Society of the Hidden Quill

## Description:

The Society of the Hidden Quill, sometimes known as the Order of the Wicked Ink or Order of the Hidden Renaissance, is a secret society of history's greatest mad scientists, pseudoscientists, and Alchemists that have dedicated their lives to the betterment of the world at large through research and the development of innovative technologies. The group maintains a purely philanthropic position in all of the work they do, and accept no individual responsibility or financial compensation for their deeds; the group is dedicated to charity and utter beneficence, and ensure that their inventions are never abused or uses for evil. The group also serve as consultants for the JPCU, given several of its members employment for the JPCU, and are known to publish papers under pseudonyms in colleges the world over; the Society is also known to consort frequently with Dr. Nathaniel Bostonbrook and his family. The Society maintains positive relations with all other organizations which they feel work towards a genuine good.

The public is aware of disparate groups which have developed or otherwise taken credit for the Society's work, but few people are fully aware of the organization's existence. Fewer still know of its membership or the methods to their madness.

### Organization:

#### Headquarters: Heron's Perch, Orkney Islands, Scotland

The Society of the Hidden Quill has no leader. All projects are voted upon by all members, and no project is undertaken without a three quarters (3/4) majority; additionally, any one (1) of the members can choose to back out of a project at any time. All members are perceived to exist at the same level as one another, and while certain members may take temporary leadership roles in directing specific projects, such roles are purely for logistical purposes and are always fluid and temporary; if a different member is better suited to the job, roles can be switched around at a moment's notice. The group is known to convene at their headquarters in Scotland at least once a year to consult one another on their work and any projects that demand immediate attention; as such, it is rare for all of the members to work on a single project simultaneously, and such an event is known to occur in only the most dire of circumstances.

The Order of the Wicked Ink recruits only from the leading scientists, Alchemists, and Pseudoscientists. The group cannot be contacted or found through conventional means; instead, they seek out prospective members of their own accord. The Society is known to only seek out individuals of global fame who have had a considerable impact on the humanoid race's understanding of reality; only after such remarkable individuals "die" or retire from the public life are they contacted by the Hidden Quill. Individuals can also be contacted by the Society if the knowledge they possess or research they conduct poses a real threat to the world if placed in the wrong hands; the organization brings these individuals into their Order as a way to protect the individual and their work, and ensure that the individual has the proper outlets for their emotions and issues to prevent a decline into evil or madness.

The Order of the Hidden Renaissance dedicates itself fully to the betterment of the world by coming together to solve global threats of a scientific nature; from curing cancer to reversing climate change or proposing solutions to the energy crisis. The organization conducts research on a wide range of topics and develops new inventions at a staggering pace to improve life on Earth.

#### Known Members:

1. Count de Saint-Germain
2. Dr. Jason van Hellsing
3. Dr. Rappacini
4. Victor Frankenstein
5. Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde
6. Dr. Heidegger
7. Nikola Tesla
8. Albert Einstein
9. Steven Hawking

### Equipment:

The only known aspect of a uniform among the members of the Order of the Hidden Quill is the group's identical lab coats; the coats are normal in every way except for their color, which is a deep black hue instead of the standard white. Each member of the group also possesses a piece of a puzzle which is said to allow the members to enter their headquarters facility.

The Order's primary advantages come from their technological ability. Their facility is known to possess technology far out of the reach of almost any other organization on Earth, from advanced robotics to anti-gravity technology to lasers and railweaponry. The group maintains advanced security measures, top-of-the-line equipment and laboratories, and far much more.

The group's magical potential is more limited, centered around the practice of Alchemy and Pseudoscience. The group's advancements in these fields are just as significant as their innovations in conventional technology, however, and work to solve more mystical problems alongside mundane ones.