The Society
(I didn't like S.A.V.E., the foundation in Chill, so I made up a similar
foundation.)
The Society has had many names throughout its history. Most of
its past is intentionally clouded and compartmentalized so that if Creatures
manage to take or infiltrate a given base, the danger to other cells of
The Society will be lessened. In times past, their job was easier.
They could safely hunt down Creatures and their fellow man would endorse,
praise, and fund them readily.
In a nutshell, they almost put themselves out of business. Their
vigorous campaign against The Unknown was so successful that sightings
of Creatures became extremely rare. This persisted for over a century,
during which gunpowder had come into widespread use. The Society's
ranks shrank tremendously, new candidates stopped seeking them out, and
mankind began to convince itself that there was nothing to fear but fear
itself. Most of the funding agencies felt their investments more
soundly placed in cannons and rifles, for surely such mighty capabilities
would protect them from dangers known and Unknown.
The Society was dealt a grievous blow when Torquemada, a Creature of
The Unknown, infiltrated the ranks of humanity and started his gruesome
inquisition. Many of the greatest masters of the Art, the metaphysical/magical
disciplines that the Society used to greatest effect in battling The Unknown,
were burned as heretics and witches. The Society was forced to go
underground.
Many members of The Society went to the New World. Lacking the
structure, discipline and security they once enjoyed, many of their members
fell by the wayside, trying to use their powers for personal gain and to
evil ends. This prompted witch hunts in which good and evil, magical
and non-magical, perished alike. It was a dark and frightening time.
There were two things that allowed humanity to make it through this
time. One, The Society had done their job very well centuries before.
Two, many Creatures of the Unknown were killed as lunatics and wild animals
and/or died of starvation, unable to adapt to a rapidly evolving society
that embraced technology.
The Society pooled its resources and "went to ground" permanently.
No longer would they ride through town, swords held high, drinking in the
admiration of townsfolk elated at the sight of the slain Creature on parade.
No, from now on, they would have to become covert agents, revealing only
what is necessary to keep up the fight.
They began to become dealers in information and, when something unusual
popped up, they would investigate it. When it was a Creature, they
would work quickly and quietly to take it down. Then they would bring
in the charismatic, "Salespeople" to pick through the details and try to
find new agents , supporters, and/or funding among those that had been
victimized and were not willing to dismiss the horror of what they had
seen.
Ever so slowly, The Society regained its strength. It was a bigger
world than before, but now they had high caliber people, rapid transportation,
and the gear to do more with less. Unfortunately, there were still
some powerful Creatures from centuries before that had lingered on.
Attacks on members and cells of The Society began anew. The ranks
of The Unknown had swollen once again and many of them were a lot more
clever than there brethren from days of old.
Once more, unto the breech . . . |
