The Tenebrous Cabal (see Tome of Magic pages 169-171)
Headquarters at the Bleak Academy.
The Tenebrous Cabal is a powerful organization, ruled by the Parliament of Shadows, that governs the practice of shadow magic. It is based in a school, known as the Bleak Academy, that trains apprentices in a different and unusual form of magic, perfecting their understanding of it. The training is rigorous and difficult, but it is designed to hone the talents of the apprentices to powerful ends.
The Tenebrous Cabal is a large network of likeminded individuals commited to the advancement of their craft, Shadow Magic. As such, members of the Cabal are always looking for new talent. They seek out those who show potential with using shadows or shadow magic. Those chosen by the Cabal present themselves to the Parliament of Shadows, the governing body of The Tenebrous Cabal. If the applicant is accepted their training begins. They attend the Bleak Academy and explore every facet and possible application of magic in excrutiating detail. This type of study is only taken up by those with a pentient for Order. The lessons are harsh and grueling, but those that become members of the Cabal are given access to unparalleled training, restricted knowledge and tutoring from the best scholars.
Entry Requirements:
Skills: Spellcraft 4 ranks
Shadowcasting/Spellcasting: Ability to use fundamentals of shadow or ability to cast one arcane spell of the shadow subschool
Benefits of the Tenebrous Cabal:
- Students/Members can take advantage of treasures and services the Cabal offers.
- The Cabal loans magic items to its members up to a value of 1000gp x the level of the members caster level.
- Members can purchase at half price any item that requires a mystery or an Illusion (shadow) spell for its creation.
- A member of the Cabal receives free passage on planar galleys, great constructs designed to breach the boundaries and travel through the Plane of Shadows to other destinations.
Combat:
As an organization of casters, The Cabal relies entirely on magic/mysteries in a battle. Using shadow magic as the main mode of offense and defense defeats the expectations of the enemy.
A Cabalist faces the same limitations as other casters. Having fewer hit points and few combat capabilities makes him/her vulnerable in bigger battles. Pairing up witha well-armored and well-armed fighter can enhance his/her defense. Against bigger numbers, he/she can make use of other casters or Cabal members by combining attacks to eliminate small groups.
Advancement:
The Cabal is an open organization that offers membership to any caster that has the proper abilities, those who excel in the use of Shadow magic. After joining, new members are taught by different mentors allowing the Cabal to learn their natural inclinations and offer the proper guidance in the use of their abilities. After a year, the apprentice is assigned to one Mentor in order to further hone his/her abilities to perfection. After graduation, the students maintain their connection to the Cabal and can take advantage of the resources provided by the Cabal.
Missions:
The Cabal wants new talent. A Cabalist might be part of a group of Testers who travel across the Material Plane to fnd children with the ability to manipulate shadow magic. If such a child is found, the Tester convinces the parents to send the prospective student to the Bleak Academy. Or a Cabalist might fight against those who would misuse shadow magic.
Responsibilities:
All Cabalist share a commitment to development and advancement of their craft. Members of the Cabal occasionally return to the Academy to share information, bring in prospective members, learn new insights, or even seek an audience with the Parliament of Shadows.
Structure:
The Cabal is ruled by the Parliament of Shadows, a group consisting of the very best, or at least the most influential, of its members. They convene twice a year to discuss news and manage the affairs of running and funding the school. Members of the Cabal are free to come and go as they please, but as long as they are part of the Cabal, they are subject to the edicts of the Parliament.
NPC Reactions:
Traditional spellcasters view the Tenebrous Cabal's structured training as oppressive, and the products of that rigorous training as brainwashed fools. Most arcane spellcasters aware of the Cabal are unfriendly. Most good characters see Cabalists as evil, thanks to the association that shadowshas with fuol creatures. Paladins and good-alligned clerics are always unfriendly.
Lore:
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can research the Tenebrous Cabal to learn more about it. When a character makes a skill check they can learn some of the following information.
DC 15: A Cabalist is a caster who specializes in a rare form of magic called shadow magic.
DC 20: The Tenebrous Cabal operates out of the Bleak Academy, a great school where apprentice shadowcasters are trained.
DC 25: Cabalists are always searching for new talent to add to their ranks, and so their members always watch for children with some magical ability.
Note: A bardic knowledge check or a Gather Information check (in a community with awizard's guild) can reveal the same information, but in each case the DC is 5 higher than the given value.
Encounters:
Should a PC end up in opposition to the Tenebrous Cabal, he/she is in for a long fight. The Cabal protects its own. Combat against the Cabal usually means dealing with several shadowcasters, all determined to showcase their impressivie array of shadow magic abilities.
