Shanhai Arekkusu
Member
The Secret World. A place where every myth, every folktale, every, urban legend, from all around the world are true. Demons lurk in New York City abandoned subways lines, Youkai stalk darkened Tokyo streets, and Vampires roam London nightclubs, and Boogiemen are hiding in every closet. All are searching for unsuspecting human blood, and ways to bring more of their kind out of their own realms and into ours. Humans stand no chance against these terrible monstrosities, a single one of them would easily be a match for seven of our own soldiers. If they were to be able to call upon all of their brethren, then the twilight of humanity is at hand. Truly dark days for humanity, no? Perhaps. At the same time, perhaps not. There are people who know of this, Secret World, people you would never expect to know more than they should. Before the sudden advance of the dark demons, they struggled to seize power for their own shadowy agendas, two of them are relative household names, the Illuminati, and the Templars, while the third is not as well known, the Dragon. They are specifically trained to handle the otherworldly threats that we face, and many have the same unnatural talents, or are simple satisfied with a conventional firearm, or a melee weapon. Either way, they can look a demon straight from hell in the face, and calmly kill it.
As demons, devils, and horrid sorcerers gather their strength, the secret societies are doing the same, mobilizing their troops to protect humanity, as well as attacking enemy footholds to drive them back into the hellish realms that they come from. That's where you come in.
The Illuminati
It's all about power.
Grabbing it, keeping it, using it. Power is our currency. Our DNA. Our god. We control the world. We provide the blueprint and we give the instructions. We're the people in grainy photos on grassy knolls. We're the shadowy faces in smoky backrooms and darkened board rooms. We're right here, hiding in plain sight, buying and selling favors. Blackmail, treason, deceit, these are our stock and trade. We work the magic of the drunken evenings with senators and chiefs of staff. We shake down demons and negotiate with sorcerers. We have stocks in hell, and compromising photos of angels. We use any means necessary regardless of the cost because the world is a bad place, and you can either do or get done.
We're the Illuminati, and we're not done.
-Illuminati initiation video
Based in a derelict series of warehouses in Brooklyn known as "The Labyrinth", the Illuminati is one half of the "Big Two", they control America, everything from which New York bar is considered "hot", to who becomes President. They have money to throw around, and are not afraid to use it, bribery being one of their stock and trades. With vast fortunes, you can be assured that once you climb the ranks, you'll have all sorts of fancy toys to play with, like shiny guns made of stainless steel and black plastic, along with knowledge that few know and more would kill to know. Oh, and gas masks, the Illuminati sure love their gas masks. Don't ask, because I don't know. This is all provided that you stab enough backs and keep yours safe long enough to enjoy these perks.
There are three things Illuminati members hate more than anything, being without power, without money, and without knowledge. Knowledge is a key component in their society. And with the advent of all sorts of occult phenomenon, the Illuminati rushed their scientists to study it, to see if they could control it, enhance it, synthesize it, and mass produce it. Their research weakens the boundaries between worlds, but the Illuminati don't care.
While on the surface, the Illuminati members may seem like flashy rich folks, but underneath, they are the subtle puppeteers, and unless a situation calls for publicized violence, any gunshot will be extremely muted.
Be careful around these guys, they could give you everything you've ever wanted, and just as quickly rip it away from you.
The Templars
You came to us in search of a purpose.
And mark this, there is no purpose greater than ours. The world will founder without structure and discipline. It needs leadership to guide it to a new age of stability. It needs those with the will to stamp out the darkness that breeds in the cracks. We do this because we are compelled, by tradition, by loyalty, by laws. Without these, we are just animals. Evil reigns over animals, corrupting and compromising, toppling empires. So our empire must be incorruptible, must be uncompromising. Our conflict must be a righteous one. Your conviction will be tested. But among us, your faith will be unshaken.
Among the Templars.
-Templar initiation video
The near polar opposites of the Illuminati I just spoke of, they are based in a building, strangely named, Templar Hall in London. They have total control over all of Europe, as well as Russia. Even without the vast resources of these countries, the group themselves have the resources of a small country, as well as a private army fit for one, if they so wished, they could seize Belgium within a week. They like to make themselves known, and are much less subtle than the other two, but they aren't any less deceitful. Everyone knows of them, but everyone outside of the Illuminati and the Dragons are too scared to challenge them.
Among the Templars, might makes right, everything they do has a purpose, that is blatantly obvious for themselves, but not among the rest of the world. As they control an entire third of the world, they publicize anything that makes themselves look good, while throwing the others under the bus. Unlike the Illuminati, which is accepting of anyone willing to help, they are self righteous, believing that arcane power is their birthright, and many initiates are looked down upon, but you'd have to admit, their kits are pretty damn slick, usually the last two thoughts going through an enemies mind are, "Damn, that's a pretty slick looking sword" followed by, "Where did my arms go?"
They're pretty old school, and are rigid beyond belief, but at least they aren't as likely to stab you in the back.
The Dragon
All war is deception.
When they think we are in front of them, we are behind them. When they think we are weak, we are strong. When they think we are few, we are legion. For there ever to be true balance, there must first be chaos. And chaos is ours to orchestrate. One word can equal the might of a thousand swords. And one sword can obliterate a thousand lives. Everyone and everything has a purpose and a path, if only as a ruse or a diversion. Everything can be manipulated into usefulness by those who truly understand the very nature of things. We understand. We create chaos in order to achieve balance. The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.
We are Dragon, and we have both.
-Dragon initiation video
Ugh, the Dragon, I really can't tell you too much about these guys, in fact, I'm not even sure if they exist. Everything in this section is completely speculation from scraps of information I dredge up over the years. What I do know for sure is that they're based in Seoul, in a weird dojo looking place, and that they control nearly all of Oriental Asia. From the rumors I've heard, they've been involved in everything from the fall of the Tower of Babel, to the Second World War. They were based in Japan, but their headquarters went up in smoke, along with Hiroshima some 67 years ago.
They are staunch followers of Sun Tzu's "Art of War", and believe that the right word to the right person at the right time can drastically change the world, in their favor, and that;s just what they've been doing for the past thousand or so years. They make the Illuminati look like blind and deaf babies when it come to manipulation. In terms of their kit, it seems pretty normal, aside from those ninja swords, they love toting around, I sure their members know seven different ways to kill someone with their bare hands, one of them did break my hands a while back.
Who knows? Maybe the only reason that your parents ever got together and had a child was so that the Dragon could take you in.
That's all I can tell you for now, something's knocking on my door, and I'm not entirely sure it's human.
Name:
Age:
Appearance:
Deck (Optional):
Society:
Weapons:
As demons, devils, and horrid sorcerers gather their strength, the secret societies are doing the same, mobilizing their troops to protect humanity, as well as attacking enemy footholds to drive them back into the hellish realms that they come from. That's where you come in.
The Illuminati
It's all about power.
Grabbing it, keeping it, using it. Power is our currency. Our DNA. Our god. We control the world. We provide the blueprint and we give the instructions. We're the people in grainy photos on grassy knolls. We're the shadowy faces in smoky backrooms and darkened board rooms. We're right here, hiding in plain sight, buying and selling favors. Blackmail, treason, deceit, these are our stock and trade. We work the magic of the drunken evenings with senators and chiefs of staff. We shake down demons and negotiate with sorcerers. We have stocks in hell, and compromising photos of angels. We use any means necessary regardless of the cost because the world is a bad place, and you can either do or get done.
We're the Illuminati, and we're not done.
-Illuminati initiation video
Based in a derelict series of warehouses in Brooklyn known as "The Labyrinth", the Illuminati is one half of the "Big Two", they control America, everything from which New York bar is considered "hot", to who becomes President. They have money to throw around, and are not afraid to use it, bribery being one of their stock and trades. With vast fortunes, you can be assured that once you climb the ranks, you'll have all sorts of fancy toys to play with, like shiny guns made of stainless steel and black plastic, along with knowledge that few know and more would kill to know. Oh, and gas masks, the Illuminati sure love their gas masks. Don't ask, because I don't know. This is all provided that you stab enough backs and keep yours safe long enough to enjoy these perks.
There are three things Illuminati members hate more than anything, being without power, without money, and without knowledge. Knowledge is a key component in their society. And with the advent of all sorts of occult phenomenon, the Illuminati rushed their scientists to study it, to see if they could control it, enhance it, synthesize it, and mass produce it. Their research weakens the boundaries between worlds, but the Illuminati don't care.
While on the surface, the Illuminati members may seem like flashy rich folks, but underneath, they are the subtle puppeteers, and unless a situation calls for publicized violence, any gunshot will be extremely muted.
Be careful around these guys, they could give you everything you've ever wanted, and just as quickly rip it away from you.
The Templars
You came to us in search of a purpose.
And mark this, there is no purpose greater than ours. The world will founder without structure and discipline. It needs leadership to guide it to a new age of stability. It needs those with the will to stamp out the darkness that breeds in the cracks. We do this because we are compelled, by tradition, by loyalty, by laws. Without these, we are just animals. Evil reigns over animals, corrupting and compromising, toppling empires. So our empire must be incorruptible, must be uncompromising. Our conflict must be a righteous one. Your conviction will be tested. But among us, your faith will be unshaken.
Among the Templars.
-Templar initiation video
The near polar opposites of the Illuminati I just spoke of, they are based in a building, strangely named, Templar Hall in London. They have total control over all of Europe, as well as Russia. Even without the vast resources of these countries, the group themselves have the resources of a small country, as well as a private army fit for one, if they so wished, they could seize Belgium within a week. They like to make themselves known, and are much less subtle than the other two, but they aren't any less deceitful. Everyone knows of them, but everyone outside of the Illuminati and the Dragons are too scared to challenge them.
Among the Templars, might makes right, everything they do has a purpose, that is blatantly obvious for themselves, but not among the rest of the world. As they control an entire third of the world, they publicize anything that makes themselves look good, while throwing the others under the bus. Unlike the Illuminati, which is accepting of anyone willing to help, they are self righteous, believing that arcane power is their birthright, and many initiates are looked down upon, but you'd have to admit, their kits are pretty damn slick, usually the last two thoughts going through an enemies mind are, "Damn, that's a pretty slick looking sword" followed by, "Where did my arms go?"
They're pretty old school, and are rigid beyond belief, but at least they aren't as likely to stab you in the back.
The Dragon
All war is deception.
When they think we are in front of them, we are behind them. When they think we are weak, we are strong. When they think we are few, we are legion. For there ever to be true balance, there must first be chaos. And chaos is ours to orchestrate. One word can equal the might of a thousand swords. And one sword can obliterate a thousand lives. Everyone and everything has a purpose and a path, if only as a ruse or a diversion. Everything can be manipulated into usefulness by those who truly understand the very nature of things. We understand. We create chaos in order to achieve balance. The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.
We are Dragon, and we have both.
-Dragon initiation video
Ugh, the Dragon, I really can't tell you too much about these guys, in fact, I'm not even sure if they exist. Everything in this section is completely speculation from scraps of information I dredge up over the years. What I do know for sure is that they're based in Seoul, in a weird dojo looking place, and that they control nearly all of Oriental Asia. From the rumors I've heard, they've been involved in everything from the fall of the Tower of Babel, to the Second World War. They were based in Japan, but their headquarters went up in smoke, along with Hiroshima some 67 years ago.
They are staunch followers of Sun Tzu's "Art of War", and believe that the right word to the right person at the right time can drastically change the world, in their favor, and that;s just what they've been doing for the past thousand or so years. They make the Illuminati look like blind and deaf babies when it come to manipulation. In terms of their kit, it seems pretty normal, aside from those ninja swords, they love toting around, I sure their members know seven different ways to kill someone with their bare hands, one of them did break my hands a while back.
Who knows? Maybe the only reason that your parents ever got together and had a child was so that the Dragon could take you in.
That's all I can tell you for now, something's knocking on my door, and I'm not entirely sure it's human.
Name:
Age:
Appearance:
Deck (Optional):
Society:
Weapons: