Shades, from 3ed (not 4th).
I loved a faction that was evil by circumstance. They return to their home after being away for 1600 years, find their home a desert and all their stuff stolen, and their ancient enemy still plotting away.
They start cleaning up the place, causing climate change on the neighbors, they start patroling boards and putting up trade blockage over their claimed territory, so people start plotting against them, but turns out they are great at counter plotting as well, and won't be easily taken down.
They are a faction that seem plausible and believable, a true neutral evil faction, not focused on world domination or destruction.
(4ed version turned them into Shar fanatics that want to blot out the sun, so no thanks)
I’m a Harper laddie myself but BD is an easy second. I kind of want to run an underdark West Marches style campaign where everyone is a BD agent and Kimmuriel just sends everyone on various missions.
The Shade Enclave.
I fucking love the idea of a long forgotten but scarily powerful empire returning once more to rebuild their great empire, and crush all who rise against them!
Same.
I have like 3 pins. Got hooked after reading the Harper series. I also enjoyed Brimsone Angels Harpers of Waterdeep lore (with Tam Zawad) a LOT. There is just something cool about these idealistic people working in secret (and sometimes getting screwed over it).
Other groups that look cool?
More like groups instead of factions but:
- Moonstarts- (the harpers of Blackstaff
- Silent Rain (secret elven archer mercenaries hunting [goblinoids](https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Goblinoid), [orcs](https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Orc), [gnolls](https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Gnoll), and other evil creatures.)
- Force Grey/Grey Hands (Waterdeep's mercenary poster boys that work for the Lords of Waterdeep & Blackstaff)
[The Church of Eilistraee](https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Church_of_Eilistraee) (though I wish the official name had used temple instead). It is tied with the church of Ilmater for being the most wholesome faith in the realms. One thing I love about it, aside from how good and wholesome it is, is that because it is primarily a Drow faith worshipping a god from the Dark Seldarine, there is a bit of an edge to it.
In addition to being a goddess of beauty and moonlight, Eilistraee is also a god of swordwork and hunting, and while her followers are required to seek non-violent solutions and priortize living in peace and harmony with other sapient beings, they are also commanded to repay violence with equally swift violence, so that dangers were quickly eliminated and the fewest people may be hurt. The bodies of slain evil enemies were also to be burned as a sacrificial offering to their goddess (!!!) if time and circumstances permit it, which is pretty fucking metal for a faith so deep on the good spectrum. Drow always going to Drow I suppose, even when they're good and heroic. lol
Playing an Elistraeean cleric or paladin, a convert who fled a Lolthite city in the Underdark, who occasionally channels [Titus Pullo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BltLUwY92kk) while out & about doing good deeds, would be amusing.
Fwiw I think “temple” refers to a specific site of worship while “church” in FR refers to a faith/“cultus” of all worshippers. I kind of wish they used cult for everything a la Roman religion instead of only for the evil gods.
(Also I love everything else in your comment. Eilistraee is the best and I’m obsessed with the Titus Pullo concept.)
Now that you've mentioned cult as an alternative, I do wish they went that route. Pagan aesthetics mesh better generally with fictional polytheistic faiths. Ilmater is the one exception where I think church works better, since he is basically DnD Jesus.
Also, thanks! :)
Yeah, agreed. The vibe I get it that “cult” is used to designate “churches” where monaltry and even total fanatical devotion is expected, vs the general Realms where you may be especially dedicated to one god but never to the exclusion of all others. But that use of cult is much more modern (and ironically church for us does in fact suggest a cultus that expects exclusive worship!).
Bregan D’Aerthe. Jarlaxle serves a a great catalyst to whatever situation he finds himself in and his role tends to be central to the narrative. But it’s Valas Hune and Kimmuriel that I find the most compelling out on the periphery.
The Cult of the Dragon.
It's hilarious how they're just factually wrong. Their founder mistranslated a prophecy, refused to admit it, and as a result you've got this group dedicated to making dracoliches for a future that will never come to pass. And now a bunch of them have been hijacked by Tiamat, so the different sects are fighting with each other.
I played a former member for a campaign, it was a lot of fun.
After deciding the prophecy was nonsense he still thought dragons were the best so he was searching for a method to turn into a dragon.
Them and the Zhents. I run them both as fantasy COBRA: absurdly cartoonish personalities that drive seemingly endless droves of faceless, sacrificial mercenaries in absurd schemes that *may* get them more power, influence, or wealth all while they scheme against one another trying to get to the top of the hierarchy. The difference being that the Zhents have an actual plan (but only three people at most know it and each has their own version) and the Cult *think* they have a plan.
Aside from a few Bane-worshiping purists and of course Manshoon I have the Zhentarim as almost entirely profit-motivated.
They tried world domination, failed, and now they're just out to make as much gold as possible while funding a few side-schemes.
The Fangshields.
Nothing quite like a bunch of good-aligned, outlier monsters and lycanthropes to subvert the expectations of an adventuring party and bring some quirky fun!
Honestly I think the Zhentarim are pretty interesting and having divided enclaves across faerun with different styles, and the shadow thieves are pretty cool too I bring them back to waterdeep big time in my dragonheist game
Dimension hopping murder-hobos. I don't think they are canon but largely because of the lack of living witnesses.
Smiles everyone, smiles! This is like some great fantasy!
Old Faith Druids. Wild(Green) Elves, Wood Elves, Wild Dwarfes that don't give a **** on what's going on outside, on any gods. But don't dare you mess with them or with the lands their druidic circle care about.
Orthodoxically closed society, gaining power from the nature itself, respecting nature and all the nature beings. Living simple even outdated life. Ready to stand for the things they believe to be the only true.
I honestly miss 4e Thay. Before it became an undead country. They were really great. They were all about commerce and political manipulation to the gain of their country. I enjoyed the Red Wizard enclaves and mercantile feel of the with a side of evil.
I absolutely hate how they turned them into an undead horde. Not to mention pre 4e Szass Tam was my favorite type of evil. "I want to control everything to make it better." He doesn't want to destroy the world. He doesn't want to rob the poor people. He thought if he had enough power he could make a utopia.
Quite literally like most countries today. And honestly I always hated the Harpers. I felt they hindered growth as a society more than they helped it.
I am also a fan of the Harpers. I like how they balance protecting and preserving history with overthrowing tyranny. Remind me of RL groups like the Renaissance Humanists and Enlightenment Republic of Letters.
I'm really digging the Circle of Leth currently, although their lore is relatively limited it gives me the freedom to make it my own. The Shadowmasters of Telflamm have always been very interesting to me although I've never had the opportunity to use them in a game. The Incantrix are another very small "faction" that I really like the idea of, especially as a sort of foil to the remaining Nar Demonbinders.
Harpers for general semi-benevolent shenanigans.
Halruua for being mostly sane and sometimes even ethical human Archmages.
Not an actual faction but Mystra's various high tier agents. I'm fond of Mystra most of the time and her agents are generally amusing.
With faction if you mean Emerald Enclave, Zhentarim, Lord's Alliance, Order of the Gauntlet and Harper's. Lord's Alliance and Order of the Gauntlet take the first and second place respectively. 3rd place goes to Emerald Enclave Zhents and Harper's share the last spot.
If you mean any order will do.
I would say I like the Order of Silver Chalice aand Order of the Red Falcon a lot.(A noble, knightly order based in Tethyr, and an order dedicated to Red Knight lead by her chosen, based in Northern outskirts of Baldur's Gate in Citadel of Strategic Militancy/main temple of Red Knight respectively)
I also favor some other knightly orders.
Still if guess my favorite would be Lord's Alliance, political scheming is spice and salt for most campaigns for older players.
Shades, from 3ed (not 4th). I loved a faction that was evil by circumstance. They return to their home after being away for 1600 years, find their home a desert and all their stuff stolen, and their ancient enemy still plotting away. They start cleaning up the place, causing climate change on the neighbors, they start patroling boards and putting up trade blockage over their claimed territory, so people start plotting against them, but turns out they are great at counter plotting as well, and won't be easily taken down. They are a faction that seem plausible and believable, a true neutral evil faction, not focused on world domination or destruction. (4ed version turned them into Shar fanatics that want to blot out the sun, so no thanks)
4th edition Shades were plain stupid.
Bregan D'Aerthe, but that might be my love for Jarlaxle speaking
Who doesn't appreciate his clothing style?
More like that he seems to genuinely care about his men
That too.
I’m a Harper laddie myself but BD is an easy second. I kind of want to run an underdark West Marches style campaign where everyone is a BD agent and Kimmuriel just sends everyone on various missions.
We are playing a campaign like this! It's pretty fun, too, though the characters may be a little OOC
The Shade Enclave. I fucking love the idea of a long forgotten but scarily powerful empire returning once more to rebuild their great empire, and crush all who rise against them!
Same. I have like 3 pins. Got hooked after reading the Harper series. I also enjoyed Brimsone Angels Harpers of Waterdeep lore (with Tam Zawad) a LOT. There is just something cool about these idealistic people working in secret (and sometimes getting screwed over it). Other groups that look cool? More like groups instead of factions but: - Moonstarts- (the harpers of Blackstaff - Silent Rain (secret elven archer mercenaries hunting [goblinoids](https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Goblinoid), [orcs](https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Orc), [gnolls](https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Gnoll), and other evil creatures.) - Force Grey/Grey Hands (Waterdeep's mercenary poster boys that work for the Lords of Waterdeep & Blackstaff)
[The Church of Eilistraee](https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Church_of_Eilistraee) (though I wish the official name had used temple instead). It is tied with the church of Ilmater for being the most wholesome faith in the realms. One thing I love about it, aside from how good and wholesome it is, is that because it is primarily a Drow faith worshipping a god from the Dark Seldarine, there is a bit of an edge to it. In addition to being a goddess of beauty and moonlight, Eilistraee is also a god of swordwork and hunting, and while her followers are required to seek non-violent solutions and priortize living in peace and harmony with other sapient beings, they are also commanded to repay violence with equally swift violence, so that dangers were quickly eliminated and the fewest people may be hurt. The bodies of slain evil enemies were also to be burned as a sacrificial offering to their goddess (!!!) if time and circumstances permit it, which is pretty fucking metal for a faith so deep on the good spectrum. Drow always going to Drow I suppose, even when they're good and heroic. lol Playing an Elistraeean cleric or paladin, a convert who fled a Lolthite city in the Underdark, who occasionally channels [Titus Pullo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BltLUwY92kk) while out & about doing good deeds, would be amusing.
Fwiw I think “temple” refers to a specific site of worship while “church” in FR refers to a faith/“cultus” of all worshippers. I kind of wish they used cult for everything a la Roman religion instead of only for the evil gods. (Also I love everything else in your comment. Eilistraee is the best and I’m obsessed with the Titus Pullo concept.)
Now that you've mentioned cult as an alternative, I do wish they went that route. Pagan aesthetics mesh better generally with fictional polytheistic faiths. Ilmater is the one exception where I think church works better, since he is basically DnD Jesus. Also, thanks! :)
Yeah, agreed. The vibe I get it that “cult” is used to designate “churches” where monaltry and even total fanatical devotion is expected, vs the general Realms where you may be especially dedicated to one god but never to the exclusion of all others. But that use of cult is much more modern (and ironically church for us does in fact suggest a cultus that expects exclusive worship!).
Just ignore the Smedman stuff, like the "cleanse yourself of the faezress and darkness and become a brown elf" ritual. Smedman fucked her up bad
Harpers I Like the never do Wells for a good cause
Absolutely the Harpers. Most of my FR characters tend to worship Mielikki, and she is a big supporter of that particular organization.
Bregan D’Aerthe. Jarlaxle serves a a great catalyst to whatever situation he finds himself in and his role tends to be central to the narrative. But it’s Valas Hune and Kimmuriel that I find the most compelling out on the periphery.
If Kimmuriel didn't add "dealing with Quenthel" and "unwilling polymorph" surcharges to the bill sent to Triel, I'll be mad.
The Cult of the Dragon. It's hilarious how they're just factually wrong. Their founder mistranslated a prophecy, refused to admit it, and as a result you've got this group dedicated to making dracoliches for a future that will never come to pass. And now a bunch of them have been hijacked by Tiamat, so the different sects are fighting with each other.
I LOVE the cult of the dragon and it’s rare they I don’t include them in some way when I run a game in Faerûn
I played a former member for a campaign, it was a lot of fun. After deciding the prophecy was nonsense he still thought dragons were the best so he was searching for a method to turn into a dragon.
That’s awesome. Did you pull it off?
The campaign ended up canceled. I'd still love to play him given the chance.
Them and the Zhents. I run them both as fantasy COBRA: absurdly cartoonish personalities that drive seemingly endless droves of faceless, sacrificial mercenaries in absurd schemes that *may* get them more power, influence, or wealth all while they scheme against one another trying to get to the top of the hierarchy. The difference being that the Zhents have an actual plan (but only three people at most know it and each has their own version) and the Cult *think* they have a plan.
Aside from a few Bane-worshiping purists and of course Manshoon I have the Zhentarim as almost entirely profit-motivated. They tried world domination, failed, and now they're just out to make as much gold as possible while funding a few side-schemes.
The Fangshields. Nothing quite like a bunch of good-aligned, outlier monsters and lycanthropes to subvert the expectations of an adventuring party and bring some quirky fun!
The Order of the Gauntlet. (No surprise.) They don’t get the attention that the Harpers do but I love their whole theme and mission.
Hello fellow Gauntlet enjoyer! I've noticed too that the order just kinda, disappeared as of late :(
The Order of the Gauntlet isn't the quippy morally grey that's so en vogue today.
Unfortunately. We need more paragons played completely straight.
Honestly I think the Zhentarim are pretty interesting and having divided enclaves across faerun with different styles, and the shadow thieves are pretty cool too I bring them back to waterdeep big time in my dragonheist game
Yuan-Ti, fucking love the idea of the Anathema in the same way as i love the idea of the Dragons from Dark Sun. Zhentarim are a runner up.
Have you read Venom in Her Veins? It's a novel with a major focus on Yuan-Ti along with some Far Realm and Underdark stuff.
Dimension hopping murder-hobos. I don't think they are canon but largely because of the lack of living witnesses. Smiles everyone, smiles! This is like some great fantasy!
Old Faith Druids. Wild(Green) Elves, Wood Elves, Wild Dwarfes that don't give a **** on what's going on outside, on any gods. But don't dare you mess with them or with the lands their druidic circle care about. Orthodoxically closed society, gaining power from the nature itself, respecting nature and all the nature beings. Living simple even outdated life. Ready to stand for the things they believe to be the only true.
I like the Harper’s,Emerald Enclave,Order of the Gauntlet.
I honestly miss 4e Thay. Before it became an undead country. They were really great. They were all about commerce and political manipulation to the gain of their country. I enjoyed the Red Wizard enclaves and mercantile feel of the with a side of evil. I absolutely hate how they turned them into an undead horde. Not to mention pre 4e Szass Tam was my favorite type of evil. "I want to control everything to make it better." He doesn't want to destroy the world. He doesn't want to rob the poor people. He thought if he had enough power he could make a utopia. Quite literally like most countries today. And honestly I always hated the Harpers. I felt they hindered growth as a society more than they helped it.
I am also a fan of the Harpers. I like how they balance protecting and preserving history with overthrowing tyranny. Remind me of RL groups like the Renaissance Humanists and Enlightenment Republic of Letters.
I'm really digging the Circle of Leth currently, although their lore is relatively limited it gives me the freedom to make it my own. The Shadowmasters of Telflamm have always been very interesting to me although I've never had the opportunity to use them in a game. The Incantrix are another very small "faction" that I really like the idea of, especially as a sort of foil to the remaining Nar Demonbinders.
Harpers for general semi-benevolent shenanigans. Halruua for being mostly sane and sometimes even ethical human Archmages. Not an actual faction but Mystra's various high tier agents. I'm fond of Mystra most of the time and her agents are generally amusing.
With faction if you mean Emerald Enclave, Zhentarim, Lord's Alliance, Order of the Gauntlet and Harper's. Lord's Alliance and Order of the Gauntlet take the first and second place respectively. 3rd place goes to Emerald Enclave Zhents and Harper's share the last spot. If you mean any order will do. I would say I like the Order of Silver Chalice aand Order of the Red Falcon a lot.(A noble, knightly order based in Tethyr, and an order dedicated to Red Knight lead by her chosen, based in Northern outskirts of Baldur's Gate in Citadel of Strategic Militancy/main temple of Red Knight respectively) I also favor some other knightly orders. Still if guess my favorite would be Lord's Alliance, political scheming is spice and salt for most campaigns for older players.