Pactkeepers

The Pactkeepers are five large families. Each family chooses a representative through whatever system they feel is best. These five then choose a leader from their number. They become the Mayor and City Council.

When each member of a Pactkeeper family comes of age, they are sworn to secrecy and to the Pactkeepers. Then, they are finally told the secret of the pact. All Pactkeeper offspring are encouraged to work in government or in some other way that benefits Prosperity, and thus ensures their continued rule.   Often this initiation takes days, as the elders work tirelessly to convince the young one that the pact deserves to be kept secret and honored, and how many people are spared compared to the handful that are taken. Eventually even the most stubborn idealist bends to the will of their family.   Careful and meticulous genealogical records are kept in order to know who is a member of the five families. Members of the Pactkeepers are encouraged to marry within the five families, or else restrict their spouse's knowledge and involvement with the true purpose of the pact.   Female members are initiated the same way as males, but are strongly encouraged, should they marry outside the families, to keep the secret from their new family upon marriage, in order to minimize the number of Pactkeepers.

Publicly, the Pactkeepers are concerned with the smooth running and continued growth of Prosperity. They are the ones in charge of everything political or governmental.

The original Pactkeepers were part of a company of businesspeople, in search of new opportunities and resources in a time of economic downturn. They found an ideal valley with a river that was perfect for harnessing hydroelectric power, which they needed for the industries they had planned. When they were attacked the first night by bizzare, unknown creatures, they learned that the tales of why no one else had settled there first were true.   The Pactkeepers were able to construct a makeshift fortification, but they were essentially trapped. They could not go back and they refused to give up the valley and keep searching, yet the eldritch creatures attacked every night, and soon every day as well as time went on.   This was when a gigantic, seven foot human calling himself Vohkuvon appeared in front of their gate. He promised an end to the attacks. Vohkuvon claimed to be a powerful sorcerer who could drive the creatures out, down into deep tunnels beneath the land. He would also protect the would-be settlement from any other attacks as well.     In exchange, Vohkuvon needed apprentices, teens with the inborn gift of magic. As long as the gnomes sent him a tribute of mage-talented youths from among the populace, he would protect the settlement.   As none of the remaining settlers had any magical talent, he agreed to waive the tribute for the first three generations of gnomes. That seemed a bit odd to the settlers, but they had little experience with humans and their lifespans.   Vohkuvon cautioned them to teach their families to honor their agreement. If the tribute was not honored, the creatures would return, and the settlement would be open to attack from outside.   Starving, weary, and desperate, the ten gnomish settlers agreed. A pact was drawn up, promising magically talented youths in exchange for the safety of what the settlers were now calling Prosperity, a deal that would extend to all the descendants of the five families, until they died out, or the pact was broken. All parties signed, but Vohkuvon signed his name as Vazrokoth.   Now the wandering sorcerer's true nature was revealed. Towering sixteen feet into the air, the violet-blue demon roared with satisfaction. The gnomes screamed and cowered, trapped by their own palisade. Vazrokoth simply laughed and said, "Thus is our pact made, and you will keep it, you and your families. So be fruitful and multiply, little ones, for when your families die, so does Prosperity." Then, he vanished, leaving a plain stone obelisk in his place as a reminder. When the gnomes were able to move again, they saw the monstrous creatures that had besieged them were disappearing as well, retreating into a large cave opening in a hill. The demon Vazrokoth had kept his word. They now must keep theirs.