Clasp Member (Myriad Operative) (Variant)
*Source: Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn p. 182, Derived from *
- Skill Proficiencies. Deception, plus your choice of Sleight of Hand or Stealth
- Tool Proficiencies. Disguise Kit, forgery kit, or thieves’ tools (one of your choice)
- Languages. Thieves’ Cant
- Equipment. A set of inconspicuous common clothes, a set of tools with which you’re proficient, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp
Variant: Myriad Operative
Your skill set might be similar to that of many members of the “Clasp”, but you work for a criminal organization that is far more sophisticated—and even less scrupulous. As a “Myriad” operative in Tal’Dorei, you might have been given a specific task that furthers that syndicate’s hunger to expand beyond Wildemount, or which gives them an edge in their rivalry with the “Clasp”. Moreover, you understand the wisdom of keeping your activities secret from fellow criminals as well as law enforcement, since the agents of the “Clasp” will show you no mercy if your true identity is ever revealed.
Feature: A Favor in Turn
You have gained enough clout in the “Clasp” that you can call in a favor from your contacts whenever you’re close enough to a center of syndicate activity. A request for a favor can be no longer than 20 words, and is passed up the chain to an undisclosed Spireling for approval. This favor can take on any form subject to the approval of the GM, who decides how it is fulfilled. If muscle is requested, an NPC member of the “Clasp” can temporarily aid your party. If money is needed, a small loan can be provided. If you’ve been imprisoned, “Clasp” operatives can look into breaking you out or paying off the jailer.
At some point, the favor will be called in for repayment, often without warning. Refusing the call will result in your termination—literally. You might be called on to commit a specific burglary, or to pressure an “Emonian” dignitary to reveal a secret at an upcoming ball. The “Clasp” might even demand that you assassinate a specific person, with no questions asked or answered. It’s the GM’s prerogative to ensure that the syndicate’s request is proportionate to the favor they bestowed—or that they compensate you in other ways for a service that goes beyond the scope of repaying the initial favor.
Suggested Characteristics
The “Clasp” enjoys a strange status in Tal’Dorei. The syndicate is a feared group of thieves and killers, whose name is often invoked only in whispers. But at the same time, the organization has a reputation for guerilla heroism, in response to its members having saved countless lives when the “Chroma Conclave” attacked “Emon”. And so like every “Clasp” member, your own reputation often swings between these two poles.
Your bond is likely associated with your fellow “Clasp” members or the individual who introduced you to the syndicate. Your ideal probably involves establishing your importance and indispensability to the “Clasp”.
Clasp Member Personality Traits
| dice: d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | What’s life without risk? I’m always willing to take a risk if the reward seems worth it. |
| 2 | I only show my emotions around people I really trust. |
| 3 | I don’t need friends; I need allies. When I do make “friends,” I only consider what they can do for me. |
| 4 | I look for simple solutions. The world’s full of tough problems, but a well-placed knife is a one-size-fits-all answer. |
| 5 | Money talks. I don’t. We’ve got an efficient relationship. |
| 6 | I used to have one rule—don’t get involved in other people’s problems. Why are things so complicated now? |
| 7 | Crime is a game, and I play to win. I have no sympathy for players who don’t get that. |
| 8 | This organization has a lot of folks who cling to ugly, brutal practices. I’m not like that. I’m a professional, and professionals have standards. |
| ^clasp-member-personality-traits |
Clasp Member Ideals
| dice: d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | By Any Means. I complete jobs. Collateral damage isn’t my problem. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Ambition. I will climb to the top of the ladder. Everything I do is a stepping-stone to a Spireling’s position. (Neutral) |
| 3 | Decisiveness. It’s important to make up your mind so you can act swiftly and without delay. (Neutral) |
| 4 | Honor. There’s room in the “Clasp” for both good and evil. Every day, I awake and choose to do what’s right. (Good) |
| 5 | Family. The “Clasp” is family. Anything that’s good for the family is good for me. (Lawful) |
| 6 | Self-Interest. There are too many bleeding hearts in the “Clasp” these days. Doing the right thing means doing the thing that makes my life better. (Evil) |
| ^clasp-member-ideals |
Clasp Member Bonds
| dice: d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’d do anything—anything—to protect my comrades. |
| 2 | I’ll always be grateful to the Spireling who took me in when I was an orphaned kid. |
| 3 | I was inspired to join the “Clasp” by the stories my parents told of being saved from the “Chroma Conclave’s” attack on “Emon”. I can look past the organization’s flaws. |
| 4 | I was nearly killed by the “Myriad”. If the “Clasp” is the enemy of those villains, then the “Clasp” is my friend. |
| 5 | I’ve got family back in the old town who are counting on me for money. They don’t know how I get it, but they don’t need to know. |
| 6 | I joined the “Clasp” to become rich, powerful, and beloved. That’s all there is to it. |
| ^clasp-member-bonds |
Clasp Member Flaws
| dice: d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’m hopeless at organizing my belongings, and I’m always losing things. |
| 2 | I get bored whenever a plan is going too smoothly. A win is always more fun when it’s by the skin of my teeth! |
| 3 | I’ve seen Spirelings walk out among cheering crowds of thousands. Gods, I wish that were me. I need that to be me. |
| 4 | I’m rubbish with money, and never seem to leave town with a full purse. Keeps me coming back to the life, I suppose. |
| 5 | I can’t work with shoddy, makeshift thieves’ tools. I need everything involving my work to be perfect. |
| 6 | Any slight against me, no matter how small, is cause for revenge. |
| ^clasp-member-flaws |