The Dark Order
The Dark Order is a secret organization that seeks power through various means. They actively seek out powerful magic items, they trade in illicit goods and slaves, and they run organized crime elements in various cities. It has been claimed that powerful spellcasters and manifesters run the various operations in different cities. But as to who holds them together, it is unknown. Their symbol is an eye with ten tentacle-like wisps protruding from it. For this reason, many believe the Dark Order is led by a beholder, while others think the symbol is too obvious and must be a ruse.
The Doom Bringers
This group operates largely in secret, causing death and destruction wherever they can. Very little is known about them or their true goals. Some of their actions have involved the finding of powerful evil artifacts, while others seemed to have no other purpose than just destruction. It has been claimed that they sometimes employ demons in their attacks, while using various elementals in others. Very recent accounts claim that their symbol is a purple vertical slit of an eye surrounded by the four elemental symbols of air, earth, fire, and water.
The Golden Vault
The Golden Vault is a banking organization of immeasurable wealth that has been in operation for almost 500 years. They have branches in every city in Velen, and possibly all of Embril. Opening an account in a Golden Vault branch is expensive, but provides many benefits. Personal property stored in a Golden Vault in one city can be retrieved from any Golden Vault anywhere in the world, as long as one presents the unique vault key required, created and given at the opening of one’s account. Armed guards are always stationed within a branch, both of the living and construct variety. It is claimed that the Golden Vault has never been robbed, and furthermore, that it is impossible to do so. However, possession of the key is all that is required to access one’s vault, so if one’s key is stolen, the thief then gains access to the property stored in that account. The identities of all account holders are kept secret, and no scrying magic can be used in or on a Golden Vault branch. Of course, anyone standing outside a Golden Vault branch can see who goes in or out. Ownership of the Golden Vault is another mystery, one with as many theories as there are account holders. One popular theory lately is that it is owned by Razcaczar, the great wyrm red dragon that rules the empire of Zamilon.
The Hollow Moon Pack
Operating in the Great Forest, the Hollow Moon Pack is a loosely knit society of lycanthropes that enjoys hunting and killing humanoids of all kinds, while occasionally afflicting their victims with lycanthropy to increase their numbers. It is believed that they have operatives in all cities and towns in the Great Forest, while also maintaining hidden dens throughout the wilderness.
The Mystic Archons
The Mystic Archons is a mage guild based in the city of Talith. The leader of the guild, the Grand Archon, is also the ruler of the city, though all guild members are considered part of the ruling class. Vuvald Ravenspark, a powerful wizard, is the current Grand Archon. Little is known about their ultimate goals, though members operate worldwide, seeking powerful magical items and artifacts. In Talith, they control magic by regulating prices on magical items and components, regulating spell use by non-guild spellcasters, and limiting the amount of education in the Mystic Arts non-guild members may attain. Membership in the Mystic Archons is said to be difficult to attain. In fact, practically no one outside the guild is certain just how membership is attained.
Knights of the Scale
This group is made up of mainly dragonborn who stand in opposition of the evil, chromatic dragons, though a few non-dragonborn members also exist. The Knights of the Scale are closely allied to the church of Bahamut, the God of Good Dragons. They mainly operate in Zamilon, but there are cells spread throughout Velen, hunting evil dragons wherever they may lair.
The Order of the Scarlet Scroll
The Order of the Scarlet Scroll is a hidden organization that focuses on acquiring various objects of magical power, including magic items and artifacts. However, they seem to target mostly tomes and scrolls of power, including ancient spellbooks and evil grimoires that detail dark rituals. It has been discovered that the Order of the Scarlet Scroll is led by three ancient liches. Two of those liches have been identified. One is Dhuzar, the Cold. The other is Terzoraq, the Black Skull. The identity of the third lich remains a mystery. Despite the identities of two of these liches being revealed, no one knows where they lair, or more importantly, where their phylacteries are hidden.
Pirates of the Pirate Isles
The pirates of the Pirate Isles are not so much an organization as a collection of pirates operating in the Mathari Sea. There is no established leader of the pirates and each ship and its crew is only loosely allied to any other. The pirates do not seem to have any specific agenda, other than gaining wealth through piracy. However, since 437 AV, after an incident in which several pirate ships were sunk by a flight of red dragons, the pirates have not targeted any Zamilonian ships, focusing on those of each other nation in the Mathari. Pirate ships have also been known to frequent Port Scale where they are granted safe harbor. Witnesses claim the pirates conduct business with Port Scale, unloading cargo before setting sail again.
The Sons of Merlin
This is the oldest mage guild in operation in Velen, and probably in all of Embril. They are based in West Andaria and are directly related to the House Arcanum, the oldest and most prestigious arcane school of the Mystic Arts in all the world. In fact, both organizations were founded in the same year, 275 AC. The Sons of Merlin are named after the legend that claims that early during the Age of Eden, the first non-cleric to discover the ability to wield the Mystic Arts was named Merlin. Of the members of this guild, none of them take any title, except the leader of the guild. The leader of the guild is known as the Merlin, and is widely recognized as the most powerful and gifted wielder of the Mystic Arts in all the world. The current Merlin is Olvilar Altrimere. He has served as the Merlin since 350 AV.
The Unseen
The Unseen is a thieves’/assassins’ guild for hire that operates all over Velen. They have no set base, or at least no none knows where their base is actually located. They seem to have agents everywhere who either seek out prospective clients or organize deals with local thieves’ guilds which allows the Unseen to operate within that city for the accomplishment of specific tasks. Although many believe that the Unseen often operate in a city without first seeking permission from the local thieves’ guild. The Unseen are famous for never being caught or identified, hence the name. They are believed to be a relatively new organization. They were first discovered around 10 years ago.
The Vigil of the Weather Eye
The Vigil of the Weather Eye is a loosely organized group of good-aligned adventurers who combat evil all over Velen. With no structured leadership, their aim varies from cell to cell. For the most part, they seem to focus on combatting the Doom Bringers. But any evil operating in Velen is a potential target for their operatives. Their symbol is an open eye and members are said to carry a golden pin depicting this, though they never wear it out in the open for fear of giving themselves away. The Vigil has been in operation since the beginning of the Age of Valor, originally created to watch for the return of Azcreon and perhaps another demonic invasion. Since then, they have shifted their focus to include any evildoers.
Comments