With the release of Arcane Season 2 on Netflix, we are once again thrown into the streets of Piltover and Zaun as factions vie for power in the wake of a devastating attack. The conflict and intrigue in these cities is captivating and, crucially, provides wonderful inspiration for your own TTRPG designs.
Last time, we turned Warwick into a monster with its own lair. This time in Act 2, we look at the Commune of the Herald, a tranquil grove of healing that attracts the disfigured, sick, and lame. Such a place of peace emerging in Zaun, a city plagued by strife and war, is a miracle. Its existence raises questions about how it manages to survive amid the conflict of Piltover and Zaun while having a strict pacifist mentality.
By identifying and answering several key questions, we can learn from the Commune of the Herald and create grounded communities in our own TTRPGs.
What Does the Community Provide?
This is the biggest question to answer when designing a community. Without knowing the purpose or service a community serves to both its people and the surrounding environment, it’s difficult to make it feel like a part of the world. It may be helpful to use one word to describe the main element this community provides. Some may offer sanctuary to refugees escaping catastrophe while others could offer something more tangible like resources unique to the region it is established in. The Commune of the Herald provides healing to any and all who seek it.
Whatever the community provides, it helps us determine the personality of its people. What type of people would belong to a community whose chief purpose is to provide healing to complete strangers?
What Allows the Community to Succeed?
Communities like the Commune of the Herald are typically independent of larger factions and regions; they are factions unto themselves. Even though it found its roots in Zaun, the Commune feels like a separate place entirely. Knowing this, its success must be attributed to something that the surrounding region can’t provide regularly. Given the conflict, sickness, and addiction ravaging Zaun, it makes sense that a community would arise to address such needs. What sets this community apart is that its healing is beyond anything mundane medicines can offer. The Herald can literally rebuild people’s bodies and minds.
When designing a new community, its success relies on being able to provide not only something the surrounding region needs, but to do so in such a way that it allows it to maintain its independence from those in power. Perhaps one offering sanctuary exists in a secret location only those in the know are aware of, like the Firelights tree.
What Threatens the Community?
Since communities tend to be small, some sort of larger threat always looms and could wipe it out. The threat to the Commune of the Herald is Noxus, as they are tracking a monstrous chem weapon to its doors. Noxus doesn’t tend to play nice, and since the Commune of the Herald has no weapons, it’s a matter of time before Noxus arrives with overwhelming force.
For your own community, this is where the PCs can come in. They can act as the intervening force that averts the danger posed by the threat to the community (or accelerate the threat’s plans and wipe the community out). Allow them to be the factor that determines the future of the community.
What Keeps the Community Safe?
Despite the dangers, there must be a reason why the community has lasted as long as they have without the intervention of PCs. What edge does the community have against outside threats? Is it in a particularly defensible location? Do its resources grant its people incredible power?
What protects the Commune of the Herald is the mystery of the Herald himself. Given his magical ability to heal, it’s unclear to outside observers what other talents he may possess. This gives threats pause before they go in guns blazing.
New Heritage: Commune of the Herald
People from the Commune of the Herald are those castouts and invalids who found mercy at the hand of the Herald, a mystical healer who appeared in Zaun. Flocking to his cause, those healed by him have helped create a beautiful commune. Though few have been raised here, all who live here are reborn in a sense, and changed to the culture the commune.
The Commune of the Herald is a place of peace that abhors violence and welcomes all. Its followers strive to pay back the kindness paid to them by the Herald, who helped them in their darkest moments.
Implements of the Flock. You have proficiency with one type of artisan tools of your choice.
Metal Form. Thanks to the touch of the Herald, your body has been rebuilt, leaving a metallic warping across parts of your skin. When you’re not wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your DEX modifer.
Voice of the Machine. You are intermingled into the machine of the commune, magically linking you to the Herald. You also know the sending spell and can cast it without expending a spell slot. You can only target the Herald when you cast it this way. You can cast this spell this way a number of times equal to your PB and regain all uses after you finish a long rest.
Languages. You know Common, Machine Speech, and one additional language of your choice. Typical creatures of this heritage choose Undercommon.
For more tips and insight on building a community in your game, look into Campaign Builder: Cities & Towns!
