Pogroms

Pogroms are attacks perpetrated against religious congregations or temples that are not part of the accepted social culture - defined as any religious group not represented among the elite classes in local authority. Religious persecution may occur in any part of the world and may take many forms, so that pogroms may be carried out against pagan cults, the religions of foreigners, missions founded upon the fringes of animistic societies and schisms within the same religion.

Famous subjects of pogroms would include the Jews of Europe, the Cathars, Gnostics, both Sunnis and Sufis and Christian settlements in Africa and America, Protestants vs. Catholics and Christians vs. Presbyterians . . . but in effect any minority congregation may be targeted for its isolated beliefs. It should be noted that the more successful - and therefore visible - an outside religious congregation is, the greater the perceived threat and the more likely a pogrom will occur.

To be counted as visible, a religion contrary to the social culture must have its temple located in a hex group of IV or less. Otherwise, the temple is considered to exist on the fringes of the culture and therefore can be safely ignored. Congregations existing in hex groups of V, VI or VII need not roll to see if pogroms occur. However, should such a hex increase its number of inhabitants to where its infrastructure becomes a IV, then that temple and congregation would have to begin rolling the chance of a pogrom occurring each month.

This chance is quite low. The character overseeing the local temple must roll against the % of potential worshippers within the local 2-mile hex. Note that the actual worshippers are not the measure, since it is a perceived threat, not an actual threat, that will initiate the pogrom. Note also that the participants in the pogrom will probably not be persons local to the congregation's hex - but rather, outsiders who have indirect ties to the locality (they may originate from any part of the political region - and may in fact be soldiers directed to commit the pogrom by the kingdom's elite).

If this percentage is rolled on a d100, the character then rolls 2d6. If a two results - snake eyes - then a pogrom results.

(Content for determination of pogrom form to be added later; this is a placeholder.  List should include arson, mass murder and forced migration - though the last does not fall technically under the definition of the word 'pogrom,' in game terms the word pogrom is being used to cover negative action being used against outsider religions)

Locality

Defined as three different forms of 'shared area,' any of which will satisfy the rule requirements that relate to localities:

A) Persons or elements co-existing in the same politically or economically defined region. This refers to any geographical entity contained within a single set of borders, containing a maximum of one market town. For example, although Silistra in the Ottoman Empire is considered a single political entity (there are no smaller political subsections), the province is divided into six economic markets - so each individual market within Silistra is considered an independent locality.

B) Persons or elements co-existing in a single 20-mile hex, regardless of political borders. For example, the Free City of Offenburg, the County of Lahr, the County of Alsace, the County of Baden and the Duchy of Briesachgau all share a single hex the center of which is located 15 miles to the southeast of Strasbourg. All persons within this hex would be considered part of one locality.

C) Persons or elements co-existing within two or more cities that are less than 3 miles apart, even though they may be in different political entities or in different hexes. For example, although Roubaix, Wattrelos and Tourcoing are all located within the County of South Flanders, they are all within a mile or two of Mouscron, in the County of West Flanders.

See Leverage

Influence (political)

A value used to describe a character's ability to be placed in a role of responsibility. The total influence which a character possesses is determined by the amount of political knowledge the character has, augmented by the value of bribes and graft.

Therefore, the base value of a character's influence equals political knowledge squared - thus, 10 knowledge points would give a base influence for the character of 100.

Further influence can then be purchased at a total of 1 point per 10 g.p. spent. For example, if the character above wished to be appointed to a position requiring 144 points of influence, the character would have to spend 440 g.p. over their base influence in bribes in order to achieve the point total needed.

Note that there is a limit as to how much influence can be purchased. Individuals may not increase their total influence to a total more than twice their base influence. The character above, therefore, would be unable to achieve more than 100 additional points (200 total) through the use of bribes.

See Functionary

Cabal (organization)

Successful organizations founded on the principles of acquiring power through conspiracies. Often called 'secret societies,' cabals will often grow stable enough that local potentates or political structures will be forced to deal with them as legitimate entities. In such cases, bribery, extortion, cronyism, patronage, graft and embezzlement become standard practice within boundaries established through long negotiation between the cabal and the 'real' government. Typically, this sort of back room negotiation is kept from public knowledge.

Cabals will, from long practice, calcify so as to become extraordinarily traditional and conservative in their goals, as it is believed by the most powerful that any change threatens the established stability of the organization. Cabals will often believe they are performing acts that serve the public interest, the stability of the nation, the sanctity of the religion they support and so on - and that any act, no matter how vile, is acceptable so long as the ends are achieved.

Membership

While oligarchic in nature, membership in a cabal is very rarely considered a familial privilege. Such organizations usually insist that a pater or mater's descendents 'prove themselves' to the same degree as did the ancestor that proceeded them. Sometimes this is aided by the elder giving advice to the younger, to ensure a more likely approval ~ but this can also lead to parts of the organization that must be 'pruned' of certain families that have grown presumptuous or problematic. Execution of several dozen such family members and their closest companions is not unlikely.

Existing members are usually kept from the highest levels of knowledge by a series of 'circles,' where new candidates are kept on the outer edges, while those in the inner circle receive the greatest knowledge or privileges. Thus, those least likely to honor the cabal's principles also have the least amount of information to disseminate. Most everything that is known about cabals by the general public represents hearsay that has been started by those on the edge, who were never themselves in a position to know the full truth.

Reach

Some cabals are intensely local or are designed to address only one small part of the social order. Others, such as the Jesuits, the Gnomes of Zurich, the Nine Unknown Men or the Yellow Hat are believed to have worldwide influence over vast areas, allowing them to manufacture wars at will, depose leaders, invoke the gods to enable their will or have absolute knowledge over all minds that exist. The true extent of their power - as well as that of many other such cabals - remains a mystery.

Functionaries (social group)

This page describes the encounters that players are likely to have with various officials or persons of responsibility. For details regarding the sage ability, see Functionary.

Most functionaries will be interested in speaking with the party only when the party has committed some infraction against the local law or when money for tolls, tariffs, fees or taxes is called for. On the whole, direct encounters would be with lower minions - persons whose function is the management of ordinary people, city quarters, public buildings and so on. Nevertheless, players could "encounter" higher officials, from a distance - a retinue of guards or soldiers defending high ranking religious leaders, heads of state or the military.

Here is a breakdown of the four types of functionary encounter:

• Patrols: watchmen, woodwards (forest wardens), constable, bailiff, master of the watch, marshal
• Bureaucracy: catchpoles (tax farmer), hedge warden, tax collector, customs officer, councillor, herald, magistrate, chamberlain
• Miscellaneous: rat catcher, schoolmaster, courtier, master of the revels
• Penal System: jailer, executioner, solicitor, barrister, prosecutor, judge

Aristocrats (social group)

A group whose wealth and status is equated with the necessary income to own, ride and travel in carriages pulled by horses. The class is typically hereditary and hold a monopoly on all political power in the region. Aristocrats represent an amplification of the control held by elders and chieftains in tribes. The aristocrats monopolize political power in towns and cities, and in the regions at large, so that the highest ranks of authority, land ownership and wealth are withheld from the general populace. As a group, they typically form an oligarchy in the regions in which they dwell.

Unlike manor lords of a feudalistic culture, aristocrats are dependent upon the populations of towns and cities, as it is the size and number of their tribes that have given them power (being the richest and eldest of a large clan guarantees their wealth). They are rarely to be found in villages. In larger settlements, however, their number creates the assembly that holds both local and regional power (one of their number being the regional monarch, typically hereditary), the highest functionaries within a region and the leaders of soldiers. Few aristocrats are traders.

Encounters with aristocrats depend greatly upon the status of the player characters. If the characters are merely ordinary adventurers passing through an area, there is little reason for an aristocrat to deign to speak with them. On the other hand, if the characters have obtained notoriety, or if the characters have established themselves in the region as landholders and persons of importance, then they will likely find themselves directly acquainted with aristocrats of the highest stature.

Once again, I don't prefer to use non-player characters to introduce adventures as set pieces in my world - therefore, the overused trope of having an aristocrat come forward, explain some problem to the characters and then expect the characters to solve it, is not included below. Rather, I try to give three tiers of communication, based on the players' importance to any aristocrats that might be in the

area. Further elaborations can be built from any of these scenarios.

Confronting Strangers

Upon arriving in an area or making themselves known to a community, a well-armed and demonstratively unique party of adventurers brings attention to the locals. Several details may come to life: a) the party is made up of a mosaic of different races, some of which are highly unusual for the region; b) the weapons carried by the party are heavy and numerous, while it will be obvious to everyone that plate mail and war animals of various kinds will indicate considerable wealth; c) the players spend a great deal of money, more than a gold coin for every man, woman and child in the community; d) the players act in a way that distinguishes their lack of respect for local laws or customs; e) there is evidence of wounds, blood on clothing, the dirt that speaks of a wilderness expedition that defines the party as potential outlaws, fugitives or at least persons of desperate nature; f) the party has brought in some questionable items (dead creatures, monster eggs, notably rare items of every stripe) that they wish to sell.

Using the DM's prerogative, it may be appropriate to have a member of the aristocrats - with a small cadre that outnumbers the party by at least 25% - approach and confront the characters regarding their origin, their purpose for being in the area and their immediate intentions for the future. This aristocrat may be a local constable, a town elder, a knight, a baron or any of a dozen other important functionaries. The aristocrat will want satisfactory answers for these questions that accomplishes the following:

• Ensures that the community is SAFE from the party.
• Gives clear and unambiguous details regarding anything about the party's behavior or appearance the aristocrat wishes to ask.
• Indicates that the party respects the local authority, that is, the aristocrat speaking to them.
• Shows the party's generosity in trusting the aristocrat to be part of whatever their forward plans might be.

Failure to do any of this will justify the aristocrat acting in whatever unilateral manner the aristocrat sees fit. Parties will very often fail to recognize that in this place, the aristocrat has power, respect and the absolute loyalty of up to one hundred persons within shouting distance. Moreover, the aristocrat that approaches will be 6th to 8th level and be supported by at least two henchmen that are one and two levels removed from the aristocrat's level. Parties that don't behave appropriately will get spanked, and hard. This will probably not mean a jail sentence, but rather a severe fine (everything they own) and a short trip to the edge of the community. This, or the party will be forced to fight to the death against people who are capable of defending their homes and know the lay of the land (making practical flight extraordinarily unlikely). Note that while the party may have horses they can ride to safety, aristocrats are known for owning horses (and presumably, in a D&D world, a wide variety of other animals).

Alternately, impressing the aristocrat on the counts above will likely gain their help and friendship (assuming the party's purpose isn't nefarious). This will potentially mean an invitation to dinner, important information, offers of help and allies, special benefits promised upon success of the players' actions, a friend who will speak positively about the party to other persons and thus expand the party's wealth and status in the region. If the players will be generous to the aristocrat, the aristocrat will be generous to them.

Obviously, there is a small chance that the aristocrat that approaches the party will be the actual enemy of the party that the party is seeking. Such situations are special and must be managed depending on the circumstances of the adventure.

Meeting Allies or Famous Characters

Occasionally, player characters will be sent to speak with aristocrats of various statures, often carrying a token of good will or even a letter of introduction. Once an aristocrat meets a party under such circumstances, it will be presumed from the outset that the party does not represent a danger to the community and that the party's intentions are friendly. However, the aristocrat will still be free judge if the party respects and trusts the aristocrat with information - failing this, the aristocrat will withdraw support and may take steps to have the party confronted by some other person of authority or power (depending on the circumstance).

In such circumstances, the aristocrat will desire most to see the players through to success in their activities on account of the person or body that recommended the aristocrat to the party in the first place. If it happens that the characters lied about their association with the aristocrat' friend or associate recommending them, and this comes to light, there will be dreadful consequences. If the players live up to the recommendation, however, once again there is great likelihood that the aristocrat will be a very good friend to the party in the future.

If it happens that the characters are famous in their own right, and this fame becomes known to the aristocrat, the fame itself will act as a sort of "free-standing recommendation" without the need of a specific person to encourage the aristocrat to trust and act faithfully to the party. As ever, it must be acknowledged that the party had better live up to their reputation or this help will quickly and irrevocably evaporate. People do not like being fooled and played.

Convening With Equals

Where the characters have established that they themselves are aristocrat, then there will be rules limiting the amount of power than another aristocrat has. aristocrats, of course, exist in a hierarchy - but even if a king has an issue with a lesser member of the elite, there cannot be open discord between aristocrats within a given region. Thus, any difficulties between various members of the upper classes must be resolved through competition, a court of approval of some kind (in which an aristocrat' status can be removed) or through subversive action (that cannot be traced to the aristocrat responsible).

Individual aristocrat will always help in circumstances where both aristocrat have something to gain - regardless of personal feeling or emotion. While there may exist hatred between members of a region's oligarchy or ruling members, this hatred can often be overlooked for mutual gain - and then dealt with later through extortion, manipulation, falsified evidence or assassination. A region full of deceit and mistrust can nevertheless pull together against an enemy.

The player characters will be put in situations where they will have to decide which factions in a region to support, which moments are best to take action and which are best to let others do it; and ultimately how to make friends and influence people. This must be done one at a time - but take note, an aristocrat being rude or even directly insulting to an aristocrat will not result in an outright opposition or physical attack. More likely, it will result in a smile - one that is more disturbing than an enemy aristocrat drawing a sword.

Conclusion

Note that the above describes situations in which an aristocrat of personal power or interest approaches the party. Encounters with persons of specific function within a region, who have specific agendas, are also covered on the page describing functionaries (many of whom will also be aristocrat).

See Encounters

Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy theories are adventure hooks that parties acquire as they move through the systems of the world, revealing the possibility that local power merchants have made agreements or arrangements by which they can further their control through channels outside the law.

Construction

Conspiracies are typically arranged between individuals who represent larger groups, such as the head of a guild, an officer of the law with minions or employees, an organization of like-minded persons and so on. Two or more such individuals will meet to work out a strategy in which their individual powers may be combined to ensure a better arrangement for all those involved. The groups represented by these individuals may know all, a part of or none of the actual conspiracy. Several persons in the group may be aware of only their end of the conspiracy; there may be many innocent persons in the group who are wholly unaware that illegal or immoral acts are being carried forth.

Very rarely, an organization may be designed for the sole purpose of conspiring with unwholesome or innocent persons alike. These organizations occasionally grow large enough or become stable enough that they become established within the society - compelling forces of law and order to deal with them as legitimate entities (though often this is hidden from the public). These large conspiratorial organizations are called cabals.

While the long-term goal of a conspiracy might be power, in the short-term conspiracies are typically founded with mundane expectations in mind: the removal of troublesome persons, the acquisition of territory or wealth, the establishment of security in one's position, the implementation of legislation, the instigation of war or participation in treasonous activities such as the selling of information or sabotage. While any of these may be accomplished within a few months, in the long term a successful conspiracy is likely to endure past its original mandate. Once a single action has been tried and managed, then other potential actions will spring to mind, encouraging participants to feel secure in their power, widen their conspiracy and attempt bolder, more risky operations.

Truly successful conspiracies may expand into purely evil endeavors - such as the spreading of lies to encourage mass fear or self-destructive behaviour. Individual lives can be destroyed through personal attacks and invented evidence. Persons may be outright assassinated, followed by invented justifications that encourage the people's passivity. Belief in the state can be undermined through the conspiracy's invention of a wholly false conspiracy designed to achieve desirable results. A policy of racism can lead towards participation in genocide. Anti-religious crusades based on the politics of threat and terror can initiate a warmongering social movement for the purpose of widespread conquest. The potential for conspiracies are endless.

Participants

Most often, conspiracies are founded by persons with few personal skills and some charismatic appeal who through ordinary channels have inserted themselves into a middle position within a heirarchy. Once there, they become dissatisfied with their lot. Very often the conspirator recognizes his or her personal limitati0ns and comes to understand that further success must be obtained by means unsavory. At this point they will cast about for an opportunity, generally finding it in another individual in some other branch of power suffering from the same limitations.

Able to work together, they balance their existing abilities against their willingness to swindle others, masquerade as persons of importance or otherwise evade expected practices. This puts them in a position to acquire followers who themselves see opportunities for improving their own existences. Very few of these followers will be more than thugs, but occasionally they will include an individual or two with personal ability in sharp dealing. Should an organization like this possess a reasonable organizational structure, strong bonds and the existence of a slight power vacuum - and some luck - it can be expected to expand considerably and endure for a time.

Endurance

While the existence of a personal conspiracy may last only a lifetime, some conspiracies skip from generation to generation because they are founded upon a persistent idea that finds traction in new minds. Two typical examples would be persistent racism or the prophecy of future events that are unlikely to occur in anyone's specific lifetime. Either can be used as a jumping off point for making successful short-term gains possible.

An extensive list of conspiracy theories can be read on wikipedia.