Woc Affiliations

WHY JOIN AN AFFILIATION?
Affi liations can be viewed as another type of treasure. The
coffer of rubies might have fallen into the acid swamp and
melted, but the Brotherhood of Bahamut holds you in high
esteem for slaying the young black dragon. Your standing
in the Brotherhood goes up, and next time, instead of
tithing a church to grow back your shield arm or emptying
your gem pouch to book passage on a shady captain’s
barkentine, the Brothers will cast regenerate or wind walk
for you, free of charge. In this way, an affi liation serves you,
the same way that your sword, your spellbook, and your
gold benefi t you.
You can also consider affi liations as an additional class
feature. The Skill Focus (Gather Information) feat provides
a bonus on Gather Information checks, but so too does suffi
cient status in an affi liation of thieves. Join an affi liation of
sages to gain bonuses on Knowledge checks. As you increase
in status, you gain more affiliation benefits and greater
personal power (as well as face greater risks and enemies).
Your affi liation brings rich potential to role-playing. The
group can create many opportunities, including adding foils
for your PC, rivals vying for your rank, and steadfast allies
that can provide aid or request it of you. Affi liations also
help drive your character’s motivations; when considering
your character’s background, you should understand how
his affi liations fi t in.
From the Dungeon Master’s point of view, affi liations can
be used to spur adventures, to lend the world verisimilitude,
to introduce NPCs, to act as treasure and reward, and even
to explain the occasional deus ex machina (even the best campaigns
can benefi t from such a device from time to time!).
You should work with your DM to determine what affi liations
are available to your character. Perhaps your Dungeon Master
will allow you to create your own affi liation and join it (or
found it). You should also discuss possible NPC and enemy
affi liations in the campaign. Affi liations with goals inimical
to your own can serve as challenges that highlight your
character and his allies—the Sun Fane of Pelor is opposed
to the Reviled of Laogzed, while the King’s Navy scours the
seas through storm and swell to harry the Thunder Sail Argosy
pirate fl eet.
Also, while the affairs of some affi liations might be fi xed
in the campaign world fi rmament, unchanging outside of
DM fi at, others can be more dynamic. Evolving affi liations
add another dimension to your game. Using the materials
presented later in this chapter, you and your DM can make
your affi liations change as the world does, even in response
to your character’s actions.
No matter how you interact with affi liations, keep in mind
that the goal is to have fun. Whether your thieves guild is
a static fi xture whose future is unquestionably secure, or
whether it is a ragtag band of merry companions constantly
on the run from the city watch and in danger of extermination
or gaol, you should enjoy affi liations as you wish.
MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS PRIVILEGES
You have a separate affi liation score for each affi liation, but
need only track those important to you. Your affi liation score
defi nes your status in that group. Rising in status can earn
benefi ts such as an offer of membership, a monthly fl ow of
gold and emeralds, or research time at a wizard college.


Drakewatch Arena Performers

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