The Alhembra

The symbol of the Alhembra

**The Alhembra** was a mercantile organization, and semi-secret society in Yulia. They had been operating in Mykatten for centuries. They were known to have connections to all of the major Elven houses in the city and were believed to use these connections to shore up the city's stability as well as increase money and power for themselves.

Many in the Alhembra also considered themselves the true followers of Myka. There was a religious overtone among many of its inner circle. Many of the lower-classed of Mykatten's population viewed the Alhembra kindly, as while the organization was known to work towards their own profit, they were mindful of distributing their wealth to protect the least among Mykatten's population from starvation and utter destitution. Most new recruits to the Alhembra came from the poorest of the city.

In addition to this, the Alhembra believed themselves to be Myka's chosen and as such, her rightful church and defenders.

## Aims & goals

Their ultimate aims and goals were a mystery to outsiders. What was known by most long-time citizens of Mykatten is that the Alhembra were devoutly loyal to Myka. In fact, the Alhembra viewed themselves as the true church and clergy of their goddess and sworn protectors of the city. Their interpretation of Myka was not just that she was the goddess of luck and fortune, but also the patron of those who step on the scales to bend that luck and fortune to their will. Myka, to the Alhembra, was also the goddess of thieves.

## Activities

The Alhembra had their hands in every industry and trade in Mykatten, as well as contacts in every one of the Elven Houses. The did not operate openly, though it was well known among certain shopkeepers, merchants, and scions of the Elven Houses that the Alhembra were omnipresent.

## Organization

The particulars of the Alhembra's organization was complex and little known to outsiders.

Internally, they had a strict hierarchy and deviation from the chain-of-command was often punished severely. At the top, the "Dirigente" was the leader of the Alhembra. This individual ruled absolutely. This was never questioned as it was understood that the Dirigente was Myka's *chosen* and to question their deity was to flirt with heresy. Beneath the Dirigente were various underbosses, called "Capas." Each Capa was usually tasked with overseeing a district of Mykatten, a location along the Whyne, or specific industry as a whole. They sometimes operated as the effective governors of some of the lands outside the city limits and were also tasked with performing some of the most sacred rituals of their religion. If one viewed the Alhembra as solely a religious organization, the Capas would be the equivalent of Catholic bishops or cardinals.

Beneath the Capas were the "Garristas". Garristas were trusted lieutenants of their respective Capa and each Garrista ruled a gang of between four to forty "Soldatos", the lowest ranked members of the organization. Garristas were effectively the priests of their church and the soldatos were viewed as semi-lay clergy, similar to deacons.

## Relationships

The Alhembra was aware of, but had no active contact with the Longscale of Hewliss. They were known to have official relationships with all the Elven Houses of Mykatten, though it was rumored that the Alhembra had embedded spies within each as well. They also had satellite bases and outposts distributed across the River Whyne, leading all the way to the coast of Wide Ocean. The Alhembra rarely operated outside the lands claimed by Mykatten.

The Alhembra had many run-ins with the Breckish League's security service, the Blackguard. They were openly hostile towards one another.

## History

The Alhembra's origins are murky, though it's commonly believed they began as a small cloister of devotees to Myka some time in the late Age of Antiquity.

## Areas of activity

Unlike the Longscale of Hewliss, the Alhembra were only known to operate within Mykatten's city limits or in Mykatten's sovereign territory on either bank of the Whyne.