Joining a Sorcerous Society (CShaH)

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Sorcerous societies tend to have very stringent entry requirements, and are often inappropriate for PCs (especially those groups with evil goals). While each society has its own specific regulations, there are a number of similarities among the groups
==Absolute Loyality==
All groups demand absolute loyalty from their members. It is imperative, they insist, that this loyalty exist to protect one another. Each member is expected to endure pain and suffering for the sake of and in the name of the group, and initiation rites to societies often test the willingness of candidates to go through such suffering. It is assumed that if a wizard can withstand a dangerous and painful initiation, he will be able to withstand torture to preserve the secrets of those to whom he is allied.
Loyalty is not intended to last until death. Most societies will understand if a wizard reveals secrets on pain of death and won't hold it against him—at least not too much. Most organizations will lower the character's station within that group, but will allow him back in and will do what they can to avenge him.
While a character is expected to endure some pain in the name of the group, the group will often do much for the sake of its individual members. Some societies are far more militant in this regard than the average and some much less, but most sorcerous societies will do what they are able to do in order to avenge injury or insult to one of their members. This helps insure loyalty to the group, but it is also to show other societies that this group is not one to be trifled with.
==Secrecy==
Members of a sorcerous society are asked to keep the group, and its membership, a secret. This serves two purposes.
First, it hides the nature of the organization from those outside of it. Most wizards firmly believe that nonwizards either do not understand the power of magic and thus fear it, or have some reason to hate it and want its wielders destroyed. They don't want to attract the attention of anyone who thinks in either of these ways.
The second reason to hide the existence and membership of a given organization is to protect it from rival societies. While it is true that a number of societies are on good terms with one another, there are also those that are at war—a covert war, to be sure, but one that has casualties just the same. And where sorcerous enemies are concerned, the less they know about you and your allies, the better off you will be.
Some organizations keep their secrecy through loyalty, as above. Others use complicated spells to insure that anyone who betrays the secret will be destroyed. Societies that use such spells are almost always evil in nature, with the spellslayers being a notable exception.
==Initiations==
While there are a number of different societies with radically different opinions and methods of operation, they all demand some sort of initiation rite before a person is allowed to enter into the society.
Each society will have its own initiation rites, but they will always involve the following three steps:
Proof of Ability: This varies from group to group, but there is always a minimum level at which a wizard can join the group. The wizard must prove that he has reached that level and deserves to be in the society.
Contribution: The initiation will involve some sort of personal sacrifice on the part of the initiate. This can be a monetary contribution or the wizard could relinquish some special item or magical device for the group's benefit.
The Test: Every society has a test of its own. The test is almost always nonfatal in nature, but in some cases can result in death. Among those groups most fanatical about secrecy, those that don't pass the test are either killed or have their memory wiped away. While this may seem cold-hearted, many sorcerous societies feel it is necessary for their survival.
Each group shares the traits of absolute loyalty, secrecy, and initiation. There is rarely a deviation from this norm, save among the most loosely structured organizations or information and those that exist primarily to exchange have no agenda of their own.