D&D General [Radiant Citadel] Shieldbearers

Whizbang Dustyboots

Gnometown Hero
The Shieldbearers seem to be set up to be the "here's how to give your PCs missions" organization, but there's very little meat on their bones, beyond that their commander wants to be more activist than they're allowed to be.

To me, they read very much like original series Star Trek, complete with a Prime Directive of "not interfering" with other cultures -- beyond saving the lives of those who might otherwise die, which of course is a change from how things would work out without them.

I'm thinking of leaning more fully into the Trekness of it all in my new campaign, and having red, blue and gold tabards for Shieldbearers (warriors, adepts and specialists, which is a split I've liked since the 3E days) and for their symbol to be a stylized kite shield with a star on it that if one, oops, flipped it upside down, would look an awful lot like the Starfleet shield.

To make them a player-employing organization, I'm thinking of coming up with a monthly salary for them or some other form of stipend. The Radiant Citadel isn't fully post-scarcity, but Shieldbearers shouldn't be in the business of having to get themselves attacked by bandits so that they can justify making the purchases they'll want/need to as they level up.

Has anyone else used them in games? Any suggestions on how to run this as an in-game organization? Any advice from DMs who've used the Harpers extensively in the Forgotten Realms?
 

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Whizbang Dustyboots

Gnometown Hero
Further thought: I found the patron system in Tasha's to be pretty underwhelming after all the hype, but it's probably the place to start for giving Shieldbearers resources and a support structure.
 


DavyGreenwind

Just some guy
I think the Shieldbearers only operate on worlds connected with the Radiant Citadel, so people on those worlds are ostensibly aware of the Radiant Citadel, and by extension, the Shieldbearers. To me, they are almost more like UN Peacekeeping troops; deployed to rescue innocents from wars and natural disasters, but strictly prohibited from interfering with the domestic issues of member states.
 

Whizbang Dustyboots

Gnometown Hero
I think the Shieldbearers only operate on worlds connected with the Radiant Citadel, so people on those worlds are ostensibly aware of the Radiant Citadel, and by extension, the Shieldbearers. To me, they are almost more like UN Peacekeeping troops; deployed to rescue innocents from wars and natural disasters, but strictly prohibited from interfering with the domestic issues of member states.
That's probably the majority of the DNA, for sure. Having an activist leader who chafes against the Prime Directive feels very James T. Kirk, though, which may just be them winking at the DMs. (Also ... what a ... FUN ... roleplaying hook ... that is!)
 

GuardianLurker

Adventurer
To lean in on the Starfleet feel... The Shieldbearers might also be the ones trying to expand the cultures the Radiant Citadel connects too/activate those shardships. Explore a portal, evaluate/rescue the natives and their world(s), report back.
 

Whizbang Dustyboots

Gnometown Hero
To lean in on the Starfleet feel... The Shieldbearers might also be the ones trying to expand the cultures the Radiant Citadel connects too/activate those shardships. Explore a portal, evaluate/rescue the natives and their world(s), report back.
That makes a lot of sense. That'd be a good thing for the commander to be sending his teams to do, technically beyond the scope of the organization, but something that they can probably get away with doing, 99% of the time.
 



GuardianLurker

Adventurer
Heck, D&D has had organizational/patron rules since 2e, when they detailed how to make your own orders of knighthood. 3e had some good 3rd-party systems. PF2e's Reputation System can be easily hacked to work that way.

Frankly though, the best systems are outside of the the d20 umbrella these days. Having recently read BitD, its gang system leaps to mind. I'm pretty sure the FATE-derived systems have their forms. Pendragon's Winter Phase probably has ideas that can be cribbed. And so on.
 

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