So now that you’ve had a tour of the Kohtumine, just who all is coming? From the deadly and piratical Black Swarm to the noble and cunning Varquetians, find out more inside!
The Kohtumine is the greatest meeting of ships on the oceans. About 3/4 of these ships are members of the major factions of the Kohtumine. The Lord of the Oceans are almost exclusively elected from these major factions due to the inherent support from these organized groups. Here’s a brief snippet of the new factions. Each faction has three new NPCs, while the smallest represented faction, the Kirik, has one new NPC. I’ll review each faction briefly, but there is much more information in my Kohtumine Adventure Setting.
The Black Swarm: Formed from the remnants of the ships and ship captains who refused to return to solid ground once the upheaval ended, these pirates, freelance mercenaries, and occasional privateers first raided and pillaged to stay alive in a world of limited resources. As conditions improved and international trade resumed, the Black Swarm slowly coalesced, only to be torn apart time and again through infighting. This faction is the most fractious (say that three times fast) but also the most aggressive and dangerous. Why attend the Kohtumine? Because where else can you fence all that loot you’ve taken, but want to convert into real gold at good prices without looking over your shoulder to see if the town watch has figured out who you are?
The Black Swarm flag is three black arrows on a crimson field.
The Silvers: The lifeblood of trade is not the rarest of potions or the finest wine, but the traders and merchants who ply their craft between the widely scattered outposts of the civilized world. It was these merchants, traders, and fisherfolk who saved the people who took to the seas. Without the goods in their holds and their knowledge of the sea, far fewer refugees would have made it through the upheaval. To ask why the Silvers participate in the Kohtumine is to ask why sharks swarm a carcass – because it is their nature to hunt down a deal and eek the most out of every ounce of trade possible.
The SIlvers’ flag is a sea lion rampant on a green and red field.
The Varquetians: The Varquetians see their role as that of the middle ground. Strange, as considered by outsiders, but logical when you remember the roots of the Kohtumine. When the great fleets left the shores during the Upheaval, many looked to the nobles among them for guidance. Skill, luck, and sheer persistence marked out some of the worthiest leaders, and those from nations with surviving lords often took those titles with them to sea. The Varquetians see it as their duty to help guide and lead the Kohtumine, whether the others want their leadership, opinions, or thoughts is inconsequential.
The Varquetians‘ flag is the crown and keys on an ocean field.
The Kirik: The Kirik is the clergy of the Gods of the Ocean. They seek to build a bridge between the ocean spirits and those who travel across it. The clerics of the Kirik heal those injured by events on the sea, often free of charge for the poorest of sailors. The wealth brought in by the Kohtumine, where the Kirik take 10% of every major transaction that happens during the great meeting, is enough to keep their handful of scattered islands and atoll enclaves afloat financially and spiritually.
The Kirik‘s flag is the compass rose on a teal field.
So, which faction do you want to learn more about? Which one are you the most excited to see more of? The adventure setting currently includes eight pages of faction background and unique NPCs. Would you like more? Let me know in the comments below!
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