Political & Military Entities
The Redwood Throne
This religious organization has enough influence to compete with any nation of the world. Rulers in many lands, particularly the Principalities, derive some part of their right to rule from the support of the Redwood Throne. The highest-ranking members of the Throne are known to possess miraculous powers, particularly in the area of resurrecting the dead and of compelling the will. The hierarchy has never made any particular effort to minister to the common people, but the Throne’s Left Hand roots out practitioners of ritualism and unauthorized alchemy wherever they can get away with it. They take a strong hand in political goings-on, and no ruler can afford to ignore them. It may be said that the Guilds tend to influence business of the nations, and the Redwood Throne tries to influence the guilds.
As part of mission work in many nations, the Redwood Throne has helped codify the language as the standard it is today. In addition, the Redwood Throne will frequently send missionaries to nations where they are less established. They have a tradition of public service and charity, though they have fallen off in recent years. When it comes to their own defense, they have no military might themselves. The Imperial forces of the Principalities act as the military branch of the Throne, for all intents and purposes.
Further information on the structure and nature of the Redwood Throne can be found here.
Guilds
Many tradesmen of Athral Isle or the Principalities choose to join one of the great guilds for instruction in trade secrets or for economic protection. The most known and important guilds include:
- The Imperial Society of Alchemists
- The Brotherhood of Ledgers
- The Honorable Society of Brewers and Vintners
- The Honorable Guild of Physickers
- The Imperial Scribes
- The Imperial Society of Smiths
A guild leader has as much power as a Duke, especially in the Principalities. More information about the guilds can be found here.
The Thieves Guilds
Thieves' guilds are the common name for organized criminal groups around the world, though the members would not use that name themselves. The term arose from parallels between the different criminal organizations and the trade guilds of the Principalities. Rumors indicate that thieves' guilds have on occasion had members in the proper trade guilds as well. Both groups deny this, of course, and no one who ever looked for such a link ever found one.
Further information on the various thieves' guilds can be found here.
The Malachim Order
A secret society founded by a Ton Isiq scholar named Isandros of the Scales. Spanning many nations and surviving the rise and fall of many rulers, the Malachim Order is rumored to have gathered wealth and fiscal power rivaling the mightiest of kings and guilds. Throughout the ages, many have sought to pry the location of the Order’s treasure caches from supposed members, but the society has endured despite this misguided persecution. Centuries of harassment without any true results have taken their toll, and now the Order is seen as nothing more than a fanciful myth created by conspiracy theorists. In truth, the Malachim Order does still exist, and they are the caretakers of the investments made on the behalf of those philosophers who foresaw the coming of the Celestials. Laying wait in secret, The Malachim Order diligently prepares for the return of the Celestials, and are ready to lend aid to their cause.
The Border Guards
In response to the threats of Ghuls in the south and Trolls in the north and east, Akathia and Oresund created military groups to protect the borders from attacks. In Akathia, Demeyen Bishak, or the Knives of the Border, were founded by refugees from the Sultanate of Khodar-i-Gesh, combined with Emirate and Caliphate military. In Oresund, the Pekkoseinna, or Tundra Guard, have a long, storied, and somewhat shady history, but none can doubt their importance in defending Oresund from the Trolls.
The Pekkoseinna
Dorrit Eirun, the Frostmaiden, is the current leader of the Tundra Guard. Her charges consist of volunteers looking for a new life, criminals and those serving the nation, and wanderers from other nations looking to prove their worth, or perhaps just escape. Despite the relative unsavory nature of the Tundra Guard, they know they are the best the nation has to offer, and under the tutelage of Dorrit, who studied in the Tower of Glass in Akathia, they have become even more fierce. The Tundra Guard is a motley crew at best, and a devastating force of violence, murder, and protection at worst. Oresund knows they owe much of their current survival to these hardened warriors, but the unease with the Guard continues. Recently, the Tundra Guard bases themselves in the border town of Cloak's Reach, a strange place in itself. Dorrit has adopted an ancient motto for the Tundra Guard, "Kun menee sutta pakoon, tulee karhu vastaan" (KOON MEH nee SOO tah PAH kohn, TOO lee KAHR hoo WAHS taan). Loosely translated this means, "Those who run from the wolves, find themselves surrounded by bears".
Demeyen Bishak
Known satirically as Dinyez Bishak, or the Welcoming Knives, the Akathian border guard are currently led by Captain Rahala Sevast. The typical strength of the Bishak as a whole is generally no greater than 200, and generally is between 100 and 170. Due to the disparate backgrounds of the various members, there tend to be a wide variety of skills and levels of ability-- Desert Screamers, Sand Spire, former soldiers of all three nations, alchemists, ritualists, forge mages, mercenaries, criminals of every stripe, and town-trained peasants have all had reason to call the Bishak their home. A ready Forge Mage is especially important to the normal operation, as the Bishak naturally prefer to have ghulbane weapons, if at all possible. As Forge Mages are rare to nearly unheard of in Akathia, the Captain maintains a relationship with the Imperial Society of Smiths of the Hulder.
Being something of an ad hoc force, equipment and supplies are a huge issue for the Bishak, particularly when it comes to keeping themselves in Ghulbane weaponry. As such, they have no official uniform or anything of that sort. Their symbol is a crude representation of a knife in a circle, before a dividing line. Bishak warriors put this insignia on some article of clothing or accessory, and wear it proudly. Also, several members of the Bishak have adopted the custom of carrying a knife or dagger. This item does not need to be functional, or suitable for using as a weapon, but is worn as a decoration, with a sash wrapped around the hilt. It's become popular also to have the word Dinyez, or "Welcome," inscribed on the knife somewhere, or in the circle on the company emblem.