# The Brotherhood ## Category Cult / Ancient Religious Organisation / Old God Faction ## Known Facts - The Brotherhood is a cult or organisation linked to the Old Gods. - It has hidden from the Imposter Gods for roughly 3000 years. - In [[Gilyen]], it worked under the ruse of being monks. - It appears heavily linked to [[Ko]]. - It may have chapters across [[Tarin]]. - Chapters try to blend into local society. - Some chapters may be linked to different Old Gods. - The Brotherhood claims the New Gods are imposters or liars. - The Brotherhood believes the Old Gods were wrongly displaced, lost, imprisoned, or hidden. - The Brotherhood appears to preserve or pursue the return of an imprisoned divine power. - The Brotherhood maintains a breeding or selection programme for sacrifices. - [[Persephone Amoransia Damnari|Persephone]] appears to be one such child. - Children are sacrificed every year in every chapter house. - The Brotherhood uses mind control through the [[Blood of Ko]]. - The [[Blood of Ko]] is an [[Lineage of the Veiled Kin/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]]-infused serum. - The [[Blood of Ko]] was created by [[Warwick Thistlebloom]] and [[Keth]]. - Victims controlled by the [[Blood of Ko]] can be commanded by someone with a shard of [[Lineage of the Veiled Kin/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]]. - The range of control appears to be unlimited. - Severe pain can break a victim out of the control. - The Brotherhood is linked to the [[Opus Chapel]]. - The Brotherhood is linked to the [[The Opus Codex|Opus Codex]]. - The Brotherhood’s hierarchy includes: - Votary - Apostles - Crusaders - Compelled / Bloodied - Venerate - Sacred - Induced - Brown-robed followers are known as Votary. - Red-robed members are known as Apostles. - Apostles appear to act as police, guardians, or enforcers. - Armoured members are known as Crusaders. - The Compelled or Bloodied are mentioned. - Venerates appear connected to producing the Sacred. - The Sacred appear to be infants or children produced by the programme. - The Induced appear connected to pregnancy, birth, sacrifice, or the breeding programme. - [[The Golden Circle]] appears to be a meeting, council, or ruling body of Brotherhood chapters. - [[Merric Veil]] forced his way into command through a coup. - Merric is trying to steer Brotherhood policy across all chapters. - Merric has shifted Brotherhood tactics from secrecy toward recruitment, dominance, and open manipulation. - Merric used village fear, religious rhetoric, and accusations of witchcraft to manipulate [[Polark]]. - Merric dominated, tortured, killed, and revived [[Elena]] repeatedly. - Merric attempted to control [[Persephone Amoransia Damnari|Persephone]]. - Merric escaped through a portal at the Brotherhood monastery. - The party disrupted one Brotherhood chapter and freed many controlled Votary by destroying an [[Lineage of the Veiled Kin/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] control shard. ## Known Members / Associated Figures - [[Merric Veil]] - [[Cassius]] - [[Warwick Thistlebloom]], captive alchemist - [[Keth]], collaborator in [[Blood of Ko]] creation - [[Will Fletcher]], briefly involved or recruited - Persephone’s family, likely - Votary - Apostles - Crusaders - Venerates - Sacred - Induced - Golden Circle members - [[Voice of Ko]], possibly ## Known Methods - Religious manipulation - Infiltration into local communities - Disguising themselves as monks - Recruitment through fear and crisis - False accusations and public punishment - Mind control through [[Blood of Ko]] - [[Lineage of the Veiled Kin/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] shard command structure - Breeding and selection programme - Ritual sacrifice - Chapter networks - Hidden documents and long-term records - Use of prophecy - Use of masks or face coverings to hide from the New Gods - Use of portals - Use of mutated or controlled creatures ## Known By - Full party - The Brotherhood - [[Merric Veil]] - [[Cassius]] - [[Warwick Thistlebloom]] - [[Keth]] - [[Will Fletcher]], partially - Persephone’s family, likely - Votary, Apostles, Crusaders, Venerates, Sacred, and other members ## Connected To - [[Merric Veil]] - [[Cassius]] - [[Ko]] - [[Ko'tan|Ko’tan]] - Ko’vatar - [[Ko'van|Ko’van]] - [[Voice of Ko]] - Old Gods - [[The Opus Codex|Opus Codex]] - [[Opus Chapel]] - Golden Circle - [[Blood of Ko]] - [[Warwick Thistlebloom]] - [[Keth]] - [[Lineage of the Veiled Kin/09 - Items, Artifacts & Documents/Aetherite|Aetherite]] - [[Persephone Amoransia Damnari|Persephone]] - Persephone’s parents - Persephone’s ritual dagger - [[Will Fletcher]] - [[Polark]] - [[Voran's Well|Voran’s Well]] - Brotherhood monastery - [[Prophecy of Kieraquel]] - Venerate Mothers - Sacred Infants - Black sun - Child of endless spring ## Open Questions - What does The Brotherhood ultimately want? - Which Old God or gods does The Brotherhood serve? - Is [[Ko]] their true focus, or only one part of a larger belief system? - Are different Brotherhood chapters devoted to different Old Gods? - What is the [[Opus Chapel]]? - Where is the [[Opus Chapel]]? - What happens at [[The Golden Circle]]? - How many Brotherhood chapters exist? - How many have adopted Merric’s new methods? - What exactly did Merric’s coup involve? - Is [[Cassius]] still alive? - Is [[Cassius]] an enemy, rival, or possible opposition within The Brotherhood? - What is the full meaning of Votary, Apostle, Crusader, Compelled, Bloodied, Venerate, Sacred, and Induced? - How many Sacred children exist? - Are all Sacred children sacrificed? - Can the prophecy be stopped? - Is [[Persephone Amoransia Damnari|Persephone]] the intended fulfilment of the prophecy? - What happened to [[Will Fletcher]]? - How deeply involved are Persephone’s parents? - Are the controlled Votary victims, believers, or both? - Did Merric escape with the [[Blood of Ko]]? - Has the [[Blood of Ko]] already reached other chapters? ## Notes The Brotherhood represents one of the deepest ancient threats currently known. Unlike [[The Order]], which seems to be a research organisation corrupted into militancy, The Brotherhood appears to be an ancient hidden religious machine that has survived by secrecy, infiltration, recruitment, breeding, and sacrifice. Merric Veil’s leadership marks a major change in strategy: from survival through secrecy to expansion through dominance. ## Artwork ![[Lineage of the Veiled Kin/99 - Attachments/Factions/Sisters of the Brotherhood.jpeg|420]] ![[Lineage of the Veiled Kin/99 - Attachments/Factions/Brothers of Ko.jpg|420]]