The Factions
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 Chief 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.