Cabal of the Brass Arrow

The **Cabal of the Brass Arrow** is a guild led by Dinante, the Dragon-God of the Northeastern Badlands. Akin to the desert landscape they protect, Cabal members are known for being ruthless and overwhelming in power. But their selfless service to their Dragon-God and to their country prevents complete lawless chaos from taking over.

Many members of the Cabal are criminals who have been given a second chance at an honest life by Dinante, who acknowledges the talents of those who must turn to rogue-esque activity in order to survive the harsh environment. Some folks see this as a danger to their livelihoods... but many others are inspired by this mantra, and see the Brass Arrow as an honorable symbol worthy of respect and praise.

## History

As there is no official historian for it, the Cabal's age is currently unknown. Records from other countries suggest it could be anywhere between 600 to 4,000 years old, though wide spaces of inactivity suggest it may have gone defunct or inactive for hundreds of years at a time if so. Either way, official rulings are hardly ever kept the same for more than a few decades at a time; Dinante is an intense believer in "following your gut", resulting in many a conflict between Cabal members with different views. As such, while there are many legendary figures in the past of the Badlands, none can truly be confirmed as Cabal members.

### **The Creed of the Brass Arrow**

*Dinante isn’t golden because gold inspires greed.*

*Dinante gives no more than what the mortal people need.*

*Dinante trusts in us with a faith that burns eternal,*

*Dinante keeps us safe, his love a breed that seems paternal.*

*As keepers of his faith, we serve Dinante with our lives.*

*As sinners we must thrive within the freedom he provides.*

*Dinante, we have failed! We are only mortal kin.*

*But by the shimmer of your scale // And goodness runs from nose to tail,*

*We shall cleanse this blessed realm of our unforgiven sins.*

## Leadership

Dinante is the unabashed, uncontested leader of the Cabal. He decides who is allowed to join, judging the hearts and minds of those who wish to join the guild's ranks. Though he is unparalleled in power and form, he deigns ten Marshals, the most powerful and trustworthy individuals in all of the Badlands, to aid him in managing the Cabal's efforts to keep his territory safe for his peoples.

### **Marshals**

There are ten unchallenged leaders of the Cabal that are seen as great heroes of war- putting their life on the line for the sake of Dinante, the guild, and the Badlands. Only ten at a time rule, each guarding their own precinct from the many dangers of the desert. The Marshals act as supreme legal authority in their own states, and create state specific laws, appoint governors, and assist in building infrastructure. A Marshal will designate themselves to a "Marshals House" within the states capital. They also assist in country-wide decision making at Summit meetings, hosted in whatever major city is closest to the issue at hand (usually defaulting to Mouyeaf). In the event that an agreement splits the Marshals completely evenly, the governor of the city makes the deciding vote.

#### *Current Marshals*

* Precinct 1, Nashashu || Nigenai, the Silent Song
* Precinct 2, Hazarat || Javelal, the Annihilator
* Precinct 3, Sacha'jiro || Enshou Utsuro, the Eternal
* Precinct 4, Tefuwa || Kobith, the Redeemer
* Precinct 5, Umae-Umae || Lokka Kamp'cha, the Drogue
* Precinct 6, Alfayrus || Rajneesh Asahara, the Divine
* Precinct 7, Sabaar || Kefyn Cactar, the Finality
* Precinct 8, Shofudeei || Nerma the Sunrise
* Precinct 9, Marsirtochi || Terkah For'chat, the Explosion
* Precinct 10, Gainabi || None appointed at the moment

#### *Becoming a Marshal*

The spot for a new Marshal rarely ever opens. Since the position does not technically require intense physical activity, many prefer to serve until their death. Some choose to retire so they may travel, and on rare occasion some are forcefully removed or demoted from the position due to treasonous activity or inaction in times of need.

When a space does open, one of the Marshal's serving Sheriffs is chosen to take their place. If Dinante so chooses, he selects the Marshal himself, but if he declines to respond the precinct's cities have a vote to decide which Sheriff is most deserving of the position. Additionally, all other current Marshals must agree to allow the new one to join before it becomes truly official.

## Membership and Rankings

*(See Members of the Cabal of the Brass Arrow)*

### **Joining the Cabal**

Actually joining the Cabal isn't exactly a smooth process. Many individuals who join are criminals who would rather aid in community service than serve in prison, eventually paying off the debts of their past and earning the right to hold an actual role in the guild itself if they so choose. Non-criminals who join are either exiled Sand Elves or those who have wandered the Badlands and earned enough notoriety to be invited to join after a bit of testing of skills.

#### *Initial Membership*

Those who first join the guild don't have an official "role" in the guild- in fact, they aren't even considered true guild members until they suffer through the Trials of Dinante. These trials consist of many things, from public embarrassment, to tests of intellect and skill, to the retrieval and complete return of rare treasures, etcetera. While some may seem silly or pointless, they are all meticulously designed by the deity himself to judge how dedicated these future guild members are to serving him.

### **Reeves**

The first "true" ranking within the Cabal is that of a Reeve. Reeves are simple servants of Dinante, usually sent to take care of simple tasks that higher-ranking individuals find unsavory. These tasks often include escorting civilians through the desert or delivering goods from one town to another. Many members of the Cabal stay Reeves until death or desertion, which Dinante "doesn't take personally" unless more crimes are committed by said individual.

### **Bailiffs**

Bailiffs are the next step up for reevedom, offered to those who serve in the less-than-ideal position with minimal faltering or complaining. While there's little difference in duties, there's a significant pay raise as well as some bragging rights. They are also the first people chosen to take the place of higher-ups who perish or retire.

### **Deputies**

Once a Bailiff proves that they can truly be taken seriously by Dinante and the higher-ranking members of the Cabal, they are given the title of Deputy. Deputies are assigned to all major towns and cities. There, they direct lower-ranking members to tasks, manage payments to and from the town for Cabal protection, and commune with Dinante to obtain permission to enroll new members into the order.

### **Sheriffs**

Sheriffs are powerful members of the Cabal chosen to serve directly under their precinct's Marshal, aiding them in patrolling the shifting sands and keeping up with the general state of affairs. Each Marshal has two to four Sheriffs under their wing based on the size and difficulty of their precinct. To become a Sheriff you have to be directly invited by the Marshal who you serve, impressing them and Dinante with your abilities through one final trial.

To reach this final echelon, they must be tested by the god of secrets himself. Dinante's Final Trial. What exactly happens during these trials is unknown, as those who go through them are sworn to secrecy. Failure to impress Dinante has brought potentially sheriffs all they way down to Reevedom again.

## Traditions

As mentioned previously, tradition isn't really a "thing" in the Cabal. The way things are handled can shift and transform as deemed appropriate by the Trickster Dragon-God himself, based on the political and social climate of Halintar and his own country.

One thing that does seem to be done for all Cabal members is tattooing- initial membership requires you to allow yourself to be branded with the symbol of the Cabal somewhere on your body (usually on the back of the neck or anywhere else on the torso). As you rise in ranking, your branded mark is tattooed over to signify your growing commitment and responsibility.

Another tradition is the nose-ring. As a symbol of humbleness and his connection to the mortals he protects, he wears a nose-ring traditionally only worn by cattle or other hooved beasts for sowing the fields. This fashion statement is most popular with other highly devoted dragons in his brood, though many Cabal members also seem to enjoy donning the ring as a symbol of faith and sometimes even as a casting focus.

## Activity

Currently, the Cabal is highly active within the Badlands thanks to the fast-spreading Dragonsbane plague inflicting the draconic population of the country. Membership is at an all-time high, and Dinante has even been allowing some individuals to join (such as Nerma, previously a war criminal) with honors that some of his followers question.

There have also been some reports of Dinante ordering people to raze the cities and towns that come into contact with Dragonsbane, though the disease isn't known to be spread through anything other than bodily fluids. This has worsened faith in the Cabal, though not by much as this knowledge has not spread much farther than the precincts that the razing occur in.

Concern for current events within the rest of Halintar remains a minimal concern for the Cabal. The only thing they seem to have done regarding the The Shining and subsequent Betrayal was to send Kefyn Cactar, the Finality over to investigate. This resulted in him (and the Cabal by extension) obtaining other previously unknown knowledge regarding the death of Karomatzu, the rise of Curunthsh, and the formation of the Brigade.