Quoth the Raven #29 requests thread

[tomokaicho]

Use this thread to make requests for the articles you would like to see in the next QtR. Then some kind soul might decide to work on it.

What I would like to see is 3.5e Players Handbook 2 style affiliations in Ravenloft. I may be incorrect, but I don't think anyone has written up Ravenloft organizations as affiliations. Its strange, because affiliations work very well for Ravenloft campaigns.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

FoS Preview of the Sea of Sorrows Report: Markovia

[Mephisto of the FoS]

Use this thread to make requests for the articles you would like to see in the next QtR. Then some kind soul might decide to work on it.

What I would like to see is 3.5e Players Handbook 2 style affiliations in Ravenloft. I may be incorrect, but I don't think anyone has written up Ravenloft organizations as affiliations. Its strange, because affiliations work very well for Ravenloft campaigns.

Aren't Secret Societies considered affiliations?

[tomokaicho]

Aren't Secret Societies considered affiliations?

Have a look at the link for what I mean by PHB2 style affiliations. Its a way of presenting organizations so that PCs can join them, get an affiliation score and corresponding benefits.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

Aren't Secret Societies considered affiliations?

Have a look at the link for what I mean by PHB2 style affiliations. Its a way of presenting organizations so that PCs can join them, get an affiliation score and corresponding benefits.

I checked it and thats what I mean, in Ravenloft there are Secret Societies, do you mean building rules over these societies?

[tomokaicho]

I checked it and thats what I mean, in Ravenloft there are Secret Societies, do you mean building rules over these societies?

You still aren't following, friend. Let me instead ask you a question to get your noggin' joggin'.

What Ravenloft organization or secret society uses 3.5e Player Handbook 2 Affiliation rules?

To give you an idea, here is a homebrew Dragonlance affiliation that I wrote up using PHB2 Affiliation Rules.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

Page 28 of the FoS Nocturnal Sea Gazetteer lists "affiliation criteria" for the University of Liffe, and references the PHBII.

[tomokaicho]

Page 28 of the FoS Nocturnal Sea Gazetteer lists "affiliation criteria" for the University of Liffe, and references the PHBII.

Good find. This is exactly what I am talking about. The great thing about PHBII Affiliations is that players get invested in their affiliation membership by having a score, benefits, and feeling of progress through the ranks. Ravenloft has plenty of organizations and secret societies, but meaningfully interacting with them is difficult. Writing them up as affiliations facilitates player involvement.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

Thats what I meant when I mentioned rules on Secret Societies. Well it is not bad idea, I made a list of possible Affiliations...

Ata-Bestaal‎ (G'Henna)
Black Leopards‎ (Valachan)
Blessed Army of Ezra‎ (Mordent)
Brothers of the Land (including Brothers of the Open Hand or is it Palm? Zherisia)
The Circle (and groups within as the Shadow Insurrection) (Shadowlans/Demiplane, Falkovnia)
The Kargat (Darkon)
The Kargatane (Darkon and surrounding domains)
The Dark Delvers (Mountainous domains)
The Fraternity of Shadows (Enlighted domains, Demiplane)
The Keepers of the Feather (Barovia)
The Order of the Guardians (Demiplane)
The Unholy Order of the Grave (Necropolis)
Oak Faction (Forlorn)
Seelie Court (Arak/Shadow Rift)
Unseelie Court (Arak/Shadow Rift)
Rowan Faction (Forlorn)
Freemen of Falkovnia‎ (Falkovnia)
IIldi'Thaan (Barovia, Hazlan, Demiplane)
Church of Zhakata (G'Henna)
Zhakata the Provider (G'Henna, outcasts in the Demiplane)
Celebrants of Humanity (Zherisia)
Church of Belenus (Shadowlands, Nidalan, Tepest)
The Inquisition (Tepest)
Church of Ezra (separated in Sects, Borca, Mordent, Dementlieu, Darkon)
Church of Hala (Demiplane)
Church of the Lawgiver ( Didakti, Jernspørgsmålers, Kunduktørs, Nova Vaasa Hazlan)
The Duremkites (Arbora/ Nova Vaasa)
Knights of the Ashen Bough (Falkovnia)‎
L'Ordures‎ (Dementlieu)
The Syndicate of Enlightened Citizens (Lamordia)
La Serrure et Clé (Mortigny/ Richemulot)
Lions de La Rue (Mortigny/ Richemulot)
Soleils Craimoisi (Mortigny/ Richemulot)
Casques Safran (Pont-a-Museau/ Richemulot)
La Société de Legerdemain‎ (Dementlieu)
Cult of the Morninglord (Barovia, Core)
League of Nine (Sturben/ Borca)
L’Académie des Sciences (separated in three subsections, Borca, Dementlieu, Richemulot)
The Échansons Heresy (Dementlieu)
Seekers of the Seven Scarabs (Har' Akir, Demiplane)
The Woodcutter's Axe (Verbrek)
The Eternal Order (Darkon)
Sons of Gundar (Barovia/Invidia, ex-Gundarak)
The Spawn of the Lizard (Falkovnia)
The Scions of Yakov Dilisnya (Borca)
Spellbook Hunters (Vechor)
The Ba'al Verzi (Teufeldorf/ Barovia)
The Children of Wrath (separated in two factions, Sithicus)
The Dark Sisters (Sri Raji)
The Green Hand (Har'Akir)
Cult of the Wolf God (Verbrek)
The Howling Clan (Kartakass)
The Noble Brotherhood of Assassins (Dementlieu)
The Wise Women (Graben)
The Zanango Society (Souragne)
The Vilushka (Demiplane)
Porètes (Richemulot)
The Caretakers (many cells around the Demiplane)
The Black Grove (Forlorn)
Patriots of Liffe (Liffe)
The Thorne Society (Zherisia)
Church of the God Below (Nocturnal Sea)
Church of Yutow (Valachan)
Cult of Erlin (ex-Gundarak)
The Twisting Tower (Teufeldorf/ ex-Gundarak)
Cult of Vecna (Cavitius)
The Brotherhood of the Whip (Hazlan/Nova Vaasa)
The Red Vardo Traders (Barovia, Demiplane)
Lights of Liberty (Nova Vaasa)
Claws of Sehkmaa (Nova Vaasa)
Gorkynites (Nova Vaasa)
Faith of the Overseer (Martira Bay/ Darkon)
The Straffers (Nova Vaasa)
Widderìbhinn (Keening)
The Church of Andral (Prime Material Barovia)
The Cult of the Ancestral Choir (Kartakass)
The Thousand Gods (Liffe)
Diamabel's Law (separated in enforcers and confessors, Pharazia)
Divinity of the Masters (Zherisia)
Divinity in All (Zherisia)
Cult of Sobek (Har' Akir)
The Ascended (Graben)
Church of the Spider Queen (Arak/Shadow Rift)
Cult of Set (Har' Akir)
The Brotherhood of Broken Blades (Kartakass)
Knight of the Raven (Prime Material Barovia)
Barovian Wine Distillers' Brotherhood (Barovia)
Darkon's Mercenary Guild (Darkon)
Lightbringers (Barovia)
Scourges' Guild (Pharasia, Nidala, Borca, Richemulot, Paridon, Souragne))
Sans Merci (Richemulot)
Galf Kloggin's Bandits (Forest of Shadows/ Darkon)
Merchant Guild of Sturben (Borca)
Militia of Levkarest (Borca)
Merchant's Guild of Curriculo (Invidia)
Merchant's Guild of Krezk (Barovia)
Metalworkers' Guild of Paridon‎ (Zherisia)
Morfenzi Merchant's Guild (Falkovnia)
Omen Watchers (Sidnar/Darkon)
Weavers' Guild of Arbora (Nova Vaasa)
Weeping Rose Actor Society (Port-a-Lucine, Lechberg, Martira Bay)
Buried Hands (Fakovnia)
Scar's Band (Karina/Invidia)
The Thieves' Guild of Toyalis (Hazlan)
The thieves' guild of Sly-Var (Darkon)
Zephyr Express (Karg/ Darkon)
Boritsi Trading Company (Borca)
Colonial Merchant Trading Company of Zherisia (Zherisia)
Sturben Trade Guild (Borca)
Guildmaster Traders (Lekar/ Falkovnia0
The Bard's Guild (Martira Bay/Darkon)
The Veiled Palm (Aerie/ Falkovnia)
Le Ballet National du Dementlieu (Port-a-Lucine/Dementlieu)
The Teusten Society (Falikovnia)
Brautslava Institute‎ ( Boglands of Darkon)
The Great University of Tvashti‎ (Sri Raji)
University of Blessed Zhakata‎ (G'Henna)
University of Dementlieu (Dementlieu)
University of Il Aluk‎ (Darkon/Necropolis0
University of Il Aluk in Exile‎ (Karg/ Darkon)
University of Richemulot‎ (Richemulot‎)
University of Liffe‎ (Liffe)
University in Kantora (Nova Vaasa)
Collegiate Caelistis (in Sidnar ran by the Omen Watchers/ Darkon)
Council of Brilliance (Dementlieu)
La Grande Théâtre de Musarde (Richemulot)
College d'Art (Invidia)
The Red Academy (Hazlan)
Ministry of Finance and Trade‎ (Falkovnia)
Ministry of Intelligence‎ (Falkovnia)
Ministry of Science‎ (Falkovnia)
Ministry of the Arcane‎ (Falkovnia)
Ministry of the Central Prison‎ (Falkovnia)
Stangengrad Military Academy (Falkovnia)
Creshcen Hall (Hazlan)
Pagolin Theatre (Necropolis)
Sommet Theater (Borca)
The Amphitheater (Harmonia/Kartakass)
Mordentshire Theater (Mordent)
Théatre de la Baie (Dementlieu)
The Grand Opera House, Port-a-Lucine Opera House (Dementlieu)
Ebon Fold‎ (Darkon)
Toll-Takers (Endless-Road)
The Brain'sCriminal Organisation (Dementieu)
The Thieves' Guild of Ezra (unspecified town or city outside of Darkon)
Bone Daggers (Hazlan)
Kara's Daughters (Falkovnia)
Night Blossom (Rokushima Táiyoo)
The Lamplighters (Mordent)
Rodjan Dilisnya's Company (Forlorn)
Talons of The Hawk (Falkovnia)
Korag High Master of Goblinwood (Tepest)
Boyarsky (Vorostokov)
The Relentless (Sea of Sorrows)
Black Watch (Chateaufaux "fiendish" militia /Dementlieu)
Gendarmerie of l'Morai (l'Morai)
Kellee Militia (Tepest)
Corvian Militia (Darkon)
Lechberg Militia (Borca)
Gendarmerie (Dementlieu)
Ludendorf Militia (Lamordia)
The Daggers (Tor Gorak)
Yeomanry (Graben)
Moondale County Militia (Liffe)
Boyars of Barovia volunteer militias (Barovia)
Vor Ziyden Militia (Borca/ ex-Dorvinia)
Chezna the Blood-cat Bandits (Nova Vaasa)
Malocchio's Soldiers (Invidia)
Cult of Simon Audaire (Richemulot)
Falkovnian Army (Falkovnia)
The New Outcasts (Pont-a-Museau/Demiplane)
The Brothers of the Yellow Sign (Outlander?)
Bolshnik family (Nova Vaasa)
Hiregaard family (Nova Vaasa)
Vistin family (Nova Vaasa)
Rivtoff family (Nova Vaasa)
Chekiv family (Nova Vaasa)
Renier family (Richemulot)
Politskarae (Sithicus)
von Aubrecker family (Lamordia)

[tomokaicho]

Thats what I meant when I mentioned rules on Secret Societies. Well it is not bad idea, I made a list of possible Affiliations...

Excellent list. I was about to list exactly which Affiliations I'd like to see happen but it would take a while to do it. If anyone writes any of these up as Affiliations, I would be delighted. The link I provided has basically all the Affiliations ever created for 3.5e, including homebrews, so ideas can be gleaned from there.

EDIT: Affiliations for organisations that are open for the PCs to join. So probably not the Kargat, but the Kargatane might be a possibility. Definitely the Circle.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

EDIT: Affiliations for organisations that are open for the PCs to join. So probably not the Kargat

There are some DMs who create adventures for evil characters, the notorious Champions of Darkness was based to that concept. Although this is not my cup of tee I believe some should be included for villain campaigns.

Also affiliations should apply to NPCs too in my opinion or else it is just a tool to create very powerful PCs.

Maybe some characters don't realise they are part or help an evil group until it is too late... this is part of horror too.

The Black Leopards could be an affiliations since if bitten by Urik PC's can change, but for instance I didn't place Obedient since they have no will on their own. For sure the racist Teusten Society should be off limits, only for evil NPCs.

I believe I will make affiliations for some of the Secret Societies from Forbidden Lore boxed set (The Kargatane,The Dark Delvers, Ata-Bestaal‎, IIldi'Thaan), the Red Vardo Traders, some Ezran heretics (maybe also the different sects), La Société de Legerdemain‎, Zhakata's the Provider and La Serrure et Clé (maybe some other watch companies of Richemulot too) since I always liked those. But I don't promise anything

I was really interested in the IIldi'Thaan around two decades ago and was delving into some Cthulhu mythos to flesh them out. I was making a campaign were the PCs would uncover throughout their adventures clues about Bluetspur's past as presented in the Book of Sacrifices. I believe that background story fits more to the IIldi'Thaan than the *new* Bluetspur concept of an alien entity who slowly dies.

I also had a player when we still played 2e that had a priest of Zhakata the Provider when Circles of Darkness was published, although we never played that module.

[KingCorn]

An guide to the Boristi Trading Company, with its trade relationships and partners, as well as its nasty secrets.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

And how about the Carlysle Trading Company, while we're at it?

[Mephisto of the FoS]

And how about the Carlysle Trading Company, while we're at it?

At first I was like... "I hadn'tknown that existed in Ravenloft..."

Also a message for the Fathers of the Fraternity:

Don't worry I don't plan to write everything in this list...

[Mistmaster]

The Kargat in my Mistworld are not inherently villainous.