There are a great number of groups and organizations in Ehdrigohr that work very hard to effect a change on the world. Most work, one way or an other, towards the betterment of the people and the human condition. \u00a0There are others, however, that strive to bring sorrow and to shape the world to their own desires. \u00a0Beyond those forces of\u00a0darkness\u00a0there are even more terrible groups who endeavor to bring the world to ruin and return us to the void.<\/p>\n
Over the next few posts I want to detail some of the most important groups currently operating in the world. I’ll start with the Great Societies. \u00a0These organizations were started by the Watchers known as the Thunder Brothers (Wa’Kya, Tohr, Radeen, and Uhdahl) ages ago when the first Turning happened. \u00a0They were created to guide and protect the people and keep mankind from falling into complete disarray. \u00a0As civilizations have grown due to the relative safety brought on by\u00a0The Still,<\/em>\u00a0they find themselves at odds with men and women hungry for power as often as they are up\u00a0against\u00a0shivers and horrors from the\u00a0Twain<\/em>.<\/p>\n Lets start with the first two societies.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Society of Crows<\/strong> The weapon of choice of the Crow are known as the Crow lances. These are long spears with long wide blades at either end,\u00a0 The blades are about the length of a long knife, with feather and crow patterns etched along the blade and pommel. \u00a0These blades are also\u00a0removable, as they become fighting long knives. \u00a0The primary purpose of the crowlance, however, is not to be a weapon but to be a survival tool.\u00a0Beyond being a spear the crowlance is an all around utility device. \u00a0The pole can be broken down and has multiple compartments where a crow holds medicine, rations, grappling twine, and any number of other things.<\/p>\n Crows are especially strong in the elemental mystery of Wind and the natural mysteries of body and mind.\u00a0 They are powerful martial artists and their use of the mysteries is wrapped up in their martial\u00a0techniques. They are looked upon favorably by ShuaBringsTheLight, and were the first of the Great Societies created by Wa’Kya – Thunder Brother of the North. \u00a0In great times of need, Wa’Kya shares his power among the crows and chooses one to manifest as the “Lord of Crows”.\u00a0 In addition to the crowlance the other symbols of the Crows are the crow’s-mark which is typically worn as brooch, the Crow’s Mantle – a cowl and feathered cloak of dark coloration that shimmers and shines with the colors of the crow (black, blue, green, purple).<\/p>\n Crows are often looked upon by the peoples of the lands as folk heroes. \u00a0They are welcomed in most places, however, their penchant for meddling and lack of political\u00a0allegiances\u00a0has made\u00a0their\u00a0presence barely tolerated in the new found Wu Towns and in the Salduun empire where\u00a0politics\u00a0and economic power hold sway over balance and justice more each day. \u00a0They are considered terrorists in the the lands of the Mic’Talan. Among the Mic’Talan, even bearing the symbol of the crow’s mark is punishable with imprisonment at the very least.<\/p>\n One who is said to “dance with the crows” has joined this organization, or at the least is very friendly to them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Brothers and Sisters of the Mourning Doves<\/strong> Though primarily an order centered around peace, the Doves are not necessarily pacifists. When face to face with a shiver or horror a dove can become a fury to behold as they are masters of an open hand martial art known as the “Hand of Weal and Woe” and in the use of their walking\u00a0cudgels\u00a0known as “sunset clubs”.\u00a0 Though they would prefer to peacefully deal with problems created by men, when someone has fallen to far into darkness, they are not above “removing an infection from the community”.\u00a0 When they can’t do this themselves they will not hesitate to call in Crows to handle the details.<\/p>\n Their closeness to death has caused them to develop great\u00a0knowledge\u00a0of forensic techniques. \u00a0This means they are often at the center of investigations of murder where the culprit is not obvious. \u00a0They are oathbound to see to the rest of restless spirits which, again,\u00a0sometimes\u00a0put them in the position of meddler or\u00a0investigator\u00a0as angry spirits might seek them out to gain justice. The fact that spirits will regularly talk to them causes Doves to be considered a little creepy and they aren’t often welcome for long in a given place.\u00a0 People get a little paranoid about their secrets when a Dove turns her ear and looks to be listening to nothing while looking at you.<\/p>\n The Doves are close to the earth and are looked upon favorably by the song known as BryahdWhoShapesTheEarth.\u00a0 They tend to her beasts, and to the green, as well as they do to men. \u00a0They are the Great Society created by Tohr – Thunder brother of the West. \u00a0In times of great need it is said he lends his power to the doves, choosing one to become the Regent of Mourning who will heal the wounds of the land and hearts.<\/p>\n The Doves are strongly associated with the elemental mystery of Earth, the Nature mystery of Soul, and the Principal mystery of Life. They are a Mystical order and focus greatly on the relationships of teacher and student. \u00a0They’re known by the\u00a0moniker\u00a0“Browncloak” due to the feathered dun colored cloaks that they wear. \u00a0The dun cloak is the Mourning Dove’s most prized possession. \u00a0It is filled with pockets and pouches where they keep medicine and supplies. \u00a0It keeps them comfortable in most climates, and allows them to blend in with natural surroundings. \u00a0It is an item of great healing and allows them to call on the mystery of life with greater ease.<\/p>\n For a person to say they have “taken the brown” means they’ve decide to walk a path of peace and healing, and perhaps to have sought out a teacher among the Brothers and Sisters of the Mourning Dove.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Next time, the Dream Keeping Society of the Owls.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There are a great number of groups and organizations in Ehdrigohr that work very hard to effect a change on the world. Most work, one way or an other, towards the betterment of the people and the human condition. \u00a0There are others, however, that strive to bring sorrow and to \u2026<\/p>\n
\nThis is a great warrior society that is scattered across the lands. Every group of people has some variation on the Crows but the group most well known are the Crows of the Shil which is composed mostly of Wiijasa, Batu, and some Urali.\u00a0 The Crows are the closest thing to a worldwide army and often act like sheriffs for the ways in the area they a operate. It is very rare to find a crow that operates alone. They are extremely social the need to recognize the importance of the gifts of others is one of their fundamental teachings.\u00a0 The Crows specialize in hunting shivers, and are often considered to be among the\u00a0preeminent\u00a0monster hunters, evil slayers, and waywardens of the lands. In addition to monsters, they have taken down more than a few bandit kings and would be warlords.<\/p>\n
\nMourning Doves are a worldwide order of healers and\u00a0peace keepers who travel in flocks of teacher and students. They specialize in presiding over funerals and births.\u00a0 They can be found wherever a great battle has taken place, and in spring and autumn time festivals around the world. \u00a0Their goal is the sending of people out of the world in peace, and bringing them in with joy, and maintaining the general well being of the days\u00a0in between.<\/p>\n