Peter proposes a limited scale for Arkati secret societies. I hav=
e
to disagree. If you take half seriously the population figures in Generte=
la,
CotHW, it will be necessary to go beyond the two masters sect, even if th=
ese
are widespread too.
Safelstran cities are rife with secret societies of all kinds. It has
reached a level where belonging to one or several societies is just the w=
ay
of life. Secret societies can be divided in three types. Most societies a=
re
usually a mixture of two or more types.
Religious Societies
These are concerned only with worship and following the mandates of the
priests (using priest as a representant of God or the gods, not a user of
divine magic). As such, the power is in the hands of the priesthood. Ther=
e
must be a good reason to keep this societies secret in the tolerant citie=
s
of Ralios. Either they do (or are rumoured to do) unspeakable deeds (Guil=
d
of Chaos Monks or the boristi), or are the losing sect in Malkioni politi=
cs
(the Galvosti), or are prejudiced against or second class citizens (theis=
ts
in most of Safelster).
This secret societies will usually have a strong leadership, and some
benefits for their worship, either spiritual or material. Getting into th=
em
requires a true determination and faith (or a very good simulation), and
inductees are tested very carefully. Penalties for betrayal are very hars=
h.
Some societies, however, are milder than this, such as the "loonies". Its
existence is not secret, just some ceremonies and goals. Just to avoid th=
e
ridicule of being considered one, most members keep it secret too. Of
course, the true aims and leaders of the loonies are unknown, so it
qualifies as a secret society. Think of masked, robed members in dark
cellars, secret handshakes (and decoder rings at high levels). Indeed, th=
e
"loonies", an outwardly inoffensive and well meaning group, spread throug=
h
all the cities, is the closest analogue to the francmasons. With magical
powers, of course.
Political Societies
Many former religious societies have evolved so they are now (almost) pur=
ely
mundane. Some rituals may remain, and the high initiates may have some
arcane power, but the rank and file are here just for the worldly power a=
nd
influence. Many guilds were initially of this kind, and some may keep
"shadow" guilds in operation. In most cities there will be cabals replaci=
ng
our political parties. Some members will be publicly known, but most peop=
le
prefer to keep their allegiances secret (and to belong to several at the
same time).
Most societies use magic to ensure secrecy and loyalty. The quality of ma=
gic
available will depend on local power and luck in having a member with the=
se
abilities. Traitors are more likely to be murdered by an assassin than be=
ing
attacked with magic from afar.
Most political societies have fractionalised leaderships, each pushing th=
eir
own agenda. Also, leaving a society is possible, often without lethal
consequences. They may have ties with other secret societies of all kinds=
,
especially political ones with similar points of view in other cities.
The Chain is the most famous (infamous?) and one of the most powerful
societies in Ralios. It has ties with many arkati, religious and politica=
l
societies all around the land, great economical power, and political powe=
r
now in Naskorion.
Arkati Societies
These societies try to bring back or to represent some aspect of the Dark
Empire, or even to avoid its reappearance. I consider them differently fr=
om
the other societies due to their peculiar obsessions that place them beyo=
nd
the religious or the political.
Arkati are obsessed with the fight against Gbaji (or becoming the Deceive=
r,
in some cases). To fight they use mundane, political and magical means,
usually represented through a spiritual progression. Unfortunately, what =
the
Deceiver represents varies from one sect to another, and other arkati,
doubtless deceived dupes, are the main target.
Almost all arkati sects propose that they are the only ones who keep the
traditions from the Dark Empire, which makes them the only society fit to
rule. This is the reason some arkati societies (such as the Old Arkat Kul=
t)
are mainly political in nature, with separate religious elements.
However at the core of almost all of this groups is someone who either kn=
ows
something of Esoteric Wisdom, or is trying to learn. Most secret societie=
s
will have small fragments of the picture (so even their leaders will know
only a little Wisdom) but the trick is in getting a wider knowledge. You =
can
steal it from others, be enlightened in a mushroom trip, muscle it from
something in the Heroplane, or make up something that fits. But to surviv=
e
among the arkati you need to have something, some mystical punch, or you
will be overwhelmed by other group.
So there are a few entrenched groups, with elaborate organizations, testi=
ng
and ranks, to see knowledge properly controlled, and very knowledgeable
leaderships, unable to see the whole picture, and small transient groups =
who
either disappear, their fragment of truth gobbled up by some other group,=
or
evolve, constructing its own Corpus, and becoming a fossil. Some even dar=
e
to become public, as the Proven Reappeareance of Arkat (sic?) did.=20
The few individuals who cross boundaries, follow Arkat's way (that of
betrayal for the sake of knowledge and power, but with a higher purpose
always in mind) and really learn are the ones who will bring Arkat and hi=
s
empire back. Pity there are too many of him.
Why should I join?
Of course most of the members of a secret society are not in it for
metaphysical reasons. They are in it because it is cool, or they may help
your business, or it is the right thing to do for cobblers, or your mothe=
r
was, and you have to keep the tradition, or there are those delightful
orgies on Wildday=85 Fanatics are rare, except in certain small sects.
Secrecy has an additional advantage in the crowded safelstran cities. You
may know your neighbour is a member of a secret society ("Why does she
always wear a rose somewhere on her clothing?") but not what it is. The b=
and
of masked people that assembles all Goddays in the tavern cellar may be t=
he
local cell of loonies chanting and howling, or a group of guildmasters
planning when they want the next war, or a group of deranged arkati
sacrificing children to get inmortality.
In my vision of Safelster, a journeyman of the Armourer's Guild w=
ill
be a member of the Guild (of course), with its recognition signs and trad=
e
secrets, and contacts with the Guild in neighbouring cities. He will aspi=
re
to be a member of St. Galvan's Hammer, the inner circle of the guild, who
pose as a group of devotees of St. Galvan, patron saint of armour making,
but who are really dedicated to keep business opportunities (read wars)
going as long as they are not too close.=20
He will be also in the militia, a file leader due to his guild
position and ownership of a brigantine hauberk. A fellow militiaman has
tried to induct him in some kind of soldier's brotherhood, but although h=
e
went to a couple of meetings he did not fit (an arkati group), and he
refused to swear the oath and discover the Minor Misteries.
His wife, who handles the shop, is in the Animal Society, but he =
has
not time for that. Seeing his wife trying to behave as a horse was
unnerving, even if she did not change shape, as they are claimed to do
sometimes. Instead, he has taken his father's place in the Clockwork, as
discerning minds can discover by the spoked-wheel ring he wears. The
Clockwork are a group of dwarf-friends (dwarf-tools is more proper) with =
the
proposed goal of advancing technology and civilization. The dwarfs share
only a little practical knowledge, but even that is enough (the dwarfs ge=
t
eyes and ears in Safelster, a limited political leverage, and some laughs=
on
the primitive humans, just for the efforts of a couple golds and silvers,
and a few foremans to impart knowledge).
He is a bit wary of membership in unknown groups, as his brother'=
s
life was wrecked when he was found to be a member of a coven dedicated to
the wild aspects of the Green Lady, that demon they wantonly worship in
Estal. Orgies and worse, it seems. Not proper at all.
You can make some pretty meetings with a hundred initiates, and a nice pyramid with a thousand. With groups several thousand members strong, you get the whole panoply of the Conspiration theorist.
As inspirational reading, I mix Umberto Eco with Gene Wolfe, and add up a few illuminati.
Jose
End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #452
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