Tarot: Land of Arcana (WIP)

Gothic and Occult Organizations:

La Lumière
Die Wächtern
The Defiance
Order Of The Six-Figured Hand

The House of Seven Gables
The Fellowship of the Crimson Dawn
Knights Templar
Order Of The Black Rose

The Brotherhood of Alchemae
The Vistani

Order of the Golden Dawn
Followers of the Way
 
Occult / Gothic organizations:

La Lumière
The shadowy organization known to its members as La Lumière (French for "the light")(Neutral Good) is one of the primary groups involved in the Red Death, unbeknownst to society. With agents stationed in many major cities, and field agents who travel frequently, its reach extends to many corners of the world.

Most agents know only of cell leaders in specific locations, not whether there is any true hierarchy to the organization. The group originated in France, and its French name stuck after it spread around the world, although English speaking members often refer to the organization as "The Enlightened."

The primary goal of La Lumière is exhaustive investigation and documentation of the Red Death. Although its agents are expected to defend themselves, and will sometimes intervene on behalf of innocent people threatened by the Red Death, agents are expressly forbidden from interfering with the Red Death or its practitioners as a matter of course.

Die Wächtern
In stark contrast to the La Lumière, the Die Wächtern (Chaotic Good), seeks to destroy the Red Death wherever it finds it. The group was formed in 1897 by Professor Abraham van Helsing, a famous vampire hunter, monster hunter, and the archenemy of Count Dracula.

The Defiance
Working in absolute secrecy and calling themselves The Defiance (Chaotic Good), this coalition of adepts and mystics employed the great resources of the Library at Alexandria to piece together the history of the Red Death and to trace the spread of its power. After nearly a century of work, members of The Defiance were ready to take a stand. Their power was great and they had managed to work in secrecy, or so they thought. Mere weeks before they were to weave a spell that would have driven the Red Death back into the nightmarish land in which it had been spawned, the order was destroyed. For all their covert efforts, the Red Death had penetrated the order's cloak of secrecy and learned everything of its plans.

Order Of The Six-Figured Hand
Perhaps the most terrible of all the secret societies on Gothic Earth is the ancient Order of the Six-Fingered Hand (Chaotic Evil). Like many Qabalahs, it traces its ancestry back to The Defiance. Undeniably evil, the Six-Fingered Hand acknowledges the same goal that inspired The Defiance: the ultimate destruction of the Red Death. Although it is difficult to find fault with this goal, the means by which they attempt to accomplish it, through ritual, sacrifice, and black magic, is another matter.

The sign of this sinister Qabalah is an open hand with fingers slightly spread. What makes this glyph disturbing, however, is that every finger has an extra joint, and that the hand has two thumbs, one on each side of the palm. Occasionally, an image of Gothic Earth is placed in the palm of the hand as if it were about to be gripped. It is unknown whether such a hand belongs to a real creature, or whether it is simply a bizarre image. Members of this qabalah are routinely scarred with a diagonal slash across the palm of the left hand. When identifying themselves, members hold their left hand up and open to display a mark of loyalty.

The followers of the Hand are a dangerous group. They seem to be evenly divided between crazed geniuses and brutal thugs, with a few mad adepts tossed in for good measure. No one who seeks out the Hand and attempts to join is ever accepted as a member. Such individuals are tortured for information about how they located the Qabalah, then killed to plug a potential leak. Instead, if the leaders of the Hand spot a potential member, they seek him out and attempt to recruit him. Those who refuse are eliminated to prevent a possible threat to security.
 
The House of Seven Gables
The House of the Seven Gables (Chaotic Good), is a coven of powerful witches whose main goal is to protect the world from the Red Death. Hepzibah Pyncheon runs the coven, and it includes Clifford Pyncheon, Phoebe Pyncheon, Holgrave, Uncle Venner, Theresa O'Neill, and their newest members, Elise LeBlanc and Paige Matthews. The coven is in danger from their cousin Jaffrey Pyncheon, a judge who is trying to get the house, as well as the sacred land that it is on.

There is something evil locked in the basement, and Hepzibah will not let on what it is. The group learned from a ghost that the House was an offshoot sect of The Stone, an organization that long ago bravely fought and later was destroyed by the Red Death.

To become a member of the House, members must prove their abilities within an official power of 3 ceremony. And over the years, the House has established new branches in several key locations throughout the world and continues to expand due to its large pagan and Wiccan support base.

The Fellowship of the Crimson Dawn
The Fellowship of the Crimson Dawn (Neutral Evil) is perhaps the youngest Hermetic Qabalah on Gothic Earth. The earliest members formed the group to discover whether or not magic actually existed and, if it did, to what ends it might be employed. These individuals devoted much effort to the research of ancient philosophies and the practice of arcane rituals. Almost by accident, they found that the world was indeed blessed (or cursed) with a magical aura that they could manipulate. What they did not realize until much later was the price for their meddling in things they did not fully understand.

Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, commonly known as the Knights Templar (Lawful Good), were among the most wealthy and powerful of the Western Christian military orders and were among the most prominent actors of the Christian finance. The organisation existed for nearly two centuries during the Middle Ages. Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church around 1129, the Order became a favored charity throughout Christendom and grew rapidly in membership and power. Templar knights, in their distinctive white mantles with a red cross, were among the most skilled fighting units of the Crusades.

The order was founded in 1118 by nine knights: Hugues de Payens, Geoffrey de St. Omer, Rossal, Gondamer, Geoffrey Bisol, Payen de Montdidier, Archambaud de St. Agnat, Andre de Montbard, and the Hugh Conte de Champagne.

Legend has it that the Knights Templar still exists today and are the keepers of holy relics, including the Arc of the Covenant and the Holy Grail...

Order of The Black Rose
The Order of the Black Rose (Chaotic Evil) is a highly secretive Qabalah that was formed by high ranking nobles during the Christian Crusades. There was a growing hate by young nobles toward their lot in life. War and famine were commonplace and possession of land was under constant dispute. Many of these Knights had been wounded and displaced throughout Europe during the Crusades, especially within countries now known as the 'Dark Countries', which includes Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and the Baltics.

There were many heretic and witch hunts at the time, and the Knights banded together to protect themselves from the 'evils of the Holy Roman Empire'. The group made great efforts to contact old magic practitioners and other 'undesirables' of the Church to enlarge their organization. A new theology was eventually born that was based on the omnipotent horned god, Shaitan (Satan). This was a slap in the face to the hardcore Christians fighting in the Crusades.
 
The Brotherhood of Alchemae
Perhaps the most unusual of the known qabals, The Brotherhood of Alchemae (Chaotic Good) embraces the purity of science above all other things. Members deny the value of culture, the arts, human emotion, the concept of mercy, or anything else that “serves to cloud the mind and fog the process of reason.” The Brotherhood frequently encounters agents of the Red Death while investigating reports of unusual phenomena. Attempts by this qabal to master the art (or science, as they see it) of magic have brought clashes with the forces of both light and darkness.

The symbol for the Brotherhood is the mortar and pestle that has long been associated with both the pursuit of science and the quasi-arcane art of alchemy. Members of the qabalah are not required to carry such items with them, but an image or icon of such a device is always used to identify a member as a Brother.

The Brotherhood recruits members based on their past scientific endeavors. Only after a person has made an important discovery of some sort will he be contacted and investigated for suitability. Obviously, these requirements for membership lead to an order composed of highly intelligent men and women. The devotion that members show toward their research, as well as science in general, tends to distance them from the rest of the human race. The codes of the Brotherhood take a dim view of compassion, mercy, and the like. These elements of human personality are assumed to make an individual weak. Devout adherents of the code do everything in their power to cleanse themselves of such character flaws.

Like the House of Seven Gables, the Brotherhood of Alchemae is believed to be descended from the Stone. When that order, which is believed to have been founded by the ancient wizard Merlin, was destroyed near the start of the First Crusade, many of its members formed new qabalahs and attempted to carry on their work. The first known appearance of the Brotherhood in its current state is recorded in the early 1200’s in Persia. Records of the time indicate the existence of a mysterious group that sought to understand the nature of light and to harness the mystical properties that it was believed to possess.

Throughout the centuries, many of mankind’s greatest scientific achievements can be traced directly to the efforts of this group.

Alchemae is believed to be headquartered in London. Although it was originally based somewhere in Arabia, the society relocated in the 18th century. The exact reason for this change is unknown.

The Vistani
Although not a qabal in the strictest sense of the word, these mysterious gypsies can certainly be thought of as a secret society. The Vistani (Neutral Good) seem to have prophetic abilities and similar supernatural talents but do not appear to attract the attention of the Red Death when they employ them. Exactly how they circumvent that most terrible of evils is a mystery to even the most knowledgeable metaphysicians.

Unlike traditional qabals, the Vistani employ no overt manner of identification. They seem to have the innate ability to recognize their own kind at a glance. Imposters, therefore, are instantly detected and driven out or destroyed.

Although the Vistani sometimes employ agents recruited from the outside world, these people are not considered the equals of the gypsies in any way. They are simply hirelings who are assigned a specific task and paid for their services. No one ever becomes a Vistana; they are a race to themselves. As mentioned, the gypsies of Gothic Earth seem to be blessed with prophetic abilities unhampered by the taint of the Red Death. The majority of these powers, however, are found among the women of the race. Indeed, it is said that no Vistani girl is without some form of supernatural prescience, and that every Vistani woman is a mistress of prophecy...

Note to Self: Try to find some female units made by Hikaro. Also, add the wonder back that was called 'The Caravan'. It's perfect for Gypsies...
 
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (Chaotic Good) was an organization devoted to the study and practice of the occult, metaphysics, and paranormal activities during the late 19th century. Known as a magical order, the Golden Dawn was active in Great Britain and focused its practices on theurgy and spiritual development. Many present-day concepts of ritual and magic that are at the center of contemporary traditions, such as Wicca and Thelema, were inspired by the Golden Dawn.

The Order was established by William W. Westcott, William R. Woodman, and Samuel Mathers, who were each Freemasons.

The First Order of the Golden Dawn taught esoteric philosophy based on the Hermetic Qabalah and personal development through study and awareness of the four Classical Elements as well as the basics of astrology, tarot divination, and geomancy. The Second Order (or "Inner" Order) was based on the Ruby Rose and Cross of Gold. It taught proper magic, including scrying, astral travel, and alchemy. The Third Order was that of the "Secret Chiefs", who were said to be highly skilled; they supposedly directed the activities of the lower two orders by spiritual communication.


Followers of the Way

The Followers of the Way (Neutral Good) are Taoists..

Taoism (or Daoism) is a philosophical, ethical, and religious tradition of Chinese origin that emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao. The term Tao means "way", "path" or "principle", and can also be found in Chinese philosophies and religions other than Taoism. In Taoism, however, Tao denotes something that is both the source and the driving force behind everything that exists. It is "the One, which is natural, spontaneous, eternal, nameless, and indescribable. It is at once the beginning of all things and the way in which all things pursue their course." It has also been denoted as the "flow of the universe".

The Tao Te Ching is widely considered the most influential Taoist text. According to legend, it was written by Lao Tzu (or Laozi). and often the book is simply referred to as the "Laozi."

The earliest texts of the Tao Te Ching that have been excavated (written on bamboo tablets) date back to the late 4th century BCE. Throughout the history of religious Taoism, the Tao Te Ching has been used as a ritual text.

The famous opening lines of the Tao Te Ching are:

道可道非常道 (pinyin: dào kĕ dào fēi cháng dào)
"The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao"

名可名非常名 (pinyin: míng kĕ míng fēi cháng míng)
"The name that can be named is not the eternal name."

Taoist philosophy proposes that the universe works harmoniously according to its own ways. And when someone exerts their will against the world, they disrupt that harmony. Taoism does not identify one's will as the root problem. Rather, it asserts that one must place their will in harmony with the natural universe. Thus, a potentially harmful interference must be avoided, and in this way, goals can be achieved effortlessly.

By wu-wei (like water shifting into different shapes), the sage seeks to come into harmony with the great Tao.
 
Reserved... same thing...

Listening to:

God said to Abraham, "Kill me a son",
Abe says, "Man, you must be puttin' me on!"
God say, "No."
Abe say, "What?"
God say, "You can do what you want to, but The next time you see me comin' you better run."
Abe says, "Well where do you want this killin' done?"
God says. "Out on Highway 61."

-- Bob Dylan, "Highway 61 Revisited"
 
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