A Year in the City - #YouCanWinAtRPGs

As was highlighted during #Brovenloft, the Braunstein works best when there is a clear Win Condition. 

Something the Patrons are pushing toward in both the Short and Long term. 

The #CurseofLamalla certainly galvanised the Patrons across the 'multiverse' into stopping the Blood Rain. While they were also working on advancing their own projects and furthering their own goals.

It gets lonely at the top.

*****

In Waterdeep each Patron has one, with maybe the exception of Vajra Safahr (probably because this Patron is specifically brought to the forefront for this particular game and not the module as a whole)

All these Goals are taken from the Module itself, and really bring to life the Waterdeep Calendar:

The Xanathar - The paranoid, megalomaniacal beholder crime lord's only goal is to wipe out anyone it perceives as a Zhentarim operative or sympathizer, retrieve the Artifact that was stolen from it, and wouldn't that cache of Dragons be much more secure under its watch. Kept safe deep in the vault of its subterranean lair beneath Skullport?

It is specifically looking forward to the Waterdeep holiday festival of Trolltide which roughly falls on June the 1st (Kythron 1)

The Cassalanters - Waterdavian nobles, and secret devil worshippers, who plan to use the cache of Dragons to buy back the souls of their children, which they'd traded on their hidden alter (beneath their villa) to Asmodeus for power. 

This must be done before these children turn 9 years old, Founders Day (Flamerule 1) providing the perfect cover for their schemes. If it fails, they only have until the stroke of Midnight on the 10th of the month before the payment comes due.

Manshoon - The (clone) Leader of the Zhentarim. He seeks to rule the City of Waterdeep, disposing of the current Open Lord. To do this he's aiming to claim the cache of Dragons and use it to bribe the Masked Lords. Before ultimately regaining control of the Black Network.

Waterdeep's Council of Masked Lords meet during Shieldmeet (Flamerule 2) to reaffirm the Open Lord's Rule. So, he must keep House's Thann, Urmbrusk and Gralhund on side until then. 

Jarlaxle Baenre - The dandy dark elf swashbuckler and secret Lord of Luskan, the City of Sails. Seeks to use the cache of Dragons to grease the wheels and ensure the "reformed" pirate city can enter the Lords Alliance. He also seeks control over Waterdeeps magical Wards in case he has to strong arm the negotiations. A decision which should occur on Midwinter's Day (Alturiak 1).

He is also looking forward to enjoying the Waterdeep holiday festival of the Day of Wonders (Marpenoth 10) 

House Gralhund - The Lady of the house is calculating and has many irons in the fire. Her main concern is raising the status of the House. To such an end she has allied herself with Manshoon, and given him what she uncovered of the City's Masked Lords. On the condition that once he is the Open Lord, he will elevate her to the position of Masked Lord. She is also anxiously counting down the days till Shieldmeet (Flamerule 2)

However, she is also ready to achieve that goal by other means, whether that means ingratiating herself with the Devil cult of House Cassalanter, cutting a deal with The Xanathar to create a vacancy so she can become a Masked Lord, or having Jarlaxle help her weasel her way into a position as one of the city's Masked Lords.

Vajra Safahr - The youngest person to ever hold the position of Blackstaff, she is charged with using all the magic and resources at her disposal to defend the city against threats. She is also conscious of her age and the weight of the position she has been thrust into, thus is constantly seeking ways to prove herself.

******

I'd like to think I've given the Patron Players enough direction and structure, without being too overbearing.

The goal is not to enforce how I want the Patrons played, but to see how they play the Patrons within the confines of the settings parameters. 

And the adventure threads or plot hooks that emerge organically as a result. 

[Next Poast]