RELIGIONS, CULTS, GROUPS, AND ORGANIZATIONS ------------------------------------------- Company of the Wyvern - Highly regarded mercenary company founded in 527 by Deirdre Barimen (F11), a hero of the Minotaur War, from parts unknown. Usually 600-1000 strong, their standard is a blue wyvern, rampant, on a black field. The Blue Wyvern Tavern in Horizon is secretly owned by them and is their unofficial HQ. Clerics of Zayuss - wander the land extolling the virtues of duty, they seek converts to the Truth, but most don't actually know the secret aims of their simian teachers(masters), they are often unwitting dupes, leather/studded leather, clubs, mancatchers. They may be lead by sentient apes(orangutans **) ** Clerics who ARE simian will, of course, be aware of all these things. They will also carry carbines(10 shots, dmg D6+1/2D6) in addition to their other equipment. Scholars of Bonz - Follow the ancient deity, Bonz. Study medicine and healing, both magical and mundane. Wander the land healing and spreading medical knowledge. Gunslingers - Rangers - The remnants of the knightly order which guarded the land in the time of the Great Kingdom of Avalon which fell 620 years ago. Now these knights wander the land, protecting those on the outskirts of civilization. Iron Ring Slavers - Black Market slavers, very well funded and organized, found around the Wild Coast Seekers of the Blue Star - mutated by toxic chemical waste in the ancient past, Seek to chemically alter all life on the world, P.O.E. cult - Purity Of Essence, Fanatical purestrain Humans who despise mutants, demi-humans, humanoids, etc. Cyberknights - Cyborg knights with energy weapons, very rare, organization unknown but almost always found singly, fearless, absolutely loyal and honest, only champion worthy (lost)causes The Unwanted - genetically engineered soldiers who fought a war and were then deemed too dangerous to bring home, exiled to a "retirement colony" and sterilized, they have been having children in secret and hiding them from the scrying tech- nology of their jailers... Witchmen of Beryl Lake - cyclopean fortress, technomagic, faceless Blue Men - Celto-Indian tribesmen/clansmen, ride giant eagles Order of the Starred Shield - Knightly order of paladins formed in the Kingdom of Aquila just a few decades ago. They quest through the land, helping all those in need and fighting evil wherever it's found. There symbol is a round, red shield with a white star centered in a blue circle. All knights are at least 4th level and wear blued steel plate in emu- lation of an ancient legendary hero. Kobold Market(underground tech market/black market, temporary) The Green Man(green crystal skull head) Green Druids are fanatical followers of the Green Man who seek the reclamation of ALL civilization by the natural world. They will go to great lengths to destroy any items of high technology. Many are quite mad and want to destroy all higher human(oid) life (except for things like vegepygmies). They view humans(including dwarves, hobbits, orks and the like) as a disease upon the earth. And once the earth is cleansed of these infestations, they too will destroy themselves as they are also part of the infestation. The Green Man, himself, is a creature of chaotic evil who wants to subjugate the entire world under his dominion. He needs the 7 Crystal Skulls from the 7 Lost Cities of Glass in order to perform a magical rite which will undo their works, thereby unmaking all civilization, so that Chaos can triumph. * Mad Druids, Sentient Plants, Vegepygmies Ay-ai: Orbiting satellite launched in the ancient days. It has become sentient ...and power hungry. Cult of the Blue Oyster: Ancient underwater transmitter shaped somewhat like a giant clam. It is worshipped by a cult of undersea creatures who follow its directives(or as much as they can understand of its transmissions). The "oyster" is not actually sentient and just broadcasts message fragments still stored in its memory banks from ages ago when it was actually an operational transceiver. Temple of the Irrefutable Doctrine: A morally rigid and self-righteous Church Of Law honoring Voltas, His Preponderant Radiance, Lord of the Shining Light. This Religion has few followers, but those who do are fanatical in their belief. The T.O.T.I.D. builds stupendous cathedrals and their clerics can cast spells such as the Blinding Light of Truth - and quite often do, right into the unbeliever's eyes. They are eternally at odds with The Fellowship of the Shepherding Staff and continually seek to count coup on, stymie, or otherwise embarrass the organization. They also continually remodel their cathedrals to be taller and more ostentatious than the F.O.T.S.S.. Their cathedrals are found all around the map, but are mostly ignored by everyone. Fellowship of the Shepherding Staff: A morally rigid and self-righteous Church Of Law glorifying the doctrine of Saint Uthgood the Unwavering, who was a fervent follower of Voltas until a minor disagreement with his deity, Voltas, over some doctrinal minutiae compelled him to seek the road to divinity himself in order to correct this error and demonstrate the True and most correct path of righteousness to the rest of the fellowship. A Great Schism Occurred. The Clerics of the F.O.T.S.S. believe in using stern methods, physical punishment, and self deprivation to motivate followers to keep to the straight and narrow path. Clerics will often try and outdo one another by wearing the most physically irritating attire or sitting in the most uncomfortable positions to demonstrate their resoluteness, devotion, and superior spiritual fortitude. This religion has few followers, but those who do are fanatical in their belief. The F.O.T.S.S. builds stupendous cathedrals and their clerics carry Staves of Striking, which they use to keep their flock in line, or to protect their flock from those who would beguile and lead them astray. They are eternally at odds with The Temple of the Irrefutable Doctrine and continually seek to count coup on, stymie, or otherwise embarrass the organization. They also continually remodel their cathedrals to be taller and more ostentatious than the T.O.T.I.D.. Their cathedrals are found all around the map, but are mostly ignored by everyone. Dead Parrot Society - a.k.a. the Companions of the Divine Parrot were a close association of adventurers, explorers, and fortune hunters from the early 530's until the late 560's with membership drawn from all over the map. The organization was begun by two adventurers living in Carnelian in 531 CY: 1)Jon: Thief and Technologist from Lakeport, age:19 2)CB: Cleric of Nuwanda and Purple Jesus Alchemist from the Westmarch countryside, age:31. The HQ was moved to the Free City of Menagerie in 533.