#RPGaDay2025 – Patron

Once again I find myself well and behind on the annual #RPGaDay challenge, instead working on building up some locations for my home brew fantasy greatly infused with historical examples. Really, what I need to do is work on a more dilligent output of shorter posts – so here goes!

#1 Patron

(random roll 4-5-9, when-accessory-confidence)

Patron rewards are a nice little dopamine buzz. It works well in video games, often granting little benefits or working towards a greater reward for gaining their trust and completing their objectives. So when was the last time at your table your regular quest giver was portrayed as impressed by the PCs in their deeds?

Perhaps that patron has thrown in some extra cheddar like a fashion accessory that has no magical abilities but carries some social weight. What kind of value does wearing the Red Scarf of the kingdom’s Master of Blades? Does it open useful doors or compell assistance? It also brands them as an extension of their patron, potentially bringing adversarial complications.

I’ve been throwing in some faction perks like this for my Chronicles setting, like Writ of Passage as a benefit for a northern merchant league, granting free passage on a league ship for the holder of the writ and up to five passengers. It doesn’t give the PCs control of the ship, just a ride along on vehicle travelling on it’s regular trade route. The league benefits by having an adventuring party that tends to be very effective at protecting the vehicle and the party gets to where you need them to be. It isn’t quite a letter of marque that was given to privateers but that might be an interesting deal for an adventurer guilds with a royal patron that will provide support (access to healing, special equipment, etc.) for parties dealing with threats in exchange for a cut of the loot.

… and I’m gonna stop there before this becomes another opus of opinions cross references but I might take this as a push to sit down and complete the factions for that setting. I started writing them up long ago but much of it is still a tangle of brainstorming notes.

#RPGaDay2025