>Most of the tension in my proposed campaign will revolve around the
>political and social intrigues of the two primary Arkati/Gbaji groups
>in Safelster, the Guild of Chaos Monks and the Order of the Blue Star
>(the idea for which came from the adept Lythande of "Thieves' World"
>fame).
I hate to interrupt here but a raison d'etre for the Chaos Monks has been worked out on the digest at the beginning of the year. IMO the Guild of Chaos Monks is a fruitcake splinter of the Borist Church. Its adherants believe (along with other Borists) that everbody has an aura of chaos which must be shriven (a long and painful process) before one can enter Solace.
The Chaos Monks however seek to save everybody (save the Borists who are already saved). Thus they waylaid innocent travellers, shrive them over a period of days, and then kill them to prevent the victims from backsliding. Thus the victim is assured of Solace.
Unlike the other Borists who use the extracted aura to create chaos monsters (to defend them against their persecuters), the Chaos Monks merely retain the chaos within themselves. Thus they slowly mutate over time before they are uncovered and killed. They do not fear this end for to them it is the highest form of Martyrdom (possible to only those who have gained St Boris as a Patron Saint). Dontcha love moral win-win situations?
So while the Chaos Monks are a secret society, they are more of a Jehovah's Thuggees than the Elders of Zion. The mutant rebellions that have occurred in Safelster resemble more an outbreak of broos or scorpion men than a carefully planned uprising to filful the Plan. There is the minor matter that Chaos Monks should share the Borist Hatred for Arkat (who suppressed them when he set up the Dark Empire) but since they are real fruit merchants, they may not care. No, on second thoughts they prefer to save Stygian Heretics.
>IMC, the Guild is very important. It or the Order secretly control
>all the other Arkati groups throughout Malkiondom.
I don't think the idea of a dualistic struggle between two factions over the control of the Arkati Secret Societies is a good one. The more the merrier, methinks (a la Illuminanti!). Also some Arkati Groups are themselves plotting for supreme power.
But remember in spite of what I've said, it's your campaign and your call.
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