justinalexander

Dragon Heist Remix - Faction Reports on the Grand Game (Early Access)

Added 2019-03-22 07:41:09 +0000 UTC

These lengthy reports, which can be discovered within the various facton lairs, are designed to be given to the players as handouts. They provide the PCs an opportunity to peer deeper into the machinations of the Grand Game, and can also serve as a reference for the GM to figure out what knowledge each faction currently has (and which its agents might surrender under questioning).

The reports here do not necessarily reflect the knowledge held by each faction at the very beginning of Dragon Heist. They have been written to reflect the state of the reports at the time the PCs are most likely to encounter them (during the Eye Heists). During earlier events, the factions may still be trying to piece together some of this information. (Most notably, if the PCs stage a heist at the Sea Maidens Faire without tipping off Jarlaxle about the Grand Game, there won’t be any report as he will not yet be involved in the Grand Game.) As the events of the campaign develop, you may also want to update these reports to reflect ongoing events (including explicit or implicit references to the activities of the PCs).

You’ll note that each faction refers to the Eyes using a different nomenclature. This complicates things slightly for the players (who need to figure out which names equate to which names), but not significantly. The real point of this is to deepen verisimilitude: These factions don’t all compare notes. Each faction has a unique perspective on the Grand Game, and allowing the players to see that in practical ways will make it clear that the game world is a dynamic, interactive place, not a monolithic entity.

As a quick reference, when the PCs get drawn into the Grand Game:

The Stone of Golorr was stolen by Xanathar. It was taken from Xanathar by Dalakhar, and taken from Dalakhar by the Gralhunds.
Xanathar’s Eye was originally stolen by the Zhentarim from the Protector’s Enclave in Neverwinter. Xanathar slew a Zhentarim embassy and took the Eye.
The Zhentarim Eye was taken from Renaer’s mourning locket.
The Cassalanter Eye was taken from the crypt of Lady Alethea Brandath.