I promised you a peak behind the curtain, and here it is. This is a work-in-progress sample from The Liberation of Sliberberg, the campaign book I am writing that reimagines the Occupation of Sliberberg as a campaign from levels 1 to 7. Specifically, it is the second chapter that I present to you today. The chapters explain the mechanics of sneaking through the city and running the resistance. I reworked the rules to make the resistance more streamlined and easier to run. Gone is the idea of resistance levels and multiple resources to micromanage; instead, I focused on the core conceit of the campaign: the players are the leaders of the rebellion and leading their troops against the tyrannical usurper King Murtagh. I want the players to feel like Leia Organaleader from fantasy or or Katniss Everdeen leading the fight from the front. These rules are rough around the edges, which is appropriate for work-in-progress content, but I think they are going in the right direction. What I want to know is what you think of these rules, so like and leave a comment,

A special word about timers

Timers are a neat little mechanic that I learned about from Deficient Master’s you tube channel. The campaign makes extensive use of timers so I am going to explain how they work.
When an encounter, sidequest, or situation in this peice calls for a timer, roll a die in front of the players. Under most circumstances, this will be a d4, but if need be, it can be a d6 or d8. Every time a round of combat, a turn of exploration, or some other discrete unit of time passes, tick the die down by one. When the die reaches zero, something will happen, and usually, this something is not good for the players.

Chapter 2: The Sliberberg Resistance

Sliberberg is under martial law, the streets are full of enemy patrols, and the players are now wanted fugitives. Worse, there are checkpoints at every gate in the city, every ship is being searched, and the royal army is patrolling every inch of the countryside, searching for the players. In short, the players are trapped inside the city until they can defeat Murtagh and his army.

If the players want to defeat Murtagh and his 5 top commanders, they will have to learn how to survive on the street, form and manage resistance, and ultimately take the fight to Murtagh. This chapter explains the mechanics of moving around the city stealthfully, dealing with encounters with guard patrols, and running the resistance.

Moving About the City

The players are being hunted by the usurper’s men in the city. Unless the players want to fight every soldier in the city, they will probably prefer to move stealthfully through the city. Fortunately for the players, Sliberberg is a city of narrow, maze-like, pedestrian-choked streets with numerous back alleys and storefronts that make it relatively easy to hide from the patrols. However, the commanders and their officers know this as well, and as the resistance gains traction, they will do everything in their power to counter the resistance.

Stealth

When the players travel through the city have them make a group stealth check for every neighborhood the players travel through. The dc for the check is determined by the commander awareness level for that particular neighborhood (see the Awareness section for the rules regarding commander awareness). On failure the players encounter a random patrol from the patrol table for the ward they are currently in. If the players took the time to devise and implement a strategy to move through the city without anyone noticing, for example hiding in the back of a loaded delivery wagon, using well made disguises or traveling underground via the sewers the players automaticly succeed on the check for each neighborhood traveled through unless the commander of the ward has taken special precautions to prevent the strategy, see commander escalation tables in chapters 5 thrugh 10 of this book for more on the possible countermeasures the commanders and their men will use.

Guard patrols

If the players fail on their stealth check to avoid patrols, they can spot patrols coming via passive perception and perception checks. If the players successfully spot an oncoming patrol, they get one chance each to get out of sight of the patrol. Have each player describe their method to get out of sight and apply skill checks as needed. For example, if the fighter decides to climb over a fence into a backyard, have him make an athletics check with a DC 13, or if the rouge wants to use his disguise kit to create a quick disguise, have him ask him to make a deception check DC15.

The patrol spots them if they fail their one action to get out of sight or fail the initial perception check. However, combat is not immediately guaranteed. There is a broad spectrum of soldiers in Murtagh’s army and a broad spectrum of possible responses. When the encounter starts, roll on the following table

2d6	Reaction
2	Attack on sight. The players must either fight or find a way to escape.
3-5	Highly Suspicious. confronts the players, asking questions or demanding identification.
6-8	Suspicious. They might ask the players what they are doing and may let them pass with a convincing explanation
9-11	Distracted, in a hurry, or about to be off duty. The patrol is not focused on the players and may only give them a passing glance.
12	Ignore Entirely

If you roll 3-11, let the players try to roleplay their way out of the encounter using the reaction you rolled to determine the patrol’s initial mood to the players. They can try to roleplay a convincing explanation of what they are doing and how they are not the wanted leaders of the resistance. They could attempt to bribe the members of the patrol. They could use skill checks to misdirect the guards. Let the players try anything they think might work, and if they do or say anything out of left field, use the reaction table to come up with a suitable response.

Restricted Zones

As well as guard patrols on the city streets, the commanders have restricted access to parts of the city. These zones come in two flavors, semi-restricted areas that allow citizens into them under very specific circumstances and restricted areas where the patrol will attack outsiders on sight. While in semi-restricted areas, the players will disadvantage on any checks to avoid guard patrols, roleplay their way past guard patrols, or escape from patrols. Semi-restricted zones include:

• The Old Castle
• The shipyard
• The campus of the Coláiste Draoidheil
• Checkpoints

In restricted zones, on the other hand, the players will have a disadvantage on checks to hide and will be attacked if spotted by guard patrols without any chance to roleplay their way out of trouble. Restricted zones include

• Castle Sliberberg
• The Carrey Batteries
• IronHold
• SilverHold
• MithrilHold

Looting

With the players running a resistance on a shoestring budget, ransacking the dead seems like an ideal way to get some much-needed equipment for the resistance. However, looting dead soldiers has its own risks in a city where the military is firmly in control, and it’s only a matter of time before another patrol arrives to check on their missing fellows. If the players decide to loot a patrol, start a timer d4; when the timer reaches zero, another patrol arrives on the scene and a new guard encounter starts. Every action the players take while looting ticks down the timer. Example actions include gathering loose weapons and bags, removing a suit of armor, and rifling through the soldier’s pockets and belt pouches.

Alarms

Murtagh’s men have covered the city with alarm bells. There are dozens of them all over the city, located in watchhouses, public buildings, and marketplaces. Their locations are marked on the map with a bell icon. When rung, the bell summons dozens of soldiers to the area where the bell is located. The players will either have to deal with them or learn to be mindful of the alarms if they want to defeat Murtagh.

Triggering Alarms

If the players get into a fight with a patrol and one of the enemies escapes, the players try to escape from a patrol, or are spotted during a major resistance activity, start a timer d4. The timer counts down every round of combat ,when the players take an action or overcome an obstacle in a chase. When the timer hits zero, a random patrol arrives on the scene. Every subsequent round or obstacle overcome, roll a d6, if the result of the roll is one an additional patrol arrives. Repeat until the players successfully escape the encounter.

Disabling alarms

To disable an alarm bell the players must first physically access its location, which is easier said that done because most of the bells are located in watchhouses and other strongholds of the Murtagh regime. If the players manage to get to one of the alarm bells they can choose to smash it.

Commander Awareness

Murtagh’s top commanders will not remain idle as the players grow their resistance and undertake operations in the city. They will take note of where the resistance is operating and where the players have been seen by guard patrols. They will adapt their strategy for suppressing the rebellion and capturing the players accordingly.

Each neighborhood and ward of the city has its own commander awareness score. This score represents how closely the usurper’s forces are monitoring that area. A low score means the resistance can operate with relative freedom, while a high score indicates that the enemy is on high alert, making it more difficult for the players to move and act undetected. As the score goes up or down, the players will find obstacles to travel, and operations will either be added or removed. Each commander has a table of additional forces and tactics to capture the players as the score increases.

Changing Army Awareness

Every action the player does can possibly change the army presence for a given ward. The following table outlines the various actions that can increase or decrease this score:

Action	Change
Players spotted and recognized by patrol	+1
Players engage in combat with patrol	+2
Minor Resistance mission fails	+2
Major Resistance mission occurs	+3
Major Fight occurs	+3
Resistance Safehouse discovered	+2
A week goes by without resistance activity in a neighborhood	-1
Players bribe a patrol	-1
Players successfully bribe an officer.	-2
Assassination of any of the commanders	+5

Running the Resistance

The Resistance is the player’s best weapon against Murtagh’s army. It allows the players to significantly increase their reach. Not only does the Resistance give the players the numbers to take on each of the commanders and their bodyguards, but it also allows them to delegate tasks and quests to their resistance fighters. Most of the sidequests in this adventure can be undertaken by resistance fighters on their own, with the exception of the assassination missions.

In reality, running a resistance is a complicated endeavor involving intelligence gathering, resource management, and political maneuvering. Such complex topics can quickly overwhelm most players or detract from the fun of heroic action that DND players expect. While there are RPG systems like Spire, Rebel Crown, and The Sword, The Crown, and the Unspeakable Power designed to explore these concepts in depth, the rules in this chapter are meant to abstract away these complexities to something that can be dropped into any dnd campaign with minimal effort and make running the Sliberberg Resistance a fun and rewarding part of the game.

Resistance Points

The logistics involved with running a real-world resistance can easily overwhelm many people. To simplify this complex subject, the wealth and material assets of the Resistance are abstracted away in the form of resistance points. Resistance points represent the combined monetary, equipment, and supplies stockpile of the Sliberberg Resistance. A single resistance point is worth 100gp, roughly the amount needed to outfit and train a single resistance skirmisher. Players can gain resistance points by adding money and equipment to the Resistance’s war chest; the conversion rate is 1rp for every 100gp worth of coins or equipment, rounded down. Resistance points are used for almost every resistance-related operation, representing cost in either money or material.

Resistance Fighters

The primary use of resistance points is to recruit and maintain resistance fighters. Each recruit type has a recruitment cost and an upkeep cost. The recruitment cost accrues when the players first recruit the resistance fighter and represents the cost of the fighter’s equipment and training. The upkeep cost is accrued at the end of each week and represents the cost of housing, feeding, and providing the fighters with various other forms of consumable supplies while they are on active duty. The upkeep cost can be negated by dismissing the fighter from active duty. The fighters will return to their civilian life and no longer accrue an upkeep cost. However, they will no longer be available to undertake missions for the resistance.

Safehouses

The players can use resistance points to establish safe houses throughout the city to support the resistance.

Missions and Quests

Several types of missions and quests have an RP cost associated with them.

Safehouses

A key resource of any resistance army or rebellion is safe houses, where the players and Resistance fighters can rest and recuperate between missions. The players can set up multiple safehouses to serve as bases throughout the city.

Establishing a Safehouse

To set up a safe house, the players must make a dc 15 perception, investigation, or charisma check to find a good place to set up one up. Depending on the army attention level for the neighborhood, the check may be made with a disadvantage. Once the location is selected, the players then must pay up 20 RP and spend 2d4 days of work to set up the safe house.

Raids

To remain undetected, a safe house must pass a stealth check, the DC of which depends on the neighborhood’s commander’s awareness. If the safehouse fails, the DM will start the following timer.

Timer d4

When the timer reaches zero, the safehouse will be raided.

The players have the choice of either evacuating the safehouse stealthfully or trying to fight off the raid. If they choose the stealth option, they must succeed on a group stealth check dc15 with a disadvantage to successfully evac the resistance fighters and recover any documents and equipment in the safe house. If they choose to fight, roll twice on the ward encounter table. The combined force will be the raid encounter. Successfully defending or evacuating a safehouse allows the players to establish a new safe house at half the cost. The compromised safehouse is no longer safe for the players or their allies to use

Safehouse types

There are three different types of safe-houses. Each can house different numbers of resistance fighters, require different setup and upkeep costs, and have different slots for special features.

Basic

Cost: 5rp

Upkeep: 1rp

Capacity: 8 Resistance Members

Special feature Slots: 1

As basic as it gets, this safe house is little more than a hidden room inside a basement, a small house, or a small chamber in the city sewers.

Large

Cost: 10rp

Upkeep: 2rp

Capacity: 16 Resistance Members

Special feature Slots: 3

A small set of rooms hidden within a building or in the sewers

Hidden Base

Cost: 15rp

Upkeep: 3rp

Capacity: 36 Resistance Members

Special feature Slots: 6

Special Features

Players can add several unique features to safehouse to enhance its functionality.

Armory

Cost: 5 RP

Slots: 3

Effect: Storage space for up to 30 sets of arms and armor

Escape route

Cost: 1 RP

Slots: 1

Effect: creates an additional hidden entrance to the safehouse

Hidden Entrance

Cost: 2 RP

Slots: 1

Effect: grants a +2 to stealth checks to avoid detection

Infirmary

Cost: 2 RP

Slots 2

Effect: Heals an additional 2d6 hit points during a long rest

Magical Defenses

Cost: 5 RP

Slots: 2

Effect: A set of wards and traps of the player’s choice set around the safehouse

Storeroom

Cost: 1 RP

Slots: 1

Effect:  adds additional space for up to 50 pieces  of large equipment (weapons, armor, etc.) or 200 pieces of small equipment (rations later, etc.,.)

Training Ground

Cost: 4 RP

Slots: 3

Effect: Allows safehouse to host the

Workshop

Cost: 4 RP

Slots: 2

Effect: Allows for the execution of the crafting resistance mission

Resistance Missions

Resistance Missions are the lifeblood of the resistance, representing the myriad covert operations that the player’s resistance fighters undertake. These special sidequests are designed to be simple and quick to run but provide the player with resources and bonuses that benefit the players when they succeed.

The missions are purposefully designed to resolve in a single check so the dm can resolve then quickly while the players focus on the bigger objectives of the resistance. However, just because these missions are simple does not mean that there is no risk whatsoever if the check fails; there will be consequences for the players and resistance. If they get a critical failure, a natural 1, the consequences will be severe.

Bribe the Army members.

The players can send an agent to bribe members of the army into looking the other way.

Requirements

1 resistance member.

RP cost: 2

Check: charisma

Outcomes

Success: Choose one of the following

• Awareness drops by 2 for a single neighborhood
• All checks in a neighborhood are made with the advantage
• Gain one piece of information from the commander’s rumor table

Failure: The soldiers accept the bribe and do nothing

Critical Failure: The agent was captured, and the money was confiscated

Contact faction source

The players can send resistance members to contact informants in a faction to gain intel on one of the commanders in the city.

Requirements

1 resistance member.

RP cost: 1

Check: Stealth

Outcomes

Success: The source in the faction is contacted, and the players gain one piece of information of the dm’s choice

Failure: The resistance members fail to meet their contact, and no information is gained

Critical Failure: The usurper’s agents detect the meetup before the agents make contact. Army awareness increases by 1, and faction opinion decreases by 1.

Craft item

 Craft a piece of equipment or magic item of uncommon rarity or lower

Requirements

At least 1 resistance member with skills is required to craft the item.

RP cost:  depends on the cost of the item

Check: dependent on the item and at the Dm digression

Outcomes

Success: The resistance gains the item in question

Failure: No item created

Critical Failure: 1d4 resistance members are injured, and army Awareness increases by +1

Create Secure Routes

 Create a hidden route through a neighborhood that allows for speedy transit without detection.

Requirements

4 resistance members

RP Cost: 2 RP

Check: Group Wisdom (Survival)

Outcomes

Success:  Transit through the neighborhood no longer requires stealth checks

Failure: No effect

Critical Failure: One resistance member captured, Army Presence increases by 1

Deploy Reinforcement Squad

Sometimes, you need some backup at the worst possible times. Deploy a squad in a neighborhood to come to your aid when a fight is going bad.

Requirements

Maximum of 6 resistance members

RP cost: 2

Check: at dm digression.

Outcomes

Success: The reinforcement squad arrives in the designated neighborhood in a timely manner, ready to lend assistance to the players in battle

Failure (Streetwise Check Failed): Despite their best efforts, the reinforcement squad arrives too late to provide assistance

Critical Failure: The reinforcement squad is captured on route

Distract Guards

Sends some resistance members out to harass the guards and paint graffiti on walls. The guards will be so busy looking for the hooligans that they will not notice you.

Requirements

Minimum of 12 resistance members

RP cost: 3

Check group athletics or bluff check.

Outcomes

Success: The patrols are too busy dealing with the distraction team to pay much attention to the players. Stealth checks are made with advantage, and all roleplaying checks are made with advantage. There is a 50/50 chance that a distraction team member will cut in when a patrol interacts with the players.

Failure: Patrols unaffected. Army Awareness increases by +1

Critical Failure: Army Awareness increases by +2. 1d6 resistance members are killed or captured.

Guerrilla Warfare

Turn a neighborhood into a warzone. It may put a commander’s attention squarely on the neighborhood but conversely their attention will not be on the other parts of their zone of operations.

Requirements

Minimum of 40 resistance members

RP cost: 16

Check group dexterity or charisma check.

Outcomes

 Success: Increase Army awareness by 3 in the affected neighborhood and decrease it by 3 in all neighborhoods in the ward. 1 in 4 chance that patrol encounters in the neighborhood will be interrupted by a guerrilla attack.

Critical Failure: All neighborhoods across the ward are on high alert, and all checks made by the players and the resistance members are made at a disadvantage.

Hearts and Minds Propaganda Campaign

Having the common folk at your back is critical for any revolution. Having a few resistance members spreading the word is a great way to make a good impression.

Requirements

Minimum of 12 resistance members

RP cost: 5

Check group dexterity or charisma check.

Outcomes

Success (Charisma Check Passed): For the next two weeks, both the players and the resistance gain an advantage on all checks to interact with townsfolk. Recruitment is also cheaper for the next week.

Failure (Charisma Check Failed): For the next week, both the players and the resistance suffer a disadvantage on all checks when interacting with the townsfolk.

Critical Failure: Army Attention in the neighborhood rises by three.

Infiltration

Send an agent into the lair of the beast. If they succeed, they might bring back some choice bits of information.

Requirements

1 spy or other stealthy resistance member

RP cost: w

Check: bluff or stealth check

Outcomes

 Success: The players learn one true piece of information regarding the five commanders’ activities, weaknesses, or vulnerabilities.

Failure: The players learn no new information.

Critical Failure: The Infiltrator’s cover is blown, and the resistance member is captured.

Intelligence Gathering

In warfare, all information is potentially useful, and this is doubly so in a rebellion. This mission sends members of the resistance to collect rumors.

Requirements

A minimum of 3 resistance members

RP cost: 1

Check: group dexterity or charisma check.

Outcomes

Success (Skill Check Passed): The resistance fighters uncover 1d4 pieces of information from the rumor table for the ward

Failure (Skill Check Failed): The resistance learns one piece of false or useless information.

Critical Failure:The resistance finds false information planted by one of the commanders. Following up on this information leads to some form of trap.

Intimation Campaign

Even the bravest soldier value their lives. If the resistance can put the fear of god into the occupying army’s soldiers through some nighttime ambushes, intimidation, and other fear tactics, it may make your lives a little easier.

Requirements

Minimum of 12 resistance members

RP cost: 6

Check: group intimidation check

Outcomes

Success: Enemies encountered in guard combat encounters suffer a disadvantage on wisdom-based throws and attack rolls.

Failure: Army Awareness increases by +2. No other effect

Critical Failure:  Army Awareness increases by +3, 1d6 resistance members are captured, and the players have a disadvantage on all checks made to interact with army patrols

Misdirection campaign

 Spread rumors and lies about where the resistance is operating

Requirements

3 resistance members minimum

Check: Group Charisma (Deception) check

Outcomes

Success:  Decrease Army Presence in a single neighborhood by 1d4 per additional  3 resistance members involved minimum 1d4

Failure: No effect

Critical Failure: One resistance member captured, Army Presence increases by 2

Procure Supplies

An army marches on its stomach, and a resistance army is no exception. Send your resistance fighters out to buy, beg, borrow, or steal the critical supplies you need.

Requirements

Minimum of 4 resistance members

RP cost: 5

Check: group intelligence check.

Outcomes

Success The resistance gains 3d12 rp plus an additional 1d8 rp for every additional resistance member tasked with gathering resources.

Failure: The resistance member acquired only 2d8 rp worth of supplies

Critical Failure: The mission fails, and 1d4 resistance members are captured

Rabble rouse

Send some resistance members to make fiery speeches to anyone who will listen. Who knows, they may inspire some people to action.

Requirements

A minimum of 3 resistance members,

RP cost: 1

Check: group charisma check

Outcomes

Success: Choose one of the following

• Receive 20rp in small donations.
• Random townsfolk will aid the players in hiding from the patrols for the next 1d4 days. All checks made to avoid contact with a patrol are made with advantage
• For the next 1d4 days, there is a 50/50 chance of 1d6 commoners joining any combat encounter on the player’s side.

Failure: The rabble-rousing failed to sway anyone

Critical Failure: The resistance members get captured

Raid

Murtagh’s army has numerous weapons workshops, armories, jails, and watchhouses throughout the city. Raiding such facilities can produce several different rewards depending on the facility. This mission is unique because it allows the players to define the raid’s objectives. Here are a few examples of raid rewards

• Raiding an armory, The resistance fighters claim 6d20 rp worth of arms and armor.
• Raiding a weapons workshop. The resistance fighters claim 1d8 uncommon magic weapons and pieces of armor
• Raiding an alchemy lab. The resistance fighters claim 1d12 healing potions and 1d4 uncommon potions.
• Raiding a jail. The resistance member freed 1d12 incarcerated individuals.
• Raiding a watchhouse. The resistance members disable the watchhouse’s bell
• Requirements

A minimum of 20 resistance members, all fighters

RP cost: 8

Check: group strength check.

Outcomes

Success: The raid achieves its objective, and all the combatants return with light injuries. Increase army presence by +1.

Failure: The raid is only partially successful, one or more objectives are not achieved, and 1d6 resistance fighters are dead. Increase army presence by +2

Critical Failure: The raid was a complete failure, and 1d12 resistance members died. Increase army presence by +2

Request Faction support

You send a resistance member to contact a faction about actively supporting the resistance in some way.

Requirements

1 resistance member

RP cost: none

Check: Stealth

Outcomes

Success: The agent meets the faction contact. The players gain the requested faction support.

Failure: The agent and contact are detected before they meet but escape. Army Awareness increases by 1

Critical Failure: Agent and contact are both detected mid-meet and arrested. Army awareness increased by 1, and factions’ opinion decreased by 1

Sabotage

Requirements

3 resistance member

RP cost:  20rp

Check: stealth check.

Outcomes

Success: The facility is destroyed

Failure: The mission fails, and the facility remains intact

Critical Failure: The resistance members are captured or killed, and army awareness increases by one in the neighborhood