Order of the Broken Sun

Steel Realms

Pervasive Overview: The Order of the Broken Sun are a formal – though mysterious and closed – recognized order of occult practitioners of the Steel Realms. Membership is by sponsorship of an existing member only. It is a small and obscure order with its only chapter house in Karolak of the Northern Merchant Cities. They are an order of magi that seek to walk between light and dark, good and evil. They are known to seek to understand the Unholy Trio and Church of Darkness in order to fight it better. Rumors about of dark worshippers abound, though nothing has ever been proven of any accusations – there have been many. Their militant ways (unafraid of physical combat) and confrontation of the Orrish and followers of the Unholy Trio also go a long ways to refute such claims. This organization has a documented history. A few times they have been mistaken for or assumed to be Sable Magi and persecuted by mistake.

General Motto: “I seek to lay bare the shadow and bathe in its mystery.”

Any association with an Occult Order of the Steel Realms beyond mere name association follows the standards of Institutions and Organizations of the Magi and the template of a Fantasy Occult Order; This order’s scope is only Organizing.

The general perception by outsiders even mostly the same even with similar organizations/communities and sages. The organization is known to field a few members within 200 miles of its home in Karolak to assist with hunting Orrish. They send their members out to ranges of 500 miles to hunt fallen and abandoned temples of the Church of Darkness and bolt holes of Orrish raiders for clues about their culture, habits, and vulnerabilities. They are known to partner with other orders in their explorations and a few have been recorded as being members (although usually secondary and support roles) of famous adventuring bands, highguards, or bannermen.

PRESTIGE: Familiar (+1) within 500 miles of Karolak / Established (+2) within the principality of Karolak itself.
Prestige can effect interactions wherein the character may draw upon the association of the institution if it is relevant; Adjusting social interaction outcomes by the noted amount.

• Leadership: Unknown.

• Home: The Merchant City of the North, Karolak.

Symbol(s): The symbol of the order is usually a black sun rising above a sea of yellow OR a black staff with the butt painted gold or gilded in light bronze; This represents the idea of embracing the duality in order to understand.
> A plaque, a embroidered patch on 3 articles of clothing, an institutional arcane focus

Signifiers: The culture of this order demands that they carry with them a “black book”. Many have been seen inscribing in this book, adding to the knowledge of their fabled Black Sun Library. Yet when any are opened there is nothing within – the tome appears to be empty, though the pages obviously reflect signs of age and wear. None use their real names in dealing with outsiders. A few of the most powerful wield “Baighent’s Flame” – the common purple-ish ink used in occult grimoires & spell books in the Steel Realms; this manifests as a bolt of the same color flame.

Patronage: Unknown principal or venerated entity, if any.

Unknown parent organization, if any.

Basic Membership Service Overview

Liberal Institutional Payment Policy

This generally follows the basic elements of the Trivial rank for Institutions.

Basic Outsider/Guest Services: The institution maintains the Standard Occult Reliquary of the Steel Realms for members only, not guests.

  • Lodging + Sustenance:
  • Supplies + Travel:
  • Rest + Recovery:
  • Knowledge/Sage: Orrish History services; up to level 5

Benefits by Institutional Rank

All members can sell paraphernalia and information gained that would add to Orrish History knowledge to the order. This is often goods and knowledge only archeologists would be interested in, but can turn a tidy profit for members; The order pays well, though thats not saying much for that type of goods unless its a truly unique find. All members of Minor rank and above are issued a Institutional Mystical Focal Point.

Minor Rank

This generally follows the basic elements of the Minor rank for Institutions.

Benefits:

Major Rank

This generally follows the basic elements of the Major rank for Institutions.

Benefits:

Preeminent Rank

This generally follows the basic elements of the Preeminent rank for Institutions.

Benefits:

Ascendant Rank

This generally follows the basic elements of the Ascendant rank for Institutions.

Benefits:
Revealed Knowledge: What is written in the Black Books goes straight to the goddess Gloombringer as knowledge. She knows the source, date/time/place it was inscribed and the ink vanishes as it’s written.

Internal Culture

  • Must be literate in at least 1 language
  • Must possess Cryptography 1, Orrish History 1, Divine Phenomenology 1
  • Must possesses a “Pen of the Order” – a custom pen of the highest quality (100sc minimum!) made by the character for writing in their Black Book of the order; the order is typically willing to loan a member the funds to secure this item.

CONTACT: As a minor mystical order, when a members bridge Mystical Focal Point item is destroyed, the administrators of the order will know. All members can use mundane means, such as post, messenger, and parcel services. Secure access points for such options can be established through affiliated civic and personal alliances; Relationships can be set up with vendors who will front or represent the institution in a particular locale for a small fee or percent of service activity billing.

Sworn to Secrecy: The order is perceived as enigmatic and not necessarily trustworthy. When probed about nearly anything, they repeat their motto, or such phrases as “The gods dwell in darkness through which only they can see, we merely try to peer through the edges.”

Adopt a New Name: Members give up their past identity. They usually take a new name “Nox-___” where the last part is anything they want. It is a hyphenated name, with no last or first distinction – again reflecting the duality of their beliefs. Most of the time, not even other members are aware of their true name, and they go to lengths to obscure it.

Typical Member Motivations: Collect more knowledge and items relating to Orrish History.

Typical Member Fears/Aversions: Using real names. Dealing with Lightbringers.

Explanation of Institutional Tenets

Institutional Tenets by Measure

Trivial Tenets:

Minor Tenets:

Major Tenets:

Expectations by Institutional Ranks

Minor Rank

This generally follows the basic elements of the Minor rank for Institutions.

Requirements: Lesser Attunement for mystical benefits; Oath/Vows(s) to follow , Tithe/Dues (month/annual),

Major Rank

This generally follows the basic elements of the Major rank for Institutions.

Requirements: Lesser Attunement; Oath(s), Tithe/Dues (month/annual),

Preeminent Rank

This generally follows the basic elements of the Preeminent rank for Institutions.

Requirements: Lesser Attunement; Oath(s), Tithe/Dues (month/annual),

Ascendant Rank

This generally follows the basic elements of the Ascendant rank for Institutions.

Requirements: Lesser Attunement; Oath(s), Tithe/Dues (month/annual),

Buildout for an Institutional Background for characters.

i20™ Background Details

Grants proficiency in and/or adds the indicated level(s) to…
Cryptography +1, Ritual Phenomenology +1, Orrish History +1, Divine Phenomenology +1, Literacy in all languages the character can speak at the time of @Character Inception.

A Mighty Pen: @5th level, the character can use spend 1 Essence top Attune their “Pen of the Order” and the Prestidigitation cantrip to turn it into a rod, staff or spear and back again. As long as they possess this pen all damage causing cantrips visual manifestations look purple (same as Baighent’s ink).

Warlock Profile for the Order

The Warlocks of the order are a special dispensation within. They cannot rise to great heights, but are considered a type of “Special Operator”. They are considered to have a Minor Rank. They must pay a single Cost Portion (200sc) per month instead of any normal tithe or organization fees – this pays for their Baighent’s ink for their Black Book. Only Pact of the Tome is available, and the Patron is Gloombringer. Sworn & Beholden: Gloombringer sends her agents out on missions in which they have no choice – spying and embedding with other parties to report on/document their activities; This never jeopardizes the party the warlock travels in directly and sometimes her agents are given clues to help them survive! They may ultimately be working against their own self interest, but such is never clearly seen for what it is. The goddess and her motives are inscrutable, her warlocks gain the “Revealed Knowledge” of the Ascendent Rank.

Eldritch Invocation > “Facade of the Magus”: REQUIRED – The Black Book of the order becomes the Book of Shadows; Gloombringer reveals the mystic formulae chosen by the character only to them, who are Sworn and Beholden. Whenever the character uses a mystic formulae, it appears as if it is a Wizard version of it – they appear as a clumsy, slow magus when casting. The character can cast Mage Armor (to cover for the giveaway of using Light Armor Familiarity) & Detect Magic (to more seem like they are a magus) both 1/Short Rest cycle, though are forbidden to display the Eldritch Blast cantrip (Gloombringer will suppress it) to keep the warlock’s nature hidden). They gain Occult Phenomenology +1.

  • Book of Ancient Shadows: If the warlock takes the Book of Ancient Secrets as an Eldritch Invocation, they gain additional benefits: Mage Armor & Detect Magic become ritual spells and are added to the book instead of usable 1/Short Rest cycle. If they have enacted the “A Mighty Pen” bond, they may take the eldritch blast cantrips and it appears as the firebolt cantrip to mask their warlock nature.

iCore iCore™ Background Details

Further Institutional Details

Realm's Aptitude Powers: Divine, Occult, and Psychic