Factions Phase One

I came up with these faction abilities for 4th ed right off the top of my head.  I tried to fit them as best I could to the original factions, but some I had to change entirely in order to make them work.  Please note that these occur if you are a member of a faction, and many act like feats or are feats.  However, they are powered by belief, belief of a bunch of people, thinking alike and bringing you into that fold.  If you stop believing in your faction, or behave so poorly as to have them cast you out, then the belief stops empowering you and you loose these abilities.

Athar (defilers, the lost) Don't believe gods are divine. Powers (gods) are just beings with a lot of power to throw around.  Power: +1 to Fort/Ref/Will against Radiant attacks.  Restriction: Cannot be a divine character of a specific deity; Some especially devout characters may take offense to you, resulting in a -2 to diplomacy checks with them.

Believers of the Source (Godsmen) Believe every being can be elevated to the status of the divine beings, or even higher.  Power: +3 to Diplomacy rolls (even if untrianed, everyone likes it when they are told they can become a god!)  Restriction: Divine characters cannot take their deity feats, because they do not have unwavering faith; Non-Divine characters cannot take Divine multiclass feats.

Bleak Cabal (Bleakers) The universe just IS, there is no grand scheme or purpose. It's all rather depressing really.  Power: +1 to all defenses vs. Psychic attacks, (You DON'T want to see into their heads)  Restrictions: Depressing guys to be around, every day, 5% chance of falling into a melancholy (-2 to all skill checks). Cannot be lawful.

Doomguard, Entropy is the nature of the universe, and we'll help it along.  Power: Gain either proficiency with Heavy blades, or (if you already have that) Weapon focus with heavy blades, or (if you already have THAT) Weapon Finesse with Heavy blades.  Restrictions: They HATE supernatural healing.  When granted a healing surge from an arcane, divine, or primal power source, they can only ever regain hitpoints equal to their healing surge value (instead of the value+some number)

The Dustmen (The dead): Life is a brutal Cycle.  No one wants to be trapped as a petetioner forever, so you must feel no emotion and have no attatchment when you die, thus you will not be absorbed by any plane, thus you will never become a petitioner.  Power: +1 to Fort/Ref/Will Defenses vs. Necrotic attacks.  Restriction: Dustmen don't WANT to come back if they die . . . ever. Resurrecting them costs 1.5x the nomral cost, and they won't be happy about it.

The Fated (The takers): The strong rule. Take what's yours, and be as self-reliant and prosperous as possible.  Power: Gains the Jack-of-all-trade feat, for free, or (if you alread have that feat) Gain training in any one skill.  Restriction: As a fated you cannot willingly accept or give out charity.  You suffer a -2 to deplomacy checks when conversing with people who know your faction and find it offensive.

The Fraternaty of order (Guvners): The universe works on rules. Learn the rules, and everything else will click into place.  Power: Learn and study from the past: Gain the History skill or (if you already have it) get a +3 bonus to it.  Restriction (old alignment system) Must be lawful (new system) cannot be chaotic. As a Guvner, you cannot knowingly break any law.

The Free League (Indeps) Not really a faction, just a group of people getting together for protection. Independence is the most important thing here.  Power: +2 to saving throws to shake off charm, domination, or other enthralling effects.  Restriction: As an indep, you will never put yourself into a situation where you are compleatly subservient.  -2 to diplomacy when talking to people who like slavery or totalatarianism.

The Harmonium (Hardheads) Further the Harmonium goal of bringing order to the multiverse . . . by any means nessicary!  Power: Automatically gain the skill Intimidate, or a +3 bonus if you already have it.  Restrictions: You must follow all the orders and decrees of the Harmonium, and uphold their beliefs. Cannot be chaotic.

Mercykillers (Red Death.) Justice is absolute. Everyone must be PUNISHED if they commit a crime. YOU are judge, jury, and executioner.  Power: Automatically gain the skill Insight (or a +3 bonus if you already have it, gotta find out who's lyin' and who's tellin' the truth.)  Restriction: A Mercykiller must give into punishment if they have committed any crime (except crimes done in the course of bringing another criminal to justice.) Cannot release a lawbreaker who has not been punished.  -2 to all bluff checks when pretending to break the law or being a lawbreaker

The Revolutionary League (Anarchists): Society is corrupt. Sneak into the cracks, then crack it open! Rebuild it from the ground up!  Power: Automatically gain the skill Bluff (or a +3 bonus if you already have it, gotta take down the man from the inside, man!)  Restriction: Cannot be lawful, an Anarchist can never truely hold a public office or buisness (though he can pose as one for a while). Is expected to give some proceeds to help their cause.  -2 to Diplomacy checks against the lawfully-minded factions.

The Sign of One (Signers): Belief shapes the world. Maybe we are all the product of one guys twisted dreams, maybe we all share one, large, collective dream. Who is to know?  Power: When rolling Perception or Insight to notice an illusion, these guys roll twice and keep the best roll.  Restriction: Signers are usually pretty alouf and, because of their nature, they often wax philisophical and are rarely down to earth. Thus, they suffer -2 to social rolls when not talking about philosophy, or similarly heady subjects.

The Society of Sensation (Sensates) The Multiverse has no true, overarching scheme other than to EXPERIENCE it. Go out, see the different sights, feel them. SEE what an infinate infinaties have to offer.  Power:Automatically gain the Perception skill (or a +3 bonus if you already have it, you must to have finely tuned senses to sense the multiverse.)  Restriction: A sensate will NOT say no to a new sensation that poses no obvious, damaging threat.  

The Trancendent order (Ciphers) Don't, think, DO. The only way to attain enlightenment is to let the universe FLOW threw you, thinking will only bog you down.  Power: Automatically gain the Alertness or Improved Initiative feat (Your choice)  Restrictions: A Cipher is prone to snap judgements, and will absolutely NOT 'take time to think about it.'  You cannot hold your initiative (though you can ready an action.)

The Xaositects (Chaosmen) The nature of the universe is pure, unadulturated chaos . . . act accordingly . . . or don't.  Power: Chaosmen are rediculusly crazy, and unpredictiable. OTHERS suffer a -5 PENALTY to use insight on you.  Restrictions: In addition to acting as barmy (crazy) as you possibly can, you can never be a part of long-term plans, own a buisness, (or practice law). You cannot be Lawful.