FACTIONS

There are countless organizations, factions, and alliances of people throughout the aether. Here are some examples of factions that are joinable by characters.

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The Society of Adventurers

A loose, aether-wide faction of adventurers and explorers with a focus on promoting the common good. Its adventurers take on quests that benefit society, such as helping locals and defeating evils, as well as gathering lost secrets and treasures for the benefit of the people. They can be hired out of Cor Ionas and many major cities, with faction headquarters usually operating out of taverns and guildhalls. The Queen of Cor Ionas once was an adventurer with the Society. All species are welcome to join, with a broad distribution throughout the faction.

The Junkers

The ‘ugly’ half of adventurers in the aether, the Junkers aren’t so much a faction as a loose network of treasure hunters with the purpose of making profit, fame and fortune. They do business in the seedy, sprawling underbellies of the aether’s major city-pearls. The Society of Adventurers vehemently oppose the Junkers, but they don’t tend to care as long as they get to the loot first. They frequently attract seedy folks of all creeds, and creatures prone to hoarding loot like aethrin, mogi, and nebulon.

The Seven Eyes

An inter-aether organization of agents serving a common goal: to gather and share information and monitor the activity of dangerous individuals, groups, and entities. It is centered out of Cor Ionas, capital of the aether, and strictly organized by rank and seniority. Membership is an arduous process that involves practicing the art of ‘mind blanking’ and honing psionic abilities. Some view them as altruistic truth-seekers, while others fear them as an inquisition with too much power.

The Talon

While there are many criminal organizations in different cities, the Talon are by far the largest and most organized. Operated by dozens of ‘Families’ centered around mysterious Elder Whisperers, they deal in illegal trade, smuggling, hired work, private investigation, information, bounty hunting, and assassination.  Some of its members are known for being particularly cruel and bloodthirsty. At its head is sometimes believed to be an ancient cult, the details of which are only known to its eldest members.

The Masquerade

A for-hire mercenary, thief, and spy organization that works with many governments, societies, and discerning individuals. Their recruitment is restricted to creatures that have, or can transform into, very small and unassuming forms, such as mogi and aethrin.

The Wayseekers

A monastic order scattered throughout the aether, raised in Wayshrines located in reclusive places. They seek personal liberation from suffering through prayer, meditation, travel, learning, and combat, and are open to anyone. Many of them venture on to travel alone, seeking to spread goodwill and help the needy.

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Pirates and Privateers

There is no centralized faction of those who pillage the high aetherseas, but many such crews exist. They may or may not work with governments as privateers, or choose the outlaw life permanently on the run. As times grow more desperate and conflicts arise, these predatory pillagers take advantage of the chaos to make off with all the booty they can grab. They frequently work with groups like the Talon and the Junkers on tentative, temporary truces.

“The Faction”

The governing faction of Concordia, capital of the Caelha’s homeworld. This faction is exclusive to their species, believing that isolationism protects them from future extinction. They follow the leadership of a figure named the Alpha. Many Caelha have escaped from Faction leadership and disagree with their tyrannical beliefs. The Faction frequently spies on and observes other factions and civilizations, such as the cities of the Iona and the capital. They appear to be neutral toward the Mirrored God, as though they have come to some sort of agreement with the dark entity.

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The Parvas

A parva is a sometimes quite sizable group of Sylori in close contact with, and sometimes intimate relations to, the Regnas or Progenitors of the four Sylori nations. The parvas serve as the eyes and ears of the Sylori's leaders and act as emissaries, agents, vassals, and diplomats for their rulers. These factions are exclusive to Sylori.

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The Lost Heritors

A renegade order made from the surviving scraps of the long-gone Heritors of Gaia - ancient paladins gifted with shards of Gaia's soul by an avatar of her spirit itself, imbuing them with the power to banish the Elderborn and voidal menaces to the shadows. The original Heritors have all but disappeared or died, and so the Lost - descendants of those who aided the Heritors as their squadrons called "Companions" - aim to try and locate any remnants of the surviving shards, or those descended from the former Heritors. In the meantime, they dedicate themselves as trained monster hunters and vigilante warriors.

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The Heralds

A newfound organization established by a group of adventurers and scholars interested in answering a mysterious call they believe Gaia is whispering to chosen souls throughout the aether. They aim to gather capable adventurers to discover their hidden talents and see if they will fulfill the call and potentially save the aether from the Mirrored God's clutches.

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The Cult of the Mirrored God

The growing legion of those dedicated to the entity of absolute destruction, embracing what they see as the end of the aether. They may give parts or all of their heartshards to the Mirrored God in exchange for the loyalty of the Mirrored God’s voidal minions or a fragment of void powers.

The Nexim

The masked apocalypse cult of Calamitas, whose warlock gifts manifest as obsidian masks inlaid with luminous runes. They believe in sowing the seeds of destruction and reaping their rewards, operating outside the rules of magic and gaining powers beyond what is believed to be possible.

The Synthesian Conclave

A mysterious cult that worships a stranded voidal entity that calls itself the Synthesis, terraforming an entire pearl out of its transformed body parts. They live in a self-isolated utopia on this pearl, where they live a peaceful, communal life.