Andport: Factions Overview

Here are the short descriptions of the major factions of the city. It's at this point where I usually start to get a bit dissatisfied with my setting creation. Once you start taking theme and ideas and giving them form holes in logic become more possible. I start second-guessing myself and usually quit. What's that saying, "'perfect' is the enemy of 'done'"?

Anyhow, feel free to ask any questions or make any comments. It will help me shore up any inconsistencies, and it's my fear of inconsistency that paralyzes me from writing and running games.

Government
Lord Edric Carroy
Technically lord of the city but most of the power lies in the various guilds and organizations of the city. He's attracted to the allure of the political intrigue of the city and tries to insert himself into it. He's horrible at it, however, and is often used as a pawn. For Edric the title of Lord is little more than that. A more authoritarian successor would still find it incredibly difficult to wrest the practical power of the city back into the hands of the nobility.

The Arkanika
Dedicated to the proliferation of the Arkanik as a means to "improve" life in Andport, The Arkanika supplies men and organizations of means magical alternatives to achieve productivity. Their work is custom made to suit the needs of their customers. Although nobody knows their secrets, what is notoriously common knowledge is the faint purple glow of their devices.

House D'eatre
D'eatre is an old money house that has yet to be given official title. Their primary source of income/power is in private security forces. Though given no official sponsorship from the lordship, those serving D'eatre can often be seen (or not seen as the case often is) in parts of town where there is something that can't be trusted to the joke that is the city guard. Merchant ships will often hire D'eatre just to be afforded the luxury of flying the colors of the House. More than one pirate organization has come to a grizzly end after interfering with the business of those under D'eatre's protection.

Traders' Guild
Unlike in the northern part of the kingdom the traders of Andport have a strong say in their fate with their collective commonly referred to as the Guild. The Guild is quite protectionist, no merchant would think to set up shop in Andport without first joining. It's rare to even find a traveling merchant in the city that hasn't at least collected a temporary pass from the group first. At one point there were several guilds each one overseeing specific trades. Eventually the began merging as it became obvious the power the groups could have in the city if they were united.

The Jade Eye
The Jade Eye is the most prominent underworld organization in the city. Of course, nobody can prove its existence but you'll have a hard time finding anyone to call D'eatre liars for saying so. If it did exist though (and it totally does) they would specialize in the dirty jobs that people couldn't be caught doing themselves. Of course nobody from the Jade Eye has been caught either, but conventional wisdom says no job is too big for them, but they are above petty crimes.

Albionus' School for Gifted Youngsters
The name is a bit of a misnomer, people of all ages attend this school for those gifted enough to bend reality to their whim. Initially it was setup to help younger people cope with their abilities, but as time went by it was used to train the gifted in using their abilities for good. Despite this they are often maligned. More than one student has left the school practicing philosophies differing from those taught there.

The Thieves' Syndicate
While not nearly on par with the acts of the Jade Eye, the Syndicate does specialize in the criminal, specifically stealing. Everyone from the cutpurses to home robbers checks in with the Syndicate. They are particularly ruthless towards those who have not acquired passage to operate in the city.