Model
Factions Should Be More Than Lore
In Goalforger, factions are active campaign forces. They exert pressure, pursue goals, and create consequences whether or not players look directly at them.
Goals
Relationships
Pressure and consequence
What matters in play
Goals
What the faction wants in the near and long term.
Relationships
Allies, rivals, dependencies, and grudges.
Influence
Where it can apply social, economic, or military force.
Pressure
What it does when threatened or delayed.
Consequences
What changes in the world after its moves.
Interaction with goals and NPC motives
Player goals attract faction attention. NPC motives determine how that pressure reaches the table. A loyal captain can become an informant, obstruction, or reluctant ally depending on faction incentives.
Related reading
Continue with Goal-Driven Campaigns to connect faction behavior to player priorities.