From My Table – Tyranny of Dragons & Factions pt. 2

I’ve long been more a fan of magical items being discovered as part of adventuring rather than there being a Magic-Mart where adventurers can go in to pick up a six pack of healing potions and a bag of holding. Hence, I’m not a fan of Factions selling +1 weapons to PCs either. But players need something to spend their hard earned coin on so I developed a compromise.

With a narrative of Factions uniting to face a singular threat such as found in Tyranny of Dragons, the question comes up as to why those Factions aren’t equipping the heroes with as much gear as they can handle to deal with the threat (or why doesn’t Blackstaff and SIlverhand go and deal with it themselves). The story at my table was first the Factions needed to be convinced that the threat was enough to call for their co-operation, second they would be diverting resources to other minor crises, and third that the major powers had their own problems to deal with. It’s part of the fiction of the game.

Using Guildmasters’ of Ravnica as a guide, I expanded the Adventure League lists and reskinned the charms and guild signet objects to better fit the Factions of the Forgotten Realms. Just as this might be used as a list of items that could be brokered through the Faction, it also suggests items of interest to that Faction. It was a deliberate choice of mine to include multiple healing style items and not include weapons or magical armors, but as always go with what works best at your table. Finally, some example one shot items thematically reskinned for the Faction.

Emerald Enclave

Themes – Exploration, Nature
Appearance – Natural materials (antler, bone, leather, wood, etc.)

* Hunter’s Charm (DC 13, +2 to the item’s ability checks)
Wondrous Item, Uncommon, Single Use
An arrowhead carved from antler by a druid
As a bonus action, you may activate the charm to cast either Hunter’s Mark or Ensnaring Strike for use with the weapon in hand.
The charm vanishes after you activate it.

** Charm of the Enclave – Decay (DC 15, +4 to the item’s ability check)
Wondrous Item, Rare, Single Use
Carved of bone in the form of a leaf that hangs from a loop of leather.
As an action, you can activate this charm to cast dispel magic, false life (3^rd level), or stinking cloud.
The charm vanishes after you activate it.

** Charm of the Enclave – Life (DC 15, +4 to the item’s ability check)
Wondrous Item, Rare, Single Use
Carved of oak in the form of a bear that hangs from a loop of leather.
As an action, you can activate this charm to cast aura of vitality or conjure animals. Alternatively, as an action you can give up to three creatures of your choice within 30 feet of you resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage until the end of your next turn.
The charm vanishes after you activate it.

Order of the Gauntlet

Themes: Martial, Protection
Appearance: Pieces of armor, weapons, or other implements of battle that either still carry marks of use or once belonged to a hero

Common	Uncommon	Rare
Potion of Healing	Potion of Hill Giant Strength	Potion of Heroism
Scroll – Bless	Scroll – Lesser Restoration	Relic of the Order**
Scroll – Protection from Evil & Good	Scroll – Magic Weapon	Scroll – Banishment
	Trophy of the Order*	Scroll – Mass Cure Wounds
Carpenter’s Tools	Adamantine Armor	Belt of Hill Giant Strength
Leatherworker’s Tools	Periapt of Wound Closure	Ring of Protection
Mason’s Tools	Saddle of the Cavalier	Ring of Resistance
Smith’s Tools

* Trophy of the Order (DC 13, +2 to the item’s ability checks)
Baptized in battle, this trophy still carries the echoes of valiant warriors.
As an action, you can activate this item to cast Compel Duel or Sanctuary.
The item turns to dust after use.

**Relic of the Order (DC 15, +4 to the item’s ability checks, +7 to attack)
This relic was previously  worn by a famed member of the Order, imbued with spirit of many a battle.
As an action, you can activate this charm to cast Crusader’s Mantle or Haste. Alternatively, you can cast guiding bolt and if it hits, you regain a number of hit points equal to the damage it deals.
The charm vanishes after you activate it.

Next time – Harpers, Lord’s Alliance, and Zhentarim