I've been asked about factions a few times. They are a very Forgotten Realms mechanic, but so many want one, I've done a few. They are good for organizations, too.

Remember, however, that your background is your youth, your apprenticeship period. A Faction background is only appropriate for those that grew up in the organization. That is fairly rare. Often other background are better suited to a character. However, it DOES happen, on occasion.

Each of the 3 patrons will have a Patron package (From Tasha's) and a Faction Agent background. This applies only to those who were members of a given faction (with or without the background) BEFORE hiring. You may not convince me you qualify.

Then will come the aggregate patronage package which applies to everyone, and has a limited couple of choices from the individual patrons. This applies to everyone on the crew. Probably the support staff, too, but they are NPCs.

Faction Agent background is an outline to be customized to each particular organization, so each will be covered below separately. However, they have some similarities, mostly in regards to gear. That's covered in SCAG.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:04, Mon 09 Oct 2023.

Also known as The Hand of Celestian, when the time comes to take action. We will address THAT aspect here.

Faction Agent:
Skills learned: Insight, Religion
Languages: Celestial, one other.

Your badge is the Holy Symbol described below.

Common classes:
-Clerics
-Paladins (Watcher Oath)
-Monk Way of Mercy, blank/white  mask
-Anyone with Magic Initiate (Cleric) from Celestian (Training or Astral Wanderer perk)
-Anyone else prone to wanderlust and a desire to fight for the right to travel who is a member of the church.

Patronage: The Church is a Religious Order
Perks:
Divine Service: Any spell deemed necessary and of 5th level or lower. The Church will provide the components, even. Realistically this means Lesser and Greater Restoration, Remove Curse, and Raise Dead (and there is a 10 day timer on Raise Dead, so that's not likely). There may be call for some others, but, really, it's unlikely to be necessary.

Equipment: An amulet style Holy Symbol. An open hand, palm out, with the 7 stars of Celestian emblazoned on the palm. It is a fully function Holy Symbol for clerics and paladins (or any other time such is needed).

Notably lacking is training in Religion. Face it, you likely already have it, anyhow.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:46, Wed 04 Oct 2023.

Truthfully, only the Warlocks are Chosen, and they aren't Faction Agents, they're Warlocks. That's a whole other level of service.

Still, there are enclaves on the Rocks, Ceres, and possibly (it is said), even the Jupiter Moon system and Venus, where people watch, learn, and report to So-Lar...somehow.

Faction Agent:
Skills learned: Insight, Arcana
Languages: Celestial, one other.

Your badge is a silver bracelet resembling a warlock's Shakti

Common classes:
Any, including Star Druids, but NO clerics or other warlocks.

Patron: Ancient Being
Realistically, these Perks come from the followers. So-Lar doesn't have much contact outside the Warlocks.

Equipment: Common magic items can usually be found easily. It's space, you can probably commission one and have it in a week.

Research: The followers preserve hidden knowledge beyond what the local libraries have. Advantage on Research rolls if you can contact such a depository.

Safe houses: If you have the contacts they can hide you.

No Strange Gifts, however. those are reserved for the Warlocks (and are their Invocations).

The Warlocks:
So-Lar is a Reigar that has decided that the Sol System is his (hers?) to protect.
His/her senior staff is up to 6 Warlocks. One of each type, plus 2 others of any type (although no more than 2 of any one type total)
His/her Esthetic is a perfect, featureless, sphere.

-The Chain warlock uses a tiny golem duplicate (Save for the wings, which are platinum and bear the usual astronomical symbology) as it's familiar (Talarith). (treat as MM homonculus)
 (A secondary Chain gets a Celestial Animal..which is actually a golem, still, just very small)
  Golems have Immutable Forms: Their forms can not be altered by any spell or effect.
-The Blade uses a bracelet (Shakti) that is a shapeshifting weapon.
-The Talisman uses a Bracelet as it's talisman
-The Tome has a nifty Tome.

And, of course, they may make free use of the followers. In fact, Chains and Tomes probably run groups of them at their locations.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:45, Wed 04 Oct 2023.

These are gemstone Dragonborn from Earth. As such no others may join, but all the Gemstones present were probably brought up in the faction and are Agents, so...this is open to gem dragonborn players in this game.

Their whole purpose for being is to slay Far Realm Aberrations.

Skill: Insight and Perception
Languages: You should already have Common and Draconic. Add Deep Speech and one other.

Realistically, for this campaign, they don't need a badge, they ARE the badge.

Common Classes:
Any Psi based subclasses
Paladin(Watchers)
Ranger (Horizon Walker)
Warlock (Celestial): Ruby Dragon worshippers. Rare. Too Rare for this game.

Patronage: Military Organization
Perks:
Armory: Outfit at 20% discount. this includes starting gold, such as it is.
         Common magic items at normal prices

Chain of Command: You cause trouble, the Gemstone Chain of Command deals with it, and they are draconic.

Salary: Room and Board and almost 3 gold a month (28 silver) a month is 4 weeks, of which a year has 13.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:13, Sun 08 Oct 2023.

Now, when you put these all together and ignore the special privileges some have, what you get is:

Perks:
-Room and board.
-You keep anything not needed for the war effort. And gold probably isn't needed for the war effort.
-Divine Service: The clerics will keep you alive and functional if they can (up to 5th level spells). Remember that 10 day window on Raise Dead.
-Access to common Magic items, if you can afford them. Sometimes if you can't, if it's thought you need them.