Introduction
For this campaign, I wanted to add something that I have begun to call Downtime Players (DTP), sometimes called "Patrons" or "Illegal High-level NPCs" in other places...
These Downtime Players would run NPCs, individually or as entire Factions. These "Braunstein Reports" (for lack of a better name) will sometimes include the Discord chat logs between the players and myself, to give an idea of how this procedure works in real life. Endless pixels have been burned in discussions and arguments over the validity and value of this method of play, so I will begin here with some definitions of and descriptions of how this is supposed to work in my campaign.
An important factor in using downtime players for running the actions and activities of erstwhile NPC characters of Factions is that their role is somewhat limited by the Dungeon Master. While the NPC will be created, in whole or in part, by the DTP and the DM, the NPC will have a randomly defined personality. The DTP will be empowered to set the initial goals. The DTP character/Faction's actions or moves may be vetoed or modified by the DM in order to fit the Character, Setting, Theme and Tone.
Session Player
A participant in the game who attends the regular weekly sessions and runs one or more Player Character adventurers. These Players take an active role in Session play and their characters are subject to 1:1 Downtime Pacing between Sessions. In-session time may flow as fast or slowly as needed, even for the party to be able to get as far as two weeks into the future.
Downtime Player
A Downtime Player is primarily differentiated from a "normal" or Session Player by not actually taking part in the weekly adventures of the player characters. The Downtime Player will run an NPC as a single character or as part of a group or Faction. Each Downtime Player will set out their plan for a monthly turn, with weekly updates/course corrections. Some of the DTP will run characters that are leveled, and some are not. All of them will have access to regular income, and regular expenses. There are other important differences from "regular" Session Player characters:
- DTP Characters will not earn experience.
- The actions and activities of DTP Characters will be held strictly to their alignment and personality traits. Out-of-character activities will be discussed (leaving the door open for Character development) and either modified or canceled. (As opposed to Session Players, whose choices can & will lead to an alignment change).
- DTP Players will control Factions, but not Domains. All of them will be subject to the rule of the Governor and the laws of the land. This is to avoid the perception of "cheapening" or de-valuing the Domain. If a DTP wishes to pursue the creation/usurpation of a legitimate, existing Domain, that is another thing altogether. And a very interesting play idea!
Braunstein
Historically, Braunstein has meant a form of game where several participants take on teh role of characters in a certain place. These characters area allowed to act and interact as they would like, coming to the Referee for adjudication of disputes and conflicts.
One of the Session Players (Belloc of Poitiers) in the campaign offered this insight:
Braunstein: A species of wargame where players negotiate to achieve asymmetric (& often positive sum) victory conditions.
A game of diplomacy involves players taking on the role of a Major European power where players, and (in play-by-post games) uses a referee to resolve disputes. But I would argue b/c the victory conditions are symmetric (everyone wants 18 supply centers) & zero-sum (only one player can achieve this), it is not the sort of game built by D. Wesley
For this campaign, the term "Braunstein" will refer to this activity, which takes place out-of-session or in downtime activities, whether the participants are Session Players (SP) or Downtime Players (DTP).
Downtime Player Turn Rules
Braunstein Game Turns
A Faction or Domain Turn occurs over the course of one month (Calendar days). Barring unusual events, the Faction/Domain morale is adjusted every Quarter.
The Domain Growth phase occurs automatically for PCs of the appropriate level, as listed in the character class description. Wilderness Domains do not automatically draw families to settle.
Factions grow by recruiting new members and/or promoting Hirelings to Member status (if appicable).
The Congregant Growth phase is only applicable to PCs/NPCs that have built and staffed a religious structure.
The Revenue Collection phase must be performed by the Master of the Domain, or an officer of the court called a Bailiff. In larger Domains, the Bailiff will have deputies to assist in collection.
For Factions involved in mercantile or trade ventures, the revenue is collected as rent, trade goods exchanged, etc.
Campaign Activities include a wide range of actions. These include adjusting garrison levels, patrol frequency, trade issues, domain infrastructure, issuing decrees, and so on.
Braunstein Patrons may engage in, or have Faction members engage in, the various Downtime hijinks or other time-consuming activities such as making scrolls/potions, etc. These activities may influence Faction/Domain morale.
The Braunstein Turn
Faction/Domain Growth
Congregant Growth
Revenue Collection
Campaign Activities: Complete responses to the previous month’s events. Write orders to NPCs/PCs for the coming month.
a. Random Events
b. Week One – DM Resolution
c. Week Two - DM Resolution
d. Week Three - DM Resolution
e. Week Four - DM Resolution
Expense Payments
Faction/Domain Morale
Introduction
DM NOTE: I put out an announcement on twitter and in some discords I hang out in, asking if anyone was interested in playing a "Patron". I had six or seven people respond, and gave them the lowdown. The intros and DTP development process went something like this (reminder that the posts on this blarg are embargoed by three months for OpSec):
Pick whomever you like, or are interested in. Or, if you have an idea, the setting is based on Thieves World slash Lankhmar fiction.
Varga sounds interesting.
Varga has a stall in the Old Market (NW quadrant)
Feel free to develop him. We'll figure out a way to get him known to the Players. you can use the tables on p100 of the AD&D DMG for personality info, if you want some inspiration
I wrangled a way for the players to come see you last night.
They wanted to sell you a bronze lock they took from a temple in the Serpentine. You pressed them for info, offered gold, but they told you they barely escaped and it collapsed behind them as they ran out.
You are free to believe that or not. You are aware of gossip of another group, the Red Wyverns, whom you have fenced with before, that also claim to have found a hidden temple in the Serpentine. You sold Castille a small block of tea for 5 GP (enough really fancy style tea for 5-6 pots) which you wrapped in a piece of cloth. (edited)
What team name are the players going by?
The Tuesday night session is The Sons of Mithra
The Thursday group is a bit behind due to some poor planning
You wrote a note in the cloth wrapping of the tea:
My friends, you are in great danger from the Red Wyverns. They dislike competition.
Most genuine Vargas
It happened rather suddenly. I had to improvise!
I like it. Did they claim to pry the lock off a door. Does it have a key? Identifiable workmanship?
Also, they asked about finding a fence from a metalsmith in the Old Market, he told them how to find you, and gave them the tip, "Tell him Johann sent you, which is code for these dudes may be big trouble
Feel free to set up a list of 6-8 contacts in the market that can send ppl to you and vice versa
Will do. Does Johann actually go by Johann normally.
Anyone playing the Begger leader yet?
Any playing leaders of the guilds in the Market?
no, but he is Voran
Amazon - Japanese style names and culture
Berzerkers - use Spanish style names
Kordu - Citizens of the Empire, darker skin, black/dark brown hair, 'Croatian' style names
Voran - Descended from the First Men the old-folks of the area, German style names
The lock was part of a door, and it set off a trap, so there is a nifty extra mechanism. There is no key, but now that it is disassembled, making one is trivial.
They kicked down a dry-rotted door, set off the trap. Lost two mercs
Did they reveal the kind of trap?
no
You bought the lock for 2 GP, offered a "bag of gold" for a map of the temple and where to find it
That's when they said it collapsed.
I suppose I'll have to see if their surviving mercs can be identified and located and approached for info if a weakness or lever can be found.
I'm going to need a crew or access to one. I'll put together the concept.
12 April
You do have two young serving girls, about 12-13 years, that helped you serve tea to Castille (horse archer type) and Luke (Cleric of Ares), both Berzerkers.
17 April
Okay, Varga will want to have a friendly relationship with the merc companies quartermasters. Buy drinks, a little something on the wife's birthday, that sort of thing. For referrals by them of their troops a promise of a fair deal, with a little kickback.
Same deal of info trading with the Begger leader,and permission to station one outside to pick up any discussions of customers, who treat beggers as invisible, prior to entry.
Obviously mutual benefit arrangements with the Thieves and Bandits, with the understanding that nothing comes back on him, and they don't kill any golden geese.
Basically a network of information and mutual referral with innkeepers, hostlers, dock officials, the local middle-level law, etc. The working glue of society that straddles the lines.
In addition to the shop girls, a fast-talking "associate" freelance who can do legwork and muscle as needed. Like an Archie to Varga's Nero Wolfe. Not a thug, but can handle himself and move across social strati.
Varga will be trying to track down the party's surviving mercs, and reach out to the Wyverns QM.
18 April
You find a Serjeant Zeljko at a seedy merc watering hole called The Sundered Shield (not a place where you have any contacts). It's the middle of the day on Sat, 15 April, and you can tell he is tipsy, to say the least. He is sitting with a couple of men who are obviously soldiers, and three young men with wide eyes, hanging on his every word. He is talking about a green light that sucked the life right out of half of his troop of men, stole their souls and made them into the foulest of undead! He takes a big swig of ale from a tankard and begins to launch into a well-rehearsed tale of horror and heroic combat against his erstwhile comrades-in-arms.
The, usually a crusty old NCO who handles pay, fodder, lodging, supplies, gear, maintenance. The Supply Chief. They really run an outfit.
The Dungeon Master
If you spend a couple of coppers on the sergeant you can get him to talk further and discover that the group he was with lost 3 of their five members.
He says they had a very high opinion of themselves.
The magic user walked right into the light to take a closer look at the runes on the floor.
It was like opening the gates of the damned!
OK, let's try this:
You start with a Homestead (see Spears of Sojenka domain rules) worth 1,000 GP. You may have up to 50 members in your faction. You were a Deputy Quartermaster in the Guard of Sojenka yourself, before you mustered out as a 5th level Under-Captain.
You have had your Homestead for just under a year:
A Fighter character may establish a
Homestead to use as a quasi-stronghold. The
Homestead will not attract peasant families.
The Homestead may attract workers of
various sorts, housemen, cooks, laborers, etc.
It allows the Fighter to form an Faction
(called a Company, or Regiment, or Troop), a
truly mercenary collection of 2d6 first-level
Minions of the same class willing to join the
Player Character for purely monetary reasons.
Each time the Player Character gains a level
thereafter, he will attract an additional 1d6
1st-level Minions to his Company.
All Minions must be paid standard rates for Men-at-arms
(Minions). In addition, the Company Captain
may recruit and hire more 0-level men-at-
arms (minions) to increase the size of his
Company. See the Minions, Followers,
Mercenaries, and Specialists rules.
The Dungeon Master
Roll up 2d6 first level fighters to be your Faction, plus any other 0-levels that you want to recruit.
Your Faction will earn Revenue via various activities as are listed in the Hijinks section of Spears. Your leveled Faction members may each perform one Hijink for Revenue per month.
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