"Wir sind Götter im Embryo"
-Raelian Movement motto ('Godscarred Common' dialect)
"We are Gods in The Making"
-Rael, founder of The Movement
Long ago when the first stone of Rael's City was laid, Rael proclaimed his people were gods in the making. For the Raelianists, a "Man"-a mortal being of both sapience and sentience descended of any race, born feminine or masculine- is both the artificer and the laboratory, the most gifted craftsman and the most equipped workshop, the key and the gate. In Him, through Him, and with Him are all things possible. A god is merely a Man that has transcended mortal form to achieve bodily perfection, powerful, but no more worthy of veneration than any other Man. Each Man is in control of His destiny alone, unless He foolishly allows it to be controlled by another Man. A Man might be made by a god, just as any Man or Animal might make another one through birth or alchemical or arcane sciences-but that does not make Him a slave to His creator. The higher one puts their faith in another Man, be He mortal or god, the farther it has to fall -and so a Man ought to put his faith in Himself.
"These 'clerics' call themselves 'servants of the gods' or 'agents divine'. They are slaves. It is as if they were corpses upon which morticians have performed spiritual autopsy and removed all that mattered. A pair of hands is all that they are now. What is more is the fact that they were not forced into bondage, but gone into it willingly. How could a Man do so? Indeed, it is hard to say they have a Will at all. They are less Man and more Animal, beast of burden so easily domesticated. Clergy world around would call my words 'blasphemy'. Indeed they are blasphemous. They fear their gods wrath, and would say I ought to fear their gods wrath as well. Why? They say it is because my words are 'evil'.
What is right, is logical. What is wrong is unreasonable, and illogical. Therefore, the perfect mind would yield a perfectly moral being. Are the gods perfectly moral beings? If they all had perfect minds, they would be all knowing, and every one of them would think the same way, making only the very best decision. They disagree and they fight, so clearly, godhood yields a mighty being, but not a being of perfect mind. It is certain by that fact, that it is unlikely if not impossible that any one of them is wholly right in all matters, because they are not of perfect mind. Why follow their orders blindly, rather than following one's own Will? Why conquer and subdue other nations in their name taking slaves of those who will not become converts, than follow the True Will within -the path that interferes with no other Man's path? I have no 'destiny'. I make my own end. There is no fate. I make my own 'luck'. I am my own god.
I am a thinker, philosopher, and a scientist. A scientist, a philosopher, a thinker should question-for one who does not question, is worth nothing. A cleric is -among the various things they claim to be -a 'teacher'. They teach people about their gods, and why their gods ought to be right on a matter. A cleric must question. For a cleric that does not question their god is worth nothing. They should question and they should doubt. Every. Single. Day. And at the end of the day, after they have reasoned, if what they believe is TRUE, their trust should become stronger-NOT weaker. If it becomes weaker-and it seems this is the case, as they so oft discourage questioning-then they should abandon their god and come to Reason. Indeed, what I bring about is an Age of Reason, an Era of Enlightenment."
-The Wisdom of Rael
Joining The Raelian Movement
To join the Raelian movement one must commit wholly to their ideals, one cannot only be "somewhat" allied with The Movement. One must be a person of strong will, able to set the mind to a single goal or task, forsaking and sacrificing anything to obtain it. Joining The Movement means leaving ones old life, friends, family -and most importantly religious affiliation behind except where such relationships are clearly valuable to funding or political connections. Those within The Movement must separate themselves, they must have a sense that they are different from those who are without. One must have no reluctance to delve into forbidden lore, or unsavory magical practices. Furthermore, one must have the will to resist torture, never giving up the orders secrets even upon threat of death.
They demand all of their "advanced" or "inner circle" members have working knowledge of the arcane, of religious ceremony, the outer planes, and magical theory or "spellcraft" as well as what most would call "The Dark Arts". Exactly what these arts are unknown to those outside The Movement, but as one approaches the 12th degree, one gets closer to the truth, before crossing the threshold.
Basic Entry Requirements (1st Degree):
-Alignment: Any nongood
-Skills: All members must have basic Literacy.
-Special: The character must be invited to join a lodge by someone who is already a trusted member, who can vouch for them.
-Special: They must have no current affiliations with any churches or religious organizations
Inner Circle (Priesthood) Entry Requirements (12th Degree):
-Alignment: Any evil.
-Skills: Bluff 6 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks, Knowledge (the planes) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks.
-Feats: Iron Will, Spell Focus (evil)
-Base Save Bonus: Fort +3, Will +3.
-Special: The character must have no ability to cast divine spells. If that ability was previously possessed (as with an ex-cleric), the ability must be forever forsaken.
-Special: The character must be accepted by an ur-priest as an apprentice, and then trained in their art.
Benefits of Membership
The Raelians have hidden chapters or "Lodges" as they are colloquially known all over the world. These Lodges may be entirely hidden, but often they have public fronts taking the guise of fraternities, sororities, and social or political clubs under various names. Intellectuals, philosophers, and all sorts of people meet and discuss matters or opinions too distasteful or controversial to be discussed in public taverns. Some of these people are wealthy, but as many of them are middle class, or even lower class people. The topics could range from the abolition of slavery in a city-state that accepts it, to eugenics, or the banning of all religion. Through these gatherings they preach their ideals to initiates, and teach those with the aptitude for it, their secret arts of working traditionally 'divine' magic without paying tribute or respect to any deity.
-Lodging:
Raelian Lodges can be found in most cities all over Therafim. A member of The Movement will learn how to identify such establishments, and what secret signs and phrases to use to get in. Members will never have any trouble finding lodging, food, or magical medical attention in a city that has a Lodge and can do so at no cost to them.
-Information:
The Movement has extensive information networks that offer an inside view of many other scholarly organizations, upper class clubshouses, and the intrigues of politics and religion because of their diverse membership.
-Secret Ritual Knowledge:
Through membership, one may gain "Fell Conspiracy" ritual knowledge that aids in secure communication between members while on missions. This is a set of special ceremonies available to those who meet prerequisites.
Fell Conspiracy (Ceremony Feat) (Exemplars of Evil p. 23)
Forge a connection to ease communications and keep you apprised of developments in the field.
Prereq: Wis 13, Knowledge (Religion) 4 ranks.
You gain access to ceremonies based on your ranks in religion. These ceremonies forge a link between participants who work toward a common cause. During each ceremony, all participants huddle togehter and speak in hushed tones, conveying the dark purpose of the conspiracy. Each ceremony takes 20 minutes, and its effects last 24 hours.
Common Cause (4 ranks)- This ceremony requires a masterwork dagger. You confide in each ally whispering your plans into their ear. Once finished, you nick each others ears with a sharp blade. Each participant can cast the Message spell at will at your caster level (or HD).
Conspirational Bond (8 Ranks)-You concoct a potent paste of herbs (50gp) and apply it to the ears and eyes of all participants. All participants gain a +2 bonus on listen and spot checks for every other participant in range. All participants within 100ft can communicate telepathically.
Inviolate Link (12 Ranks)-This ceremony requires a bit of blood and hair from each participant mixed with rare herbs (50gp)and diamond dust(100gp). You paint an eye onto the forehead of each ally. As long as they remain within 100ft of you, none of you can be caught flat footed or flanked unless you all are.
-Advanced Secret Ritual Knowledge:
Through apprenticeship under Ur Priests, one may gains access to "The Rituals of The Godless" (see below), this is a set of three special ceremonies that ONLY members of the Inner Circle may master. Upon joining the priesthood, one should already have enough knowledge to easily master the first ceremony. Otherwise learning these rites is dependent on ones Knowledge of Religion.
Blessing of the Godless (Ceremony Feat) (Exemplars of Evil p. 23)
Prereq: Evil, Knowledge (religion) 6 ranks
Gain warding rituals invoking dreadful darkness to instill your enemies with power. Each rite requires 6 minutes, requires 1 vial Unholy Water,and dung of Evil creatures, and lasts 24 hours. [PHB II p. 86 Introduces the concept of Ceremony Feats; you can only benefit from ONE ritual effect at a time, attempting a second ends the first. If a ritual is interrupted components are not consumed but it does not take affect and must be restarted.]
Dark Pact (6 Ranks)-up to 5 allies stand forming a pentagram around you. You spew words of true wickedness investing the malevolence of the lower planes. You Create a pool of reserve Hitpoints equal to your class lvl x the # of participants. As an imediate action a participant may draw a # of these hitpoints equal to their class level. These reserve hitpoints ONLY replace lost ones, those in excess of their full hp are wasted. When the pool is depleted the ritual ends.
Anoint The Wicked (9 ranks)-Your filthy words imbue your allies with an incredible sense of purpose. Each participant gains a +4 morale bonus on checks made to oppose Intimidate checks and saves against spells or abilities with the Fear Descriptor.
Shield of The Godless (12 ranks)-In a sharp voice you speak the reversed names of 13 Good deities, denying their existence and power and imbuing your allies with powerful wards. Each participant gains a +4 morale bonus on saves vs Divine spells, and damage reduction 5/- against smite attacks. If a participant IS affected by a Divine spell, all participants in 60ft gain a+2 on attack and damage rolls for 1 round.
Combat:
The Raelians rarely make open war as it were, preferring subterfuge and operating from afar. Their members often go about in cities under guises, only showing their true nature in private, dark alleys, or the ruins of the wild. When they do fight they make use of rogues, assassins, rangers and stealthy types whenever possible, deciding the battlefield and controlling combat from start to finish. However, fighters have a place as well, as lodges and other locations have need of guards. The Raelians also make use of wizardry as well as quasi divine magic, their Ur-Priests tactics being as varied as clerics are known to be, although they are especially fond of divine spells with the [Evil] descriptor as they cause unnecessary suffering , torment, or terror rather than simply killing. Many of them make use of The Dark Speech and its derivative techniques Dark Whispers and Filthy Outburst which grant them more powers and make enemies susceptible to [Evil] Spells.
Advancement:
The Movement has a tiered system with 23 degrees, or ranks, with apprentices achieving the 1st Degree and fully trained members advancing to the 2nd. What the Raelians teach is conveyed through many signs, icons, and symbolic rituals. What those signs, icons, and rituals represent changes as one advances through the ranks. At each level one is sworn to a higher degree of secrecy and it is 'revealed' that the meanings they were taught were either entirely false, or half true, or incomplete. Breaking beyond the 11th degree indoctrinates one into the Ur-Priesthood. Only at the 23rd degree of Raelianism does one know the full, dark truth. Rael, the founder of The Movement did not set out the bring the world to Reason as many believe. In truth what invigorated him was a deep hatred of the gods-but also of his own rigid Matriarchal society-that of the Drow where he had little to no power. His tolerance and acceptance of many peoples and ideas comes in part from this fact-but also from the fact that he was pragmatic and new he would need as many followers as he could gain if his Movement were to continue after his death and indeed to even have a chance at succeeding. Furthermore Rael understood that unswerving cruelty would drive all people from him, and unswerving intolerance would limit his resources.
Missions:
For The Movement to succeed, Rael taught that it must spread around the globe. The Movement actively targets intellectuals-especially those with "unorthodox" approaches or ideas that would be rejected elsewhere, as well as nobles, merchants, and common people who lack purpose in their life and have a weak faith in the hopes that on the surface The Movement will appeal to them. The Raelians are not above cloak and dagger activities however, and if officials or others prove to obstacles to the movement arson, assassination, and sabotage are all viable tools.
If for some reason a mission is particularly sensitive, or it must be ensured that one of their membership does not reveal information, they may make use of the following spell. Sometimes it is cast on members unaware of exactly what it does or what will happen to them.
Infallible Servant (Exemplars of Evil p. 27)
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Cleric 3, Druid 4, Sorceror/Wizard 3
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: Creature Touched
DurationL 1 hour/lvl
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: No
You rub dung on your minions brow, intoning dark words to bind his life to your cause.
With a touch, you give a target a powerful motivation to avoid failure. If the target is captured by non-evil creatures, or is slain, their body dissolves into a foul sludge. The target is utterly destroyed and cannot be affected by any spell or effect that restores life (like True Resurrection) or a semblance of life (like animate dead) except by a Miracle or Wish. When the target dissolves, all creatures in 30ft must make a Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1d4 rounds.
Material component: Dung from an evil creature
Responsibilities:
Members who advance to the trusted inner circle are expected to hold their tongues, and swear an oath upon threat of death, and destruction beyond death never to speak of the circles existance or the greater truths of The Movement outside of their order. In contrast, all members are expected to divulge the secrets, inner workings, and general goings on from within whatever churches, political parties, and other groups they previously belonged to and actively pretend they are apart of. Those who contribute more, prove more trust worthy, and are devoted to The Movement's ideals will advance. Those that do not pull their weight will be left behind, and in time may fall out of favor. At high levels, this could the end of all you know.
Structure:
The upperclass, the criminal class, and those of the street or common folk are the three domains that The Movement must infiltrate and corrupt-whether that means starting a rousing philosophical debate in a bar in a kind of impromptu public speech or actively denouncing the flaws in a local church under the guise of being a common man. Their members often join existing churches and then leave, pretending to be dissatisfied. Because of their extensive knowledge of religion and stolen power, they can also pass for clerics of most any religion, causing schisms wherever they go or setting up a church to another god in an area and then gradually leading worshippers astray. The Movement's presence in any one city is divided into three groups that preside over each of these aspects, with the three heads joined together under a single leader for that city of no less than the 20th Degree. Because of The Movements branched structure, many times, expendable people may be played against each other to create certain conditions. Furthermore, many members may be working in concert without knowing it.
NPC Reactions:
Most know nothing of the Raelians, those that do either see them as 'free thinkers' or on the opposite side of the spectrum 'radicals' who cannot be satisfied with status quo in religion or government that may become potential 'rabble rousers'. Neither view seems to care much of what they do, or what they talk about in their lodges. Although, there is rumor of 'odd' ceremonies, secret signs and handshakes, that give an air of mystery to them that makes some people more suspect-especially various Good aligned churches who are never wholly trusting of them. To help dispel some of these concerns, some of the wealthier Raelians make charitable donations to various other groups and projects in the name of philanthropy-but not all are convinced. Some theologians hold a disdain for all 'societies' who are not transparent, fearful they may be cults or criminal in nature.
Lore: (History or Religion)
DC 10: The Raelian Movement is a quasi religious, philosophical order of Brothers and Sisters. They pursue a path of Reason and self empowerment as well as seeking to dispel superstition, and myth.
DC 15: The Movement was founded by a disillusioned male Drow who abandoned his people after the great cataclysm. He founded a city somewhere is the Godscar, which he named after himself.
DC 20: The Raelians teach that a Man may tap into the power within His own spirit and draw forth His own divine power with the Secret of Ur. That power is the same power gods grant to their "clerics"- slaves of gods that carry out their will.
DC 25: The divine power they wield comes not from within, but is in fact stolen from the deities. At middle levels it is taught that it is indeed stolen-but more so in the way that Man is said to have stolen Fire from the gods in myth. At the highest levels it is revealed that it is actively stolen, indeed also stripped from the World itself. Their practices are in truth comparable to how the Demon Princes and Lords of The Nine possess no divine power, but are able to drain it from Souls lost to the Infinite Abyss or harvest the power from tortured souls respectively.
DC 30: Though they despise the gods, there are god-like entities on their side, most notably The Dark One who's cult is behind The Raelian movement. Whereas most Entities ask that their followers kneel before them, the charismatic Dark One asks that they stand and proclaims that he is NOT a god, but the kind of Entity a Man might become. In the end the ultimate goal is one of ultimate power at the expense of all those outside The Movement-those who are not members are simply expendable sheep to be sacrificed.
It is also one of ultimate rebellion, a movement to overthrow the greatest powers in the universe. Some members wish to see a universe in which no force imposes limits or restrictions on ones desires or actions. Others wish to see a universe without sin-because all is amoral. Many members seek a sort of revenge on the gods. And a mad few want to overthrow the gods rule JUST because they can.
The Demons and Devils are not The Movement's enemies, for every soul they damn or draw to their side is one less tongue to invoke the Will of the gods of light and good and less power for them. Even if the gods were untouchable, if their following diminishes enough they will eventually fade away. War is waged on the outer planes, but on Therafim the War is different. Swords cannot win such a battle, for to kill all of the enemy would only make them martyrs in the eyes of the masses. Instead they must undermine all the gods faithful believe in, and crush their faith.
Encounters:
- The PCs try to apprehend a man trying to escape after breaking into Vault 77, when he suddenly decays before their eyes, thick with maggots. He has nothing of value on his person. The PCs must figure out who he was and what he was doing there. There may be limited time…before something terrible happens.
- A large fire breaks out in the slums-entirely by accident. The Movement needs more numbers, so they seize the opportunity and either by bribe or influence, get officials to announce that it was an act of arson committed by upper class dissidents who spit on the poor and the "mud bloods". The word "arson" always brings out the firebugs; through their copy-cat behavior a rash of crimes creates the illusion that the lower class are being purged or oppressed-and Rael presents itself as on their side. There is threat of an uprising, and the PCs must uncover the lie.
