Brotherhood of the Wood
You best keep your eyes peeled when you're stationed here; you never know when the Brotherhood will come to kill you in many different ways. - Veteran Legionary To Fresh Recruit.Since the fall of Ardania to the military might of the Vatian Empire, there have been many Ardanians that have refused to bow their head to those that would see their way of life and culture be swept away by the dogmatic oppression of the empire. Many of them rebelled in that time, with many being crushed by the boots, only for a select few to survive and rise to bring true terror to the imperial occupying their homeland. Yet amongst them lives a force that all imperials across the land striking from the wilderness and vanishing without a trace: the Brotherhood of the Wood!
Structure
The Brotherhood is mainly made up of Ardanian military remnants from the War of the Raptors who survived the empire's purges. The group's heads are officers and skilled civilians who survived the war and came to all parts of the military with many civilians, most being refugees with nowhere else to go.
Circle of Unity: To ensure the stability and unity of the Brotherhood, the leadership of each of its branches has formed a council to solve daily issues and make vital decisions that will affect how they will operate in their attempts to liberate their homeland by dismissing imperial rule. The Circle itself is the only ruling body of the Brotherhood of the Wood that is keeping its delicate balance to ensure that none of the branches gain too much power over the others nor lose their cooperation with one another; if that were to happen, then division and turmoil would spread quickly that could cause the end of them all.
Branches of The Tree: Six distinct groups maintain and control certain aspects of the Brotherhood to ensure it remains effective in its fight for liberation and overall survival against all forces that seek to destroy them. The Brotherhood has survived so long through this system that others have failed. Each group makes the foundations of what they stand for and are, as follows, the Elusive Hands, Whispering Truth, Silent Stalkers, Wayward Raiders, Guiding Crow, and Supporting Branch.
Guardians of The Bole: While not having any active role in the war against the empire, this section of the Brotherhood holds a vital role in protecting their only stronghold of Del Toren, acting as a defensive force in case of intruders and possible attacks on the fortress. Many of its members are made up of militiamen, led by older or wounded soldiers unable to fight in the rebellion anymore to create a strong defense across their base of operations.
Custodians of The Roots: A group of civilians within the Brotherhood that deal with maintaining the crumbling ruins of Del Toren with what they have. While lacking an understanding of Elven craftsmanship, their knowledge of standard stonemasonry, and extensive camouflage allow is current residents to be comfortable and hidden as much as they can as not falling apart on top of them.
Culture
You know, I never expected to find myself in a place like this, being hunted like an animal and living in bushes. But I'll be damned if I will ever let those imperial bastards get away with this. I show them who the real thieves are when I slit every last one of their conniving throats. - A frustrated RebelThe Brotherhood is considered an enemy of the Vatian Empire, and since the empire controls the entirety of the Western Lands, this means the world is out getting them. From Legionaries to Bounty Hunters the empire sent many after them and yet they managed to survive still. This also caused much trouble for the empire as they raided and stole from them.
Being a Member
Being a member means living on the edge, as few places exist to stay safe and survive. It is not easy, nor is it glorious, but the odds are you will live longer than the rest of the people in the region who are dying from starvation and disease, along with killing some imperials that caused you to be here in the first place. As long as you can do something for the Brotherhood, you will be fine; those who can't are often put with the refugees to earn the Brotherhood's protection. As long as you aren't a spy or a turncoat, you won't be strangled in your sleep and your body fed to the wolves. You might think that you are doing this to liberate your homeland from the occupation of the empire, or maybe you are just doing this to stay alive. One thing is sure: you are one of many people trying to defy an empire that has the resources to wipe you out, but they have to catch you first, which will be difficult since you know the land better than they do. You are one of the last true Ardanians that chose to fight those who would enslave your people and take your lands. You are facing tyrants and profiteers who abuse power for their gain while your countrymen suffer under them, with their lust for power being forever unquenchable. Though the chances of freeing your homeland are small, considering that the manpower and resources of the enemy seem limitless, there is still a chance to drive out of the empire. Keep your head down and strike the enemy from the shadow; you might live to see the results.What People Think of You
Some people hate you and love you for what you are doing. There is the Vatian Empire, one of the largest empires ever to exist that wants to kill you and display your corpse to be a warning to others. Then there are your fellow countrymen who either wish to help you or sell you out for a gold piece. You never know who you can trust, as you are against the world now. The nobles that survived the war are another story; those who hate the empire secretly fund you with the coins and equipment to help you, and the other reason is to double-cross you, wanting to gain the empire's favor. Why capture a few pesky rebels that will barely get you any notice and lose your head when they find out? At least their money is still good. There are also the people who go after you for the bounty on your head as all other brotherhood members get; most of them are your run-of-the-mill thugs who think you will be easy pay; they often cover the forest floor to be food for the crows. But once in a while, a Bounty Hunter comes along, and then there is a challenge as they are professionals at hunting people. This is why it is best to keep your skills honed and be ready if you encounter one. So it is all about the role of the dice when you meet people who will either kill you or welcome you in open arms.Public Agenda
To have Ardania's independence once more and drive the Vatians out by any means necessary.
Assets
Supplies Caches: Hidden Caches are found throughout the Great Forest, and areas bordering it are filled with anything from weapons to medicine they manage to acquire to retrieve for later when it is safe to collect.
Dra Toren: An ancient Elven ruin that serves as the base of operation for the Brotherhood and as the only safe refuge from their enemies.
Spies: Many who seek to free their homeland have acted as spies to deliver them troop movements and intelligence to allow them to gain any advantage against their enemies.
Alliances: Many groups such as militias, nobles, and anyone else who does not like the empire have been working with the Brotherhood openly or secretly to grow in power against the overwhelming odds set against them.
Safeholds: Secret areas have been made to allow the Brotherhood to move from place to place without being discovered easily, ranging from abandoned buildings to well-established businesses to avoid overall detection when needed.
Traps: The Brotherhood uses a variety of traps for hunting and ambushes in forest terrain that maintain their cover without revealing themselves, many of which can be easily made without much effort.
History
From the Ashes of War
After the fall of the Kingdom of Ardania at the hands of the Vatian Empire in the devastating War of the Raptors, some of the kingdom’s surviving military went into hiding, due to the empire’s policy of destroying any threats of rebellion in the populous. Those who survived the purge escaped into the Great Forest and have been there ever since in a bid to survive a little longer, taking their chances out in the wilderness. From that day, the Brotherhood of the Wood was founded to continue the fight against the empire with guerrilla tactics and stockpiling as many weapons as they could get their hands on. Though they have existed only for a few years, they have left a lasting impression on the enemy and the people alike in the areas they are active in, causing as much damage as they can when they can.
by Jester%
A Spark of Hope
While this small band of rebels seems to be nothing more than a nuisance to the empire, they have been getting more and more people on their side yearly as the imperial forces continue to oppress them and starve the people to feed themselves. This has caused turmoil across Ardania; even the occupying garrisons have trouble keeping the masses in check as the Brotherhood continues their daring raids across the Borderlands of the Great Forest, encouraging them to fight back. With the current state of the empire, their legions are stretched out thin, being unable to fully deal with them as they attempt to maintain their authority across the south as many of its people refuse to submit to the destroyers of their homeland, forcing them to place Coin Legions into keeping the status quo. Yet, these mercenaries have been causing just as much trouble as the regulars and are still unable to deal with the Brotherhood, with many choosing to desert rather than deal with these blades hidden in the shadows. The resulting lack of manpower has led the stationed legions in the region to place themselves in strategic areas all across the borders into the Great Forest to create quick responses in the attempt to halt their activity, only leading fear and paranoia as the brotherhood manages to get past them and attacking anywhere they please without them being able to spot them.
by Midjourney
Stick to the Wilds
Founding Date
1528
Type
Illicit, Rebel
Alternative Names
Rebels, bandits, outlaws, The Brotherhood
Predecessor Organization
Formation Type
Training Level
Trained
Veterancy Level
Veteran
Demonym
Ruling Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
Lethal Force
by Jester%
Make sure you aim between the armor's weak points; then, they will go down like any other man. - Brotherhood Drill InstructorUnlike most rebel groups, the Brotherhood is trained in warfare and organized, unlike the average rebel in the empire. Making them a threat that the empire had not seen in centuries and could not crush them properly. Allowing them to cause more damage to the enemy than ever and psychologically impact even the most experienced imperial Legionary. They strike hard and retreat to cause chaos and confusion to wear them out slowly. Now, it's nothing more than a war of attrition to see who will give up first.
Forced Together
by Jester%
I used to be a farmer not more than a few years ago. Now, look at me; I am a man who knows how to hunt and forage for himself. - Proud RebelThe Brotherhood is not just one group of individuals fighting alongside one another; it is people from all walks of life who are forced together by current events. Each person has their own story and a reason to be here. These benefits and backdraws can divide or unify the Brotherhood. Different backgrounds and beliefs can easily split them into factions to ensure their agendas are met. However, this is often overlooked as hatred for the empire is far greater than anything else. When they do work together, it allows them to become an efficient and effective fighting force that can easily fight the empire on their terms.
Amazing article!