Brave New World

I had so much new information for my campaign guide that it warranted an extra column this month to cover it. Earlier this month I covered starting up the campaign. This time around, I'm adding something new to the Crossroads campaign doc.

To get started building on the synopsis I created for Crossroads (see December's regular column for the synopsis) I wanted to concentrate on creating new things that would really help build my current game.

What came to mind was: expanding descriptions of the city of Anbegriffon and the surrounding lands; examining villains and their plots; and detailing some organizations that really matter in the world. Things have just snowballed since those first ideas started rolling.

Talking about organizations got me thinking about whether I want to use prestige classes or not of my own devising. As I followed where my ideas would take me I realized that I would use prestige classes occasionally.

Adding Prestige Guilds

The Player's Handbook II introduced the idea of PCs joining groups and included a lot of game mechanics for doing so. I've always liked the ideas of guilds and groups but didn't want additional mechanics. I've created the following guilds so far with mostly just roleplaying information provided.

Creating these guilds led me to allowing the first prestige class into the game: the crossroads walker. The crossroads walker is modeled from the horizon walker from the DMG but is more Crossroads-centric.

What follows are sections on the prestige guilds I've created for Crossroads. Since I'm adding to the Crossroads Campaign Setting doc, I've put CC: before the new section headers.

CC: Prestige Guilds

The basic person in the Great Kingdom is a subject of the kingdom--not owning land and unable to vote. They have basic but extensive rights under the law and the protection of the Shining Crusade and local rulers.

A noble is a person who owns land. Nobles may vote, serve as rulers, and are afforded greater protection under the law.

Ambassadors, knights, and shining crusaders may have more rights under the law but are considered subjects unless they own land. They cannot vote or rule over subjects unless they own land. Commanders in the Shining Crusade, of course, command troops placed under their command, whether those soldiers are nobles or subjects.

CC: Ambassador of the Great Kingdom

Ambassadors of the Great Kingdom are given authority to open negotiations with new races and kingdoms on behalf of the Great Kingdom and represent the Great Kingdom in foreign kingdoms. Under law, they are treated as nobles, but they cannot rule unless they own land of their own. They use the title of ambassador and can sit in on councils.

Any treaty negotiated by an ambassador is considering binding law unless overruled by a local ruler and a two thirds majority vote of his council. An ambassador who blunders badly enough to have a treaty revoked is normally is stripped of his title and position and may face criminal charges.

An ambassador who serves for seven years becomes a citizen. Citizens can vote, serve on ruling councils, serve as a ruler, and are treated as nobles under law.

Ambassadors serving in far flung locals sometimes become crossroads walkers, especially if they spent much time traveling to foreign kingdoms. Ambassadors with a high level of skill as crossroads walkers are sometimes given the coveted position of serving as a planar ambassador. Ambassadors have access to this prestige class.

CC: College of the Arcane Cord

Dean of Arcane Melody Foeshe, a songsinger gnome, is accepting applications for bards interested in study, knowledge, and fellowship. The college is located in Anbegriffon and is currently operating out of the Marshlight Inn although the college plans to buy Taskerhill Manor someday. The student of today may become the mentor of tomorrow.

Students enrolled at the College of the Arcane Cord have access to the lyric mage prestige class.

CC: Council of Anbegriffon

Anbegriffon is ruled by a Lord Mayor, an aristocrat selected by a Council of town nobles. To be a noble requires one to own property and to be the Lord Mayor or sit on the Council requires a noble to own property in Anbegriffon.

The Lord Mayor can enact new laws. The Council also passes laws which can be overruled by the Lord Mayor. A two-thirds majority vote can overrule the Lord Mayor in either case.

CC: Crime Guilds

The Great Kingdom has never prohibited alcohol or other substances, so organized crime has never grown to great levels in the Great Kingdom. Instead, villains dedicated to gold rather than a god sometimes form crime guilds, usually in large cities where gold is plentiful. Crime guilds cannot operate with a high profile so they tend to stick to robberies, banditry in nearby desolate areas, and blackmail.

Attempting crimes like exhortation, kidnapping, and assassination brings down the wrath of both the Great Kingdom and the Shining Crusade. Therefore, criminals that excel at these crimes are dangerous professionals with both experience and skill.

CC: The Fleet

Projecting the power and majesty of the Great Kingdom on the water, the Fleet is the naval branch of the Shining Crusade. Mariners are the sailors for the Fleet and marines are the soldiers organized into the Corps. See the Shining Crusade below for details on how the Fleet operates. The Fleet follows the same code. Mariners and marines have their own names for ranks.

Ranks of the Fleet

1. Mariner (enlisted)
2. Sailor (junior non-com)
3. Chief (non-com)
4. Commander (commands a small vessel or a section on a large vessel)
5. Captain (commands a vessel or a city’s navy)
6. Commodore (commands a city’s navy or several cities)
7. Admiral (commands a kingdom)

Ranks of the Corps

1. Private
2. Corporal
3. Sergeant
4. Lieutenant (commands marines aboard a small ship or embassy)
5. Major (commands marines on a vessel or on several vessels of a city)
6. Colonel (commands marines aboard ships in several cities)
7. General (commands a kingdom worth of marines).

CC: Knighthood

The Shining Crusade can knight any subject of the Great Kingdom. A knighthood entitles a knight to be called Sir and to sit in on votes by ruling bodies. The knight is considered a noble under law and can usually expect to granted reasonable requests for an audience with powerful nobles. A knight is not necessarily a noble and cannot vote or rule until he owns land of his own.

CC: The Nobility

To be a noble requires a person to own land. Nobles can vote, sit on ruling bodies, and serve as a ruler themselves. They use the title Lord or Lady. Nobles have greater protection under the law and their word is generally considered binding. A noble serving in the Shining Crusade or other organization that places them under authority are required to obey the orders of lawful superiors--whether subjects or nobility.

CC: The Pathfinders

Not every explorer or adventurer wants to join the Shining Crusade. Barbarians, rangers, rogues and other skilled adventurers founded the Pathfinders-—a guild that gets you what you need, where you want to go, or who you want to talk to.

The Pathfinders are loosely organized and follow few rules. Most Pathfinders will aid another Pathfinder in need. A Pathfinder who needs help on an adventure can find many willing Pathfinders eager to help, for one full share of treasure of course.

The Pathfinders can provide training in the crossroads walker prestige class.

CC: The Shining Crusade

The military and exploratory arm of the Great Kingdom, the Shining Crusade attracts bold adventurers of a more lawful bent. The Shining Crusade provides overall security for the entire Great Kingdom including her rulers, subjects, ambassadors, and nobles. In practice, the Shining Crusade allows local authorities autonomy, stepping in to assist against large or especially dangerous threats.

A crusader may be on active or detached duty. While on active duty, a crusader serves just as any soldier does in a military. A crusader on detached duty is free to adventure as desired and report all activities to his commander. On rare occasions, detached crusaders are put on temporary active duty.

While on active duty, a crusader is provided with all necessities: shelter, gear, food, travel expenses etc. A crusader on detached duty must make any request for aid through his commander and only for extraordinary circumstances. A commander may or may not be able to provide the requested aid.

While on active duty, a crusader is considered a subject regardless of title or status but is treated as nobles under the King’s Law. They are also subject to Military Law whether active or detached. Every crusader starts at rank one and must work his way up, no exceptions. Their title is the same as their rank. They can sit in on councils only when ordered by a ruler or council.

If they serve for seven years, they become citizens upon retiring from service. Citizens can vote, serve on ruling councils, serve as a ruler, and are treated as nobles under law.

Code of the Shining Crusade
adapted from the Dungeon Master's Guide II

• Suffer neither the undead to exist nor evil dragons or fiends to live. Do not negotiate with them under any circumstance.
• Other evildoers will face justice in the afterlife. Do not hasten their journey there unless they are using lethal force.
• When innocents are in peril, rescue them before slaying evil dragons, fiends, or undead unless a delay or distraction would put them at even greater risk.
• Hack at the root of evil, not its branches. Better yet, crush the seed and sow the earth with salt.

Ranks of the Shining Crusade

1. Crusader (private)
2. Chevalier (corporal)
3. Cavalier (sergeant)
4. Gallant (commands a small settlement army)
5. Blade (commands a city army)
6. Exemplar (commands several cities)
7. Marshal (commands a kingdom army)

CC: The Temple of Light

Lightmakers are laymen who met every week for temple. Ordained priests are called lightbringers and are given seven colors to preside over. Lightbringers in charge of a city or region are called High Lightbringers. The leader of the Temple of Light is called the Dawnbringer. Prophets are called heralds and martyrs are called the blessed.

Under law, lightbringers are treated as noblemen. They can sit in on councils but can only vote and rule if they own land.

Seven Colors of the Temple of Light

1. Red
   • Sunrise service (blessing a new birth, bringing the dead back to life)
2. Orange
   • Lightmaking service (inducting a lay person into the church)
3. Yellow
   • Sunburst service (lighting a candle in reverence to Elishar)
4. Green
   • Sunshine service (healing and some other castings)
5. Blue
   • Joining (marriage)
6. Indigo
   • Lightbringing service (ordaining a new priest)
7. Violet
   • Sunset service (funeral)

Next Month

I'm going to keep building Crossroads both in the campaign doc and through adventures. I'm at 15,500 words and 43 pages for the setting and we've played two adventures so far, both great successes. As always, any ideas any of you want to post here are most welcome.

May Elishar's face shine upon you all,
Charlie