Factions

Most characters belong to a faction of some kind, whether a faith, a vassalage, a circle of magi, a guild, or some other organized body. Some classes carry an inherent faction: a Knight belongs to a vassalage, a Cleric to a faith, a Thief to a guild. Others may choose their affiliation through play, and the GM determines which factions are available, how prominent they are, and how much faction activity matters to the campaign.

The rules below apply to all factions unless a specific faction states otherwise.

Obligations

Your faction expects contributions in return for membership, and those contributions fall into three areas: financial, service, and conduct.

Financial Obligations. You may be required to pay dues, tithes, or taxes to your faction. A thief's guild may take a percentage of earnings from guild-related activities. A paladin's brotherhood may require substantial tithes as a display of devotion. A knight beholden to their lord may be lawfully required to pay taxes for their fiefdom.
Service Obligations. Oftentimes, your faction may require you to answer when they call. A dwarven clan expects its people to defend its holds. A faith expects its members to march when a crusade is called. A monarch expects its nobility to obey when summoned to court.
Conduct Obligations. Your faction always includes a code of conduct, however, whether that code is moral, behavioral, professional, or otherwise. A fighter in a mercenary company might have a behavioral code, forbidding them from brawling with their fellow soldiers. A magus in a circle of magi might have a professional guideline, requiring them to share all magical discoveries with the head of their order. A cleric in a faith might be held to moral standards, forbidding them from drinking alcohol.

The specific degree of obligation is explored through the various faction examples provided in this chapter. The depth of your dedication to your faction shapes what you receive in return. Generally, the more a faction requires from you in terms of wealth, service, and conduct, the more the faction provides.

Standing

Your standing reflects whether you have met your financial, service, and conduct obligations as set forth by your faction. If you maintain these obligations, you are in good standing and may gain any entitlements provided by your faction. If you fail to maintain your obligations, you will lose your standing and must petition for reinstatement, though the specific consequences and requirements vary by faction. Ultimately, your standing with your faction is institutional rather than personal and no matter how well liked or disliked, meeting your obligations is required to maintain your standing.

Sanctuary

When you visit a stronghold, you may request sanctuary. If sanctuary is granted, you and your retinue may stay for up to three days, along with food and drink. You are traditionally permitted to make use of the host's facilities within reason, whether a library, a forge, a chapel, or a training ground. Depending on the faction, it is customary for you to offer gifts to the host or vice versa.

At a minimum, you must enter and depart in peace. If you attack, threaten, or steal from your host or members of the host's household, your sanctuary ends immediately. Such violations spread quickly and you may find future requests for sanctuary denied.

Beyond your own faction and its allies, sanctuary depends on what the host stands to gain or lose by sheltering you. If there is nothing to gain and something to risk, you may be turned away regardless of your station.

Obligated Sanctuary. If you are visiting a stronghold that is a part of your faction, the host is generally obligated to grant you sanctuary but may refuse under certain circumstances. For example, if you are traveling with disreputable company, the host may be permitted to deny you sanctuary or offer Discretionary Sanctuary. However, a host denying a knight visiting a castle within their liege's domain might result in political scandal and the host of a temple denying a cleric or paladin in good standing with the faith might betray their faction's code of conduct.
Discretionary Sanctuary. If you are visiting a stronghold of a different faction that is either allied or affiliated with your faction, the host is expected to grant you sanctuary, usually with conditions, but is not required to do so. A cleric of a sacred deity might expect other temples of other sacred deities to provide sanctuary. A magus generally expects other magi from disparate orders to provide sanctuary. An orc traveling through the lands of distant kin expects to be hosted so long as there is no bad blood.
Reticent Sanctuary. If you are attempting to gain access to a rival faction's stronghold, the host is unlikely to grant you sanctuary, however, may do so with the expectation that you surrender your arms, the promise of peace talks, or feats to prove your good intentions. A fighter may be required to slay a nearby bogle to show the host of a stronghold that they want the betterment of the lands. A knight might arrive with a flag of truce to sue for peace with a rival lord. A magus may be required to surrender their staff to show they have no intent to enchant their host.

Entitlements

Your entitlements are proportional to the dedication required by your obligations. Generally, this is determined by your faction rather than your own personal commitment. A holy order might require that you forsake all wealth, dedicate your life to service, and obey their strict moral code, however, in return, you will find that you are provided for in every way, including the provision of your own stronghold. In contrast, some factions have very few obligations and as a result provide very few entitlements or resources and, indeed, might require you pay for any resources or support.

Compensation. You may be provided compensation when your faction calls you to service, usually a gift or payment appropriate to the value of your service. The form and generosity vary by faction: some offer freely, some offer only when asked, and some expect their junior members to serve before they have earned the right to demand payment.
Follower. You may be assigned a follower, which is almost always a 1st through 3rd level NPC of your own class or an adjacent class (e.g. a paladin might be assigned a cleric or a fighter or a paladin). You are required to train your assigned follower the ways of your faction or discipline. They are required to follow you or do as you say until they are released back to the faction to join its ranks in their own right. Depending on your skill with their training, you may be rewarded, usually with an item of power, and your follower may request to continue traveling with you. The death or failure of your follower reflects poorly on you and may damage your standing.
Faction Resources. You may be permitted access to resources not available to outsiders, such as libraries, laboratories, forges, training grounds, markets, or information networks. The extent of access depends on your standing and the resources available at that holding.
Stronghold. Your faction may support you in establishing or maintaining a stronghold. The degree of support is proportional to your dedication and obligations. Factions that have received the greater share of your wealth and service bear the greater share of construction, maintenance, and military support, while retaining control over how the stronghold is used. Alternatively, if you establish and maintain your own stronghold, you may answer to no one but also have none to call upon in your time of need.
Leadership. You may become a candidate to lead your faction or to found your own chapter. The specific title and requirements depend on the faction. Your new holding extends the influence of your faction into new territory and requires that you remain in good standing with the parent body.

Betrayal

If you betray your faction, whether by attacking its members, stealing from it, breaking your oaths, or defecting to a rival, the consequences are severe and immediate. You may lose standing, access to entitlements, or even be hunted by your own faction. Your reputation as a traitor might spread and follow you beyond the faction itself, making it difficult to find sanctuary or acceptance elsewhere.

Leaving a faction peacefully is possible in some cases. You may petition your leader for release, though such petitions are not always granted and the terms depend on the faction, your standing, and the circumstances of your departure.

Faith

You enter a faith as an initiate under the guidance of a senior member of the tradition. A faith serves one or more deities and is governed by the doctrine or customs of the tradition. The manner of your service determines the shape of your obligations and advancement within the faith.

A sacerdotal order is a permanent institution rooted in a sacred site, with a formal hierarchy of clergy. Sacerdotal priesthoods conduct rites, minister to the faithful, and maintain the relationship between the community and its deity. They are the most visible form of religious institution and the most deeply entangled with temporal power.

A militant order combines religious devotion with martial purpose. Members surrender personal wealth to the order and serve its military mission. The order equips, houses, and directs its members in return. Militant orders are often semi-autonomous within the broader faith, answering to their own leadership while serving the same doctrine.

A monastic order is a closed community bound by a common rule of daily life. Members surrender personal autonomy in exchange for communal provision and access to the community's collective knowledge. Monasteries are centers of scholarship, contemplation, and discipline, often self-sustaining and removed from worldly affairs.

A mendicant order is devoted to poverty and itinerant service. Members own nothing and sustain themselves through the charity of others. Mendicant orders derive their authority from moral example rather than institutional wealth, and their influence grows through reputation rather than accumulation.

An esoteric order is an initiatory tradition organized around hidden knowledge revealed in progressive stages. Advancement comes through rites of initiation, each unlocking deeper secrets of the faith. Esoteric orders may exist within a larger faith or independently.

A hieratic tradition is a sacred caste whose members serve as priests, healers, judges, and keepers of lore. Their authority derives from their mastery of the tradition's knowledge and their consecrated status within it, not from institutional ordination. The communities they serve sustain them as a matter of obligation: a hieratic priest who heals, adjudicates, or performs sacred rites is owed compensation proportional to their rank. Hieratic traditions often predate institutional religion and may coexist alongside it.

A single faith may contain several of these forms under one doctrinal umbrella. A large state religion might maintain a sacerdotal hierarchy, a monastic wing, a militant order, and a mendicant mission, all serving the same deity through different means.

The Cleric, Paladin, Avenger, and Druid are the faith's preferred classes. Any class may join a faith and advance within its hierarchy. The measure of piety and the requirements for advancement vary by faith and are determined by the GM.

Obligations

The obligations of the faith are rooted in doctrine or custom. Every faith expects its members to uphold the tenets of the tradition, to answer calls to service, and to contribute to the institution's purpose.

As an initiate, you study under the guidance of a senior member of the faith who provides instruction in doctrine, practice, and the craft of your calling. This relationship persists until you achieve full ordination, at which point your primary obligation shifts from your mentor to the institution itself.

Sacerdotal. You are expected to tithe a portion of your earnings to the faith throughout your service. In return, the faith sustains you: housing, vestments, and access to the resources of the institution. As you advance in station, the faith entrusts you with greater access to its resources for purposes related to your ministry. A senior priest may draw upon the institution's funds without detailed accounting, though these resources remain the property of the faith.
Militant. You surrender your personal wealth to the order upon entry or shortly after your initiation. The order provides your equipment, housing, and sustenance in return. Your obligation is martial service where the order directs. Individual members hold little or no personal wealth; the order holds everything and distributes as needed.
Monastic. You surrender personal property to the community upon entry. Your labor, your daily routine, and your time are governed by the rule of the order. The community provides everything you need: sustenance, tools, workspace, and access to its library and scriptorium. In return, everything you produce belongs to the community.
Mendicant. You take a vow of poverty. You own nothing and sustain yourself through begging, charity, and the hospitality of others. Your obligation is itinerant service to the faithful wherever you travel. The order provides no material support; your sustenance comes from the communities you serve.
Esoteric. You bear the costs of each initiation as you advance, which may take the form of coin, service, or ordeal. Between initiations, the demands placed on you are lighter, though you are expected to contribute to the order's work when called upon.
Hieratic. You study under a master for years or decades, committing the tradition's sacred knowledge to memory. You receive no institutional salary and take no vow of poverty. The communities you serve are obligated to provide for you in proportion to your rank and the services you render. When the elders of your tradition summon you, you come. When a community calls upon you to fulfill your function, you answer.

You uphold the doctrine or customs of your faith publicly. You serve the interests of your faith and its members. You honor its sacred sites and objects.

Standing

You remain in good standing by adhering to the doctrine or customs of your faith and fulfilling the obligations of your form of service. Standing within a faith is measured against its tenets. A member who fulfills their obligations and upholds doctrine is in good standing regardless of personal popularity. A member who violates doctrine or neglects their obligations loses standing regardless of personal reputation.

The faith claims the authority to judge your standing. Heresy, the deliberate and public defiance of doctrine, is treated with greater severity than negligence or private doubt. A member who fails in their duties may be disciplined or demoted. A member who challenges the doctrine itself may be cast out entirely.

If you assist or harbor a member who has been cast out, your own standing may be called into question.

Sanctuary

Sacred sites belonging to your faith constitute Obligated Sanctuary, regardless of which institutional form you or the host belong to. A militant and a sacerdotal priest of the same faith share sanctuary as members of the same tradition. Between allied faiths, sanctuary is Discretionary. Between opposed faiths, sanctuary is Reticent. These relationships depend on the doctrinal compatibility of the faiths involved and may shift with the political climate.

The terms of entry are determined by the host.

Sacerdotal. A sacerdotal host may require observance of local rites or oaths of peace before granting access.
Militant. A militant host may require proof of purpose or a contribution of service.
Monastic. A monastic host may require that you observe the community's rule during your stay.
Mendicant. Mendicant orders maintain no permanent sanctuary of their own until a patron establishes one. Mendicants rely on the hospitality of other institutions within the faith, and few religious hosts turn away a mendicant. Even secular communities often receive them freely.
Esoteric. An esoteric order may require proof of initiation before granting access. The location of the order's sanctum may itself be a secret shared only among its members.
Hieratic. A hieratic host may require proof of your standing within the tradition before granting access. Beyond the tradition's own sacred sites, your consecrated status entitles you to hospitality from any community that recognizes the tradition's authority. This hospitality is an obligation the community bears, not a courtesy it extends.

When you are granted sanctuary, you may make use of the host's facilities within reason, including access to the site's library, relics, or instruments of worship.

Entitlements

Sign of Faith. Upon achieving full ordination or consecration, your faith presents you with an enchanted object that marks you as a recognized practitioner of the tradition. This might take the form of a holy symbol, blessed weapon, sacred vestment, or similar token. It signifies the end of your initiation and the conclusion of your formal obligation to your mentor.

How members are provided for varies by form.

Sacerdotal. The faith provides sustenance, housing, and access to its resources. As you advance in station, the faith entrusts you with institutional funds for your ministry. These funds are the faith's property, but their use is left to your judgment.
Militant. The order provides weapons, armor, mounts, and housing directly. As you advance, the quality of your equipment improves. Senior members may command significant resources in the order's name.
Monastic. The community provides sustenance, tools, workspace, and library access from the day you enter. Members contribute labor and scholarship in return. At senior levels, the authority to direct the community's considerable resources rests with its leadership.
Mendicant. The order provides no material support. Your sustenance comes from the communities you serve, and what you receive, you share. As your reputation grows, the moral authority of your order attracts the attention of secular and ecclesiastical patrons who seek the legitimacy your presence confers.
Esoteric. Knowledge is the primary return on your investment. Each tier of initiation grants access to deeper secrets of the faith, which may include magical knowledge at reduced cost or knowledge unavailable to those outside the order. The early stages of initiation yield little for what they cost. The deeper you progress, the more the balance shifts.
Hieratic. The communities you serve provide your sustenance in exchange for your function: healing, judgment, sacred rites, and the preservation of lore. Your rank within the tradition determines what you are owed, and as you advance, that obligation increases. At senior levels, your authority within the tradition may rival that of secular leaders in the communities you serve.

Follower. When you have proven yourself capable of guiding others in the faith, you may be assigned an initiate to train. This is a 1st through 3rd level member of an associated class who studies under your guidance. You are responsible for their instruction in the faith and their conduct within the tradition.

Stronghold. The form of your stronghold depends on your institutional form.

Sacerdotal. You may be entrusted with authority over a temple, parish, or shrine. The site and its resources belong to the faith, but you govern its affairs and direct its ministry.
Militant. You may be granted command of a commandery, fortress-chapel, or chapter house. The order owns the site; you hold it in the order's name and direct its operations.
Monastic. You may be entrusted with leading a monastery, abbey, or chapter house. The community is self-sustaining; your role is to guide it according to the rule.
Mendicant. A patron may establish a priory, hospice, or mission house for your order. The site is gifted to the order, and you govern it as a center of the order's ministry. The order's presence in the region serves the patron's interests as much as the faith's.
Esoteric. You may establish or inherit a sanctum where the mysteries are practiced. The sanctum's location may be known only to members of the order.
Hieratic. A community you serve may consecrate or provide a sacred site for the tradition's use: a grove, a standing stone, a place of natural power. The site belongs to the tradition, not to you, though you govern its affairs and determine who studies and worships there. Alternatively, you may be entrusted with stewardship of an existing sacred site whose previous keeper has died or departed.

Release

Most members who wish to leave do so by withdrawing from active participation, though the weight of this withdrawal varies by form and by station.

Sacerdotal. A sacerdotal priest who withdraws abandons the parish, the resources, and the institutional authority entrusted to them. At lower stations, this is the loss of a community. At higher stations, it is the loss of a career built entirely within the faith's structure.
Militant. Departure from a militant order carries the weight of desertion. The order provided everything; departure means leaving with nothing but what you came in with, which was nothing.
Monastic. A monastic who leaves walks away with nothing, because they owned nothing. They surrendered personal property upon entry and have accumulated none since. What they leave behind is the community itself.
Mendicant. A mendicant who departs bears the lightest material burden, having never possessed material wealth. What they leave behind is the order's fellowship and the moral authority their vow carried. At senior levels, they abandon a stronghold they never owned but were entrusted with through patronage.
Esoteric. A member who withdraws retains the knowledge they have gained but loses access to further initiation and the community of initiates. Revealing the mysteries to outsiders is the most fundamental betrayal this form recognizes.
Hieratic. A member of a hieratic tradition who departs retains the knowledge they have learned but loses the consecrated status that guaranteed their compensation and hospitality. Without the tradition's recognition, your judgments carry no binding force, your rites carry no consecrated authority, and the communities that once sustained you owe you nothing.

If you wish to move between institutional forms within the same faith, you must be accepted by the form you wish to join. A sacerdotal priest who wishes to join a militant order must be accepted as a militant; a militant who wishes to withdraw to monastic life must be accepted into the community. Moving between forms is uncommon but not unheard of.

If you wish to leave one faith for another, you are functionally leaving your tradition. Whether your deity continues to answer is between you, your deity, and your GM.

If you betray your faith by violating its doctrine, desecrating its sacred sites, or acting against its members, the consequences are institutional. You lose your standing, your entitlements, your stronghold, and your access to the faith's resources.

Everything entrusted to you by the faith remains the property of the faith. When you leave, it stays.

Compact

A compact is a voluntary secular association bound by contract, oath, or shared purpose. Members are held together by the agreement they have made and the people they have made it with. Compacts are not granted by birthright or bestowed by authority. They are formed, joined, and sustained by the commitment of their members.

A company is an organized martial outfit that fights for pay, plunder, or both. Companies range from disciplined professional forces that honor their contracts to predatory bands that take what they want by force. The company's reputation is its business model: a company known for honoring its contracts earns better ones, and a company known for sacking the cities it was hired to defend earns a reputation for treachery, attracting only clients desperate enough or ruthless enough not to care.

A cabal is a goal-oriented organization pursuing political or ideological objectives. Cabals range from revolutionary cells working to overthrow a regime to networks of influence brokers maneuvering behind the seats of power. What defines a cabal is its shared objective: members are bound by a common vision of how the world should change.

A sodality is a fraternal order bound by mutual commitment and shared identity. Sodalities exist for their members rather than for an external goal. They provide mutual aid, fellowship, and a network of trust. What defines a sodality is the bond between its members: oaths of brotherhood, shared ritual, and the obligation to answer when a fellow member calls. A coven is a sodality of unaffiliated practitioners who gather for mutual protection and shared knowledge. Covens are common among cursed, independent magi, and other casters who practice outside institutional sanction.

How deeply you are embedded in your compact determines your obligations and what you receive in return. Under Full Support, you have given yourself over to the compact entirely. Under Partial Support, you contribute meaningfully but maintain your own affairs. Under contract, you are engaged for a defined purpose and depart when it is fulfilled.

Any class may join a compact. The compact's type and purpose determine what skills are valued, but no class is barred from membership.

Obligations

How tightly your compact holds you depends on your commitment. A compact operating under Full Support demands total commitment: your efforts and earnings serve the compact, and the compact provides for you in return. Under Partial Support, you and your compact share obligations. Under contract, your engagement is defined and finite.

Full Support. You surrender your earnings to the compact. In return, the compact equips, houses, and sustains you. Your activities are directed by the compact's leadership. In a company, this means you fight where the captain sends you and your share of all spoils goes to the common fund. In a cabal, this means you go where you are sent and dedicate your skills to the objective. In a sodality, this means you answer every call and put the brotherhood's needs before your own.

Partial Support. You contribute a portion of your earnings or resources to the compact and answer when called upon, but you maintain your own affairs between engagements. In a company, spoils are divided into shares; you receive yours minus the company's cut. You take assigned contracts but may seek independent work between them. In a cabal, you contribute resources and service when called but are not expected to abandon your own life for the objective. In a sodality, you pay dues and contribute service when the brotherhood calls. The brotherhood provides aid when you need it.

Contract. You are engaged for a defined purpose. In a company, you negotiate a fee for a specific engagement and bring your own equipment. In a cabal, you are hired for an operation and compensated for your expertise. In a sodality, you have access to the network's services and resources on a transactional basis without the obligations of sworn membership. In all cases, when the engagement or transaction is complete, so is your obligation.

You follow the rules of your compact and the authority of its leadership. In a company, the captain's word is final in the field. In a cabal, the directives of the leadership are followed even when the reasoning is not shared with you. In a sodality, the oaths you swore to your brothers are honored, and disputes are settled within the brotherhood before they are taken outside it.

Standing

You remain in good standing by fulfilling your obligations and following the authority of your compact's leadership. In a company, that means honoring your contracts, obeying the chain of command, and not stealing from the common fund. In a cabal, that means advancing the objective, following directives, and not compromising operations or members. In a sodality, that means honoring your oaths, aiding your brothers when called, and settling disputes within the brotherhood.

Your compact's leadership determines your standing. A captain who judges you a coward or a thief can strip your standing and expel you from the company. A cabal's leadership can revoke your standing if you are judged to have endangered the objective or its members. A sodality's elders can censure or expel a brother who breaks his oaths or brings shame upon the order.

If you are arrested or detained, your compact's response depends on your standing and your value. A company may negotiate your release if you are worth the cost, or cut you loose if you are not. A cabal may disavow you entirely to protect itself. A sodality may rally to your defense or may distance itself depending on the circumstances of your arrest and the risk to other members.

Sanctuary

Your compact's holdings and allied locations constitute your sanctuary. In a company, this is the company's camp, barracks, or garrison. In a cabal, this may be a headquarters, a safe house, or a member's home pressed into service. In a sodality, this is the lodge, chapter house, or hall where the brotherhood meets.

Allied compacts or organizations sympathetic to your cause may offer Discretionary Sanctuary. Rival compacts are unlikely to shelter you, though exceptions exist when mutual interest outweighs rivalry.

Entitlements

Sign of Compact. Members of a compact recognize one another through signs, phrases, or tokens specific to their organization. A company may use a banner, badge, or war cry. A cabal may use coded language, hand signs, or symbols known only to members. A sodality may use ritual greetings, tokens, or secret words exchanged between brothers. These signs identify you to your fellows and may grant you access to resources, shelter, or aid.

Provision.

Company. Under Full Support, the company provides your arms, armor, and sustenance. Under Partial Support, the company provides access to its armory and resources at reduced cost. Under contract, you bring your own equipment and the company provides nothing beyond your contracted fee.
Cabal. Under Full Support, the cabal provides resources necessary for operations and sustains you from its collective assets. Under Partial Support, the cabal provides operational support when you are acting on its behalf. Under contract, you are compensated for the specific operation and nothing more.
Sodality. Under Full Support, the brotherhood provides for you from the common fund and you have full access to the network's resources. Under Partial Support, the brotherhood provides aid when you call upon it and access to the network's resources at member rates. Under contract, you may purchase access to specific services or introductions on a transactional basis.

Follower. Your compact may assign or attract a follower appropriate to its type. A company may assign you a recruit to train. A cabal may provide you an operative or agent to direct. A sodality may place a pledge or initiate under your guidance. You are responsible for their conduct within the compact.

Stronghold.

Company. Under Full Support, the company provides a fortress, garrison, or fortified camp. The stronghold belongs to the company; you command it at the captain's discretion. Under Partial Support, the company co-invests in a stronghold that serves both your interests and the company's. Under contract, the company has no stake in your stronghold.
Cabal. Under Full Support, the cabal provides a headquarters, estate, or seat of operations. The stronghold belongs to the cabal; you administer it at the leadership's direction. Under Partial Support, the cabal co-invests in a stronghold that serves as both your residence and a base of operations for the cabal. Under contract, the cabal has no stake in your stronghold.
Sodality. Under Full Support, the brotherhood provides a lodge, chapter house, or hall. The stronghold belongs to the brotherhood; you serve as its keeper. Under Partial Support, the brotherhood co-invests in a stronghold that serves as both your residence and a meeting place for the local chapter. Under contract, the brotherhood has no stake in your stronghold.

Release

Leaving a compact is not the same at every level of commitment.

Under Full Support, departure carries the weight of desertion. The compact provided everything: your equipment, your housing, your livelihood. You walk away with nothing because everything was the compact's. You also walk away knowing the compact's members, operations, and methods. A company may treat desertion as a capital offense. A cabal may consider you a threat to be silenced. A sodality may exile you and send word to every chapter that you are oathbroken.

Under Partial Support, departure is costly but survivable. The compact co-invested in your career and may retain a claim on assets it helped fund. You may owe a debt proportional to the compact's investment. Your knowledge of the compact's affairs makes you a concern, though less so than under Full Support.

Under contract, the engagement simply ends. You keep what is yours. The compact has no claim on you beyond the terms of the contract. Provided you fulfilled your obligations and did not compromise the compact's operations, you part on whatever terms the work earned you.

If you wish to move between compacts, you must be accepted by the compact you wish to join. Your former compact must be willing to let you go, which is never guaranteed. Moving between allied compacts is uncommon but possible. Moving between rival compacts is defection.

If you betray your compact by informing on its members, sabotaging its operations, or defecting to a rival, the consequences are immediate. You lose your standing, your access, your sanctuary, and your protection. In a company, betrayal may make you a target for the company's enforcers. In a cabal, betrayal may make you a target for assassination. In a sodality, betrayal marks you as oathbroken, and every brother in every chapter will know your name and your crime.

Everything provided to you by the compact remains the property of the compact. When you leave, it stays.

Kindred

A kindred is your people. You belong because you were born among them, raised by them, and shaped by their ways. Whether your kindred gathers in a mountain hold, a forest settlement, a village commons, or a wandering band, the community is the authority. Leadership serves at the community's pleasure. A chief who fails the people answers to the people. A council that loses the community's trust is replaced by those who hold it.

Membership in a kindred is determined by birth. Any class born into a kindred community belongs to it. An outsider adopted into a kindred may be accepted at the community's discretion.

Obligations

Your kindred's claims on you are informal but binding. When your people call for aid, you answer. When they need resources, you contribute what you can. What matters is what you give relative to what you have. Sending everything you can spare when the call comes carries more weight than sending a portion you will not miss. The community remembers who showed up and who held back, who gave until it hurt and who gave only what was comfortable. The GM determines the nature and frequency of these calls and judges the character's response in the context of what they could reasonably provide.

Standing

Standing in a kindred is the community's collective memory of your commitment to your people. It is built through years of answering calls, contributing to the community's welfare, and honoring its norms. A member who has consistently given of themselves when it mattered holds high standing. One who has been absent, stingy, or unreliable holds low standing. The GM interprets standing based on the character's history of action and the community's expectations of them.

Sanctuary

Your own community's territory is your sanctuary without condition. You are family, and family is welcome. Allied kindreds may extend sanctuary as well, but on their own terms. An allied community recognizes you as kin in the broader sense but retains absolute authority over who enters their territory and under what conditions. They may impose restrictions, demand assurances, or refuse entry entirely. The hosting community's word is final.

Entitlements

A kindred provides for its own. At lower rungs, the community sustains you as it sustains all its members. As you rise in standing and capability, the relationship reverses. You become one of the pillars that sustains the community. When a member of high standing needs something from their people, the people respond in kind. If you have spent years answering calls and giving what you could, your kindred shows up for you when the time comes. The GM should use the Faction Support tiers as a loose framework for determining what the community can and will provide, guided by the character's standing and the community's resources.

Release and Betrayal

To leave a kindred, you ask. If the community agrees to your departure, you go with their blessing. Your family agrees that you need to go and wishes you well. Leaving without asking, or leaving when your people need you, is abandonment. The community remembers that as surely as it remembers generosity.

Betrayal of a kindred is betrayal of your own people. The standard consequence is exile. You are cast out, and word travels to allied kindreds. Lesser offenses may allow for restitution at the community's discretion. What constitutes a forgivable offense and what crosses into exile varies by community. Some kindreds are more forgiving than others, and the nature of the transgression matters as much as the fact of it.

Vassalage

You enter vassalage by swearing oaths to a lord. Your lord may be a landed noble, a military commander, a sovereign, or any figure of authority who accepts your service. At the early stages, your obligations are lighter and appropriate to your station, as you are still learning the expectations of your lord and domain. As you advance, your lord or a higher authority formally recognizes your service and elevates your standing. Your oaths are sustained through continued service to your liege.

The Knight is vassalage's preferred class. Any class may swear oaths to a lord and enter vassalage. The nature of your service depends on what you offer your liege.

Obligations

Your oaths to your liege define your service and conduct obligations. Some, all, or similar oaths may be required by your liege. Not all rulers are equal in their demands of their vassals.

Oath of Fealty. I swear that I will be faithful to my liege, never cause them harm, and will observe my homage to them completely against all persons in good faith and without deceit.

Oath of Loyalty. I swear that I will never traffic with traitors, betrayers, or enemies of my liege.

Oath of Honesty. I swear that I will never give evil counsel or offer falsehood to my liege.

Oath of Action. I swear that I will uphold the will and law of my liege in their lands.

Call to Arms. I swear that if the call to arms is sounded by my liege or the liege of my liege, I will respond. I will travel by the fastest route without delay and fight as ordered.

If you hold a fiefdom, you owe your liege taxes from the income of your lands.

Standing

You remain in good standing by upholding your oaths and fulfilling your obligations. If you hold a fiefdom, failure to pay your taxes, develop your lands, or answer the call to arms may result in the loss of your standing or your lands.

Sanctuary

Holdings within the domain of your liege or the liege of your liege constitute Obligated Sanctuary. Lords allied with your liege may offer Discretionary Sanctuary. Rival lords may offer Reticent Sanctuary.

Entitlements

Each time you advance in title, your liege may recognize your service with a gift. The form and quality of these gifts depend on the wealth and generosity of your liege and the quality of your service. Some lords are wealthier than others, and not all are equally generous.

It is traditional for a vassal to receive arms or a mount early in their service, and finer equipment as they prove themselves. As you advance further, gifts may grow in value and significance. Once you hold lands of your own, your liege may invest in your holdings directly, providing resources for construction, fortification, or military support.

Follower. When your service warrants it, your liege may assign a follower to serve under you. This is a level 1 character who swears oaths to you until they are released from service. Your follower assists you in the duties of your station. You are responsible for their protection and conduct. Should your follower fall in combat, you are responsible for returning the body and compensating their family for the death. The death of a follower under your care is considered a failure on your part and your liege may punish you accordingly.

Lands and Title. When your standing and service warrant it, your liege may gift you lands and possibly a stronghold in their domain. Your liege might grant you undeveloped land on the border and expect you to build it up, hand you a run-down holding to restore, or task you with conquering a rival's territory with the promise that the parcel is yours once taken. You are expected to develop, maintain, and protect these lands or they will be taken from you.

Release

There are several instances in which a vassal may be released from their oaths and responsibility. Generally, you are expected to hold your oaths until death, but there are instances in which this does not occur.

Temporary Leave. You may petition your liege for temporary leave to travel beyond their lands for other tasks. Depending on the state of your liege's domain, they may deny you. Such leave usually comes with stipulations that you will return if called to arms and that you will conduct yourself in a way that honors your liege.

Betrayal. If you betray your liege, whether by refusing to obey, swearing fealty to another, or otherwise breaking your oaths, you lose your standing, your entitlements, and your lands. Your previous liege may order you slain for your treachery, and your reputation as an oathbreaker may follow you, making it difficult to find sanctuary or acceptance elsewhere.

This betrayal can haunt you even if your liege ordered you to perform evil actions and you refused. Your oath is generally seen as the measure of your honor and worth, rather than any measure of your moral rectitude. The path to restoration requires swearing oaths to a new liege, but an oathbreaker may find few lords willing to take that risk.

Liege Death. If your liege dies, you are free to choose another. Additional benefits, including lands and wealth, may be awarded if you swear oaths to the successor of a liege who dies. Some successors may strip you of your possessions if you refuse to swear oaths, considering them a part of their inheritance.

Absolving Oaths. You may petition your liege for a peaceful end to your oath; however, these are rarely granted. At the least, you will likely be banished and could be stripped of all possessions as well.

Circle of Magi

You enter a Circle as an apprentice under a master of your chosen order. The three orders of the Occult tradition share foundational texts, vocabulary, and customs, but each follows its own philosophical approach to the pursuit and application of knowledge. Your order is determined by your philosophical orientation, not by which magical forms you study.

The Sinist order is the oldest of the three, the trunk from which the others split. Sinists pursue knowledge for its own sake, without agenda or obligation beyond curiosity. They study broadly across magical traditions, including Void and Primal forms, and are as likely to pursue Sacred magic as Profane. Other orders sometimes view them as passive or uncommitted.

The Raedist order split from the Sinists out of a conviction that knowledge must be directed toward service. Raedists counsel rulers, protect the vulnerable, and bear the responsibilities that come with their learning. They tend strongly toward Sacred magic, and it would be nearly unheard of for a Raedist to pursue Profane study as a primary discipline. Other orders sometimes view them as self-righteous or naive.

The Balthist order split from the Sinists to pursue knowledge without institutional constraint. Balthists go where others will not, study what others fear, and answer to no agenda but their own. They tend strongly toward Profane magic, and it would be nearly unheard of for a Balthist to pursue Sacred study as a primary discipline. Because Profane magic is associated with death and darker forces, Balthists are often perceived as sinister, which drives them toward secrecy, which reinforces the perception. Other orders sometimes view them as dangerous or selfish.

Despite these divisions, the three orders maintain regular contact. The heads of the orders keep counsel with one another, though none are subject to each other's authority.

The Magus and the Bahador are the circle's preferred classes. Any class that practices magic may join as a full member. Non-practitioners may be contracted for mundane work but are not members of the circle.

Obligations

The obligations of the Circle are social and customary rather than sworn. There are no formal oaths binding you to your order.

As an apprentice, you owe your master the customary payment of 1 sc for each spell transcribed into your grimoire after the first two, which are a gift. Your master provides instruction, access to their library, and guidance in the craft of your magic. This relationship persists until you achieve the rank of Maven and receive your Sign.

Beyond the apprenticeship, your obligations to the order are a matter of social currency. When senior members or the head of your order request your assistance, there is an expectation that you will respond. This expectation grows with your station. A master of a tower may be expected to hold regular council with the head of the order, and in return may receive support from other masters. A lower-ranking member may be left largely to their own devices.

Raedist. Mutual obligation is a defining principle of the order. You are expected to answer calls for assistance with consistency.
Sinist. You are given wide latitude to pursue your own research. Long absences are not unusual and draw little attention.
Balthist. Self-interest is understood. The demands placed on individual members are lighter, and your obligations are largely what you choose to accept.

Certain customs are observed across all three orders. A magus's grimoire is deeply personal. You do not read or copy from the grimoire of a living magus without their explicit consent. Grimoires are often warded for this reason. The grimoire of a dead magus is considered fair game. You do not cast spells against members of your own order. You do not steal another magus's research. When you are a guest in another magus's tower, you abide by the rules set by the master of that tower; failing to do so is a serious offense on par with violating any other custom of the Circle.

Standing

You remain in good standing by honoring the customs of your order and contributing to its work. Standing within the Circle is a matter of reputation rather than formal review. A magus who is reliable, who assists when called upon, and who respects the customs of the order is valued. One who violates customs, ignores calls for aid, or acts against the interests of the order loses standing gradually.

If you assist or harbor a member who has lost their standing, your own standing may be called into question. A master who shelters a disgraced member risks their own reputation and position within the order.

Sanctuary

Towers, libraries, schools, and laboratories within your own order constitute Obligated Sanctuary. The Sinist order, as the common trunk, offers and receives Discretionary Sanctuary with both the Raedist and Balthist orders. Between the Raedist and Balthist orders, sanctuary is Reticent. These relationships may shift depending on the political climate and the temperaments of the masters involved.

The terms of entry are set by the master of the tower.

Raedist. A Raedist host typically requires oaths of peace before granting access.
Sinist. A Sinist host typically requires a trade of knowledge before granting access.
Balthist. A Balthist host may demand payment or deeds before granting access.

When you are granted sanctuary, you may also make use of the host's library and laboratory within reason. Trade of magic between orders is common and is one of the principal reasons that cross-order sanctuary is honored, even between Raedists and Balthists.

Entitlements

The Sign. Upon achieving the rank of Maven, your master or the head of your order presents you with an enchanted object, such as a ring, robe, or staff, that marks you as a full practitioner. This signifies the end of your apprenticeship and your formal obligation to your master.

How members compensate one another for assistance varies by order.

Raedist. It is considered inappropriate to request payment for aid. Compensation should be offered freely, and a token of gratitude is customary.
Sinist. Payment is often made in knowledge rather than coin, and it is not uncommon to have to request it.
Balthist. Less experienced members are expected to serve their seniors. Experienced members may demand payment or favors for their assistance.

Apprentice. Beginning at the rank of Master, you may take on an apprentice, a level 1 magus or bahador who studies under your guidance. You are responsible for providing them access to your library and guiding them in the craft of their magic. You are responsible for their conduct within the order.

Raedist. The death of an apprentice under your care is considered a serious failure of your responsibility.
Sinist. The death of an apprentice under your care is greatly frowned upon.
Balthist. The death of an apprentice draws less scrutiny, though it may still reflect poorly on your judgment.

Tower. Beginning at the rank of Maven, you may establish or claim a tower of your own. If you build within the lands of a temporal ruler, you need their permission. If you claim an abandoned tower that belonged to a member of your order, the head of your order may direct you to take control of it, or you may need the permission of the local ruler, or both, so that neither takes offense. Your tower is your personal domain, and you set the rules for those who enter it. Having a tower does not grant you authority over other members of your order.

At the rank of Magister or higher, you are eligible to lead your order, though the head of an order is almost always of significantly higher rank.

Release

Most magi who wish to leave their order simply stop participating. There is no formal process requiring dissolution, and the obligations of the Circle are social enough that departure is more often a gradual withdrawal than a single dramatic act.

Raedist. Withdrawal is conspicuous. Mutual obligation is central to the order's identity, and a member who stops answering calls is likely to be noticed and questioned.
Sinist. A Sinist who retreats into solitary research may not be heard from for years without anyone taking particular notice.
Balthist. A Balthist who stops appearing at council is behaving as Balthists often do.

Formal dissolution is rare and offers no advantage. Declaring yourself no longer a member of an order gains you nothing and flags you as an outsider.

If you wish to join a different order, you must be accepted by that order's members. Shifting between adjacent orders, such as from Sinist to Raedist or from Sinist to Balthist, is uncommon but not unheard of. Shifting directly between the Raedist and Balthist orders is essentially unheard of.

If you betray your order by violating its customs, the consequences are social rather than mechanical. You do not lose your magic or your grimoire. What you lose is the network: the towers that would have opened their doors, the trade partners who would have dealt fairly with you, the masters who would have offered their counsel, and the apprentices who would have studied under you. A magus without an order is viewed with more suspicion than a magus of a rival order, and the reputation of a traitor is not easily shed.

Guild Member

You join a guild to learn the trade, to gain protection, and to operate without running afoul of whoever already controls the territory. Even apprentice thieves are usually affiliated with a guild, though the depth of that affiliation varies.

The type of guild determines the trade you practice.

An assassin's guild specializes in contract killing. Members gather intelligence, identify targets, and carry out assassinations. Low-ranking members serve as scouts and information gatherers before they are trusted with contracts of their own. Some assassin's guilds are government-sanctioned; most are not.

A black market trades in illegal goods: poisons, drugs, stolen merchandise, embargoed supplies, slaves, and cursed items. The guild's operations center on acquisition and resale. Black markets maintain supplier networks across regions and often trade with other guilds.

An explorer's society organizes expeditions to ruins, dungeons, and lost sites, and trades in what they recover. They may sell locations to the highest bidder or mount their own operations. Explorer's societies often operate openly and may be government-sanctioned.

A spy ring specializes in infiltration, information gathering, forgery, and counterintelligence. A government-backed spy ring operates as an extension of the state. An independent spy ring sells to the highest bidder.

A thieves' guild is a general criminal enterprise: fencing stolen goods, bribery, burglary, racketeering, and whatever else turns a profit. It is the broadest and most common type of guild.

A trading company is a legal or semi-legal entity that employs thieves for counter-theft, security, and sometimes as a front for criminal activity. Trading companies operate openly and may be fully legitimate businesses.

How tightly the guild holds its members depends on its structure. A guild operating under Full Support demands total commitment: your earnings belong to the guild, and the guild provides for you in return. Under Partial Support, the guild and its members share costs and obligations. Under Self-Funded, members operate independently and maintain ties through modest dues and mutual benefit.

The Thief is the guild's preferred class. Any class that has invested in the Stealth or Thievery Skill Mastery may join and learn the guild's trade. Certain guild types, such as an Explorer's Society or Trading Company, may not require these masteries, as determined by the GM.

Obligations

The baseline obligation of every guild is dues, paid as a percentage of your earnings from activities associated with the guild's trade.

Full Support. You surrender your earnings to the guild. In return, the guild provides your equipment, housing, and sustenance. The guild assigns your work and directs your activities. You do not maintain personal wealth; the guild holds everything and distributes as needed. What you are permitted to use is determined by your rank and by your superiors.

Partial Support. You pay dues of 10% of your earnings from guild activities. You keep the remainder. The guild assigns some work and you may also seek work independently. The guild provides access to its resources and some material support, but you are expected to equip yourself from your own earnings.

Self-Funded. You pay dues of 5% of your earnings from guild activities. No work is assigned to you. You find your own jobs, keep your own earnings, and equip yourself entirely. The guild provides access to its network at member rates.

If you operate in another guild's territory, you are expected to offer the local guildmaster between 20-50% of your earnings as recompense, regardless of your own guild's structure. Securing permission before you begin goes a long way toward avoiding repercussions.

Beyond dues, every guild expects you to protect its secrets, answer its summons, and conduct yourself in a way that does not compromise its operations or its members.

Standing

You remain in good standing by paying your dues, completing your work, and observing the guild's code. The specifics of that code vary by guild, but certain principles hold across nearly all of them.

You do not steal from fellow members or from the guild itself. You do not reveal the guild's members, locations, operations, or cant to anyone outside the guild. You do not draw the attention of authorities to the guild through carelessness or recklessness. You do not operate in another guild's territory without permission from the local guildmaster. You do not take jobs or contracts that conflict with the guild's interests.

How violations are handled depends on the guild. A lenient guildmaster might levy fines or cut a member out of jobs until the debt is settled. A strict guild might answer a first offense with a beating, a second with branding or maiming, and a third with death. Informing on the guild to outside authorities is treated as a killing offense in virtually every guild, regardless of structure.

If a member is arrested, the guild's first concern is whether they talked. A member who is arrested and keeps silent may be rescued, bribed out, or simply welcomed back. A member whose arrest leads to raids, seizures, or further arrests will not be welcomed back.

The guildmaster judges your standing, and the guildmaster's judgment is final. There is no appeal, no external arbiter, and no formal process. If the guildmaster says you are out, you are out.

Sanctuary

Guild halls, safe houses, and chapter houses belonging to your guild constitute Obligated Sanctuary. Between guilds that are allied or not in direct competition, sanctuary is Discretionary. Between guilds that are at war or in direct competition, sanctuary is Reticent.

The terms of entry are determined by the host.

Assassin's Guild. A host may require proof of current contract or a contribution of intelligence before granting access.
Black Market. A host may require a trade of goods or a cut of merchandise before granting access.
Explorer's Society. A host may require a trade of information regarding sites, ruins, or artifacts before granting access.
Spy Ring. A host may require proof of identity and purpose. Spy rings prefer their own safe houses and are cautious about granting access to outsiders.
Thieves' Guild. A host may require payment or a contribution of labor before granting access.
Trading Company. A host may require proof of legitimate business or a referral from a known member before granting access.

When you are granted sanctuary, you and your retinue may stay for up to three days with food and drink. You may make use of the guild's facilities within reason, and you are expected to compensate the host fairly for your stay. You enter and depart in peace. If you violate the peace of your host, your sanctuary ends and your reputation suffers across allied guilds.

Entitlements

Thieves' Cant. Upon joining, your guild teaches you its specific words, phrases, and signs that identify you as a member and allow covert communication. Each guild's cant is unique. Guilds that are allied or share a parent organization may share elements of their cant; otherwise, a rival guild's cant is as foreign as any other language.

What your guild provides access to depends on its type.

Assassin's Guild. Contracts for assassination, poison at cost, and intelligence networks built around identifying and locating targets.
Black Market. Illegal goods at a discount, fencing operations for stolen merchandise, and supplier networks across regions.
Explorer's Society. Maps, ruin locations, expedition guides, and a market for recovered artifacts and magical items through the society's buyers and contacts.
Spy Ring. Safe houses in foreign cities, intelligence on local affairs and leadership, and resources for creating and maintaining cover identities.
Thieves' Guild. Fencing for stolen goods, territorial protection within the guild's domain, and the broadest general criminal infrastructure of any guild type.
Trading Company. Legitimate trade fronts, market intelligence on the movement and value of goods, and legal cover for activities that might otherwise draw scrutiny.

How you access these resources depends on your guild's structure. Under Full Support, the guild provides what you need at no personal cost, but your rank and your superiors determine what you are permitted to use. Under Partial Support, your dues grant you baseline access; anything beyond that, you negotiate or pay for. Under Self-Funded, everything is a transaction at member rates.

Jobs. Your guild assigns or makes available work that aligns with its type. Jobs vary in difficulty, risk, and pay, with more prestigious and profitable assignments going to senior members. Under Full Support, work is assigned and refusal carries consequences. Under Partial Support, some work is assigned and some is offered. Under Self-Funded, jobs are posted and members take what interests them.

Follower. When you have earned the trust of the guild, you may be assigned an apprentice to train. This is a 1st through 3rd level thief who studies under your guidance. You are responsible for their instruction in the trade and their conduct within the guild. The death or arrest of your apprentice reflects poorly on you and may damage your standing.

Stronghold. How you acquire a stronghold depends on your guild's structure.

Under Full Support, the guild bears the full cost of establishing your chapter. The guildmaster may send you to a new city to set up operations, funding the acquisition of a building and providing initial personnel. Or the guildmaster may appoint you to take over an existing chapter whose previous leader was removed. The chapter belongs to the guild; you are its steward. You owe dues to the parent guild and are responsible for maintaining the operation, defending it, and reporting to the guildmaster. If you break faith, the guild revokes it.

Under Partial Support, the guild co-invests in your chapter, covering roughly half the cost through labor, materials, contacts, or coin. You cover the remainder from your own earnings. You may pitch an expansion to the guildmaster, who agrees to back the venture. Or the guild may identify a region it wants to expand into and offer to split the cost with a trusted member willing to relocate. You have greater ownership than under Full Support, but you maintain ongoing obligations to the parent guild.

Under Self-Funded, you bear the full cost and own the stronghold outright. You may save enough over your career to purchase a building and establish your own operation. You may drive out a rival guildmaster and take their operation by force or by fraud. You may bribe or blackmail a political figure into granting you a license. You may buy a legitimate business and run guild operations underneath it. A licensed inn with an unlicensed gambling den in the basement is a thief's stronghold in its most typical form. Whether you maintain affiliation with a larger guild or operate independently is your choice.

Release

How heavily departure weighs on you depends on how deeply your guild held you.

Under Full Support, departure carries the weight of desertion. The guild provided everything: your equipment, your housing, your jobs, your income. You walk away with nothing because everything was the guild's. You also walk away knowing the guild's members, locations, operations, and cant. Most Full Support guilds treat departure as a threat. You may be hunted.

Under Partial Support, departure is costly but survivable. The guild co-invested in your career and may retain a claim on assets it helped fund. You may owe a debt proportional to the guild's investment. Your knowledge of guild operations makes you a concern, though less so than under Full Support.

Under Self-Funded, the social contract dissolves. You keep your building, your earnings, and your independence. What you lose is the network: the fencing, the contacts, the member rates, the safe houses. The guild is unlikely to pursue you, provided you keep your mouth shut and do not surface in a rival's service.

If you wish to move between guilds, you must be accepted by the guild you wish to join. Your former guild must be willing to let you go, which is never guaranteed. Moving between allied guilds is uncommon but possible. Moving between rival guilds is defection.

If you betray your guild by informing on its members, stealing from it, or defecting to a rival, the consequences are immediate. You lose your standing, your access, your sanctuary, and your protection. In most guilds, betrayal makes you a target. A guild that cannot punish its traitors does not survive long.

Everything belonging to the guild remains the property of the guild. When you leave, it stays.