Fellowship of the Palm
The Fellowship of the Palm is a religious order attached to the Church of the One Sun and the Jakonian Empire. They are intertwined with both the growth of the empire and the preservation of their borders. The Fellowship of the Palm is well known and feared by those who both oppose the One Sun and the Jakonians, and their intelligence network is believed to be second to none throughout Emicara. On the surface they appear to be a simple band of monks who provide food and succor for the less fortunate, but their covert actions are fairly well known throughout the world.
Structure
The Fellowship of the Palm's organization is fairly fluid, outside of the bureaucracy that keeps records for the Empire and Church. Technically all of the brothers within the Fellowship are ranked equally, but those with more experience are given deference when it comes to decisions being made. Their leaders are selected by the Council of Heirarchs in the Church of the One Sun, and then appointed over their fellow monks, becoming known as the Abbot. The Abbot directly handles staff and administration, although he often employs clerks and bureaucrats from within the Empire to manage affairs.
Public Agenda
The Fellowship of the Palm publicly stands for purity of faith and people, the evangelism of the Church of the One Sun, and the preservation of the Jakonian way of life. Drawn from the most radical of One Sun sects, the Fellowship believe that women and nonhumans should know their place within society and that it is their duty to purge heretics and unbelievers that threaten the Empire. The Fellowship is also the face of the Church's inquisition, sending out monks to assure the proper practice of Jakonian rites and faith throughout the Empire. They finally are the operators of missions and evangelical outposts throughout the frontiers of Emicara and beyond.
Assets
The Fellowship of the Palm have access to the treasury of the Jakonian Empire and that of the Church of the One Sun. These finances have made the Fellowship one of the most powerful institutions in Emicara, and they use the money to build a network of spies and informants all over the continent. It is believed that the Fellowship has at least one set of ears in every major town and city, constantly on the look out for threats against the Church or Empire. Supplementing these spies are some of the most feared assassins and holy warriors to be found, utilizing stealth and magic to eliminate those who would stand against the expansion and defense of the faith. The Cathedral of the Palm is a well-stocked fortress, a bastion of Jakonian loyalists standing against the tide of unruly Nasites around them. It is full to the brim of weapons, funds, and devices used to expand the capacities of the Fellowship. Elsewhere in the world, the Fellowship takes a more covert means towards their garrisons and groups, typically operating cover businesses and trades to hide their safe houses.
History
After the collapse of the Nameless Empire, those of faith were cast adrift, with the entire world on fire around them. Those who survived the conflagration were typically those who helped organize their communities against the depravities of the world. The various towns on the Jakonian Peninsula were predominantly organized around these faithful leaders. Through charitable givings and the distribution of surplus foods, they helped maintain the faith in the goodwill of man and humanity. The Fellowship of the Palm was the largest of these movements, sprawling up and down the eastern coast, but they lacked management and direction and were constantly bickering among themselves over resources. The rapid growth of the Jakonian Empire led for a need of change among the Fellowship.
Negotiations with the Fellowship of the Palm led to the consolidation of the myriad of churches and holy orders across the southern peninsula, and they established the original Church of the One Sun and Council of Hierarchs. The Abbot was granted a firm say in the affairs of the new Church, allowing them to direct the future of the institution. Even though this may have begun with noble intent, the death of the original Abbot led to the position falling under Hierarch, and more realistically, imperial control. The appointment of a new abbot was a political decision and led to the reformation of the Fellowship as essentially a guild of assassins. This did change in time as the Empire became more and more xenophobic, and the needs of suppression were expanded.
The Empire may have begun to shrink and decline, but the operations of the Fellowship of the Palm have only expanded. Suppression has become ever more important, and heresy has raised its ugly head across Emicara. The Emperor's need for accurate intelligence in the other kingdoms and lands has become only pronounced with their independence, and more and more funds have been dedicated to the Palm's efforts. The Fellowship of the Palm has become easily the most influential political faction within the Empire, and according to some dissidents, it directs the Empire almost as much as it is itself directed.
Protecting the Empire under the Sun
Founding Date
40
Type
Religious, Monastic Order
Leader
Parent Organization
Deities
Location
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
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