- Illuminati
The Conspiracy
- Revised for Call of Cthulhu
By Brian-Joseph Baker (NicodemisQuick@aol.com)
Original Version Created for World of Darkness By Stephen Esdale
With a plethoria of information and assistance and information
provided by Anders Sandberg
-
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- We are prisoners in our own World.
-
- Since the dawn of time we
sleepers...mortals...humans have been the pawns of greater powers.
To them we were nothing; used as tools and exploited for their
enjoyment.
-
- In the time before recorded
history, at least recorded human history, the Earth was dominated
by creatures that our sanity in this day and age would say could
never have existed. Powerful Entities that ruled over humanity
for millenia. Entities whose servants humanity well aware of
where it stood in the universal play that is life. The first
of the great non-human civilizations was that of the first and
second Serpent Empires. The first serpent man culture came to
flower during the Permian period, prior to the rise of the dinosaurs.
They enjoyed a flourishing civilization, building great cities
of stone, practicing the arts and sciences, studying the use
of poisons and drugs, and sicovering the secrets of hypnotism.
All of this occuring before the coming of man.
-
- The First Empire waxed for
several million years but time and decadence finally took it
toll. As the dinosaurs rose to prominence, the civilization decayed
and slowly collapsed. Old tales tell of serpent men pursued by
monstrous reptiles, particularly the pterodactyls who numbered
serpent men among their favorite foods. By the time Nemesis swept
the skies, bringing with it the "long winter" and the
extinction of the dinosaurs, the First Empire had long since
fallen into ruin.
-
- The Second Empire of the
serpent men arose during the Pleistocene times, the age of mammals,
but from the coming of man. Led by the Priests of Yig, who had
preserved what they could of their fallen civilization, the serpent
people rebuilt their cities in the old land. Before long, serpent
man culture rose to great heights it had previously enjoyed.
-
- But even then, humanity was
struggling to find it place in a world that it greatly feared.
In a world in which inhuman abominations dominated our race.
The tyranny of the Serpent Empire last for generations until
the Ice Ages came and ended their empires.
-
- No one remembers those dark
days...no one but us.
-
- The forces of darkness sought
to continue the cycle of dominance. These creatures are fantastic
and terrifying. They have great mystic power and have the will
to use it. Many of our most talented, famous, and infamous people
have been taken over to their side. Our greatest resources have
been stolen from us, the collected treasures of humanity have
been raped by abominations! They walk among us, unseen by most.
They control the mortal world from the darkness, unknown by most.
They are a danger to all of us, incomprehensible by most.
-
- We are not like most people.
We see, know, and comprehend.
-
- Magic exists all around us.
Those of us have mastered magic in some form are called Sorcerers.
This moniker was bestowed by those of our own kind.; our magic
cannot compare to that of the mind shattering powers of the things
that exist on the fringe of human consciousness.
-
- The Conspiracy. That is the
name for the plans we have created to finally free Humanity from
the yoke of supernatural influence. Yet its more than that, for
we want humanity under our guidance. For too long have they wandered
like sheep, allowing the powers of darkness control over them.
They need a Shepherd; a leader to show them the way to world
dominance. We, the Illuminati, are that force.
-
- The Secret Societies that
we call the Illuminati are a diverse lot. Some of us have existed
since before the Egyptians, some only very recently. Some, like
my Society, want political power; others wish to control the
flow of information or money. Others just want power of a different
kind, like magic or knowledge! Our secrecy has been guaranteed
by our unorthodox methods. A web of intrigue, control and influence
make it nearly impossible for those seeking the truth to find
it. And if they do get close? We drop the name Illuminati in
the laps.
-
- No. We should have never
given our name to the Sheep, nor to the forces of darkness that
control them. Because of it, our secrecy could be threatened.
-
- The Courts will send their
Cadres, independent troubleshooters charged with protecting the
phantom veneer we hide behind. There are many powers in the world
which are beyond even our ability to fathom. We must be diligent,
or they will crush us like the ants we truly are.
-
- Now that you heard this,
you have no other option but to become a member of our side.
You will now swear your loyalty to the Society of the Global
Elite. If the lie detector detects deception, you will be filled
with enough volts light up a small town. Now repeat after me...
-
- Introduction
-
- Welcome to Illumanti: The
Conspiracy. Some years ago while I was still running my tabletop
World of Darkness campaign I ran across the original version
of this document. It had alot of great ideas, but myself holding
Call of Cthulhu closer to my heart than Vampire or any other
game system for that matter, choose to start converting all of
the hard work that the original writers put into this for a version
for Call of Cthulhu.
-
- This is a supplement of mundane
secret societies, run by extraordinary but still mundane humans.
For those who want nifty new supernatural creatures with wondrous
powers and vicious natural weapons, you will be sadly disappointed.
Its strictly a roleplaying tool. Though the Societies have nifty
gadgets at their disposal, the forces of darkness and the Cthulhu
Mythos would eat a conventional Knight (an Illuminati Agent)
for breakfast. Only by careful planning and scheming can these
forces remain undetected in this dark and strange land.
-
- In Illuminati: The Conspiracy
it is very ironic that this influential and powerful organization
isn't controlled by supernatural monstrosities or some powerful
evil wizard'. It is mundane humans, though some blessed with
extraordinary Psychic abilities, that are the self-appointed
puppet-masters of Humanity. It is also very Paradoxical that
though the Secret Societies are against supernatural influence
in the world, their great power comes from the magical artifacts
and ancient tomes that they have access to. Though they want
a world free from arcane authority, they need them to maintain
their grip on humanity.
-
- Another element that is very
important is paranoia. Plots behind plots, ulterior motives,
and secret agendas are everywhere. Working for an mysterious
organization, often facing an enemy that a total unknown. Your
never sure whether your teammates are trusted friends, or spies.
You could be the spy! The only person you cannot distrust is
your boss and he's brainwashed you.
-
- As you are reading this,
you will immediately draw comparisons between this and Steve
Jackson's Illuminati (both the GURPS supplement and the card
game). I must admit that the game was the catalyst for writing
this supplement, as well as inspiration for the major societies
in the game (Gnomes of Zurich = Shadow Bank, Bavarian Illuminati
= Global Elite). Yet the bulk of the work remains generally my
own (along with more than generous help from Anders Sandberg
and a non-listmember, Carl Gutbrod).
-
- I have undoubtedly used a
lot of copyrights and trademarks here, and did so without permission.
I am getting no revenue from this and have very little money
myself. Don't sue me; you can't squeeze blood from a turnip.
-
-
- Chapter Two : Setting
-
- In the World of H.P. Lovecraft,
humanity is the weakest of all the creatures in all of Creation.
In the world that H.P. Lovecraft wrote about, the forces of darkness
and the unknown has plagued humanity since the very beginning
and has been here long before man even stepped onto the stage
of this small mud ball of a planet. Now add to this world a force
that has existed for centuries, though none of its members are
immortal. They rarely confront their enemies directly, they never
allow themselves to be discovered. They are the Secret Societies
of Humanity, collectively known as the Illumanti.
-
- Collective History of
the Illuminati
-
- Though it has faded into
the racial memory of Humanity, the real beginning of the Illuminati
can be traced to the time before there was a written record of
human history In the early days of the human race, man had much
to fear from the forces of darkness and the unknown.
-
- It was the village elders
that started groups to maintain a history of their people and
also to chronicle the terrible things that existed out in the
darkness so that later generations would not so easily fall prey
to those hidden evils.
-
- This was, of course, an oral
history and was passed down from generation to generation. These
small groups would later fade in the background of society as
humanity became more and more enlightened to the world around
them.
-
- The oral history would continue
to be spread until the rise of the Egyptians. Up to (and including)
this time, these people had been long considered Sages and men
of wisdom. Their knowledge was desperately sought, and was a
valuable commodity. A small group of these oral historians, to
preserve their legacy for future generations, wrote down their
millennia-long legacy on papyrus sheets. They then took the many
books and hid them away in a false tomb for safe keeping, to
prevent the unworthy from gleaning its secrets. This tomb was
the first Basilica, the storehouse of the first Secret Society
which would be later called the Blood Covenant.
-
- The secret societies sprung
up over the millennia, growing from areas seeded from the Blood
Covenant. These Secret Societies saw the atrocities committed
by the supernatural world, terrible things that brought back
memories of the darkness and the unknown. The rise and fall of
the Black Pharaoh, Nephren-ka and the Demon Pharaoh; Menkuhor
the "Nightbringer" horribly scarred humanity. Truth
be know, these were the only period in history that the Blood
Covenant has ever assisted humanity in the destruction of knowledge.
After it was over, only the Blood Covenant knew what really happened,
and humanity was much better for it. No race should know the
horrors that came about during that dark period in history.
-
- The societies had once thought
only about advancing mankind, the power gained being fringe benefits.
Now they realized that humanity was not capable of handling its
own affairs unguided. Now they would control mankind for its
betterment, subverting the supernatural influence and eventually
utterly destroying those abominations.
-
- Thus The Conspiracy was formed,
the plan for the saving of mankind. They would control society
from the shadows, never taking a direct hand in anything. Instead
they would let the humans serve as pawns, with them not even
knowing that they were being controlled. From their secret positions
they would lead humanity against the horrors of the supernatural,
erasing their power and privilege from the mundane world. The
abominations would not be able to strike back effectively, for
they would be unable to find the true source of the enemy.
-
- Around the 15th century,
when the great age of expansion was taking place, the Secret
Societies (now calling themselves the Illuminati) were beginning
to clash on a regular basis. When countries and people had little
contact with each other, the Illuminati could easily work in
their respected circles without difficulty. Each society had
its own goals, which rarely involved another society's "holdings".
Now the world was getting smaller, travel between locations would
soon be much easier and less risky. Already some Illuminati were
threatening their cover by hiring thugs to attack another's holdings.
It seemed as if the Illuminati would go to war if something wasn't
done. Thousands of years of work could be undone in but a few
short years.
-
- And that almost occurred,
with each Society working towards their own goals and willingly
attempting to subvert each others influence within the mundane
world, something had to be done.
-
- In the year 1492, just as
Columbus was reaching the shores of the New World, the Four Major
Secret Societies of the Illuminati (Global Elite, Blood Covenant,
The Pantheon, and The Keepers of Secrets) met to avert major
disaster. A treaty of peace, called the Pax Concordat was drawn
up between the powers. This document laid out a framework in
which the Secret Societies could function without risking the
Conspiracy. A non-violent means of acquisition and take-over
of another Society's holdings was implemented, as well a strict
code of conduct for those engaged in those activities. Basilica
were updated to guarantee that all Societies knew the reason
for their actions and what their goals were . Finally, the Pax
Concordat set up a united front against the supernatural. No
Illuminati would be alone against the Abominations.
-
- The greatest of the changes
that occurred was the appointment of an Imperator that would
lead the Illuminati as a whole. The Imperator's word would be
law within the Illuminati.
-
- The Illuminati have expanded
steadily over the last half millennia. Two new Societies have
been introduced into the Pax Concordat, the Shadow Bank and the
Enigmatic Stratagem (though it's in doubt whether the latter
actually follows its precepts). Since ancient times, they have
remained largely unnoticed by the general populace. No one has
even suspected they may exist...until recently.
-
- It is fashionable in these
days to believe in conspiracies (more so in the World of H.P.
Lovecraft). Since Kennedy's assassination, there have been those
who theorized there is a phantom government in the United States
(and elsewhere). This paranoia has only intensified with the
apparent cover-up of UFO abductions and sightings. However, the
views of these people are not seriously shared by the general
populace and are not considered a threat by the Illuminati. The
real threat is the forces of darkness and the unknown.
-
- Illuminati have always been
in a delicate position. The Societies must remain active to prevent
the further domination of mankind by the supernatural (as well
as cement their own brand of control on the populace) but must
be very careful to maintain the veil of secrecy which ensures
their existence. Unless the Cadres of the Court maintains its
level of vigilance, the Societies existence could eventually
be threatened.
-
-
- Lexicon
-
- Common Parlance
-
- Acquisition: The taking over of an Supernatural
or Mundane-Influenced holding by one of the Secret Societies.
-
- Basilica: The Headquarters and storehouse of
knowledge of a Particular Illuminati Society. It is also the
teaching ground for new Agents (Knights) and helps enforce the
single-minded purpose of the Conspiracy.
-
- Bishop: The Teacher of New Recruits and Keeper
of the knowledge contained within the Basilica.
-
- Cadres: Groups of Knights and Pawns, under
control of the Court, who seek out potential breeches of the
Pax Concordat and "fix" them.
-
- Challenge of Dominion: The formal name for the process of
taking over another Society's Holding through non-violent means.
-
- Cliques: Similar to a Cadre, but composed
of Knights and Pawns loyal to only one Society.
-
- Conclave: A lesser council made up of Bishops
and Rooks which reports to the Court. They handle matters to
menial or unimportant to call a full meeting of the Court.
-
- Conspiracy, The: Plan of action in which the Societies
of the Pax Concordat subvert Supernatural influence on Humanity
while increasing their grip on mortal society.
-
- Court: The council which is made up of the
Queens of all the major Illuminati of the Pax Concordat (except
the Enigmatic Stratagem). They judge infractions of the Concordat
and interpret its laws.
-
- Creed: Inter-Society groups who share common
view on the Conspiracy and the goals of the Illuminati in general.
They are often at cross purposes with the Court and the Societies.
-
- Holding: The Name for any organization or
business under the control of a Secret Society.
-
- Hostile Takeover: An illegal practice in which a Society
wrests control from a rival Illuminati (or seize control of a
Supernatural or Mundane Holding) by violent means.
-
- Illuminati: The Collective name of all Secret
Societies.
-
- Imperator: The Supreme Leader of the Illuminati.
-
- Initiation: The creation of a new member of the
Societies by brainwashing or other coercion.
-
- Junctions: Small Societies which serve as intermediaries
and buffers between two different Holdings.
-
- King: The head of a particular Society.
-
- Knight: Semi-visible Agents of the Societies.
Made up by men and women that are gifted with special abilities
(Psychic Abilities, but not always).
-
- Mundane: The greater portion of humanity that
has no idea or want to know of the dangers of the forces of darkness
and the unknown.
-
- Pawn: Lowest rank of the Illuminati. The
only rank in which Supernatural are allowed. Considered nothing
but tools.
-
- Pax Concordat: The Concord of Peace. A peace treaty
signed by the major societies of the Illuminati. Contains the
rules by which the Societies operate.
-
- Phantom Veneer: The veil of secrecy that the Secret
Societies and the Illuminati as a whole has pulled over the eyes
of humanity to conceal their existence.
-
- Prime Holding: The most important Holding in a Society
with direct links to the Basilica. All other Holdings stem from
this one source.
-
- Queen: Members of the Illuminati that have
separated themselves from the affairs of the Societies to become
representatives to the Court.
-
- Righteous Fury: The equivalent of Society Genocide.
The destruction of an entire Society or Throng by the whole of
the Pax Concordat. Called many times on Throngs but never on
Societies, its the only time Hostile Takeovers are sanctioned.
-
- Rook: Controllers of Holdings, they enforce
the Illuminati's will on a dominated business. Rarely seen except
when dealing with its Holding.
-
- Shepherd: Codeword used to denote an Illuminati
agent, typically a Knight.
-
- Societies: The term for each of the major Illuminati
groups involved in the Pax Concordat.
-
- Throng: Small Societies, not part of the Pax
Concordat but forced to follow its precepts. They hold no influence
in Court (but are influenced by that body).
-
- Old Form
-
- Fabula: The bishop's art of interpreting
the texts of Basilica.
-
- Latebra: All supernatural creatures that hide
from public view.
-
- Lingua: The Knights language of verbal communication.
-
- Regina: Term once used for a Society's Queen.
-
- Regis: Term once used for a Societys King
-
- Vulgar Argot
-
- Abominations: Any human that has been tainted by
the powers of darkness or the unknown.
-
- Karnac: A traitor, scum, worthless
-
- Sheep: Mundane humans
-
- Organization in the Illuminati
- While there are still many
differences between Illuminati, the signing of the Pax Concordat
created many standard institutions common to all the Societies.
The following is an overview of these common organizations in
general.
-
- The Pax Concordat
-
- To understand the Illuminati
Society, you must first understand the Pax Concordat. It is Illuminati
Society. It is the guide to which all agents follow, the cornerstone
on which the Conspiracy is now resting. Everyone in the Society
believes that the Pax Concordat is the only reason why the Illuminati
have kept their secrecy for all these years. The Pax Concordat
is contained in a large leather-bound tome in each of the Society's
Basilica. It is a work that is encoded and filled with misleading
passages that only a trained Bishop can understand. Though the
work has long and specific rules, the Illuminati hasn't the time
needed to contact the Bishop every time they wish to initiate
an acquisition. So the Societies have condensed the Pax Concordat
into several common sense rules that listed below.
-
- I) Secretum: No Illuminati agent, no matter what
his station, can reveal the existence of the Secret Societies
to an outside member.
-
- This rule is the most steadfast
law. The Illuminati are very strict in upholding this edict,
for a breech in Secretum could be the end of the Illuminati's
existence. The penalty for breeching this law is a lengthy, painful
death (which could be dragged out for months). Many of the Societies
have invented terrible fates for traitors, generally ensuring
that secrecy will be ensured.
-
- II) Principalis: The first priority is the Conspiracy.
All other duties, whether personal or the work of the Societies
is secondary.
-
- This rule basically states
that if there is a choice between furthering the Conspiracy and
other possible goals, that the Conspiracy comes first. In practise,
the Societies rarely let anything get away from their own plans
and ambitions, even the Conspiracy.
-
- III) Dominus: If an Illuminati has influence over
the decisions of a Holding, it is theirs. No other Illuminati
can exert influence over it unless it is a Challenge of Dominion.
-
- If a Society controls enough
of a Holding (say by controlling the President/Chairman or a
majority of stockholders) to make decisions unimpeded, then the
whole Holding is theirs. No sabotage can be made by rival Societies,
unless they formally declare a Challenge of Dominion. Again,
in practice the Illuminati rarely let another's conquest run
smoothly, though they make sure the problems cannot be directly
traced back to them.
-
- IV) Gravitus: When undergoing an Acquisition or
a Challenge of Dominion, violence is expressly forbidden. Influence
and all other non-violent means are the tools you must use.
-
- Violence garners too much
attention, opening the Illuminati to possible scrutiny by the
outside world. Therefore influence through bribes, brainwashing,
blackmail, etc. are the only means to get Holdings. Of course,
violence is used in illegal "Hostile Takeovers". Societies
are not quick to accuse another of such tactics, however, due
to the fact that some past sin (such as a previous Hostile Takeover)
might be dredged up by those blamed.
-
- V) Solus: Against the Supernatural hordes,
the Illuminati will be as one force. No Society may deal with
the Latebra, to attack a rival Society or to further their own
goals.
-
- Another steadfast rule of
the Illuminati. Breaking this rule has similar consequences as
rule I. Against their mortal enemies, the Societies must work
together as a team, using their special talents to their best
advantage. Not to do so could be catastrophic.
-
- VI) Prudentia: The Court has supreme authority in
all matters brought before it. To ignore or defy its rulings
bring misfortune on the guilty.
-
- If a breach of the Pax Concordat,
or at the very least a matter of interpreting its rules, is brought
before the Court, then its ruling is made law. If it is openly
defied or questioned, the perpetrator will be punished. This
includes censure and lost of rank, to torture and possible death.
The Court will not be questioned, though many Illuminati only
give lip-service to this law. In recent history, the Court has
lost much of its power to control its members. However, the recent
problems with Beltane and his followers have given the Court
new resolve and power. This power has been transferred onto their
Cadres.
-
- The Conspiracy
-
- The Conspiracy, as stated
numerous times before, is a scheme that involves all the Societies.
Though the current method of influence and control of society
from the shadows is thought to stem from the Conspiracy, it really
has more to do with the Pax Concordat than anything else. Remember,
the Conspiracy outdates the Pax Concordat by centuries.
-
- This Conspiracy is not as
much a plan as it is a list of goals. The Court believes these
goals are to be met at any cost, the Illuminati are merely at
tool to that end. The Societies, on the other hand use the Conspiracy
as a tool for their own plans. This often creates a rift in the
Society hierarchy as the Queens of the Court and the Kings of
the Illuminati clash over courses of action.
-
- In short, the Conspiracy
has three broadly-worded precepts, each interpreted by the Societies
to fit their own goals:
-
- 1) End the reign supernatural
dominance over humankind.
2) Completely influence the course of the mundane world
3) Raise humanity to an intellectual and enlightened state
-
- These lofty goals sound very
noble, but it must be stressed that while the Court wishes to
see all three precepts followed, many of the Illuminati only
care about number two: Dominance of the humankind. The Creeds
(see Chapter 4) within a Society often debate what Conspiracy
precepts are important or redundant, often leading to heated
arguments and even outbreaks of violence.
-
- The Court
-
- The Court is the supreme
tribunal of the Illuminati. It is composed up of five Queens,
one from each of the Societies of the Pax Concordat except the
Enigmatic Stratagem. Its not even known wether the Stratagem
even has a Queen, or follows any of the trapping of Illuminati
Society.
-
- Every year is a meeting in
some neutral place, chosen randomly from a list of hundreds of
locations. These locations are owned by the Court and are sometimes
used as safe-houses for agents in danger. Meetings are also held
every time a breech of the Pax Concordat is brought forth, or
when a rule must be interpreted. At attendance in the Court are
all the Queens of the Societies, the Archbishops of each Basilica,
and possibly some high-ranking Rooks (acting as personal representatives
of the King).
-
- To best describe the court
is to think of it has a debating club. When a matter is brought
forth, the evidence is presented, people give testimony (if you
are subpoenaed, you had better show up!), and then the topic
is thoroughly debated. Finally, a vote is taken an the result
is recorded by the resident Bishops for their respective Basilica.
The matter is then closed. Their rule is final and there is no
recourse for appeal. To defy them is a dangerous game, though
it is one that all the Illuminati have learned to play very well.
-
- While the Court handles all
important matters in the Illuminati, it takes too much organization
to organize a meeting for every seemingly important occurrence.
Therefore, the Court has smaller "Conclaves", made
up of Bishops and Rooks, which handle lesser matters. Conclaves
are made up of ten members, one Bishop and Rook from all recognized
Illuminati (except, of course, the Enigmatic Stratagem). The
Conclave makes a detailed report to the Court every year and
has a right to convene a Court session if the need arises (though
they better have a good reason!). They also have lesser Court
powers and any decisions rendered are only cancelled a Queen.
There is at least one Conclave for each of the five Societies
which sit on the Court, plus at least a dozen Conclaves which
handle threats to the Illuminati has a whole (a quarter of which
are devoted to keeping tabs on the Enigmatic Stratagem).
-
- Basilica
-
- Originally a small underground
tomb or hidden structure, the modern day Basilica are huge complexes
underneath the ground. They are multi-story structures, crammed
with natural and man-made obstacles to intrusion. Mundane forces
will meet (if they ever found the Basilica, unlikely as it may
be) a horde of fanatical, heavily-armed Knights, remote machine
guns and flamethrowers, and tripwire grenades and claymores.
While successfully invading a Basilica is possible, its almost
always a suicide mission.
-
- Most of the Basilica is dedicated
to the vast library, composed of stone tablets, papyrus, leather-bound
tomes, and even computer programs. Connected to the Library is
an extensive complex of sleeping quarters, recreation and entertainment
complexes for the Bishops. There are also dark areas for Initiation
and torture, as well as extravagant floors dedicated solely for
King and Queen use.
-
- Note that player characters,
unless working for the Illuminati (and brainwashed into loyalty),
will likely never find a Basilica, let alone successfully penetrate
it.
-
- Society Hierarchy
-
- At one time each society
had its own ranking system, each corresponding to their unique
world view. The Pax Concordat set up a standard system of Society
status to be followed by all Illuminati in emergency situations.
During those important occasions, when they were fighting against
supernatural forces, it's important to know everyone's place
in their own Society. There is enough rivalry between the Illuminati
already without adding the arguments over leadership. Over the
years this ranking system has been integrated into the Society's
power structure. Though they may be referred to by different
names and have slightly different arrangements, most societies
now follow the standard Concordat ranks.
-
- The current hierarchy was
based on the game of chess. This was how most of the Society
leaders thought of the Conspiracy at that time. The King was
the leader of the Society, given authority questionable only
by the Court. The Queen was given a seat on the Court and no
longer concerns themselves with Society affairs. Rooks control
the holdings of the Society, while Knights act as its enforcers.
Bishops are the true "sages" of the Illuminati and
are the keepers of the Society's Basilica. Finally the term Pawn
was given to all those who are under the control of the Society,
whether directly or indirectly. More on the hierarchy in Chapter
Three.
-
- Cadres
-
- The Cadre are the elite troubleshooters
of the Court, created to help solve the growing problems facing
the Societies. Each Society represented in the Court must donate
a number of promising Knights and Pawns to form Cadres. This
multi-society band of agents, numbering anywhere from four to
more than a dozen, must swear their allegiance to the Court and
them alone. Failing to do so results in the Court's own brand
of Initiation (involving very unpleasant Brainwashing techniques).
-
- The Cadre's responsibility
is to fix any problem the Court thinks is a possible threat to
Illuminati security. This includes potential rogue agents (rare
as they may be), lost texts from a Basilica, and possible uncovering
of Society activities by supernatural or mundane sources. The
Cadres are spies, assassins, interrogators, commandos, and terrorists
all at the same time. Though their importance is great, Cadres
know almost nothing about the Societies they work for. They are
gathered together secretly and told their mission via tape recorder
or video tape (watch Mission: Impossible for ideas). They may
know their objectives, but will never know the reasons behind
them.
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- With the success of the Cadres,
it wasn't long until the individual Societies began fielding
similar groups as the Cadres filled with only their own faithful
agents. Called Cliques, these groups fill similar roles as the
Cadres, though may also be called on in Acquisitions, Challenges
of Dominion, and Hostile Takeovers.
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- Chapter Three: Character
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- While Illuminati was originally
conceived as an omnipresent enemy for Investigators to face,
it is conceivable that people would actually like to play characters
involved in the great Conspiracy. Though compared to the supernaturals
menaces of the World of H.P. Lovecraft, agents of the Societies
are often pretty weak in comparison. However, they do have a
very powerful organization, rich in resources and talent, actively
backing them up on missions. Against the Abominations, a character
Knight cannot hold his own in a direct fight. Yet the Illuminati
have more tools at their disposal than mere guns or explosives.
There are more subtle ways to harm your enemies.
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- Creating a Character
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