University researcher arrested by Church for "demonic sympathy." Amyr secretly controls trial. University must rescue researcher without openly challenging Church authority.
Chandrian Sighting
Multiple factions respond to Chandrian erasure event. Amyr conceals truth from Church/Maer. University researchers scatter. Doctors treat victims of impossible wounds. Players must coordinate faction response.
Temple Desecration
Someone bombs Church temple in Tarbean. Church blames Underworld. Underworld blames University (magical sabotage). Amyr secretly responsible (cleaning up Chandrian evidence). Players must uncover truth without triggering factional war.
### Criminal Flashpoints (Underworld/Doctors/Tarbean)
Poison Guild Expansion
Poison masters organize beyond Tarbean; establishing territory in other cities. Universities/Churches compete to suppress. Doctors split on joining or resisting.
Black Market Artifact Auction
Rare magical artifact (sygaldric grammarie, Fae item, Chandrian evidence) goes to auction. Multiple factions bid. Players must acquire it or prevent dangerous faction from obtaining it.
Underworld Power Vacuum
Major crimelord dies (Amyr assassination? Chandrian erasure?). Three factions compete to fill void. Maer, Tarbean gangs, and rogue Adem all jockey for control.
Poison Epidemic
Mysterious poison kills dozens in slums. Doctors blame Underworld. Underworld blames rival gang. Actually Chandrian. Players must trace poison while factions blame each other.
### Knowledge Flashpoints (University/Amyr/Ruh)
Forbidden Book Discovery
Ancient text unearthed; contains Chandrian knowledge. University wants it. Amyr wants to suppress it. Ruh claim it's their cultural property. Players must decide who gets it.
Name Research Race
Multiple factions simultaneously hunt same true name (Chandrian, elemental, or key person). University, Amyr, Adem all racing. Ruh carrying song-encoded knowledge. Whose interpretation is correct?
Story Suppression
Ruh troupe discovers powerful knowledge in traditional tale; Amyr forbids spreading. Players must choose: help Ruh spread truth or obey Amyr? Consequences ripple through all factions.
Scholar Extraction
Brilliant researcher (University/Amyr/Ruh) knows dangerous truth. Factions compete to recruit/kill them. Players must decide who to support and face consequences.
### Martial Flashpoints (Adem/Maer/Underworld)
Mercenary Contract Dispute
Adem claim Maer owes payment; Maer refuses. Adem threat to withdraw support; opens military vulnerability. Church/Underworld smell weakness. Players mediate or choose sides.
Territorial War
Underworld gangs expand into Adem-protected territory. Adem response is violent. Maer must choose: support Adem (alienate Underworld) or side with Underworld (insult Adem honor). Players caught between.
Military Coup
Ambitious Maer commander uses Amyr support to challenge current Maer. Adem split on which to support. University withholds magical advantage. Players' loyalty determines outcome.
### Fae/Cosmic Flashpoints (Thin Places/Chandrian)
Thin Place Opening
Fae court becomes accessible in mortal world. Multiple factions rush to exploit. Chandrian may be using thin place. Players must decide: seal it, control it, or use it?
Glamour Weapon
Fae offers magical weapon to highest bidder. Multiple factions want it. Players must acquire it, prevent dangerous faction from getting it, or convince Fae to refuse sale.
Chandrian Ritual Site
Evidence of Chandrian summoning/working in remote location. Adem moving to investigate. Amyr moving to suppress. Ruh moving to witness. University wants to study. Fae interested. Everyone converges. Chaos.
---
## V. HIDDEN FACTION AGENDAS
### University (Public vs. Actual)
Public: Advance knowledge, train competent mages, preserve magical tradition.
Actual: Research true names, understand Chandrian, consolidate magical monopoly, maintain independence from Church/Amyr/Maer pressure.
### Church (Public vs. Actual)
Public: Spread faith, save souls, maintain moral order.
Actual: Resist Amyr control, suppress magical knowledge, maintain institutional power, control reproduction/succession through contraceptive suppression.
### Amyr (Public vs. Actual)
Public: Doesn't exist; secret organization.
Actual: Prevent Chandrian apocalypse at any cost; manipulate all factions; suppress dangerous knowledge; maintain intelligence monopoly; ensure civilization stability through hidden rule.
### Doctors (Public vs. Actual)
Public: Heal the sick, preserve practical medicine, serve all equally.
Actual: Preserve forbidden knowledge, maintain independence from institutional control, gather intelligence through patient information, profit without moral judgment.
### Maer's Court (Public vs. Actual)
Public: Rule justly, protect realm, advance civilization.
Actual: Consolidate power, resist Amyr manipulation (failing), balance factional interests, survive long enough to pass throne to worthy heir.
### Tarbean Underworld (Public vs. Actual)
Public: Profit through criminal enterprise.
Actual: Build parallel power structure, profit from faction conflicts, potentially overthrow Maer, expand to other cities, coordinate with other underworld organizations.
### Ruh (Public vs. Actual)
Public: Preserve stories, entertain, maintain cultural tradition.
Actual: Encode and spread forbidden knowledge, resist assimilation, preserve pre-Tehlin wisdom, oppose Amyr suppression through story resilience.
### Adem (Public vs. Actual)
Public: Live by Lethani, hire out warriors, preserve martial tradition.
Actual: Maintain independence, oppose Chandrian, possibly govern mortal civilization from shadows, prevent apocalypse through prepared warrior culture.
### Chandrian (Public vs. Actual)
Public: Unknown; mostly invisible.
Actual: Erase/corrupt mortal civilization, consolidate power, prepare for apocalypse (or prevent it, depending on alignment), use lesser factions as tools/chaos generators.
### Fae (Public vs. Actual)
Public: Manipulate mortals, preserve Fae culture, maintain thin place access.
Actual: Unknown; possibly fighting Sithe, Chandrian, or both; possibly trying to prevent/accelerate apocalypse.
### Sithe (Public vs. Actual)
Public: Unknown; existence denied by most.
Actual: Unknown; possibly overarching authority; possibly imprisoned; possibly orchestrating entire mortal conflict.
### Cealdish Merchants (Public vs. Actual)
Public: Trade, profit, advance commercial interests.
Actual: Maintain trade monopolies, avoid major factional wars (bad for business), gather intelligence through merchant networks, potentially fund all sides.
## VI. USING THE MATRIX IN CAMPAIGNS
### Session Planning
1. Identify player objectives: What do they want to accomplish?
2. Cross-reference matrix: Which factions oppose their goal? Which support it?
3. Generate opposition: Each opposing faction provides obstacles/complications
4. Create alliances: Players must build relationships to overcome obstacles
5. Add consequences: Every factional interaction changes the matrix for future sessions
### Dynamic Relationships
- Reputation effects: Player actions improve/damage faction standing
- Shifting alliances: Factions reposition based on player interference
- Factional quests: Each faction offers jobs with rival faction opposition built-in
- Betrayal potential: Today's ally becomes tomorrow's enemy as matrix shifts
### Long-Term Story
- Factional endgame: Each faction has ultimate goal; players can support/oppose
- Apocalypse timeline: Chandrian threat accelerates as game progresses; factions must unite or fall
- Player consequence: Every decision ripples through matrix; creates emergent storyline
---
## VII. MATRIX SUMMARY FOR QUICK REFERENCE
Natural Allies (Will Cooperate):
- University + Maer's Court
- Ruh + Adem
- Church + Maer's Court
- Amyr + (everyone, secretly)
Natural Enemies (Will Oppose):
- University vs. Church
- Church vs. Doctors
- Tarbean Underworld vs. Everyone (except criminal element)
- Chandrian vs. (Everyone, but especially Adem/Amyr)
Profitable Relationships:
- Doctors + Tarbean Underworld
- Doctors + Maer's Court (secret clients)
- Ruh + Tarbean Underworld (money laundering)
- Adem + Maer's Court (mercenary hire)
Mysterious/Flexible:
- Fae + (Everyone; unpredictable)
- Sithe + (Everyone; unknown)
- Chandrian + (Strategic; potentially allies with Fae or Adem or neither)
Use the matrix to:
- Generate immediate complications for any player plan
- Create factional quests with built-in opposition
- Track how player actions shift relationships
- Introduce surprising alliances based on circumstance
- Build toward apocalyptic coalition or conflict