Who Is Your Clan (And What Does That Mean)?

Every character has a family. Even if they're dead, estranged, or just far away from where your current adventure is taking place, someone raised them, and helped them acquire the skills they currently possess. However, there is something that is bigger than just your family, in the sense of those you share a close blood tie with. This is something that can set the culture a character was raised with, covering everything from what they value, to how they dress, to what morals they have.

This concept is your clan, and it can be a useful thing to consider when you're trying to build your character's backstory!

I pledge my sword to the House of The Sun, and the Seat and Seal of Clan Blackwind.

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What Is Your Clan (And What Does It Mean To You)?

We often think of a clan as a particularly big family, so I want to take a moment to break down what I mean in this context. Because a clan is not just a family, but it is (typically, at least) a rather large group of interconnected/interrelated families. So a character will have their immediate family (parents, siblings, children), their extended family (grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins), and then beyond that immediate family, you have your clan.

But what goes into a clan?

For Hawkwind! For Clan Darkhelme!

A clan is many things. At its most basic, it's a social support structure that acts in a way similar to a family, in that its members can rely on one another. So whether there's a disaster where one part of the clan has lost homes or crops, or the new generation needs to learn skills from more established professionals, the families of the clan can rely on one another to provide. This can even go so far as adopting members who have lost parents, or whose parents are unable (or unfit) to care for them. The clan takes care of its own.

Beyond that support structure, though, a clan also has obligations required from members. As an example, some clans might require that all members learn how to fight, and that tours of service be completed. There might be a kind of clan tax levied in order for the clan to support itself, with resources being distributed as needed. If one wants to stay in good standing with the clan, they need to fulfill their obligations, or suffer the consequences for ignoring them (such as becoming an outcast for refusing a major obligation they owe).

Lastly, a clan has its own culture. This can vary from clan colors and battle cries, to social norms regarding courtship and marriage, to what is considered a duel-worthy offense. Clans have their own internal politics, their own mores and norms, and they also have their own relationships with outsiders (which members may have to deal with when they travel, even if they are no longer an active part of their clan). They may even have their own clan law, which can come into conflict with the law of the land depending on where they happen to be.

All of these things can have an affect on your character. For a few examples, consider:

- Did your character's family have high standing in the clan? Low standing? Has their standing changed since your character's birth, and is that connected to their current adventure at all?

- Did your character defy any of the clan norms or laws? If so, have they escaped punishment for it, or is it still a secret?

- What is your character's clan heraldry, and is it different from their family heraldry? Does your character wear their colors and sigils openly and with pride? Or do they forego them unless required?

- Is your character proud of their clan affiliation, or ashamed of it? Are they willing to stand up for their clan, even if they consider them problematic or wrong in some way?

- Is there something about your character that people can immediately tell what their clan is? Whether it's something as obvious as a tattoo or a brand, or something more subtle like a particular weapon of choice, fighting style, or even an accent or turn of phrase?

All of these, and many more, can be unique ways to think about where your character came from, and what effect the clan had on them as they grew, and became who they are today.

Additional Resources

If you haven't grabbed your copy yet, get it today!

If you're looking for some additional things to help build your character's backstory, and to expand on the idea of a clan, the following resources might be of help!

- A Dekas of Dwarven Clans: From the grim-faced Ironhelms, to the indefatigable Craggs, this supplement contains 10 clans complete with history, heraldry, example NPCs, and rumors about each clan.

- 100 Fantasy Battle Cries (And Their Histories): If you're looking for a cry that can define your clan, consider some of the options in here, along with how they came to be!

- A Baker's Dozen of Noble Families: Similar to clans, these overarching noble families share a lot of similarities, and can be used as a basis for creating clans.

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That's all for this week's Fluff post. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my Rumble channel The Literary Mercenary! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

5 Supplements For Players Looking For Character Inspiration

Folks who frequent my page know that, in addition to running this blog, I also work on a lot of other gaming projects. Most of those, though, are aimed at dungeon masters. Stuff like 100 NPCs You Might Meet at a Tavern, for example, of the DND 5th Edition one shot The Curse of Sapphire Lake.

You know you're curious, now.

However, I've put out a lot of content over the past year and change that is also useful for players who are looking for a bit of inspiration to spice up their characters. So if you've been looking for some unique flair to add to your PCs, I'd recommend checking out some of the following to get your creative juices flowing.

#1: 100 Fantasy Bands

I call this next one, "Hope You Roll an 18 on Your Save"!

This was one of my most recent releases, and it's still fresh enough that it hasn't even hit Copper status yet, but 100 Fantasy Bands is a collection that's full of the weird, the wild, and the bizarre in the world of entertainment. And while it's useful for all the bards and skalds out there, no doubt, there are tie-ins for a variety of character concepts.

If your character is the party muscle, were they security for a controversial band like Devil's Bargain? Or were they a part of The Wall for a time when they left the service, performing in parades and similar events with other veterans? Did your spellcaster provide special effects for some of these traveling shows? Or do they just like music, and as such they keep track of who's coming up from the underground scene on their travels and adventures?

All sorts of possibilities in this one!

#2: 100 Random Mercenary Companies

You looking for iron, friend?

 Being a mercenary is one of the most common character backstories in an RPG, but it rarely gets more development than that. 100 Random Mercenary Companies provides all sorts of free companies your character could have been a part of, and which will affect everything from your reputation, to whether you made enemies when you left your fellows in arms.

Whether your character fought for the black-armored Harbingers of Sorrow to try to fill the void after a personal loss, or they skulked through the underbrush and back alleys as saboteurs for the Eyes of Karesh, there are all sorts of unique companies that require a number of talents. There are even mercenary companies that specialize in magic, from the destructive capabilities of the Acolytes of Arannis, to the Coven and their ability to foretell the omens for coming battles.

If your skills are for sale, it pays to know who trained you, who you've fought with before, and whether that unit is respected, feared, hated, or some combination of those things.

#3: 100 Knightly Orders

My steel, my oath, my life.

 For those who want to dedicate their steel to a cause nobler than their own purse, 100 Knightly Orders is an ideal place to find inspiration. Whether you're common born or of noble stock, and whether you fight for valor, glory, honor, or reputation, there's likely an order that will fit your character's needs.

From the gray-cloaked members of the Grave Wardens who ensure the dead pose no threat to the living, to the Heralds of War who are always the first to sound the charge in any battle, these orders provide a solid background for characters who want to be part of something greater than themselves. Or who, in some cases, want to set being inducted into such an order as a goal of their character progression. And it's not just for the martial characters, either, with organizations like The Eldritch Order of The Ivory Hand, as well as the Masters of The Unbreakable Chain providing plenty of room for wizards, sorcerers, witches, and summoners to join their ranks.

#4: 100 Gangs For Your Urban Campaigns

And just how did an adventurer like you wind up down here on my block?

 Perhaps only slightly less common than sellswords when it comes to character professions are thieves, scoundrels, legbreakers, and assassins. And if you're looking for a way to flesh those characters out, then 100 Gangs For Your Urban Campaigns has got you covered, and then some!

From the confederacy of small gangs that rose to prominence in the form of the Rat Kings, to the Gilded Lilies of the pleasure districts, there's a gang for nearly every criminal specialty you could imagine. And if there aren't quite enough for you in that collection, then you'll find additional allies, inspiration, and crews you could use in both 100 Random Bandits to Meet, as well as in the nautical-themed 100 Pirates to Encounter. From plague-ships captained by dark necromancers, to former soldiers banding together to take back what's theirs from the nobles who taxed them off their lands, there's quite a variety to choose from, here.

#5: A Baker's Dozen of Noble Families

Honor to your house, shame to your enemies.

 Noble characters are already tough to play (one reason that 5 Tips For Playing Better Noble Characters is one of my most popular guides), but it helps if you don't have to do all of the heavy lifting on your own when it comes to the details of this character's family and lineage. That's where A Baker's Dozen of Noble Families comes in.

Unlike the previous entries on this list, the Baker's Dozen does a fairly deep dive on 13 potential noble families. From the backwater swamp folk of the Dredger clans who were raised to nobility for their help in a war, to the monster hunting warriors of the Silvers, each description provides a history, colors, style, and heraldry. So if you're looking to play a noble character, each of these should give you more than enough details to get you started along that path without breaking too much of a sweat.

And if you're looking for further inspiration, as well as for friends, rivals, family, or just fellow members of your social caste, then 100 Nobles to Encounter should make a handy companion supplement.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. Hopefully you found these suggestions useful!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

DMs, When It Comes To World Building, There's No Such Thing As Wasted Effort

How many times have you slaved over a dungeon layout, a unique monster, or a deeply thought out bit of world lore, only to have your party skate right past it without so much as slowing down? If you've been a dungeon master for any length of time, the answer is probably more times than you can readily count. And there are typically two reactions to this scenario. The first is to contrive some reason that the party is forced to stop and admire all of the hard work that you did, typically by throwing the brakes on to make them ask about the lore, fight the monster, or acquire a macguffin. The second is to sigh, close your notebook, and then when the players go home at the end of the night, to drink and think about what could have happened.

It could have been a great dungeon... but they didn't want to explore it. Why do I bother?

However, for those DMs who get caught up in "wasted" effort, I think you need to be reminded of something. You're the one who makes the world go round... you can always bring that thing back around again somewhere else, if you think creatively about it.

A Great Re-Structuring Is Always Possible

The most obvious example of these situations is when the players miss something you spent a lot of time working on, hoping they would find. Maybe it was this massive dungeon complex hidden behind a wall, or a crumbling temple that your party could see off in the distance, but they decided to nope right past because it wasn't part of their current mission.

That's fine. Because if the players never saw it, they won't realize that you just moved it to a different location later up the road.

And we'll just move you... here. This spot's perfect!

I mentioned this way back in Herd Your Players, Don't Railroad Them, but it bears repeating. If you wanted your party to explore an area you put a lot of time and effort into, but they didn't take the bait, just move the area to another spot, and make it more relevant. If your players didn't see the dungeon, meet the NPC, face off with the monster, etc., then as far as they know it doesn't exist. You are the only one who will know that you're recycling an "old" location/person/fight and connecting it to a different spot. Additionally, you'll look super prepared because you have something ready to go, complete with map notes, diagrams, riddles, etc.

Lore Isn't Wasted (Even If No One Bites The Hook)

Sometimes the thing you want your party to interact with is less tangible. Maybe it's the history of a particular knightly order, or the legends swirling around the royal family, or the rumors on the street about girls who are going missing on the second night of every full moon. It might be interesting background, but the key thing to remember is that unless these lore details are actually part of your party's current adventure, that's all they are; part of the scenery.

Just mentioning these things exist means they're doing their job, even if no one pursues them.

Anyone curious about the Dragon Pikers? Anybody? Come on, guys...

Background lore and details like this set the tone for a place. While you might think it's fascinating that each of the gargoyles perched on major public buildings has a name and a history associated with it in the city of Evernight found at the base of the Obsidian Mount, gushing about it won't endear that fact to your players. Instead, just describe what they see, and let them react appropriately. Work references to the gargoyles into the way people speak, making warding signs and invoking the creatures' names the way others might offer prayers to saints. Have certain, specific gargoyles crouched over doors, or left inside like household altars, to drive home how important they are in this town, and show how people touch the statues as a way to gain good luck, or protection, or how they'll pay one of the statues' heads the way we might knock on wood to avoid ill fate.

Some players might wonder what's going on, and either ask to make checks or talk to your NPCs to find out. Others will simply nod, and take it as part of the atmosphere. And even if the religious import, cultural significance, etc. of this worship is never discussed, its very existence is enough to make the place unique... that means it did its job. The goal is not to inundate your players with a guided tour of this fantasy setting's religion, but rather to use that aspect to make the place feel unusual and different. Mission accomplished.

If your players are overcome with curiosity and ask questions, you know the answers. If they don't ask, they still have the haunting visuals you've described, and the feeling of eyes watching them from above. Either way, it's a win for you as the DM. The lore is a bonus, but force-feeding it to your players is going to bore them, rather than engage them. If they don't ask, don't take time away from their actions to tell them.

Looking For Some Inspiration?

Another option I'd suggest for all the DMs out there is to keep some lists handy so you can just grab names, places, and backstories as you need them. This can save you a lot of work, and a lot of staring off into space as you try to spitball an NPC's name, or layout the rumors about a location or a person. If you're looking for some inspiration, might I suggest some of the following by yours truly?

- A Baker's Dozen of Rumors (And The Truth Behind Them): Each of these rumors can be used to add a little flavor to a game, but they also have enough meat behind them that you could build an entire session out of them. Handy to have on-hand if you need a plot, but can't spitball something in a hurry.

- 100 NPCs You Might Meet At The Tavern: Perhaps my bestseller yet (at Electrum status at time of writing) this one has a bit of everything. So whether you need merchants or scholars, gang lords or private muscle, you can find a little of everything in this collection, ready to go!

- A Baker's Dozen of Noble Families: Every family has a story, and noble families tend to have several. Whether you want shining lords or corrupt patriarchies, there's a bit of everything in this particular collection of the high and the mighty.

- 100 Knightly Orders: That crack about unique knights above wasn't just a crack. Elite troops and stand-out orders with their heraldry and histories can capture the imagination, but coming up with them on the fly isn't easy. So, here's a hundred of them ready for their marching orders!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. Hopefully you enjoyed, and if you've used run these kinds of games before, leave us a comment to let us know what worked for you!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!