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{{Greyhawk Realm
{{Greyhawk}}{{tocright}}
|image =
Seeing themselves as the Suel Empire reborn, the Scarlet Brotherhood espouses fanatic discipline and deceptive manipulation as the road to a new golden age.
|caption =
|name = Great and Hidden Empire
of the Scarlet Brotherhood
|motto =
|region = [[Tilvanot Peninsula]]
|ruler = The Father of Obedience
|government =
|established =
|capital = [[Hesuel Ilshar]]
|major towns = Hesuel Ilshar
|provinces =
|resources =
|coinage =
|population = 
|races = Human ([[Suloise|S]]) 96%
|languages = Ancient Suloise
|alignments = LE*
|religions = [[Pyremius]], [[Syrul]], [[Wee Jas]], [[Bralm]], other Suel deities, [[Nerull]]
|allies =
|enemies =
}}
The '''Scarlet Brotherhood''' most often refers to the Great and Hidden Empire of the Scarlet Brotherhood, a nation located on the [[Tilvanot Peninsula]] in the southeastern [[Flanaess]], though it can also refer to the secretive organization which rules that land. ''The Scarlet Brotherhood'' is also the title of a 1999 sourcebook for the setting by [[Sean K. Reynolds]].


Sometimes called the '''Kingdom of Shar''' ("purity"), the Scarlet Brotherhood is headed by a cadre of monastics, with final authority resting in the hands of the "Father of Obedience."
'''Class Notes''': The Scarlet Brotherhood favors monks and to a lesser degree rogues. They teach the [http://hastur.net/wiki/D%26D/Classes/RokuganNinja/MagicNinja Magic Ninja ] core class and sponsor the Assassin prestige class.


==History==
'''Type''': Government (racial)
During the [[Greyhawk Wars]], the Brotherhood made many gains, taking over the [[Lordship of the Isles]], the [[Sea Princes]], [[Idee]], and [[Onnwal]]. However, they lost Idee to the [[South Province]] (now part of [[Ahlissa]]) in 586 [[Common Year|CY]], and in 589 the Hold of the Sea Princes erupted in civil war. In Onnwal, the Brotherhood rules only the port of [[Scant]], though the Lordship of the Isles remains completely under their control.


The Brotherhood increased its holdings during the Greyhawk Wars through combination of espionage, Realpolitick, and military might. In a matter of months, entire nations fell to that order’s assassins. It was revealed that the advisors of many of the royal courts of the Flanaess had been Brotherhood agents, giving their leaders poisoned advice from the beginning. Some nations, such as [[Sunndi]], the [[Sea Barons]], and [[Irongate]], discovered this ruse in time to save their governments. These realms were aided by the [[Splintered Mind]], a small group of monks, psions, and rogues who were betrayed by Brotherhood long ago, and now work to oppose the Scarlet Sign.
'''Scale''': 16 (multicontinental/empire)


Where guile and deception failed to win the day, the monks of the Scarlet Sign employed brute force. The Hold of the Sea Princes, already weakened by the murder of twenty-seven of its nobles in a single night, was taken via hordes of Suel "savages" from the [[Amedio Jungle]] unloaded into their lands by ships bearing sails of scarlet. At one point, captured Sea Princes ships were made to attack the [[Keoland|Keoish]] port of [[Gradsul]], though [[Ulek|Uleki]] assistance rebuffed the effort.
'''Capital''': 16. Gp limit 154,000. Assets 2,464,000 gp.


In the captured lands--Idee, Onnwal, the Lordship of the Isles, and the Hold of the Sea Princes-—Scarlet Brotherhood agents now hold nearly every position of power. Amedio and [[Hepmonaland]] natives roam these lands in packs, obediently following the beck and call of the Scarlet monks.  Worse yet, foul half-breed creatures, likely created in the halls of [[Hesuel Ilshar]] itself, are now used to instill fear in the occupied lands. The exact numbers of Brothers and Sisters in the taken lands is not known at this time. What is known is that existence there is hellish, and many of those who cannot escape commit suicide by the day.
'''Executive powers''': Assassinate, Harvest, Shadow War, Terrorize.


==Geography and climate==


==People==
==== Advancement ====
The Scarlet Brotherhood is a caste society, valuing the [[Suloise]] race and culture above all others. Full citizenship is granted only to those of pure Suel blood who adhere to the Brotherhood's philosophy of Suel hegemony. Those who are of mostly Suel extraction have some rights, but not nearly as many as citizens. The lowest tier of Brotherhood society is occupied by its slaves, made up of non-humans and humans of "mongrel" blood.
{| class="wikitable"
||'''Criterion''' |||'''Affiliation Score Modifier'''
|-
||Character level ||| +1/2 levels
|-
|colspan=2|'''Inherent''' ||| 2
|-
|| Halfblood Suel ||| +1
|-
|| * Purebred Suel ||| +2
|-
|colspan=2|'''Acquired''' ||| 3
|-
|| Has the evasion class ability ||| +1
|-
|| Has the improved evasion class ability ||| +1
|-
|| Has the still mind class ability ||| +1
|-
|| Is lawful ||| +1
|-
|colspan=2|'''Work''' |||3
|-
||Makes continual reports to superiors ||| +1
|-
||Able to provide sensitive information to superiors ||| +1
|-
||Uses influence beneficial to the brotherhood in daily job ||| +1
|-
||Carries messages and does small errands for brotherhood ||| +1
|-
|colspan=2|'''Adventure''' ||| 3
|-
|| Fulfills assigned objective  ||| +1
|-
|| Infiltrates another affiliation ||| +1
|-
|| Establishes new safe house in a useful spot ||| +1
|-
|| * Establishes new enclave ||| +2
|-
|| Assassinates known enemy of the brotherhood (relative CR -2 or better) ||| +1
|-
|| * Assassinates known enemy of the brotherhood (relative CR +2 or better) ||| +2
|-
|| Converts person of note to brotherhood agenda ||| +2
|-
|| Recovers lost artifact of the Suel ||| +2
|-
|colspan=2|'''Penalties''' ||| 0
|-
|| Is chaotic ||| -2
|-
|| Is good ||| -2
|-
|| Fails to obey order or report significant intelligence (each incident) ||| -2
|-
|| Is responsible for the death of a gang of cousins (see below) ||| -4
|-
|| Divulges order secrets ||| -6
|}
==== Benefits ====
{| class="wikitable"
||'''Affiliation Score''' |||''' Title: Benefits and Duties'''
|-
|| 3 or lower ||| '''Subcitizen''': no benefits. If a former agent ever falls to his rank, an assassin is dispatched to "execute justice".
|-
|| 4-10 ||| '''Citizen''': You are considered a citizen of the Suel empire. Non-Suel will be adopted into a Suel family at this rank. With the recitation of several lines of doctrine, you must be given safe harbor in any Brotherhood safehouse or enclave. In a settlement with a brotherhood enclave, you gain a +4 circumstance bonus on Gather Information. +1 leadership score for reputation.
|-
|| 11-20 ||| '''Agent''': You may call, with a day's notice, a gang of four cousins (4th level human rogues) up to three times per year or any number of times when on brotherhood missions. The cousins serve loyally, even throwing their lives away. +2 leadership score for reputation.
|-
|| 21-29 ||| '''Elder''': Claim audience with the leader of the Suel empire once month after 1d6 days of waiting. Gain 4 cousins as cohorts; these may now advance in level in your service but never attain a level higher than 4 below yours. +4 leadership score for reputation.
|-
|| 30 or higher ||| '''Father of Obedience''': You receive a permanent honor guard of 4 8-th level monks as honor guard: these serve you as full cohorts and may advance in level in your service. +6 leadership score for reputation.
|}
==== [[Jennikki (character)|Jenniki's]] Standing. ====
As a purebred Suel and scion of a suel monk family, trained in the secret arts as a child, the Scarlet Brotherhood expects Jennikki to be a faithful member, even if she has so far shown little inclination in that direction.


The Brotherhood has an active eugenics program and conducts regular interbreeding experiments, producing their unnatural [[bredthrall]] slaves.
{| class="wikitable"
 
||'''Critereon''' |||'''Affiliation Score Modifier'''
===Population===
|-
As of 591 CY, the exact population of the Scarlet Brotherhood is unknown, but estimated to be in the "tens of thousands." The vast majority (96%) of the populace are human.
||Character level ||| +1/2 levels
 
|-
===Religion===
|| Purebred Suel ||| +2
The Scarlet Brotherhood honors most Suel deities, the most popular being [[Pyremius]], [[Syrul]], [[Wee Jas]], and [[Bralm]]. [[Nerull]], though not a Suel deity, is sometimes honored as well. The Scarlet Brotherhood is also rumored to worship [[Tharizdun]], but this is mostly propaganda spread by Brotherhood agents, though a splinter sect of Tharizdun-worshipers known as the [[Black Brotherhood]] does exist.
|-
 
|| Is chaotic ||| -2
===Languages===
|-
[[Ancient Suloise]] is the official language of the Scarlet brotherhood, though Common is widely spoken as well.
|| Is good ||| -2
 
|}
==Government==
[[Category:Greyhawk affiliations]]
Unfortunately, little is known regarding the political structure of the Scarlet Brotherhood or the lands it has recently come to dominate. What is known is that the entire organization is in theory controlled by an individual, the Father of Obedience. This man is said to be a monastic religious militarist and a brilliant strategist. There are likely a number of intermediaries, but the next known step in the Brotherhood’s hierarchy is that of the Brothers and Sisters themselves.
 
Like the Father of Obedience, the Brothers and Sisters of the Scarlet Brotherhood are often, though not always, trained in a bizarre form of unarmed combat. Because of this, these individuals abstain the use of weapons under any circumstance. Often found wearing scarlet, deep-hooded robes, these individuals command a near-frightening amount of respect from their subordinates. To fail in the eyes of a Brother or Sister of the Scarlet sign is to invite death. Strangely, the monks seldom have to dirty their own hands. With a single order, the disfavored are often expected to end their own lives. It is a testament to the place the monks hold in their society that such an order is seldom challenged.
 
Below the Brothers and Sisters are the assassins of the Scarlet Brotherhood. Called "Uncles," it was these individuals who brought the order its greatest successes during the Greyhawk Wars.  Because of this, many Uncles (the term is used for both men and women) have been given important stations in the Hold of the Sea Princes, where their efforts were most successful. Many more of their number have returned to the field, and are now thought to be in place in nearly every uncontrolled nation in the Flanaess.
 
Finally, the "Cousins" make up the day to day members of the Brotherhood’s hierarchy. These men and women are often field agents; a spy for the Brotherhood planted in a foreign land is most often a Cousin. Because of this, the Cousins are often adept at those skills necessary to avoid detection.  Seldom can be found the Cousin who cannot blend easily into darkness or climb the sheerest of surfaces. Still, such individuals do exist. Because the Scarlet Brotherhood is a multi-faceted organization, the Cousins are the most diverse of the three groups that define its upper echelons.  Members of this faction occasionally dabble in the arcane arts or devote much of their time to physical perfection.
 
Below the Brothers, Sisters, Uncles and Cousins, life in the Scarlet Brotherhood isn’t particularly enjoyable. The Vitiates, or "flawed," are the closest analog to a merchant class evident in the lands of the Scarlet Brotherhood. Their numbers are comprised of those for some reason unfit for membership in the upper levels of the Brotherhood and are not technically members of the organization. They are, however, fully subordinate to even the lowest of Cousins and are subject to the orders of any superior. The Vitiates are the landowners and merchants of the Brotherhood, and are accorded a very small amount of respect from the higher ranks. On a very rare occasion, Suel-blooded nobility of conquered lands have been awarded with this status, particularly if they aided in the invasion of their homeland.
 
===Heraldry===
The Scarlet Brotherhood's coat of arms is blazoned thus: ''Gules, a mullet of four points wavy sable''.
 
==Economy==
 
==Transportation==
 
==Military==
 
==Bibliography==
*[[David "Zeb" Cook|Cook, David]]. "History of the Greyhawk Wars." ''[[Greyhawk Wars (game)|Wars]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1991. Available online: [http://www.nyrond.org/turbine/page/university/greyhawkwars.html]
 
*Decker, Jesse, Will McDermott, and Stephen Schubert. "The Splintered Mind: Rebels of the Scarlet Brotherhood." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #281. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001. Available online: [http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20020623c]
 
*[[Gygax, Gary]]. ''The World of Greyhawk''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1980.
*-----. ''[[World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
 
*[[Gary Holian|Holian, Gary]], [[Erik Mona]], [[Sean K Reynolds]], and [[Frederick Weining]]. ''[[Living Greyhawk Gazetteer]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
 
*Looby, Paul, and Stuart Kerrigan. "Beasts of the Scarlet Brotherhood." ''[[Dungeon]]'' #106. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2004.
 
*[[Moore, Roger E]]. ''[[Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
 
*[[Niles, Douglas]], and [[Carl Sargent]]. ''The City of Greyhawk''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1989.
 
*[[Reynolds, Sean K]]. ''The Scarlet Brotherhood''. Renton, WA: TSR, 1999.
 
*[[Carl Sargent|Sargent, Carl]]. ''[[From the Ashes]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
 
*[[James M. Ward|Ward, James M]]. ''[[Greyhawk Adventures]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1988.
 
==External link==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlet_Brotherhood The Scarlet Brotherhood at Wikipedia].
 
 
[[Category:Greyhawk organizations]]
[[Category:Greyhawk realms]]
[[Category:Greyhawk sources]]

Revision as of 00:58, 14 December 2007

Template:Greyhawk

Seeing themselves as the Suel Empire reborn, the Scarlet Brotherhood espouses fanatic discipline and deceptive manipulation as the road to a new golden age.

Class Notes: The Scarlet Brotherhood favors monks and to a lesser degree rogues. They teach the Magic Ninja core class and sponsor the Assassin prestige class.

Type: Government (racial)

Scale: 16 (multicontinental/empire)

Capital: 16. Gp limit 154,000. Assets 2,464,000 gp.

Executive powers: Assassinate, Harvest, Shadow War, Terrorize.


Advancement

Criterion Affiliation Score Modifier
Character level +1/2 levels
Inherent 2
Halfblood Suel +1
* Purebred Suel +2
Acquired 3
Has the evasion class ability +1
Has the improved evasion class ability +1
Has the still mind class ability +1
Is lawful +1
Work 3
Makes continual reports to superiors +1
Able to provide sensitive information to superiors +1
Uses influence beneficial to the brotherhood in daily job +1
Carries messages and does small errands for brotherhood +1
Adventure 3
Fulfills assigned objective +1
Infiltrates another affiliation +1
Establishes new safe house in a useful spot +1
* Establishes new enclave +2
Assassinates known enemy of the brotherhood (relative CR -2 or better) +1
* Assassinates known enemy of the brotherhood (relative CR +2 or better) +2
Converts person of note to brotherhood agenda +2
Recovers lost artifact of the Suel +2
Penalties 0
Is chaotic -2
Is good -2
Fails to obey order or report significant intelligence (each incident) -2
Is responsible for the death of a gang of cousins (see below) -4
Divulges order secrets -6

Benefits

Affiliation Score Title: Benefits and Duties
3 or lower Subcitizen: no benefits. If a former agent ever falls to his rank, an assassin is dispatched to "execute justice".
4-10 Citizen: You are considered a citizen of the Suel empire. Non-Suel will be adopted into a Suel family at this rank. With the recitation of several lines of doctrine, you must be given safe harbor in any Brotherhood safehouse or enclave. In a settlement with a brotherhood enclave, you gain a +4 circumstance bonus on Gather Information. +1 leadership score for reputation.
11-20 Agent: You may call, with a day's notice, a gang of four cousins (4th level human rogues) up to three times per year or any number of times when on brotherhood missions. The cousins serve loyally, even throwing their lives away. +2 leadership score for reputation.
21-29 Elder: Claim audience with the leader of the Suel empire once month after 1d6 days of waiting. Gain 4 cousins as cohorts; these may now advance in level in your service but never attain a level higher than 4 below yours. +4 leadership score for reputation.
30 or higher Father of Obedience: You receive a permanent honor guard of 4 8-th level monks as honor guard: these serve you as full cohorts and may advance in level in your service. +6 leadership score for reputation.

Jenniki's Standing.

As a purebred Suel and scion of a suel monk family, trained in the secret arts as a child, the Scarlet Brotherhood expects Jennikki to be a faithful member, even if she has so far shown little inclination in that direction.

Critereon Affiliation Score Modifier
Character level +1/2 levels
Purebred Suel +2
Is chaotic -2
Is good -2
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