Cabals are organizations with their own ambitions and goals, aided by unique powers and abilities. Each cabal is has a rich history and special abilities endowed to each of its members. Membership in these organizations is often by invitation only, as the cabals are typically on the lookout for qualified applicants. However, those wishing to join may seek out known members of a cabal to express their interest. Many of the cabals have secret leaders or secret members, keeping their strength and influence from being easily gauged.
Generally, seekers must pledge oaths to the cabal before they obtain membership. Switching to another cabal after taking these oaths is looked upon with great disfavor and is usually not tolerated. Cabal members must adhere to the same standards of good role play they displayed to gain admission. Cabal channels are to be in character (IC), as well. You may only have one character in a cabal.
The Crucible of Shadows
Very little is known about the Crucible of Shadows, and what little is known is only uttered in whispers. The minions of this organization favor secrecy and the veil of shadows. They draw their powers from a union of darkness and fire. In their quest for perfection, members of the Crucible of Shadows ignore moral limitations, viewing them as weaknesses. Rumors also speak of a life dedicated to trials and discipline. Its members believe that they become greater by using the past as a vessel–a Crucible–into which they cast themselves and are re-forged stronger, wiser, and more deadly.
Druids of the Wild Reaches
This elusive group remains a mystery to outsiders, though a few of the tales told about them may contain some validity. Rumor tells that the Druids reside deep in the wilds of the kingdom of Ayamao. They use their deep bond with nature and its magic to great advantage, especially when pursuing their goals of protecting the wilderness and the natural cycles of the world. Druids of the Wild Reaches are very secretive and tend to keep to themselves. However, when they do involve themselves in the realms, they are quick, decisive, and efficient.
Fists of the White Swan
In the high peaks of central Zhenshi, somewhere above the city of Nerina, rests a small monastery dedicated to the Fists of the White Swan. The Fist is an order dedicated to Enlightenment, Discipline, and the Virtues of Light. As a whole they tend to be a reclusive lot and usually come down out of the peak only rarely to tend to disputes that the citizens of Nerina cannot handle themselves. A few members, however, do enjoy making pilgrimages to the other kingdoms to help bring order to the lives of their citizens. Their discipline in melding the powers of the body and the mind make them formidable foes.
The Hammer of Light
Deep within the forest of Morea, north of Exile in the Kingdom of Taslamar, a shining white castle stands proud. The inhabitants of this castle work diligently to protect the land and purify evil in all of its forms. This group of crusaders call themselves the Hammer of Light, and ride on their warhorses throughout the various kingdoms righting wrongs and fighting injustice. The Hammer is also the military arm of the ruler of Taslamar and heed the kingdom’s call to arms when necessary. Unfortunately, this is all too often in these troubled times.
The Harlequin Court
People know very little about this group. Some say that the Harlequins hold sway over a mysterious place, where things are not what they seem. Elsewhere in the realms, folks attribute seemingly random tricks, events, and ambushes to the Harlequin Court. The group has unmatched skill in evading capture, only revealing their presence when they wish it so. Their behavior is erratic, and they are just as prone to committing random acts of kindness as acts of treachery and violence. It would be foolhardy to outguess them, as the Harlequins’ actions are reliably unreliable.
The Midnight Council
Rumors abound concerning the Midnight Council, though factual information is less plentiful in supply. The group is an elite order of the brightest and most talented military minds within the Empire of the Bright Star. Although technically under the authority of the Emperor, the Midnight Council has great leeway in its control of the legions that police the Empire. The name of the council came about because of the ornate midnight plate armor that elite members wear to council sessions. Of course, since no one knows where the council hall is located, this is just another rumor.
Tribunals
Tribunals oversee the governance of a particular kingdom. They are responsible for maintaining and upholding the law within their realms and other matters concerning the kingdom’s citizens. As with cabals, membership in these organizations is often by invitation only, as tribunals are typically on the lookout for qualified applicants. However, those wishing to join may seek out known members of a tribunal to express their interest. Generally, seekers must pledge oaths to the tribunal before they obtain membership. Switching to another cabal after taking these oaths is looked upon with great disfavor and is usually not tolerated.
Tribunal members must adhere to the same standards of good role play they displayed to gain admission. Tribunal channels are to be in character (IC), as well. You may have multiple characters in tribunals.
Talons of the Feathered Dragon
Centuries ago, Emperor Li established the Talons of the Feathered Dragon as the special guards of the Dominion of Zhenshi. Since that time, the Talons grew to be the tribunal of Zhenshi reporting only to the Council of Blossoms, the theocratic ruling body of Zhenshi. Much like the kingdom it serves, the Talon’s members span various alignments and races, serving under the authority of Empress Okamura.
The Peacekeepers
King Taslamar, the founder of the Free City of Exile, founded the Peacekeepers centuries ago. They function as the protectors of the citizens of Exile and the surrounding communities. Hostile threats often force the Keepers into defense of the city. They often work in tandem with the Hammer of Light, though the roles of the two organizations are separate. The Peacekeepers remain ever vigilant in upholding the law. They strive to be virtuous and fair in their duties, under the direction of Gerevan’s daughter, Queen Serena.
The Imperial Legion
The Imperial Legion is the functional guard of the Empire of the Bright Star. The Legion maintains a lawful environment by enforcing the Emperor’s order with swift, often deadly force. They are feared and respected among the Imperial gentry. The Legion’s dedicates are typically loyal to the establishment rather than the idea of equal protection under the law. Membership in the Legion may provide soldiers additional opportunities for promotion in the rigid caste system of the Bright Star.
