Dungeon Faction Relationships

A really good dungeon, at least the larger ones, needs factions.  Folks have been posting about this for quite some time and I tend to agree with them. Factions set up play opportunities that are far more interesting than a simple dungeon crawl hacking everything in sight.  The interaction of dungeon factions leads to conflict that the players can get engaged in, exploit, ally with, cause trouble, or just plain fuck up when they cause enough problems that the factions throw aside their personal hatred and team up to kick the shit out the party.

This post is about the relationship among factions.  Creating factions is another subject entirely that I'm not going to get into - that tends to be quite specific to the GM and their game (style or mechanics). This table assumes for the most part that the relationships are not particularly pleasant and with a little push erupt into conflict and violence.

To start, make a matrix and roll 2d6 for each faction pair on the top half of the matrix.  Don't worry about the modifiers just yet - they come into play in the second set of rolling.  For this example, I've got 3 factions - The Almera, Betoin, and Capro - these don't mean anything yet - I want to get some relationships set up before deciding more details, so I'll roll up how:

1. The Almera feels about the Betoin
2. The Almera feels about the Capro
3. The Betoin feels about the Capro

The Relationship Table

2d6	Relationship	Modifier
0 - 3	Allied	-2
4 - 5	Tenuous	-1
6 - 7	Wary	+0
8 - 9	Hostile	+0
10 - 11	Warring	+1
12 - 14	Hatred	+2

The results so far:

	Almera	Betoin	Capro
Almera	---	hostile	warring
Betoin		---	tenuous
Capro			---

Honestly you could leave it like that, but a second round of rolling adds some complexity. Now roll for the relationship the Other Way. Roll 2d6 and add the modifier based on the initial relationship. For this example that means:

1. The Betoin feels about the Almera, modified by how the Almera feels about the Betoin
2. The Capro feels about the Almera, modified by how the Almera feels about the Capro
3. The Capro feels about the Betoin , modified by how the Betoin feels about the Capro

Letting the dice fall where they may we end up the the following relationship matrix:

	Almera	Betoin	Capro
Almera	---	hostile	warring
Betoin	allied	---	tenuous
Capro	hatre	tenuous	---

So lets put some results together:

The Betoin-Capro Relationship
These factions have a tenuous peace ... for now.

The Almera-Capro Relationship
These two factions are completely hostile to each other and engaged in all out conflict.  This likely stems from the fact that Capro have a long standing hatred of the Almera because of an act nearly forgotten known as "The Reaping".  This is setting up the Almera as the assholes of the dungeon.

The Almera-Betoin Relationship
For whatever reason, the Betoin believe they are allied with the Almera faction, but in secret the Almera faction is increbily hostile toward the Betoin.  This could be because of their peace with the Capro or, more like as I'm painting tham as the assholes of the dungeon, they are faking their alliance with the Betoin faction until such time that they are weakened, in which case the Betoin are going to get royally screwed over.

With 6 rolls and some thinking, we've got a nice bit of complexity that the players can walk into.  We can spice things up by adding some details with another random chart or two. Roll for things as you see fit.  I used a bunch of ideas from this blog post for inspiration and direct looting.

Faction Internal Relationship Details (d8)

1. Are all in agreement under the leader
2. Fear their leader
3. A sub-faction wants to take over
4. Many are unwillingly controlled by magic
5. Are just trying to survive
6. Just want to get out of here (to leave, to get to another area of the dungeon, etc.)
7. Mutiny is at hand ... one little thing will set it off
8. Are all of one mind under their prophet / god / ancient doctrine / programming

Neutral Ideas (d8)

1. These folks know about a secret passage through the other's zone
2. Really want a relic of some sort owned by the others
3. These factions shares a resource (food, mining, magic, etc.)
4. One faction knows a secret about the other ... a dangerous secret
5. These two factions compete for the favor of a third faction / god / outside force
6. One faction was the cause of the other being here
7. One faction is actually frightened of the other, but would never admit it
8. The two factions are recently in a non-conflict situation thanks to ?

Decidedly Non-Friendly Situations (d8)

1. One faction captured the other's leader or important member
2. These folks prey upon (for sacrifices, sport, or to eat) the other faction
3. One faction stole the other factions magic and (un)holy whatnot
4. Straight up competing for resources, like food or access
5. One faction is currently or was previously the slaves of the other
6. Some sort of misunderstanding
7. A prophecy or message from their god said kill those other bastards
8. One group controls access to a hidden area the other doesn't even know about

Magic and Moves Monday, Round 2: Grod's Mask

Grod was an adventurer that spent quite a bit of time near the Kingdom of Lydos, and as such had several trinkets and treasures that he brought back.  One, however, stood out and has been repeatedly stolen and fought over for bloody ages.

Grod's Mask is a porcelain mask of a cat's face.  It is simple white with a bit of age and a few small cracks; it ties on with a black ribbon. If worn during the day, nothing happens.

When you put on Grod's Mask at night, roll+DEX.

Roll + Int	Result
10+	Choose3
7 - 9	Chose 1 or Choose 2 and the GM adds a complication
6-	The GM will be taking over your character as an NPC for a bit ...

The List of Choices

• Gain night vision
• Gain the ability to move silently
• Always land on your feet
• Gain +1 forward for any DEX rolls related to cat-like reflexes to avoid things
• Run very quickly for a moment, but only for an initial strike on prey

When dawn arrives or the mask is removed, the mask grants no more abilities until the next night falls. If the GM takes control of the character, they go on either a killing spree of some sort (cat and mouse games for pleasure) or simply make themselves inconvenient or inaccessible (sleep on another character's gear or napping high in a tree) - the choice will be based on the GM's interpretation of character's personality.

Monster Friday, Round 5

On this week's installment: an NPC the party will most likely be at odds with, a look into the terrible world of the the four Faerie Courts, and a strange race of humanoids.

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Logan Kelplitan	Tags: Fey
Type: Cadaverous Cleaver	Organization: Unique (Small)
Description: Aggressive, Hateful	Instinct: to adventure or die trying
HP: 14 Armor: 2	Attack: Enchanted Cleaver ( d10 )  close, Hold at bay
Moves:   Grant a favor at a terrible price   Turn into an intangible form	Known For:   Being a dick

This small faerie has skin like the gnarled bark of an ancient oak.  Logan is looking for adventure and excitement and the lack of it, plus what he has uncovered about the nature of Eradu, has filled him with a seething rage. As fey Logan can and will grant favors to those who encounter and ask, but he usually finds such things to be petty and will twist them to get some adventure and excitement for himself out of the deal.  Logan is an asshole.  If attacked, Logan defends himself with a nasty cleaver.

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Cledricap	Tags: Fey
Type: Hooded Ingenue	Organization: Small Group (Medium)
Description: Wads of tissue, Furious	Instinct: to roll in dirt
HP: 4 Armor: 0	Attack: Flames ( d8 )  close
Moves:   throw something   melt away deception   Channel promythean energy	Known For:   Being adorable and disgusting at the same time

Clerdricap are a creature of the fey that resemble kittens made of wads of used silk.  They are energetic and furiously roll about on the ground and rub against those that approach.  But they are not pets.  The Queens have bred cledricap for centuries because of a strange property - if eaten alive (which causes much screaming from the cute creatures) they will cause the devourer to be unable to deceive in any way.  The cledricap, while found in the wild, are most often forced into the mouths of those foolish enough to visit one of the Four Courts.  If enraged enough, the cledricap can cause the power of earth and stone as a promythean mage to burn enemies, but only if they are on the ground.  Once lifted up they are harmless.

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Hunters of Clan Bew	Tags: Humanoid, Organized
Type: Verminated Ichthyte	Organization: Solitary (Medium)
Description: exposed muscle, Talkative	Instinct: to undermine the established order
HP: 12 Armor: 1	Attack: Bow ( d10 )  close, Hold at bay
Moves:   Rally troops with a harsh cry   Devour a soul to become more powerful   bring forth light	Known For:   Half damage from edged weapons

Their lack of skin would seem to be a detriment, but the Hunters can flex each individual muscle fiber, allowing them the ability to run through the Thorn Forest easily and avoid damage from edges weapons.  While the home of Clan Bew is not known, the Hunters are - and they seek to devour the souls of their prey, which are intelligent folk and especially adventurers.  Not necessarily aggressive or even hostile, Hunters can be spoken to - they are said to hunt a single prey they is given to them in a dream from Featherless God Helbrart.  The Hunters are expert marksmen and have the ability to breath under water for a few hours be eating (?) the strange plump lice that crawl constantly over their bodies.

The Places You'll Go: Feldron Wastes (Part 1-3)

Two more Areas for the Fledron Wastes Region.  Before continuing, I know that the Tags are an important shorthand in Dungeon World, but they are really bumming me out.  I'm going to drop them from locations and start using them without regard to rules for the Areas - I'll let descriptions and overviews take care of business.  I switched some things around from the original rolls because they are guidelines, not laws. 

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Area: Skull Fields
Overview:This area was once rich farmland with numerous farms and small communities dotting the landscape.  Now it is ruined and littered with bones of men, cattle, and things from Other Worlds. Ghouls  roam this area scraping by feeding on old bones and the rare bit of flesh they can catch - these are the Hollow Farmers.  As individuals they cannot be parleyed with, but oddly as a collective group they can be communicated with.

When you have leverage on a Group of Hollow Farmers and manipulate them, roll+Cha:

• On a 12+, you can get them to generally do something you want, but they are barely intelligent undead scavengers, so don't over-complicate things.
• On a 10+, you receive the Hollow Mark and the Hollow Farmers will ignore you and your companions while in the Skull Fields
• On a 7–9, they are riled up and not convinced of whatever you are saying - put up or shut up and it better be good
• On a 6-, Mark XP and get ready to deal with an angry mob that may revert to their ghoulish nature in a heartbeat

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Location - Deserted Farm        Overview: In the midst of the destruction is one farm that is weather-worn but standing.  Short rugged grasses grow behind a wire fence.  A lone bull auroch grazes here on the top of a hill, watching over everything.  In addition, numerous goats graze and prance about.  The Hollow Farmers, if there are any nearby, simply do not seem to see this place at all.  Why is that?

Location - Oddity: Aestherial Tear Overview: There is an ugly tear in the fabric of reality here.  A gaping wound in reality that a man riding an auroch could easily pass though.  Tendrils of energy seep out and there may be something peering through the gap.  The bones of some otherworldly thing reach through the portal, long dead, but keeping the tear from closing.  This area is terrible dangerous as ANYTHING could be lurking nearby.  Of course, it is also a portal to the Aestrerial, those brave enough to venture forth may be able to get anywhere in the Cosmos...

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Area: Ruins of Pel
Overview: Pel was an industrial powerhouse run by early alien technology blended with the deepest arcane sorcery.  Now it is an endless pile of rubble haunted by disturbed spirits and restless dead, prowled by trolls, and home to a band of savages said to be the degenerate descendants of the Calixico Culrpashun.  The Ruins are perilous at best and downright deadly if being tracked.  However, it is said there is some mighty fine ancient loot to be found that in the hands of the right adventurer could bring power and riches.  Of course there is.  It probably isn't that bad, right?

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Location - Crypt of Doom Overview: Pel was a theocratic city and as such the Minitsty of True Morality was at the center.  The building still stands - having been obviously repaired and maintained by crude methods of the years.  Under the Ministry was the Crypt of Revered Souls, now known to the local savages as the Crypt of Doom.  Something lives down there.  Something terrible.  No good will come of poking your nose into a place where none have gone and returned.

Magic and Moves Monday, Round 1 - Heart of Scions

Since I've got a adventure locations and monsters showing up regularly, I thought I'd thrown down some custom moves and magic items and the like as well.  So, without more ado, Magic and Move Monday, Part 1.  Also, Happy 4th of July.

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The Heart of Scions
The cults of Scions are varied, but they all believe in the god Scions who has creating things that will always be beyond understanding.  Scions has littered Eradu with knowledge and artifacts that if those who are clever and can recite the True Cant of Knowledge, his blessed Tetrahedral will descend from the Cosine Sky to provide Dihoximate Propeline Wishes to his most faithful servants.

There are a few examples that are known as the Heart of Scions.  Their whole forms are never seen, for they are emerge from the earth to reveal only their Cone of Praise - a perfect Parabolala in Tres Dimensiones y de Titanio.  There is magical portal in the side that shows a number that counts down slowly toward 0, a day at which will Calibrate the Burst Rate of Krystial Lite Reformation and usher in a new era.  As each micromoment ticks away, there is a low thrum from the Heart, which becomes louder and more powerful as the Count approaches Judgement.

When a character mucks about with the control mechanisms of the Heart of Scions, Roll + INT:

Roll + Int	Result
10+	Choose 1, but choose wisely
7 - 9	This is taking longer than expected: roll again but with -1 forward or allow the GM to complicate matters
6-	Roll 1d6 and use that choice plus any complications or moves the GM feels is appropriate.  You can mark XP, but it may not make a difference.

Choice	Effect
1	The Heart of Scions immediately explodes fully delivering the payload.  Everything within 1 mile is utterly destroyed and everything within 3 miles is damaged on will become Wasteland.
2	The Count speeds up - dramatically.  You may have only moments to escape certain destruction.  What do you do?!
3	The count is paused ... but for how long?  It could restart at any moment.
4	The Count is reset to 365 days ... and counting down.
5	A Key Component has been removed, disabling the Heart until it is replaced.
6	The Heart is permanently disable.

Magic-Users in Dawn of Eradu

Some of this is a bit of rehash from the previous campaigns I've run - magic users are not particularly well liked because they are all dangerous.  Some of it is new and will help define the custom playbooks I eventually put together.  This is more to set a tone and establish some language.

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Mages
These folks are born into the arcane through blood.  Not necessarily the blood of their family, but some other strange source that gives them a direct connection.  They develop their personal gifts through whatever strange ritual and method they can work out for themselves.  While they may have brothers, they are all alone in the world.  Many don't make it past their first spell as they try something more than their fragile mortal minds can handle and the raw power of the Patchwork rips their sanity to shreds or a Thing from the Otherworld steps through and does something unspeakable to their flesh and bone.

Wizards
More limited in scope, wizards learn their powers through the study of ancient tomes filled with esoteric knowledge.  They don't have the raw ability of the Mage, but don't mistake them for weak. With the right incantations the Wizard can tear a hole in reality and turn his enemies bones to steam. What the wizard lacks in flexibility they make up for in stability.  Of course they all go mad eventually as the Patchwork worms its way into their brains - it is a fate that all wizards know is their destiny.

Sorcerers
Where mages tap into their natural conduit to the Patchwork Kingdom and wizards learn and devise new spells, Sorcerers engage in the darkest of rituals to summon things from the Patchwork, from the Void Between Space, or who knows what else.  They were likely mad before they went down this path and whatever darkness is tainting their soul only invites them to travel faster.  The sorcerer is the bane to what little society exists - they wish only to enslave, destroy, hoard ancient secrets, or continue their "Great Work".

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How Scions Fits In
Mages find things of Scions to be absurd and have little interest in them. Wizards understand that Scions has created artifacts with a kind of magic they are working to understand as well.  Many sorcerers embrace the Gifts Scions - in fact some are almost entirely devoted to this path and have only a drop of arcane ability.

What About Society?
Mages and Wizards are tolerated in Haven as long as they don't throw around any spells. Outside of Haven who can say - would an isolated village understand the difference between a mage and sorcerer?  They both have a darkness in their eyes.  A wizard and sorcerer may look the same if they are kitted out with strange devices.  No sane man will interact with a sorcerer if at all possible, but if they will work with one of the PC arcanists is best determined through play ... chances are it will go badly though.  Anyone who can accidentally summon a demon is usually not particularly welcome.

Monster Friday, Round 4

These are the three Levitolith that inhabit the Feldron Wastes.  Mostly found in their complex, they can sometimes be found wandering adjacent areas and locations.  Before the patchwork "situation" they were semi-militant, non-humanoid aliens on a mission of exploration ... now they just want to go home, but cannot, which makes them grouchy and unpredictable.  Because they are recent hybrids, they don't have a culture that is more then a few generations old.

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Levitolith Brute	Tags: Alien-Patchwork
Type: Hooded Mistake	Organization: Small Group (Large)
Description: Reptilian, Nonchalant	Instinct: to devour
HP: 8 Armor: 3	Attack: Bite and Punch ( d8+1 )  close, reach
Moves:   swallow a man whole   Eat every part of its prey   cast almost the right spell	Known For:

The brutes were elite soldiers before the infestation and now are creature of pure war.  Their skin is thick and spiked like that of a crocodile and they can distend their slavering jaws to swallow a man whole.  A few have some traces of the arcane in their patchwork blood and as such can cast feeble misdirected and wildly corrupted spells.  They follow the orders of the Explorers and Commanders.

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Levitolith Explorers	Tags: Alien-Patchwork
Type: Verminated Sangromancer	Organization: Group (Medium)
Description: thick bristles, well-spoken	Instinct: to mutilate
HP: 6 Armor: 0	Attack: Digestive acids ( d8 )  close
Moves:   strike from darkness   take a captive   Manipulate (hot) winds and desert storms	Known For:

Explorers cover both the soldier and the diplomat position within Levitolith "society"  They are inherently cruel things - the Patchwork blood being that of some sort of great fly-like creature.  The levitoloth explorers are also responsible for the current barren state of the Feldron - it was their combined "desert" magic that stripped life away.  They are also responsible for the Juk Engine and numerous other combined arcintecho devices.

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Levitolith Commander	Tags: Alien-Patchwork
Type: Croatoan Torturer	Organization: Unique (Small)
Description: Scaled, egosit/arrogant	Instinct: to command
HP: 14 Armor: 1	Attack: Crushing vines ( d10 )  close
Moves:   Jump out and bite   Dissolve flesh, metal and wood   Die in a burst of blinding light, to be reborn	Known For:   Rapid Regeneration

The little bastard is quick and has some sort of plant-based exoskeleton that it uses to get around.  The commander has goals and aims - plans within plans - and they all center around getting "Home" to a place that he nor any other have been, a place Between the Stars.  The patchwork made an already paranoid violently mad, and he has a small army at his disposal.  Rumor says he can't be killed by conventional means.