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Welcome to our Guilds, Orders and Factions page! Here, you will find all the information you need regarding the different groupings of character loyalty we have here on Aeipathy. While Houses, Heis, Gesins and Mahnheegs (all found in our Houses Registry) are the units of loyalty one might be born to, these groups are orders of people who have chosen to operate together or live by the same moral code. They are voluntary groups (usually) that your character can be a part of, if they wish and if they are eligible.
Guilds
Generally speaking, Guilds are rosters and legal groups that certain types of people must belong to in order to complete certain occupations. All seafarers, for example, must be a part of the Maritime Guild in order to declare their earnings and pay the right kind of tax. If they are not a part of the Maritime Guild, they are a pirate.
The Treasury and Merchant's Guild
The Merchants Guild is a system that must be signed up to by all business owners. It monitors the income of all traders and ensures that the correct taxes are being paid into the appropriate treasuries. Some traders, if their business involves multiple kingdoms or transporting goods overseas, will pay different taxes to different royal treasuries for the privilege. This is why the Merchant's Guild is an inter-kingdom guild and is organised and run by representatives from every realm and kingdom to ensure fairness across the known world.
The Maritime and Seafarer's Guild
The Maritime Guild is the organisation that monitors the use of the seas by anyone who transports goods, people or animals, builds ships or fishes in the waters around the realms. The Maritime Guild works closely with any sea-focused politicians in the realms (e.g. the Master of Sea in the Greek kingdoms) and is run by ambassadors from every kingdom, to ensure that the waters are not over-used or the sea-life over-fished.
Orders
Orders are groups that operate separate from the legal structure - they are not run by the government of their kingdom - but they operate within the legal structure of it. They might be a military group or a religious order; groups of people that often dedicate their life to a particular calling or moral code. They never break the laws of their native kingdom but they do hold laws and regulations of their own, not to mention hierarchies.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Athenian Guard
"By Athena's Grace"
A military group like no other, the Athenian Guard is a unit of soldiers sworn to the monarch, the city and each other. These men are tasked with the protection of the city they live and serve in whether that be manning the city walls in case of an attack or simply clearing the streets of drunkards after a rowdy night. They are the ones who keep the peace and ensure that all are secure under their protective vigil, day and night. The Athenian Guards are the chief policing force in the kingdom and in addition to running the city’s fylaki, it is not uncommon to see men from its ranks patrolling the street with their signature blue sashes that mark them as a member of this order.
Although the protection of the capital city is their chief priority, the Athenian Guard is especially noteworthy for their dedication to the crown and whoever wears it. They will protect the monarch at any cost but they will not involve themselves in the petty disputes between the Dynasteías as to who should be wearing it. After all, they are above the messy business of politics and are under the firm belief that it will bring nothing but chaos into their ranks. With that being said, noblemen are not required to forgo any titles in order to join the Guard’s ranks but they will be expected to remain silent of any family loyalties whilst on active duty. If they cannot do so, they will be sent home in disgrace.
Valuing a man’s talents over any other quality, the Athenian Guard only allows those of an adequate skill level into their active ranks. However, they allow any citizen of the city, noble-born or common, into its barracks and are one of the few units in Greece that spend years training new recruits until they reach said level of expertise. This high standard and dedication to filling their ranks with skilled fighters is what distinguishes them from other similar Orders and encourages a level of camaraderie between the men and respect between them and the people of the city. In exchange, though, all those within the unit are expected to dedicate their lives to their service and retiring from the guard is rare before the grip of old age.
Legacy
Realm
Greece
Kingdom
Athenia
Politics
The Athenian Guard works directly beneath the Commander of the Guard who takes his orders only from the King or the Royal Palace. They are therefore intrinsically linked with the monarchy of Athenia and the city in which they reside. The Athenian Guard operate as a peace keeping force within the city; a policing guard, and are not used for active combat unless the city itself is attacked. They have no political ambitions as they already hold the highest point of authority in the kingdom, supplying the royal palace with their general guards and the King and royal family's personal bodyguards. They are to the legal monarch of the kingdom and are not swayed by the bickering and political squabbles of the Houses.
Ideals
The crown above all else. The Gods shall decide; not man. Wisdom and strength work together. The Guard is one being, one heartbeat. Death is not our domain.
The origins of the Athenian Guard can be found several hundred years ago, back before Athenia was the shining gem that it is today. Back then the city was known as a dangerous place, especially at night where crime ruled the streets and people cowered in their homes. For years, it had been this way with tensions between the people and the nobility, who blamed each other for the crime, until the final straw came when one morning Nicon of Anagnostou, the eldest son of one of the King’s barons, was found dead in the street.
It was clear that his passing was not peaceful by any means. Shards of terra cotta were scattered on the ground surrounding him and were also found in the gaping wounds, indicating that someone had used a piece of pottery to attack him. (To this day, it is not known if this is what had caused his death.) However, the true horror came with what had happened throughout the night before had been found. The dogs and rats had found him and scavenged from the body. Other lowlifes of the city had stripped the corpse of anything valuable, including the coloured cloth that the man had been adorned with. It was also clear from dirt found on the body that several of these thieves had stepped on the corpse as they committed their crime. It was truly an undignified end for any man, let alone a respected member of the nobility and for once the whole city, from the noble ladies in the palaces to the fishermen on the docks, was in agreement.
Whoever had done this must be brought to justice.
The King himself offered a handsome reward for whoever found who was responsible. With the promise of gold shining in the eyes of desperate men, many flocked to the palace gates with every voice proclaiming that they knew who had done the terrible deed, but none could provide proof so the prize went unclaimed. The people, having grown frustrated by this development and all the attention on this man when their loved ones often met similar fates without any care by the city, began to hound the members of the Anagnostou family in public, demanding that they stop hoarding the reward money. It all came to a head when two siblings of a lesser branch, Lagos and Arisbe, were accosted while attempting to visit the market. After their identities were revealed, nearby patrons harassed them with one man going so far to grab Arisbe’s arm and pulled it roughly so that she may pay attention to him. Enraged, her older brother had pushed him away and quickly escorted her home, vowing that enough was enough.
That very evening, Lagos went to the king and demanded that a military unit be utilized to bring order to the chaotic city. The monarch believed this plan was a foolish one and that it would never work; that it would escalate crime to war, but Lagos was insistent on bringing about justice for his dead kin. After an hour, the king relented and allowed the man to bring his idea to fruition, just as long as Lagos was the one to organise it in its entirety. Being a captain for his home unit, The Crimson Blades, the man rose to the task and within a fortnight he was able to scrabble together a temporary unit of a few hundred men. Comprised of experienced soldiers, this unit came from many different corners of Athenia who were now all united in the common goal of bringing peace to the streets; even if it was only for one night.
As the sun set over the city, this new brigade was dispersed into the streets in small groups of heavily armored men all under the orders to put a stop to any deviance they came across. There was only one rule: they were not to kill anyone, regardless of crime committed. Drunkards were escorted to their homes, brawlers were incapacitated on the spot, and any thief to be found was immediately hauled to makeshift jails throughout the city to await punishment for their crime. When the dawn came the next morning, there were no reports of the usual crimes that had become commonplace throughout the night. Thanks to Lagos’s leadership, the city had been trouble free for the first time in living memory.
Commoner and Noble folk alike could breathe a sigh of relief as night after night this task force descended on the streets and went about their duty. Within a few weeks, the atmosphere of the whole city had changed. People felt safe once again when needing to leave their homes and the soldiers were welcomed, as well as honoured, at every turn. However, Lagos was quickly running into a problem that could very well bring this peaceful new Athenia crashing down around them; he didn’t have the supplies to carry on this venture indefinitely. The King's suspicions had led to the agreement that Lagos would be permitted to bring his soldiers to the capital for the experiment but that the treasury would not support him in his efforts. With no additional support, Lagos would, eventually, have to send his men home. He could only afford to feed, clothe, and shelter the men for a few weeks. Lagos went to the king for aid but the King refused to agree to a change of terms, despite the success of Lagos' efforts. It was clear that the monarch was one of the few men left in the city who was taking what the nobleman had done for granted and failed to understand that once the men left Athenia, the temporary peace they had brought would be taken with it.
One of those who could see the devastating effect the dwindling supplies would have was Lagos’s own sister Arisbe, who had easily recovered from her previous experience in the market. Not wanting to see her brother’s efforts be for nothing, the young girl called upon her close friend, Ianeira of Marikas, the King’s youngest daughter for help. During a court event, Arisbe was able to convince the princess to speak to her father and have him understand how dire the situation truly was. Remembering the horrible fate that Nicon - her intended at the time of his death - had met, Ianeira agreed.
How she managed to convince her father, no one knows for sure as the man was known to be cold-hearted and stubborn, but either way, Lagos was called back to the king’s council room within a few days’ time. There, the King finally agreed to fully support the project with funding from the crown, on the agreement that the guard remain fully loyal to the Monarch, whoever that may be, and the city, but to no one else. Every man who joined the force would have to take a blood oath in front of the gods with the understanding that any sort of ill-will sentiment towards either entity would be grounds for extreme punishment in both this life and the next. They must be ready at any moment to be called upon to protect the Crown and Capital without question. In exchange for this, the King promised full autonomy for the group and funding from the royal treasury, if they were successful at keeping the peace. These supplies would be guaranteed and only subject to the Senate reallocating them so that no paranoid leader could ever undermine them.
Finding these to be better terms than Lagos could have ever previously hoped for, he readily agreed and thus officially the Athenian Guard was born. With support from the crown, the group easily rose to become one of the most prestigious fighting groups within the country as a strict training period that was based on skill, not time served, ensured that the men were the best the city had to offer even though any man could partake in the glory that was this unit. This and the blood pact is how the Guard has been impervious to the follies of ambitious men throughout the years and how they continue to remain strong - even today.
Currently, the Athenia Guard work on rotation, protecting the city walls, the docklands and the Inner Circle, as well as organising patrols through the city day and night. They also supply the Royal Palace's guards which are maintained under a Captain who reports to the Commander of the Guard. These men have their own rotations and shifts that are appropriately matched to the royal they are protecting.
Joining the Order
Any trainees or initiatives that are interested in joining the Guard are required to move into the Guard's barracks, done a simplified version of the Guard's uniform and armour (but with a white sash instead of a blue one) and must perform the menial and maintenance tasks of the barracks. Every month, an Initiation Test day is help and all trainees currently living within the barracks have the choice of taking the exam. On this day they are required to beat in one-on-one combat, an existing member of the Guard. An unsuccessful participant is not rejected from the barracks but, instead, allowed to remain inside the Guard's home, continuing their menial tasks until the next testing day. They can continue to do this as many times as they like or need. There is a certain level of pride and fame in passing the Guard's Initiation Day first time. However, there is also a level of respect for a man determined to keep trying. A trainee who has failed many times might be met with ridicule and begrudging respect in equal measure. Once the initiate has passed their Testing Day, they offer their blood oath of loyalty to the Guard and become a fully-fledged member of the Guard, are factored into duty rotation and are permitted to live outside of the barracks. They must, however, live within the city.
Practices and Rituals
Initiation
All men are welcomed to join the ranks of the Athenian Guard, regardless of their social rank, but must be prepared to fully commit their lives to the order. New initiates move into the city’s barracks and live the life of a common soldier, completing the laborious menial tasks required by the unit. Some born to high classes can escape this if they're already an officer in a provincial military but even then their skills are put to the test in a monthly arena-style test. All initiatives, regardless of whether they have been so for a single day or ten years, are pitted against one of two highly-skilled soldiers (one noble, one common) selected by the Commander. If they are victorious in one-on-one combat, the recruit is welcomed into the Guard.
The Feast of Men and Kings
In honour of the agreement made between Guard and Crown to provide mutual support for one another, an annual feast is held within the Palace walls for the members of the nobility and fifty full members of the Guard. Hosted in early spring, the courtyard is trans-formed into three dining areas; the Guard, the Nobility, and one raised table reserved for the monarch and the Commander of the Guard. Paid for by the nobility (and primarily the Commander's family), this feast serves as a way to honour the soldiers’ dedication to keeping the peace in a way unexperienced by other military units. It is a great honour to be one of the fifty men selected to join the Commander during the Feast and some Guards become quite competitive for the chance to be chosen and mingle with the upper-classes.
Elections
It is also at the Feast of Men and Kings that the Commander of the Guard will name his deputy to serve by his side for the upcoming year. If the Commander should retire or be otherwise unfit for duty, the Deputy immediately becomes the new leader. However, simply being named Deputy is not enough to ensure that you will have the position. All active and retired Captains of the order must anonymously vote on the Commander's choice by drawing either a Circle or a Square, representing yes and no respectively, on a small piece of parchment which is placed upon the high table with the King and Captain. As these men are casting their votes, any member of the Guard is allowed to rise from their seat and speak on behalf of the nominee. Although is it frowned upon to speak against the man being voted on, no one is prevented from doing so. After all the votes have been cast and the decision is read, if the new deputy has been voted in on a majority rules basis, he is welcomed up to the raised table to sit beside the Captain for the remainder of the evening. A Deputy is nominated every year regardless of whether the position is currently filled. More often than not, the Deputy from the previous year is nominated and able to continue serving. It is rare for a Deputy to be removed from service through the Feast as, if they have failed in their duties in some grievous way, they would be removed from the position immediately and the Commander would fill the empty role at the next Feast.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Cypress Sisterhood
"Blessed be the Virgin"
The Sisterhood of Artemis is an order of women who swear their lives in the devotion of their preferred Goddess Artemis and to her teachings of how to live in subservient aid to the people of the world. Being a priestess of the Order is a lifelong commitment and requires full and total devotion of one's mind, body and life. These women vow to uphold the two sides/facets of the great Virgin Goddess: the Protector of Women and the Huntress. The first, they honour in their work as travelling midwives and healersl; the second in their skills in archery and hunting that make them self-sustaining on their journey and fearsome in defence of their faith. The key beliefs in the Order are that of modesty, humility, inner-strength and to live a life in service of mortal women that, in turn, honours Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt.
Women of this Sisterhood are easy to spot. Dressed always in the palest of whites to symbolise their purity and belted and girdled in gold in honour of the Goddess they so faithfully follow, the women of the Order take great care in their appearance believing that they are the living followers of Artemis herself and therefore should look as respectable and beautiful as said Goddess may have, were she to walk amongst the mortal world. This is not to say that the priestesses are vain or arrogant. But that they take pride in their roles as priestesses and are humble in their own self-worth and assured in the greatness of the divine being they follow. Initiates of the Order are garbed in white tunics, belted in bronze, and retire this kind of dress for the full chiton raiment of a fully-fledged priestess after they pass their initiation exams.
To become a priestess with the Order, one must complete training in both medical skill and in the art of hunting. On top of this, they must master the ideals, bylaws and manner of thought and being that all priestesses are held to. Once a part of the Order, they are considered with the same affection and love as a blooded relative and whilst there are some within the Order who were born of the same family, all priestesses are referred to as "Sister", barring the High-Priestess who is address by her full title. The bond of sisterhood within the Order is strong and any breaking of the Order's bylaws (such as through theft, misogyny, misrepresentation, sexual conduct or blasphemy) is seen as a horrendous insult to both the Order and the women themselves; a personal affront from a woman that was considered to be family. A woman who is seen to break such laws is excommunicated from the Order by the performance of "The Shunning" in which they are stripped of their title of Sister and Priestess and banned from any sacred ground devoted to Artemis - not just the White Temple itself.
The Order now stand as perhaps the most respected voices and executors of Artemis' Will in the known Grecian lands. They operate as midwives and healers but also as seekers of lost family members, recruiters for the Order and as the perveyors of a sanctuary (the White Temple) that is often sought and used by those that suffer at the hands of abusive partners or fathers. The Order consider themselves to be independent, courageous, devout and modest followers of the Goddess and live their lives in the full service of others: most particularly, women.
Legacy
Realm
Greece
Kingdom
Colchis
Politics
The Sisterhood is non-political and have no political ambitions. They do, however, work closely with the ruling families for donations and funding to keep the Temple and their Order sustained.
Ideals
Protect the sanctity of the goddess. Righteous kills are a path to humanity. Violence over the weak is never strength. Give your life in servitude of others.
The Cypress Sisterhood was founded in 920 BC after the wife of a healer had a dream that compelled her to find others of the skills she had learnt from her husband. As a woman of medical knowledge and practical skill but also a Grecian of great faith in the Olympians, this woman in question - who later took the name of Artemisa - had dream involving the Ceryneian Hind - the animal most sacred to Artemis - kissing the pregnant bellies of women. Such kisses seemed to offer protection and Artemisa took such a dream as a message from the Virgin Goddess herself. She was to create these Hinds. To offer protection towards the women of the world in their most weakened and dangerous state - that of pregnancy and labour. Enlisting her blooded sisters three, the four women set out to offer medical aid to just such women, initially working alongside the husbands and partners they had at the time. As their skills and abilities grew to beyond that of their menfolk - for who could understand the female body better than another woman - they were forced to choose between remaining domestically docile to their husbands or reaching further in their quest to honour the Goddess Artemis. They soon left to take their skills a traveling, finding others who might need their aid.
Whilst prenatal and labour care was the first calling of these women who would one day become the Cypress Sisterhood, it soon became apparent that four women living, eating and consuming resources of the small and poor families they intended to help was to make themselves a burden; even if the medical care they were administered was so desperately needed. They simply solved one issue of the family while creating another. As such, the women turned to Artemis once more. The Goddess had started them on their journey; surely she would, therefore, have the answer to how they could help without hindering. Looking to the second side of their Goddess - the huntress within - Artemisa and her sisters took up the bow and started to become self-sufficient. Able to hunt and cook their own food and able to sell the skins for coin that could pay for their board, suddenly they were now healers that offered only goodness and advantage. It is these ideals and behaviours that the women of the Order attempt to emanate to this day.
Women started to join the sisters. Some would be mothers who had lost their children and sought comfort in the following of Artemis. Others were servants, slaves or assistants or sought a better life. Some women came to the sisters in order to learn from them; their skills in midwifery and medical practices becoming a common source of talk amongst the Colchian provinces. In short, the band of four grew quickly into larger numbers. With larger numbers, the Sisterhood were able to spread out, to send small groups of women in different directions to help more people. Whilst this worked for the most part, instances where women would make the wrong medical decisions or would get into fights or archery contests led to issues in reputation for the Sisterhood. By giving these women liberation from their lives, husbands and roles in the world, they had made them over confident and, in some cases, arrogant. A small number of their group were not operating in the selfless manner of helping others that the four Elder Sisters had started the Order with. Organisation and bylaws needed to be put in place and soon a hierarchy was settled. After sending out messages to all of their calling and returning them to their birthplace - a spot in the Illythia hillsides - Artemisa and her sisters were shocked to find more women than they had even been aware of, return. Order was established. Artemisa took her chosen name and became the first leader of the group. The women who followed her set up into some sort of training system where knowledge and skill was passed down from those already capable. A basic infrastructure and organisation was established. Along with the bylaws of the Order that now hang in the White Temple: Honour the Goddess Every Day, Never Place Your Own Needs Over Others, Wisdom Is Greater Than Strength. Such beliefs are carried on to this day by the Order.
It wasn't until several decades later that the Sisterhood began calling themselves Priestesses, their leader the High-Priestess and their group a full religious Order. As time went on and devotion to the Goddess became a stronger influence in the group, and as medical knowledge progressed to the point of requiring years of training before a woman could be accepted as a full member of the Sisterhood; as the group became something one dedicated their entire life to - they were eventually established as a religious Order.
When a battle was waged to the south of Colchis by invading Athenian forces in 815 BC and the Crown Prince of Colchis mortally wounded on the battlefield, a traveling party of the Sisterhood were able to help - through their archery - turn the tide of the battle in question and - through their skills as physicians - save the life of the King's only son. In recognition of this great boon, the King ordered a new temple to be built in the foothills of Illythia. To honour the Sisterhood, he would give them their official status as an Order and give them a home. The White Temple became the centre of the Sisterhood's operations, the home of their Initiate training, the sanctuary of women who are fearful of their partners or fathers. Within its walls, only divine law and the law of the Order is respected. This is their home and where new Priestesses live and are educated every day.
Joining the Order
To become a Priestess, you can only do one of the two things. Either come to the temple and request an audience with the High-Priestess or be invited by a Priestess to join the Sisterhood. If you are requesting the audience of a High-Priestess, then you will need to explain your reasonings and intent on joining the Sisterhood. Knowledge of Artemis is not a requirement, though it is a benefit, but the High-Priestess will want to know more about the woman in question. This is more of an interview, so the High-Priestess could keep an eye on those who may not appeal to her – by no means would this disqualify an initiate. The training itself is what weeds out women from the process. Women who are brought in by Priestesses will go through the same questioning process, though it differs if Priestesses witness what is considered worthy to initiate. Upon reaching the temple, all initiated will go through something called ‘The Phase’. This is the beginning of an initiate’s training. The training will consist of tests of knowledge, resilience, prowess, trust, and skill. Midwifery and hunting will be a requirement in passing the Phase. Soon after completion, initiates will take part in the Praise of the Virgin Lady and the Cresence.
As Initiates become fully-fledged members of the Sisterhood, they take on a specialised preference. Whilst they are trained in all areas of being a priestess: being a devout follower within the temple walls (a Priestess), being a healer who travels throughout the lands (a Midwife) and being a skilled archer who seeks to unite families, offer the midwives extra defense or focus on Order recruitment (a Huntress); it is to one of these three particular paths that an Initiate must walk. After that, experience continues to be your tutor.
Roles and Titles
High Priestess YPSILÍ IERÍ
The High-Priestess is the teacher and is the connection to the goddess. She works more as a Prophet to the members of the Sisterhood, often asking guidance from the goddess to further the progress of the order.
Priestess LEREÍA
All Priestesses have been inducted into the sisterhood by completion of the Cresence. Priestesses do a lot of the groundwork outside of temple grounds, they go all over Greece spreading the word of the virgin lady taking in initiates as they come. Below are two different roles available for Priestesses.
Midwife MAÍES
Midwifery is skill taught to all Priestesses among the Sisterhood but those who wish to become Midwives are more specialised in this field of work. Often, Huntresses will accompany Midwives into the world; their knowledge of herbs and forestry able to be used for medicinal purposes. Midwives, primarily, take care of pregnant women, visiting throughout her entire pregnancy. Many nobles and royals call upon them for assistance during gestation and when the baby arrives.
Huntress KYNIGÓS
Hunting and archery are all skills most priestesses of the sisterhood have experience, but there are Priestesses who wish to specialize as Huntresses. The Huntresses are some of the best archers in Colchis. Although, primarily, their job is to accompany Midwives on their journeys, to complete seeking missions to unite family members and to assist in recruitment to the Order. These women are the ones most often away from the White Temple. They also like to take on the title of ‘Protectors of Women’, in other words the huntresses are trained combatants and know how to use their weapons but also walk the careful line of ensuring never to allow violence to break their Vows to the Order. They must walk the path of humble and selfless behaviour, whilst also being confident fighters.
Initiate
Initiates are women who have come to the White Temple in order to become a part of the Order and have been allowed to take on the training that will lead them to becoming a Priestess. They live, work and study within the Temple and they learn about medicine, archery, self defense and the morals and ideals of the Order. Initiates can be non-virginal upon joining but affirm their chastity when they become an Initiate. After this they must not engage in sexual thought, behaviour or conduct. Initiates can be women of all or any age. The privileges of an initiate are not the same as that of a sister, but she is capable of reaching most parts of the temple.
Practices and Rituals
ARTEMÍSIA GIFT OF ARTEMIS PILGRIMAGE TO ILLYTHIA
This the biggest and well received festival to date for members of the Sisterhood; it is a homecoming for all sisters under their banner. Artemísia was named after the Cypress Sisterhood’s first High-Priestess. This tradition is a pilgrimage of all priestesses of Artemis to return to the White Temple and worship the Virgin Lady, Artemis, renewing their connections to their foundation. Upon reaching Illythia, Priestesses must remove their garments and rejoice their goddess in nude. The High-Priestess will lead the song and the priestesses then join in. After two hours of vocal aspirations, the sisterhood would join in a great feast, and all scraps would be burned in fire to satisfy their goddess. This is also the time at which new recruits are brought to the Temple. Anyone picked up by a Priestess travels with them until the next Artemísia.
XYPNÍSTE APÓ TI SELÍNI WAKE OF THE MOON EVENING HYMN
The Wake of the Moon is an evening hymn all priestesses within the White Temple at the time will sing towards the rising of the moon. It is done every day, beginning at sun set and will finish once the moon is at its highest peak. The hymn is another form of respect and dedication shown to the goddess Artemis, though it has always been a good tool in disciplining the priestesses. All initiates learn the hymns and prayers during their early years and it is a test to see if they are capable of keeping up.
DOXÁSTE TI THEOTÓKO PRAISE THE VIRGIN LADY
This form of prayer is conducted at the foot of the Cypress tree that stands tall in the direct centre of the White Temple. It is conducted in the morning, as the moon sets. Generally, if this prayer lands prior to the crescence, towards the end of the prayer the High-Priestess will open the floor for Initiates to accept their vows as chaste Priestesses.
ÁFIXSI THE CRESCENCE
The crescence is an important ritual that secures the vows of initiate priestesses by bathing in water blessed by Artemis, doused in the lunar light of the crescent moon. Immediately after the water is touched by the Crescent Moon, a haze will form over the cool pool, protecting the nude form of the woman as she bathes. This signifies the initiate’s protection of her chastity and purity as a virgin, forever protected by the wrath of the Goddess if there was ever a soul to harm them. After the baths, new initiates will take part in a Hunt that is in the likeliness of their Goddess. Every initiate will be given a silver bow with a single arrow and are ushered into the wilderness of Illythia to only return with a stag. Upon success of the hunt, the new initiates feast on their kill.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Order of VasiliÁdon
"In the Name of the People"
These men are an elite and, more importantly, separate set of soldiers that are beholden to no crown, no prince, and no lord. They are a unique unit unto themselves and exist specifically to serve the city of Vasiliádon and its people. These men do not go to war abroad, nor do they leave their city to fight in someone else’s war. They are dedicated to service any and every need of the people. This includes, but is not limited to - policing and guarding the streets and docks, helping to put out fires, settling street brawls, and lending aid in times of crises. What they are also good at, and train nearly tirelessly for, is against invasion, specifically against the Creed.
While they do train in units, with shields and spears and swords, they also train to fight their most ghostly enemy - The Creed - and have been incorporating the guerrilla warfare tactics that the enemy uses. This means that the soldiers who swear allegiance to the Order of Vasiliádon gain unique and unseen fighting style than the rest of Greece uses. Since the Creed fight like ghosts, use throwing weapons like stars and knives, this means that the Order of Vasiliádon does as well.
Any and every man from any walk of life and station, even from any part of Greece, may join this Order. Everyone who joins starts out the same, whether they be Prince or beggar. All that a man needs to be able to join this order is an unwavering loyalty to Vasiliádon, a lion’s heart, and the willingness to lay down his life for that of one of his brothers. Because this Order is not beholden to the king, this means that if he calls upon them, they have the freedom not to take up his banner if they feel that his cause is not in the best interests of the people.
Thankfully, Taengea has been lucky that its kings are not usually tyrants and that the interests of both Order and crown are aligned. This means that, currently at least, the Order and the crown are of one accord, for two reasons. King Stephanos used to be part of the Order but had to step out of his role in the Order due to donning the crown. The king’s hatred of the Creed for assassinating both the old king and the crown prince aligns perfectly for the Order’s need for revenge. The Creed burned the Order House. Construction is underway to rebuild but the clear stab in the Order’s face is not easily forgotten. Neither is the Creed’s wanton violence against the noble and wealthy of Vasiliádon.
Legacy
Realm
Greece
Kingdom
Taengea
Politics
Not loyal to a crown or monarch but to the people of Taengea. However, going directly against the king or leader of the nation would throw the people into the middle of a civil war. Ergo, the Order works in alliance with the Taengean monarch more often than not - if they believe the task to be in the pursuit of justice and peace. They are not blindly loyal to the nobility, nor do they have political ambitions of their own.
Ideals
A blade is a tool for violence, the sword one of justice. The safety of the innocent is paramount. Stand against injustice, in all its forms.
The Order of Vasiliádon was started soon after the city itself came to be. Taengea was not always the prosperous, beautiful capital of the country. Before Taengea was unified by a single king, the city had its own army that would one day become known as The Order. Because there was no single king, the Order was dedicated specifically to guarding Vasiliádon. The first king of Taengea, a powerful general, invaded Vasiliádon and took it over as his capital city. The Order were defeated, but not decimated and when called upon by the new King Aganon to kneel and accept his absolute rule, they accepted surrender on one condition; that the king allow them to remain as city guardians and not dismantle them.
This he agreed to. After all, if they would recognize his right to kingship, and guard his city diligently, then he would be a fool to anger them and possibly cause a revolt. What the king did not understand was that these men were not ‘his soldiers’. They were a separate entity entirely. They existed peacefully for a few years before he called them up to battle against the nation of Colchis. The Order refused and the king ordered his guards to destroy both the Order house, and the Order leader; the Grand Master.
What King Aganon did not understand was that his guards were sons of Vasiliádon. They would no sooner strike the real hand that fed them than cut off their own feet. When these guards did not return to him, and instead joined the Order immediately, the king sent more guards, which only did the same. After his second attempt failed, the king himself went down to the Order house. The Grand Master, a man named Aeson of Vasiliádon came out to meet with the king. He explained that the deal the king had struck was being upheld on the Order’s end: the city’s crime was low, its people safe, and its port kept clear, but that the king would also abide by his agreement and not weaken the city by taking away its primary army.
Aganon - an old yet inexperienced monarch, used to battle and not politics - frothed in rage at being told what to do. He grabbed a javelin from one of the guards he’d brought with him and threw it straight into Aeson’s chest, killing him instantly. Chaos ensued. The king was also immediately assassinated in retaliation. The people of Vasiliádon took to the streets, both to mourn and protest the killing of their fearless Aeson and wanted to unseat the the king’s heir, who was but a youth of six years old at the time.
King Aganonson’s mother came onto the city steps and vowed that her son would not touch the Order, nor would this war with Colchis continue. They would send peace emissaries instead, and the Crown would make amends to the Order and never force their hand again. The new leader of the Order of Vasiliádon, Aeson’s own son, demanded that this promise from the Queen and her son, the new king, be sworn before the gods and the people and that it would be sealed in blood. When the Queen agreed, and the ritual was done, both the king’s son and Aeson’s son returned to their separate places and never once spoke to each other.
Aganonson died young but his son made the same pact with the Order. A blood oath not to force them outside of the interests of Vasiliádon. The oath became a tradition that spanned dynasties and is still carried on to this day. Though, through the generations, the kings have grown to respect the Order, and oftentimes have family in it as well. The sons of nobles come to join the Order, to become fierce warriors, and to guard Taengea’s capital and it’s people.
As the threat of war dimmed, the Order grew more altruistic in its pursuits. They are well loved by the people and there is a feast day dedicated in honour of them and their service. Not only are they soldiers, but most also have other skills, such as masonry and woodworking. They are blacksmiths and carpenters. The Order is the heart of the city and are as involved in its daily turnings as they are to protecting it.
Joining the Order
A man does not have to be born of the city limits, but he must prove himself a true citizen. The skills to be a soldier are taught by the Order, as their fighting style is extremely specific to their unit. What they do require, is for their soldiers to humble themselves to be servants. A man must spend time scrubbing the stones of the streets for the whole of the populace to see. He must assist in the building of homes or businesses, he must have a thorough knowledge, or at least gain it, of the lay of the land. This means that he joins patrols who go around the city to its surrounding fields and farms. This is done for at least half a year, until he knows every blade of grass and hidden place within forest and field. The men of the Order are not boastful, proud, arrogant drunkards. They are men of valour and men of loyalty.
They train daily with sword and shield, they train with javelin, and spear, and like all Taengeans, they are expert riders and are competent with a chariot. Beggars who do not bring their own sword earn it through service and proving their longevity. The nobles who join and already have armour and a sword are not required to give up their possessions but they are required to earn them back, after turning them into the Order house’s armoury.
Moving up the ranks of the order requires dedication and more than just the recommendation of peers. It requires time spent in the Order and is not limited to acts of bravery and courage.
Practices and Rituals
Initiation
Upon joining the Order, prior to beginning active service as a swordsman, a man will shave his head, bathe from head to toe and, while wearing the rough-spun garb of a servant, will perform his initiation duties, for half a year. During these six months, he is not allowed the company of a woman. Only once he proves himself both loyal, and a true man, and has grown back his hair as a sign of time spent in the service of his Initiation, may he then take his Sacred Vow and join the Order fully. This then allows him to live life as he normally would once more: wearing what he is accustomed to, being able to take a lover or once again sleep with his wife. Those of noble classes are permitted to only wear servants garb while performing such tasks on a regularly scheduled period of time each day/week. This is due to the Order recognising the nobleman's importance in his own House duties. However, lower born initiatives must live within the Order House and commit to their Initiation tasks permanently throughout the six months.
Coronations
When a new king sits upon the throne of Taengea, the leader of the Order gathers his brothers in arms, and meets the king at the temple of Zeus in Vasiliádon (the temple of the God most vigilant against oath-breakers). It is here that both King and Grand Master cut the palm of their hand and swear a blood oath to continue the separation and friendship that the two entities have maintained for the last several hundred years. The Grand Master of the Order swears to not lead a revolt against the King, so long as the King holds the city’s best interests in mind, and the King swears to respect the Order and not sacrifice the city or its people to greedy ambition, nor try to use the Order as his private army.
Order Day
At the beginning of the new year, the city usually holds a feast for the Order as a thank you to them for their service. This feast is a festival of sorts, where the story of Aeson and Aganon is reenacted, as well as people coming forward to thank the Order for various things that were done in the last year. The Order then takes it upon themselves to ask the people if they need their new initiates to help with odd jobs around town and men will come forward and sort of foster the new men in various trades. This ensures continuing relations between the people and the Order, though, with all new soldiers and old, training does come first, and this is understood by the people as well.
Factions
Factions are similar to Orders in the sense that they have hierarchies, rules, moral codes and obligations. The only difference is that they operate outside of the law. They are anarchy groups that deliberately fight against the status quo and current legal structure of a kingdom. They might be a military rebel group or some kind of cult.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Creed
"All Hail the Shade"
The Creed is a faction of rebels bent on simple revenge. While no-one has ever managed to establish their purpose or end goals, their manner and target of terrorism is clear - they hunt, attack and publicly disgrace the upper circles of Taengean nobility as effectively as they can.
The Drowned - as the individual followers of the Creed are known - are named such because people believe that they are dead souls who have never crossed the River Styx. The souls of ancient warriors made corporeal by Hades himself, the drowned fight and move with an almost unnatural speed and grace. Flexible, deadly and lethal fast in hand to hand combat, the Drowned favour projectiles and hidden blades over swords or more obvious weapons. While no member of the Creed is ever dressed the same, all share the singular aesthetic of wearing a hood and mask, comprised of fabric mummified around their heads. While some claim the material thin enough to see through, others rumour that the Drowned are blind and simply follow the path that Hades whispers to them...
Legacy
Realm
Realm
Kingdom
Egypt
Politics
The Creed have no open manifesto or clear objective in politics besides the desire to see the ruling classes of Taengea (particularly the House of Mikaelidas) fall into ruin.
Ideals
Unknown
Reputation
Terrifying, destructive, merciless, silent.
Current Members
Unknown
History
Forged many years ago in rebellion against the trading of mainland Taengean provinces in a peace settlement with Egypt, the Creed are Greek by blood and Egyptian by servitude. Refusing to bow, the original freedom fighters of the cult who stood against the Taengean nobility were famed across Greece for acts of arson and terror committed in the capital of Vasiliádon. After eight years of dangerous times, the Creed were ousted and their leader - the Shade - killed by soldiers of the city's esteemed Order. It has been nearly fifty years since a member of the Creed - known as the Drowned Ones have been seen on Taengean land...
Joining the Order
Whilst most believe that there must be some form of Initiation to the Creed, no-one knows any specifics, nor how the Creed recruit or take on new members; especially and no-one knows who the current members are.
The "Drowned" account is utilised by our Head Admin JD. Whilst all posts are actively posted by JD, they are not all written by her. Each character who is secretly a member of the Drowned sends any posts of them acting as a cultist to JD and they are posted through this account, thereby keeping the identity of who they are without the mask, hidden from everyone else.
Roles and Titles
The Shade
With an identity as obscured as any other in the Creed, the Shade is known only for his name and the fact that he is their leader. All other information is unknown. Rumour speculates that only The Shade knows the identity of the other members of the Faction - all other followers do not know one another beneath the masks.
Practices and Rituals
There are no known practices or rituals of the Creed. All that is known of them is that it appears entirely required to keep face and voice hidden as they operate in complete silence.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Sariqas
"Greed. Envy. Pride."
A band of forty strong, the Sariqas are a united force that sweep over kingdoms and realms without consideration for laws or boundaries. As an entirety, their sheer numbers have spun tales and stories of the Forty Thieves, whilst in truth they operate as small units, following their own leader - each of whom jostle for power to become the head of all - the Kabir'rayiys. There is an old arabic saying that there are three destructive forces to man and woman: that of Greed, of Envy and of Pride. The Sariqas embrace and fight with all three. A band of thieves who are after the loot and gold they can take from any town or village, they will occasionally take their own desires or people for slaves but generally they are more interested in the previous jewels and pieces of silver in one's purse than they are in spreading fear and brutality. If the latter helps them to achieve their shiny heart's desire however? Their morals do not extend that far...
The Sariqas originate from the middle east and lands afar but each group travels to many kingdoms and realms, picking up recruits and runaways as they go, making their bands eclectic in style, culture and temperament. The Sariqas are a law and kingdom onto themselves and are proud to be so, despite their ranks filled with the displaced and the discarded...
Legacy
Realm
Lands Afar
Kingdom
Unknown
Politics
The Sariqas follow the laws of no kingdom or realm. They operate as a law onto themselves and are especially disregarding of any laws particular to possession or ownership.
Ideals
The Sariqas hold great standing of pride and honour. But they also respect neither in regards to people outside of the group. They have their own mini-community and anyone outside of it is an enemy.
The history of the Sariqas is wide, diverse, and only partially true. With so many members of the group and so many encounters with those that have been assaulted or robbed by the party, tall tales are told to anyone who will listen. How the Sariqas once robbed every temple in the known land. How the Sariqas are actually a thousand men strong but only move in a group of forty at any one time. How the Sariqas spirits are entwined with the horses they ride across the desert sands... The stories of the power of the Sariqas - their speed and the way they can organise themselves in a full on assault of a village are the most true to be believed. Starting out as a simple band of thieves on the streets of a city in a land far away, the Sariqas have continued to grow and, instead of imploding on on themselves, they have developed a structure and hierarchy that builds their world stronger. Their use of this is what allows them to rob large areas and large numbers with a speed and skill that allows them escape before authorities even know what is happening. The fact that they never remain in one location also makes them difficult to track and capture. Especially in their more native lands, where the sand and wind sweeps away all traces of their presence...
Joining the Order
Joining the Sariqas is a tricky business. Either you are allowed in as a brother or you are beheaded on the spot. You can only be brought into the Sariqas by another member or by another member permitting it, and the head of whichever band/group the newcomer joins must be accepting of the addition. After this, the new Sariqas is considered a brother by the laws of the group. This does not always mean instant liking by those already a part of the faction. Sometimes it can take time for a member of the Sariqas - while technically accepted - to find a way to be trusted and prove their loyalty to their brotherhood.
Roles and Titles
Kabir'rayiys
The Leader of the Sariqas' forty strong force.
Tajmahi'rayiys
Known as the 'Tajhi' for short, the tajmahi'rayiys is the leader of a small group of the Sariqas thieves. Each group is run by its own leader or answers to the Kabir'rayiys. The groups can range in size from just four to over a dozen. Each group holds prestige based on how much they can loot, not how many join their group.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] Set's Tempest
"Chaos Breeds Profit"
Born from the beating heart of a showman given to no inclinations of conscience, the Tempest of Set is an entropic entity that seeks to further the machinations of the God of Chaos, Set. At the surface, it is a body of entertainment and spectacle, given to astonishing and amazing the crowds that pour their coin into its coffers. However, as one ventures deeper into the workings within, they find something altogether more… sinister. Within the Tempest of Set, hidden from the majority of the circus family, is a cult that worships its ringmaster, Amenemhat as the Set’s emissary.
Artists, merchants, whores and performers alike are attracted to the Tempest of Set, taken to the notoriety and built-in audience that could bring one to a level of fame impossible by one’s self. However, those who reach too high are closely watched, to be brought into the circus’ inner circle and not so easily let go, or relegated to obscurity as the ‘spotlight’ shines on other, more pliable performers.
Spectacle is the circus’ weapon and profit is its liberation, giving it agency to act of its own volition. The Tempest of Set is an anomaly, having spanned generations and expanded beyond the reaches of its current base in Alexandria. One of the pillars of awe and astonishment within Egypt, the circus seeks to broaden its horizons and ensnare more and more hearts in its web as it seeks to reach beyond the thousands it has leached profit from in the sands of Africa.
True to its name, the Tempest of Set brings chaos (whether joyful or miserable) everywhere it goes. For within chaos there is opportunity and with opportunity comes profit. In every performance, there is untapped potential to twist the minds of the audience, to astonish and impress. Spanning beyond its performances, the circus’ efforts to worship the God of Chaos, Set take many forms. Be it bedlam, panic, astonishment or enjoyment, the Tempest of Set intends to bring the truth that is chaos to the heart and mind of everyone it touches.
Legacy
Realm
Africa
Kingdom
Egypt
Politics
The circus bows only to one man. Neither king nor pharaoh can change the fact of this.. While it does not directly involve itself in politics, should the law get in their way, the circus would retaliate in kind. An entity unto itself, the circus is self-policing as to not catch unwanted attention from those within the government that would create complications.
Ideals
Hail to the chaos. There is method in the madness. Set's chaos is ours from which to seek benefit.
Created in 727BC by Amenhotep of Momborah, who found waning satisfaction at his life as a guardsman to the famed fortress prison. Amenhotep with his silver tongue and proclivity for entertainment amassed a following and gave birth to the Tempest of Set. After moving to Cairo he met the sirdar of Hei Haikaddad and secured enough funding to open the fledgling Circus of Cairo.
Managing to secure his funding for the idea of a circus, Amenhotep acquired a venue outside of Cairo, a small allotment of land with a meager tent as well as the allegiance of a family of acrobats. One to study and make use of the talents of others, Amenhotep quickly found traction in the evening entertainment business. Shows began sparse in number, from bi-weekly, to nightly, and within the first few years of the formation of his grand idea… the circus needed to expand. Performers grew tired and needed their time off, and so… Amenhotep hired on more. The numbers grew and grew, his first auditions held in 721BC.
Amenhotep moved his family out of Cairo as the idea of expanding truly took root. While the family of acrobats he’d first enlisted refused to travel, the idea stuck with the next generation. Amenhotep began, for the first time, seeing the free will of his performers acting as a detriment to his expansion. The ambitious man became overwhelmed by his greed, by the single-minded dedication to his dream. By 718BC, Amenhotep’s eldest acrobats were no longer performing. He enlisted them as instructors, and began to carefully select and groom slaves to act as performers.
The circus, after nearly 10 years of operation, still had no formal name of its own. As the only business of its kind locally, it was merely known as the Circus of Cairo by locals. But, as they traveled and similar businesses were seen… both jealousy and a need to stick out made it apparent that Amenhotep required a niche. He reveled in the idea of chaos, in the machinations that turned the nebulous into the defined. Amenhotep of Momborah decided to dedicate his circus to Set, and in that worship, found the appeal increase dramatically.
Zealous worshippers of the pantheon’s most ambitious God came to Amenhotep, wanting partnerships with this new entity that seemed to align with their interests. The roster of performers grew wider still, the acrobatic slaves complemented by beast tamers. By 712BC, business had expanded so widely that the circus had a defined tour that took them along the length of the Nile. Greater and greater the circus clout grew that ancillary business partnerships were forged. By 707BC, 20 years after the founding of the great circus, the dubbed Tempest of Set took root. Whores, acrobats, beasts, and the Tempestuous Clique formed from decades of experience and cultivation. Confident in his achievement, Amenhotep began to let his son, Somgi take more and more control of the business.
It was clear to Amenhotep that his heir was not his match in intelligence or skill. He did his utmost to ingrain the knowledge he could, serving in an advisory capacity and as overseer in 694BC until his death in 691BC.
For a full decade, Somgi of Cairo ran the circus to mediocre success. The acrobats, well groomed, continued to flourish under his command, but it was the prostitutes that he truly assembled. From just a couple of whores per night picked from the streets of whichever city was visited to an ensemble of beautiful women plucked from slavery or captured abroad were acquired by Somgi.
However, what acumen the man possessed seemed to diminish with his growing complacency. Satisfied with whores and the clout he was afforded, Somgi neglected and abused his own family in the process. Resentment festered within his son and daughter, and as the circus fell into disrepair it seemed apparent that something needed to be done.
Amenemhat of Alexandria, heir to the Tempest of Set and named after his grandfather quickly gained favour throughout the circus, affirming the loyalty of acrobats that threatened to revolt. In addition, he sought to resolve whispers among the help of poor treatment of slaves that were overburdened and given less and less food. While these concerns never culminated in a true uprising due to Nem’s intervention, he kept the imminent implosion in his thoughts as he orchestrated his father’s demise.The relationships between business partners suffered as well. It wasn’t until the toppling of a regime and Amenemhat’s grab for power. In 677BC, the failing fortunes of the Tempest of Set seemed to return to the status quo.
Having heard stories and read the notes left behind by his namesake, Amenhotep, Amenemhat’s rise to power was met with a return to norm for the Tempest of Set. As the circus recoups its once massive wealth and prestige, Amenemhat looks to a future where his grandfather’s teachings are reinforced again, from a younger age, to a younger generation of slaves and misfits that would claim his word as the gospel to be followed.
A Night at the Circus
Two hours before sunset, the circus grounds stirs to life. The tent is assembled, the cages are moved and the performers begin rehearsing. The grounds are cleaned and slaves under the supervision of an overseer are sent to the city or province where the circus is situated. As slaves cry out the circus’ advertisements, patrons continue on with their day until darkness looms over the horizon.
As the time grows closer to sunset, patrons purchase their tickets and the grounds are made available as more and more tickets are sold. Merchant booths have been set up, and commerce begins, from the serving of refreshments to the presentations of wares by whomever has purchased the opportunity to do so for the evening. The interior of the tent begins to show signs of life, with the roaring of the large cats to the footfalls of performers as they get into costume for the first performance of the night.
Once the sky turns dark, the lanterns all across the circus grounds are lit and patrons are asked to join the performers in the tent. The first and most important show of the circus, The Tempest of Set, begins. The finest of the finest in the circus are brought to perform, synchronized efforts from all of the members of the Clique, the beast tamers, musicians and support staff are combined in tandem to create a marvel of illusion and wonderment unmatched within the realm of Africa.
As the Tempest of Set winds down, patrons are encouraged to wander the grounds as the next shows are readied. The rest of the performers busk and seek to delight the patrons as commerce continues, the cycle of the circus continuing through the night until the majority of the guests retire to their homes to sleep.
Joining the Faction
Recruitment in the Tempest of Set is very simple. Either the ringmaster or any of his overseers directly bring an aspiring member of the circus, or a member can be purchased as a slave and uplifted into a proper role within the circus. There are additional extraneous circumstances that directly involve the ringmaster that could bring a member into the fold. To join the cult hidden inside the circus, you must show great loyalty to The Tempest of Set and its people. Only then would you receive an invitation and be invited to the secrets that lie within.
Roles and Titles
Ringmaster (1/1)
Facilitator of circus venues and funds. Administrator over majority of circus affairs, interior and exterior. The face of the Tempest of Set, this role is of key importance in securing the future of the circus and ensuring it runs smoothly. Occupied by Amenemhat of Alexandria, this role is jealously guarded and passed on only by blood inheritance.
Overseer (1/4)
Acting as the enforcers of the ringmaster’s will, this position is limited strictly to those who have seen the secrets buried within the Tempest of Set. Overseers are expected to act on the ringmaster’s behalf in petty disputes as well as monitor potential threats, domestic or foreign to the Tempest of Set. In addition to the listed secondary responsibilities, overseers are given a primary role in which they are given a great deal of liberty to work without direct supervision from the ringmaster, from recruitment to discipline to different aspects of the circus' finances.
Clique Acrobat (0/8)
Famed throughout Egypt as the predominant attraction of the Tempest of Set, the clique acrobats are a group of contortionists, daredevils and acrobats that act as the centerpiece to the circus’ spectacle performances. Clique acrobats are hand-selected by the ringmaster and in some cases groomed and raised within the Tempest of Set itself from a young age. To be a member of the Clique is the ambition of many and the primary motivation for such performers to join the circus of their own volition.
Acrobats (0/12)
While not as predominantly featured, skilled or well-regarded as the Clique, the other acrobats within the Tempest of Set are formidable entertainers in their own rights. These performers act as stand-ins for Clique performers, brought in for additional performances after the Tempest of Set show itself, and act as buskers on the circus grounds.
Beast Tamer (1/3)
Responsible for breeding, maintaining, training and performing with the beasts kept by the Tempest of Set, this diverse array of performers bring an additional level of awe to the circus. In addition to their duties as performers, they aid the circus’ bottom line by shearing pelts, extracting venom, selling excess offspring and putting animals past their prime out of their misery.
Performer (1/10)
Any performer that is not a part of the other roles within the circus. This can be, but is not limited to, fortune tellers, bards, jugglers, and 'freaks'.
Ancillary Staff (0/20)
Additional staff within the Tempest of Set that do not directly participate in performances or act in a supervisory capacity. This includes (but is not limited to): slaves, ticket collectors, and healers. Whilst not the main attraction of the circus on the surface, such people are unique in their abilities to go mostly anywhere in the circus without being noticed. Plots, gossip and power in the form of information is just waiting for the taking by characters that can claim power, if not the spotlight.
Practices and Rituals
Opiate Indoctrination
Sometimes, when a slave or child is brought into the circus, they will be renamed and given new purpose within the circus. Often, their adolescence will be riddled with forcible consumption of opiates to render the mind more pliant to influence and direct control by the ringmaster and his overseers. Over a period of years, this practice no longer becomes necessary at the ringmaster’s discretion, once he has determined that the property in question is well within the line of obedience.
Animal Sacrifice
As any Gods-fearing Egyptian organization does and should, the Tempest of Set participates in sacrifice in order to properly adulate the Gods that rule over the nation of Egypt. Ranging anywhere to the rituals of Ra to due sacrifice to the circus’ patron God, Set, these are varied and tailored to the particular situation and festivity in question. Often, animals will be bred for the specific intent of being sacrificed upon reaching maturity.
Funerary Practices
When a ‘family member’ of the circus suffers a ‘terrible tragedy’, the Tempest of Set takes it upon itself to ensure that their burial and passage to the afterlife is an appropriate one. Members of the circus in good standing are given the honour of being buried within a tomb located underground near the city of Alexandria. Members in poor standing with the circus are cremated, buried unceremoniously or disposed of secretly depending on the nature of their indiscretion.
JD
Staff Team
JD
Staff Team
This post was created by our staff team.
Please contact us with your queries and questions.
Welcome to our Guilds, Orders and Factions page! Here, you will find all the information you need regarding the different groupings of character loyalty we have here on Aeipathy. While Houses, Heis, Gesins and Mahnheegs (all found in our Houses Registry) are the units of loyalty one might be born to, these groups are orders of people who have chosen to operate together or live by the same moral code. They are voluntary groups (usually) that your character can be a part of, if they wish and if they are eligible.
Guilds
Generally speaking, Guilds are rosters and legal groups that certain types of people must belong to in order to complete certain occupations. All seafarers, for example, must be a part of the Maritime Guild in order to declare their earnings and pay the right kind of tax. If they are not a part of the Maritime Guild, they are a pirate.
The Treasury and Merchant's Guild
The Merchants Guild is a system that must be signed up to by all business owners. It monitors the income of all traders and ensures that the correct taxes are being paid into the appropriate treasuries. Some traders, if their business involves multiple kingdoms or transporting goods overseas, will pay different taxes to different royal treasuries for the privilege. This is why the Merchant's Guild is an inter-kingdom guild and is organised and run by representatives from every realm and kingdom to ensure fairness across the known world.
The Maritime and Seafarer's Guild
The Maritime Guild is the organisation that monitors the use of the seas by anyone who transports goods, people or animals, builds ships or fishes in the waters around the realms. The Maritime Guild works closely with any sea-focused politicians in the realms (e.g. the Master of Sea in the Greek kingdoms) and is run by ambassadors from every kingdom, to ensure that the waters are not over-used or the sea-life over-fished.
Orders
Orders are groups that operate separate from the legal structure - they are not run by the government of their kingdom - but they operate within the legal structure of it. They might be a military group or a religious order; groups of people that often dedicate their life to a particular calling or moral code. They never break the laws of their native kingdom but they do hold laws and regulations of their own, not to mention hierarchies.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Athenian Guard
"By Athena's Grace"
A military group like no other, the Athenian Guard is a unit of soldiers sworn to the monarch, the city and each other. These men are tasked with the protection of the city they live and serve in whether that be manning the city walls in case of an attack or simply clearing the streets of drunkards after a rowdy night. They are the ones who keep the peace and ensure that all are secure under their protective vigil, day and night. The Athenian Guards are the chief policing force in the kingdom and in addition to running the city’s fylaki, it is not uncommon to see men from its ranks patrolling the street with their signature blue sashes that mark them as a member of this order.
Although the protection of the capital city is their chief priority, the Athenian Guard is especially noteworthy for their dedication to the crown and whoever wears it. They will protect the monarch at any cost but they will not involve themselves in the petty disputes between the Dynasteías as to who should be wearing it. After all, they are above the messy business of politics and are under the firm belief that it will bring nothing but chaos into their ranks. With that being said, noblemen are not required to forgo any titles in order to join the Guard’s ranks but they will be expected to remain silent of any family loyalties whilst on active duty. If they cannot do so, they will be sent home in disgrace.
Valuing a man’s talents over any other quality, the Athenian Guard only allows those of an adequate skill level into their active ranks. However, they allow any citizen of the city, noble-born or common, into its barracks and are one of the few units in Greece that spend years training new recruits until they reach said level of expertise. This high standard and dedication to filling their ranks with skilled fighters is what distinguishes them from other similar Orders and encourages a level of camaraderie between the men and respect between them and the people of the city. In exchange, though, all those within the unit are expected to dedicate their lives to their service and retiring from the guard is rare before the grip of old age.
Legacy
Realm
Greece
Kingdom
Athenia
Politics
The Athenian Guard works directly beneath the Commander of the Guard who takes his orders only from the King or the Royal Palace. They are therefore intrinsically linked with the monarchy of Athenia and the city in which they reside. The Athenian Guard operate as a peace keeping force within the city; a policing guard, and are not used for active combat unless the city itself is attacked. They have no political ambitions as they already hold the highest point of authority in the kingdom, supplying the royal palace with their general guards and the King and royal family's personal bodyguards. They are to the legal monarch of the kingdom and are not swayed by the bickering and political squabbles of the Houses.
Ideals
The crown above all else. The Gods shall decide; not man. Wisdom and strength work together. The Guard is one being, one heartbeat. Death is not our domain.
The origins of the Athenian Guard can be found several hundred years ago, back before Athenia was the shining gem that it is today. Back then the city was known as a dangerous place, especially at night where crime ruled the streets and people cowered in their homes. For years, it had been this way with tensions between the people and the nobility, who blamed each other for the crime, until the final straw came when one morning Nicon of Anagnostou, the eldest son of one of the King’s barons, was found dead in the street.
It was clear that his passing was not peaceful by any means. Shards of terra cotta were scattered on the ground surrounding him and were also found in the gaping wounds, indicating that someone had used a piece of pottery to attack him. (To this day, it is not known if this is what had caused his death.) However, the true horror came with what had happened throughout the night before had been found. The dogs and rats had found him and scavenged from the body. Other lowlifes of the city had stripped the corpse of anything valuable, including the coloured cloth that the man had been adorned with. It was also clear from dirt found on the body that several of these thieves had stepped on the corpse as they committed their crime. It was truly an undignified end for any man, let alone a respected member of the nobility and for once the whole city, from the noble ladies in the palaces to the fishermen on the docks, was in agreement.
Whoever had done this must be brought to justice.
The King himself offered a handsome reward for whoever found who was responsible. With the promise of gold shining in the eyes of desperate men, many flocked to the palace gates with every voice proclaiming that they knew who had done the terrible deed, but none could provide proof so the prize went unclaimed. The people, having grown frustrated by this development and all the attention on this man when their loved ones often met similar fates without any care by the city, began to hound the members of the Anagnostou family in public, demanding that they stop hoarding the reward money. It all came to a head when two siblings of a lesser branch, Lagos and Arisbe, were accosted while attempting to visit the market. After their identities were revealed, nearby patrons harassed them with one man going so far to grab Arisbe’s arm and pulled it roughly so that she may pay attention to him. Enraged, her older brother had pushed him away and quickly escorted her home, vowing that enough was enough.
That very evening, Lagos went to the king and demanded that a military unit be utilized to bring order to the chaotic city. The monarch believed this plan was a foolish one and that it would never work; that it would escalate crime to war, but Lagos was insistent on bringing about justice for his dead kin. After an hour, the king relented and allowed the man to bring his idea to fruition, just as long as Lagos was the one to organise it in its entirety. Being a captain for his home unit, The Crimson Blades, the man rose to the task and within a fortnight he was able to scrabble together a temporary unit of a few hundred men. Comprised of experienced soldiers, this unit came from many different corners of Athenia who were now all united in the common goal of bringing peace to the streets; even if it was only for one night.
As the sun set over the city, this new brigade was dispersed into the streets in small groups of heavily armored men all under the orders to put a stop to any deviance they came across. There was only one rule: they were not to kill anyone, regardless of crime committed. Drunkards were escorted to their homes, brawlers were incapacitated on the spot, and any thief to be found was immediately hauled to makeshift jails throughout the city to await punishment for their crime. When the dawn came the next morning, there were no reports of the usual crimes that had become commonplace throughout the night. Thanks to Lagos’s leadership, the city had been trouble free for the first time in living memory.
Commoner and Noble folk alike could breathe a sigh of relief as night after night this task force descended on the streets and went about their duty. Within a few weeks, the atmosphere of the whole city had changed. People felt safe once again when needing to leave their homes and the soldiers were welcomed, as well as honoured, at every turn. However, Lagos was quickly running into a problem that could very well bring this peaceful new Athenia crashing down around them; he didn’t have the supplies to carry on this venture indefinitely. The King's suspicions had led to the agreement that Lagos would be permitted to bring his soldiers to the capital for the experiment but that the treasury would not support him in his efforts. With no additional support, Lagos would, eventually, have to send his men home. He could only afford to feed, clothe, and shelter the men for a few weeks. Lagos went to the king for aid but the King refused to agree to a change of terms, despite the success of Lagos' efforts. It was clear that the monarch was one of the few men left in the city who was taking what the nobleman had done for granted and failed to understand that once the men left Athenia, the temporary peace they had brought would be taken with it.
One of those who could see the devastating effect the dwindling supplies would have was Lagos’s own sister Arisbe, who had easily recovered from her previous experience in the market. Not wanting to see her brother’s efforts be for nothing, the young girl called upon her close friend, Ianeira of Marikas, the King’s youngest daughter for help. During a court event, Arisbe was able to convince the princess to speak to her father and have him understand how dire the situation truly was. Remembering the horrible fate that Nicon - her intended at the time of his death - had met, Ianeira agreed.
How she managed to convince her father, no one knows for sure as the man was known to be cold-hearted and stubborn, but either way, Lagos was called back to the king’s council room within a few days’ time. There, the King finally agreed to fully support the project with funding from the crown, on the agreement that the guard remain fully loyal to the Monarch, whoever that may be, and the city, but to no one else. Every man who joined the force would have to take a blood oath in front of the gods with the understanding that any sort of ill-will sentiment towards either entity would be grounds for extreme punishment in both this life and the next. They must be ready at any moment to be called upon to protect the Crown and Capital without question. In exchange for this, the King promised full autonomy for the group and funding from the royal treasury, if they were successful at keeping the peace. These supplies would be guaranteed and only subject to the Senate reallocating them so that no paranoid leader could ever undermine them.
Finding these to be better terms than Lagos could have ever previously hoped for, he readily agreed and thus officially the Athenian Guard was born. With support from the crown, the group easily rose to become one of the most prestigious fighting groups within the country as a strict training period that was based on skill, not time served, ensured that the men were the best the city had to offer even though any man could partake in the glory that was this unit. This and the blood pact is how the Guard has been impervious to the follies of ambitious men throughout the years and how they continue to remain strong - even today.
Currently, the Athenia Guard work on rotation, protecting the city walls, the docklands and the Inner Circle, as well as organising patrols through the city day and night. They also supply the Royal Palace's guards which are maintained under a Captain who reports to the Commander of the Guard. These men have their own rotations and shifts that are appropriately matched to the royal they are protecting.
Joining the Order
Any trainees or initiatives that are interested in joining the Guard are required to move into the Guard's barracks, done a simplified version of the Guard's uniform and armour (but with a white sash instead of a blue one) and must perform the menial and maintenance tasks of the barracks. Every month, an Initiation Test day is help and all trainees currently living within the barracks have the choice of taking the exam. On this day they are required to beat in one-on-one combat, an existing member of the Guard. An unsuccessful participant is not rejected from the barracks but, instead, allowed to remain inside the Guard's home, continuing their menial tasks until the next testing day. They can continue to do this as many times as they like or need. There is a certain level of pride and fame in passing the Guard's Initiation Day first time. However, there is also a level of respect for a man determined to keep trying. A trainee who has failed many times might be met with ridicule and begrudging respect in equal measure. Once the initiate has passed their Testing Day, they offer their blood oath of loyalty to the Guard and become a fully-fledged member of the Guard, are factored into duty rotation and are permitted to live outside of the barracks. They must, however, live within the city.
Practices and Rituals
Initiation
All men are welcomed to join the ranks of the Athenian Guard, regardless of their social rank, but must be prepared to fully commit their lives to the order. New initiates move into the city’s barracks and live the life of a common soldier, completing the laborious menial tasks required by the unit. Some born to high classes can escape this if they're already an officer in a provincial military but even then their skills are put to the test in a monthly arena-style test. All initiatives, regardless of whether they have been so for a single day or ten years, are pitted against one of two highly-skilled soldiers (one noble, one common) selected by the Commander. If they are victorious in one-on-one combat, the recruit is welcomed into the Guard.
The Feast of Men and Kings
In honour of the agreement made between Guard and Crown to provide mutual support for one another, an annual feast is held within the Palace walls for the members of the nobility and fifty full members of the Guard. Hosted in early spring, the courtyard is trans-formed into three dining areas; the Guard, the Nobility, and one raised table reserved for the monarch and the Commander of the Guard. Paid for by the nobility (and primarily the Commander's family), this feast serves as a way to honour the soldiers’ dedication to keeping the peace in a way unexperienced by other military units. It is a great honour to be one of the fifty men selected to join the Commander during the Feast and some Guards become quite competitive for the chance to be chosen and mingle with the upper-classes.
Elections
It is also at the Feast of Men and Kings that the Commander of the Guard will name his deputy to serve by his side for the upcoming year. If the Commander should retire or be otherwise unfit for duty, the Deputy immediately becomes the new leader. However, simply being named Deputy is not enough to ensure that you will have the position. All active and retired Captains of the order must anonymously vote on the Commander's choice by drawing either a Circle or a Square, representing yes and no respectively, on a small piece of parchment which is placed upon the high table with the King and Captain. As these men are casting their votes, any member of the Guard is allowed to rise from their seat and speak on behalf of the nominee. Although is it frowned upon to speak against the man being voted on, no one is prevented from doing so. After all the votes have been cast and the decision is read, if the new deputy has been voted in on a majority rules basis, he is welcomed up to the raised table to sit beside the Captain for the remainder of the evening. A Deputy is nominated every year regardless of whether the position is currently filled. More often than not, the Deputy from the previous year is nominated and able to continue serving. It is rare for a Deputy to be removed from service through the Feast as, if they have failed in their duties in some grievous way, they would be removed from the position immediately and the Commander would fill the empty role at the next Feast.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Cypress Sisterhood
"Blessed be the Virgin"
The Sisterhood of Artemis is an order of women who swear their lives in the devotion of their preferred Goddess Artemis and to her teachings of how to live in subservient aid to the people of the world. Being a priestess of the Order is a lifelong commitment and requires full and total devotion of one's mind, body and life. These women vow to uphold the two sides/facets of the great Virgin Goddess: the Protector of Women and the Huntress. The first, they honour in their work as travelling midwives and healersl; the second in their skills in archery and hunting that make them self-sustaining on their journey and fearsome in defence of their faith. The key beliefs in the Order are that of modesty, humility, inner-strength and to live a life in service of mortal women that, in turn, honours Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt.
Women of this Sisterhood are easy to spot. Dressed always in the palest of whites to symbolise their purity and belted and girdled in gold in honour of the Goddess they so faithfully follow, the women of the Order take great care in their appearance believing that they are the living followers of Artemis herself and therefore should look as respectable and beautiful as said Goddess may have, were she to walk amongst the mortal world. This is not to say that the priestesses are vain or arrogant. But that they take pride in their roles as priestesses and are humble in their own self-worth and assured in the greatness of the divine being they follow. Initiates of the Order are garbed in white tunics, belted in bronze, and retire this kind of dress for the full chiton raiment of a fully-fledged priestess after they pass their initiation exams.
To become a priestess with the Order, one must complete training in both medical skill and in the art of hunting. On top of this, they must master the ideals, bylaws and manner of thought and being that all priestesses are held to. Once a part of the Order, they are considered with the same affection and love as a blooded relative and whilst there are some within the Order who were born of the same family, all priestesses are referred to as "Sister", barring the High-Priestess who is address by her full title. The bond of sisterhood within the Order is strong and any breaking of the Order's bylaws (such as through theft, misogyny, misrepresentation, sexual conduct or blasphemy) is seen as a horrendous insult to both the Order and the women themselves; a personal affront from a woman that was considered to be family. A woman who is seen to break such laws is excommunicated from the Order by the performance of "The Shunning" in which they are stripped of their title of Sister and Priestess and banned from any sacred ground devoted to Artemis - not just the White Temple itself.
The Order now stand as perhaps the most respected voices and executors of Artemis' Will in the known Grecian lands. They operate as midwives and healers but also as seekers of lost family members, recruiters for the Order and as the perveyors of a sanctuary (the White Temple) that is often sought and used by those that suffer at the hands of abusive partners or fathers. The Order consider themselves to be independent, courageous, devout and modest followers of the Goddess and live their lives in the full service of others: most particularly, women.
Legacy
Realm
Greece
Kingdom
Colchis
Politics
The Sisterhood is non-political and have no political ambitions. They do, however, work closely with the ruling families for donations and funding to keep the Temple and their Order sustained.
Ideals
Protect the sanctity of the goddess. Righteous kills are a path to humanity. Violence over the weak is never strength. Give your life in servitude of others.
The Cypress Sisterhood was founded in 920 BC after the wife of a healer had a dream that compelled her to find others of the skills she had learnt from her husband. As a woman of medical knowledge and practical skill but also a Grecian of great faith in the Olympians, this woman in question - who later took the name of Artemisa - had dream involving the Ceryneian Hind - the animal most sacred to Artemis - kissing the pregnant bellies of women. Such kisses seemed to offer protection and Artemisa took such a dream as a message from the Virgin Goddess herself. She was to create these Hinds. To offer protection towards the women of the world in their most weakened and dangerous state - that of pregnancy and labour. Enlisting her blooded sisters three, the four women set out to offer medical aid to just such women, initially working alongside the husbands and partners they had at the time. As their skills and abilities grew to beyond that of their menfolk - for who could understand the female body better than another woman - they were forced to choose between remaining domestically docile to their husbands or reaching further in their quest to honour the Goddess Artemis. They soon left to take their skills a traveling, finding others who might need their aid.
Whilst prenatal and labour care was the first calling of these women who would one day become the Cypress Sisterhood, it soon became apparent that four women living, eating and consuming resources of the small and poor families they intended to help was to make themselves a burden; even if the medical care they were administered was so desperately needed. They simply solved one issue of the family while creating another. As such, the women turned to Artemis once more. The Goddess had started them on their journey; surely she would, therefore, have the answer to how they could help without hindering. Looking to the second side of their Goddess - the huntress within - Artemisa and her sisters took up the bow and started to become self-sufficient. Able to hunt and cook their own food and able to sell the skins for coin that could pay for their board, suddenly they were now healers that offered only goodness and advantage. It is these ideals and behaviours that the women of the Order attempt to emanate to this day.
Women started to join the sisters. Some would be mothers who had lost their children and sought comfort in the following of Artemis. Others were servants, slaves or assistants or sought a better life. Some women came to the sisters in order to learn from them; their skills in midwifery and medical practices becoming a common source of talk amongst the Colchian provinces. In short, the band of four grew quickly into larger numbers. With larger numbers, the Sisterhood were able to spread out, to send small groups of women in different directions to help more people. Whilst this worked for the most part, instances where women would make the wrong medical decisions or would get into fights or archery contests led to issues in reputation for the Sisterhood. By giving these women liberation from their lives, husbands and roles in the world, they had made them over confident and, in some cases, arrogant. A small number of their group were not operating in the selfless manner of helping others that the four Elder Sisters had started the Order with. Organisation and bylaws needed to be put in place and soon a hierarchy was settled. After sending out messages to all of their calling and returning them to their birthplace - a spot in the Illythia hillsides - Artemisa and her sisters were shocked to find more women than they had even been aware of, return. Order was established. Artemisa took her chosen name and became the first leader of the group. The women who followed her set up into some sort of training system where knowledge and skill was passed down from those already capable. A basic infrastructure and organisation was established. Along with the bylaws of the Order that now hang in the White Temple: Honour the Goddess Every Day, Never Place Your Own Needs Over Others, Wisdom Is Greater Than Strength. Such beliefs are carried on to this day by the Order.
It wasn't until several decades later that the Sisterhood began calling themselves Priestesses, their leader the High-Priestess and their group a full religious Order. As time went on and devotion to the Goddess became a stronger influence in the group, and as medical knowledge progressed to the point of requiring years of training before a woman could be accepted as a full member of the Sisterhood; as the group became something one dedicated their entire life to - they were eventually established as a religious Order.
When a battle was waged to the south of Colchis by invading Athenian forces in 815 BC and the Crown Prince of Colchis mortally wounded on the battlefield, a traveling party of the Sisterhood were able to help - through their archery - turn the tide of the battle in question and - through their skills as physicians - save the life of the King's only son. In recognition of this great boon, the King ordered a new temple to be built in the foothills of Illythia. To honour the Sisterhood, he would give them their official status as an Order and give them a home. The White Temple became the centre of the Sisterhood's operations, the home of their Initiate training, the sanctuary of women who are fearful of their partners or fathers. Within its walls, only divine law and the law of the Order is respected. This is their home and where new Priestesses live and are educated every day.
Joining the Order
To become a Priestess, you can only do one of the two things. Either come to the temple and request an audience with the High-Priestess or be invited by a Priestess to join the Sisterhood. If you are requesting the audience of a High-Priestess, then you will need to explain your reasonings and intent on joining the Sisterhood. Knowledge of Artemis is not a requirement, though it is a benefit, but the High-Priestess will want to know more about the woman in question. This is more of an interview, so the High-Priestess could keep an eye on those who may not appeal to her – by no means would this disqualify an initiate. The training itself is what weeds out women from the process. Women who are brought in by Priestesses will go through the same questioning process, though it differs if Priestesses witness what is considered worthy to initiate. Upon reaching the temple, all initiated will go through something called ‘The Phase’. This is the beginning of an initiate’s training. The training will consist of tests of knowledge, resilience, prowess, trust, and skill. Midwifery and hunting will be a requirement in passing the Phase. Soon after completion, initiates will take part in the Praise of the Virgin Lady and the Cresence.
As Initiates become fully-fledged members of the Sisterhood, they take on a specialised preference. Whilst they are trained in all areas of being a priestess: being a devout follower within the temple walls (a Priestess), being a healer who travels throughout the lands (a Midwife) and being a skilled archer who seeks to unite families, offer the midwives extra defense or focus on Order recruitment (a Huntress); it is to one of these three particular paths that an Initiate must walk. After that, experience continues to be your tutor.
Roles and Titles
High Priestess YPSILÍ IERÍ
The High-Priestess is the teacher and is the connection to the goddess. She works more as a Prophet to the members of the Sisterhood, often asking guidance from the goddess to further the progress of the order.
Priestess LEREÍA
All Priestesses have been inducted into the sisterhood by completion of the Cresence. Priestesses do a lot of the groundwork outside of temple grounds, they go all over Greece spreading the word of the virgin lady taking in initiates as they come. Below are two different roles available for Priestesses.
Midwife MAÍES
Midwifery is skill taught to all Priestesses among the Sisterhood but those who wish to become Midwives are more specialised in this field of work. Often, Huntresses will accompany Midwives into the world; their knowledge of herbs and forestry able to be used for medicinal purposes. Midwives, primarily, take care of pregnant women, visiting throughout her entire pregnancy. Many nobles and royals call upon them for assistance during gestation and when the baby arrives.
Huntress KYNIGÓS
Hunting and archery are all skills most priestesses of the sisterhood have experience, but there are Priestesses who wish to specialize as Huntresses. The Huntresses are some of the best archers in Colchis. Although, primarily, their job is to accompany Midwives on their journeys, to complete seeking missions to unite family members and to assist in recruitment to the Order. These women are the ones most often away from the White Temple. They also like to take on the title of ‘Protectors of Women’, in other words the huntresses are trained combatants and know how to use their weapons but also walk the careful line of ensuring never to allow violence to break their Vows to the Order. They must walk the path of humble and selfless behaviour, whilst also being confident fighters.
Initiate
Initiates are women who have come to the White Temple in order to become a part of the Order and have been allowed to take on the training that will lead them to becoming a Priestess. They live, work and study within the Temple and they learn about medicine, archery, self defense and the morals and ideals of the Order. Initiates can be non-virginal upon joining but affirm their chastity when they become an Initiate. After this they must not engage in sexual thought, behaviour or conduct. Initiates can be women of all or any age. The privileges of an initiate are not the same as that of a sister, but she is capable of reaching most parts of the temple.
Practices and Rituals
ARTEMÍSIA GIFT OF ARTEMIS PILGRIMAGE TO ILLYTHIA
This the biggest and well received festival to date for members of the Sisterhood; it is a homecoming for all sisters under their banner. Artemísia was named after the Cypress Sisterhood’s first High-Priestess. This tradition is a pilgrimage of all priestesses of Artemis to return to the White Temple and worship the Virgin Lady, Artemis, renewing their connections to their foundation. Upon reaching Illythia, Priestesses must remove their garments and rejoice their goddess in nude. The High-Priestess will lead the song and the priestesses then join in. After two hours of vocal aspirations, the sisterhood would join in a great feast, and all scraps would be burned in fire to satisfy their goddess. This is also the time at which new recruits are brought to the Temple. Anyone picked up by a Priestess travels with them until the next Artemísia.
XYPNÍSTE APÓ TI SELÍNI WAKE OF THE MOON EVENING HYMN
The Wake of the Moon is an evening hymn all priestesses within the White Temple at the time will sing towards the rising of the moon. It is done every day, beginning at sun set and will finish once the moon is at its highest peak. The hymn is another form of respect and dedication shown to the goddess Artemis, though it has always been a good tool in disciplining the priestesses. All initiates learn the hymns and prayers during their early years and it is a test to see if they are capable of keeping up.
DOXÁSTE TI THEOTÓKO PRAISE THE VIRGIN LADY
This form of prayer is conducted at the foot of the Cypress tree that stands tall in the direct centre of the White Temple. It is conducted in the morning, as the moon sets. Generally, if this prayer lands prior to the crescence, towards the end of the prayer the High-Priestess will open the floor for Initiates to accept their vows as chaste Priestesses.
ÁFIXSI THE CRESCENCE
The crescence is an important ritual that secures the vows of initiate priestesses by bathing in water blessed by Artemis, doused in the lunar light of the crescent moon. Immediately after the water is touched by the Crescent Moon, a haze will form over the cool pool, protecting the nude form of the woman as she bathes. This signifies the initiate’s protection of her chastity and purity as a virgin, forever protected by the wrath of the Goddess if there was ever a soul to harm them. After the baths, new initiates will take part in a Hunt that is in the likeliness of their Goddess. Every initiate will be given a silver bow with a single arrow and are ushered into the wilderness of Illythia to only return with a stag. Upon success of the hunt, the new initiates feast on their kill.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Order of VasiliÁdon
"In the Name of the People"
These men are an elite and, more importantly, separate set of soldiers that are beholden to no crown, no prince, and no lord. They are a unique unit unto themselves and exist specifically to serve the city of Vasiliádon and its people. These men do not go to war abroad, nor do they leave their city to fight in someone else’s war. They are dedicated to service any and every need of the people. This includes, but is not limited to - policing and guarding the streets and docks, helping to put out fires, settling street brawls, and lending aid in times of crises. What they are also good at, and train nearly tirelessly for, is against invasion, specifically against the Creed.
While they do train in units, with shields and spears and swords, they also train to fight their most ghostly enemy - The Creed - and have been incorporating the guerrilla warfare tactics that the enemy uses. This means that the soldiers who swear allegiance to the Order of Vasiliádon gain unique and unseen fighting style than the rest of Greece uses. Since the Creed fight like ghosts, use throwing weapons like stars and knives, this means that the Order of Vasiliádon does as well.
Any and every man from any walk of life and station, even from any part of Greece, may join this Order. Everyone who joins starts out the same, whether they be Prince or beggar. All that a man needs to be able to join this order is an unwavering loyalty to Vasiliádon, a lion’s heart, and the willingness to lay down his life for that of one of his brothers. Because this Order is not beholden to the king, this means that if he calls upon them, they have the freedom not to take up his banner if they feel that his cause is not in the best interests of the people.
Thankfully, Taengea has been lucky that its kings are not usually tyrants and that the interests of both Order and crown are aligned. This means that, currently at least, the Order and the crown are of one accord, for two reasons. King Stephanos used to be part of the Order but had to step out of his role in the Order due to donning the crown. The king’s hatred of the Creed for assassinating both the old king and the crown prince aligns perfectly for the Order’s need for revenge. The Creed burned the Order House. Construction is underway to rebuild but the clear stab in the Order’s face is not easily forgotten. Neither is the Creed’s wanton violence against the noble and wealthy of Vasiliádon.
Legacy
Realm
Greece
Kingdom
Taengea
Politics
Not loyal to a crown or monarch but to the people of Taengea. However, going directly against the king or leader of the nation would throw the people into the middle of a civil war. Ergo, the Order works in alliance with the Taengean monarch more often than not - if they believe the task to be in the pursuit of justice and peace. They are not blindly loyal to the nobility, nor do they have political ambitions of their own.
Ideals
A blade is a tool for violence, the sword one of justice. The safety of the innocent is paramount. Stand against injustice, in all its forms.
The Order of Vasiliádon was started soon after the city itself came to be. Taengea was not always the prosperous, beautiful capital of the country. Before Taengea was unified by a single king, the city had its own army that would one day become known as The Order. Because there was no single king, the Order was dedicated specifically to guarding Vasiliádon. The first king of Taengea, a powerful general, invaded Vasiliádon and took it over as his capital city. The Order were defeated, but not decimated and when called upon by the new King Aganon to kneel and accept his absolute rule, they accepted surrender on one condition; that the king allow them to remain as city guardians and not dismantle them.
This he agreed to. After all, if they would recognize his right to kingship, and guard his city diligently, then he would be a fool to anger them and possibly cause a revolt. What the king did not understand was that these men were not ‘his soldiers’. They were a separate entity entirely. They existed peacefully for a few years before he called them up to battle against the nation of Colchis. The Order refused and the king ordered his guards to destroy both the Order house, and the Order leader; the Grand Master.
What King Aganon did not understand was that his guards were sons of Vasiliádon. They would no sooner strike the real hand that fed them than cut off their own feet. When these guards did not return to him, and instead joined the Order immediately, the king sent more guards, which only did the same. After his second attempt failed, the king himself went down to the Order house. The Grand Master, a man named Aeson of Vasiliádon came out to meet with the king. He explained that the deal the king had struck was being upheld on the Order’s end: the city’s crime was low, its people safe, and its port kept clear, but that the king would also abide by his agreement and not weaken the city by taking away its primary army.
Aganon - an old yet inexperienced monarch, used to battle and not politics - frothed in rage at being told what to do. He grabbed a javelin from one of the guards he’d brought with him and threw it straight into Aeson’s chest, killing him instantly. Chaos ensued. The king was also immediately assassinated in retaliation. The people of Vasiliádon took to the streets, both to mourn and protest the killing of their fearless Aeson and wanted to unseat the the king’s heir, who was but a youth of six years old at the time.
King Aganonson’s mother came onto the city steps and vowed that her son would not touch the Order, nor would this war with Colchis continue. They would send peace emissaries instead, and the Crown would make amends to the Order and never force their hand again. The new leader of the Order of Vasiliádon, Aeson’s own son, demanded that this promise from the Queen and her son, the new king, be sworn before the gods and the people and that it would be sealed in blood. When the Queen agreed, and the ritual was done, both the king’s son and Aeson’s son returned to their separate places and never once spoke to each other.
Aganonson died young but his son made the same pact with the Order. A blood oath not to force them outside of the interests of Vasiliádon. The oath became a tradition that spanned dynasties and is still carried on to this day. Though, through the generations, the kings have grown to respect the Order, and oftentimes have family in it as well. The sons of nobles come to join the Order, to become fierce warriors, and to guard Taengea’s capital and it’s people.
As the threat of war dimmed, the Order grew more altruistic in its pursuits. They are well loved by the people and there is a feast day dedicated in honour of them and their service. Not only are they soldiers, but most also have other skills, such as masonry and woodworking. They are blacksmiths and carpenters. The Order is the heart of the city and are as involved in its daily turnings as they are to protecting it.
Joining the Order
A man does not have to be born of the city limits, but he must prove himself a true citizen. The skills to be a soldier are taught by the Order, as their fighting style is extremely specific to their unit. What they do require, is for their soldiers to humble themselves to be servants. A man must spend time scrubbing the stones of the streets for the whole of the populace to see. He must assist in the building of homes or businesses, he must have a thorough knowledge, or at least gain it, of the lay of the land. This means that he joins patrols who go around the city to its surrounding fields and farms. This is done for at least half a year, until he knows every blade of grass and hidden place within forest and field. The men of the Order are not boastful, proud, arrogant drunkards. They are men of valour and men of loyalty.
They train daily with sword and shield, they train with javelin, and spear, and like all Taengeans, they are expert riders and are competent with a chariot. Beggars who do not bring their own sword earn it through service and proving their longevity. The nobles who join and already have armour and a sword are not required to give up their possessions but they are required to earn them back, after turning them into the Order house’s armoury.
Moving up the ranks of the order requires dedication and more than just the recommendation of peers. It requires time spent in the Order and is not limited to acts of bravery and courage.
Practices and Rituals
Initiation
Upon joining the Order, prior to beginning active service as a swordsman, a man will shave his head, bathe from head to toe and, while wearing the rough-spun garb of a servant, will perform his initiation duties, for half a year. During these six months, he is not allowed the company of a woman. Only once he proves himself both loyal, and a true man, and has grown back his hair as a sign of time spent in the service of his Initiation, may he then take his Sacred Vow and join the Order fully. This then allows him to live life as he normally would once more: wearing what he is accustomed to, being able to take a lover or once again sleep with his wife. Those of noble classes are permitted to only wear servants garb while performing such tasks on a regularly scheduled period of time each day/week. This is due to the Order recognising the nobleman's importance in his own House duties. However, lower born initiatives must live within the Order House and commit to their Initiation tasks permanently throughout the six months.
Coronations
When a new king sits upon the throne of Taengea, the leader of the Order gathers his brothers in arms, and meets the king at the temple of Zeus in Vasiliádon (the temple of the God most vigilant against oath-breakers). It is here that both King and Grand Master cut the palm of their hand and swear a blood oath to continue the separation and friendship that the two entities have maintained for the last several hundred years. The Grand Master of the Order swears to not lead a revolt against the King, so long as the King holds the city’s best interests in mind, and the King swears to respect the Order and not sacrifice the city or its people to greedy ambition, nor try to use the Order as his private army.
Order Day
At the beginning of the new year, the city usually holds a feast for the Order as a thank you to them for their service. This feast is a festival of sorts, where the story of Aeson and Aganon is reenacted, as well as people coming forward to thank the Order for various things that were done in the last year. The Order then takes it upon themselves to ask the people if they need their new initiates to help with odd jobs around town and men will come forward and sort of foster the new men in various trades. This ensures continuing relations between the people and the Order, though, with all new soldiers and old, training does come first, and this is understood by the people as well.
Factions
Factions are similar to Orders in the sense that they have hierarchies, rules, moral codes and obligations. The only difference is that they operate outside of the law. They are anarchy groups that deliberately fight against the status quo and current legal structure of a kingdom. They might be a military rebel group or some kind of cult.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Creed
"All Hail the Shade"
The Creed is a faction of rebels bent on simple revenge. While no-one has ever managed to establish their purpose or end goals, their manner and target of terrorism is clear - they hunt, attack and publicly disgrace the upper circles of Taengean nobility as effectively as they can.
The Drowned - as the individual followers of the Creed are known - are named such because people believe that they are dead souls who have never crossed the River Styx. The souls of ancient warriors made corporeal by Hades himself, the drowned fight and move with an almost unnatural speed and grace. Flexible, deadly and lethal fast in hand to hand combat, the Drowned favour projectiles and hidden blades over swords or more obvious weapons. While no member of the Creed is ever dressed the same, all share the singular aesthetic of wearing a hood and mask, comprised of fabric mummified around their heads. While some claim the material thin enough to see through, others rumour that the Drowned are blind and simply follow the path that Hades whispers to them...
Legacy
Realm
Realm
Kingdom
Egypt
Politics
The Creed have no open manifesto or clear objective in politics besides the desire to see the ruling classes of Taengea (particularly the House of Mikaelidas) fall into ruin.
Ideals
Unknown
Reputation
Terrifying, destructive, merciless, silent.
Current Members
Unknown
History
Forged many years ago in rebellion against the trading of mainland Taengean provinces in a peace settlement with Egypt, the Creed are Greek by blood and Egyptian by servitude. Refusing to bow, the original freedom fighters of the cult who stood against the Taengean nobility were famed across Greece for acts of arson and terror committed in the capital of Vasiliádon. After eight years of dangerous times, the Creed were ousted and their leader - the Shade - killed by soldiers of the city's esteemed Order. It has been nearly fifty years since a member of the Creed - known as the Drowned Ones have been seen on Taengean land...
Joining the Order
Whilst most believe that there must be some form of Initiation to the Creed, no-one knows any specifics, nor how the Creed recruit or take on new members; especially and no-one knows who the current members are.
The "Drowned" account is utilised by our Head Admin JD. Whilst all posts are actively posted by JD, they are not all written by her. Each character who is secretly a member of the Drowned sends any posts of them acting as a cultist to JD and they are posted through this account, thereby keeping the identity of who they are without the mask, hidden from everyone else.
Roles and Titles
The Shade
With an identity as obscured as any other in the Creed, the Shade is known only for his name and the fact that he is their leader. All other information is unknown. Rumour speculates that only The Shade knows the identity of the other members of the Faction - all other followers do not know one another beneath the masks.
Practices and Rituals
There are no known practices or rituals of the Creed. All that is known of them is that it appears entirely required to keep face and voice hidden as they operate in complete silence.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Sariqas
"Greed. Envy. Pride."
A band of forty strong, the Sariqas are a united force that sweep over kingdoms and realms without consideration for laws or boundaries. As an entirety, their sheer numbers have spun tales and stories of the Forty Thieves, whilst in truth they operate as small units, following their own leader - each of whom jostle for power to become the head of all - the Kabir'rayiys. There is an old arabic saying that there are three destructive forces to man and woman: that of Greed, of Envy and of Pride. The Sariqas embrace and fight with all three. A band of thieves who are after the loot and gold they can take from any town or village, they will occasionally take their own desires or people for slaves but generally they are more interested in the previous jewels and pieces of silver in one's purse than they are in spreading fear and brutality. If the latter helps them to achieve their shiny heart's desire however? Their morals do not extend that far...
The Sariqas originate from the middle east and lands afar but each group travels to many kingdoms and realms, picking up recruits and runaways as they go, making their bands eclectic in style, culture and temperament. The Sariqas are a law and kingdom onto themselves and are proud to be so, despite their ranks filled with the displaced and the discarded...
Legacy
Realm
Lands Afar
Kingdom
Unknown
Politics
The Sariqas follow the laws of no kingdom or realm. They operate as a law onto themselves and are especially disregarding of any laws particular to possession or ownership.
Ideals
The Sariqas hold great standing of pride and honour. But they also respect neither in regards to people outside of the group. They have their own mini-community and anyone outside of it is an enemy.
The history of the Sariqas is wide, diverse, and only partially true. With so many members of the group and so many encounters with those that have been assaulted or robbed by the party, tall tales are told to anyone who will listen. How the Sariqas once robbed every temple in the known land. How the Sariqas are actually a thousand men strong but only move in a group of forty at any one time. How the Sariqas spirits are entwined with the horses they ride across the desert sands... The stories of the power of the Sariqas - their speed and the way they can organise themselves in a full on assault of a village are the most true to be believed. Starting out as a simple band of thieves on the streets of a city in a land far away, the Sariqas have continued to grow and, instead of imploding on on themselves, they have developed a structure and hierarchy that builds their world stronger. Their use of this is what allows them to rob large areas and large numbers with a speed and skill that allows them escape before authorities even know what is happening. The fact that they never remain in one location also makes them difficult to track and capture. Especially in their more native lands, where the sand and wind sweeps away all traces of their presence...
Joining the Order
Joining the Sariqas is a tricky business. Either you are allowed in as a brother or you are beheaded on the spot. You can only be brought into the Sariqas by another member or by another member permitting it, and the head of whichever band/group the newcomer joins must be accepting of the addition. After this, the new Sariqas is considered a brother by the laws of the group. This does not always mean instant liking by those already a part of the faction. Sometimes it can take time for a member of the Sariqas - while technically accepted - to find a way to be trusted and prove their loyalty to their brotherhood.
Roles and Titles
Kabir'rayiys
The Leader of the Sariqas' forty strong force.
Tajmahi'rayiys
Known as the 'Tajhi' for short, the tajmahi'rayiys is the leader of a small group of the Sariqas thieves. Each group is run by its own leader or answers to the Kabir'rayiys. The groups can range in size from just four to over a dozen. Each group holds prestige based on how much they can loot, not how many join their group.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] Set's Tempest
"Chaos Breeds Profit"
Born from the beating heart of a showman given to no inclinations of conscience, the Tempest of Set is an entropic entity that seeks to further the machinations of the God of Chaos, Set. At the surface, it is a body of entertainment and spectacle, given to astonishing and amazing the crowds that pour their coin into its coffers. However, as one ventures deeper into the workings within, they find something altogether more… sinister. Within the Tempest of Set, hidden from the majority of the circus family, is a cult that worships its ringmaster, Amenemhat as the Set’s emissary.
Artists, merchants, whores and performers alike are attracted to the Tempest of Set, taken to the notoriety and built-in audience that could bring one to a level of fame impossible by one’s self. However, those who reach too high are closely watched, to be brought into the circus’ inner circle and not so easily let go, or relegated to obscurity as the ‘spotlight’ shines on other, more pliable performers.
Spectacle is the circus’ weapon and profit is its liberation, giving it agency to act of its own volition. The Tempest of Set is an anomaly, having spanned generations and expanded beyond the reaches of its current base in Alexandria. One of the pillars of awe and astonishment within Egypt, the circus seeks to broaden its horizons and ensnare more and more hearts in its web as it seeks to reach beyond the thousands it has leached profit from in the sands of Africa.
True to its name, the Tempest of Set brings chaos (whether joyful or miserable) everywhere it goes. For within chaos there is opportunity and with opportunity comes profit. In every performance, there is untapped potential to twist the minds of the audience, to astonish and impress. Spanning beyond its performances, the circus’ efforts to worship the God of Chaos, Set take many forms. Be it bedlam, panic, astonishment or enjoyment, the Tempest of Set intends to bring the truth that is chaos to the heart and mind of everyone it touches.
Legacy
Realm
Africa
Kingdom
Egypt
Politics
The circus bows only to one man. Neither king nor pharaoh can change the fact of this.. While it does not directly involve itself in politics, should the law get in their way, the circus would retaliate in kind. An entity unto itself, the circus is self-policing as to not catch unwanted attention from those within the government that would create complications.
Ideals
Hail to the chaos. There is method in the madness. Set's chaos is ours from which to seek benefit.
Created in 727BC by Amenhotep of Momborah, who found waning satisfaction at his life as a guardsman to the famed fortress prison. Amenhotep with his silver tongue and proclivity for entertainment amassed a following and gave birth to the Tempest of Set. After moving to Cairo he met the sirdar of Hei Haikaddad and secured enough funding to open the fledgling Circus of Cairo.
Managing to secure his funding for the idea of a circus, Amenhotep acquired a venue outside of Cairo, a small allotment of land with a meager tent as well as the allegiance of a family of acrobats. One to study and make use of the talents of others, Amenhotep quickly found traction in the evening entertainment business. Shows began sparse in number, from bi-weekly, to nightly, and within the first few years of the formation of his grand idea… the circus needed to expand. Performers grew tired and needed their time off, and so… Amenhotep hired on more. The numbers grew and grew, his first auditions held in 721BC.
Amenhotep moved his family out of Cairo as the idea of expanding truly took root. While the family of acrobats he’d first enlisted refused to travel, the idea stuck with the next generation. Amenhotep began, for the first time, seeing the free will of his performers acting as a detriment to his expansion. The ambitious man became overwhelmed by his greed, by the single-minded dedication to his dream. By 718BC, Amenhotep’s eldest acrobats were no longer performing. He enlisted them as instructors, and began to carefully select and groom slaves to act as performers.
The circus, after nearly 10 years of operation, still had no formal name of its own. As the only business of its kind locally, it was merely known as the Circus of Cairo by locals. But, as they traveled and similar businesses were seen… both jealousy and a need to stick out made it apparent that Amenhotep required a niche. He reveled in the idea of chaos, in the machinations that turned the nebulous into the defined. Amenhotep of Momborah decided to dedicate his circus to Set, and in that worship, found the appeal increase dramatically.
Zealous worshippers of the pantheon’s most ambitious God came to Amenhotep, wanting partnerships with this new entity that seemed to align with their interests. The roster of performers grew wider still, the acrobatic slaves complemented by beast tamers. By 712BC, business had expanded so widely that the circus had a defined tour that took them along the length of the Nile. Greater and greater the circus clout grew that ancillary business partnerships were forged. By 707BC, 20 years after the founding of the great circus, the dubbed Tempest of Set took root. Whores, acrobats, beasts, and the Tempestuous Clique formed from decades of experience and cultivation. Confident in his achievement, Amenhotep began to let his son, Somgi take more and more control of the business.
It was clear to Amenhotep that his heir was not his match in intelligence or skill. He did his utmost to ingrain the knowledge he could, serving in an advisory capacity and as overseer in 694BC until his death in 691BC.
For a full decade, Somgi of Cairo ran the circus to mediocre success. The acrobats, well groomed, continued to flourish under his command, but it was the prostitutes that he truly assembled. From just a couple of whores per night picked from the streets of whichever city was visited to an ensemble of beautiful women plucked from slavery or captured abroad were acquired by Somgi.
However, what acumen the man possessed seemed to diminish with his growing complacency. Satisfied with whores and the clout he was afforded, Somgi neglected and abused his own family in the process. Resentment festered within his son and daughter, and as the circus fell into disrepair it seemed apparent that something needed to be done.
Amenemhat of Alexandria, heir to the Tempest of Set and named after his grandfather quickly gained favour throughout the circus, affirming the loyalty of acrobats that threatened to revolt. In addition, he sought to resolve whispers among the help of poor treatment of slaves that were overburdened and given less and less food. While these concerns never culminated in a true uprising due to Nem’s intervention, he kept the imminent implosion in his thoughts as he orchestrated his father’s demise.The relationships between business partners suffered as well. It wasn’t until the toppling of a regime and Amenemhat’s grab for power. In 677BC, the failing fortunes of the Tempest of Set seemed to return to the status quo.
Having heard stories and read the notes left behind by his namesake, Amenhotep, Amenemhat’s rise to power was met with a return to norm for the Tempest of Set. As the circus recoups its once massive wealth and prestige, Amenemhat looks to a future where his grandfather’s teachings are reinforced again, from a younger age, to a younger generation of slaves and misfits that would claim his word as the gospel to be followed.
A Night at the Circus
Two hours before sunset, the circus grounds stirs to life. The tent is assembled, the cages are moved and the performers begin rehearsing. The grounds are cleaned and slaves under the supervision of an overseer are sent to the city or province where the circus is situated. As slaves cry out the circus’ advertisements, patrons continue on with their day until darkness looms over the horizon.
As the time grows closer to sunset, patrons purchase their tickets and the grounds are made available as more and more tickets are sold. Merchant booths have been set up, and commerce begins, from the serving of refreshments to the presentations of wares by whomever has purchased the opportunity to do so for the evening. The interior of the tent begins to show signs of life, with the roaring of the large cats to the footfalls of performers as they get into costume for the first performance of the night.
Once the sky turns dark, the lanterns all across the circus grounds are lit and patrons are asked to join the performers in the tent. The first and most important show of the circus, The Tempest of Set, begins. The finest of the finest in the circus are brought to perform, synchronized efforts from all of the members of the Clique, the beast tamers, musicians and support staff are combined in tandem to create a marvel of illusion and wonderment unmatched within the realm of Africa.
As the Tempest of Set winds down, patrons are encouraged to wander the grounds as the next shows are readied. The rest of the performers busk and seek to delight the patrons as commerce continues, the cycle of the circus continuing through the night until the majority of the guests retire to their homes to sleep.
Joining the Faction
Recruitment in the Tempest of Set is very simple. Either the ringmaster or any of his overseers directly bring an aspiring member of the circus, or a member can be purchased as a slave and uplifted into a proper role within the circus. There are additional extraneous circumstances that directly involve the ringmaster that could bring a member into the fold. To join the cult hidden inside the circus, you must show great loyalty to The Tempest of Set and its people. Only then would you receive an invitation and be invited to the secrets that lie within.
Roles and Titles
Ringmaster (1/1)
Facilitator of circus venues and funds. Administrator over majority of circus affairs, interior and exterior. The face of the Tempest of Set, this role is of key importance in securing the future of the circus and ensuring it runs smoothly. Occupied by Amenemhat of Alexandria, this role is jealously guarded and passed on only by blood inheritance.
Overseer (1/4)
Acting as the enforcers of the ringmaster’s will, this position is limited strictly to those who have seen the secrets buried within the Tempest of Set. Overseers are expected to act on the ringmaster’s behalf in petty disputes as well as monitor potential threats, domestic or foreign to the Tempest of Set. In addition to the listed secondary responsibilities, overseers are given a primary role in which they are given a great deal of liberty to work without direct supervision from the ringmaster, from recruitment to discipline to different aspects of the circus' finances.
Clique Acrobat (0/8)
Famed throughout Egypt as the predominant attraction of the Tempest of Set, the clique acrobats are a group of contortionists, daredevils and acrobats that act as the centerpiece to the circus’ spectacle performances. Clique acrobats are hand-selected by the ringmaster and in some cases groomed and raised within the Tempest of Set itself from a young age. To be a member of the Clique is the ambition of many and the primary motivation for such performers to join the circus of their own volition.
Acrobats (0/12)
While not as predominantly featured, skilled or well-regarded as the Clique, the other acrobats within the Tempest of Set are formidable entertainers in their own rights. These performers act as stand-ins for Clique performers, brought in for additional performances after the Tempest of Set show itself, and act as buskers on the circus grounds.
Beast Tamer (1/3)
Responsible for breeding, maintaining, training and performing with the beasts kept by the Tempest of Set, this diverse array of performers bring an additional level of awe to the circus. In addition to their duties as performers, they aid the circus’ bottom line by shearing pelts, extracting venom, selling excess offspring and putting animals past their prime out of their misery.
Performer (1/10)
Any performer that is not a part of the other roles within the circus. This can be, but is not limited to, fortune tellers, bards, jugglers, and 'freaks'.
Ancillary Staff (0/20)
Additional staff within the Tempest of Set that do not directly participate in performances or act in a supervisory capacity. This includes (but is not limited to): slaves, ticket collectors, and healers. Whilst not the main attraction of the circus on the surface, such people are unique in their abilities to go mostly anywhere in the circus without being noticed. Plots, gossip and power in the form of information is just waiting for the taking by characters that can claim power, if not the spotlight.
Practices and Rituals
Opiate Indoctrination
Sometimes, when a slave or child is brought into the circus, they will be renamed and given new purpose within the circus. Often, their adolescence will be riddled with forcible consumption of opiates to render the mind more pliant to influence and direct control by the ringmaster and his overseers. Over a period of years, this practice no longer becomes necessary at the ringmaster’s discretion, once he has determined that the property in question is well within the line of obedience.
Animal Sacrifice
As any Gods-fearing Egyptian organization does and should, the Tempest of Set participates in sacrifice in order to properly adulate the Gods that rule over the nation of Egypt. Ranging anywhere to the rituals of Ra to due sacrifice to the circus’ patron God, Set, these are varied and tailored to the particular situation and festivity in question. Often, animals will be bred for the specific intent of being sacrificed upon reaching maturity.
Funerary Practices
When a ‘family member’ of the circus suffers a ‘terrible tragedy’, the Tempest of Set takes it upon itself to ensure that their burial and passage to the afterlife is an appropriate one. Members of the circus in good standing are given the honour of being buried within a tomb located underground near the city of Alexandria. Members in poor standing with the circus are cremated, buried unceremoniously or disposed of secretly depending on the nature of their indiscretion.
Guilds, Orders and Factions
Welcome to our Guilds, Orders and Factions page! Here, you will find all the information you need regarding the different groupings of character loyalty we have here on Aeipathy. While Houses, Heis, Gesins and Mahnheegs (all found in our Houses Registry) are the units of loyalty one might be born to, these groups are orders of people who have chosen to operate together or live by the same moral code. They are voluntary groups (usually) that your character can be a part of, if they wish and if they are eligible.
Guilds
Generally speaking, Guilds are rosters and legal groups that certain types of people must belong to in order to complete certain occupations. All seafarers, for example, must be a part of the Maritime Guild in order to declare their earnings and pay the right kind of tax. If they are not a part of the Maritime Guild, they are a pirate.
The Treasury and Merchant's Guild
The Merchants Guild is a system that must be signed up to by all business owners. It monitors the income of all traders and ensures that the correct taxes are being paid into the appropriate treasuries. Some traders, if their business involves multiple kingdoms or transporting goods overseas, will pay different taxes to different royal treasuries for the privilege. This is why the Merchant's Guild is an inter-kingdom guild and is organised and run by representatives from every realm and kingdom to ensure fairness across the known world.
The Maritime and Seafarer's Guild
The Maritime Guild is the organisation that monitors the use of the seas by anyone who transports goods, people or animals, builds ships or fishes in the waters around the realms. The Maritime Guild works closely with any sea-focused politicians in the realms (e.g. the Master of Sea in the Greek kingdoms) and is run by ambassadors from every kingdom, to ensure that the waters are not over-used or the sea-life over-fished.
Orders
Orders are groups that operate separate from the legal structure - they are not run by the government of their kingdom - but they operate within the legal structure of it. They might be a military group or a religious order; groups of people that often dedicate their life to a particular calling or moral code. They never break the laws of their native kingdom but they do hold laws and regulations of their own, not to mention hierarchies.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Athenian Guard
"By Athena's Grace"
A military group like no other, the Athenian Guard is a unit of soldiers sworn to the monarch, the city and each other. These men are tasked with the protection of the city they live and serve in whether that be manning the city walls in case of an attack or simply clearing the streets of drunkards after a rowdy night. They are the ones who keep the peace and ensure that all are secure under their protective vigil, day and night. The Athenian Guards are the chief policing force in the kingdom and in addition to running the city’s fylaki, it is not uncommon to see men from its ranks patrolling the street with their signature blue sashes that mark them as a member of this order.
Although the protection of the capital city is their chief priority, the Athenian Guard is especially noteworthy for their dedication to the crown and whoever wears it. They will protect the monarch at any cost but they will not involve themselves in the petty disputes between the Dynasteías as to who should be wearing it. After all, they are above the messy business of politics and are under the firm belief that it will bring nothing but chaos into their ranks. With that being said, noblemen are not required to forgo any titles in order to join the Guard’s ranks but they will be expected to remain silent of any family loyalties whilst on active duty. If they cannot do so, they will be sent home in disgrace.
Valuing a man’s talents over any other quality, the Athenian Guard only allows those of an adequate skill level into their active ranks. However, they allow any citizen of the city, noble-born or common, into its barracks and are one of the few units in Greece that spend years training new recruits until they reach said level of expertise. This high standard and dedication to filling their ranks with skilled fighters is what distinguishes them from other similar Orders and encourages a level of camaraderie between the men and respect between them and the people of the city. In exchange, though, all those within the unit are expected to dedicate their lives to their service and retiring from the guard is rare before the grip of old age.
Legacy
Realm
Greece
Kingdom
Athenia
Politics
The Athenian Guard works directly beneath the Commander of the Guard who takes his orders only from the King or the Royal Palace. They are therefore intrinsically linked with the monarchy of Athenia and the city in which they reside. The Athenian Guard operate as a peace keeping force within the city; a policing guard, and are not used for active combat unless the city itself is attacked. They have no political ambitions as they already hold the highest point of authority in the kingdom, supplying the royal palace with their general guards and the King and royal family's personal bodyguards. They are to the legal monarch of the kingdom and are not swayed by the bickering and political squabbles of the Houses.
Ideals
The crown above all else. The Gods shall decide; not man. Wisdom and strength work together. The Guard is one being, one heartbeat. Death is not our domain.
The origins of the Athenian Guard can be found several hundred years ago, back before Athenia was the shining gem that it is today. Back then the city was known as a dangerous place, especially at night where crime ruled the streets and people cowered in their homes. For years, it had been this way with tensions between the people and the nobility, who blamed each other for the crime, until the final straw came when one morning Nicon of Anagnostou, the eldest son of one of the King’s barons, was found dead in the street.
It was clear that his passing was not peaceful by any means. Shards of terra cotta were scattered on the ground surrounding him and were also found in the gaping wounds, indicating that someone had used a piece of pottery to attack him. (To this day, it is not known if this is what had caused his death.) However, the true horror came with what had happened throughout the night before had been found. The dogs and rats had found him and scavenged from the body. Other lowlifes of the city had stripped the corpse of anything valuable, including the coloured cloth that the man had been adorned with. It was also clear from dirt found on the body that several of these thieves had stepped on the corpse as they committed their crime. It was truly an undignified end for any man, let alone a respected member of the nobility and for once the whole city, from the noble ladies in the palaces to the fishermen on the docks, was in agreement.
Whoever had done this must be brought to justice.
The King himself offered a handsome reward for whoever found who was responsible. With the promise of gold shining in the eyes of desperate men, many flocked to the palace gates with every voice proclaiming that they knew who had done the terrible deed, but none could provide proof so the prize went unclaimed. The people, having grown frustrated by this development and all the attention on this man when their loved ones often met similar fates without any care by the city, began to hound the members of the Anagnostou family in public, demanding that they stop hoarding the reward money. It all came to a head when two siblings of a lesser branch, Lagos and Arisbe, were accosted while attempting to visit the market. After their identities were revealed, nearby patrons harassed them with one man going so far to grab Arisbe’s arm and pulled it roughly so that she may pay attention to him. Enraged, her older brother had pushed him away and quickly escorted her home, vowing that enough was enough.
That very evening, Lagos went to the king and demanded that a military unit be utilized to bring order to the chaotic city. The monarch believed this plan was a foolish one and that it would never work; that it would escalate crime to war, but Lagos was insistent on bringing about justice for his dead kin. After an hour, the king relented and allowed the man to bring his idea to fruition, just as long as Lagos was the one to organise it in its entirety. Being a captain for his home unit, The Crimson Blades, the man rose to the task and within a fortnight he was able to scrabble together a temporary unit of a few hundred men. Comprised of experienced soldiers, this unit came from many different corners of Athenia who were now all united in the common goal of bringing peace to the streets; even if it was only for one night.
As the sun set over the city, this new brigade was dispersed into the streets in small groups of heavily armored men all under the orders to put a stop to any deviance they came across. There was only one rule: they were not to kill anyone, regardless of crime committed. Drunkards were escorted to their homes, brawlers were incapacitated on the spot, and any thief to be found was immediately hauled to makeshift jails throughout the city to await punishment for their crime. When the dawn came the next morning, there were no reports of the usual crimes that had become commonplace throughout the night. Thanks to Lagos’s leadership, the city had been trouble free for the first time in living memory.
Commoner and Noble folk alike could breathe a sigh of relief as night after night this task force descended on the streets and went about their duty. Within a few weeks, the atmosphere of the whole city had changed. People felt safe once again when needing to leave their homes and the soldiers were welcomed, as well as honoured, at every turn. However, Lagos was quickly running into a problem that could very well bring this peaceful new Athenia crashing down around them; he didn’t have the supplies to carry on this venture indefinitely. The King's suspicions had led to the agreement that Lagos would be permitted to bring his soldiers to the capital for the experiment but that the treasury would not support him in his efforts. With no additional support, Lagos would, eventually, have to send his men home. He could only afford to feed, clothe, and shelter the men for a few weeks. Lagos went to the king for aid but the King refused to agree to a change of terms, despite the success of Lagos' efforts. It was clear that the monarch was one of the few men left in the city who was taking what the nobleman had done for granted and failed to understand that once the men left Athenia, the temporary peace they had brought would be taken with it.
One of those who could see the devastating effect the dwindling supplies would have was Lagos’s own sister Arisbe, who had easily recovered from her previous experience in the market. Not wanting to see her brother’s efforts be for nothing, the young girl called upon her close friend, Ianeira of Marikas, the King’s youngest daughter for help. During a court event, Arisbe was able to convince the princess to speak to her father and have him understand how dire the situation truly was. Remembering the horrible fate that Nicon - her intended at the time of his death - had met, Ianeira agreed.
How she managed to convince her father, no one knows for sure as the man was known to be cold-hearted and stubborn, but either way, Lagos was called back to the king’s council room within a few days’ time. There, the King finally agreed to fully support the project with funding from the crown, on the agreement that the guard remain fully loyal to the Monarch, whoever that may be, and the city, but to no one else. Every man who joined the force would have to take a blood oath in front of the gods with the understanding that any sort of ill-will sentiment towards either entity would be grounds for extreme punishment in both this life and the next. They must be ready at any moment to be called upon to protect the Crown and Capital without question. In exchange for this, the King promised full autonomy for the group and funding from the royal treasury, if they were successful at keeping the peace. These supplies would be guaranteed and only subject to the Senate reallocating them so that no paranoid leader could ever undermine them.
Finding these to be better terms than Lagos could have ever previously hoped for, he readily agreed and thus officially the Athenian Guard was born. With support from the crown, the group easily rose to become one of the most prestigious fighting groups within the country as a strict training period that was based on skill, not time served, ensured that the men were the best the city had to offer even though any man could partake in the glory that was this unit. This and the blood pact is how the Guard has been impervious to the follies of ambitious men throughout the years and how they continue to remain strong - even today.
Currently, the Athenia Guard work on rotation, protecting the city walls, the docklands and the Inner Circle, as well as organising patrols through the city day and night. They also supply the Royal Palace's guards which are maintained under a Captain who reports to the Commander of the Guard. These men have their own rotations and shifts that are appropriately matched to the royal they are protecting.
Joining the Order
Any trainees or initiatives that are interested in joining the Guard are required to move into the Guard's barracks, done a simplified version of the Guard's uniform and armour (but with a white sash instead of a blue one) and must perform the menial and maintenance tasks of the barracks. Every month, an Initiation Test day is help and all trainees currently living within the barracks have the choice of taking the exam. On this day they are required to beat in one-on-one combat, an existing member of the Guard. An unsuccessful participant is not rejected from the barracks but, instead, allowed to remain inside the Guard's home, continuing their menial tasks until the next testing day. They can continue to do this as many times as they like or need. There is a certain level of pride and fame in passing the Guard's Initiation Day first time. However, there is also a level of respect for a man determined to keep trying. A trainee who has failed many times might be met with ridicule and begrudging respect in equal measure. Once the initiate has passed their Testing Day, they offer their blood oath of loyalty to the Guard and become a fully-fledged member of the Guard, are factored into duty rotation and are permitted to live outside of the barracks. They must, however, live within the city.
Practices and Rituals
Initiation
All men are welcomed to join the ranks of the Athenian Guard, regardless of their social rank, but must be prepared to fully commit their lives to the order. New initiates move into the city’s barracks and live the life of a common soldier, completing the laborious menial tasks required by the unit. Some born to high classes can escape this if they're already an officer in a provincial military but even then their skills are put to the test in a monthly arena-style test. All initiatives, regardless of whether they have been so for a single day or ten years, are pitted against one of two highly-skilled soldiers (one noble, one common) selected by the Commander. If they are victorious in one-on-one combat, the recruit is welcomed into the Guard.
The Feast of Men and Kings
In honour of the agreement made between Guard and Crown to provide mutual support for one another, an annual feast is held within the Palace walls for the members of the nobility and fifty full members of the Guard. Hosted in early spring, the courtyard is trans-formed into three dining areas; the Guard, the Nobility, and one raised table reserved for the monarch and the Commander of the Guard. Paid for by the nobility (and primarily the Commander's family), this feast serves as a way to honour the soldiers’ dedication to keeping the peace in a way unexperienced by other military units. It is a great honour to be one of the fifty men selected to join the Commander during the Feast and some Guards become quite competitive for the chance to be chosen and mingle with the upper-classes.
Elections
It is also at the Feast of Men and Kings that the Commander of the Guard will name his deputy to serve by his side for the upcoming year. If the Commander should retire or be otherwise unfit for duty, the Deputy immediately becomes the new leader. However, simply being named Deputy is not enough to ensure that you will have the position. All active and retired Captains of the order must anonymously vote on the Commander's choice by drawing either a Circle or a Square, representing yes and no respectively, on a small piece of parchment which is placed upon the high table with the King and Captain. As these men are casting their votes, any member of the Guard is allowed to rise from their seat and speak on behalf of the nominee. Although is it frowned upon to speak against the man being voted on, no one is prevented from doing so. After all the votes have been cast and the decision is read, if the new deputy has been voted in on a majority rules basis, he is welcomed up to the raised table to sit beside the Captain for the remainder of the evening. A Deputy is nominated every year regardless of whether the position is currently filled. More often than not, the Deputy from the previous year is nominated and able to continue serving. It is rare for a Deputy to be removed from service through the Feast as, if they have failed in their duties in some grievous way, they would be removed from the position immediately and the Commander would fill the empty role at the next Feast.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Cypress Sisterhood
"Blessed be the Virgin"
The Sisterhood of Artemis is an order of women who swear their lives in the devotion of their preferred Goddess Artemis and to her teachings of how to live in subservient aid to the people of the world. Being a priestess of the Order is a lifelong commitment and requires full and total devotion of one's mind, body and life. These women vow to uphold the two sides/facets of the great Virgin Goddess: the Protector of Women and the Huntress. The first, they honour in their work as travelling midwives and healersl; the second in their skills in archery and hunting that make them self-sustaining on their journey and fearsome in defence of their faith. The key beliefs in the Order are that of modesty, humility, inner-strength and to live a life in service of mortal women that, in turn, honours Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt.
Women of this Sisterhood are easy to spot. Dressed always in the palest of whites to symbolise their purity and belted and girdled in gold in honour of the Goddess they so faithfully follow, the women of the Order take great care in their appearance believing that they are the living followers of Artemis herself and therefore should look as respectable and beautiful as said Goddess may have, were she to walk amongst the mortal world. This is not to say that the priestesses are vain or arrogant. But that they take pride in their roles as priestesses and are humble in their own self-worth and assured in the greatness of the divine being they follow. Initiates of the Order are garbed in white tunics, belted in bronze, and retire this kind of dress for the full chiton raiment of a fully-fledged priestess after they pass their initiation exams.
To become a priestess with the Order, one must complete training in both medical skill and in the art of hunting. On top of this, they must master the ideals, bylaws and manner of thought and being that all priestesses are held to. Once a part of the Order, they are considered with the same affection and love as a blooded relative and whilst there are some within the Order who were born of the same family, all priestesses are referred to as "Sister", barring the High-Priestess who is address by her full title. The bond of sisterhood within the Order is strong and any breaking of the Order's bylaws (such as through theft, misogyny, misrepresentation, sexual conduct or blasphemy) is seen as a horrendous insult to both the Order and the women themselves; a personal affront from a woman that was considered to be family. A woman who is seen to break such laws is excommunicated from the Order by the performance of "The Shunning" in which they are stripped of their title of Sister and Priestess and banned from any sacred ground devoted to Artemis - not just the White Temple itself.
The Order now stand as perhaps the most respected voices and executors of Artemis' Will in the known Grecian lands. They operate as midwives and healers but also as seekers of lost family members, recruiters for the Order and as the perveyors of a sanctuary (the White Temple) that is often sought and used by those that suffer at the hands of abusive partners or fathers. The Order consider themselves to be independent, courageous, devout and modest followers of the Goddess and live their lives in the full service of others: most particularly, women.
Legacy
Realm
Greece
Kingdom
Colchis
Politics
The Sisterhood is non-political and have no political ambitions. They do, however, work closely with the ruling families for donations and funding to keep the Temple and their Order sustained.
Ideals
Protect the sanctity of the goddess. Righteous kills are a path to humanity. Violence over the weak is never strength. Give your life in servitude of others.
The Cypress Sisterhood was founded in 920 BC after the wife of a healer had a dream that compelled her to find others of the skills she had learnt from her husband. As a woman of medical knowledge and practical skill but also a Grecian of great faith in the Olympians, this woman in question - who later took the name of Artemisa - had dream involving the Ceryneian Hind - the animal most sacred to Artemis - kissing the pregnant bellies of women. Such kisses seemed to offer protection and Artemisa took such a dream as a message from the Virgin Goddess herself. She was to create these Hinds. To offer protection towards the women of the world in their most weakened and dangerous state - that of pregnancy and labour. Enlisting her blooded sisters three, the four women set out to offer medical aid to just such women, initially working alongside the husbands and partners they had at the time. As their skills and abilities grew to beyond that of their menfolk - for who could understand the female body better than another woman - they were forced to choose between remaining domestically docile to their husbands or reaching further in their quest to honour the Goddess Artemis. They soon left to take their skills a traveling, finding others who might need their aid.
Whilst prenatal and labour care was the first calling of these women who would one day become the Cypress Sisterhood, it soon became apparent that four women living, eating and consuming resources of the small and poor families they intended to help was to make themselves a burden; even if the medical care they were administered was so desperately needed. They simply solved one issue of the family while creating another. As such, the women turned to Artemis once more. The Goddess had started them on their journey; surely she would, therefore, have the answer to how they could help without hindering. Looking to the second side of their Goddess - the huntress within - Artemisa and her sisters took up the bow and started to become self-sufficient. Able to hunt and cook their own food and able to sell the skins for coin that could pay for their board, suddenly they were now healers that offered only goodness and advantage. It is these ideals and behaviours that the women of the Order attempt to emanate to this day.
Women started to join the sisters. Some would be mothers who had lost their children and sought comfort in the following of Artemis. Others were servants, slaves or assistants or sought a better life. Some women came to the sisters in order to learn from them; their skills in midwifery and medical practices becoming a common source of talk amongst the Colchian provinces. In short, the band of four grew quickly into larger numbers. With larger numbers, the Sisterhood were able to spread out, to send small groups of women in different directions to help more people. Whilst this worked for the most part, instances where women would make the wrong medical decisions or would get into fights or archery contests led to issues in reputation for the Sisterhood. By giving these women liberation from their lives, husbands and roles in the world, they had made them over confident and, in some cases, arrogant. A small number of their group were not operating in the selfless manner of helping others that the four Elder Sisters had started the Order with. Organisation and bylaws needed to be put in place and soon a hierarchy was settled. After sending out messages to all of their calling and returning them to their birthplace - a spot in the Illythia hillsides - Artemisa and her sisters were shocked to find more women than they had even been aware of, return. Order was established. Artemisa took her chosen name and became the first leader of the group. The women who followed her set up into some sort of training system where knowledge and skill was passed down from those already capable. A basic infrastructure and organisation was established. Along with the bylaws of the Order that now hang in the White Temple: Honour the Goddess Every Day, Never Place Your Own Needs Over Others, Wisdom Is Greater Than Strength. Such beliefs are carried on to this day by the Order.
It wasn't until several decades later that the Sisterhood began calling themselves Priestesses, their leader the High-Priestess and their group a full religious Order. As time went on and devotion to the Goddess became a stronger influence in the group, and as medical knowledge progressed to the point of requiring years of training before a woman could be accepted as a full member of the Sisterhood; as the group became something one dedicated their entire life to - they were eventually established as a religious Order.
When a battle was waged to the south of Colchis by invading Athenian forces in 815 BC and the Crown Prince of Colchis mortally wounded on the battlefield, a traveling party of the Sisterhood were able to help - through their archery - turn the tide of the battle in question and - through their skills as physicians - save the life of the King's only son. In recognition of this great boon, the King ordered a new temple to be built in the foothills of Illythia. To honour the Sisterhood, he would give them their official status as an Order and give them a home. The White Temple became the centre of the Sisterhood's operations, the home of their Initiate training, the sanctuary of women who are fearful of their partners or fathers. Within its walls, only divine law and the law of the Order is respected. This is their home and where new Priestesses live and are educated every day.
Joining the Order
To become a Priestess, you can only do one of the two things. Either come to the temple and request an audience with the High-Priestess or be invited by a Priestess to join the Sisterhood. If you are requesting the audience of a High-Priestess, then you will need to explain your reasonings and intent on joining the Sisterhood. Knowledge of Artemis is not a requirement, though it is a benefit, but the High-Priestess will want to know more about the woman in question. This is more of an interview, so the High-Priestess could keep an eye on those who may not appeal to her – by no means would this disqualify an initiate. The training itself is what weeds out women from the process. Women who are brought in by Priestesses will go through the same questioning process, though it differs if Priestesses witness what is considered worthy to initiate. Upon reaching the temple, all initiated will go through something called ‘The Phase’. This is the beginning of an initiate’s training. The training will consist of tests of knowledge, resilience, prowess, trust, and skill. Midwifery and hunting will be a requirement in passing the Phase. Soon after completion, initiates will take part in the Praise of the Virgin Lady and the Cresence.
As Initiates become fully-fledged members of the Sisterhood, they take on a specialised preference. Whilst they are trained in all areas of being a priestess: being a devout follower within the temple walls (a Priestess), being a healer who travels throughout the lands (a Midwife) and being a skilled archer who seeks to unite families, offer the midwives extra defense or focus on Order recruitment (a Huntress); it is to one of these three particular paths that an Initiate must walk. After that, experience continues to be your tutor.
Roles and Titles
High Priestess YPSILÍ IERÍ
The High-Priestess is the teacher and is the connection to the goddess. She works more as a Prophet to the members of the Sisterhood, often asking guidance from the goddess to further the progress of the order.
Priestess LEREÍA
All Priestesses have been inducted into the sisterhood by completion of the Cresence. Priestesses do a lot of the groundwork outside of temple grounds, they go all over Greece spreading the word of the virgin lady taking in initiates as they come. Below are two different roles available for Priestesses.
Midwife MAÍES
Midwifery is skill taught to all Priestesses among the Sisterhood but those who wish to become Midwives are more specialised in this field of work. Often, Huntresses will accompany Midwives into the world; their knowledge of herbs and forestry able to be used for medicinal purposes. Midwives, primarily, take care of pregnant women, visiting throughout her entire pregnancy. Many nobles and royals call upon them for assistance during gestation and when the baby arrives.
Huntress KYNIGÓS
Hunting and archery are all skills most priestesses of the sisterhood have experience, but there are Priestesses who wish to specialize as Huntresses. The Huntresses are some of the best archers in Colchis. Although, primarily, their job is to accompany Midwives on their journeys, to complete seeking missions to unite family members and to assist in recruitment to the Order. These women are the ones most often away from the White Temple. They also like to take on the title of ‘Protectors of Women’, in other words the huntresses are trained combatants and know how to use their weapons but also walk the careful line of ensuring never to allow violence to break their Vows to the Order. They must walk the path of humble and selfless behaviour, whilst also being confident fighters.
Initiate
Initiates are women who have come to the White Temple in order to become a part of the Order and have been allowed to take on the training that will lead them to becoming a Priestess. They live, work and study within the Temple and they learn about medicine, archery, self defense and the morals and ideals of the Order. Initiates can be non-virginal upon joining but affirm their chastity when they become an Initiate. After this they must not engage in sexual thought, behaviour or conduct. Initiates can be women of all or any age. The privileges of an initiate are not the same as that of a sister, but she is capable of reaching most parts of the temple.
Practices and Rituals
ARTEMÍSIA GIFT OF ARTEMIS PILGRIMAGE TO ILLYTHIA
This the biggest and well received festival to date for members of the Sisterhood; it is a homecoming for all sisters under their banner. Artemísia was named after the Cypress Sisterhood’s first High-Priestess. This tradition is a pilgrimage of all priestesses of Artemis to return to the White Temple and worship the Virgin Lady, Artemis, renewing their connections to their foundation. Upon reaching Illythia, Priestesses must remove their garments and rejoice their goddess in nude. The High-Priestess will lead the song and the priestesses then join in. After two hours of vocal aspirations, the sisterhood would join in a great feast, and all scraps would be burned in fire to satisfy their goddess. This is also the time at which new recruits are brought to the Temple. Anyone picked up by a Priestess travels with them until the next Artemísia.
XYPNÍSTE APÓ TI SELÍNI WAKE OF THE MOON EVENING HYMN
The Wake of the Moon is an evening hymn all priestesses within the White Temple at the time will sing towards the rising of the moon. It is done every day, beginning at sun set and will finish once the moon is at its highest peak. The hymn is another form of respect and dedication shown to the goddess Artemis, though it has always been a good tool in disciplining the priestesses. All initiates learn the hymns and prayers during their early years and it is a test to see if they are capable of keeping up.
DOXÁSTE TI THEOTÓKO PRAISE THE VIRGIN LADY
This form of prayer is conducted at the foot of the Cypress tree that stands tall in the direct centre of the White Temple. It is conducted in the morning, as the moon sets. Generally, if this prayer lands prior to the crescence, towards the end of the prayer the High-Priestess will open the floor for Initiates to accept their vows as chaste Priestesses.
ÁFIXSI THE CRESCENCE
The crescence is an important ritual that secures the vows of initiate priestesses by bathing in water blessed by Artemis, doused in the lunar light of the crescent moon. Immediately after the water is touched by the Crescent Moon, a haze will form over the cool pool, protecting the nude form of the woman as she bathes. This signifies the initiate’s protection of her chastity and purity as a virgin, forever protected by the wrath of the Goddess if there was ever a soul to harm them. After the baths, new initiates will take part in a Hunt that is in the likeliness of their Goddess. Every initiate will be given a silver bow with a single arrow and are ushered into the wilderness of Illythia to only return with a stag. Upon success of the hunt, the new initiates feast on their kill.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Order of VasiliÁdon
"In the Name of the People"
These men are an elite and, more importantly, separate set of soldiers that are beholden to no crown, no prince, and no lord. They are a unique unit unto themselves and exist specifically to serve the city of Vasiliádon and its people. These men do not go to war abroad, nor do they leave their city to fight in someone else’s war. They are dedicated to service any and every need of the people. This includes, but is not limited to - policing and guarding the streets and docks, helping to put out fires, settling street brawls, and lending aid in times of crises. What they are also good at, and train nearly tirelessly for, is against invasion, specifically against the Creed.
While they do train in units, with shields and spears and swords, they also train to fight their most ghostly enemy - The Creed - and have been incorporating the guerrilla warfare tactics that the enemy uses. This means that the soldiers who swear allegiance to the Order of Vasiliádon gain unique and unseen fighting style than the rest of Greece uses. Since the Creed fight like ghosts, use throwing weapons like stars and knives, this means that the Order of Vasiliádon does as well.
Any and every man from any walk of life and station, even from any part of Greece, may join this Order. Everyone who joins starts out the same, whether they be Prince or beggar. All that a man needs to be able to join this order is an unwavering loyalty to Vasiliádon, a lion’s heart, and the willingness to lay down his life for that of one of his brothers. Because this Order is not beholden to the king, this means that if he calls upon them, they have the freedom not to take up his banner if they feel that his cause is not in the best interests of the people.
Thankfully, Taengea has been lucky that its kings are not usually tyrants and that the interests of both Order and crown are aligned. This means that, currently at least, the Order and the crown are of one accord, for two reasons. King Stephanos used to be part of the Order but had to step out of his role in the Order due to donning the crown. The king’s hatred of the Creed for assassinating both the old king and the crown prince aligns perfectly for the Order’s need for revenge. The Creed burned the Order House. Construction is underway to rebuild but the clear stab in the Order’s face is not easily forgotten. Neither is the Creed’s wanton violence against the noble and wealthy of Vasiliádon.
Legacy
Realm
Greece
Kingdom
Taengea
Politics
Not loyal to a crown or monarch but to the people of Taengea. However, going directly against the king or leader of the nation would throw the people into the middle of a civil war. Ergo, the Order works in alliance with the Taengean monarch more often than not - if they believe the task to be in the pursuit of justice and peace. They are not blindly loyal to the nobility, nor do they have political ambitions of their own.
Ideals
A blade is a tool for violence, the sword one of justice. The safety of the innocent is paramount. Stand against injustice, in all its forms.
The Order of Vasiliádon was started soon after the city itself came to be. Taengea was not always the prosperous, beautiful capital of the country. Before Taengea was unified by a single king, the city had its own army that would one day become known as The Order. Because there was no single king, the Order was dedicated specifically to guarding Vasiliádon. The first king of Taengea, a powerful general, invaded Vasiliádon and took it over as his capital city. The Order were defeated, but not decimated and when called upon by the new King Aganon to kneel and accept his absolute rule, they accepted surrender on one condition; that the king allow them to remain as city guardians and not dismantle them.
This he agreed to. After all, if they would recognize his right to kingship, and guard his city diligently, then he would be a fool to anger them and possibly cause a revolt. What the king did not understand was that these men were not ‘his soldiers’. They were a separate entity entirely. They existed peacefully for a few years before he called them up to battle against the nation of Colchis. The Order refused and the king ordered his guards to destroy both the Order house, and the Order leader; the Grand Master.
What King Aganon did not understand was that his guards were sons of Vasiliádon. They would no sooner strike the real hand that fed them than cut off their own feet. When these guards did not return to him, and instead joined the Order immediately, the king sent more guards, which only did the same. After his second attempt failed, the king himself went down to the Order house. The Grand Master, a man named Aeson of Vasiliádon came out to meet with the king. He explained that the deal the king had struck was being upheld on the Order’s end: the city’s crime was low, its people safe, and its port kept clear, but that the king would also abide by his agreement and not weaken the city by taking away its primary army.
Aganon - an old yet inexperienced monarch, used to battle and not politics - frothed in rage at being told what to do. He grabbed a javelin from one of the guards he’d brought with him and threw it straight into Aeson’s chest, killing him instantly. Chaos ensued. The king was also immediately assassinated in retaliation. The people of Vasiliádon took to the streets, both to mourn and protest the killing of their fearless Aeson and wanted to unseat the the king’s heir, who was but a youth of six years old at the time.
King Aganonson’s mother came onto the city steps and vowed that her son would not touch the Order, nor would this war with Colchis continue. They would send peace emissaries instead, and the Crown would make amends to the Order and never force their hand again. The new leader of the Order of Vasiliádon, Aeson’s own son, demanded that this promise from the Queen and her son, the new king, be sworn before the gods and the people and that it would be sealed in blood. When the Queen agreed, and the ritual was done, both the king’s son and Aeson’s son returned to their separate places and never once spoke to each other.
Aganonson died young but his son made the same pact with the Order. A blood oath not to force them outside of the interests of Vasiliádon. The oath became a tradition that spanned dynasties and is still carried on to this day. Though, through the generations, the kings have grown to respect the Order, and oftentimes have family in it as well. The sons of nobles come to join the Order, to become fierce warriors, and to guard Taengea’s capital and it’s people.
As the threat of war dimmed, the Order grew more altruistic in its pursuits. They are well loved by the people and there is a feast day dedicated in honour of them and their service. Not only are they soldiers, but most also have other skills, such as masonry and woodworking. They are blacksmiths and carpenters. The Order is the heart of the city and are as involved in its daily turnings as they are to protecting it.
Joining the Order
A man does not have to be born of the city limits, but he must prove himself a true citizen. The skills to be a soldier are taught by the Order, as their fighting style is extremely specific to their unit. What they do require, is for their soldiers to humble themselves to be servants. A man must spend time scrubbing the stones of the streets for the whole of the populace to see. He must assist in the building of homes or businesses, he must have a thorough knowledge, or at least gain it, of the lay of the land. This means that he joins patrols who go around the city to its surrounding fields and farms. This is done for at least half a year, until he knows every blade of grass and hidden place within forest and field. The men of the Order are not boastful, proud, arrogant drunkards. They are men of valour and men of loyalty.
They train daily with sword and shield, they train with javelin, and spear, and like all Taengeans, they are expert riders and are competent with a chariot. Beggars who do not bring their own sword earn it through service and proving their longevity. The nobles who join and already have armour and a sword are not required to give up their possessions but they are required to earn them back, after turning them into the Order house’s armoury.
Moving up the ranks of the order requires dedication and more than just the recommendation of peers. It requires time spent in the Order and is not limited to acts of bravery and courage.
Practices and Rituals
Initiation
Upon joining the Order, prior to beginning active service as a swordsman, a man will shave his head, bathe from head to toe and, while wearing the rough-spun garb of a servant, will perform his initiation duties, for half a year. During these six months, he is not allowed the company of a woman. Only once he proves himself both loyal, and a true man, and has grown back his hair as a sign of time spent in the service of his Initiation, may he then take his Sacred Vow and join the Order fully. This then allows him to live life as he normally would once more: wearing what he is accustomed to, being able to take a lover or once again sleep with his wife. Those of noble classes are permitted to only wear servants garb while performing such tasks on a regularly scheduled period of time each day/week. This is due to the Order recognising the nobleman's importance in his own House duties. However, lower born initiatives must live within the Order House and commit to their Initiation tasks permanently throughout the six months.
Coronations
When a new king sits upon the throne of Taengea, the leader of the Order gathers his brothers in arms, and meets the king at the temple of Zeus in Vasiliádon (the temple of the God most vigilant against oath-breakers). It is here that both King and Grand Master cut the palm of their hand and swear a blood oath to continue the separation and friendship that the two entities have maintained for the last several hundred years. The Grand Master of the Order swears to not lead a revolt against the King, so long as the King holds the city’s best interests in mind, and the King swears to respect the Order and not sacrifice the city or its people to greedy ambition, nor try to use the Order as his private army.
Order Day
At the beginning of the new year, the city usually holds a feast for the Order as a thank you to them for their service. This feast is a festival of sorts, where the story of Aeson and Aganon is reenacted, as well as people coming forward to thank the Order for various things that were done in the last year. The Order then takes it upon themselves to ask the people if they need their new initiates to help with odd jobs around town and men will come forward and sort of foster the new men in various trades. This ensures continuing relations between the people and the Order, though, with all new soldiers and old, training does come first, and this is understood by the people as well.
Factions
Factions are similar to Orders in the sense that they have hierarchies, rules, moral codes and obligations. The only difference is that they operate outside of the law. They are anarchy groups that deliberately fight against the status quo and current legal structure of a kingdom. They might be a military rebel group or some kind of cult.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Creed
"All Hail the Shade"
The Creed is a faction of rebels bent on simple revenge. While no-one has ever managed to establish their purpose or end goals, their manner and target of terrorism is clear - they hunt, attack and publicly disgrace the upper circles of Taengean nobility as effectively as they can.
The Drowned - as the individual followers of the Creed are known - are named such because people believe that they are dead souls who have never crossed the River Styx. The souls of ancient warriors made corporeal by Hades himself, the drowned fight and move with an almost unnatural speed and grace. Flexible, deadly and lethal fast in hand to hand combat, the Drowned favour projectiles and hidden blades over swords or more obvious weapons. While no member of the Creed is ever dressed the same, all share the singular aesthetic of wearing a hood and mask, comprised of fabric mummified around their heads. While some claim the material thin enough to see through, others rumour that the Drowned are blind and simply follow the path that Hades whispers to them...
Legacy
Realm
Realm
Kingdom
Egypt
Politics
The Creed have no open manifesto or clear objective in politics besides the desire to see the ruling classes of Taengea (particularly the House of Mikaelidas) fall into ruin.
Ideals
Unknown
Reputation
Terrifying, destructive, merciless, silent.
Current Members
Unknown
History
Forged many years ago in rebellion against the trading of mainland Taengean provinces in a peace settlement with Egypt, the Creed are Greek by blood and Egyptian by servitude. Refusing to bow, the original freedom fighters of the cult who stood against the Taengean nobility were famed across Greece for acts of arson and terror committed in the capital of Vasiliádon. After eight years of dangerous times, the Creed were ousted and their leader - the Shade - killed by soldiers of the city's esteemed Order. It has been nearly fifty years since a member of the Creed - known as the Drowned Ones have been seen on Taengean land...
Joining the Order
Whilst most believe that there must be some form of Initiation to the Creed, no-one knows any specifics, nor how the Creed recruit or take on new members; especially and no-one knows who the current members are.
The "Drowned" account is utilised by our Head Admin JD. Whilst all posts are actively posted by JD, they are not all written by her. Each character who is secretly a member of the Drowned sends any posts of them acting as a cultist to JD and they are posted through this account, thereby keeping the identity of who they are without the mask, hidden from everyone else.
Roles and Titles
The Shade
With an identity as obscured as any other in the Creed, the Shade is known only for his name and the fact that he is their leader. All other information is unknown. Rumour speculates that only The Shade knows the identity of the other members of the Faction - all other followers do not know one another beneath the masks.
Practices and Rituals
There are no known practices or rituals of the Creed. All that is known of them is that it appears entirely required to keep face and voice hidden as they operate in complete silence.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] The Sariqas
"Greed. Envy. Pride."
A band of forty strong, the Sariqas are a united force that sweep over kingdoms and realms without consideration for laws or boundaries. As an entirety, their sheer numbers have spun tales and stories of the Forty Thieves, whilst in truth they operate as small units, following their own leader - each of whom jostle for power to become the head of all - the Kabir'rayiys. There is an old arabic saying that there are three destructive forces to man and woman: that of Greed, of Envy and of Pride. The Sariqas embrace and fight with all three. A band of thieves who are after the loot and gold they can take from any town or village, they will occasionally take their own desires or people for slaves but generally they are more interested in the previous jewels and pieces of silver in one's purse than they are in spreading fear and brutality. If the latter helps them to achieve their shiny heart's desire however? Their morals do not extend that far...
The Sariqas originate from the middle east and lands afar but each group travels to many kingdoms and realms, picking up recruits and runaways as they go, making their bands eclectic in style, culture and temperament. The Sariqas are a law and kingdom onto themselves and are proud to be so, despite their ranks filled with the displaced and the discarded...
Legacy
Realm
Lands Afar
Kingdom
Unknown
Politics
The Sariqas follow the laws of no kingdom or realm. They operate as a law onto themselves and are especially disregarding of any laws particular to possession or ownership.
Ideals
The Sariqas hold great standing of pride and honour. But they also respect neither in regards to people outside of the group. They have their own mini-community and anyone outside of it is an enemy.
The history of the Sariqas is wide, diverse, and only partially true. With so many members of the group and so many encounters with those that have been assaulted or robbed by the party, tall tales are told to anyone who will listen. How the Sariqas once robbed every temple in the known land. How the Sariqas are actually a thousand men strong but only move in a group of forty at any one time. How the Sariqas spirits are entwined with the horses they ride across the desert sands... The stories of the power of the Sariqas - their speed and the way they can organise themselves in a full on assault of a village are the most true to be believed. Starting out as a simple band of thieves on the streets of a city in a land far away, the Sariqas have continued to grow and, instead of imploding on on themselves, they have developed a structure and hierarchy that builds their world stronger. Their use of this is what allows them to rob large areas and large numbers with a speed and skill that allows them escape before authorities even know what is happening. The fact that they never remain in one location also makes them difficult to track and capture. Especially in their more native lands, where the sand and wind sweeps away all traces of their presence...
Joining the Order
Joining the Sariqas is a tricky business. Either you are allowed in as a brother or you are beheaded on the spot. You can only be brought into the Sariqas by another member or by another member permitting it, and the head of whichever band/group the newcomer joins must be accepting of the addition. After this, the new Sariqas is considered a brother by the laws of the group. This does not always mean instant liking by those already a part of the faction. Sometimes it can take time for a member of the Sariqas - while technically accepted - to find a way to be trusted and prove their loyalty to their brotherhood.
Roles and Titles
Kabir'rayiys
The Leader of the Sariqas' forty strong force.
Tajmahi'rayiys
Known as the 'Tajhi' for short, the tajmahi'rayiys is the leader of a small group of the Sariqas thieves. Each group is run by its own leader or answers to the Kabir'rayiys. The groups can range in size from just four to over a dozen. Each group holds prestige based on how much they can loot, not how many join their group.
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[attr="class","enc_hrname"] Set's Tempest
"Chaos Breeds Profit"
Born from the beating heart of a showman given to no inclinations of conscience, the Tempest of Set is an entropic entity that seeks to further the machinations of the God of Chaos, Set. At the surface, it is a body of entertainment and spectacle, given to astonishing and amazing the crowds that pour their coin into its coffers. However, as one ventures deeper into the workings within, they find something altogether more… sinister. Within the Tempest of Set, hidden from the majority of the circus family, is a cult that worships its ringmaster, Amenemhat as the Set’s emissary.
Artists, merchants, whores and performers alike are attracted to the Tempest of Set, taken to the notoriety and built-in audience that could bring one to a level of fame impossible by one’s self. However, those who reach too high are closely watched, to be brought into the circus’ inner circle and not so easily let go, or relegated to obscurity as the ‘spotlight’ shines on other, more pliable performers.
Spectacle is the circus’ weapon and profit is its liberation, giving it agency to act of its own volition. The Tempest of Set is an anomaly, having spanned generations and expanded beyond the reaches of its current base in Alexandria. One of the pillars of awe and astonishment within Egypt, the circus seeks to broaden its horizons and ensnare more and more hearts in its web as it seeks to reach beyond the thousands it has leached profit from in the sands of Africa.
True to its name, the Tempest of Set brings chaos (whether joyful or miserable) everywhere it goes. For within chaos there is opportunity and with opportunity comes profit. In every performance, there is untapped potential to twist the minds of the audience, to astonish and impress. Spanning beyond its performances, the circus’ efforts to worship the God of Chaos, Set take many forms. Be it bedlam, panic, astonishment or enjoyment, the Tempest of Set intends to bring the truth that is chaos to the heart and mind of everyone it touches.
Legacy
Realm
Africa
Kingdom
Egypt
Politics
The circus bows only to one man. Neither king nor pharaoh can change the fact of this.. While it does not directly involve itself in politics, should the law get in their way, the circus would retaliate in kind. An entity unto itself, the circus is self-policing as to not catch unwanted attention from those within the government that would create complications.
Ideals
Hail to the chaos. There is method in the madness. Set's chaos is ours from which to seek benefit.
Created in 727BC by Amenhotep of Momborah, who found waning satisfaction at his life as a guardsman to the famed fortress prison. Amenhotep with his silver tongue and proclivity for entertainment amassed a following and gave birth to the Tempest of Set. After moving to Cairo he met the sirdar of Hei Haikaddad and secured enough funding to open the fledgling Circus of Cairo.
Managing to secure his funding for the idea of a circus, Amenhotep acquired a venue outside of Cairo, a small allotment of land with a meager tent as well as the allegiance of a family of acrobats. One to study and make use of the talents of others, Amenhotep quickly found traction in the evening entertainment business. Shows began sparse in number, from bi-weekly, to nightly, and within the first few years of the formation of his grand idea… the circus needed to expand. Performers grew tired and needed their time off, and so… Amenhotep hired on more. The numbers grew and grew, his first auditions held in 721BC.
Amenhotep moved his family out of Cairo as the idea of expanding truly took root. While the family of acrobats he’d first enlisted refused to travel, the idea stuck with the next generation. Amenhotep began, for the first time, seeing the free will of his performers acting as a detriment to his expansion. The ambitious man became overwhelmed by his greed, by the single-minded dedication to his dream. By 718BC, Amenhotep’s eldest acrobats were no longer performing. He enlisted them as instructors, and began to carefully select and groom slaves to act as performers.
The circus, after nearly 10 years of operation, still had no formal name of its own. As the only business of its kind locally, it was merely known as the Circus of Cairo by locals. But, as they traveled and similar businesses were seen… both jealousy and a need to stick out made it apparent that Amenhotep required a niche. He reveled in the idea of chaos, in the machinations that turned the nebulous into the defined. Amenhotep of Momborah decided to dedicate his circus to Set, and in that worship, found the appeal increase dramatically.
Zealous worshippers of the pantheon’s most ambitious God came to Amenhotep, wanting partnerships with this new entity that seemed to align with their interests. The roster of performers grew wider still, the acrobatic slaves complemented by beast tamers. By 712BC, business had expanded so widely that the circus had a defined tour that took them along the length of the Nile. Greater and greater the circus clout grew that ancillary business partnerships were forged. By 707BC, 20 years after the founding of the great circus, the dubbed Tempest of Set took root. Whores, acrobats, beasts, and the Tempestuous Clique formed from decades of experience and cultivation. Confident in his achievement, Amenhotep began to let his son, Somgi take more and more control of the business.
It was clear to Amenhotep that his heir was not his match in intelligence or skill. He did his utmost to ingrain the knowledge he could, serving in an advisory capacity and as overseer in 694BC until his death in 691BC.
For a full decade, Somgi of Cairo ran the circus to mediocre success. The acrobats, well groomed, continued to flourish under his command, but it was the prostitutes that he truly assembled. From just a couple of whores per night picked from the streets of whichever city was visited to an ensemble of beautiful women plucked from slavery or captured abroad were acquired by Somgi.
However, what acumen the man possessed seemed to diminish with his growing complacency. Satisfied with whores and the clout he was afforded, Somgi neglected and abused his own family in the process. Resentment festered within his son and daughter, and as the circus fell into disrepair it seemed apparent that something needed to be done.
Amenemhat of Alexandria, heir to the Tempest of Set and named after his grandfather quickly gained favour throughout the circus, affirming the loyalty of acrobats that threatened to revolt. In addition, he sought to resolve whispers among the help of poor treatment of slaves that were overburdened and given less and less food. While these concerns never culminated in a true uprising due to Nem’s intervention, he kept the imminent implosion in his thoughts as he orchestrated his father’s demise.The relationships between business partners suffered as well. It wasn’t until the toppling of a regime and Amenemhat’s grab for power. In 677BC, the failing fortunes of the Tempest of Set seemed to return to the status quo.
Having heard stories and read the notes left behind by his namesake, Amenhotep, Amenemhat’s rise to power was met with a return to norm for the Tempest of Set. As the circus recoups its once massive wealth and prestige, Amenemhat looks to a future where his grandfather’s teachings are reinforced again, from a younger age, to a younger generation of slaves and misfits that would claim his word as the gospel to be followed.
A Night at the Circus
Two hours before sunset, the circus grounds stirs to life. The tent is assembled, the cages are moved and the performers begin rehearsing. The grounds are cleaned and slaves under the supervision of an overseer are sent to the city or province where the circus is situated. As slaves cry out the circus’ advertisements, patrons continue on with their day until darkness looms over the horizon.
As the time grows closer to sunset, patrons purchase their tickets and the grounds are made available as more and more tickets are sold. Merchant booths have been set up, and commerce begins, from the serving of refreshments to the presentations of wares by whomever has purchased the opportunity to do so for the evening. The interior of the tent begins to show signs of life, with the roaring of the large cats to the footfalls of performers as they get into costume for the first performance of the night.
Once the sky turns dark, the lanterns all across the circus grounds are lit and patrons are asked to join the performers in the tent. The first and most important show of the circus, The Tempest of Set, begins. The finest of the finest in the circus are brought to perform, synchronized efforts from all of the members of the Clique, the beast tamers, musicians and support staff are combined in tandem to create a marvel of illusion and wonderment unmatched within the realm of Africa.
As the Tempest of Set winds down, patrons are encouraged to wander the grounds as the next shows are readied. The rest of the performers busk and seek to delight the patrons as commerce continues, the cycle of the circus continuing through the night until the majority of the guests retire to their homes to sleep.
Joining the Faction
Recruitment in the Tempest of Set is very simple. Either the ringmaster or any of his overseers directly bring an aspiring member of the circus, or a member can be purchased as a slave and uplifted into a proper role within the circus. There are additional extraneous circumstances that directly involve the ringmaster that could bring a member into the fold. To join the cult hidden inside the circus, you must show great loyalty to The Tempest of Set and its people. Only then would you receive an invitation and be invited to the secrets that lie within.
Roles and Titles
Ringmaster (1/1)
Facilitator of circus venues and funds. Administrator over majority of circus affairs, interior and exterior. The face of the Tempest of Set, this role is of key importance in securing the future of the circus and ensuring it runs smoothly. Occupied by Amenemhat of Alexandria, this role is jealously guarded and passed on only by blood inheritance.
Overseer (1/4)
Acting as the enforcers of the ringmaster’s will, this position is limited strictly to those who have seen the secrets buried within the Tempest of Set. Overseers are expected to act on the ringmaster’s behalf in petty disputes as well as monitor potential threats, domestic or foreign to the Tempest of Set. In addition to the listed secondary responsibilities, overseers are given a primary role in which they are given a great deal of liberty to work without direct supervision from the ringmaster, from recruitment to discipline to different aspects of the circus' finances.
Clique Acrobat (0/8)
Famed throughout Egypt as the predominant attraction of the Tempest of Set, the clique acrobats are a group of contortionists, daredevils and acrobats that act as the centerpiece to the circus’ spectacle performances. Clique acrobats are hand-selected by the ringmaster and in some cases groomed and raised within the Tempest of Set itself from a young age. To be a member of the Clique is the ambition of many and the primary motivation for such performers to join the circus of their own volition.
Acrobats (0/12)
While not as predominantly featured, skilled or well-regarded as the Clique, the other acrobats within the Tempest of Set are formidable entertainers in their own rights. These performers act as stand-ins for Clique performers, brought in for additional performances after the Tempest of Set show itself, and act as buskers on the circus grounds.
Beast Tamer (1/3)
Responsible for breeding, maintaining, training and performing with the beasts kept by the Tempest of Set, this diverse array of performers bring an additional level of awe to the circus. In addition to their duties as performers, they aid the circus’ bottom line by shearing pelts, extracting venom, selling excess offspring and putting animals past their prime out of their misery.
Performer (1/10)
Any performer that is not a part of the other roles within the circus. This can be, but is not limited to, fortune tellers, bards, jugglers, and 'freaks'.
Ancillary Staff (0/20)
Additional staff within the Tempest of Set that do not directly participate in performances or act in a supervisory capacity. This includes (but is not limited to): slaves, ticket collectors, and healers. Whilst not the main attraction of the circus on the surface, such people are unique in their abilities to go mostly anywhere in the circus without being noticed. Plots, gossip and power in the form of information is just waiting for the taking by characters that can claim power, if not the spotlight.
Practices and Rituals
Opiate Indoctrination
Sometimes, when a slave or child is brought into the circus, they will be renamed and given new purpose within the circus. Often, their adolescence will be riddled with forcible consumption of opiates to render the mind more pliant to influence and direct control by the ringmaster and his overseers. Over a period of years, this practice no longer becomes necessary at the ringmaster’s discretion, once he has determined that the property in question is well within the line of obedience.
Animal Sacrifice
As any Gods-fearing Egyptian organization does and should, the Tempest of Set participates in sacrifice in order to properly adulate the Gods that rule over the nation of Egypt. Ranging anywhere to the rituals of Ra to due sacrifice to the circus’ patron God, Set, these are varied and tailored to the particular situation and festivity in question. Often, animals will be bred for the specific intent of being sacrificed upon reaching maturity.
Funerary Practices
When a ‘family member’ of the circus suffers a ‘terrible tragedy’, the Tempest of Set takes it upon itself to ensure that their burial and passage to the afterlife is an appropriate one. Members of the circus in good standing are given the honour of being buried within a tomb located underground near the city of Alexandria. Members in poor standing with the circus are cremated, buried unceremoniously or disposed of secretly depending on the nature of their indiscretion.