About Factions
In a city of 20,000 souls, there are many groups that band together for protection or mutual benefit. Some of the more important groups are known to all:
(Factions being run as Braunstein Patrons are indicated)
- Swords of the Red Prince - The Baron Red Prince's personal "army"
- Prophets of the Chosen - a small sect of prophets that take money for vague predictions. The Grand Imperial Pantheon has found no magic in their dealings.
- Vigilant of Xathok - a possibly legendary group of worshippers of the Elder Gods, they are blamed when plans go awry, tools get broken, you stub your toe, and so on
- The Orphans - Mercenary Guards that form the Watch
- Clan Opatiza - Baron Opatiza and his family, allies, and agents
- Pirates of Fog Island - amorphous group of smugglers and pirates with a fog-shrouded base beyond Paradise Bay (Patron)
- Assassins of Hecate - another near-mythic group, always blamed when someone dies suddenly, mysteriously, or in some apparent retribution
- Verratcho Zemaya - hereditary guardians of the Lost Dungeon of Tonis
- The Council of Ancients - Magic user academy (Patron)
- The Adepts of the Jacinth Tower - Magic user academy
- The Brethren of the Order of the All-seeing Eye - Magic User Academy
- The Fellowship of the Grand Imperial Pantheon - Priesthood of the Imperial Pantheon
- The Keepers of the Keys - The worshippers of Hades, god of Peace and Eternal Rest (Patron)
- The Cult of Fortuna - The Cult of Tyche, goddess of fortune
- Sisterhood of the Crimson Hind - The Cult of Artemis, goddess of the hunt
- The Wrack of the Most Faithful - The Cult of Virch the Wracked, intercessor of the Old Gods
- The Esoteric Order of R'lyeh - The Dagonite Cult of Ahto, god of waters and oceans
There are four mercenary companies dwelling in the city:
The Order of the Iron Bear - Captain Gerhardt Krieger
Ability Scores: STR 16, DEX 13, CON 15, INT 10, WIS 12, CHA
9
Physical Description: Gerhardt is a towering man, standing at six and a half feet tall. He has broad shoulders, muscular arms, and a thick beard. He wears plate armor and carries a large battleaxe at his side. Captain Kriegere is the oldest and most experienced of the mercenary commanders in Sojenka.
Escutcheon: A black bear on a field of iron grey
Motto: "Fortis in ferro" - Strong in Iron
The Brotherhood of the Red Dragon - Captain Nikola Vuković
Ability Scores: STR 14, DEX 16, CON 13, INT 12, WIS 10, CHA
9
Physical Description: Nikola is a lean and agile man, standing at five and a half feet tall. He has short red hair, piercing green eyes, and a sharp nose. He wears studded leather armor and carries two short swords at his hips.
Famous for cavalry, the Red Dragons operate out of the Hydaspes Dojo just outside the city walls, with room for cavalry training with horse, camel and elephant.
Escutcheon: A red dragon on a field of gold
Motto: "Ignis et gladius" - Fire and Sword
The Company of the Silver Stag - Captain Ana Jurić
Ability Scores: STR 12, DEX 14, CON 15, INT 15, WIS 12, CHA
13
Physical Description: Ana is a tall and graceful woman, standing at six feet tall. She has long silver hair, bright blue eyes,
and a sharp jawline. She wears chainmail armor and carries a longsword at her
side. Captain Juric is the youngest of the Captains in Sojenka, but has a reputation for cunning maneuvers and highly drilled infantry.
Escutcheon: A silver stag on a field of green
Motto: "Velociter et fortiter" - Swiftly and
Strongly
The Knights of the Golden Lion - Captain Petar Srećković
Ability Scores: STR 15, DEX 12, CON 14, INT 10, WIS 13, CHA
9
Physical Description: Petar is a burly Croatian man,
standing at six feet tall. He has a bushy brown beard, deep-set brown eyes, and
a broad nose. He wears plate armor and carries a warhammer at his side.
Escutcheon: A golden lion on a field of blue
Motto: "Aurum virtus" - Gold is Power
About NPCs
- Asharem the Gilded - called "the gelded" (not to his face!), the governor of Sojenka. Drunkard, drug abuser, womanizer, incompetent fool. Makes no pretense about letting the Ministers run the city.
- Baron Red Prince - Baron of West Lake and bond-servant of Stormwing's Justice (an ancinet pact with the Elves)
- Baron Opatiza - Clan patriarch
- Lord Malineg - vintner to the Empire, wealthy landholder
- Guildmaster Council members
- "Griffin Claw" - the proprietor of the Sign of the Griffin's Claw Inn. So called as the last two fingers on his left hand were cut off at some point. Purveyor of information.
- "The Rat King" - leader of the Beggars' Guild
- Mircha the Blue - Madam of the Blue Haven, gentlemen's club. Very expensive. Members only.
- Varga the horse-trader - fence and dealer in fine merchandise (Patron)
- Aldren the Green - Apothecary, the most knowledgeable man in Sojenka about herbs, plants, drugs, and poisons.
- Carran Vett - musician with a clear and strong voice, his hands agile upon the harp strings. His store of stories and songs is endless. Purveyor of information.
- Haggatt the Magician - not a magician, rather an entertainer who performs sleight of hand tricks, feats of dexterity, and causes a woman to levitate before he cuts her in half with a mighty curved blade.
- Victra the Un-Cut - Haggatt's assistant, a lovely young Amazon girl who is the star of the show, getting cut in half every other night in the market square. She is always willing to buy or trade for new information, "Tell me something I don't know", she says.
- Kell-tagr the Berzerker - a skilled warrior who leads a band of some 200 soldiers. He hires them out in groups or as a whole. His leftenants are popular weapon-masters among warriors that desire training.
- Various Merchants or other NPCs are available if you feel like making your own...