The Factions: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 12:37, 16 November 2024

Most player characters in the Renewal campaign belong to in-character communities called factions. A faction represents a country – or an alliance or commonwealth of countries – in the world of the game, which sends a body of soldiers, magicians, crafters, adventurers, traders, diplomats and leaders (usually called a warband) to represent them among the gathered forces (called the warhost) at each event. Much of the game revolves around the interactions between the factions and outside events, adversaries and non-player characters (NPCs) – and among the factions themselves.

Every faction has its own distinct personality, to which members are expected (to a lesser or greater degree) to conform. This may include the look and feel of the people, the values and morals they cling to, the skills and trades they prize, the religion they practise and the laws they obey. Most are (loosely!) inspired by real-world historical cultures (Arthurian British, bronze-age Celtic, iron-age Viking, renaissance French and Italian, etc.); most weave together elements of myth and legend, fantasy fiction and games and popular culture; but all of them are their own unique creations, shaped by years of play and by the efforts and imaginations of the players and staff that make them up.

Cultures and Groups

Within each faction are a number of cultures, communities within the larger population: the ten kingdoms of Albion, the four nations of the Fir Cruthen, the noble houses of the Algaia, etc. Most players within a faction will be members of one culture or another, and most factions encourage a little healthy rivalry between cultures to keep life interesting in camp. Some cultures have distinctive appearances – many of the people of this forest might be pointy-eared, while most of the folk of that mountain are grey-skinned with tusks – although individuals may vary considerably.

Within each culture may be one or more groups, tight-knit bands of players who work, create and fight as a unit. Your group is your family and your main source of support in the game, and are usually your real-life friends or family.

Faction Organisation

Every faction is organised in character according to its own values, from the feudal duties of knights and kings, to loose tribal societies that venerate their elders, to the rule of broadly meritocratic orders, to elaborate bureaucracies run by their civil servants. Within these systems, players can jockey for influence, choose the laws and rules and broker power.

However, every faction is also an out-of-character body, maintaining a social media space for its members, running off-season events, and operating within the behind-the-scenes systems of the Renewal campaign to deliver the game to its members, with the support of Curious Pastimes. Each faction has a command team in place, consisting of staff members playing non-player characters in the faction. For simplicty’s sake, command team members are usually in-character rulers of their factions – but not always.

Noble Rank The internal hierarchy of each faction is reflected by noble rank, which is both an in-character honour bestowed by the faction and a mechanical trait. A noble rank carries a specific title, such as Earl, Captain, Don or High Wizard. Noble rank also grants the bearer some benefit, such as an income in coin or a supply of a resource.

The Factions

These are the current factions in the game.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+Most player characters in the '''''Renewal''''' campaign belong to in-character communities called '''factions'''. A faction represents a country – or an alliance or commonwealth of countries – in the [[The Land|world]] of the game, which sends a body of soldiers, magicians, crafters, adventurers, traders, diplomats and leaders (usually called a '''warband''') to represent them among the gathered forces (called the '''warhost''') at each event. Much of the game revolves around the interactions between the factions and outside events, adversaries and '''non-player characters''' ('''NPCs''') – and among the factions themselves.
-==In-Game Structure==
+Every faction has its own distinct personality, to which members are expected (to a lesser or greater degree) to conform. This may include the look and feel of the people, the values and morals they cling to, the skills and trades they prize, the religion they practise and the laws they obey. Most are (loosely!) inspired by real-world historical cultures (Arthurian British, bronze-age Celtic, iron-age Viking, renaissance French and Italian, etc.); most weave together elements of myth and legend, fantasy fiction and games and popular culture; but all of them are their own unique creations, shaped by years of play and by the efforts and imaginations of the players and staff that make them up.
-The Curious Pastimes game system is organised around the concept that the majority of characters are members of factions and groups. Much of the game revolves around the relationships between factions and outside events, adversaries or Non Player Characters (NPCs) and interactions between the factions themselves. Within each faction there are usually a number of smaller groups. Player characters (PCs) are encouraged to join/form groups because they provide support and identity within the campaign world. Factions and groups are managed in character (IC) and so choose their own IC laws and rules, factions are also organised out of character (OOC) and many operate events and activities outside of the main Curious Pastimes event season. Each faction has a Command Team in place, these are all Curious Pastimes staff members with appropriate NPCs.
+====Cultures and Groups====
-The structure in each faction is formalised within the game world by differing levels of rank which are an expression of a PC’s social standing. This rank takes many forms from the strict hierarchies of knights to the tribal respect for elders amongst nomadic peoples. Each faction organises their rank structure individually both in terms of how it is divided and allocated and the particular roles that confer rank within that faction. As PCs serve a faction over a period of time their rank may increase, and with it their standing among their peers. Rank within a faction also affords a PC an increased income, represented by the IC money received when they attend an event.
+Within each faction are a number of '''cultures''', communities within the larger population: the ten kingdoms of [[Lions|Albion]], the four nations of the [[Fir Cruthen]], the noble houses of the [[Algaia]], etc. Most players within a faction will be members of one culture or another, and most factions encourage a little healthy rivalry between cultures to keep life interesting in camp. Some cultures have distinctive [[Making Your Character#Appearance|appearances]] – many of the people of ''this'' forest might be pointy-eared, while most of the folk of ''that'' mountain are grey-skinned with tusks – although individuals may vary considerably.
-==The Factions==
+Within each culture may be one or more '''groups''', tight-knit bands of players who work, create and fight as a unit. Your group is your family and your main source of support in the game, and are usually your real-life friends or family.
-Factions are essentially geographical in origin and so draw the majority of their members from a specific area of the known world. Each faction has its own distinct ‘personality’, to which each member is expected (to a greater or lesser degree) to conform. Some factions draw their identity from myth, legend or popular culture, whilst others have unique backgrounds. The personality of a faction is not only dependent on its history, but also on its future goals. The development of a faction is somewhat dependent upon the aims of its command team; these aims may include the development of strategic, military or commercial alliances with other factions; the acquisition and mastery of magical knowledge and power or more esoteric, religious or altruistic ends. The power of a faction is rooted in its membership; faction leaders are likely to represent the feelings and opinions of their people and to bear their wishes in mind when making decisions.
+====Faction Organisation====
-Loyalty to a faction is an important component of membership and most command teams will deal with those showing signs of disloyalty in the most abrupt manner. On the other hand, loyal service to a faction may reap its rewards for even the most junior member.
+Every faction is organised '''in character''' according to its own values, from the feudal duties of knights and kings, to loose tribal societies that venerate their elders, to the rule of broadly meritocratic orders, to elaborate bureaucracies run by their civil servants. Within these systems, players can jockey for influence, choose the laws and rules and broker power.
-Characters that choose not to join an existing faction are collectively known as mercenaries. While a number of true mercenary groups do exist there are also some groups who feel their individual concepts do not fit within a faction so choose to exist independently and so are placed within the mercenaries ideologically and physically to camp at events. The mercenaries as a collective are not a faction and therefore do not gain any of the benefits of faction status (rank structure, a faction warchest, faction weapons). However, mercenaries do have a degree of freedom that the more rigid command structure of a faction does not always allow.
+However, every faction is also an '''out-of-character''' body, maintaining a social media space for its members, running off-season events, and operating within the behind-the-scenes systems of the '''''Renewal''''' campaign to deliver the game to its members, with the support of Curious Pastimes. Each faction has a '''command team''' in place, consisting of staff members playing non-player characters in the faction. For simplicty’s sake, command team members are usually in-character rulers of their factions – but not always.
+{| class="wikitable" id="Noble Rank" style="background-color: #ECE2FF"
+|-
+| '''Noble Rank'''
+The internal hierarchy of each faction is reflected by '''noble rank''', which is both an in-character honour bestowed by the faction and a mechanical trait. A noble rank carries a specific title, such as Earl, Captain, Don or High Wizard. Noble rank also grants the bearer some benefit, such as an [[Income|income]] in coin or a supply of a [[Resources|resource]].
+|}
+==The Factions==
+These are the current factions in the game.
-The following factions are currently recognised at Curious Pastimes:
 * [[Algaia]]