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Enemies. Bitter Cyran avengers who punish those
they believe responsible for the Mourning have cast
shadows on Prince Oargev's reputation. As a result, the
following groups consider Prince Oargev their foe:
The Five Nations. Aundairians, Karrns, and Thranes
are generally unsympathetic to the plight of displaced
Cyrans. Many of them bitterly bear the scars of the
war, their resentments reinforced by the deeds of
violent Cyran extremists. Even the Brelish, for all
their practiced indifference, become guarded when
confronted by Cyrans, who represent a burden foisted
upon them by their leaders. They tend to treat Cyran
refugees as second-class citizens and vagabonds.
Among non-Cyran communities, agents of Prince
Oargev can't rely on aid from any of Cyre's for-
mer enemies.
The Lord of Blades. In the depths of the Mourn-
land, the closest thing to a sovereign is the Lord of
Blades-a heavily enhanced warforged who seeks ven
geance against those who created his people to serve
as weapons. He is hostile to adventurers who enter
the Mournland on missions of plunder, and the idea
of Prince Oargev reclaiming the Mournland fills him
with fury. He shows Oargev's agents no mercy.PATRON BENEFITS
With a head of state as your group's patron, you gain the
following benefits:
Assignments. Your work is performed at the direction
of your patron. That means you are usually under
assignment and not entirely free to choose your own
course. Depending on the ruler and the task, these as
signments can be directive or more hands-off, as you
pursue long-term goals.VOICE OF��(LA��
PAUPER PRINCE
PLOTS BANDIT
BARONY
Prince Oargev, the exiled Cyran royal who governs the
town of New Cyre by the sufferance of King Boranel, is
planning a brazen act of secession, hoping to transform
all of eastern Breland into a new Cyran realm, sources
say. According to a group of adventurers recently em
ployed by Oargev, the prince sent them into the Mourn
land to recover weapons of war so they could be wielded
against the Brelish military during the secession. How
will King Boranel respond to this treachery? Will the na
tions come to the defense of the displaced prince? Will
Oargev's scheming result in all of eastern Breland being
swathed in the same gray mist that consumed Cyre?CHAPTER I I CHARACTER CREATIONExpenses. In addition to your salary, your patron re
imburses you for extraordinary expenses incurred
as part of your work. You are required to account
for your expenses and might be called on to explain
any extraordinary expenditures, but routine travel,
ordinary equipment, and most services don't draw a
second glance.
Immunity. As long as you remain in the head of state's
good graces, you are nearly immune to prosecution
under the laws of your home country. Committing
serious crimes-especially if they are unrelated or
unnecessary for the work you've been assigned-is a
good way to fall out of your patron's good graces, how
ever. When you are carrying out your orders within
your nation's borders, though, you have a great deal
of leeway in how you choose to do that, and the law
isn't an obstacle. (However, note that agents of Prince
Oargev can't necessarily expect the same clemency in
Breland outside of New Cyre.)
Salary. Your employment for a head of state brings you
an income of 1 gp per day, or enough to maintain a
modest lifestyle. At the DM's discretion, your salary
might increase or decrease depending on which par
ticular head of state you work for, the nature of your
work, and the length of your employment.BUILD YOUR GROUP
A head of state like Prince Oargev requires a variety of
adventurers to do the range of tasks they require. De
pending on the kinds of work you do, your party might
include some or all of these roles:
Civil Servant. The vast majority of work performed
on behalf of a head of state has very little to do with
deadly adventure: it's about prosecuting and judging
criminals in the courts of law, hearing the petitions
and complaints of citizens, collecting taxes, and in
terminable amounts of paperwork. Once in a while,
though, a faithful Civil Servant gets forcefully pulled
from this work and thrust into life-or-death situations,
with or without help from more hardened adventur
ers. The knowledge and experience of a Civil Servant
can often be useful, with some developing skills as
clerics, rogues, wizards, or other classes. Such char
acters often come from the sage background and have
proficiency in skills that reflect their studies, such as
Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion.
Diplomat. Negotiating treaties, de-escalating conflicts,
and issuing ultimatums are tasks that fall within the
purview of the Diplomat, who typically puts their high
Charisma to work in the service of the state. These
characters often come from a noble background and
bring proficiency in skills such as Intimidation and
Persuasion to their work. Bards are natural fits in this
role, as are paladins-as long as they aren't asked to
do things that violate the tenets of their oaths.
Marshal. Combat is the specialty of the Marshal, who
focuses on enforcing the law of the land and bring-
ing fugitives to justice. Fighters and paladins make
natural Marshals, many being former soldiers who
continue fighting the Last War in different venues.
They often have reasonable Intelligence scores or pro
ficiency in Investigation.