Societies, Guilds, and Groups

1. Order of Serpenthia

   #41

   Long ago, contemporary to the ancient, long turned to dust Aviontix, were the Sarethians. Their deities were serpentine in nature, as the Aviontix were avian. There was a great upheaval in their culture according to the few Aviontix records that have been translated. The young fought the old for control of their destiny or some such. The story has fallen into myth, being used for moral messages of respect your elders and follow tradition (after all, if the young had done that, their culture would not of ended otherwise). Very little survives of their culture except for a few scrolls of exceptional poetry and magical theories, and their entire legal system (which was draconic at best - mercy not being a big quality for the Sarethians). Well that anyone knows of...
   
   The Order of Serpenthia has been a social group that uses Sarethian motiffs. It has been a gentleman's/ noble order for many years. It seems to center around supporting traditional values and forms, as well as respect for Elders. Every now and again, people say that there is a mystery cult within the group, that harkens back to the times soon after the loss of the Sarethian Kingdom. There are even darker rumors of strange magics and worshiping of Old Gods going on. Most of that is just mud slinging by people who were not allowed to join the group.
   
   It is a secret society of some antiquity. Some of its members are part of that antiquity. You see, some of the Saretheans achieve extreme longevity, if not immortality. The altercation between the younger and older near immortals tore their society apart, especially since there were no children except those they "adopted" (kidnapped).
   
   The society trades ancient techniques for longevity and vitality for temporal power and covert secrecy. The few remaining Saretheans and a few others of extreme age, form a central council. They direct members and those "in the wings" to protect their secrets, arrange new papers and identities for their elder members, places for more elderly appearing members to live comfortably (who look like living mummies), and manipulating certain current events to support the society AND its members.
   
   The most central technique they teach is "Binding the Life Coil". This quasi-mystical technique rediscovered to prolong one's life at the expense of one reproductive ability. It is a simple magikal technique that anyone can learn (a skill or feat), but the members teach only a few pieces of it to their "in the wings" members at a time... teasing them with immortality. (The promise of near immortality or a lifespan of a thousand years or more makes everyone want to learn it.) This technique has a price though, the amount of immortality is in direct response to the strength of ones reproductive spirit. Those that have never breed will live longer than those that have.
   
   Note: The use of the technique makes conception difficult, if not impossible. So you trade the future of your society for the chance for you to see much of that future. This technique was truly the downfall of their society.
   
   Link to Aviontix
   http://www.rpgcitadel.com/guild/index.php?topic=1439.0

2. Order of Eternal Flame

   #42

   Transfered
   
   The Greater Dragons (of ORDER) worship the spirit of the Law and Justice, seen as a spirit. This spirit is said to burn inside each Greater Dragon and give them their purifying fire. In their immortal wisdom, they saw their time was ending and that the younger races needed the Eternal Flame. To pass The Flame on, they first created the Lesser Dragons (what we of this age call Dragons). They created The Wells of the FlameGems so Mortals could find those with draconic spirits or those with the eternal flame, to find mortals worthy. (Temples were eventually built around these Wells, but some were merely in Order Lodges.) These Worthy, these Dragon Knights, partner with Dragons, to promote Order, and Justice in mortal society. These Dragon Knights ride their partners, fighting with them, to promote Order and Justice, and a "Higher Society". Each Dragon Knight wore a FlameGem, which burned with The Flame when touched by a worthy, as a badge of office. They always helped and adviced, rather than forcing their will (and that of the Greater Dragons) upon the people. This was in an attempt to teach mortals how to achieve a true society.
   
   Over the age, the Dragon Knights helped The Human Lands to reach a higher level of civilization, where the needs and wants of most were fufilled, that wrongs were addressed, and people were generally happy.
   
   Then The Darkness came. The Order of Riders fought against it. Eventually they were betrayed by a corrupted one of their own. The Age came to an end. A new one began.
   
   The order survived, barely. After a time, new Riders were recruited. Tales include re-incarnated elder of the order (who was the original betrayer... he repented at the end and is now back to undo what he did... a fiesty young girls who found a FireGem and awoke a dragon... one lone boy finding a well that had washed up after a landslide.... This handful of Dragon Knights have taken up the mantle of the Riders of Old, they will bring The Light of the Eternal Flame to the people again. The Mortal world will reach its potential.
   
   There are related posts
   Order Dragons
   http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=29752#29752
   http://www.strolen.com/items/viewitem.php?item_id=471
   http://www.strolen.com/items/viewitem.php?item_id=472

3. mages tower

   #43

   The Tower of Troubles is a Mages guild where young wizards and sorcerors are trained in the Art. It arose as a compromise between the gods of Bareel and the human practitioners of magic.
   The gods were appalled when the first human used arcane power. The story is long and complicated but basically a young man prayed for deliverance for his family and village as it was destroyed. The gods didn't answer and he swore to never pray to them again. So he escaped on his own and fled deep into the mountains. There he sheltered in a cave which ran almost to the heart of the world. There the essence of the quiessent god for whom the world was named whispered to him in dreams and taught him the use of magic. The other gods were unable to determine the source of his power and feared that men would cease to worship gods if mere mortals could perform such wonders without them. So they set their churches the task of exterminating wizards. This went on for millenia till at last Marakeer,god of secrets and knowledge discovered the source of the wizard's power and interceded on their behalf to end the crusade.
   (That's a lot of writing for a summation) The compromise struck was that all wizards would be trained in the same manner with certain fields of study left alone ( time travel and the Void in particular). Wizards were also bound to never attack the prime temples of the human gods nor to share the great secret that all mages must know in order to learn magic. That secret being that the gods themselves were created by a greater being and sent into the Void to bring substance and life there. They were bound by a geas and passed that geas on to their students.
   Not all wizards accepted the Geas and are subject to being hunted by the churches Holy Purifiers, Priests trained and equipped to kill wizards.
   
   The Tower of Troubles provides basic magic training and testing for human and half human wizards. In due time they locate masters to which students may apprentice and have vast libraries of arcane and mundane lore . Some library materials require special permission from the Tower Master to study. Towers also sell wizards spell components ; even rare and hard to find items are avilable at the larger Cities Towers. Wizards must pay yearly dues in money, service, or items equal to 100 gp /level. This grants them access to all Towers in the human kingdoms as well as permission to wield arcane magic without penalty. Each tower has lists of mages in the area their field of expertise and offer referrals for such. Another "perk" of being a Tower Mage is that the Emperor may call upon any Tower Mage to serve in the military for a Five year term as a battlemage. They then undergo special training in combat spellcasting and battlemagics.
   Tower Masters are always Epic levels and have served a ten year long stint as a battlemage( achieving the rank of Warmage).

4. The Eyes of Yocasta

   #44

   Queen Yocasta's mother and father were murdered in a coup by an army general.When Yocasta used her skills and beauty to defeat him and take the throne, she decided to create an elete and utterly loyal military unit to prevent such a thing happening again. She was young and beautiful when she set it up. The guards were carefully selected.They were paid well and trained in guard duty, as bodyguards,paolicemen,and spies. When on open duty they wear iron chainmail armour with the symbol of an eye on the surcoat that protects the armour from rain,and carry shortswords. Yocasta is never seen publicly without at least ten of them by her side.
   
   They guard her and the Royal Palace and they also track down criminals and act as police,helping the ordinary people as well as dealing roughly with any rebellions. They sometimes dress in normal clothes to act as spies to uncover plots against the Queen.The ordinary subjects are unsure what to think of them.They like the stability which they represent and applaud the catching of criminals,but hate and fear being spied upon.
   
   They swear an oath of loyalty to Yocasta when they join.All of them like her and many would do anything for her,even an assassination beyond Valermoore's borders.When she got married it was to one of them,who became the Royal Consort,as she feared that to give him the title of King might damage her political position.

5. The Bowmen of Love

   #45

   The Bowmen of Love are a more or less secret organization found within the larger towns. For a price, they can be hired to drop a love potion into someone's drink or shoot them, not with a bow despite their name, but with a tiny blowpipe that fires a dart with a love potion on it.
   
   Some of those who hire them are lovers who want the object of their affections to return their love, some are fathers/mothers who want marridges that they have arranged for their sons/daughters to work well, some want marridges that are failing to work, to be repaired.
   
   Although their organization is illegal, in practise the rulers of the cities and towns have different thoughts about them. Some rulers hate them, others think that they are very useful in keeping discontent down and society intact.
   
   Also, the fact that they are not killers or robbers, unlike many secret organizations, means that there is much more tolarence for them,and most captured members are punished by fines or prison rather then maiming or execution.
   
   If someone hires them but refuses to pay for servives rendered, they shoot him or her with an arrow with love potion on it, that makes them fall hopelessly in love with the first person of the opposite sex that they see until a healer or wizard/witch can cure them.

6. Societies, Guilds, and Groups

   #46

   (Inspired by Captain's "Herbmasters of Hibara". Now, for once the Captain created a completely noble people, and I felt obliged to show their dark mirror.)
   
   
   The fungus gardeners
   
   The members of this obscure order specialize in growing funghi. Growing, researching and studying many kinds, they even try to create new ones. Obsessed with their work, they hoard knowledge and share little of it with others. Their services can be costly but effective, healing and purifying products, poisons as well as cures can be found. Many addictive products are supplied by these men and women of dubious morals.
   
   While their work is questionable, none can deny their competence; it is a matter of pride for a grower to sell quality goods only, and describe the effects in detail. Most live alone, distanced from civilisation, that so often misunderstands them... and sometimes kills. Working usually through middlemen, they often end up working with criminal and/or secret organisations.
   
   
   Apprenticeship:
   
   Tradition knows only one way of becoming a fungus gardener. Two apprentices are chosen and taught the basics. When the time comes, the students are sent on a journey, and depending on the master's liking, one or both recieve the pollen of the Kheliaa (see below), and knowledge of using it.
   
   One returns as a master.
   
   
   The Kheliaa Fungus
   
   This rare plant is highly magical, and grows very slowly. Countless experiments and breeding slowly improve its potential; it may be the only reason why this loose 'group' stays in some contact.
   
   If a living creature inhales the pollen of this fungus, it starts to live in her lungs. Slowly as it spreads, the person looses itself, growing weaker in body and mind, until at some point it cannot take care of itself anymore. There exist more funghi like this.
   
   The exceptional feature is the magic of the plant itself, that spills over into its host's blood. Extracted and concentrated, mixed with ingredients, boiled, or dried, drunk or otherwise applied, it is an excellent base for healing potions and other medicine. Regularly administered, it can prolong life significantly.
   
   The problem is the effect is bound to the host's race: it lessens or vanishes if the imbiber is of a different race. If you have customers of a different race, you need a respective 'source'. Due to the constant care the source body needs, few fungus gardeners maintain more than a few bodies. A body well taken care off can survive for decades, maybe even a century, provided the fungus' growth is limited.
   
   Of course, cultivating of this kind is best done in secret.

7. The White Knights

   #47

   After the evil Queen Yocasta was toppled from power, Queen Amber promised not to follow her evil path, and she spoke of human rights. The prisons were emptied of political prisoners, the borders were opened, and the death penalty was abolished for all crimes except murder.Unfortantly the revolutionaries went too far too fast, and by mistake they set free a large number of robbers, rapists, gangsters and never-do-wells along with the innocent people. Crime exploded upwards. Murders, extortion and rapes happened every day. The killers and rapists did not hesitate to target City Guards, nobles, women and small children. Somthing had to be done if Valermoore City were not to become a pit of hell.
   
   In desperation, the children of some of the murdered City Guards formed the "White Knights", their stated aim being to help the City Guards crack down on crime. These first knights wore black leather jackets with their *colours* upon them, which were two crossed batons and the helmet of the City Guards. Jewelrey of that symbol became common and not only the knights wore it.It became a symbol of support.
   
   Even in those early days some of the knights went over the top, manhandling and beating criminals and even occasionly murdering them, but such was the problem with crime that a blind eye was turned to it. Six months passed and the crime wave was brought to an end at last. Two thirds of the knights had a final parade and disbanded, but there were those who, through zeal or enjoyment, did not want to give up, and, with genuine criminals now far harder to catch, began picking on ordinary citizens who smoked, drank, or committed minor breaches of the law.
   
   As you can imagine, the support they had enjoyed rapidly vanished. After they ended up beating a girl so hard that she died, everybody from Queen Amber at the top to the poor at the bottom were furious. The knights were declared illegal. A few, who had murdered people,ended up on the gallows, whilst many more were thrown into prison or thrown out of town.No more could they openly wear their *colours* in public.
   
   The honest knights had long since disbanded, those that remained in secret chapters were bitter and twisted. Five chapters remain to this day, two in Pier Point, two in Valermoore City and one in the Crystal City. Some have parents who are City Guards, others are City Guards or prison warders,and one or two of the chapter heads are nobles. There are wizards within their ranks, who cast spells on the tankards of drinkers to make the alcohol super strong, or cast spells to strengthen the effects of drugs to deadly levels. Others assault or even murder people and make it look like a *normal* crime.
   
   None now wear their colours although a few keep them secretly at home in locked chests and look at them occasionly. They wear hidden amulets which help identify a knight to another knight. None will drink alcohol or take drugs-those citizens who do are considered the enamy. Where once they were loved by the citizens, now they are hated and despised by nearly everybody. The different chapters only come together once a year to decide what to do and what types of people to target.

8. Order of the Oak

   #48

   This is the order of the Three Kingdoms, each kingdom volunteering men to serve in the Order. Each of the members must be an expert woodsman: able to survive in the Great Dark Oak Forest that borders all three Kingdoms.
   
   The charter of the Order states that it shall protects the Great Dark Oak Forests from encrochment, stop all marching armies (any direction), and protect the people of the Three Kingdoms from Hellspawned creatures that come from the occasional Hellpit found there. To that end, the Order of the Oak patrols the Dark Oak Forest, the few Forest roads and paths, and the Forest borders. They train their members is the frightening and magical ways of Great Oak Forest, riding, combat with man and beast, and their mythical skill in running. They have created a network of way stations, chached camp sites, and warding stones, to aide them in this task.
   
   There are currently a hundred and twenty dark green clad rangers protecting Humanity from the Forest and the Forest from Humanity.
   
   The Symbol of the Order is three oak leaves in trifoli (every 120 degrees). Some members of the order will put a few silver/ gold/ red threads in one of the leaves, to show which country they are from.
   
   For a related post....
   http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=30459#30459

9. Order of the Tholl

   #49

   The Order is a stanch defender of The Crown, despite that he has turned his back on traditional ways. They try to council him in "proper ways" to handle things. They are known for their motto "Tradition is my Shield".
   
   The Tholl was an ancient position in the Kingdom given to the most proper of knights. He would have to be well bred and versed in the ancient ways. He should have some of the Old Blood in him, but that was not required. He was the traditional stand in for The Crown, when the Crown had a duel or had to attend "Old Way" rituals that were not for those of "the new religion" to see (which most of the people of the Land are). One Tildmouthm, a Tholl of old, gathered together several young knights who could be Tholl and taught them properly... so one could one day succeed him. Thus the Order began.
   
   As centuries have gone by, most of the ritual and stand in duties have fallen to the wayside. The magical rites are considered foul and illegal now (though a few are still carried on in total secrecy in the name of the country). The Order remains. The Order of the Tholl is the Guardians of the Old Ways and the Traditions of the Land. Members know every old story, ever legend, and in many cases, the real history behind it. They also know the "old rites" that no one is supposed to know anymore. They fight with ancient weapons and in an ancient style.
   
   They wear old styled plate and chain armor, with helms better suited for decorating castle walls than being worn. They carry large tower shields (as did the warriors of old) and the broad sword of tradition.
   
   Today they are a relic of past times. They are all still knights of somewhat noble blood (all should have old blood ties). Their reverence for tradition, the old code, and the pomp and forms of old is seen as "cute" or a mere curiosity. Their telling of the "old tales" makes them occasionally interesting around the campfire. They all wear their ancient styled armor and use their old style equipment and their tabards proclaiming their Order Status.

10. The Red Hand Tranfered all forward

    #50

    http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=31585#316585
    
    This is an order of the King's Guard, those charged with protecting the castle, the king, and any holdings. The King's Guard also guards prisioners of the crown and dabbles in special missions. The Red Hand are the elites of the prisioner guards. While they are competent fighters, that is not their eliteness. They are masters of pain and inquisition. They are the torturers that other torturers speak about in hushed awed whispers. They are the boogieman that every possible rebel fears. They are the masters of the craft, applying careful skills and harsh training to achieve the ends desired.
    
    The Order's name is actually "unofficial", as is the order itself. There is no order of the Red Hand on any of the rolls. The name came from the blood soaked handprints on their tunics (an occupational hazard). Those who were properly trained often marked themselves to show their status. Over the last century or two, it has become an official unofficial grouping.

11. The Debtor's Friends

    #51

    The Debtor's Friends is a small, highly illegal and secrative organization of former debtors who hate baliffs, debt collecters and loansharks with a passion. They have been known to ambush such people, beat them up and take their money,which they then take a percentage of and often give the rest back to the debtor. They help people to hide from their creditors,ect. In return they ask for favors, such as to give a false albi for someone to the City Guards, hide a weapon in one's house ect. They murder those who betray them,as well as paticulary nasty loansharks.Very few people will agree to betray them, partly in case they get their revenge, but mostly because they have been so helpful to them.

12. The Returner's Legacy

    #52

    Officially this is an organization for people who had direct ancestors who fought in the Returner's War (See Arth's SecondLand http://www.rpgcitadel.com/guild/index.php?topic=1629.0 ). It is a quaint historical society.
    
    There is a movement which is using the Returner's Legacy as a contact point (almost a cover, but it is not that organized). It is all about Humanti Independence. This is not political independence, as the Elventi Imperial army would crush any rebellion, but cultural independence. (Though there are a few who are thinking this might not be a bad idea someday.) These are people who no longer wish to live in the shadow of the Elventi. They want to re-establish a Humanti culture with Humanti roots, rather than just adapting Elventi culture to a "short lived"/"short hand" form. They speak the old language. They are trying to affect elements of the old style (what people wore and ate before contacting the Elventi). Since it has been many hundred years since the Human Exodus, it is fanciful returning to the old.
    
    (Actually it is admusing that the HighLanders - those primitive folks in the hills who they have spent centuries persecuting - are closer to Humanti's original culture than the LowLand SecondLanders.)
    
    Many Returners are trying to forge new Humanti forms of dress, speech, and food. They are struggling, trying to find a new Humanti way. Most of their attempts are strange and ignorable. Returner's in Antioch are embracing Ariones's New Way and where it will lead, despite their worries about the Chaos inherent to it.

13. Brothers of the Lash

    #53

    The "Brothers of the Lash" is the teamsters/ drivers association, a powerful force in any town that does trade or has a port. They drive the wagons and manage the caravans, and in fact oversee trade, warehousing, and the like. They are a remarkably diverse lot (they take members from many species). They are tightly united however, and everyone pays their rates. If they catch any non-members hauling goods, even a simple cart of produce, the offender is whipped and his animals (or slaves) are hamstrung. Most of their members are humble cart drivers, but the Council of Senior Brothers (male, female, or otherwise) are powerful and rich.

14. Order of The Lost

    #54

    The Order is an odd order. It is a knightly order that does not require its members to be knights, or even noble. It is a small order to be sure, but no list of its members exists. It seldom appears on the rolls (the list of orders in the kingdom) and has an entry only in the master indexes of heraldry - yet is not found in lesser indexes. Even with all these strange elements, the "leader" of the order can sit in the Crown's council and even ask for private meetings with The Crown, his Council, and the High Priest of several sects.
    
    The Order of the Lost is an order whos purpose is the laying to rest of ghosts, destruction of vampires, the banishing of daemons (and the "removal" of those that summon them), and "the calming of thy strang and mythical" (per the ancient scrolls), to protect the Crown and the Peoples of the Land. The members are mostly soldiers, (some noble and some common), priests, and the occasional odd member (theives, rogues, and the odd magiker). All these people have in common is surviving a deep brush with thy strang and mythical and having skills that someone in the order found (or thought was) useful. The order operates in squadrons of four to ten, each squadron runs independently.
    
    The member of the order insist on secrecy. Good people do not speak of spirits, demons, vampires and such, lest they call such evil and chaos to them. The members might face fear and potential disgrace if people knew they interacted with them. In addition, if their identities were generally know, the greater monsters (and those that summon and traffic with them) would hunt them... rather than the other way around.

15. Mitrall Cult

    #55

    Mitrall was a Guardian Deity of the Dead, who would watch over the Dead and their tombs until the time of their return (physical or re-incarnation). The culture that worshiped Mitrall has been conquered and destroyed a few centuries ago. Yet the Cult of Mitrall continues.
    
    For generation after generation, the cult has continued. They seldom actually worship Mitrall, they just continue his duty of safeguarding the dead. They recruit new members from those who have had their dead abused or desecrated. (Sometimes they recruit scholars of history, who might help them protect the past (and the dead that reflects it)). The Cult watches over graveyards in the citys and tombs in other places. The Cult goes after those who loot graves or tombs of any nature. This means they often go after criminals and adventurers. They will retrieve any stolen good and monies from a tomb, to return it to the appropriate place. If the tomb was desecrated or the violators did not show some decorum, they will often be killed. In addition, the Mitrall Cult will try to free any bound spirit (that was once a person) and any remains of the dead (so they will attack or arrange for others to attack necromancers of the zombie making persussion). They have taken down a number of Demon Cults which trafficed in bound souls. The Cult of Mitrall is very serious about protecting the Dead so they can re-incarnate or return.
    
    The Cult is quite expert at finding and eliminating their chosen targets. They will use magics and proper detection work to find them. They have inventories of many tombs. They will either take hand in matters directly, or contract out to other appropriate forces to eliminate the target. In one cunning plan, they had a looting set of adventurers attack a necromancer. They then swooped down and eliminated the battle worn survivor. Some adventurers are actually members of the Cults who are moles, set up to sabotage parties invading parties. They have had centuries to perfect these techniques (after borrowing quite a few from Evil Demon Cults).

16. The Royal Recovers

    #56

    Once a great monarchy flourished and the royal Kings and Queens were buried in booby-trapped barrows with treasure and with Undead servants to watch over the tombs.Over time Wights often moved into the barrows and took them over,making them more dangerous still to those who would break in. All the same, there were those who were willing to risk themselves robbing tombs.
    
    Three centuries passed and although some of the tombs had been robbed, more then you might expect remained intact.Things had changed, however.
    The religion had changed, and the monarchy was also running out of money. The currant King and his Lord Chancellor had what they thought was a great idea. The old tombs were just waiting to be raided by criminals and a few, because of the Wights within them, were a menace to passers by. So they would form an Agency, the Royal Recoverers, to open the tombs and take back the treasure into the Royal Treasury again.
    
    The Recoverers were tattooed to prove their identity on the left arm with the symbol of a broken tomb, and given copper badges in leather wallets as well, to show their legal status, and were paid well to reduce corruption amongst them, and they broke into the barrows. Some died in the process, ensnared in cunning traps, slain by Undead servants or even ripped apart limb from limb by furious Wights, but one by one the tombs had their treasure taken.
    
    They then were given the far less dangerous job of smashing old gravestones and in many cases, digging up the bodies to make room for farmland or urban development. Most of the bodies were burnt on great pyres, but others were thrown into the sea, thrown into a river that flowed through a neighbouring country that they were having trouble with, to cause disease in that country, or sold secretly to necromancers for their own foul purposes.
    
    The Mitrall Cult became their most feared and hated enemies and the two groups have had many bitter fights to the death.

17. Seven Stars

    #57

    The symbol of this order is the seven simple star in a circle, sumbolizing the seven lands, the seven Deities, and the seven aspects of healing. The Seven Stars are made up of several healing orders from several churches (who have them) and a few academic orders (who do surgery).
    
    The Seven Stars was created to give succor to those wounded in battle. It has expanded its mission to any in need from great disaster, such as war, famine, plauge, quakes, storms, and so on. Each area has a team. These teams have assembled caches of supplies, lines of communication, and organization for volunteers and members.
    
    The Origin of the Seven Star is simple. Healers just heal, with little political thoughts. Certain armies refused to be healed by healers of "the wrong God", or "their God" or using that "dammed magic". Then the orders got entangled in the political manuvering of the crowns and the other religious orders. Healers were put to death for healing the opposition, or for their religion healing the opposition. It put many healers in danger.
    
    Thus the Council of Argean got together and studied the problem. After six months of prayer and debate, their solution was the creation of The Seven Stars. The Seven Stars were created, not to stop war, but to limit the suffering it causes. Any could join, temporarily giving up any other affiliations they might have. If a country did not accept the Seven Stars, an apolitical organization, it would have no healing at all as no temple would allow its healers to be involved in war because of the dangers outlined above. This subtle blackmail ensured acceptance of the Seven Stars.
    
    Now Seven Star members include clerical healers, surgeons, those they have helped in the past, warriors providing security for them and strong backs to carry things, wagoneers, and undertakers. Rangers and others have joined them since the expansion of their mission.

18. The Department of Health Protection

    #58

    (The Seven Stars turned around...)
    
    The Barony's Department was founded after the the Black Plague, and expanded during the outbreak of the White Plague.
    
    Its purpose is to prevent the rise of and fight fast spreading diseases. To this end they study scientifical and magical means of curing diseases, and hoard the necessary knowledge. If there is a need, they cooperate with local security forces and churches and other organisation/individuums with access to healing powers. In cases of emergency their powers can rise significantly. They decide who will be quarantined, detained at home, which borders to close, etc. It must be said, however, that its reputation is yet unblemished.
    
    
    The Department can be a fine front for the local secret service. It has many privileges, guaranteed and easily explained funding, many specialists, etc. It can easily train healer (N)PCs, and plant them as spies where necessary.

19. Merchants of the Blue Orb

    #59

    It seems to be a secret organization, but nobody knows for sure. It is a suspicion of many intelligencers (spies and intelligence organizations).
    
    If one travels, you might notice it. These merchants often specialize in foreign goods, but often buy local produce and products, to trade in other places. In larger cities there will be one to four merchants. In cities or towns there might be one. Many of them seem totally unrelated to the others. Yet they are marked.
    
    Each one has a blue orb on their signage or somewhere in the shop. (In places where the world is known to be round, it will be a globe). The various blue orbs in the shop might be a blue baseball/ cricket ball sized orb on the counter or near the till, a blue ball latern, a blue crystal suncatcher, or blue spot painted on the wall. If shop windows are available, often time the blue sphere will be visible from it.
    
    If pushed, they will say that it is a lucky symbol for certain merchants. If pushed a bit farther, they will say that certain trading companies (foreign usually), will award the blue sphere to those they have had "good dealings" with. By displaying it, they advertise to those of the trading companies that they are good partners.
    
    (Note: If a merchant justs posts up a blue sphere to try and attract the traders, and has not earned it from them, said merchant will often have "accidents".)
    
    A GM should just drop these clues from time to time. The players will probably investigate the apparent "red herring" and find nothing.
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    Merchants of the Blue Orb, though they do not call themselves that, have a secret. They are Travellers, beings who have traversed the 'verse. The people of the blue orbs will use their "public fronts" to trade good across the 'verse, all under the guises of being merchants who work with foreign traders. These travellers protect their secret, their advantage, jelously. They will go to any lengths, except those that would reveal their secret, to protect it.
    
    The Blue Orb is a signal to other Travellers that this merchant is one of their own.

20. The Royal Geographical Order All page 4 transfered

    #60

    The Royal Geographical Order is a Learned Society representing geographers and explorers. It was founded over one hundred and fifty years ago for the advancement of geographical science and knowledge (of the known and unknown world) and has been among the most active of the learned societies ever since. The largest geographical society in the world, and one of the largest learned societies as well. It now operates on a regional, national and international scale.
    
    Like many other learned societies, the Order can trace its descent from a dining club, the Raleigh Dining Club. Here nobles and those "well to do" would dine and converse. Bringing up the problems that flowed from the court's (and government's) lack of knowledge of the world around them, an informal group was forged. Adopting the members of other informal groups that specialized in certain regions of the world, the group expanded quickly. The information was disseminated by the members to various parts of the government. The Group, not yet an order, created a large library containing all the various documents and information they had gathered. It continued this way for fifteen years. Several of the scholars working for the group eventually created the Encyclopedia Geographica, with a compressed learned view of the world. For their service to Crown and Government, the group was given a royal charter, thus making it an Order. All upper echelon members were granted title (though no lands), if they were untitled already; a tradition that continues to this day.
    
    The Order supports research, expeditions, education and training of people who can perform the previous. With its focus on society and environment, Geography is one of the most popular subjects in formal education and highly relevant to both life-long learning and fulfilment from travel.
    
    The Order is funded by a small stipend from the Crown and donations from weathier members. The donations have added up over the years, creating quite a foundation which can distribute funds to the Order's various ventures. These include various chartered houses, chartered embassies in other countries, expeditions to the wilds and other countries, endowments to various colleges/ towers, and various lectures given around the country. The Order is also hires various "odd jobers" for exploration and information. With its governmental ties, various intelligencers (what we would call Spys and Analysts) are part of the Order's rank and file or utilize the various odd members - using the society as cover)

21. Red Flower Society

    #61

    The Red Flower Society is a secret society that dates back to the time around the burning of the Great Temples of the South when the Churians invades the Great Civilized Land from the North, conquering the ruling dynasty and setting up their own. The Rebels consisting of ex-military and warrior monks of the Great Temples were forced to take refuse in local monasteries. There they formed the Red Flower Society. It is a secret society where members could identify themselves by wearing a red flower or by quoting random poetry that includes a red flower in it.
    
    Secret socieites have long existed for a number of social and political reasons. The Red Flower Society members pooled their wealth of knowledge and years of experience in hand to hand combat for the purpose of creating and teaching their revolutionary troops. Their goals was to be undected by their enemies, moving as common folk. They would then strike and melt away into the crowd.
    
    The Rebels created the first fighting system with a true understanding of tactics and timing. The Society members had two objectives 1) to create a system that could be learned quickly; secondly, it had to be extremely effective against the fighting systems known to the Churians.
    
    The Red Flower Society specializes in Strategy and Tactic skills, analyzing styles, a variety of poses designed to take on specific options, and skills options that increase striking speed. It is all about the timing of the gates opening and closing, a feel for time/ space/ energy. To those not prepared to deal with this style, it is lethal in the extreme.
    
    The society has been somewhat successful in opposing the Churian dynasty and its huge military for the last hundred years. They will someday throw down the oppressors.

22. The Vinyard

    #62

    What do three guild masters, one noble, a seneschal, a "wine barrel merchant", and a massively wealthy merchant have in common? Nothing, except maybe they an appreciation for wine.
    
    Yet each is a member of The Vinyard, a highly secretive organization dedicated to "running things properly". These are the shadowy figures behind those that have public reins of power, making sure the world runs properly. What do they mean by "properly"? They mean in a way to strengthen the city (and country), diminish those who would distract the Court and Guild Council, and of course enrich and empower themselves.
    
    This group started as an informal and secret connection of "men of power". By secretly coordinating their actions, they were able to be more "effective" in doing things. "It is amazing what effect a small action in another area can have upon one's own world," was what one of the original members said. A guild man makes sure that a deliver of certain foodstuffs is late or of bad quality, causing a noble to have a "disappointing" party, allowing another noble to take advantage of the confusion to put their own plans in place. This domino effect has given several members "strong successes". Since these alliances were secret, they can not be planned for by others. Since they seem "disconnected", no one thinks to look for them. These secret alliances gave great power to those involved. The group can effect The Prince, The City, Noble politics, certain international relations, and certain "criminal" elements.
    
    The organization does not have its own "minion". Every member has their own servants that are sometimes "loaned out" as needed. In fact, the "wine barrel merchant", being associated with a certain guild, will - for a small fee - loan out any number of specialists in the illreputed professions. (sometimes they will go for free, if there is an appropriate favor being set up). There are some minions of the Intelligencer type (i.e. Spy), originally in the employ of the Noble and Seneschal, who have found their way into the employ of others.
    
    The organization can go to great lengths to protect itself, though they dislike direct action. Discrediting opponents is not only more fun, but they can then utilize the discredited person as a pawn (promising to undo the discrediting).
    
    The organization has become more "formal" now, adding members as appropriate people appear. They are currently looking for a military officer who might want to advance his career. War is good for business and "social position", and the right war will play nicely into the group's future plans.
    
    Note: There is another (espionage) organization which is using the codename "Vinyard". This might bring added power to The Vinyard (if people know of The Vinyard agency) or problems (as the enemy spies stumble over them... and think they are The Vinyard). This may be the undoing of this organization.
    
    http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=29250#29250
    http://www.strolen.com/npc/viewnpc.php?npc_id=321

23. Keepers of the Revel

    #63

    In the City, the classes do not mix. There are strict rules about the interaction of peoples of different strata. Even with some changes in the law, the social conventions have not changed.
    
    The City has a carnival, quite a famous one all told. There are faires, parties, parades, shows, more parades, music, and did we mention parades? It is a week of revelry and impropriety before the setting in of the Holy Seasons. It has been custom here to join the carnival in mask and costume for nearly three hundred years. Some people will spend most of their year's income on a costume, so they can be percieved as "high class". This allows people to be free of their social constraints, allows for free mixing of the classes, and a much needed release from social pressures of The City Society.
    
    The Keepers of the Revel are the organizers. They meet, masked, through out the year to plan and schedule the events. (It just does not do to have two nobles have parties at the same time). They organize their guild and church groups, keeping them on track so things go off flawlessly. Some keepers, while on Keeper business, wear masks and costumes; though it is often an open secret who is and isn't a keeper. Yet there are more keepers than one might suspect. Some are quite secretive.
    
    In recent times, The Keepers have gotten more and more involved in city politics. Since the Keepers represent any number of groups in any number of social layers, they have influence well beyond the mere princely law. Working together they can make changes, mostly for the good, in the city.
    Recently, they have become "king makers", determining who will become guild masters, be allowed merchant licenses, and even who will succeed the city Prince. They will take steps to ensure that they keep their recently aquired power. Sometimes the steps will be quite slippery and dangerous and people get hurt.
    
    Inspiration for image
    http://www.strolen.com/forums/album_pic.php?pic_id=82

24. The Order of Listening Ears

    #64

    Consisting of a motley band of beggars and mendicants,the Order promises eventual riches to any outcaste of society that joins it. There is no strenuous training or harzardous risk involved in becoming a member of the Order,since all they are required to do is what they have been doing for most of their existence:Wandering the various rural districts of remote provinces of the empire. With a slight twist:Any bits of promising gossip that they pick up,must immediately be transferred to the nearest agent of the Intelligence Services of the Emperor. If they serve diligently for a period of six years,they are rewarded with a modest plot of land to call their own.

25. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

    #65

    History provides us with more interesting groups than we could ever hope to create
    
    The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was the most influential occult group to emerge from the end of the nineteenth century occult revival.
    
    The group was founded in the year 1888 by William Wynn Westcott (1848-1925), a doctor, and a master mason, William Robert Woodman (1828-1891), also a doctor and a mason, and Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers (1854-1918), who was also a mason.
    
    The order claimed its pedigree from coded documents in Dr Wynn Westcott's possession; these claimed the group was a branch of a German Rosicrucian Order.
    
    The hierarchical structure of the Golden Dawn was divided into ten degrees. Members passed through each of the levels by sitting exams and partaking in theatrical ritual. The rituals took place in specially designed temples named after the Egyptian gods.
    
    As with many occult groups, the leading members, Mathers in particular, claimed that they were in contact with a secret order of higher intelligences or Magi. These beings guided the working material and controlled how the order developed. The secret order were unapproachable, which was a useful barrier to detractors.
    
    The Golden Dawn had some very influential people within its ranks. W. B. Yeats (1865-1939), Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), Constance Wilde (1858-1898), Algernon Blackwood (1869 - 1951), Arthur Machen (1863-1947), A. E. Waite (1857-1942), Annie Horniman (1860-1937), Florence Farr (1860-1917), Gerald Kelly (1879-1972) and Maude Gonne (1865-1953) were all members. There was also a rumour that Wallace Budge (1857 - 1934), who was in charge of Egyptology at the British Museum, was also involved, although this has never been verified.
    
    Mystically speaking, the group inherited a number of sources. The group was said to have actual initiatory material from ancient Egypt. This material could of been written, but might of come from material gained through reicarnational regregression. Material from members and ex-members has been the foundation for most modern occultism of the Hermetic nature, reavealing information that had be kept by secretive masters for centuries. It is from the Golden Dawn that the strongest links between the Tarot, Kabalah, and magic have been created. It is rumored that the group also had access to a a more complete translation of the Emerald Tablet and The Alexandrian Papyrus.
    
    By the year 1900 the inflated egos of many of the group members had caused arguments, and created schisms within the group. Aleister Crowley (who joined in 1898) had a major part in this. He was not well liked, but he sided with Mathers (although they were later to have a magical battle of their own), Mathers accused Wynn Wescott of faking the Rosicrucian documents on which the Golden Dawn was founded. This undermining of the orders foundations did not go down well, and Mathers was expelled.
    
    Aside: Mathers left England for Paris with his wife Moina in 1892. While in Paris he founded a splinter group of the Golden Dawn, but the order was never as powerful as it had been in Britain. Mathers died in Paris in 1918.
    
    William Butler Yeats, the Irish poet (who joined in 1890 from the Theosophical Society) took over the Golden Dawn Core group after Mather's departure, but it was A. E. Waite (the producer of the best known Tarot Deck), gaining control in 1903 who took the order down a different path. He changed the name to The Holy Order of the Golden Dawn, and pushed the order towards more Christian leanings. This was done for mostly political reasons, as a Christian Organization was more "socially acceptable". He finally closed the Order down around 1914 because of apathy, and dwindling membership. Many of the "artifacts" reputed to be in the order' posession disapear during the "great falling out". Their locations are lost to history.
    
    There are lots of connections to the the Rosicrucian Society of England (SRIA), est. 1865, the Theosophical Society, est. 1875, the Oriental Templar Order, est. c.1895, the Order of Illuminati, and high-grade Freemasonry (Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, York Rite).
    
    When creating a group, you should include any famous members to add versimilitude

26. Societies, Guilds, and Groups

    #66

    You won't be adding this group to your world directly. However, it will inspire a similar group for you.
    
    Approximately in February 1891, The Society of the Elect and the
    Association of Helpers - (also known as the "Secret Society," or the "Round Table Group"), was created by Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902), Alfred Milner (1854-1925), William T. Stead (1849-1912), and Reginald Baliol Brett, Lord Esher (1852-1930), in London. Secret Society members included students from Oxford and Cambridge. The Oxford boys included Cecil Rhodes, Arnold Toynbee (1852-1883), Lord Alfred Milner, Arthur Glazebrook (1859-1940), Sir George Parkin (1846-1922), Philip Lyttleton Gell, and Sir Henry
    Birchenough. The Cambridge boys included Reginald Baliol Brett (Lord
    Esher), Sir John B. Seeley, Lord Albert Grey (1851-1917), Arthur Edmund
    Garrett. The boys of Oxford and Cambridge would devote their lives to "the
    furtherance of the British Empire and the bringing of the whole
    uncivilized world under British rule, for the recovery of the United States, and for making the Anglo-Saxon race but one Empire." The Oxford boys and the Cambridge boys were introduced to each other by one of England's most sensational journalists, William T. Stead.
    
    On February 5, 1891 Rhodes and Stead formally established the secret
    society. Rhodes was the leader. William Stead, Reginald Baliol Brett,
    and Alfred Milner formed an executive committee. Lord Arthur Balfour
    (1848-1930), Sir Harry Johnston (1858-1927), Lord Rothschild (1868-
    1937), and Lord Albert Grey were listed as members of a "Circle of
    Initiates." An outer circle known as the "Association of Helpers" would be established in other nations. The first two secret Round Table Groups of the outer circle, the Australia Round Table and New Zealand Round Table, were established between 1890-1893. William T. Stead recruited members through his magazine Review of Reviews.
    
    The organisation is said to be masonry-like. You could think of links
    between them and the Illuminati, Phi Beta Kappa, Skull & Bones, etc.
    etc. -- the whole conspirationist arsenal. These people are the people who run the world, or at least run the governments, many big businesses, and several other important social groups. They actually can influence the world stage. This group has political ambitions, social ambitions, and if the right set of crackpots are inducted, mystical ambitions. Little has been heard of this group in the last few decades, but that could just mean they are preparing for somthing big (or just be lost to the inertia of time).

27. Group

    #67

    The King’s Paupers
    A group of highly educated rich youths and nobles that have a desire for a darker side of life.
    
    This group has bound together to live on a care free side of life that they can not experience during the day. Founded by sons of the King of Venkis, it has now spread to other parts of the kingdom and is now filtering into other kingdoms as well. Only the upper classes are invited in to the hidden folds of the King’s Paupers, and only on invitation only. They are not murders but tend to be adept thieves and burglars. They have used their education and training that their parents have forced them to endure and have successfully established their stake in the Thieves Highway. While not as big as the other thieves guilds, they show a sign of respect for the lower class vigilantes and respect their chosen profession. To be free of law and rules, gives them an emotional high that the daily rhetoric of the noble society does not allow. The sneak into the homes of those who they feel deserve to lose a portion of their lives and will use a portion of it to fund their outings but will give a percentage to the local guilds that follow a non violent way of working. They have also been known to donate to local orphanages and hospitals, especially organizations that their families have denied to give help to.

28. The Cabal of the Dark Eye

    #68

    If you are into the occult, you should also know the groups that are active in these shadowy parts of magic and reality, whether these are real or only rumours. One somewhat known group is the Cabal. Unlike other cults (if it is a cult), this sect seems to be rather benign, and actually offers useful services, for a price. Some experts mark them as occult freaks that do it only for the show and pretending, nothing more.
    
    Layer one: Occult geeks
    
    The Cabalists, when contacted, arrive in stylish heavy black robes, the capes partially concealing their face, and of course only around midnight. They demand respect and good conditions for their work. Their specialty (and reason why they are hired) is ritual magic: tracking people and objects, all sorts of minor divination. And they do it big style - chicken killed, blood spilled , circles inscribed on the floor. The only reason they are so tolerated is their surprising success at detective work. Pity those rituals often include human blood (fresh of course) or other painfully-gained ingredients, and the 'masters' themselves won't supply it... you want to know, you have to pay. In hard cash and often also otherwise.
    
    Layer two: True Darknes (optional)
    
    (See The Dhampiri, a new look on Vampires.)
    
    Some of the Cabalists are actually Dhampiri - Vampires, immortal creatures that feed on the living. The rituals they use are innovative ways to transfer life force. The information and money they gain are an added bonus, as well as the irony of their apparent harmlessnes and the safety coming from it. Thus supplies them the Cabal with life force, protection, and potential apprentices.
    
    But they make sure a Cabalist is now and then seen in daylight... less suspicious that way.

29. Re: Societies, Guilds, and Groups

    #69

    This scroll is officially closed. If I did not transfer your post, it was mostly likely that it was too short/ incomplete to be a full submission. Feel free to "beef up" that idea and make a full submission of it on The Citadel page.
    
    

30. Re: Societies, Guilds, and Groups

    #70

    Thread moved to main Citadel.
    
    Closed only in terms of the forum but very much open for more ideas and submissions!!!
    
    GO HERE
    
    http://www.strolen.com/content.php?node=1215

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