Factions

The Location of a faction's headquarters is unknown to the common public and must be found via insights in game unless the Character has a connection to it.

Every secret a faction must also be learned to be useful to any in game play.

Goals should be treated like quests. And as Faction Goals can be completed without the interference of a player character they will use a phase timer. Each phase has a tally of 5 and must be completed before work can begin on the next phase. The countdown timer resets when a new phase begins. But if the countdown timer is reached first, then both the countdown timer and the phase tally are reset and the phase begins anew.

Goals/Quests

Factions operate on a life of their own. Their goals progress through six phases leading to a final End state. This progression happens regardless of player involvement, though player intervention (or inter-faction conflict) can sabotage this progress.

A faction's goal is always in progress, at the start of the game it is in Phase 1. And as Insights are found for the faction, things keep going even if the players never interact or know of the faction or their plots. This allows the world to feel real and lived in.

Each Phase if the goal is unknown to the players has a Tally of 5. When 5 is reached the next phase starts, and the Tally resets to zero. If the players find out about the phase through Insights, then it shifts to a Plan/Location of a Quest with a Tally of 5 and a Countdown Timer of 10.

If the phase reaches the tally of 5 it continues on to the next phase and both the Tally and Countdown reset to 0. If the countdown is reached before the next the next phase, the Tally is reset to zero for that phase, but the Countdown continues to on without a change. This represents the idea that the plan was thwarted by something and they have to figure out something else to do.

If a party/player wishes to help a Faction question the Insights found will only apply to the party and not the faction. If the GM or player wishes the could opt to allow the Faction the tally or the player's quest the tally but not both.

Phase 1: Shadows

• The Vibe: Subtle anomalies.
• Description: The threat is just beginning to manifest. It’s a missing pet, a strange smell, or a flickering light. Most people ignore it or find a "rational" explanation.

Phase 2: Whispers

• The Vibe: Localized trouble.
• Description: The Faction starts taking active steps. A specific victim is targeted, or a minor resource is stolen. The community feels "off," but the threat is still hiding.

Phase 3: Signs

• The Vibe: The point of no return.
• Description: The Faction’s influence becomes visible to those looking for it. The first "messy" event occurs. If the party hasn't heard of them yet, this is usually when the first rumors reach their ears.

Phase 4: Omens

• The Vibe: Escalation and fear.
• Description: The Faction no longer cares about secrecy. They are openly preparing for their goal. The body count rises, or the environmental changes become impossible to ignore.

Phase 5: Manifestation

• The Vibe: The plan is in motion.
• Description: The "Monster" or Faction Leader initiates their ultimate goal. This is the climax. The threat is at its most powerful and most dangerous.

Phase 6: The Brink

• The Vibe: The world is breaking.
• Description: The plan has succeeded, and the immediate consequences are tearing through the local area. There is a tiny window to mitigate the damage, but the "win" condition for the Faction has been met.

END

• The Vibe: Total Transformation.
• Description: The world — or at least the local region — is permanently changed. The Faction has achieved total dominance, the ritual is complete, or the town is gone. This is the "Game Over" state for that specific narrative arc.

The Thwart Mechanism (Inter-Faction Interference)

When one faction (Faction A) is working against each other faction (Faction B), Faction A's insights affect the tallies of Faction B.

When a Goal or Plan insight for the Faction is discovered, it serves a dual purpose:

• Tally Progress: It fills 1 mark on the Faction A's current Tally.
• Countdown Acceleration: It fills 1 mark on Faction B's Countdown Tally (representing the aggressive suppression methods speeding up the "end-state" of the conflict).

The Reset Condition: > If Faction A's Tally (5 marks) is completed before Faction B's reaches their next Tally Stage:

• The Faction B's Phase Tally resets to zero (their current task is sabotaged).
• The Countdown Clock does not reset (the time lost is still gone).
• Faction A's Tally resets to zero.