The Fraternity

Sect PhilosophyThe power resides in the system. If you want to achieve power, you have to become one with the system, you have to be a part of it.

But, those in the power are an easy target for those that envy the power, so you can't be the head of the system, you must control everything from the shadows. If you never reach a high position, if you never have visible wealth, if you're not the captain of a great army; then you won't be envied by those with less power than you. But, to have a real power you must control those that have such positions. Sometimes, the aide of a king, or the henchman of the captain, are in the best position to attain power without being known by other people.

The Fraternity is probably one of the most unknown and secretive sects. They amass a great deal of the political, economical and religious power from throughout the multiverse. Because of such secrecy, it is not known when and who founded the sect, but those who know of the sect's existence speculate that it was formed from an experiment of a high-up baatezu that he allowed to slip through his fingers.

Sect StructureIt is not known who is the current leader of the sect. The only thing that is known of the leader is that he is identified as Master Plotter and lives in Nessus (which makes him a pit fiend to most of the people).

The structure of The Fraternity is a fixed one, it is the only sect or faction with a maximum number of members: 9841. The structure of the sect is divided into 9 layers, each one having the name of one of the layers of Baator, from Avernus (the lowest) to Nessus (the highest). The Master Plotter occupies Nessus.

Each member of the sect can have up to three submembers in the following layer. The relationship between the members and submembers is not one of boss and worker but more of a philosophical relationship. When there's a vacancy (and nowadays there are lots of them) it can be filled by one of the members of the inferior layer who has acted worthy of promotion only if the person in charge of deciding on the promotion agrees. This person is always one who is two layers over him (or below depending on the frame you're using). The ones who decide if someone is worthy to join the sect are the Dis (also known as plotsearchers) and nothing has been known to promote over Cania. There is such secretiveness in the sect that the members only know the ones under them and the ones immediately superior.

Namers are those of Avernus, Dis and Minauros. Sectotums, those of Phlegetos, Stygia and Malbolge and Sectors are those of Maladomini and Cania. Actually, only Cania and Nessus are full. All of the other layers have at least two vacancies

The Fraternity's symbol is a staircase.

Primary Plane of InfluenceThe political games of Baator inspire most of the plotters. Also each of the layers of Baator has a secret headquarters for that layer.

Allies and EnemiesThe Fraternity is not known by other factions. Seeing them as part of the system, it is possible that a subtle and manipulating factor is really a plotter.

EligibilityA Dis may approach any LN, LE or NE person who has achieved some power thanks to great secretiveness. Rogue modron find The Fraternity to be a great sect. No baatezu will ever be approached by The Fraternity.

BenefitsThe resources and goods of The Fraternity give the members some weird contacts in the Multiverse. Also, they can cast an Invisibility spell (as the 2nd level spell) once a week.

RestrictionsMembers can't be resurrected (that is the cost of the failure) and will reform as a lemure. The only ones that feel unease with the plotter are a specific race of animal (different for each plotter) and they'll react to his presence (one plotter makes dogs bark, another one scares horses, and so on). The reason for this hindrance is under research by The Fraternity.