Dice Goblin

Day 4 of the Adventure Calendar!

Today:

• 3 factions within the village
• 3 factions surrounding the village
• Layers of knowledge and goals for each faction
• Advantages and obstacles for each faction
• A notable faction agent

This was a fun one to flesh out. It’s all still very wordy, but once again, I’m first making a really big work document, and then editing later!

Factions

The following factions are active in and around Limentis.

• Common knowledge lists knowledge that anyone living in the region would know about the faction. Hidden information requires players to ask questions and pay a fictional cost, usually time or another resource. Secret information also requires questions and cost, but includes a chance of failure – this information requires dedicated effort and investigation, and might still fail.
• Goals exist in the same levels of knowledge. With each goal, the primary opposing faction is listed.
• Advantages are resources that the faction has at its disposal, and would deploy to achieve their goal.
• Obstacles list further seeds for possible conflict, favors and adventure.

The Old Families

Settler Nobility, Tenacious & Pragmatic, wielding Lineage & Position

Common Knowledge

Several extended families have lived in Limentis for generations. Their compounds occupy the oldest part of the village, where they hold key positions in governance. The Old Families maintain both Imperial and desert traditions, serving as a bridge between these cultures. Their council meetings are held in traditional stone circles, though some now incorporate Imperial ceremony as well.

• Goal: Maintain traditional village governance structures while accommodating minimal Imperial oversight
  • Opposing Faction: Eastern Trade League (pushes for Imperial oversight)

Hidden Knowledge

The Old Families maintain a complex web of marriages and alliances, holding ancient land deeds from Imperial times. Each family compound contains private shrines that blend Imperial Unity worship with desert spirit traditions. They preserve detailed oral histories of the region, passed down through designated Memory-Keepers in each family.

• Goal: Create alliances with both Imperial and nomadic powers to ensure village independence
  • Opposing Faction: Market Circle (prefers choosing Imperial side)

Secret Knowledge

Through generations of desert life, the Old Families have accumulated knowledge of hidden water sources in the deep desert.

They maintain secret pacts with desert spirits dating back to the village’s founding and keep evidence of past conflicts with the Empire hidden away. Throughout the village, they maintain hidden caches of emergency supplies, known only to trusted family members.

• Goal: Establish Limentis as a recognized autonomous region within the Empire
  • Opposing Faction: Eastern Trade League (wants economic control)

Advantages

• Deep local knowledge and respected authority
• Control over traditional decision-making processes
• Strong ties to both Imperial and desert cultures

Obstacles

• Young villagers drawn to Imperial opportunities
• Growing Imperial influence threatens traditional authority
• Internal disagreements about adapting to change

Agent: Asha val-Limentis – Council Representative

A dignified woman in her 50s who serves as the primary voice for the Old Families in village governance. Uses social connections and historical precedent to maintain traditional power. Primarily operates through formal channels and carefully worded proposals, masking traditional power plays in Imperial bureaucratic language.

The Watering Guild

Workers of Infrastructure, Meticulous & Disciplined, wielding Specialization and their Apparatus

Common Knowledge

The Watering Guild manages Limentis’s water infrastructure, maintaining wells, cisterns, and distribution systems. Their members wear distinctive blue sashes and can often be seen inspecting waterworks throughout the village. They keep detailed records of water usage and maintain the ancient water-sharing agreements between different village sections.

• Goal: Keep water distribution fair and traditional
  • Opposing Faction: Red Sand Nomads (competing water claims)

Hidden Knowledge

The Guild uses a complex system of markers and signs to track water flow and quality. They maintain secret maps of underground water channels and know how to redirect water in emergencies. Guild members undergo extensive training in both technical skills and traditional water ceremonies.

• Goal: Expand water infrastructure without drawing Imperial attention
  • Opposing Faction: Eastern Trade League (wants to regulate/tax water)

Secret Knowledge

The Guild knows ancient techniques for finding and protecting water sources that blend engineering with spirit-magic. They maintain secret agreements with water spirits and keep records of past droughts and how they were survived. Some say they know of underground reservoirs that could sustain the village for years in crisis.

• Goal: Use water control as leverage to make Limentis too valuable for the Empire to directly control
  • Opposing Faction: Market Circle (would trade water control for profit)

Advantages

• Control of vital infrastructure
• Deep technical knowledge of water systems
• Authority in water-related disputes

Obstacles

• Imperial pressure to formalize/tax water access
• Increasing water demands from growing trade
• Competition from nomadic groups

Agent: Karim the Wellkeeper

Master of the village’s largest well and trainer of new guild members. Uses his extensive knowledge of both technical water management and traditional water ceremonies to maintain the Guild’s importance. Operates by building personal relationships with both villagers and visiting officials.

The Market Circle

Opportunistic Merchants, Shrewd & Cunning, wielding Information & Wealth

Common Knowledge

The Market Circle consists of local traders, craftspeople, and innkeepers who manage Limentis’s day-to-day commerce. They maintain the marketplace and organize the monthly trading fairs when Imperial caravans arrive. Their members can be identified by the bronze tokens they wear, indicating their trading rights.

• Goal: Increase trade while preserving local merchant autonomy
  • Opposing Faction: Eastern Trade League (wants monopoly)

Hidden Knowledge

The Circle maintains private ledgers tracking debts and favors throughout the village. They have developed their own system of hand signals for negotiating prices and a network of runners who carry messages between members. Each member specializes in specific goods or services, with strict rules about competition.

• Goal: Build a merchant network independent of the Eastern Trade League
  • Opposing Faction: Old Families (controls traditional trade rights)

Secret Knowledge

The Circle maintains hidden storage spaces throughout the village and knows secret routes for moving goods quickly. They keep detailed information about Imperial trade patterns and pricing that could be valuable to competitors. Some members maintain secret connections with desert smugglers.

• Goal: Position Limentis as an essential trade hub that even the Empire can’t afford to disrupt
  • Opposing Faction: Red Sand Nomads (offers alternative trade routes)

Advantages

• Control of day-to-day commerce
• Network of trade connections
• Knowledge of regional markets

Obstacles

• Imperial merchants undercutting local business
• Tension with traditional village practices
• Dependency on Eastern Trade League

Agent: Serra Three-Coins

Owner of the largest inn in Limentis and unofficial information broker. Maintains appearance of a simple innkeeper while gathering intelligence from travelers. Uses information and hospitality to influence both local politics and Imperial trade relationships.

The Unmarked Circle

Arcane Exiles, Enigmatic & Secretive, wielding Magic & Subterfuge

Common Knowledge

The Unmarked are magic-users who refuse Imperial regulation and magical marking. They use Limentis as a waystation and gathering point, recognizable by their covered foreheads and tendency to travel at night. They often trade magical services for supplies and shelter.

• Goal: Maintain safe passage through Limentis
  • Opposing Faction: Eastern Trade League (reports unlicensed magic)

Hidden Knowledge

The Unmarked maintain a network of safe houses and secret meeting spots throughout the region. They use a system of magical signs to communicate with each other and mark safe locations. Many have developed unique magical techniques blending Imperial and desert traditions.

• Goal: Transform Limentis into a permanent sanctuary for Unmarked magic-users
  • Opposing Faction: Old Families (fears Imperial attention)

Secret Knowledge

The Unmarked know secret routes through the desert that avoid Imperial patrols. They maintain hidden caches of magical supplies and forbidden knowledge throughout the region. Some say they know how to temporarily suppress or disguise magical markings. The Unmarked are coordinating secret expeditions to ancient ruins, said to hold powerful magical artifacts.

• Goal: Discover/create a way to permanently resist Imperial magical control
  • Opposing Factions: Market Circle (profits from Imperial cooperation), the Eastern Trade League (agents of the Empire’s reach)

Advantages

• Powerful but dangerous uncontrolled magic
• Network of secret locations and routes
• Unique magical knowledge

Obstacles

• Imperial magical oversight
• Need for secrecy limits influence
• Internal conflicts over using magic

Agent: “Winter”

Seemingly a traveling herbalist, actually coordinates safe passage for Unmarked magic-users. Operates through a network of subtle signals and codes. Uses healing skills as cover for magical activities.

The Red Sand Nomads

Nomadic Tribes, Fierce & Tenacious, wielding Large Numbers & Force

Common Knowledge

The Red Sand Nomads are desert dwellers who follow traditional migration patterns through the region. They are known for their distinctive red-dyed clothing and superior desert survival skills. They regularly trade with Limentis, bringing unique desert goods.

• Goal: Preserve traditional access to water and trade
  • Opposing Faction: Watering Guild (controls water)

Hidden Knowledge

The Nomads maintain complex social structures based on family groups and seasonal gatherings. They have developed sophisticated techniques for finding water and navigating the desert. Their traders use a complex system of gestures and tokens to indicate good faith in trading.

• Goal: Unite desert tribes against Imperial expansion
  • Opposing Faction: Market Circle (divides tribes through trade)

Secret Knowledge

The Nomads know the locations of valuable resources deep in the desert, including crystal deposits and rare herbs. They maintain ancient agreements with desert spirits and know secret ways to communicate with them. Some say they know of hidden oases that don’t appear on any Imperial maps.

• Goal: Find/create new water sources to reduce dependency on settlements
  • Opposing Faction: Eastern Trade League (claims all water rights)

Advantages

• Superior desert survival skills
• High mobility
• Deep desert knowledge

Obstacles

• Need for trade goods from settlements
• Increasing Imperial presence
• Competition for water rights

Agent: Aranuk

Chief trader for his band, known for his fierce negotiating style. Outwardly pleasant but ruthless in pursuing his people’s interests. Combines traditional desert knowledge with sharp trading instincts.

The Eastern Trade League

Imperial Merchants, Connected & Manipulative, wielding Resources & Position

Common Knowledge

The Eastern Trade League represents Imperial commercial interests in the region. They organize regular caravans to Limentis and maintain trading posts along the route. Their members wear distinctive purple-trimmed robes and carry official Imperial trade permits.

• Goal: Establish regular, profitable trade routes
  • Opposing Faction: Red Sand Nomads (disrupts routes)

Hidden Knowledge

The League maintains detailed records of all transactions and keeps close watch on local resources and prices. They have developed an efficient system for moving goods through the desert and maintain their own network of informants throughout the region.

• Goal: Gradually increase Imperial economic control over Limentis
  • Opposing Faction: Old Families (maintains independence)

Secret Knowledge

The League has secret plans for expanding Imperial influence in the region through economic means. They maintain detailed intelligence about local politics and resources that they share with Imperial authorities. Some say they have already begun buying up water rights through proxies.

• Goal: Make Limentis completely dependent on Imperial trade through debt and obligation
  • Opposing Factions: Old Families, Market Circle, Watering Guild

Advantages

• Imperial backing
• Substantial resources
• Extensive trade network

Obstacles

• Local resistance to Imperial practices
• Desert environment challenges
• Complex local politics

Agent: Lucius Manus-val-Noveris

Official Imperial trade representative, unofficial intelligence gatherer. Presents as a bureaucratic merchant while building network of informants. Uses combination of Imperial authority and personal charm to expand League influence.