The Castigian Cabal is far-reaching clandestine organization who seeks to destabilize the current power structure in Marcandria, to ultimately replace it with their own. They are followers of an enigmatic shadowy figure who convinced them and made them believe that the current world order is irredeemably corrupt and unjust, and that only by first tearing down everything that currently is can they build something better.
+The Castigian Cabal is far-reaching clandestine organization who seeks to destabilize the current power structure in Marcandria, to ultimately replace it with their own. They are followers of an enigmatic shadowy figure who's convinced them and made them believe that the current world order is irredeemably corrupt and unjust, and that only by first tearing down everything that currently is can society be rebuilt into something better.
While they would describe themselves as the grand puppeteers, they are ironically only puppets themselves. The Nightsinger funded the Cabal through her machinations, secretly placing the High Priest of the Nightsworn Concalians as the Cabal's Nightseer. This Nightseer believes the Nightsinger is guiding him on the path to ultimately let his people return to the material plane and escape their curse. Though, while he sees the Cabal as his puppets, he himself is also but a puppet of the Nightsinger herself. To her, both the Cabal and the Nightsworn Concalians are but puppets, which she fully intends to discard once they are no longer of use.
@@ -20,12 +20,13 @@ dateCreated: 2023-01-23T20:52:16.031Z
The Castigian Cabal is comprised of individuals from diverse backgrounds across the entirety of Marcandrian society. Members can be found in positions such as nobility, merchants, artisans, and includes individuals from other factions and organizations. Membership in the Cabal is an additional commitment that individuals undertake alongside their existing roles and positions. A noble will continue to fulfill their noble obligations, and a mid-ranked member of another faction will carry out their duties within that faction without relinquishing their responsibilities. Their value to the Cabal lies in utilizing their existing influence and resources to further the Cabal's agenda. They strategically leverage their positions to subtly manipulate events and people in favor of the Cabal's agendas.
The Castigian Cabal can be divided into three groups:
The actual Cabal members, particularly those with the title Veiled Magistrate and upwards, will typically also have servants or mercenaries working for them. Depending on the situation, these may be kept entirely in the dark regarding the Cabal's operations, acting as a convenient front to avoid suspicions. They are alternatively given a very limited insight into that particular member's endeavors, being given generous pay in return for loyalty, and for not asking unnecessary questions. Those in the latter group are also rather openly told that any lapse in loyalty or secrecy will be retaliated against harshly. These servants, and the Cabal members themselves, are made fully aware that even the slightest betrayal or lapse on secrecy is punished harshly, with the Cabal having no qualms with murdering entire families and burning their holdings to the ground in order to avoid being exposed publicly.
-Those who are coerced into serving naturally assist in the Cabal's endeavors because they are forced to do so. The Nightsworn Concalians have their own reasons, connected to their people's current predicament. As for the Cabal members themselves, they are people who believe themselves to have either been wronged by, or unjustly denied something they believed they deserved, by the current status quo of the world. The Cabal will subtly approach them and start fostering the person's sense of injustice and grievances with the current power structure, often exploiting the person's personal grievances, to slowly indoctrinate the person into aligning with the Cabal's beliefs, before being officially invited to the organization. By the time they've become a member, the Cabal aims to have them fully believe that the current system, encompassing both society and the world's workings, is deeply flawed and unjust, to the point where only through first completely dismantling the current system can one build something better. The Cabal refers to this procedure as opening the person's eyes to “the hidden truths”, which they themselves fully believe in.
+The actual Cabal members, particularly those with the title Veiled Magistrate and upwards, will typically also have servants or mercenaries working for them. Depending on the situation, these may be kept entirely in the dark regarding the Cabal's operations, thus acting as a convenient front to avoid suspicions. They are alternatively given a very limited insight into that particular member's endeavors, being given generous pay in return for loyalty, and for not asking unnecessary questions. Those in the latter group are also rather openly told that any lapse in loyalty or secrecy will be retaliated against harshly. These servants, and the Cabal members themselves, are made fully aware that even the slightest betrayal or lapse on secrecy is punished harshly, with the Cabal having no qualms with wiping out entire families and burning their holdings to the ground in order to avoid being exposed publicly.
+Those who are coerced into serving naturally assist in the Cabal's endeavors because they are forced to do so, with the Cabal placing much emphasis on ensuring they do not step out of line or try exposing anything regarding the Cabal. The Nightsworn Concalians have their own reasons, connected to their people's current predicament.
+As for the Cabal members themselves, they are people who believe themselves to have either been wronged by, or unjustly denied something they believed they deserved, by the current status quo of the world. The Cabal will subtly approach such individuals and start fostering the person's sense of injustice and grievances with the current power structure, often exploiting the person's personal grievances, to slowly indoctrinate the person into aligning with the Cabal's beliefs, before being officially invited to the organization. By the time they've become a member, the Cabal aims to have them fully believe that the current system, encompassing both society and the world's workings, is deeply flawed and unjust, to the point where only through first completely dismantling the current system can one build something better. The Cabal refers to this procedure as opening the person's eyes to “the hidden truths”, which they themselves fully believe in.
Those who become members of the Cabal are heavily indoctrinated into the Cabal's beliefs. This includes their reverence for their enigmatic guide – the Nightsinger, whom they themselves hold next to know knowledge about – but whom they credit with being the one whose opened their eyes to the so-called “hidden truths” of the world, ultimately making them realize how irredeemably unjust and unfair the current world order is. The Nightsinger is thus seen as a patron of hidden wisdom, who exposes the flaws and hypocrisies of the world and its existing power structures, and as a guide who guides their path to an envisioned better future. The Cabal's ultimate goal is to topple the existing power structure and replace it with this envisioned future—a future they believe to be fair and just, albeit one where they must hold the most crucial positions of power to maintain this supposed fairness and justice. Unbeknownst to the Cabal itself is the fact that the organization's very founding was a result of the Nightsinger's subtle machinations and manipulative words, and that, to her, the Cabal is but a convenient tool she created in order to reach her own goals.
-The members of the Cabal sees the current world order, and its institutions, as a pervasive corruption that plagues all. It is a structure that perpetuates inequality, injustice, exploitation, and widespread suffering, for all except those who created and perpetuate it. A system where the hardworking who deserve better are pushed down while their superiors claim the rewards. Many of the Cabal's members harbor a deep sense of personal grievance, believing themselves to have been slighted by the current status quo, and that they've been denied something they believe themselves to have rightfully deserved. Their view can be rather twisted, as they often find themselves in relatively privileged positions, albeit still believe their efforts have made them deserving of more than what they've been given. The Cabal has fostered such a deep disdain for the current status quo that its members believe that only by completely dismantling the current system and institutions can a new structure be built – a fairer structure where all are given what they justly deserve. Or at least, what the members of the Cabal believe everyone deserves. The Nightsinger, through her masterful machinations, has managed to engrain this though of injustice so deeply into the Cabal's members that they extend their grievances not only to the people in positions of power, but to also be the fault of the very deities themselves, including Marcandria's Diostri. Society is according to them a reflection of the deities' wills and teaching, and as such, the root cause of the festering injustice that permeates it is also to be attributed to these deities.
-The Cabal, through the Nightsinger's machinations, are convinced that their envisioned future is only attainable through unwavering commitment and absolute loyalty to the cause. Half-measures and compromises are seen as destined to fail, and one must be willing to go to any length and employ any means--no matter how gruesome or sinister--to achieve the Cabal's goals. Great sacrifice, even to one's own morality, will be necessary. They also firmly believe that they are the only one's with the will necessary to traverse the dark and blood stained path to achieve the dawning of their envisioned better and fairer future. To them, all the suffering they must inflict to reach it will ultimately be finite, while letting the current status quo continue will result in suffering continuing perpetually.
-They deeply value secrecy, and view subterfuge and manipulations as the most effective tools to topple adversaries. They are fully aware that they'd stand little chance should the rest of society unite against them, and thus see it as paramount to remain unknown by the adversaries and in a position where they can pit their enemies against one another. It is of absolute importance that the Cabal's overarching plans remain hidden, and they will quickly silence any perceived threat to it, even if it's among their own members. Consequently, each member is only given minimal insight into the Cabal's endeavors, and minimal knowledge regarding their fellow associates. This means most members are anonymous to one another, which serves to shield the Cabal as a whole in the event of a member's compromise or betrayal. The Cabal additionally see operating in the shadows as a way of seeing the true colors of the world, the world's “hidden truths” as they'd call it. By skillfully manipulating events from the darkness, the Cabal believe themselves to be able to witness individuals' most vile and self-serving tendencies, reinforcing their belief in the inherent corruption of the current order, while being more than happy to use the threat of revealing such personal secrets as leverage when extorting or coercing.
-The Cabal prides itself on its pervasive influence throughout Marcandria, and boasts of an intricate web that touches every facet of society. They fully believe that the Cabal has planned for every possible outcome. Even if an endeavor should go awry, they firmly believe the Cabal to be so in control that they've already accounted for such an outcome, and that the endeavor failing will be inconsequential within their grand scheme. The Cabal credits most of their overarching plans and schemes to be results of the guiding hand of their enigmatic guide--the Nightsinger. The Cabal places great emphasis on keeping their members convinced that so long as they follow the guidance of their enigmatic guide, then she will reveal the best path forward and guarantee their eventual success. She is, to them, their faultless guide through the depths of darkness, who leads them towards the dawn of their envisioned future. For who better to guide one through the darkness than a deity who seems to have such mastery over it?
+The members of the Cabal sees the current world order, and its institutions, as a pervasive corruption that plagues all. It is a structure that perpetuates inequality, injustice, exploitation, and widespread suffering, for all except those who created and perpetuate it. A system where the hardworking who deserve better are pushed down while their superiors claim the rewards for their hard work. Many of the Cabal's members harbor a deep sense of personal grievance, believing themselves to have been slighted by the current status quo, and that they've been denied something they believe themselves to have rightfully deserved. Their view can be rather twisted, as they often find themselves in relatively privileged positions, albeit still believing their efforts have made them deserving of more than what they've been given. The Cabal has fostered such a deep disdain for the current status quo that its members believe only by completely dismantling the current system and its institutions can a new structure be built – a just structure where all are given what they've made themselves deserving of--or rather, what the members of the Cabal believe everyone deserves. The Nightsinger, through her masterful machinations, has managed to engrain this thought of injustice so deeply into the Cabal's members that they extend their grievances not only to the people in positions of power, but to also be the fault of the very deities themselves, including Marcandria's Diostri, who make out the three primary deities worshipped in Marcandri. Society is, according to the Cabal, a reflection of the deities' wills and teaching, and as such, the root cause of the festering injustice that permeates it is also attributed to these deities willing it to be so.
+The Cabal, through the Nightsinger's machinations, are convinced that their envisioned future is only attainable through unwavering commitment and absolute loyalty to the cause. Half-measures and compromises are seen as destined to fail, and one must be willing to go to any length and employ any means--no matter how gruesome or sinister--to achieve the Cabal's goals. Great sacrifice, even to one's own morality, will be necessary. They also firmly believe that they are the only one's with the will necessary to traverse the dark and blood stained path needed to achieve the dawning of their envisioned better and fairer future. To them, all the suffering they must regrettably inflict to reach it will ultimately be finite, while letting the current status quo continue will result in the current suffering to continue festering perpetually.
+They deeply value secrecy, and view subterfuge and manipulations as the most effective tools to topple adversaries. They are fully aware that they'd stand little chance should the rest of society unite against them, and thus see it as paramount to remain unknown force amongst their adversaries, and in a position where they can pit their enemies against one another. It is of absolute importance that the Cabal's overarching plans remain hidden, and they will quickly silence any perceived threat to this secrecy, even if it's from among their own members. Consequently, each member is only given minimal insight into the Cabal's endeavors, and minimal knowledge regarding their fellow associates. This means most members are anonymous to one another, which serves to shield the Cabal as a whole in the event of a member's compromise or betrayal. The Cabal additionally see operating in the shadows as a way of seeing the true colors of the world, the world's “hidden truths” as they'd call it. By skillfully manipulating events from the darkness, the Cabal believe themselves to be able to witness individuals' most vile and self-serving tendencies, reinforcing their belief in the inherent corruption of the current order, while being more than happy to use the threat of revealing such personal secrets as leverage when extorting or coercing.
+The Cabal prides itself on its pervasive influence throughout Marcandria, and boasts of an intricate web that touches every facet of society. They fully believe that the Cabal has planned for every perceivable outcome. Even if a scheme should go awry, they firmly believe the Cabal to be so in control that they've already accounted for such an outcome, and that the schemes' failure will be inconsequential within their grander plans. The Cabal credits most of their overarching plans and schemes to be results of the guiding hand of their enigmatic guide--the Nightsinger. The Cabal places great emphasis on keeping their members convinced that so long as they follow the guidance of this enigmatic guide, she will reveal the best path forward and guarantee the Cabal's eventual success. She is, to them, their faultless guide through the depths of darkness, leading them towards the dawn of their envisioned future. For who better to guide one through the darkness than a deity who seems to have such mastery over it?
The world is corrupt - unfair and unjust beyond any hopes of repair. Only by tearing the current status quo down completely can something better be built in its wake.
@@ -72,10 +73,10 @@ dateCreated: 2023-01-23T20:52:16.031Z
Driven by unwavering devotion to their enigmatic guide and fueled by a profound belief in their cause, the Castigian Cabal is determined to dismantle the prevailing power structures—both in society and in the world's workings—that they perceive as corrupt and unfair. Their ultimate aim is to replace these structures with a society they deem fair and just—a society where those who uphold it does not limit, deny advancements, or hinder an individual's pursuit of personal aspirations.
-The Cabal aims to accomplish this by first seizing control of a wide array of resources and influential positions. Simultaneously, they strategically work towards degrading the integrity of institutions they do not intend to control, as well as undermining the endeavors and wealth of influential individuals who are not part of their ranks. They aim to orchestrate the collapse of institutions and powerful entities outside their control, and as the unfolding chaos ensues, the Cabal intends to position themselves into all key positions, with an extensive network of resources and influence, ensuring their members collectively dominate what remains and what will be built after. With this consolidation of power, they will embark on a comprehensive reconstruction, molding the world according to their envisioned future, where they hold positions of unrivaled authority.
-The Cabal is acutely aware that they stand little chance in reaching their goals should all the other influential factions in Marcandria decide to unite against them. Maintaining secrecy is a goal in itself for the Cabal. They go to great lengths to ensure their plans and schemes remain unknown, and that the existence of their organization remains unnoticed. While their actions may elicit reactions within Marcandrian society, they meticulously avoid leaving evidence that could point back their members, or evidence that could indicate the action to have been part of a larger scheme. The Cabal strives to keep their adversaries divided and in conflict with one another. The Cabal is always seeking to expand its membership base, and are therefore always on the lookout for people who could prove useful to the Cabal, and who has something the Cabal can use to subtly indoctrinate them into their ranks. Likewise, they constantly aim to find new secrets they can exploit in order to coerce people into serving their cause.
-Most of the Cabal's schemes revolve around either elevating their members' positions or diminishing their adversaries'. These schemes encompass increasing members' influence and available resources, securing higher positions within other factions where they also hold membership, or bringing adversaries to ruin to open up coveted positions that a member of the Cabal may fill. These endeavors collectively aim to enhance the Cabal's relative influence and resources, ultimately contributing to the fulfillment of their overarching goal—bringing about their envisioned future. Individual members also harbor personal aspirations, primarily centered on securing the highest possible positions in the Cabal's envisioned future. The Cabal, and its members, thus tend to display highly opportunistic tendencies.
-The Cabal's enigmatic guide, the Nightsinger, has her own aspirations, for which the Cabal is but a tool. Discontented with the other deities' ploy to seal off the world from the realms beyond, thus rendering beings from those places, including the deities themselves, unable to directly influence the world, the Nightsinger seeks to exploit the seal's imperfect and deteriorating nature. Her aim is to create a significant breach in a location closely aligned to a place where she holds great strength—the Shadowfell—with one such place being conveniently located in the ruins of the old Concalian capitol of Sion, just south of Marcandria's borders. Through this breach, the Nightsinger intends to make herself the dominating influence in the world, causing it to fall into entropy—to crumble and succumb, leaving only disorder, darkness, and loss, where all are ultimately forced under her sway. This goal is entirely unknown to both the Cabal and the Nightsworn Concalians who aid them as Shades and Veiled Enforcers, with all ultimately being nothing but puppets in the Nightsinger's grand scheme, to be discarded when no longer of use.
+The Cabal aims to accomplish this by first discretely seizing control of a wide array of resources and influential positions. Simultaneously, they strategically work towards degrading the integrity of institutions they do not intend to control, as well as undermining the endeavors and wealth of influential individuals who are not part of their ranks. They aim to orchestrate the collapse of the institutions and influential people who remain outside their control, and as the unfolding chaos ensues, position themselves into all of society's key positions, with an extensive network of resources and influence, ensuring their members collectively dominate what remains and what will be built after. With this consolidation of power, they will embark on a comprehensive reconstruction, molding the world according to their envisioned future, where they hold positions of unrivaled authority.
+The Cabal is acutely aware that they stand little chance in reaching their goals should all the other influential factions in Marcandria decide to unite against them. Maintaining secrecy is therefore a goal in itself for the Cabal. They go to great lengths to ensure their plans and schemes remain unknown, and that the existence of their organization remains unnoticed. While their actions may elicit reactions within Marcandrian society, they meticulously avoid leaving evidence that could point back to any of their members, or evidence that could indicate the action to have been part of a larger scheme. The Cabal strives to keep their adversaries divided and in conflict with one another. The Cabal is always seeking to expand its membership base. They are therefore always on the lookout for people who could prove useful to the Cabal, and who has something the Cabal can use to subtly indoctrinate them into their ranks. Likewise, they constantly aim to find new secrets they can exploit in order to coerce people into serving their cause.
+Most of the Cabal's schemes revolve around either elevating their members' positions or diminishing that of their adversaries'. These schemes encompass increasing members' influence and available resources, securing higher positions within other factions, or bringing adversaries to ruin to open up coveted positions that a member of the Cabal may then fill. These endeavors collectively aim to enhance the Cabal's relative influence and resources, ultimately contributing to the fulfillment of their overarching goal—bringing about their envisioned future. Individual members also harbor personal aspirations, primarily centered on securing the highest possible positions in the Cabal's envisioned future. The Cabal, and its members, thus tend to display highly opportunistic tendencies.
+The Cabal's enigmatic guide, the Nightsinger, has her own aspirations, for which the Cabal is but a tool. She is dscontented with the other deities' ploy to seal off the world from the realms beyond, rendering beings from those places, including the deities themselves, unable to directly influence the world. The Nightsinger seeks to exploit the seal's imperfect and deteriorating nature, aiming to create a significant breach in a location closely aligned to a place where she holds great strength—the Shadowfell—with one such place being conveniently located in the ruins of the old Concalian capitol of Sion, just south of Marcandria's borders. Through this breach, the Nightsinger intends to make herself the dominating influence in the world, causing it to fall into entropy—to crumble and succumb, leaving only disorder, darkness, and loss, where all are ultimately forced under her sway. This goal is entirely unknown to both the Cabal and the Nightsworn Concalians who aid them as Shades and Veiled Enforcers, with all ultimately being nothing but puppets in the Nightsinger's grand scheme, to be discarded when no longer of use.
The Castigian Cabal operates under a strict hierarchical structure, where each member is expected to dutifully carry out the orders of their superiors without question. Deviation from these orders is only permissible when the requested actions contradict the Cabal's core interests and could be considered treasonous. The Cabal places great importance on the unwavering commitment and loyalty demonstrated by its members, especially when executing morally challenging tasks. Successfully completing assigned missions, as directed by the Cabal, is regarded as a testament to one's competence, dedication, and eligibility for advancement. Advancement when it comes to the Cabal is almost entirely based on merit. The Cabal will reward good service by improving and expanding on what the person's been promised in the Cabal's new world order, operating as a motivator where ultimately those who have aided the Cabal the most are promised the most prestigious positions. The Cabal will likewise reward those who serve them well by facilitating events so that they're given a more prestigious position within current Marcandrian society, typically close to what they've been promised in the Cabal's envisioned new order. This acts both as further motivation to stay loyal to the Cabal, and to place the member in a position where they're well equipped to be of use to the Cabal itself.