If you’re walking in on the middle of the Advanced Fantasy Dungeons series, there’s an index here.

I included patrons because a bunch of classes — priests, paladins, potentially wizards — all have an otherworldly or worldly NPC that has set them on their path and guides them. And I’m also aware that there are a bunch of optional classes elsewhere in second edition — monks, psionicists, druids — that are similar. But I set it aside, because while it’s worth talking about and remains solidly unspoken about in second edition, I wasn’t sure what to say about it. But then I wrote my very brief rule on allegiance, and realised that they could literally just be the same rule. So we simply add a foreword?

Priests and paladins and sometimes other classes have offered their allegiance to a supernatural patron who provides them with their power in exchange for significant obligation.

An NPC patron, regardless of their nature, should be a developed character with undisclosed needs and desires. No patron offers a portion of their power in exchange for nothing, and no patron considers a PC, especially at level 1, their equal.

Obligations m need to be discussed with the GM during character creation, but should be vague enough for the patron to have flexibility when calling upon the PC to fulfil them. The GM starts a domain clock dictating when the next obligation is to be called in. The patron gives the PC a mission, and the consequence of failure is the patrons dissatisfaction.

When you reach 9th level or above and do not wish to be lord of a domain, a PC of any class may offer allegiance to a patron – typically a PC or NPC lord of a domain – and if they accept, become their lieutenant. You will be given a role, such as marshall or spymaster, and offered missions just as any other lieutenant is. These obligations are treated the same as priestly or paladin obligations.

Yeah. Good. Neat. I love folding these two rules together.

This has been a part of the Advanced Fantasy Dungeon Series! Let me know your thoughts on patronage, if there are questions left unanswered, whether I’ve overlooked anything glaring, or anything of the sort!

Idle Cartulary

13th May 2022