In a land shrouded by Shadows from the
country of Evilton, Lord Doom arises to dominate the world and bring power to
his faction because... I ran out of energy before the motivation hit me. As a faction,
Evilton and Lord Doom as its leader sucks, and unfortunately all too often this is how world
builders create evil factions because all they actually need is an opponent to battle against
or something like that. And then by contrast they will make the good faction The Shining Beacon of
Awesomeness, the Glory that is the Church of the Purity that stand stands against Lord Doom and
all that is wicked. But the problem with that is, it is also without nuance. It has no depth to it
and that is what I would like to combat today. I would like to strike a blow for good world
building and talk about how to create factions with nuances and conflicts and complications and
also four strategies for how to come up with a really good name! Welcome to another episode of
just in time worlds with your host Marie Mullany [Real Awesome Trailer] This episode is brought to you by the members of
my channel who have had access to this episode for well over a month! Join the channel for great
perks like early access! Right, enough of that, let's crack on! One thing to bear in mind as we go
through this process of faction creation is that all of the elements we will talk about today, and
we'll be talking about motivation, identification, names, and history and alliances, to mention
only a few, all of these elements together form a whole. So don’t treat them as isolated steps. Your
name might come from the faction's history, your faction alliances might be influenced by their
motivation, the means the faction is willing to use might have changed due to historical events,
and so on. So while I'm going to talk about each concept individually of course they all form a
whole and you should complete these steps or these concepts in whatever crazy, messy way works for
your world building process. Okay, so with that out of the way, let's dive into the first element
of faction creation, possibly the most important; faction motivation. Faction motivation is a
critical aspect of building your faction. It's essential to understand what your faction desires,
both in terms of its long-term purpose and its immediate short-term goals. This understanding
is crucial when characters encounter the faction, whether in a story or during a campaign. Keep
in mind that the long-term purpose might not align with the immediate goals, except perhaps
in the grand vision of the faction's leader or its council.In discussing motivation, it's also
important to consider the means by which the faction aims to achieve its goals. The methods
employed can significantly define the faction's tone. For example, a faction willing to use
assassins to achieve noble ends might possess a rotten core beneath its golden exterior. This
complexity creates a faction that explores themes of whether the ends justify the means. Conversely,
a faction aiming to take control of a country through lawful strategies, aiming for a just
society, underscores the belief that poisoning the roots of an endeavor will never yield good
fruit. This introduces the theme that the fruit of a poisoned tree cannot bear good fruit. Those
underlying thematic elements is why it's important to contemplate not just what motivates your
faction, but also the red lines the faction won't cross and what means they routinely use to
achieve their aim. A prime example of a faction with clear motivation providing a rich source
of conflict is the Night's Watch from George RR Martin's A Game of Thrones. Their sole goal is to
protect the realm from threats beyond the Wall and this shapes their culture, their traditions and
even the oath that they swear. However, within the Night's Watch, [slip of the tongue] opinions
diverge on what means to use. For example when John brings the wildlings into the fold to stand
against the Others, or the white walkers as the show terms them, there is a faction that sees the
Wildlings as equivalent to aiding the Others and Jon's actions are seen as a betrayal, which leads
to internal conflict and ultimately his unaliving. This scenario perfectly illustrates how internal
conflict can arise in a faction when certain actions are perceived as crossing established
red lines. So when conceptualizing your faction, consider their long-term goals, their short
term objectives, their customary means, what they normally use, and their non-negotiable
boundaries, and remember factions within factions can offer fertile ground for compelling
narratives. And if you found this exploration of faction motivations insightful, hit that thumbs
up button and stay tuned as we delve into faction history. A faction's history creates the cultural
and ideological depth that seamlessly integrates your faction into your world. When considering
factions in the real world, their richness comes from how far back their histories extend and
the predecessors from which they evolve. Take for example the Hanseatic League which dominated
European trade networks during the Middle Ages. Out of the Hanseatic Guild out of the Hanseatic
League and other Merchant Guilds like it, evolved the companies that led the Age of Exploration and
eventually led into companies as we understand them today. This kind of evolution over time adds
layers of intrigue and complexity to factions in your world. Now, while it's important to build
this history, it's also important not to overwhelm yourself with the details. You don't want to build
something as deep as the Hanseatic League unless it's going to be core to your story. So just make
sure you have a sense of your faction's history and highlight a few milestones. And for guidance
on how to highlight those milestones, consider elements like how the leadership selection
works now in the current day and age and how the leadership selection worked in the past. Maybe
previously it was an hereditary form of leadership and now it's elected by a board. Also think about
whether this faction carries the scars of internal or external conflicts such as trade wars for a
merchant guilds, or ideological divides similar to the Night Watch conflicts over the wildlings,
or perhaps there have been schisms and there are now two factions that are nearly the same. So
how have these conflicts shaped the factions rules and relationships. Examining alliances is
also key here. For example, the vampire courts in the Dresden Files maintain a loose network of
alliances shaped by a long history of cooperation and conflict. Understanding the history behind
these alliances can reveal much about the faction's current position and strategies.
Another aspect to consider is the faction's impact and perception within the world. Does
the world view the faction as a force for good or evil? Is the faction actively working to change
the world? The Bene Gesserit from Dune serves as a prime example of a faction with a long and complex
history involving numerous other factions. Their strategic seeding of myths across the universe,
which Jessica leverages among the Freman, illustrates the deep and intricate planning
that defined their long-term influence. So, when crafting your faction's history, think about
how leadership is chosen in the current and past, think about conflicts and the evolution of
alliances and mark those milestones. This historical backdrop not only enriches your
factions but also provides fertile ground for writing compelling narratives, and if you
enjoyed this exploration of faction histories, hit that thumbs up button and let's talk about
faction identification, including that naming strategy that I promised you! Faction symbology
is the first element of identification that I want to talk about and it is a crucial element of
world building, providing an immediate means to identify and understand a faction. This aspect
encompasses the symbols, clothing, or jewelry, or any other identification symbols associated
with the faction. Consider the noble houses in George RR Martin's works. The direwolf signifies
the Starks, the lion symbolizes the Lannisters, and the stag represents the Baratheons. These
symbols are central to the identity of these factions, emphasized repeatedly to embed them in
the audience's mind. Martin even explores internal faction conflict through symbology as seen with
the Targaryan green and black dragons in the lore of the Dance of Dragons. The Dresden Files offers
another excellent example, where Harry Dresden's disregard for the traditional robe and stole of
the White Council highlights his rebellious nature against the centuries old tradition. This contrast
only works because of the established formalities and symbology, showcasing the importance of
the identity of the White Council. Symbology extends beyond visual identifiers, it can also
signify rank and affiliation within the faction, similar to the varied colors and shapes of
academic regalia that denote different schools and ranks within our world's universities. So
by having these different symbols for rank and department, you create a world where you can show
a character's advancement through the ranks of their factions, and a world where you can show
authority within a faction. This can facilitate decision-making processes or even heighten the
tensions of political scenes, where you can show the rank of one character being used to bludgeon
another, just by having that character for example flash the ring that indicates their rank within
the hierarchy. So symbology is very important! Equally important is the titles that go with those
symbol, what is the leader of the faction called? What are the officers or the rank and file or the
Juniors, the guys who've just entered the faction, what do they call these guys? There elements all
make up the factions identification elements, but let's face it nothing is more important than the
name and making up names that don't suck is hard, so let's identify four naming strategies. First:
Etymological Foundation is a strategy that draws from ancient or foreign languages mythology or
historical references to create names that have a deep inherent meaning. This strategy can
lend an air of ancient wisdom or mystique or gravitas to a faction. For example, a faction
focused on knowledge and wisdom might draw from the Latin word Sapient, wisdom, leading
to a name like Sapient order or Guardians of Sapienta. The second strategy is a descriptive
naming strategy, which uses names that clearly reflect the faction's characteristics or purpose
which helps immediately ground the faction in the audience's understanding. For example a faction
that protects a sacred forest might be named Green Sward Guardians, or Forest Sentinel Alliance, now
this does have a potential pitfall. Be careful not to be too on the nose or too pedestrian, and the
third strategy will help you with that, because that uses the rest of the symbology to build
your name. A great example of this is the guard of King's Landing from A Song of Ice and Fire who
are called the Gold Cloaks, because of the cloaks that they wear. It's descriptive, it's memorable,
and it also reflects their status as town guards of a rich city. Lastly consider symbolic or
allegorical names which add layers of meaning, representing the faction's underlying themes
or values. For this approach, identify symbols, animals, or natural elements, that embody the
faction's spirit or mission. For instance the Night Watch from A Song of Ice and Fire symbolizes
the Guardians against the dark threats of winter, rather than being literal night watchers. In
applying these strategies, I do want to emphasize one essential caveat: you have to make sure that
while these names fit your culture, while they fit your linguistics, and while they fit your
faction, they must be pronounceable! If your readers cannot pronounce that name, it's going to
be in the one ear and out the other and they will never catch on to any of the depth of the faction
because quite simply if a reader can't say it, they can't tell other people about it! And if you
enjoyed this exploration of faction identification and especially naming strategies, hit that thumbs
up button, and let's talk about the plot elements that are opened up by factions! Exploring
faction dynamics can significantly enrich your narrative offering a myriad complex and
engaging plot elements. One compelling device is the surprise breakaway character, where a faction
known for something has a member know that breaks away from this. The typical example is a faction
known for extreme loyalty having one member that unthinkably betrays somebody. This unexpected
turn of events can throw established narratives into chaos, creating a rich ground for further
development. A notable example is the Suk Doctor, Wellington Yueh, in "Dune." Despite the Suk
Doctors' renowned control against betrayal, Yueh's family is leveraged by the Harkonnens
to coerce his treachery. This plot twist is shocking due to the meticulous setup of the
Suk Doctors' loyalty, making Yueh's betrayal a pivotal moment that upends the story's direction.
Another instance found in Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey, where a member of the Cassiline
Brotherhood betrays his Queen. Now his motivations are different from Yueh. Instead of coming from
his family being endangered, they stem from a deep personal grudge and that illustrates how complex
backgrounds and personal histories can lead to factional betrayal. This betrayal is at the heart
of the book's conflict showcasing the intricate dynamics within seemingly monolithic institutions.
So that's the breakaway member plot, but you can also lean into conflict between factions. Dune
absolutely exemplifies this with the animosity between house Harkonnen and house Atreides, as
well as between the Fremen and house Harkonnen and the emperor himself. These conflicts drive much of
the narrative, demonstrating how inter factional struggles can form the backbone of a story, but
of course it's not all between factions! Internal faction conflicts offer equally rich narratives.
The White Council in the Dresden Files is a prime example of this. Harry Dresden initially stands as
an outsider and gradually becomes embroiled in the council's internal politics. In time he finds out
that there is a dark faction in the council and he has to actively work to oppose it. This evolution
reveals the complexities within the White Council where differing ideologies and agendas can lead
to significant strife even inside an organization. And lastly portraying a faction under pressure can
highlight its vulnerabilities and its external and internal conflicts. The Nights Watch in A Song of
Ice and Fire is constantly battling insufficient resources and disbelief in the threat they
guard against. When this threat intensifies, the decision to integrate the wildlings
exacerbates internal tensions leading to a factional split and indeed Jon Snow's
stabbing. This scenario underscores how external pressures can catalyze critical changes
within a faction impacting the broader narrative landscape. When you are building your factions
in your world you want to consider the following questions: One, what motivates your faction?
Remember it's not about power and probably not about money, it's about a concrete goal
that they're looking to achieve with that power and money. Two, what will they do
and what won't they do? In other words, what means will they use and what are
their red lines? Three, what is your faction's history? What are the milestones
and what is their current situation? Four, what identifies your faction? And five, what
purpose do they serve in your plot? Remember, don't build what you don't need. So build the
factions that you need, not factions that you think might be useful! This video has been
brought to you by the members of my channel, who are the amazing leaders of my faction and a
special thanks to Tony, Dylan, Scott, and Tiffany! If you would like to join their ranks for as
little as €3 a month, you too can get all of these cool perks! But please don't feel pressured to
support the channel financially, you can also show your support just by watching another video! Since
you enjoyed this video, you might also enjoy my video on creating a merchant guild, or you could
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where we build what we need when we need it!
