The Scorpions

While other criminal gangs concern themselves with smuggling, fencing, and other material matters, the Scorpions are dedicated to the balance of Life and Death. Make no mistake, the Scorpions are assassins and will hapily sell their blades to those with enough coin, but they are very selective in which jobs they accept.

Roots in the Church

The Scorpion gang has its beginnings in an ancient holy order of assassins that sought out enemies of the Church. Eventually the order was disbanded, and the assassins turned to mercenary work. They have not lost any of their dedication to fighting the powers of darkness, however.

The Giver

The entire organization is led by a single individual who almost never meets with outsiders directly, instead relying on lieutenants and representatives to handle negotiations.

The Dusk War

The Scorpions believe that the fundamental forces of Darkness and Light are constantly opposed to each other in a delicate balance, and that this is the source of every conflict in the world. Consequently, this balance can be disrupted by events in the material world. The Scorpions aim to tip the scales in favor of Light by eliminating all sources of Darkness in the world.

Matters of Black and White

The Scorpions consider theirs to be a holy mission to promote the cause of Light and banish the Darkness from the lands of vecrona. If you decide to hire them, you must be prepared to justify your motives or risk them turning their blades on you as they deem you the source of Darkness in the conflict.

Structure

There are numerous chapters of the Scorpion gang scattered throughout the Capitol and elsewhere. Each branch is controlled by a hierophant who is responsible for determining which jobs to take, among other managerial duties. In addition, each branch houses a scribe (here referred to as an amanuensis), whose duty it is to record the contracts and activities of the branch. Such records are highly secret and any physical copies would by necessity be heavily encoded and hidden from any prying eyes.

The branches are collectively governed by a central chapter known as the "root," which is run by a mysterious character that acolytes refer to as The Giver, a title that dates back to the Scorpions' days in the Church. Almost nothing is known about this character, except that they are never seen in person, instead conducting business through lieutenants and mediators.

Mythology & Lore

The Scorpions hold the belief that the forces of Light and Darkness are in constant war with each other, and that this war both affects and is affected by events in the material world. These forces are fundamental to the fabric of the universe, and transcend the human ideas of good and evil. Even the dragon gods themselves are beholden to this conflict. Of course, this belief puts them at odds with the Church in many ways, despite their supposed common origins.

The Scorpions claim Miriam the Lightbringer as their patron saint, though in a way that is radically different from the Church. They claim that the Lightbringer was a god unto herself, on par with the dragons in both power and status.

Divine Origins

The Scorpions were originally an order of paladins of the Church of Dragons, tasked with seeking out and destroying the agents of the Darkness. As the Age of Regulation was coming to an end, the Serpents were swiftly losing popularity with the rest of the priesthood due to their overzealous approach to justice.

When the order was eventually disbanded, the leaders went underground to continue their mission, adopting their present-day moniker of the Scorpions. The now-gang has lost none of its zeal, and some officials estimate that their numbers are now higher than they ever were as a holy order.

Cosmological Views

Outside of the material world, beyond even the Astral Sea and the Elemental Lands, there are two worlds of fundamentaal Light and Darkness. These two worlds are in constant struggle, each seeking to destroy the other. This conflict causes ripples that can be felt in the material world, and conversely can also be affected by events that take place in the lands of vecrona.

Tenets of Faith

Upon initiation, acolytes are sworn to uphold three basic laws. While each branch has a litany of lesser laws and policies, these three tenets are the foundation of the gang's ideology, and violating any of them is grounds for capitol punishment.

1. Be Loyal to the Family, and Keep their Secrets.
2. Honor the Light in All Things
3. Defy the Darkness Wherever it is Found

Ethics

The Scorpions occupy a unique ethical intersection between good and evil. On one hand, they are entirely unopposed to the idea of killing for profit and actively sell their services to all manner of unsavory individuals. On the other hand, they are singular in their mission to eliminate Darkness in all of its forms, and even consider themselves a holy order under the Lightbringer herself.

Shadows Ahead, Backs to the Light

Founding Date

~2045 A.D.

Type

Illicit, Gang

Leader Title

Giver

Deities

• Saint Miriam the Lightbringer

Location

Capitol City