Ruene

Background History:
In the Fourth Age, Quintus Tektolnes conquered and united the tribes at Vrun Driath. The loyal core of his aides and advisers formed a primitive body of administrators and perpetrators of a near religious propaganda - the organizational predecessor of the modern templarate. Chief among the propagandists were revivalists of an ancient form of magick - sometimes called blood magick.
This odd practice was the private passion of the archivists of Quintus, but its basis was forged on a misunderstanding. An old document had been unearthed that described blood magick in vague terms. Its writer, unknown to the archivists, had been a fledgling sorcerer in a previous age who had received some advice from a vampire - but a translation error in the document forever set Quintus' scholars on a different course. The document spoke of purifying blood as the means to greater magick, or mana. The translation's term for the purification of blood - des ruyah - was the same term the herders of the time used to describe the improvement of a species through selective breeding. Henceforth, "blood magick" became equated with - and caused the birth of - a form of eugenics. The propagandists of Quintus named themselves the Des Ruene, purifiers of blood, and were the source of the original breeding programs that set muls and half-giants well on the path to becoming the fighting slaves and soldiers they are today.
The death of Quintus at the hands of his son, Tektolnes, raised questions about the future of the administration. The Des Ruene in particular had been loyal to the person of Quintus, and Tektolnes distrusted them. From the more bureaucratic underlings he formed the institute of the templarate, and the former propagandists of Quintus were disbanded behind closed doors. To the common populace, it appeared that the Des Ruene simply disappeared. Eventually, the white robes of the templarate were created - their religious overtones a mere shadow of the original.
Expulsion from Tektolnes' burgeoning city-state did little to bring the lifespan of the Des Ruene to a close. Fearing persecution if they continued operation in the open, the former scholars of Quintus scattered and worked in tight secrecy from afar. They dropped 'Des' from their name, calling themselves the Ruene (roo-en-ay), or purifiers. Their goal: to breed the perfect candidate for usurpation of the throne - and to retain control of the usurper.
=== A look at the present ===
Time has worked its whims on the Ruene in a number of ways, but in the early years a structure of hierarchy and self-government emerged that has seen little change.
Ever wary of the traps of bureaucracy and despotism, the group has kept to a strict oligarchical rule. The Matrons, who form a council of (preferably) odd number, are responsible for decisions affecting the whole. These members are typically venerable, and widely placed geographically. They also harbor talents greatly prized by the group, and have likely contributed a number of offspring to Ruene designs.
Below them are the regular members of the society, each rigorously tested to ensure preservation of its secret existence. The talents they offer the group vary considerably, though most work as archivists, researchers, or teachers. Nearly all pass on traits to offspring at some time in their lives. The Matrons and regular members are collectively referred to as the Host. The name Ruene is seldom used.
Females comprise the great majority of the group. This is pragmatic: females are, in general, able to exert a greater control over the fate of their offspring than males. A few males do find placement, however - usually for psionic talents used in deep conditioning.
As bloodlines expanded and countless experiments improved technique, the goals of the Ruene expanded in kind. A strong distaste has developed for breeding non-human species. It was observed relatively early that elven blood appears to pass its worst traits to human-mix offspring, and possession of elven lineage will disqualify an individual from entering the breeding scheme. An accompanying bias for pure human blood has grown, and programs have shifted accordingly. Some within now credit the Host for the dominance of humans in the world.
It was also discovered that physical, mental, and character traits can be passed to succeeding generations. The Ruene now maintain bloodlines designed to create other enhanced individuals to manage society after the usurper is in place. These include traders, soldiers, crafters, hunters, as well as - for lack of a less loaded term - persons of political savvy.
The goals of the Ruene are:
* To create the ideal usurper for the throne.
* To perfect mental conditioning for purposes of control.
* To create the ideal classes of the new society.
* To preserve the dominance of the human race.
There is considerable disagreement within the Host about the qualities best suited for the usurper. One faction argues for an advanced psionicist, another tries to achieve a new kind of elementalist: one able to touch all elements without resorting to sorcerous ways. Of course, the presence of the elementalist faction means that Nilaz clerics are abhorred.
The search for desirable traits to include in the breeding scheme is constant and flexible. Members of the Host have developed a number of ways to determine the assets and flaws of an individual, with tactics of scrutiny ranging from simple, but probing questions to a deep, revealing psionic ream. The Ruene maintain a set of assets for which to hunt, including desirable physical and mental traits, basic desert survivability, as well as diplomacy, patience, and other elements of character - but assets are invariably weighed against flaws. Determination of these, unobtrusively, will likely shape most of the day-to-day roleplay associated with this group.
The necessity of secrecy has been the single most limiting factor on the advancement of Ruene goals. While membership is spread across many groups, it has been limited to those individuals who will keep the secret of its existence. Lower servants, disgruntled House employees, struggling independents, unacknowledged bastards - these have been considered safely approachable for recruitment in the past, and these are the groups from which most members of the Host have been drawn. Consequently, the practice of "manipulation from below" has received much study - that is, the influence an underling can exert on her master. Intimate knowledge of this practice enables, for example, a servant of the nobility to arrange the meeting of her noble with individuals of desirable traits, or to direct the education of an offspring not under Ruene control. Whole generations of successful breeding have passed this way without the subjects having an inkling of what they participated in.
Such products of the scheme typically escape the deep conditioning developed by Ruene psionicists over the ages, however - an oft-regretted drawback. Psionicists have at their disposal two abilities unique to the group: the probe that searches for magick and psionic talents in individuals, and the deep conditioning - a specialized brainwashing that sets chosen attitudes in place for life. The former, well-developed in private, is seldom used outside the Host for fear of discovery. The latter is the means by which the Ruene intend to control some end products of the scheme. It is, however, very time- consuming, and used sparingly at best.
Researchers have also studied the use of spice for influence or control, with no reliable results to date.
A mountain hold was constructed with the aide of Rukian magicks in the Eleventh Age. It has a well-hidden location in the Broken Rim Mountains, west of the central Tablelands, and has remained one of the Ruene's most guarded secrets. Not all the Host know of its existence; few know its location. The Hold serves as an archives for breeding records, a storage site of spice, and a lab for sensitive experimentation. Travel to and from the Hold is highly restricted.
So, how far have the Ruene come in their breeding scheme? Where are the superwarriors, and geniuses? The answer is: there are none, except by accident - the programs are long unfinished. There are individuals of striking qualities, and there are others who carry the desired genes (blood) only latently. Some are in the care of Host members, others raised independently. Few ever learn of the design they are a part of.
Individual Ruene are normally aware of only a handful of other members of the group. They can, however, recognize one another by certain signals. One is the depiction of an image dating back to the days of Quintus: a line of men and women bearing gifts to a man on a throne. The aged image has shifted in meaning for the Ruene, and come to symbolize the usurper, and the natural affection of the people for their new, and ideal ruler.
Members of the Host may take apprentices at their discretion. Apprentices are trained in persuasive technique, observation, total recall, and probe questioning. They are expected to use these tools to assess the flaws and assets of several individuals in their immediate vicinity without being detected. Lessons between mentor and apprentice are intensive and often result in lasting bonds. Occasionally, different apprentices may even recognize the teachings of a mutual mentor on each other.
Plot maybes:
* Ruene get a hint that Quintus is again on the throne, debate approaching his templarate, and/or coming more into the open since they are able to recruit more types.. advance usurpation scheme undercover (no loyalty to Q)
* Spice researcher discovers a recipe/refining process that gives garbled prophetic visions
* A vampire takes an interest in the Ruene, thinking they might be able to breed her the perfect bloody supply.
* The Ruene catches wind of the Conclave elementalists.
* Maybe one day, if/when the Ruene (spell it right?) create the "perfect" person to usurp the crown, Junior Tek tries to possess the body, thus enabling him to re-enter the world?
* Or.. if you recall, during the plot of the destruction of Tuluk, Luir secretly went into the mantis valley and took control of the Queen. He's been controlling the mantis ever since, all the while trying to breed a human child from a mantis egg. This would provide him with a way back into the world. Maybe this could somehow cross with the Ruene chics? Maybe they learn about this somehow and try to learn what he knows or has done.
* Or... there are several elementals in the world now. Maybe one of them could try and steal the Ruene's "perfect" person too?
* Or... the elementals and the Conclave have similar goals as the Ruene chics. They want to blow up Tek, in either form. Perhaps the elementals, or the Conclave, or both, could try and get a hand involved in the Ruene chics and help them out, with the goal of having some control of WHO is the usurper?