[Adonthell-general] Re: Sects and Factions

[Andrew Michael Phillips]

I'm going to outline what I came up with while I was gone, but first I'll 
say my piece on what else has been said about the sects and factions:

I think, if we're looking for descriptions more concise than character 
alignment and faction alignment, we might go with 'morality' and 
'affiliation'. Like others have said, these two would be fairly closely 
matched. Good characters don't join groups of evil alchemists, evil 
characters would have trouble joining a group like the Yetin Monks or the 
Ranger bands, etc.

I just reread that post. I think I goofed a little. If we're thinking of 
"which factions has a character joined" the best word might be 
affiliation. If we're thinking of the base (or average) morality within a 
faction, I think factional alignment might be better.

I think as far as gameplay goes, both measures, however implemented, would 
be essential. A player may not monitor his 'alignment' closely, but what 
other factors would the engine use to calculate the player character's 
right or ability to join any given group? A player character need not join 
a faction, but 

Regarding Elven magick, I think viewing their magick as art is the best 
approach. One ends up with the same results that we've already discussed, 
which what art tends to do. Schools and styles of painting form, 
dissolve, subsume one another, etc. In the same way, one can get schools 
within schools. In game terms, that might mean a school of literal fire 
magick (everything from simple fire conjuration to calling down ball 
lightning) within the school generally described by the word 
"destruction."

I agree with Kai's comment about the elemental styles of magick being 
inclusive of each other. There isn't any reason why we can't get creative 
with interactions between the elements. Heck, there is an entire 
style of kung fu that is based on the interactions between the five 
elements that its creators saw in the world. 

Given what has been said about the Dwarves, I like the idea of Dwarves 
revering what they respect, and having a few 'dark fathers' who would be 
revered by the misguided. I think Dwarves have power, but I'm not sure 
they would worship outright. Thus, they would have guides and 
legends, but not gods, unless they bestowed worship on the ultimate makers 
of the world. Their rites, their legends, and their reverenced for sages 
would all be an expression of what they do and do not respect.

Now on to what I came up with:
----
The Ranger and Ranger-like companies, which I've already written about to 
some extent.

Among Humans, we might have

Bladesmiths: Human weapon-smiths of above average skill (probably not a 
joinable faction, but real) (Sulin Turvale, for example)

Black Widow Sisterhood: Female, evil alchemists
Brotherhood of the Fang: Male, evil alchemists
These groups specialize in poisons. In public, they use symbols like a 
black rose or nightshade to identify each other.

The Gardeners: Alchemists of both sexes, good. They tend to garden or 
farm, as their name suggests. They have other names like "Farmers", 
"Herbdames", "Apothecaries," etc. The Gardeners tend to mix freely with 
herbal medics who don't practice alchemy. In some places, Gardener circles 
even include these non-alchemists. The Gardeners are very discreet about 
what they do, in contrast to the Black Widow Sisterhood and Brotherhood of 
the Fang. Those groups will openly display their symbols - even the spider 
and the serpent - confident that they can dispatch anyone who gets too 
close to the truth of what they do and study. (Solmanus)

Runekeepers, Librarians, Scrollhunters: Humans who make it their life to 
study myths and legends. This 'group' is one of the most diverse and least 
organized. Alchemists of both persuasions belong to it. It asks very 
little of its members in terms of alignment. The only requisite for entry 
is interest in lore, though someone who loses interest may also be shunned 
by the group and thus forced out of it. One can never tell what a 
Scrollhunter might have to teach or sell. (Rymon)

As to clerical groups, I think Humans would have the most of any race. 
Once we invent gods for the other races, we can simply translate those 
gods and creeds into human terms, given the Human tendency for copying.

Half-Elves:

With Half-Elves, the distinction between secular and clerical loses its 
meaning. Most Half-Elvish groups have a magickal/spiritual component.

I concluded that they would have shamanic traditions, identifiable by 
various totem animals. The groups would also have goals and a philosophy.

For example, a popular tradition would that of the Nightingale or 
Skylark, since both birds are notable for when and how they sing. 
Nightingales sing at night. I think they're nocturnal creatures. Syklarks 
sing while in flight. Given the importance of art and music to Half-Elvish 
folk, whether rural or urban, these would be popular, perhaps even as 
parts of a single tradition. 

Other traditions might be the Dryad (focused on trees and tree spirits), 
the Badger (shamans which invoke animal spirits for battle or defense),
the Wolf (popular with Rangers), the Eagle (for frequent travelers), the 
Seagull (for seafarers), and of course the Yeti.

There are, of course, also the mixed companies - Rangers, Witches, and 
Yetins.

Dwarves:

I think the first thing to note here is that each clan is a faction. Each 
has a special craft or talent, etc. With these come legend, philosophies, 
etc. The barriers between clans are fairly real, that is, one cannot join 
(or leave) on a whim. Forsaking a clan is a major decision, as it marrying 
into one, or accepting a task from the leaders of another Clan. Accepting 
a task creates a sort of individual alliance with the clan.

Some, however, that would cross clan barriers might be the Axes of Uzdun, 
the Runecrafters (weapon-smiths), and the Shields of Stone, which both 
makes armor and fights beside Zhotul'Uzdun at need.

Elves:

Not many strong factions, given Elvish individualism. The few "real" 
factions, priesthoods, or schools of magick command very real power, given 
that their existance is a product of persistence. Such societies may be 
hidden from outsiders, but still have significant influence. An example 
would be a long-standing council of Elvish Princes and Archmages. The 
world may not know the council exists, but its decisions can still change 
the course of history. 

The Elves have a pantheon ironically similar to that of the Humans. The 
Human pantheon is a product of their generalist approach to life, and 
unabashed borrowing from the other races. The Elvish folk specialize in 
knowledge, beauty, and that application of knowledge and beauty which is 
magick, but their perspective on the world results in a pantheon which is 
remarkably similar to the Humans' 

The other races, because of their particular ways of life, have more 
specific, though not necesarily smaller groupings of gods.

Mixed companies:
Witches, Rangers, Yetins - mutual support and respect between the three 
groups.

Rangers - already discussed
Yetins -  ditto
Witches (of Yendor) - "The Midwives" A group of Human and Half-Elvish 
herbalists, alchemists, and shamans which specialized in healing and 
warding. Also kept a few bits of lore which few others possessed. Hunted 
almost to extinction during the last few generations.

That's what I have for now.


-- 
All that is gold does not glitter,
  Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
  Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
>From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
  A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
  The crownless again shall be king