Each adventurer is an individual and, ultimately, succeeds (or fails) on his own merits. Only the foolhardy go it completely alone, though. Other players‘ charcters form the core of your character's support group. Similarly, your character likely has connections through his Backgrounds to which he maintains some loyalty. Allegiance refers more to your character's philosophical or cultural ties; it’s an indication of a larger entity or organization to which he feels a strong commitment. This commitment can be based on anything from patriotism to religious faith to philosophical sympathy.

This allegiance (supplemented by Backgrounds such as Allies, Backing and Mentor) defines the organization or philosophy to which the Inspired adheres, if any. The Storyteller has a hand in this; she is perfectly within bounds to say, “This series is about an AEon Society branch team, so all characters have allegiance to AEon,” or, “The characters are all members of the criminal underworld, so allegiance to a law enforcement agency isn't appropriate.“

This doesn’t mean every series must have all of the players' characters sharing a common allegiance. Perhaps a Branch 9 operative and an IDA detective are both ferreting out potential criminal contacts within the Ponatowski Foundation. They join forces with a Foundation member who suspects that her explorations are benefiting illegal ends, and eventually, the cabal requires the expertise of the AEon Society. Viola! A truly mixed group of allegiances, sharing common pursuits.

Along similar lines, there's always the possibility of a mole. ln a series tentatively about the AEon Society, perhaps one of the characters is actually monitoring the group for Branch 9. Does he remain true to his mission or become sympathetic to his AEon colleagues? Even if your character is on the up and up, he need not broadcast his true allegiance publicly. It's common For adventurers (especially those involved in clandestine activities) to keep their allegiance under wraps. Likewise, a player need not tell other players.

The organizations are intentionally only a sampling of the possible allegiances available in Adventure. Although the ones most likely for Inspired to associate with, they aren’t the only ones in existence. In the wake of the Hammersmith disaster, everything is new — characters may wish to establish their own “gentlemen clubs” or international intelligence organizations to face the challenges of tomorrow. Additionally, you might want your character linked to an existing national government such as Australia or a private institution such as the Smithsonian. With the Storyteller's assistance, use them as a guide to creating your own.

When picking an organization, keep in mind the potential and freshness inherent in Adventure. None of the groups here are particularly historic or monolithic. if your character isn't a founding member, he is at least among the first individuals to join the organization. And while most world governments have been around for a long time in comparison, there are so many changes in the offing across the globe that an enthusiastic individual has every chance of standing out from his more hidebound peers.

Allegiance allows for tremendous variety in everything from individual character interaction to the direction of the series as a whole. There is a game benefit to having an allegiance, aside from the role-playing opportunities it presents. Each allegiance gives the character a free point in Backing for the group to which it's related. Many allegiances suggest more Background expenditures and may influence other aspects of your character. It is not mandatory that a character must have an allegiance, however. If your character is a loner, lacking an ideological connection to any group, write “Independent” on your character sheet — being independent means your character doesn’t get that free Background point. though.