Society of Ucara
The Emperor, may he reign forever, should expel them from the Empire. Their presence here takes away from the worship of the true Deity, and they interfere with the proper running of society.
Don't mistake me, I realize that Ucara is the closest of the Deities to beloved Kolero, and as such they have a place here with us. But they are not truly civilized - chaos has overwhelmed them, and they cannot see that so much of what they do is detrimental to civilization, and thus to all of us.
First, there is the so-called Society, which is nothing more than a thieves' guild with pretentions of being a religious order. Temple donations are coded requests to steal from the good people of the Empire, and the religious "artifacts" they have are simply stolen goods. They load caravans with "donations" or whatever to cover their smuggling operations. And they have an entire group of priests that are really assassins!
Even their charitable works are a problem. They give to the poor with no structure! If you don't control how the recipients use charitable donations, they will never become properly functioning members of society. Now, I'm not one for strict rules for people who are contributing to civilization - I'm not some mean follower of the forge god. But the people who cannot fend for themselves need more direction than just handing them a bowl of soup and sending them on their way.
Divine Origins
The Society has been a part of the Sulaen Empire since its founding and is the primary religious sect following Ucara. Before the Empire was founded, there were several criminal organizations in the city of Sulae, each warring for power. These organizations were cruel and vindictive, and civilian casualties were common.
When a group of worshippers of Jarell were killed during a battle between two rival families, the priest of Jarell had a crisis of faith. He abandoned his concern for Justice, instead focusing on Wrath. He shifted his worship to Ucara and founded the Society. The Society was more ruthless than the crime families and eventually broke their control of the city.
The Society attempted to transition to a simple religious order, but the realities of Sulae prevented it. If they stepped back from acting as a unifying guild, street gangs would begin to battle for supremacy. By the time the Empire was founded, they were firmly established as the Thieves' Guild for the city and the territory it controlled.
It is now the primary religious sect worshipping Ucara in addition to being an Empire spanning guild. While crime is high in the Empire, violence is relatively rare.
Tenets of Faith
The tenets of the Society are the same as Ucara's, with a few additions. The commandments of Freedom are the basic tenets.
- Freedom Above All: You are bound only by your own desires and cunning, not by laws or societal norms. Follow your own path, and never be enslaved by expectations.
- Freedom For All: As you should be free, so should you help to make others free. End the bondage of the enslaved when you can.
- Take What You Need: To fulfill your potential, you must ensure not just your survival but your growth. You must take that which is needed to thrive.
- Give Back What You Can: Taking more than you need to thrive prevents others from reaching their potential. Give what you do not need to those without enough.
- Protect What Is Yours Fiercely: Do not allow others to take what you need for survival. Excersize your wrath on those who would bring you low.
- Embrace Obscurity: Glory is not needed in service of Ucara. Chase results, not recognition.
- Celebrate Hidden Triumphs: Though success may often come through hidden means, do not let it pass unnoticed among you. Celebrate when you can, even if the reasons remain cloaked.
- Combatants Only: Avoid entangling civilians in matters of the Society.
- Beware Governmental Action: Governments are inherently agents of Order, and are not to be trusted.
Priesthood
| Title | Role |
|---|---|
| Praetor | Leader of the Society |
| Magister | Leader of the blessed clergy of Ucara |
| Praeceptor | Leady of the faithful clergy of Ucara |
| Heirophant | Seekers of knowledge within the Society |
| Divinus | Part of Society dedicated to interfacing with Ucara's representatives to the Terrene |
| Diacon | Middle management for the Society, responsible for coordinating between the different levels of the priesthood. |
| Minister | Preachers responsible for day to day interaction with the faithful. |
| Iram | Blessed War clerics, dedicated to fighting the Society's enemies. |
| Caritas | Blessed Light clerics, dedicated to the Society's charitible acts. |
| Latens | Blessed Trickery clerics, dedicated to acquiring funds for the Society. |
Political Influence & Intrigue
The Society is highly influential in Sulae, although very limited outside the Empire. They are thw fourth most powerful organization in the Empire, behind the Imperial family, the Koleran League, and The Hidden.
The Society is the faction most favored by the common people of Sulae, and they use that influence well. They run various shelters and food pantries that have no restrictions for use, unlike the Koleran League's schools. They send members of the Society to mix with the beneficiaries to influence opinion, as well as using it as cover to meet with spies and thieves.
The political goals of the Society are to supplant the Koleran League as the state religion and spread into the Children and Western Helion. They have surpassed the League in New Sulae, their power in that city as great as the Imperial family itself.
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