Tag: group
Duergash Southguild (Merchant Cities Mercenary Guild)
Posted on December 29, 2021 in Steel-Realms
Like all Mercenary Guilds, they are bond holders for su_permalink id=”33277″]Bonded Bands[/su_permalink]. They are not obligated to provide healing or rest, open training facilities, borrow money or any of the things the guilds normally do – only provide the surety for the bond.
Aergash Northguild (Merchant Cities Mercenary Guild)
Posted on December 29, 2021 in Steel-Realms
Like all Mercenary Guilds, they are bond holders for su_permalink id=”33277″]Bonded Bands[/su_permalink]. They are not obligated to provide healing or rest, open training facilities, borrow money or any of the things the guilds normally do – only provide the surety for the bond.
Sable Magi (Dark Order)
Posted on November 23, 2021 in Steel-Realms
The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members.
In exchange for unscrupulous service to the powers of darkness and evil, the Sable Magi gain occult knowledge and power. This is not a true “order” of wizards, just a label for a group that leverages the Unholy Trio’s desire for personal power. Many rationalize their choice as having no impact overall – the balance between light and dark is actually what is being served. A full 10 years of pledged service during which time they may say no only twice. After that, they are hunted and killed. The Sable mark makes them vulnerable to the powers of darkness. It is obscured and removed after 10 years of service. There are three to five sable “towers”; Some are caves, only 2 are actual towers in ruins of fallen cities in the east. This organization has a documented history.
A few times members of the Order of the Broken Sun have been mistaken for Sable Magi – sewing confusion and chaos. This has been on purpose at times and by accident others.
Cults, Orders and Sects of Rastur (Sovereign of Lions)
Posted on November 18, 2021 in Steel-Realms
Sovereign of Lions
– This is the dominant order of the faith. The primordial animal archetypes are diverse in their very nature – animistic and their worship is highly localized and specialized as well as incorporated into the Wyld Faith itself, from which it derives any Group/Institution elements.
Cleric (for the Green Church), Druid (for the Wyld Faith) – These are archetypes dedicated to serving and representing the faith in iconic roles as part of their function; Others may be available as Followers at GM discretion – serving as institutional officers, community officers, or simply through Conviction and shared liturgical beliefs.
The Common Face of Faith: Like most Faiths of the Steel Realms, there may be a multitude of denominations that make up Cults, Orders and Sects of Rastur. These share the common Workings of Faith, promoting worship to prove the truth of the Divine Principal's ideals and tenets, and allow Followers a means to prove worthy to wield power and secure a place in the promised afterlife. Rastur has a Dominant Presentation of their faith, clergy, and institutions that the folk of the realms look to.
In addition to their own specific elements of faith, they embrace all the shared elements of the Unified Pantheon of Lightbringers (except where directly contravened).
Options for PC’s in the Steel Realms
i20™ Faith Details
Clerics in service to the faith have the callings (subclasses) of Nature, Life, and War; Others may be available at GM discretion or through other cults, sect, or orders. Druids in service to the faith have the callings (subclasses) of Land; Others may be available at GM discretion or through other cults, sect, or orders. Rangers in service to the faith have the callings (subclasses) of Beast Master and Hunter; Others may be available at GM discretion or through other cults, sect, or orders. Paladins in service to the faith are RARE, but usually in the capacity of militant defenders and have the callings (subclasses) of Ancients and Vengeance; Others may be available at GM discretion or through other cults, sect, or orders.
iCore™ Faith Details
As such, there are no formal “cults” per se, just groups of followers or Followers who hold loose ideals related to the strengths of the animal(s) as it is important and symbolic to the Follower. Any Follower or believer in a single animal archetype has a general belief in all of them – though may revere others less for their symbolic attachment. There are many localized cults of cat worship – tigers and jaguars far to the south, mountain lions in the north. These are all very secretive and small – reflecting the solitary nature of these hunters. Over the ages, some mountain lions have even adapted for hunting in the darklands and his presence is sometimes paid homage (in fear) even there. The institutional church of Rastur has few places of worship outside the south. It is mostly represented through the Green Church were that churches influence is strong.
House Du’Orlok (martial mages of the Riverdans)
Posted on November 8, 2021 in Steel-Realms
The existence of House Du’Orlok is shrouded in absolute secrecy. Hiding right under the nose of House Malor of Dunstrand, it is a secret order serving a branch of the ruling line of the Riverdan of Monaides. Over time, an aura of “normalcy” surrounds their home, and it is remote and technically off limits to House Malor being in the Riverdans. They are known as militant mages – conjuring mystical weapons and armors, blowing things up, summoning creatures to do their bidding in support of protecting the Riverdan of Monaides, and trusted to be employed in secret by rulers of other Riverdans. The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members.
Those who formed the House Du’Orlok are a countering force to House Malor in Dunstrand. The members of House Malor suspect the presence of these high art practitioners, but have not been able to prove anything – and even so, mostly ignore them as long as they stay in the Riverdans. They have a loose partnership with the magi of the Tower of the Cloud Gazers to the south.
The magi of the order generally wear armor, carry a wizard’s blade (slim sword/rapier), and some are known to use a shield. They have no known symbol, color, or ornaments – they work in secret as much as possible and do not advertise themselves.
Places of the Order
Basterson’s Mill
Orlok Keep
About/Chronicle of House Du’Orlok
Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these.
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
Members of the order present themselves as conjurers, wielders of magical power made manifest in the material.
Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty
Thought to be exterminated as part of the Purge of the Hidden, the remainder of their order chose to go underground but found a means of living. Those who would not abide by its tenets were killed. A few individuals are thought to have survived and fled into the deep north. One order changed its ways, adopted a new Patron and continued on, marrying into the family that ruled Riverdan of Monaides.
Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty
Ehrameine The Promiser bargained with a great entity of Order in a place beyond the stars called the Fortress of One. In return for an everlasting expression of lawfulness and order and to promote such things, her bloodline was gifted with its power of the Aether Storm. A ritual would awaken it to be developed in any that possessed it, or it could be taught by a blood relation bound to it that could already practice its gifts. To abandon it is to kill the spark; it requires a major ritual to re-awaken. This ritual has multiple copies kept in Tower of the Stag and Basterson’s Mill – but none are allowed to leave the confines of the warded room they are in, in Orlok Keep.
All characts must replace one of their languages with “Wizard’s Masque” – they appear to employ low magic means and mask the presence of their high art capability. It can be scrutinized, unless a character gives up a full skill proficiency.