Settlement Factions — Power in Motion
Factions in Western Horizon are organized power structures competing for influence over resources, districts, and landmarks. They’re not demographic categories—they’re interpretive lenses that create meaning and conflict.
Factions as Dynamic Forces
Factions rise and fall. They gain and lose power. They physically manifest through landmarks. Each faction has a symbol, a paradigm (their nature), and power tokens (their current influence). This concrete representation makes political maneuvering visible and trackable.
Starting Factions (The First Two)
First Faction: The Paradigm
Roll on Power–Paradigm (Ex Novo p. 40):
| 2d6 | Paradigm | Nature |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Clan | Family/tribal bonds, hereditary authority |
| 3 | Guild | Craftsmen/merchants, economic power |
| 4 | Faith | Religious authority, spiritual guidance |
| 5 | Council | Democratic assembly, elected leaders |
| 6 | Cabal | Secret society, hidden influence |
| 7 | Corporation | Business monopoly, economic control |
| 8 | Warband | Military force, martial authority |
| 9 | Nobility | Aristocratic bloodline, traditional rule |
| 10 | Commune | Collective ownership, shared resources |
| 11 | Syndicate | Organized crime, black market |
| 12 | Cult | Zealous believers, radical ideology |
Name the faction specifically (“The Crystalline Order” not just “Mages”), choose a symbol, mark 2 power tokens.
Second Faction: The Relationship
Roll on Power–Relationship (Ex Novo p. 41) to determine how the second faction relates to the first:
| 2d6 | Relationship | Dynamic |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Opposition | Direct rivals, competing for same goals |
| 3 | Complement | Fill different niches, symbiotic |
| 4 | Subordinate | Serves the first faction’s interests |
| 5 | Parasite | Exploits the first faction’s power |
| 6 | Schism | Broke away from the first faction |
| 7 | Independent | Coexist without direct interaction |
| 8 | Reform | Seeks to change the first faction |
| 9 | Rival ideology | Same methods, different values |
| 10 | Upstart | Newer, challenging established power |
| 11 | Alliance | Formal partnership, mutual goals |
| 12 | Merger threat | Absorbing or being absorbed |
Name, choose symbol, mark 1 power token, describe relationship in one sentence.
Guild Integration
The Adventurers’ Guild is always at least a minor faction. For starting settlements, make one of your two factions the Guild. For other settlements, add the Guild as a third faction (1 power token, small presence).
BF&B Community Roles as Faction Types
When you need more factions, use these archetypes from Beak, Feather & Bone:
| Role | Focus | Natural Conflicts |
|---|---|---|
| Mages | Magic, knowledge, experimentation | Clerics (faith vs. reason), Elders (tradition vs. innovation) |
| Miners | Resources, underground, extraction | Farmers (destruction vs. cultivation), Clerics (sacred ground) |
| Farmers | Agriculture, food, land stewardship | Miners (land use), Ranchers (territory), Merchants (prices) |
| Ranchers | Livestock, trade, animal husbandry | Farmers (land boundaries), Hunters (wild vs. domestic) |
| Thieves | Crime, shadows, redistribution | Soldiers (law vs. chaos), Merchants (theft vs. profit) |
| Soldiers | Defense, order, military | Thieves (order vs. liberty), Elders (military vs. civilian rule) |
| Merchants | Trade, wealth, connections | Elders (profit vs. tradition), Thieves (legitimate vs. black market) |
| Elders | Tradition, wisdom, governance | Merchants (tradition vs. progress), Mages (wisdom vs. knowledge) |
| Clerics | Faith, healing, spirituality | Mages (faith vs. reason), Miners (sacred vs. profane) |
| Strangers | Outsiders, mystery, change | Anyone (outsider vs. insider tension) |
| Hunters | Survival, wilderness protection | Miners/Farmers (expansion), Ranchers (wild vs. domestic) |
See also: Mystic Arts Political Factions for the three-faction framework (good/bad/ugly) that creates fractal political complexity.
Power Token Economy
Ex Novo uses a closed token economy to make faction influence concrete and zero-sum:
- Growth Pool: Unallocated potential (starts with tokens based on settlement tier)
- Faction Power: Influence over settlement decisions
- Resource Power: Control over key resources
- Landmark Power: Physical manifestation of influence
When factions gain power, tokens move from Growth Pool or other factions. When factions lose power, tokens return to Growth Pool or move to rivals.
The Seat of Power
The faction with the most power tokens controls the settlement’s primary authority:
- Controls the most significant landmark
- Sets settlement laws and priorities
- Provides default authority figures
- Determines what’s legal/illegal, valued/scorned
- Reacts to threats and opportunities first
Power Shifts: If another faction gains more tokens, the Seat of Power changes. This is a major campaign event.
Faction Landmarks
Each faction should have at least one landmark representing their power:
- Social hubs: Where faction members gather
- Power symbols: Visible reminders of influence
- Quest locations: Sites for faction-specific missions
| Faction Type | Typical Landmarks |
|---|---|
| Mages | Tower, library, laboratory, observatory, academy |
| Miners | Mineshaft entrance, smelter, guild hall, ore storage |
| Farmers | Granary, market, communal barn, festival grounds |
| Soldiers | Barracks, armory, training yard, fortress, watchtower |
| Merchants | Trading house, bank, warehouse, auction hall |
| Clerics | Temple, shrine, monastery, graveyard, healing house |
| Thieves | Hidden tavern, gambling den, underground passage |
| Elders | Council hall, archives, ancestral estate |
Factions Through Play
Factions aren’t static. As the campaign progresses: historical events shift power, player actions support or undermine factions, new factions emerge, old factions collapse, the Seat of Power changes hands. Update faction power after each major arc.