I'm in the process of creating a secret society aka thieves guild aka illuminati aka Bohemian grove type faction in my world. This is a large organization that focus of personal gain, and is wholely uninterested in actually shaping the course of the world, but rather the acquisition of power of its own members. They do not seek to guide, only work towards the opportunity for greatness if that makes sense? I want them spread throughout the continent and therefore their reach and members are multinational, kind of like the masons, but not so illuminati like.
I'd like it to function along 3 fronts; academic, financial, and political. With tiers of power from basic to upper ranking. Each of these fronts work independentl;y of the larger organization, but are connected, known only to those that are members.
So the academic front could be a well known prestigious university or place of learning that accepts the exceptionally talented or affluent, and teaches them in all aspects of life and educates them. If you prove to be the cream of the crop during your time learning, you are further thrust into the inner machinations of the organization. If not, you continue your life ignorant of the bigger picture, but with the recognition of the world that you were talented and well educated to have passed your studies from this university.
The financial front could be by means of merchants guilds and other businesses throughout the continent, a vast web of business dealings, subterfuge, corporate espionage, and acquisitions. This "front" is all encompassing and businesses exists everywhere and anywhere, identified by symbology or their members are known within the organization. They simply control wealth and make large movements of money to topple other businesses and take control of industry. Once again, this isn't so much to control nations or work towards a goal of global domination, it's simply the aspirations of a member who has worked towards a goal and achieved it.
Political, this is where I'm struggling with the exact goals. I'm making it up to involve a new PCs backstory so this is pretty much all for him and to tie him into the overarching plot. I want one of the psuedo-bbeg, who is the leader of the Kingdom's Ministry of Coin as well as a prominent member in the city's Merchants Guild. The party has reason(s) to believe he is forming alliances with other nations and has imposed a trade war and increased taxes within the kingdom to spark war with the neighboring country. So the Political front is rather far reaching and overreaching, but I don't want it to be exclusively based on world domination or control, but this is this individuals aspirations and so he has pursued that avenue and become successful.
I want there to be a sense of "honor among thieves" and respect throughout the organization. You don't have to be friends, but you shouldn't be enemies? If someone has achieved greatness, it should be a point of respect for other members, from the lowest and newest initiates, to the top tier of the organization.
I'd love some more input and ideas. It'd also be appreciated if anyone knows of pre-made homebrews/dmsguild/reddit posts that could help give inspiration for a society/organization like this. I want to homebrew my own, but fleshing it out could use some inspiration. Thanks
So the Political front is rather far reaching and overreaching, but I don't want it to be exclusively based on world domination or control, but this is this individuals aspirations and so he has pursued that avenue and become successful.
My guy, there is literally a James Bond movie where SPECTRE's whole plan is to enter a public/private partnership to take over as the water utility for the nation of Bolivia. My man James Bond had his tux refitted, gassed up the Aston Martin, over who got to be the water utility of Bolivia.
My guy, there is a Star Wars trilogy where they spend altogether a half hour of screen time on procedural maneuverings in the Senate vis a vis taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems. You go watch those prequels again, they make a surprisingly good 7-hr Schoolhouse Rock, whatever else their shortcomings.
And don't get me started on the writers of real life.
Start as small an obscure as you like. The better to horrify your players that this goes all the way to the top! Also, the smaller you start, the less you have to pare back if you decide you don't want the conspiracy to be quite this big, later on. I mean you're discussing something more along the lines of an actual class of society, by this point. Perhaps a shady class of society, perhaps a worthy foe, but maybe not where you were heading.
I have a similar NPC group in my game: The Guiding Hand Social Club which has been involved in the politics, economy, and war, pretty much all human endeavour since they set foot on my continent.
I would suggest that any power your group exercises is done very quietly, all behind the scenes. Think a group of Kaiser Soze's. It is best that any and all NPC's in said group want to keep their membership quiet, and go to great lengths to keep it that way.
As for your new player's backstory, keep it simple. For a vast organization that you describe, there are very few that know the entire picture. This new PC might have only a tiny piece of the information of the entire extent of the web of power exerted by your powerful group.
wholely uninterested in actually shaping the course of the world, but rather the acquisition of power of its own members.
This doesn't make sense. Why do they want the power, if not to shape the course of the world? What is the point of the power? You don't strive for power for its own sake. You get power so you can wield it. Toward what end are they wielding it?
If each individual is pursuing their own ends, conflict between members (which you said you don't want) is inevitable. There's needs to be an overarching plan or goal, some kind of guardrails so these people don't bump against each other and keep moving in the same direction, but what are they moving toward?
And to go a step further, controlling the world -- as is often the goal of such groups in fiction -- is not an end, but a means. They want to control the world, so they can then do what with it?
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I'm in the process of creating a secret society aka thieves guild aka illuminati aka Bohemian grove type faction in my world. This is a large organization that focus of personal gain, and is wholely uninterested in actually shaping the course of the world, but rather the acquisition of power of its own members. They do not seek to guide, only work towards the opportunity for greatness if that makes sense? I want them spread throughout the continent and therefore their reach and members are multinational, kind of like the masons, but not so illuminati like.
I'd like it to function along 3 fronts; academic, financial, and political. With tiers of power from basic to upper ranking. Each of these fronts work independentl;y of the larger organization, but are connected, known only to those that are members.
So the academic front could be a well known prestigious university or place of learning that accepts the exceptionally talented or affluent, and teaches them in all aspects of life and educates them. If you prove to be the cream of the crop during your time learning, you are further thrust into the inner machinations of the organization. If not, you continue your life ignorant of the bigger picture, but with the recognition of the world that you were talented and well educated to have passed your studies from this university.
The financial front could be by means of merchants guilds and other businesses throughout the continent, a vast web of business dealings, subterfuge, corporate espionage, and acquisitions. This "front" is all encompassing and businesses exists everywhere and anywhere, identified by symbology or their members are known within the organization. They simply control wealth and make large movements of money to topple other businesses and take control of industry. Once again, this isn't so much to control nations or work towards a goal of global domination, it's simply the aspirations of a member who has worked towards a goal and achieved it.
Political, this is where I'm struggling with the exact goals. I'm making it up to involve a new PCs backstory so this is pretty much all for him and to tie him into the overarching plot. I want one of the psuedo-bbeg, who is the leader of the Kingdom's Ministry of Coin as well as a prominent member in the city's Merchants Guild. The party has reason(s) to believe he is forming alliances with other nations and has imposed a trade war and increased taxes within the kingdom to spark war with the neighboring country. So the Political front is rather far reaching and overreaching, but I don't want it to be exclusively based on world domination or control, but this is this individuals aspirations and so he has pursued that avenue and become successful.
I want there to be a sense of "honor among thieves" and respect throughout the organization. You don't have to be friends, but you shouldn't be enemies? If someone has achieved greatness, it should be a point of respect for other members, from the lowest and newest initiates, to the top tier of the organization.
I'd love some more input and ideas. It'd also be appreciated if anyone knows of pre-made homebrews/dmsguild/reddit posts that could help give inspiration for a society/organization like this. I want to homebrew my own, but fleshing it out could use some inspiration. Thanks
My guy, there is literally a James Bond movie where SPECTRE's whole plan is to enter a public/private partnership to take over as the water utility for the nation of Bolivia. My man James Bond had his tux refitted, gassed up the Aston Martin, over who got to be the water utility of Bolivia.
My guy, there is a Star Wars trilogy where they spend altogether a half hour of screen time on procedural maneuverings in the Senate vis a vis taxation of trade routes to outlying star systems. You go watch those prequels again, they make a surprisingly good 7-hr Schoolhouse Rock, whatever else their shortcomings.
And don't get me started on the writers of real life.
Start as small an obscure as you like. The better to horrify your players that this goes all the way to the top! Also, the smaller you start, the less you have to pare back if you decide you don't want the conspiracy to be quite this big, later on. I mean you're discussing something more along the lines of an actual class of society, by this point. Perhaps a shady class of society, perhaps a worthy foe, but maybe not where you were heading.
I have a similar NPC group in my game: The Guiding Hand Social Club which has been involved in the politics, economy, and war, pretty much all human endeavour since they set foot on my continent.
I would suggest that any power your group exercises is done very quietly, all behind the scenes. Think a group of Kaiser Soze's. It is best that any and all NPC's in said group want to keep their membership quiet, and go to great lengths to keep it that way.
As for your new player's backstory, keep it simple. For a vast organization that you describe, there are very few that know the entire picture. This new PC might have only a tiny piece of the information of the entire extent of the web of power exerted by your powerful group.
This doesn't make sense. Why do they want the power, if not to shape the course of the world? What is the point of the power? You don't strive for power for its own sake. You get power so you can wield it. Toward what end are they wielding it?
If each individual is pursuing their own ends, conflict between members (which you said you don't want) is inevitable. There's needs to be an overarching plan or goal, some kind of guardrails so these people don't bump against each other and keep moving in the same direction, but what are they moving toward?
And to go a step further, controlling the world -- as is often the goal of such groups in fiction -- is not an end, but a means. They want to control the world, so they can then do what with it?