The Wintel Syndicate

The Wintel Syndicate is an organization of rogues and criminals who buy and sell illegal wares, such as magic items or panem. They were founded by the Wintel noble family, and it is said that members of the family still exist within its ranks. It operates most prominently in the Western Kingdoms, but can also be found working in Feyfel and even in Thenan, where they grow and ship panem. They can also take advantage of slave labor when in Thenan, where slavery is legal.

Ranking and Renown
The Syndicate uses a renown system for ranking its members who are players. Generally, a player gains 1-2 renown points for each adventure completed for the faction, or 3 renown if the player exceeded expectations. Once a player reaches a certain renown level, they can choose to gain a new rank if they meet the other requirements.

Rank 1: Contact
Prerequisite: Wintel Syndicate Letter of Admission

After completing your entrance tests, you are now trusted with some small missions and bounties. You can choose to receive a randomly generated quest once per week, or complete quests that come up naturally in the world story. You are given financial and reputation compensation for your quests, but are generally left out of larger plans and aren't given much information on why you are tasked with your missions.

Rank 2: Recruit
Prerequisite: 2 Renown Points, Rank 1

Now that you have gained some trust from your direct contacts, you are given more important tasks. You now have a chance to receive panem or magic items instead of gold, which generally means you can get more value from each mission. You can now also receive Assassination or Intimidation type quests.

Rank 3: Member
Prerequisite: 5 Renown Points, Rank 2

You are now a fully fledged member of the syndicate. You are put on a team of 5-7 other members lead by a lieutenant. They use varying NPC stat blocks of challenge ratings 2-4. The lieutenant uses a CR 5 stat block. Now, when you go on syndicate missions, you can choose to take one or two of these NPCs with you as support. Occasionally you will be called upon by your lieutenant to join in a mission with the whole group.

Special Role: Other (assassin)
Prerequisite: 10 Renown Points, Rogue or Fighter class, Rank 2,

As a skilled assassin, you are now able to join the Others, an organization of assassins that operates under the protection of the Wintel Syndicate. Your missions are almost entirely assassinations or kidnappings, and you receive triple monetary payment for completion of missions. You also gain a salary that allows you to sustain a wealthy lifestyle. Once you reach 25 renown, it becomes enough to sustain an aristocratic lifestyle.

Rank 3: Lieutenant
Prerequisite: 20 Renown Points, Rank 3, your Lieutenant dies or disappears

Now that your lieutenant is out of your way, you have the power to take their place. You control the team now, and you get to decide when and where its members go. You can call upon your entire team or just select members to accompany you on your missions. You also get to meet your regional boss, and are given plans that directly assist in their plans. You are also given a salary that can sustain a wealthy lifestyle.

Rank 4: Boss
Prerequisite: 50 Renown Points, Rank 4, your Regional Boss dies or disappears

You now have the money and power to replace your regional boss. You, among the other bosses, control what the syndicate does. You still receive missions and objectives from the mysterious "Arbiter", but most decisions in your region are made by you. You receive enough payment to sustain an aristocratic lifestyle, plus 10d10 x 10 + 200 gp per week excess. You command all teams in your region, and control their movements. Generally, you don't have to fight anymore. You can just send teams to complete your objectives, but when you do need assistance, you can call upon up to three teams at a time to assist you.

Special Role: Arbiter
Prerequisite: 100 Renown Points, Rank 5, the Arbiter dies or disappears

You have discovered the secrets of the Syndicate, and succeeded the Arbiter of the faction. Now, as the supreme leader of the syndicate, you are one of the most powerful people in the world. Your actions command thousands of agents, and you can destroy the livelihood of any citizen with the signing of a name. The other bosses don't know your identity, so you must keep your old job as a boss in order to keep your identity safe, but you now also have the power to command the other bosses and the Others faction.