DMs, Help Your Players Create an Identity For Their Party as a Whole

We've all been there. You're gathered round the table, ready to start off a new campaign. Your character sheet is smooth and unblemished, your dice are fresh, and an entire tale stretches out before you waiting to be written.

Then the DM clears their throat and says, "So, you're all at the tavern..."

Gods above, pour me something strong...

While it's become something of a trope, this kind of introduction is usually a symptom of a game where the party is just expected to come together on a whim in order to participate in the plot. And while good players may bite that lure in order to get on the plot bus, it can result in a lot of serious problems before the game even gets rolling.

This is why I would recommend that all the dungeon masters out there try something new for your next game. Rather than just collecting a bunch of individuals and slapping them into a situation where you hope they form a party, actually work with your players to create a party identity and structure before the game ever gets started.

Who Are You, as a Party?

Generally speaking, players know who their characters are as individuals. Sometimes their characters know each other, or have background ties, but that's not the same as being a party with its own unique identity that character can be a part of.

The black flag approaches. That can only mean one thing...

The easiest example in this scenario is to think of your party as a unit of mercenaries; not 4-6 individual sellswords working together, but as an actual unit who sells their services collectively (or as part of a larger free company, like the ones I mentioned in 100 Random Mercenary Companies).

Some of the things you should ask are:

- What is their collective name? (The Companions, The Black Ravens, etc.)
- What are they known for?
- What are their uniforms like (if any)?
- Who or what are they associated with?
- What are their colors, banner, symbols, etc.?
- What are their traditions? (particular salute or battle cry, tattoos, rite of passage, etc.)
- Do all members boast a particular skill set, weapon, etc.?
- Do you have a creed, a ship's code, or something similar?

Even if the party is just a small group, giving them a name, a shared ideal, and a purpose can make a big difference in how the players think of the party as a whole. Because at that point the idea takes on a life of its own, and it becomes a part of every individual character's story. They now need to know not just who they are, what they do, what their goals are, things like that, but also how they came to be a part of this fellowship, and what it means to them as a member.

For those who are looking for some inspiration for the above categories, you might want to check out some of my other supplements for examples:

- 100 Fantasy Battle Cries (and Their Histories)
- 100 Knightly Orders
- 100 Gangs For Your Urban Campaigns
- 100 Fantasy Guilds

You Can Do This With Practically Anything

Whether your party is a group of bandits or a crew of pirates, a squad of special investigators for the town guard, a gang of thieves who commit daring heists, or something more akin to the Justice League or the Legion of Doom, giving the party a real identity can make a big difference when it comes to cohesion and teamwork.

The important thing to remember is that you can make this as big, or as small, as you and your players want it to be.

Welcome to the Reapers, kid.

If you want your party to be one small part of a nationwide order of knights, or one of a dozen squads of troubleshooters who serve a particular guild, that offers a lot of opportunities. Your players can work on gaining notoriety, increasing their rank, moving up within the organization and rising along the corporate ladder, as it were, in addition to just traveling the countryside, slaying monsters, and looting tombs. They might be member's of an explorers' society, or one of a dozen gangs who all serve the same, shadowy masters, and who are folded deeper into the syndicate as they prove their worth.

On the other hand, you could go small. The party could be a bunch of freelancers out for themselves, banding together against a greater threat. Perhaps they pick up the banner of a mostly defunct order, each of them knighted by the last member of the order who now lies on his deathbed. Perhaps each of them has earned a reputation in their own right (check out Character Reputation in RPGs: The Small Legend for more on this), and so they come together in order to be more than the sum of their parts. Perhaps they take some kind of blood oath, or make a vow before one another and the gods, and this binds them together.

Whether you go big or small, though, let your players know you want this kind of bond in-game, and if it has to take a particular form. Some players might want free rein to create their own miniature council of vigilante heroes, while others might prefer something more generic like, "Please design characters who can fulfill the role of watch detectives," but without specifying what class they should use, or skills they should take, to fill that role. You could do the same thing by asking your players to put together a fantasy band (like one of those found in 100 Fantasy Bands by yours truly), without dictating class and skills one needs to round out this group of entertainers!

In closing, this strategy is not universal. There are going to be some tables who don't like it, or some games it actively won't work with. However, if you've noticed that players have trouble remembering they're part of a team, or if after the initial adventure the PCs all scatter to the winds because there's nothing binding them together, I'd recommend giving this approach a try.

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That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday!

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Who Are Your Mercenary Companies?

PCs come from all walks of life. Some of them have been soldiers, others were scholars, and more than a few of them were craftsmen, priests, and farmers. All too often, though, players won't give you a detailed answer on their character's work history. They simply reach for the low-hanging fruit as a way to plug the huge gap in the PC's backstory. While the most common answer by far seems to be, "I'm an adventurer!" (and I've covered that previously in Stop Using The Word "Adventurer" And See How It Changes Your Game), the second-place contender is typically that the PC is a mercenary.

Problem?

Now, that isn't to say that "mercenary" is a bad background for a PC, or that your world shouldn't have freelance troops ready for hire. However, rather than just letting a player give a general job title, dig a little deeper with them. Ask why they left the group they used to work for, what trappings they took with them, if they would be welcomed back, and most importantly, who they've served with?

And if you need help with that last one, you might enjoy 100 Random Mercenary Companies from Azukail Games (authored by yours truly). Also, if you're going into the high tech future, you might want to take a look at 100 Sci-Fi Mercenary Companies as well!

Give Them Options (And Watch Characters Grow)

Mercenary companies come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Some are cavalry tacticians, while others are unsurpassed foot soldiers. Some are sailors in times of war, and pirates in times of peace. Every mercenary company, though, has a reputation. Because that reputation is often what they sell themselves on, and how they attract new blood.

The 100 Ronin have won wars simply by being hired, their reputation is so fierce.

Whether you take inspiration from history by looking at groups like The Varangian Guard (viking and Anglo-Saxon mercenaries who protected the Eastern Roman emperors), or you decide to make up something out of whole cloth like the Lost Squires (a group founded by squires whose knights died, leaving them half-trained, but otherwise masterless), these groups add a lot of potential to player backstories.

Take a moment to ask what mercenary companies exist in your setting? How big are they? Who founded them? What is their reputation, and do they have any kind of uniform or badge to mark out members? Do they have a motto, or a doctrine? Do they claim to serve a higher purpose, such as being servants of a god of war?

Also, remember, free companies have all sorts of needs, and will hire all kinds of freelancers. So if you're looking for a spin on "Dark Ages PMC", here are some examples to consider.

- The Acolytes of Arannis: Founded by the evoker Arannis, the war wizards of the Acolytes specialize in ending wars with arcane might. Their commanders are made up of wizards, sorcerers, bards, magi, and even alchemists, but the company also boasts assassins and warriors trained in how to kill spellcasters should the need arise.

- The Harbingers of Sorrow: Every war has losers, and the Harbingers of Sorrow was originally formed from those who knew how to fight, but who had nothing left to fight for. Dressed in funerary black, the Harbingers fight in almost complete silence but for bellowed orders, and droning war horns. Their ranks are made up of disowned knights, exiled warriors, and veterans who lost everything but their swords when their units fell. The Harbingers never flee, it's said, because they have nowhere else to run to.

- The Jolly Company of The Black Flag: When war turns to peace, sailors often turn to piracy in order to keep food in their bellies. While there was much to be made plundering merchant ships, Captain Korgon Blood realized there was even more to be made in keeping them safe. The half-orc and his galleons hired themselves as escorts, using their knowledge of the other captains to avoid being attacked when they could. While the Jolly Company is mostly legitimate now, there are always rumors dogging them that they aren't above playing both sides of the water... or in staging attacks by phantom pirates to drive up demand for their services.

But What About Independent Operators?

With all of that said, there's still plenty of room for independent contractors. After all, sometimes a caravan just needs an extra sword, and one more pair of eyes. Maybe your employer has a very specific job he wants done, and it's a one-time gig for a professional like you. Perhaps you specifically operate in gray areas of the law, so they want someone not affiliated with any established group.

That's still an option. However, the iron trade is a booming business anywhere there's strife and conflict. So consider expanding the world a bit, and giving your players several mercenary groups they could have been affiliated with in the past... or which might recruit them in the future!

Also, speaking of mercenary companies, you may want to consider Blackguard. They hire anyone, regardless of past criminal history, alignment, race, or class. And they're particularly keen on doing outreach to groups that tend to be marginalized. Kobold survivors of warren raids, orcs whose parents were killed by wandering sellswords, and even to those serving convictions for misuse of the mystic arts. Blackguard has a place for you, if you're willing to step up!

 

That's all for this week's Fluff post. Hopefully it got some wheels turning out there, and if you have any unique mercenary companies of your own, feel free to leave a description in the comments below. If you'd like to see more content from yours truly, then check out my Vocal archive, or head over to the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio where I work with talented gamers to create things like that Blackguard video above. To keep up-to-date on all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. And, if you'd like to support my work, please head over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page, or click here to Buy Me A Coffee! Either way, I'll be happy to send you some sweet gaming swag as a thank you for your support!