DariusSollumanLunarsRevised/Societies
The Societies of the Lunars
During the First Age, the Lunars possessed little internal organization. Being the helpers and aides of the Solars, they often were their spouses silver shadows. Linked only by the common and indomitable drive to live, the Lunars often had little in common beyond an intense pragmatism that, again, served more to contrast with the Solars than to unite themselves.
After the Usurpation and their self-imposed exile into the Wyld, the Lunars found their own voice- and, as the Lunars themselves, it is a voice ever changing and of multiple strains. Scattered in the Threahhold, unable to show their faces to any civilized place without risking destruction, the Lunars banded together out their survival impulse. From these First Age Circles were the seeds of what would become the Societies.
A Lunar Society is any Lunar-primary organization. Although virtually every Society also counts a number of spirits, God-blooded, humans, Dragon Kings, and sometimes even other Exalted in the ranks, it's outlook and goals are strongly informed by a Lunar or small number of Lunars.
Since the inital inception of the Societies, the shape of Creation has changed radically. However, the Societies, like the Lunars who spawned them, survive.
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Most Societies are, when you boil matters down, either a cult of personality around a particuarly elder or powerful Lunar, or little more than a mutual peace accord. At the same time, most paint themselves as something more than this; some even follow their proposed idealism. But the survival impulse in Lunars is one of their strongest instincts, and it breeds a mistrust of following ideas into death. Far better to live another die, for vengence and righting old wrongs.
Membership in a Society may be voluntary or not. Some Societies are open, and others secret. Some allow Lunars to join multiple Societies (as long as they keep their loyalties straight), while others as rabidly isolationist. Some are barbarian and live among the Threshold tribes; others are civilized and meet in the halls and walls of the Realm itself.
Below are several example Societies, of various sizes, to serve as a guide for the depth of variety possible in the Societies. Following them is a series of questions to ask when devolping a new Society, either for a PC Lunar or to serve as an antagonistic force against them.
Society o
You are a part of a relatively small Society- consisting of perhaps two or three other true Lunars and no more than ten people total. The Society may have a few other members- Fair Folk, Gods, or powerful Godblooded. Because of this, it places relatively few constraints on you.
The Silver Knives is a Society in only the loosest sense of the term. A trio of Casteless Lunars who live in the Imperial City, all three Exalted in the Realm in the last 200 years. The nominal leader, Resplendent Dog, has helped his two comrades-in-Exaltation survive, and even prosper. Lunars can be spies and assassins without peer, and the Great Houses- although they may suspect the true nature of the Silver Knives for certain -are often willing to employ them. Resplendent Dog has initated a pair of Dragonblooded, disgraces from their Houses, into the Society, to help act as a cover.
Sharks of the Eastern Sea is a Society of pirates and sea-wolves. The leader (and self-styled Admiral) Cathak Lojof is one of the strongest proponents of the Immaculate Philosophy. He took his Exaltation as Anathema as a sign that he had sold his soul to survive a pirate attack, and went pirate himself. A Changing Moon, he runs his ship (The Siaka's Whore) with an almost entirely supernatural crew- one other Lunar, and his own bestial offspring. The primarily operate out of Nexus- and while they've operated for only five years, Lojof will soon either tone down his work or feel the might of the Realm come crashing on him.
Society oo
You are part of a normal sized Society- there are no more than five true Lunars, and it's full membership doesn't exceede 30. Your elders expect more from you, but communication is still somewhat rare- this is a large but comfortable group of friends, and those invisible ties matter as much as any political bonds. You start with +5 Backgrounds.
Luna's Memory is a Society of No Moons and elderly Changing Moons, who remmeber- in one case from first hand experience, but from the rest by story -the horror of the Chimera of the Wyld, of the Lunars driven mad in the Exile. Luna's Memory strives to ensure that this horror and folly is never repeated. Their leader, a Lunar from the last days before the Usurpation named Golim Kol, is now a Changing Moon- but he was a Half-Moon before his Caste was eradicated by the realms beyond Creation. He was instrumental in creating the sorcereries that would secure Lunars their shapes and castes against the Wyld's worst, and in persuading his brethern to allow themselves to be tattooed. He continues this practice to the modern day- Luna's Memory will never forget, and will not allow even one more Chimera. The Casteless who do not accept this face death, and the hope that their next incarnation will not be so foolish.
Over the centuries, Kol has built a formidable spy network, keeping a careful ear to the ground about possible new Exaltations- especially of the Casteless. His network consists of over a dozen gods; usually minor but valued servants and messangers. While he makes his residence in Gethamane, member of Luna's Memory can recognize one another by a tatoo of a circle, half white and half black, on their left shoulders.
The Starless Initates is a society of mixed castes, led by Dolphin. Shortly after Dolphin's Exaltation, he was approached by a Sidereal, with an offer to help bring back the glory of the First Age by preparing for the return of the Solars. Learning of the Sidereals, however, cause Dolphin to panic- he fled into the far reaches of the West, seeking the deepest reaches to hide in. Over the years, he has formed what amounts to a religion- a faith of freedom from determination, of the evils of the Fate-weavers, and of how to remain safe. In the depthes of the western oceans, there are no stars- and thus the Sidereals cannot control the Starless Initates.
Dolphin has close ties to several Fair Folk Nobles- closer than some of his fellow Lunars feel comfortable with. Although they admire the Fae's freedom from Destiny, they have also seen the burned out husks of their tribesmen before, and do not fully trust these allies.
Society ooo
You are part of a modestly large Society- there may be up to ten Lunars, with a roster of over fifty members. At this size, some organization and task delegation is neccesary to function as a group- and this creates the unenviable situation of anonymous tasking. On the other hand, youre supported much better than those without.
The Guardians of the Edge is a secret society that exists between the various barbarian tribes. Headed by Tepet Lonin (a sergant who Exalted during the Contagion, who helped repel the Fair Folk from the Realm's borders, and then fled to the Threshold), who publically claims neutrality and to not be a member of any Society. The Guardians of the Edge each wear an iron ring on their person somewhere- either ear, nose or finger. They have made it their mission to keep Creation safe from the Fair Folk.
Memembers are recruited from the barbarian tribes themselves- individuals of otherwise little note who agree to oppose the Wyld and it's mechanations and recieve quiet aid to positions of power and authority. Naturally, this angers many Lunars- although the Guardians may have a laudible purpose (this is hardly a given- many Lunars owe their lives to the Wyld and would be lost without it now), their meddling in tribal affairs is ill-recieved.
Deathwalkers are a segment of Lunars considered insane by most of those who know about them. These Lunars live most of the year in the Underworld, 'surfacing' to Creation only during a few rare rituals. They seek to cheat death by hiding in his own land. Despite the seeming insanity of this notion, it has worked so far- no member of the Deathwalkers has died in over 50 years. But a three way power struggle may soon tear the Society apart, between those who support the Deathlords (in particular, First and Forsaken Lion), those who support the Dual Monarchy and would see the Malfaen puppets cast into Oblivion, and those who want nothing to do with the politics of the living or the dead. Most of their aid comes from the shades of southern barbarians, following the Silver Lords in death as they did in life.
Society oooo
You are part of one of the larger Societies in Creation- up to fifteen Lunars, and a roster of over a hundred members. As such, you're rapidly becoming just another cog- a powerful, important, Exalted cog- but ultimately replaceable, if you prove to need replacing. Best serve the interests of the group, and rise to a position of safety. Despite this, there's something to be said for the strength of numbers.
The Thousand Fangs Army is Rakshi's personal military force. Occupying the Southeast with a brutal hand, almost nothing transpires in her jungles that she is not aware of. Any Lunar who Exalts in Rakshi's realm recieves her personal attention- they are too useful a potential ally to let escape, and too dangerous to allow as any enemy- the join her or perish. Having been alive since the First Age, Rakshi has had a long time to consider the direction Creation should move in. From the City of One Thousand Golden Delights, she has infiltrated almost every outpost of civilization in Creation, planting her agents like deadly seeds. Her knowledge is nearly peerless, and her alliance with the Silver Pact makes her a deadly foe to even consider facing.
The bulk of the Society's membership consists of Rakshi's children and grandchildren- her beastmen and Moon-Born. In addition, she has intimidated nearly every god and elemental within a thousand miles of her city into bending to her will. But, owing to her subtlty and remoteness, the Realm did not strike her down when they could have- and now, with the Empress missing, Rakshi feels that the time for planning has come to an end.
Tear Eaters are a legend and a terror, told to the newly Exalted as deadly fables, but in truth all too real. They are Lunars who can rightly be considered enemies of Creation- for whom the betrayl of the Usurpation has never healed. Three of the eight founders of the Tear Eaters are Casteless Lunars from the First Age- they have replaced those who fall to death or madness as they can, and each is expected to have trained a Lunar prodigy, ready to take their place in such an event. These are Lunars who actively aid the Wyld where and as they can- seducing barbarian tribes to the lure of easy strength that Power Questing represents, and the luxury of a world of dreams. They are sirins and locust eaters who would see the Realm dissolved into the same primordial soup that claimed their brothers and sisters in the Exile.
It is known that the Tear Eaters are strongest in the northeast, and that they oppose the Guardians rabidly. Most Lunars at least disagree with the Tear Eaters- although alliances with them are also frequent. Because of Wyld addicts, the Tear Eaters have an impressive and suprising array of resources in the civilized world- and a vast amount of person power. Concessions like helping a new Bordermarch grow, or allowing the Fae to ravage a village for their help with a larger war -seem well worth it at the time they are made.
Society ooooo
You are a part of one of the largest Societies in Creation, such as the Silver Pact. There are twenty or more full Lunars, and their full roster doubtlessly extends past two hundred. You will be cared for, and have a voice in matters- but you will also be expected to listen to and obey your elders, and whatever taboos they may lay upon you. Obdience is richly rewarded, however.
The Silver Pact is one of the oldest and most respected (if not loved) Societies of the Lunars. They claim to represent all Lunars, everywhere, and nearly have the sheer might to enforce this claim. Ten First Age Lunars call the ranks of the Silver Pact home, and they have over thirty active Pact-members.
On it's surface, the Silver Pact is innocent enough. It wants to destroy the Realm, to end the Wyld Hunt, and to minimize fratracide within the Lunars. They oppose the Fair Folk and the Deathlords as a threat to their lives, but are not rabid about crying for the head of Mask of Winters. They suspect the Sidereals of continued meddling, but do not concern themselves overmuch with the Star weavers. Beneath the surface, however, is a dark and conniving alliance- an alliance that seeks to plunge the whole of Creation into a state of raw, naked power and dominance, one that the Elders could control forever, to ensure their personal safety and security into the next Age.
One of the Elders, Ma-Ha-Suchi, was once a member of the Pact- but either left or was banished. Likewise Uka the Boar. Both now dwell in the East- north and directly -limiting the Pact's control in these regions. The whole of the South- from the West to the East -is the Pact's, however, as well as much of the North. The means to their goals are difficult to guess, and almost any action from or against them may have been taken into account and planned long ago.
Leviathan of Luthe is a person, not a society, per se. However, over the Age, he has mentored a collective extended 'family' of Lunars, and taught them to keep in contact and support one another. Most Western Lunars have at least met the Great Whale, and most freely offer their alliance to such an elder. This extended family results in stronger bonds, akin to those of a family, and helped to repel the Silver Pact's one attempt at staking the West as their next domain. Leviathan knows that he has only a few decades- maybe only years -left before the long ages of his life are finally spent, and is deliberating on to which of 'his' children to pass his authority and the responcibility of Luthe too.
