a lesser adventurer. In character construction, these are the groups that will be facing *hordes* of trolls.

### Suggested Paths

Here is one suggested route for the life-path of a character who is "in the system." Note, this creates a build that's intended to focus on the operations and missions (quests) of the Stonehearth Arms. Imagine trying to clear the Troll Hills of the very trolls that have plagued those hills for so long. Imagine being part of the operation that takes down the famed lich Larloch, a legendary figure in the Forgotten Realms. Then turning right around to repeat the troll operations in the Trollclaw Hills, only to run into a demon invasion from the Dragonspear Castle followed by a Yuan-Ti invasion from Najara.

That is the path of the Stonehearth Mobile Infantry: a high-pressure campaign, with the expected critical tactical and task challenges maxed out. Counter-troll or anti-lich operations aren't a meat grinder *per se*, but it will definitely chew up characters who are not prepared.

* **A Soldier's Destiny****:** a campaign-long life in the Stonehearth Arms Fire Companies

The specialist and SA templates below are multi-class builds that focus on similar operations and related missions, but in particular environments. Players should assume their characters are still in the service of the House Arms, and the quests are intended to stabilize key areas of the Stonehearth Marquisate.

* **An Artisan of the Arcane****:** a member of the Stonehearth Arcane Corps (ArCorps)
* **Combat Specialist****:** A Marine, Ranger or Guard; designed for operations of lvl 6+
* **A** **Sergeant-at-Arms****:** the SA are the Stonehearth spymasters; this is *Special Operations*, lvl 10+

One possibility is active-duty characters being assigned to threats well outside of Stonehearth jurisdiction. The Marquisate, and the Commonwealth by extension, have proven they will not be deterred from their "Duty to Act" when there is suffering and injustice at stake, and especially if the threat could lead to larger risks down the road. An active-duty, well-supported contingent could easily be deployed to neutralize threats from the *Princes of the Apocalypse* or the *Tomb of Annihilation*.

## The Loss of Access

Once a character retires from active-duty service, they take their skills (and often their personal-issued equipment with them), but no longer have access to the training, conditioning and recovery resources available.

This means a Mobile Infantry soldier automatically changes fighter archetype, becoming a standard-template fighter in regards to future-level feats. Upper level Mobile Infantry special benefits are no longer available, but Stonehearth does not memory-wipe learned skills from departing soldiers.

Another option is mutliclassing upon retirement, becoming whatever new path they may select. For residents of North Point or the Marquisate, "Wandist (m3)" is a common selection.

### An Ex-Stonehearth Soldier...

Alternately, a character can take any of the above four paths for their build, then retire from Stonehearth service (usually with a level 6+ character). Beginning adventures could be completely independent, including adapting other pre-built campaigns that would effectively be low-level romps. The PotA or ToA campaigns mentioned above could be a great path for players who want a more gradual learning curve to familiarize themselves with the capacity of their new primal-influenced character. It really depends on the challenge expectations of the player if that would be a fun option or not.

Stonehearth service and retirement would also be appropriate for character-focused campaigns, such as self-discovery quests or partying up with friends to help them conquer their demons (*actual* demons), especially if those friends fall into the ally path. Perhaps the allies start a campaign to resolve issues around their home or story-origin area. Imagine a dwarven Stonehearth Mobile Infantry soldier, an immigrant from the Silver Marches, retires after two tours to return home after hearing of a family tragedy at the hands of rampaging drow.

### Temporary Duty or Granted Personal Sabbatical

An earned "Leave of Absence" or permanent change-of-station is also an option, *especially* if the character meets with Stonehearth Sergeants-at-Arms for a side-quest or two in that area. Stonehearth is, after all, a key member in the Lords' Alliance. This could also bridge a character who has been a Marine or Ranger, for instance, and is heading toward the Sergeants-at-Arms or ArCorps.

## Coming in from the Cold

By the time a character retires from the Arms to freelance or follow personal quests, they represent a significant investment from Stonehearth. The general hope is they'll retire and become "force multipliers" among the civilian population and be available for duty should the homeland be overrun.

There is an esprit de corps to every part of Stonehearth that few groups have in the Forgotten Realms. While soldiers have been given training, they've earned it by facing extraordinary danger on a regular basis. There are many former Stonehearth, there are very few ex-Stonehearth.

This cracks open a door of opportunity. After retirement, if a character hasn't compromised themselves or otherwise dishonored the Stonehearth banner, and if they are willing to accept an occasional special missions on behalf of Stonehearth, a slot in a training cycle could be arranged when they next make it back to the North Point area. This opens the door for retirees to continue earning levels from their branch service…

For higher-level challenges, a retired Stonehearth character could return as a trusted "independent contractor" to become an untraceable (or false-flagged) agent of House Stonehearth for risky missions that would otherwise be disavowed, but could earn characters House recognition that included eventual elevations to knighthood or beyond in border territories that Stonehearth wants to expand into.

#### A Covert Caveat

Note, even the "false-flag" operations would walk a careful line. Stonehearth isn't the type to goad enemies into attack; the Marquisate has plenty of enemies already and is trying to keep the peace where they can (or at least wait until the "time is right"). Starting a war under false pretenses would be an operation that skewed "evil" – and that runs profoundly counter to the Stonehearth ethic.

Rather, the missions would likely be a stabilization operation (neutral-to-good alignment), where Stonehearth didn't want to take credit because that would open up tensions on a new front (against the nearby Yuan-ti kingdom of Najara or the extensive Northern Drow, for instance).

### Stonehearth Civilians Answer the Challenge

Finally, there is a template for a Baldur's Gate native who has the much-sought-after training in Primal Magic and has lived in the Stonehearth sphere of influence. This archetype could be applied to the rest of the Marquisate and the more-connected parts of the Commonwealth as well (Lantan and Halruaa).

Closer to the traditional freelance characters that typically make up D&D adventuring parties, this offers the most flexibility in character motivations for any given campaign.

* **Rise to the Calling****:** a Primal-trained artisan takes up adventuring.

## Where to from here?

* I'm talking to my DM. **Let's roll a character**!
* What are the scenarios for an **ally**?
* What are the scenarios for an **adversary**?
* Actually, let me re-read that whole "**Crucible**" thing.