### NPC Factions NPC factions are the tools and toys of Game Masters. They are a great source for clocks that playesr can use throughout the campaign, but also a source for creating events and coming up with plot hooks on the fly. NPC Factions, like System & Subsector generation, are putting the hardest work up front, giving the GM the ability to do a lot less work once the game has begun. This is because NPC factions provide names, opponents, immediate enemies and allies, and other events that provide a feeling of a real world for your players, but because they're primarily driven by players putting ticks on clocks, they're still ultimately driven by the players. #### Generating NPC Factions Generating NPC Factions helps to provide your players with a set of plot hooks and groups they can work with or against, and thus you can use to come up with story ideas, with ease. The following rules offer a simple way to generate factions. it is recommended to generate 8-12 factions per subsector and at least one XL faction to represent the nation who controls the subsector. The number of factions of each size to generate depends on the size of the players faction, but generally the following advice is advised for a subsector: ![[Number of NPC Factions Table]] #### Step #1 Determine Size of Faction Based on the Chart above, determine what size of faction you are creating, make sure to note down how many assets of each size and the number of upgrades each faction gets. ![[Game Master Faction Size and Upgrade Chart]] #### Step #2 Determine Category of Faction After the Factions size has been determined, the gm should determine what Category the faction is. Is it a combat faction, an economic faction, or a social faction. The table below offers some examples of different types of groups for each faction at different sizes. It is generally based to go for a diversity of options, with the plurality being focused on a similar type to the players. This might break down as: 4-6 of the same category of the player, at least 1 of each size and two of the same size; then split the remaining factions 50/50. So in a 12 faction combat focused group playing at a large size, you might generate: | Faction Type | Small | Medium | Large | | ------------ | ----- | ------ | ----- | | Combat (6) | 1 | 2 | 3 | | Social (3) | - | 1 | 2 | | Economic (3) | 1 | 1 | 1 | Feel free to change the above to fit the situation you want to go for. This is also focused around 1 subsector, if you're doing something on the scale of a single system, it is recommended to cut the values in half. #### Step #3 Determine Faction Reputation Now decide on or roll for the faction representation, pick 1-3 options to describe the faction. What others think about them. Below is a list with some possible options, but the GM should not feel restricted to just using these. ![[Faction Descriptor Table]] #### Step #4 Determine Faction Goal Now determine what the factions goal is. Below are some lists to provide possible starting places. Once the goal as been determined, it is often helpful to come up with 2-4 clocks which might be steps taken to work towards that goal. AS those clocks are completed, they should be getting closer to their goal. If they ever fufil it, then it is best to come up with a new goal for the faction and set up clocks to work towards that. This provides you with a list of pre-made [[Clocks]] players can use regardless of whatever else you might have prepared. ![[Faction Goal List]] #### Step #5 Determine Faction Starting Relationships You should consider how this faction fits into its environment, and who its allies and enemies would be, then make sure to note them down, do so for the other relationship types, leaving space for the players' faction to be added to the sheet. #### Step #6 Pick out starting Asset(s) and Upgrades Based on the size of the faction, refer to the table below to determine how many Assets and Upgrades for those assets the faction starts with. The list of assets is in the [[Faction Assets and Upgrades#Faction Asset Tables|Faction Assets and Upgrades]] sub-section of the [[Faction Rules]]. Record the cost of the assets down as debt for the faction to need to pay down. ![[Game Master Faction Size and Upgrade Chart]] #### Step #7 Flesh out the faction and name its main character. Flesh out the faction a bit. Name its most important character and record that. This character is the 'face' of the faction. The person who everyone knows and associates with this faction. #### Step #9 Determine Faction Name The last, and probably most difficult thing to do, is to determine the factions name. Good luck.