Pierce, two-fist proprietor of The Rusty Dagger, requested a guide to various factions of the City. As various groups have been detailed over the past year, this seemed liked a pretty good idea. They're aligned here by their allegiance to law (meaning the lawful government of the City) or crime. Whether they come down as allies or antagonists of adventures will depend on the adventurers' actions.
Lawful:
Many of the groups supporting law fall under the umbrella of City government:
The Exterminators: The hardworking men and women of the Municipal Department of Animal and Pest Control clean up messes left behind by adventurers and protect the City from wandering monsters coming up from the depths.
The Police: The Municipal Police Department has the unenviable task of dealing with mundane crime and the more supernatural menaces that sometimes threaten the City. They generate two “most wanted” lists: one for regular criminals and one for“specials."
Taxmen: The gray agents of the Municipal Department of Taxation and Finance work hard to divest adventurers of their booty--or at least the City’s legal share of it. Their service to bureaucracy and its tutelary spirit, Management, can make them surprisingly tough opponents.
Thaumaturgical Society: The professional organization for the City’s sorcerers. They establish standards of proficiency and rankings for magical practitioners. They also publish a journal of thaumaturgic inquiry.
Thaumaturgical Society: The professional organization for the City’s sorcerers. They establish standards of proficiency and rankings for magical practitioners. They also publish a journal of thaumaturgic inquiry.
Neutral:
The Druids: The City's acolytes tend to stay neutral in regard to the concerns of man. So long as the City abides, they remain aloof.
The Illusionist Guild: Allegedly a lodge of the international Brotherhood of Illusion (if such a thing just isn’t more smoke and mirrors). Generally this is a law-abiding organization, but its secrecy, and the inherent ambiguity of the arts of illusion make it somewhat suspect.
The Unknown: Also called the Inconnu or Unseen Lodge. A shadowy organization of powerful sorcerers.
Undertown: The parallel city of the ghouls beneath the City. Relations are generally cordial--but the ghouls’ dietary habits naturally make surface-dwellers wary.
Criminal:
Anarchists: Terrorist madmen in the service of extraplanar god-monsters of chaos.
The Five-Headed Dragon Society: A criminal cult among the Yianese. They’re based in San Tiburon, but their tendrils reach to the City’s Yiantown, as well.
The Hell Syndicate: The premier criminal organization in the City controlled by the infernal lords of the Nine Hells.
The Reds: Subterranean subversives and their human dupes dedicated to overturning the governments of the world and replacing them with their tyranny.
11 comments:
Great Stuff! Especially the neutral and criminal factions are highly inspiring. I think, I have to play some Cthulhu Pulp in The City. :D
That was quick! Very cool.This was exactly the sort of thing I had in mind. Thanks for the link as well.
Very useful. A good overview and index, and a reminder of just how interesting the whole setting is.
Excellent stuff, I want to be a Red.
It's a toss-up for me between joining the Reds or the Anarchists. Paradox?
@Logan - Thanks. I think that would work pretty well. :)
@Pierce - You're welcome. Some back reading to catch up on. ;)
@Porky - Thanks. It allowed to collate some things which will help in Weird Adventures writing, too.
@Angry Lurker and CKutalik - Nihilists! ;D (I believe that's the blogosphere charge of approbation du jour) You guys might want to read the pertinent posts before you sign up. It may not be as glamorous as it sounds. ;)
I'm tellin' ya... I love that you post stuff like this in your blog because it's cool to read new things every day, but if you collected all of this information into book-format, I would totally pay a handsome sum to have it to read through at my leisure. Great stuff.
It's coming, man. Just give me another month or so. :)
Com'n com'n - Is it published, is it published, is it huh huh. ;)
From what I know of the City, I think the CPD could be a quite interesting group. A normal day of crime would probably include a liberal dose of common or garden variety felonies, a few murders (one by a serial killer Doppleganger), a disturbance of public peace by a troll, and a group of adventurers breaking into a museum.
I bet the cops are a hardened lot.
@Harald - I'd say you size it up correctly. Is it any wonder so many retire early with nervous conditions or strange physical maladies, or give it up for a more dangerous--but potentially much more lucrative--adventuring life?
Post a Comment