Creating the Umbra Crux: Ardinock’s Tactical Side Quest Team

When I started building the world of Ardinock, I knew I wanted factions that felt epic, world-shaking, and steeped in mystery, like the GleamWands and Crimson Hand. But I also realized that I needed a place for more intimate, tactical adventures—a way to dive into smaller, action-packed stories without always having to touch on the overarching main plot. That’s where the Umbra Crux comes in.

The Umbra Crux is my version of the Dirty Dozen or A-Team—a group of hardened, go-hard mercenaries who are called in to deal with specific, often dangerous problems that arise in Ardinock. Need a monster hunted down? A town defended? An elemental disturbance quelled? The Umbra Crux are the ones you call. They’re not here to change the world or get involved in major political factions. They’re here to do the job, get paid, and move on to the next challenge.

The Joy of Small, Tactical Encounters

What excites me most about the Umbra Crux is that they allow me to step away from the massive, overarching plots that drive the world of Ardinock. This group is designed for smaller, more tactical adventures—encounters that focus on solving immediate problems, fighting specific monsters, or navigating localized threats. These aren’t world-saving missions, but they’re crucial for the towns and communities affected. It’s fun to think of the Umbra Crux as a group that thrives in these high-stakes, high-action moments where every decision in combat could mean the difference between success and failure.

With the Umbra Crux, I can drop in more combat-heavy, challenge-driven stories. It’s my chance to focus on thrilling, dynamic battles without always tying it into the grander narrative of Ardinock. Think of it as the best kind of side quest—smaller adventures with a beginning, middle, and satisfying end, all within the larger world.

Odd Jobs and Real-World Duties

One of the things I love about the Umbra Crux is that, beyond being monster hunters and mercenaries, they also take on odd jobs for towns and communities if they’re paid to do so. It’s not all about saving the day with swords and spells; sometimes, they’re just doing what needs to be done. In my home game, the Umbra Crux doubles as farmers for a local town. This creates an interesting dynamic because, when they’re called away on a mission, their regular duties—like tending the crops or keeping the town running—get neglected.

This opens up a whole other layer of storytelling. The Crux members have to balance their obligations to the community with their mercenary work, and the consequences of abandoning their duties can impact the town in unexpected ways. What happens if they’re off fighting a monster and return to find the fields ruined? What if the town suffers because they couldn’t balance their roles? I love the connection this creates between the Crux and the world around them—it makes them feel like more than just hired muscle, but real people with lives and responsibilities beyond the battlefield.

The Importance of “Side Quest” Groups in World-Building

What makes the Umbra Crux so important in The Ardinock Chronicles is that they don’t need to be part of the larger, world-changing events. They aren’t tied to the fate of the realm or the rise of powerful factions like the GleamWands or Crimson Hand. And that’s okay! It’s essential to have groups in your world who just exist—who operate in the spaces between the major storylines and still add value.

The Umbra Crux gives me the freedom to explore more localized stories, to tell adventures that matter to the small towns, villages, and regions of Ardinock without always having to raise the stakes to apocalyptic levels. It’s a reminder that not everything in world-building needs to serve the grand plot. Sometimes, it’s refreshing to have groups like the Umbra Crux who live in the moment, tackling problems as they come, and providing a way to inject more action and excitement into the world without tying into the larger narrative arcs.

So, while the GleamWands and Crimson Hand might be off battling for the future of Ardinock, the Umbra Crux is in the trenches, taking down monsters, solving town problems, and doing the dirty work no one else will. And in a world as big and dynamic as Ardinock, that’s exactly the kind of group you need.

The Umbra Crux is my tactical, action-focused side quest team. They aren’t here to change the world—they’re here to keep the wheels turning, solve immediate problems, and give players a chance to experience exciting, self-contained adventures in Ardinock.