Cults, Organized

These cults are generally around actual magic users. Unlike the minor mundane cult, these cults are secretive and are maintaining a magical tradition. This group will typically include Druids, Warlocks, Bards, some Paladins, some kinds of Rangers, some types of Fighters, some types of Monks.
Wizards and Clerics have publicly organized schools and orders, and in Aerolend lands Sorcery academies. These organizations are often tied into the ruling government, social elite, or are culturally important. These other magic groups are typically outsiders and practice true occultism.
Warlocks may gather in covens, conventions and other groups to become initiated in the occult and make their contact with a supernatural power. These groups may be demonic, angelic, outer god, fey or other supernatural source that is ill understood by conventional magic. These occult societies may have various fraternal rules regarding how the member can conduct their lives, practice their magic, or they may be much more hermetic leaving their members to their own devices.
Druids are practicing an occult tradition millions of years old discovered and handed down from races long since gone. It is a way of melding consciousness with the plant, animal, and Gaia consciousness to achieve spectacular magic. Druid circles are small and hand down traditional knowledge slowly to an initiate and then once they have achieved union are left to their own devices until they find an initiate and the circle is called to vet and train the candidate.
Bards are an occult society within established cultural institutions such as colleges, philosophical orders, and so forth. They have Secret Colleges where this musical and performance magic is taught to pupils who have the raw supernatural and technical talent to be true bards. Bard magic is as much psychological and physiological tricks as it is manipulating space and time with quantum oscillation.
There are dozens of other secret traditions that teach magic, even wizard magic, but call it something else. These cults have their own agendas, but popularity and exposure is not one of them. They are secrecy obsessed and will silence any who attempt to share secrets with the outsiders. A mundane cultist may steal a secret from one of these groups and turn it into a whole new movement.

Structure

Each one is different but there is typically an elder leader who knows all of the secrets, the have under them a number of acolytes that can train others in the basic secrets and methods of their magic. there is then usually many lower level neophytes who are building their magical understanding and may be given responsibilities as they grow, with many decades become one of the acolytes.

Culture

There is often a fraternity or society aspect to these kinds of Organized Cults. There are acceptable norms, ethics, and limitations members accept in order to have the privilege to learn these secrets. There are specific rites, milestones and other traditions that mark for the community the progress of the individual.

Public Agenda

These societies are often actively avoiding public acknowledgement. Even if they are doing something good for the community, they are still reluctant to be seen as an institution. Their public agenda is then conjecture, lies and guesses by the public. Books by outsiders may detail what they have put together but no member of one of these cults will part with their hard earned knowledge for the sake of a book to make money.

Assets

These societies may have extensive collections of arcane texts, magic items, regents and spell components, and some may have complexes or compounds they are established in. If the society has wealthy members or patrons they may have access to funds, mundane tools and books, and other equipment.

Disbandment

These secret societies tend to last a long time. Most warlock covens lasts at least two or three generations, Druid circles have lasted thousands of years. Traditions keep these alive long past the founder's lifespan.

Mythology & Lore

Occult Societies of Organized Cults have little mythology, but lots of arcane facts. These facts will sound like mythology to outsiders not versed in the ways of this particular path of magic. Some will have prophecy or long term objectives they are trying to fulfill but they lack the imagination of a charismatic cult leader.

Ethics

Occult societies, even demonic warlock ones, have a larger view of life and are quite concerned with the uplifting of civilization, but maybe down a path it hasn't considered. As such sacrifice and personal trials are typically a cornerstone of these societies.

Political Influence & Intrigue

Warlocks vary, but in general they despise mundane politics and structures, knowing they could be deeply improved. As such they are also darkly charismatic and can influence much from the shadows of power, and their understanding of how to charm and manipulate the mind using magic can push decisions in some esoteric way they want. For the most part they are more concerned with issues beyond the ken of mortals.
Druids are hands on and want rural people and nature to coexist. They avoid powers and authorities relying on the common goodness of everyday people and the tides of nature. Druids will be aloof as to what they are doing to help, and avoid the splashy public display but will perform subtle miracles. They are deeply reluctant to even broach how they know what they do or how they learned it.
Bards are out in the public all of the time and are involved even when they are not with their manipulation of mobs, crowds and movements under the guise of music. They would rather say their musical or oratory talent shifted the mood of the city rather than admit they used magic. Bards let on that there maybe great performers who actually have magic, but alas, not them. They just have raw talent and commitment to the art.
Similarly assume all occult societies avoid open inspection and avoid public acknowledgement.

Sects

These societies can splinter and have specializations as they study their art, or contact different higher planes of existence. New societies can form, and some members will secretly have split alliances.

DISBANDED/DISSOLVED

Type

Secret, Occult