franchise tasks in the campaign
franchise tasks happen every week and use a d20 plus the franchise modifier of 3+(2x franchise rank)
each of the individual franchisees can be involved in one task each week but must be there the whole workweek
each franchise can be involved in a maximum of 2+rank tasks each week
explore territory
resources
none or a franchise task or a franchise task and a staff member
resolution
no franchise task expended: roll a d20
a franchise task expended: roll a d20 adding the franchise skill modifier
a franchise task and a staff member: survival (wisdom)
4 or less
a major threat is discovered
5-9
a minor threat is discovered
10-14
no discovery of note
15-19
a new customer is discovered
20-24
an ally or useful monster is discovered
25-29
a natural feature is discovered
30-34
an expanded benefit is discovered
35 or more
two expanded benefits are discovered
major threat
costs the franchisees an amount equal to 50% of their weekly costs until the threat is resolved
minor threat
costs the franchisees an amount equal to 25% of their weekly costs until the threat is resolved
new customers
earns the franchisees an amount equal to 25% of their expected weekly costs
ally or useful monster
this ally can become a source of lore providing insights into one campaign secret or removing one minor threat
as an expanded benefit the expedition could instead locate a monster that is either willing to help the party or can be tamed
the challenge rating of the monster is typically equal to the average franchisee’s level
providing for the monster’s needs costs 3 gp times its best skill bonus per week
such a monster remains with the franchise as long as its costs are covered and it is treated well
it’s costs are separate from the normal expected weekly expenses
it can be expended to remove a major threat
natural feature
this earns the franchisees an amount equal to 50% of their expected weekly costs
an expended benefit earns 150% of their expected weekly costs
expanded benefit
new customers (1-3), an ally or useful monster (4-5), or a natural feature (6) then increases the benefit of that discovery
franchise restructuring
resources
each franchise restructuring task uses an available franchise task
resolution
make three ability checks with a DC of 15 + the franchise's rank
an intelligence (history) then a wisdom (insight) check and finally a charisma (deception, performance, or persuasion) check
0 successes
the restructuring plan is a catastrophic failure, costing the franchise’s 100% of expected weekly expenses
1 success
the restructuring plan is a failure costing the franchise’s 50% of expected weekly expenses
2 successes
the restructuring plan provides strong benefits earning the franchisee’s 50% of expected weekly expenses
3 successes
the restructuring plan provides huge benefits earning the franchise’s 100% of expected weekly expenses
headquarters modification
major headquarters modifications are made as a regular part of franchise advancement (see “franchise advancement”)
sometimes it is desirable to update a previous modification in ways that don’t provide any additional mechanical benefits
franchisees and staff members can use this activity to modify an existing headquarters feature
this is typically done within the same feature category, such as swapping one weapon option for another
this will also allow a franchise to swap options between categories, such as losing a weapon option in favor of an arcane option
resources
the franchise must spend three tasks either in any combination over a period one or more weeks
once started the original feature is off line until the modifications are completed
resolution
make an intelligence (arcana or history) check, a strength (athletics) and a dexterity check using appropriate tools
the dc is 10 plus 5 times the franchise rank
0 successes
the modification fails and the franchise incurs a cost of one week's expected expenses and the original feature is off line requiring another attempt
1 success
the modification fails and the franchise incurs a costs of one week's expected expenses
2 successes
the modification succeeds and the franchise incurs a cost of one weeks expected expenses
3 successes
the modification succeeds and incurs no cost
marketeering campaign
resources
each marketeering campaign uses an available franchise task
resolution
a marketeering effort requires three ability checks, representing drafting the campaign, launching the campaign, and managing its success
each marketeering campaign which must use different skills than have been used in the previous year
roll 2d10 + 5 for the dc generating a separate result for each check
0 successes
the franchisees must perform a philanthropic enterprise next week in order to reestablish good will
1 success
the marketing campaign earns 25% of expected weekly expenses
2 successes
the marketeering campaign earns 50% of expected expenses
3 successes
the marketeering campaign earns 100% of expected weekly expenses
philanthropic enterprise
are most often done to atone for shady business practices or failed marketing campaigns
resources
uses an available franchise task
resolution
make a performance (charisma), a persuasion (charisma), and a insight (wisdom) check
the DC of each check is determined randomly, reflecting the risky nature of criminal enterprises
the DM rolls 2d10+5 for each dc
lawful evil, true neutral, and chaotic good, enterprises disadvantage on the first check
true evil and chaotic neutral enterprises have disadvantage on the first two checks
chaotic evil enterprises have disadvantage on all three checks
the DC of each check is determined randomly, reflecting the risky nature of philanthropic enterprises, the DM rolls 2d10 +0 for lawful good, +2 for neutral good or lawful neutral, +5 for lawful evil, neutral neutral, or chaotic good, +5 and disadvantage on one check for chaotic neutral and neutral evil, +5 and disadvantage on two checks for chaotic evil for the dc, generating a separate result for each check, the total number of successes determines the outcome of the activity, as noted on the shady business practice table
0 successes
the philanthropic enterprise cost the franchise 100% of its expected weekly expenses
1 successes
the philanthropic enterprise cost the franchise 50% of its expected weekly expenses
2 successes
the philanthropic enterprise cost the franchise 25% of its expected weekly expenses
3 successes
the philanthropic enterprise costs the franchise 0% of its expected weekly expenses
running a franchise
resources
none or a franchise task or a franchise task and a staff member
resolution
no franchise task expended: roll a d20
a franchise task expended: roll a d20 adding the franchise skill modifier
a franchise task and a staff member: persuasion (cha)
o or less
lose 100% of weekly expenses
1 - 4
lose 50% of its expected weekly expenses
5 - 9
lose 25% of its weekly expenses
10 - 14
lose 0% of its weekly expenses
15 - 19
earn 25% of its weekly expenses
20 - 24
earn 50% of its expected weekly expenses
25 - 29
earning 100% of its expected weekly expenses
30 or more
earn 200% of its expected weekly expenses
determining expected weekly cost
a franchise’s base weekly cost is a combination of the cost for the franchise’s headquarters and a multiplier for franchise rank
the fancier the headquarters, the more the upkeep
the bigger the franchise, the more overhead it has
the “franchise advancement” section earlier in this chapter has more information on determining a franchise’s base expected weekly cost
nonpayment penalties
at the end of this activity the franchise makes a payment to head office to cover its weekly costs
if it does not do so, the franchise begins to fail
see the rules for defaulting in the “franchise costs” section
scrutineering
when you need to know about a person, place, or thing, scrutineering is the way to find out
resources
this activity requires one franchise task
resolution
intelligence (investigation) check
1- 4
you learn one piece of common lore
5 - 9
you learn two pieces of lore, one common and one uncommon
10 - 14
you learn three pieces of lore, one common, one uncommon, and one rare
15 - 19
you learn four pieces of lore, one common, one uncommon, one rare, and one very rare
20 - 24
you learn five pieces of lore, one common, one uncommon, one rare, one very rare, and one legendary
25 - 29
you learn six pieces of lore, one common, one uncommon, one rare, one very rare, one legendary, and one artifact
30 or more
you learn six pieces of lore, one common, one uncommon, one rare, one very rare, one legendary, and one artifact and something extra
each piece of lore you uncover through scrutineering might cover:
specific details about a creature
how to thwart the defenses of a stronghold or office
the rituals or magic items employed by a mystical order
the nature of a minor threat
the nature of a major threat
the judge makes the final decision regarding what information is revealed by scrutineering.
shady business practices
shady business practices can be costly or very profitable
resources
an intended shady business practice is detailed by the players and approved by the dm
resolution
a shady business practice requires three ability checks reflecting the ongoing progress of the chosen scheme
the abilities and skills applicable for each check are determined by the players reflecting the selected scheme and the ongoing narrative
the DC of each check is determined randomly, reflecting the risky nature of criminal enterprises
the DM rolls 2d10+5 for each dc
true evil and chaotic neutral enterprises have disadvantage on the first check
lawful evil, true neutral, and chaotic good enterprises have disadvantage on the first two checks
lawful neutral and true good enterprises have disadvantage on all three checks
lawful good enterprises cannot indulge in shady business practices
0 successes
the franchisees must perform a philanthropic enterprise next week in order to reestablish good will
1 success
earns 100% of the franchise's expected weekly expenses
2 successes
earns 200% of the franchise’s expected weekly expenses
3 successes
earns 400% of the franchise’s expected weekly expenses
schmoozing
schmoozing covers interactions with a threat in an attempt to resolve the issue peacefully
resources
one task and a week's expected expenses
resolution
make an intimidation (charisma) a persuasion (charisma) and a insight (wisdom) check
the dc of each check is 2d10 + 5 for the dc and a major threat causes disadvantage on the intimidation check
generate a separate dc result for each check
the total number of successes determines the outcome of the activity, as noted below
0 successes
adds an additional major threat
1 success
increases a minor threat to a major threat or adds a minor threat to a major threat
2 successes
ends a minor threat, reduces a major threat to a minor threat
3 successes
ends a major threat or two minor threats
team building
team building helps prepare for the challenges ahead
resources
one or more weekly tasks
resolution
each team building task allows the franchise to roll one d20 with advantage on a task next week
for each franchisee that completes a team building task gains an extraordinary ability that can be used once as a bonus action
the character gains one effect of the enhance ability spell for 10 minutes
a character can retain this team building extraordinary ability only from the most recent instance of this activity
if a character has an unused team building extraordinary ability and undertakes this activity again that extraordinary ability is lost