Order of Morgana

*"Out of Chaos, Justice."*

The **Order of Morgana** is a criminal organization which operates in Dreiton and the greater Commonwealth. It is known as the largest and most influential sect of adherents to the Old Ways in Aphelion, originating as an offshoot of the Acolytes of the Beyond after most of their leadership were purged by the Templars. Their members are known by the public as **Diabolists,** a political term which its leadership have rejected in recent years. Founded shortly after the Aether War, they are named for the semi-legendary witch Morganach, who is said to have been the leader of a powerful coven which predates the reign of the Mad King according to local folk-lore.

The Order's ultimate goal is to revive the Old Ways, a set of ancient and esoteric magical practices which have been outlawed by the Commonwealth after the Aether War. They believe that the Old Ways represent a purer form of magic, untainted by the corruption and greed of the modern world. They see themselves as the guardians of a secret knowledge that must be preserved and passed on to future generations, no matter the cost.

The clandestine Order was founded by the black mage Ben Holliday who, after the defeat of Moros, settled in Dreiton and used his wealth to establish himself as a respected businessman. Under mysterious circumstances, he became the president of the small company Alabaster & Sons, the only apiary in the city. He revitalized their operations and transformed it into a titan of industry, making honey - or "liquid gold" one of the Commonwealth's coveted exports. His product, along with his genetically engineered Bumblers, became the toast of Dreiton and even further added to his family's great fortune.

However, Holliday's ambition was not solely to accumulate obscene wealth. His company's success allowed him to join the board of the Dreiton Exchange Mandate, the center of the Commonwealth's economic activities, thereby granting him a measure of political influence within the state itself. He used this influence to ensure that the authorities looked the other way as he funded ever-expanding expeditions into the Wyrd - a wooded region flanking the city whose dark heart was known in ancient times as the Occult Forest.

Within the Wyrd, Holliday and his followers delved into ancient texts and artifacts, seeking forbidden knowledge and power. They discovered a cache of ancient scrolls, said to contain the lost secrets of Morganach's coven. These scrolls became the foundation of the Order's teachings and the source of their magical power. As the Order grew in strength, they began to expand their influence beyond the Wyrd and into the city itself. They used their wealth and connections to infiltrate the city's politics and business, establishing a network of loyal followers and corrupt officials who would do their bidding.

The Order of Morgana's primary activities are centered around the acquisition and distribution of magical artifacts, as well as the practice of black magic. They are known to traffic in illegal magical substances, and to use their powers to control key figures in the Commonwealth's political and economic spheres. Despite their secrecy, the Order's activities eventually drew the attention of the Templars, the ancient and elite order of mage hunters who also operated in Dreiton illegally, initially arriving in the city and claiming territory due to the perceived lack of resolve on the part of the Knights of Dreiton to effectively combat the growing mage threat. The Templars launched a series of raids on the Order's strongholds, but the Order's powerful magic and vast resources allowed them to fend off the attacks and maintain their hold on the region.

Over time, Holliday and his followers established a thriving black market trade in Wyrd artifacts, relics, and forbidden magical knowledge. As their influence grew, so did their ambitions, and the Order of Morgana began to exert its influence on the political and economic affairs of the Commonwealth. They started to amass an army of loyalists and infiltrated key positions in the government, the military, the Mandate, and the Church of the New Faith, using their wealth and influence to bribe, intimidate, or assassinate those who opposed them.

The Order of Morgana operates from a hidden fortress deep within the Occult Forest known as the Temple of Hades. Here, their leaders conduct arcane rituals and ceremonies, seeking to unlock the secrets of the Old Ways and gain access to the full power of magic. They are surrounded by a retinue of loyal servants, including warlocks, enchanted beasts, and other practitioners of the dark arts. They are also protected by a network of spies and assassins, who carry out the Order's bidding in the shadows.

Despite their influence and power, the Order of Morgana remains a secretive and enigmatic organization, shrouded in mystery and myth. Many rumors circulate about their activities, but few have ever seen the Order's inner workings firsthand. Their agents are skilled in the arts of deception and misdirection, and their true goals and motives remain a mystery to most outsiders. However, one thing is certain - the Order of Morgana represents a dangerous threat to the stability and security of the Commonwealth, and those who oppose them do so at their own peril.

In recent years, the Order has been observed to grow more radical in their ideology and bold in their operations. While most in the city remain loyal to the New Faith, the ever-harsher crackdown and restrictions imposed by the state, as well as mounting pressure from Templar inquisitors, there is at least a measure of semi-public support for the Order. Many fear to speak out against their activities too loudly for fear of being disappeared by one of their agents; conversely, few are audacious enough to outright endorse their activities, as they risk charges of heresy and conspiracy in doing so.

While the Order is the brain-child of Ben Holliday, he himself has kept a low profile in Dreiton, separating his public persona from the growing tensions to maintain his image as an eccentric but humble and successful entrepreneur. The Templars are aware of his involvement with the Order, though they appear to be biding their time before moving directly against him, fearing that to accuse him publicly without solid evidence of his collusion with the mages would mean the end of popular support from the already controversial brotherhood.