From c071869e867e60e8a86fc05f4c35c4cb55987b0c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: MortenGM Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2024 17:46:38 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] docs: update HBW/Eirus/Marcandria/Factions/Castigian_Cabal --- .../Marcandria/Factions/Castigian_Cabal.html | 19 +++++++++++++++++-- 1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/HBW/Eirus/Marcandria/Factions/Castigian_Cabal.html b/HBW/Eirus/Marcandria/Factions/Castigian_Cabal.html index 9ed8192..ec48f5c 100644 --- a/HBW/Eirus/Marcandria/Factions/Castigian_Cabal.html +++ b/HBW/Eirus/Marcandria/Factions/Castigian_Cabal.html @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ title: The Castigian Cabal description: published: true -date: 2024-08-18T17:32:41.994Z +date: 2024-08-18T17:46:36.612Z tags: game-master, castigian cabal, cabal editor: ckeditor dateCreated: 2023-01-23T20:52:16.031Z @@ -26,6 +26,21 @@ dateCreated: 2023-01-23T20:52:16.031Z

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 fully 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.

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Beliefs

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Those who become members of the Cabal are heavily indoctrinated into their Cabal's beliefs. This includes their enigmatic guide – the Nightsinger, whom they themselves hold next to know knowledge about – who 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 them 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.

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The Castigian Cabal comprises individuals who worship, devote themselves, or follow (depending on their level of devotion) an enigmatic goddess known as Shar—whom even they themselves hold next to no knowledge about. To them, Shar represents the revealer of hidden truths and the patron of hidden wisdom, and to be the one who opened their eyes and exposed the flaws and hypocrisies of the world and its existing power structures. It was ultimately through her subtle machinations and manipulative words that the Cabal was formed. Their ultimate goal is to topple the existing power structure and replace it with their 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.

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The Cabal firmly believes that the current system, encompassing both society and the world's workings, is deeply flawed and unjust. They perceive it as a pervasive corruption that plagues all. Many members of the Cabal harbor a personal sense of injustice, believing themselves to have been unjustly denied something they rightfully deserved (members section). This denial could manifest as the denial of a prominent position, the struggle of a hardworking individual who remains impoverished while their superiors thrive in wealth, or any other situation where they feel the status quo denies them what they perceive to justly deserve. In their eyes, the current structure perpetuates inequality, injustice, exploitation, and widespread suffering, for all except those who created and perpetuate it. Only by first completely dismantling the current status quo can the construction of a new structure be built—one that is brighter, more just, and more fair. Through her masterful machinations, Shar has convinced the Cabal to place blame not only on those they perceive as upholding the current societal order but also on the very deities they worship. According to the Cabal's belief, society is seen as a reflection of the deities' wills and teachings. As such, the root cause of the festering injustice that permeates society is attributed to these deities. Consequently, the Cabal regards other deities, including the Diostri, as architects of the corrupt status quo.

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Shar has effectively convinced the Cabal that only unwavering commitment and absolute loyalty to their cause can pave the way to their envisioned future. They view half-measures and compromises as destined to fail, which is why they advocate for the complete dismantling of the current structures, regardless of the cost. They believe that one must be willing to go to any length, employing any means—no matter how gruesome or sinister—to achieve their goals. Progressing toward their objectives necessitates substantial sacrifice and immense cost, even to the point of compromising ones own morality. The necessity of this uncompromising position is why they believe no one else has ever been able to, or will ever be able to, correct the current corrupt structures. The Cabal is firm in the belief that they alone can bear this burden—that they are the only ones with the will required to do what is needed. Traversing the darkest paths, stained with blood, is seen as necessary to achieve their ultimate goal: the dawning of a new era characterized by their envisioned fairness and justice. In their perspective, all the sacrifices, terrible deeds, and inflicted suffering will be justified once their new age comes to fruition—for the suffering they have to inflict will be finite, whereas the current system, if remained unchanged, will continue to perpetuate suffering for all eternity.

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Operating from the shadows is a fundamental principle for the Cabal, mirroring their enigmatic patron, Shar. Even they realize that they'd stand little chance should the rest of society unite against them—hence why so much of their efforts are designed to pit their adversaries against one other. They consider secrecy of paramount importance, even among their own ranks, to safeguard their endeavors from adversaries and to make sure the extent of their schemes are never discovered. Consequently, most members possess minimal knowledge of their fellow associates. This anonymity serves to shield the Cabal as a whole in the event of a member's compromise or betrayal. Furthermore, they believe subterfuge and manipulation to be their most effective tools, whether it involves persuading individuals to join their cause or covertly forcing their support or unknowing contribution to their efforts. This does not mean they are beyond utilizing more direct approaches, such as coercion—be that threatening someone's assets, wellbeing, or the wellbeing of their loved ones—to gain the support of people who are otherwise unwilling to cooperate.

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The shadows grant the Cabal the ability to—according to themselves—perceive the truths of the world. They believe that people's true nature is most evident when they believe themselves to be unobserved. Likewise, the Cabal perceives the injustices of the current order to be most noticeable when it believes it operates without scrutiny. 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 also exercising their influence while remaining unseen.

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The Cabal prides itself on its pervasive influence throughout Marcandria and boasts an intricate web of involvement in every facet of society. They reassure themselves that they have planned for every eventuality and conceivable outcome. Because of this, even if a few of their endeavors go awry, they consider it inconsequential within the grand scheme of things. As they often say, ‘when dealing with a vast tapestry, the pull of a single thread makes no difference.’ The Cabal seeks to convince its members that so long as they follow Shar's guidance to navigate the treacherous paths they tread, their envisioned new dawning with a fair and just society, where each member receives their rightful due, will inevitably be realized. The Cabal attributes most of their significant projects and endeavors to Shar's guidance, believing that she has revealed the best path toward their goals. The most devoted members possess unwavering confidence in Shar's guidance, as they believe her to be their faultless guide through the depths of darkness, leading them to the dawn of their envisioned future. After all, no being should know the path through the darkness better than the goddess of darkness herself (Though again, the Cabal are not entirely aware of Shar's true nature).

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Through their devotion to their enigmatic guide and their resolute adherence to their cause, the Castigian Cabal seeks to dismantle the prevailing power structures, expose the hidden truths of the world, and construct a society they deem fair and just. While driven by a sense of personal injustice and a desire for their rightful place, they firmly believe that only through absolute commitment and unwavering loyalty can their goals be achieved. The Cabal thrives in secrecy and manipulation, employing the shadows as their ally, and embracing the sacrifices and dark paths necessary to pave the way for their envisioned future. With Shar as their guide, they navigate the intricate web of their influence, confident that they are destined to reshape the world in accordance with their beliefs.

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Description

The Castigian Cabal is 

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Operating from the shadows is a fundamental principle for the Cabal, mirroring their enigmatic patron, Shar. Even they realize that they'd stand little chance should the rest of society unite against them—hence why so much of their efforts are designed to pit their adversaries against one other. They consider secrecy of paramount importance, even among their own ranks, to safeguard their endeavors from adversaries and to make sure the extent of their schemes are never discovered. Consequently, most members possess minimal knowledge of their fellow associates. This anonymity serves to shield the Cabal as a whole in the event of a member's compromise or betrayal. Furthermore, they believe subterfuge and manipulation to be their most effective tools, whether it involves persuading individuals to join their cause or covertly forcing their support or unknowing contribution to their efforts. This does not mean they are beyond utilizing more direct approaches, such as coercion—be that threatening someone's assets, wellbeing, or the wellbeing of their loved ones—to gain the support of people who are otherwise unwilling to cooperate.

The shadows grant the Cabal the ability to—according to themselves—perceive the truths of the world. They believe that people's true nature is most evident when they believe themselves to be unobserved. Likewise, the Cabal perceives the injustices of the current order to be most noticeable when it believes it operates without scrutiny. 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 also exercising their influence while remaining unseen.

The Cabal prides itself on its pervasive influence throughout Marcandria and boasts an intricate web of involvement in every facet of society. They reassure themselves that they have planned for every eventuality and conceivable outcome. Because of this, even if a few of their endeavors go awry, they consider it inconsequential within the grand scheme of things. As they often say, ‘when dealing with a vast tapestry, the pull of a single thread makes no difference.’ The Cabal seeks to convince its members that so long as they follow Shar's guidance to navigate the treacherous paths they tread, their envisioned new dawning with a fair and just society, where each member receives their rightful due, will inevitably be realized. The Cabal attributes most of their significant projects and endeavors to Shar's guidance, believing that she has revealed the best path toward their goals. The most devoted members possess unwavering confidence in Shar's guidance, as they believe her to be their faultless guide through the depths of darkness, leading them to the dawn of their envisioned future. After all, no being should know the path through the darkness better than the goddess of darkness herself (Though again, the Cabal are not entirely aware of Shar's true nature).

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Through their devotion to their enigmatic guide and their resolute adherence to their cause, the Castigian Cabal seeks to dismantle the prevailing power structures, expose the hidden truths of the world, and construct a society they deem fair and just. While driven by a sense of personal injustice and a desire for their rightful place, they firmly believe that only through absolute commitment and unwavering loyalty can their goals be achieved. The Cabal thrives in secrecy and manipulation, employing the shadows as their ally, and embracing the sacrifices and dark paths necessary to pave the way for their envisioned future. With Shar as their guide, they navigate the intricate web of their influence, confident that they are destined to reshape the world in accordance with their beliefs

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Through their devotion to their enigmatic guide and their resolute adherence to their cause, the Castigian Cabal seeks to dismantle the prevailing power structures, expose the hidden truths of the world, and construct a society they deem fair and just. While driven by a sense of personal injustice and a desire for their rightful place, they firmly believe that only through absolute commitment and unwavering loyalty can their goals be achieved. The Cabal thrives in secrecy and manipulation, employing the shadows as their ally, and embracing the sacrifices and dark paths necessary to pave the way for their envisioned future. With Shar as their guide, they navigate the intricate web of their influence, confident that they are destined to reshape the world in accordance with their beliefs.

 

Shar's hidden truths

Shar's Hidden truths: