Secrets & Societies Review

ACCIDENTALLY REMOVED IMAGE: SORRY!

   Despite the cover being a wannabe Mola Ram with a bloody cup and blade, surrounded by topless cult-chicks, this book is less focused on fringe mystery cults and more on major, largely unsanctioned, ideological-driven organizations in the lands of Ghelspad and Termana, in the world of Scarn. Although many of the groups are setting specific — based on a background were humanity fought alongside the gods to slay the Titans that resulted in a major ocean turning red from titan blood — they are open-ended enough to be retooled for any vanilla fantasy setting with little or no effort.
   This slim, 94-page, softback booklet lists 13 organizations. Each entry provides a basic description on numbers (within the organization), typical alignment of members, regions of influence, and primary activities. Then it goes into greater details with general description, internal organization, their history, locations they operate, typical and notable members, major leaders, and sometimes group-specific prestigious class or artifact.

   The reason why I'm reviewing this sourcebook is because it covers some really interesting groups that are seldom covered in more fantasy setting... At least not without being some [place character class here] Guild or "The Knightly Order of the Squeaky Clean Paladins" (unfortunately, this book covers that too). They remind me of the Cryptic Alliance groups form Gamma World, and likewise, there are some groups in the book that I really like. I will put my thoughts on each group, and even I use them in my own games. I rarely use sourcebooks whole cloth, so I generally buy or download them to cannibalize them in my homebrew settings piecemeal.

So, here are the groups:

The Accursed is a band of non-evil lycanthropes who have the ability to control their beastly nature. They travel the lands finding and helping people inflicted with lycanthropy, while also protecting people form violent lycanthropes. They will try the help those inflicted master their beastly form, but if they encounter people who give into the bloodlust, they will put them down like Old Yeller!
   This includes rules for a Control Shape skill and a Master Lycanthropy feat.

   This is good if you want to have players who are were-creatures. They act as a self-defense group against were-hunters.
   I kinda like this. I think I seen this before in other fiction. But I never used this one.

The Black Dragoons are a ruthless army of black-suited crossbowmen. They are hated and despised by nearly everyone. They are recognized by their iconic dragon-wing crossbows, their black armor and black berets.
   This includes a few magic items used by the Black Dragoons, including the Dragoon Crossbow.

   They are basically an army of Lawful-Evil assholes with Bat-Crossbows: The fantasy equivalent of Star Wars Imperial Stormtroopers, but with better aim.
   While I have not his this specific group in my games, I have used "Evil Empire" types before. I would rather have these guys as an elite group or the guards of a corrupted ruler and not as a national army.

The Courtesans of Idra are a mysterious group of highly skilled seducers and information gatherers. They are made-up of con-artists, entertainers, escorts, and classy prostitutes. The book deliberately left out a number of details — like what they are planing on doing with all the accumulated information — leaving such information up to the DMs. A strange thing of note is a secondary leader named Amga the Witch. The book is really vague about her affiliation with the courtesans. She is presented as the classic archetype of the "village wise-woman" of historic medieval Europe witches. She lives like a hermit and and does not practice the skills or roles of a wise-woman (fortune-telling, healing, midwifery, etc.). It is implied offhandedly that she is the goddess Idra in human form.
   This includes a prestigious class called the Courtesan of Idra.

   Although a number of people shy away form sex and prostitution in their games, I generally embrace them as important setting elements. Before the Abrahamic religions made sex and nudity dirty and shameful, most cultures saw them as normal, beautiful things, and sex was often apart of creation myths. As such, I usually incorporate risqué elements like casual nudity, fertility gods, temple prostitution, and even spy networks of high-class prostitutes as normal, everyday things.
   The Temptress class from MGP Conan game, and the Mountebank class from Crimson Blades would prosper with this type of organization.
   Not content with the image of Idaia, the High Priestess of Idra. In the book, she looks like a lush. I wanted someone that looked more classy... Like a self-respecting Courtesan. So I made this:


The Cult and Order of Ancients are three groups of spies, assassins, information brokers, and mystics. Where most people see them as a single cabal of bloodthirsty murders, they are actually made of three groups: The Order of Ancients; The "Belsamites" Cult Ancients; and The "Traditionalists" Cult of Ancients. The Order of Ancients lost focus long ago and became a gentleman's club for the rick and ruling elite. The "Belsamites" maintain a complex and rigid command structure, while the "Traditionalists" are more driven by individual achievements.
   This includes a minor artifact called The Power of Death and The Eye of Death.

   This is you classic "Guild of Assassins" with a bit of an interesting backstory. I find them boring.

The Horsemen of Vangal are you hoard of super-violet nomadic berserkers.
   This includes a prestigious class called the Horseman of Vangal.

   Yeah, nothing much to say... They are basically the Mongolian Horde, but made of berserkers who dual-wield battleaxes. OK, that is kinda fucking metal! Generic as shit, but still fucking metal!

House Asuras is the largest and most powerful trading family in Ghelspad, with a lot relatives and employees, and trading posts in every kingdom. They engage in trading nearly anything, both legal and otherwise.
   This includes a new type of magical armor called Guardian Breastplate that protects the wearer and his employer.

   This is something that should never be left out of a fantasy setting: A powerful trading house. They usually made for great and powerful enemies. They can easily hinder the player's attempts as trading their ill-gotten gain, and crossing them could get them in a world of hurt! They could muster the strength to conduct brutal battles like a small nation with their own people, but they have enough political clout to have larger nations fight for them.
   I usually have a number of competing trade houses. They would be one of a number of powerful figures within the civilized sphere.

The Incarnates are setting specific to the Scarred Lands. The blood shed in the Titan War ravaged the land and sea. They are a small of powerful band of Druids who seek to heal the world.
   This includes a prestigious class called the Incarnate, and a new feat called Dreams of the Past.

   This group would fit in well in Darksun, although I think the setting already has a group like this.
   Where I have no use for this organization in my games, I used one of characters named Ielenna. Although I made her a Nymph, as such creatures play as Druid and look more elf-like than the small "Elf Quest" elves in my games.


The Legion of Ash are well-respected mercenary soldiers known for their professional ethics — namely, not selling out at the drop of a hat. Despite their "professional ethics", they are no less unsavory lowlifes. They are formed into ten cohorts, with an 11th that is made of the ghosts of the fallen. Each cohort is given detail about troop strength, their commander, and a bit of background.
   This includes a new spell called Ashen Incarnation that allows a initiate to become a ghost to serve the legion after death.

   Save for the ghost cohort, I use this type of force a lot in my games. This is the kind of group that highlights the concept of "Mercenary Honor" used in the Conan RPG.

The Legion of Crimson are another band of mercenaries. Where the Legion of Ash are considered the best, the Legion of Crimson are looked on as a joke! They were formed form war college flunkies and dropouts. Likewise, they take work most mercenary groups shun, like garrison duty or expeditions into hazardous locations. They can be identified by their brads that are soaked in the blood of their enemies. They are only allowed to use the weapon, shield and suit of armor that they join the legion with, and no other! They will face harsh disciplinary measures for losing any of it. Their weapons and armor are at least blessed by clerics.

   I can see the appeal of this type of unit. They are like the F-Troop of mercenary forces. One thing I have issue with, is limiting the soldiers to a single weapon. Anyone with passing knowledge of medieval weapons know that weapons and shields brake like Elmo in a tickle factory.
   I don't use this group in my games, as there are enough hapless mercenaries in the world to warrant a whole group about it.

The Order of the Morning Sky are a band of misguided saviors. They work to stomp out pestilence in the form of Titanspawn and hoards of the undead (zombie plagues, vampire thralls, shades, etc.), but they do it recklessly. They will besiege communities on just a rumor of a plague. They will tell the people that they have three days to deal with it, or else they will cleanse the community with fire — by burning everything to the ground. Natually, they are not well liked or well-respected.

   I have ran groups like this. Although, were the OotMS are made of neutral/chaotic good people, I usually have people like this a band of crazed fanatics.

The Paladins of Corean seeks out and destroy conjurers and outsider creatures (demons, elementals, etc.). They are so weary of conjurations, they will ensure that they have the right amount of paladins and divide protection when they summon angelic/holy beings.
   This includes a prestigious class called the Silver Knight, and a new spell called Honor in Death.

   If you know me, you'll know I don't allow Paladins in my games. So I have nothing to add...

The Scaled is an underground criminal organization born of an oppressive legal system. Besides running illegal gambling dens, betrothals, pickpocket rings, and smuggling networks, they are also infamous for their extravagant pranks and acts of vandalism.

   OK, this is a really fun group to run. They play less like The Godfather and more like Animal House. They actively engage in discrete acts of civil disobedience and drinks form everyone's milkshake!
   I wish to note that one picture in the book shows members running form a courthouse after painting graffiti all on the outside walls. Not wanting to leaving well enough alone, I added more to it. "KILROY WAS HERE" with face, crude dick you see in toilet stalls, and other juvenile scribbles. Now... it looks better!

The Vigils of Vesh are made up of bands of Rangers who work to protect the fertile lands of Vesh form Titanspawn and political foes that work to ruin the land. The book notes twelve Vigils (cells), each protecting a part of Vesh countryside. Each Vigil notes a name, a symbol, the territory they are based in, unit strength, the commander (with simple stats), and a brief description of the unit.
   While the book notes a specialized prestigious class (the Vigilant) and new magic items (vigil medallions), the rules are listed in other source books.

   This is good to have if you have a lot of Rangers in play, as you can group them into cells as noted in the book. Although, you have to contend with the prestigious class if you cant find any info on it (best to turn them into Ranger or rewove them and bring them down some levels).
   Although I don't use Rangers as noting in the core D&D rules, I do use the less magical and tree-huggy Borderer class form the Conan game. I can picture this group as wardens to key places.


I hope folks found this review interesting.