Starter Headquarters

Each franchise’s starter headquarters is a mundane site, which has often been selected or handed down by Acquisitions Incorporated. The characters’ initial base of operations could be a ruined tower, a worn horse-drawn carriage, a beat-up fishing boat, a dilapidated store or farm, or any similar structure or site. The DM might direct the characters toward a single ideal location, or might provide a range of options for players and characters to choose from. And of course, many potential franchise locations will have an interesting past — a haunted mansion, a mysterious lighthouse, an old wizard’s tower filled with malfunctioning magic, and so forth.
The DM approves the headquarters concept and decides how large or small the initial structure can be, as well as any useful features. DMs and players can work together to create a map of the headquarters and its surroundings. Chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide can help detail both wilderness and urban locations.
Many franchisees will use their starter headquarters as a point for expansion, adding new features, new rooms, new levels — and, of course, new magic as the franchise grows in rank. Other campaigns might be better served by having the franchise change headquarters at different stages. Characters might start out in a ship, then move to a castle, then take possession of a unique magical headquarters in the end. Any potential headquarters site might be discovered by the characters as part of the campaign, or sites might be suggested or allocated by Head Office.

Related Locations

• Abandoned Lighthouse
• Beat-Up Keelboat
• Old Tavern
• Worn Carriage and Horses