POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS

Political organizations wear a variety of faces, depending on the nature of the power centers in which they arise. In autocratic systems, they often work at street level, garnering support for change through grassroots movements, whereas democratic governments produce numerous independent groups, each dedicated to a different cause or mission. Given the close links between church and state in many fantasy campaigns, clerics, paladins, and monks comprise most of the adventuring members in these types of organizations. Regardless of the influence of the church, most political organizations have a few aristocrats on board as well.

Examples: Volunteer groups, special interest lobbyists, teamsters.

Associated Classes: Aristocrat, bard, cleric, expert, monk, paladin, wizard.

Associated Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Knowledge (religion), Perform, Profession (teamster), Sense Motive.

Duties: Political organizations are defined not only by their agendas but by their actions, so each member is required to put in a number of hours per month of service equal to her level × 2. Those who fail to meet this quota must provide a good reason for having done so, and must ensure that they will make up for lost time as soon as they can.

Favored Benefits: The organization pulls bureaucratic strings on behalf of favored members, reducing by 20% the cost of any fines or levies imposed by the government.

Sample Contact: Ser Rossart of Krae (elf aristocrat 1/expert 6). Rossart will provide free legal advice (and representation in court, if necessary) for a PC or one of his companions. Once per year.