The Order of the Cups
The Order of the Cups is Belerion's most infamous criminal network; and perhaps its most quietly beloved. Thriving in the back alleys and silk-draped parlous of Aberston, the Order has agents in every corner of the known world: courtesans, thieves, assassins, orphans, and traders, all sworn not to a monarch or a god, but to The Cup, the symbol of need filled without permission.
Originally a holy order tasked with distributing alms for The Ecclesium, the Order was born from scandal. Brother Benedict, now known only as Brother Ben, uncovered corruption within the Church and gave the Archdeacon a simple choice: disavow him publicly and grant release from vows, or face ruin. The Ecclesium chose self-preservation, not knowing it was giving birth to a machine far more effective than its own bloated bureaucracy.
The Order operates under a simple creed: take what is hoarded, give what is needed, and leave no one powerless. They fund soup kitchens with smuggled silver. They leak secrets to tip the scales towards justice. They bribe guards to let medicine pass unchecked. And if an abuser disappears on a foggy night? The city sleeps better for it.
Their controversy lies not in their actions, but in their success. They are lawless, but moral. Profitable, but generous. Violent yet careful. The Ecclesium still recieves a tithe from their earnings, an open secret that keeps tongues quiet and pockets lined.
To some, they are saints in shadow. To others, they're manipulators, blackmailers, and a threat to stable rule. But to those who've been helped when no one else came? They raise a cup, and whisper "Ben's blood run strong".
Comments