Customised 5e Glantri Campaign Part 6: Rebels
by Caius of GlantriBACKGROUND: CRIMINAL - THE REBEL
With activities similar to other criminals but a different goal, the rebel breaks the law not for personal profit, but to change society. This often brings them into competition for resources with other criminal groups (and often there ends up being little difference between the two).
For years, the main rebel group in Glantri was the Underground River, where local boatmen would ferry clerics from safehouse to safehouse and rescue dwarves and other innocents from the authorities. From its humble beginnings it grew to be a sprawling umbrella network which attempted to forge a revolution from such disperate groups as the church of Traladara, the Followers of the Claymore, the 10,000 Fists of Khan and various foreign (and often rival) churches. Not surprisingly it was discovered and collapsed amid a wave of betrayals and arrests, with many public trials and executions.
Now various smaller, distrustful and tighter-knit groups exist. These include:
The 10,000 Fists( of Khan): a militant group of Ethengar terrorists.
The Followers of the Claymore: a band of Kaelic warriors seeking to topple the magocracy.
The Boldavian Liberation Organisation: The Boldavian Church of Traladara. Formerly the Underground River.
The Regiment: A group of dwarven volunteer terrorists who prey on Boldavian nobles.
The Canine Protection Society: A group of Averoignese werewolves fighting for their bloodrights.
The Elven Liberation Front: An Erewani seperatist movement
Skill Proficiencies: Choose 2 from Disguise Kit, Forgery Kit, Insight, Perception, Religion, Stealth and Thieves Tools.
Equipment: 2 sets of common clothes, a bag of caltrops, a (holy) symbol amulet, a pouch with 15 gold ducats.
FEATURE
In your group's area of activities you know a network of escape routes and safehouses. You can usually travel unseen and undetected. When you visit other areas you know or can recognise (through Insight) where to contact other organisations, but your reception will depend upon your actions.
Your group will support you in a poor lifestyle in return for giving talks, breaking down barriers, abusing the authorities, helping to build safehouses and occasional child-minding.
SUGGESTED CHARACTERISTICS
Rebels are rarely the most conservative members of society and many in the organistions are positively strange, but in societies like Glantri, where blatant injustices exist, sometimes even the most upstanding citizens are moved to join the cause.
d8 Trait
1 Depending on charisma, I'm either a captivating speaker or a rambling bore, but concise I'm not. When speaking about injustice I can go on for hours.
2 If I don't have my back to a wall, the entrance in sight and my escape route planned, I cannot relax.
3 To protect my schemes and allies I never refer to them by their true names. I have a nickname for everyone and almost every place.
4 I am always alert and on edge, full of nervous energy. I cannot be still and react to sudden sounds and entrances.
5 Statues demand defacing, a blank wall needs my message and I cannot hear a patriotic song or poem without composing a satire.
6 I have startling visions of the future which sometimes distract me from the present.
7 The pleasant conversation, fashionable clothing and personal hygeine demanded by society are valueless. I go my own way.
8 I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem fairest often have the most to hide.
d6 Ideal
1 The ends justify the means (evil)
2 I wont rest until the whole edifice has toppled (chaos)
3 I don't want a revolution. I want to restore the natural order (law)
4 I wont stoop to my enemies' levels. I will win the hearts of the people (good).
5 I'm not interested in high ideals. My motivation is personal. (neutral)
6 One wrong can move a people and a wronged people can move the world (law)
d6 Bond
1 I have a family. I don't want them harmed in this struggle.
2 Someone betrayed a person I love. I will find and destroy this traitor.
3 I periodically return to the place where I adopted the cause.
4 A village or neighbourhood I know is my model for society. I will fight to protect it.
5 My symbol is my soul. If someone messes with it they mess with me.
6 This is personal. I want to kill one of Glantri's princes myself.
d6 Flaw
1 I cannot resist provoking authority.
2 I talk too freely.
3 I am plagued by bad dreams. 1 night in 10, I only get a short rest benefit from 8 hours rest.
4 I am intolerant of my allies.
5 Petty injustice provokes an over-the-top reaction in me.
6 I have a craving for something (wine, the opposite sex, opera, etc) which could lead me into trouble.