Creating Factions In An Open World Campaign
Make a couple factions with me
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My current weekly campaign is an open world hex-crawl on a region map of my own creation. I endeavor to try new things in this campaign as I build towards my own game setting. This issue, we’re going to stat up two major factions on this regional map so I can start taking “faction turns” with them each month and add to the real feel of the world for my players.
This post is not sponsored, I just use the products mentioned.
The two major factions are the Kingdom of Herbac and the Hofsterian Dominion. I have some rough ideas for both, but I want to try a system I’ve been eyeing for some time out of Worlds Without Number - by Kevin Crawford of Sine Nomine Publishing. It’s a really in-depth book with it’s own complete game system that has an offset re-print coming imminently.
Stat Up The Factions
The Worlds Without Number faction system has six associated stats:
Cunning
Force
Wealth
Magic
Treasure
Hit Points
Each faction also has assets which are categorized as being of a type of one of the first three stats (Cunning, Force, or Wealth). Pitting these assets against each other in contested attribute checks during a faction turn will determine the outcome of these faction’s goals.
Somewhat like a board game, on a faction turn that faction takes an action applied to as many of its assets as it can afford among the following options: attack, move asset, repair asset, expand influence, create asset, hide asset, sell asset.
First, we need some stats.
Faction 1: Kingdom of Herbac - Duchy of Clothil
Duke Clothil is trying to hold a tenuous peace on the borderland with the Hofsterian Dominion. Appointed by the King of Herbac himself, he is entrusted with a great responsibility, but is physically weeks away from the court and isolated.
Tag: Rich - roll an extra die for Wealth attribute checks
Size: Medium
Faction Goal: Peaceable Kingdom - Don’t take an Attack action for four turns.
Cunning | 2
Force | 3
Wealth | 5
Magic | Low
Treasure | 0
Hit Points | 15
Assets |
Farmers (Wealth): Once per turn, as free action, roll 1d6; on 5+ gain 1 Treasure from the Farmers.
HP 4 | No Attack | Counter attack 1d4 dmg
Usurers (Wealth): May reduced cost of assets by 2, when used it takes 1d4 dmg.
HP 8 | Attack: Wealth v Wealth | 1d10 dmg
Useful Idiots (Cunning): If another asset wihin one turn’s move is struck by an Attack, sacrifice this to negate attack.
HP 2 | No Attack | No Counter attack | Subtle, Special
Infantry [Herbac Griffons-Blue and White] (Force): Common foot soldiers
HP 6 | Attack: Force v Force 1d8 dmg | Counter-attack 1d6 dmg
Starting Base of Influence: Enhoberbach
Faction 2: Hofsterian Dominion - Duchy of Rembrandt
Duke Gorland Rembrandt is looking to take what he can from his neighbor. Using spies and scouts to raise tensions with Herbac, he is biding his time and testing the defenses looking for the best time to annex more land for the Dominion.
Tag: Supported - all damaged assets except Bases of Influence regain one lost hit point per faction turn automatically.
Size: Medium
Faction Goal: Inside Enemy Territory: have 5 Stealthed assets in locations where there is a rival Base of Influence.
Cunning | 5
Force | 2
Wealth | 3
Magic | Low
Treasure | 0
Hit Points | 15
Assets |
Saboteurs (Cunning): Asset attacked by this cant’ use free action abilities next turn, even if attack was unsuccessful.
HP 6 | Attack: Cunning v Wealth 2d4 dmg | No counter attack | Subtle, Special
Smugglers (Cunning): Free action to move an allied Wealth or Cunning asset in same location to destination within movement range - treat that asset as “Subtle”
HP 4 | Attack: Cunning v Wealth 1d4 dmg | No counter attack | Subtle, Action
Scouts [“Yellowjackets”] (Force): Long range scouts
HP 5 | Attack: Force v Force 2d4 dmg | Counter 1d4+1 dmg | Subtle
Front Merchant (Wealth):
HP 3 | Attack: Wealth v Wealth 1d4 dmg | Counter 1d4-1 dmg | Subtle
Starting Base of Influence: Puernalde
Each faction created has some stats that I belive reflect their strengths. I am pitting two evenly matched factions against each other that are good at different things and I gave them starting assets that reflects the game-state as it is today about 15 sessions into our Shadowdark campaign.
This exercise took longer than I thougth it would to think about and flesh out both factions on paper, but these notes will be infinitely useful to me moving forward in creating interest for the players. To date, there have only been minor events related to the larger national factions on this map, but now we can have some drama grow organically from the backdrop.
I love the blending of board game and tabletop role playing game. The macro/micro shifting and possibility for interesting gameplay is endless interesting to me and is driving towards a kind of analog MMO playstyle that I have been trying to figure out for years now.
I think that’s enoughf or this week. Next time we visit this topic I will have some asset placements and see what happens when these factions make moves against each other.
What I Am Up To
TTRPG Reading: Flee, Mortals! by MCDM
Audiobook: On Writing - Steven King
Project: Almanac of Abominations Zine - System Neutral - Preorders are live!
Current Campaign(s):
GM - Shadowdark - Custom Setting (Giathos)
Player - Storm King’s Thunder - 7 Swashbuckler Rogue / 5 Bladesinger Wizard
Useful Things For Your Game
Spotify Playlist Add - Combat: Boss Fight