Secret Societies and the Obsidian Scale

Beyond the official governments of Aethervale, several secret societies pull the strings from the shadows. While some seek to protect the world, others are driven by extremist ideologies that threaten to undo civilization itself.

Rumor 6: Unmaking the Aether-Nodes

Rumor: A secret society called the Obsidian Scale is planning to "unmake" the Aether-Nodes to return the world to nature. The Truth: The Obsidian Scale is not a "nature-cult," but an "Aether-Anarchist" cell. They believe that the Aether-Nodes are the source of all social inequality and conflict. Their plan is to use "Null-Sphere Resonators" to cause a chain-reaction of "Mana-Collapse" (see Truth 3) that would effectively "turn off" all magic and industry simultaneously. They believe that only in the resulting "Dark Age" can humanity truly be free.

Rumor 26: The Shadow from the Stars

Rumor: The "Void-Gazers" have seen a massive shadow approaching the world from the stars. The Truth: The "Void-Gazers" are a society of astronomers and mages who have peered beyond the "Aetheric-Veil." The shadow they have seen is the "Void-Architect" (see Truth 92), the entity that destroyed the First Brood’s original home. It is not "approaching"; it has already arrived and is currently "anchored" in the Mana Wastes. The Gazers are trying to find a way to "re-cloak" the world from its sight before it fully awakens.

Rumor 40: The Rejected Dragon (Repeat from Draconic file for context)

Rumor: The "Obsidian Scale" cult is led by a dragon that was rejected by the First Brood. The Truth: As noted in Truth 40, Vorithrax is the leader. He uses the Obsidian Scale as his personal "Infiltration-Unit." His goal isn't just "returning the world to nature"; he wants to be the only one with power in the resulting Dark Age. He has promised his followers that they will be "spared" the collapse, but in reality, he intends to use their life-essence to power his final ascension.

Rumor 63: Steamfort Infiltration

Rumor: The "Obsidian Scale" has infiltrated the Steamfort military at the highest levels. The Truth: This is the "Obsidian-Cell" project. Over 20% of the Steamfort Officer Corps are secretly members of the Scale. They were recruited through a "Merit-Based" front organization that promised to "reform" the Syndicate. They are currently waiting for the signal from Vorithrax to sabotage the city's "Master-Key" override (see Truth 46) and trigger a catastrophic industrial accident.

Rumor 80: Aether-Crystals in Spines

Rumor: The "Obsidian Scale" cultists have "Aether-Crystals" embedded in their spines. The Truth: This is the "Neural-Link" procedure. By embedding "Null-Crystals" (the waste-product of Aether-refinement) into their spines, the cultists become immune to the "Aetheric-Resonance" of the Bank and the High Council. They cannot be tracked, scanned, or influenced by magic. However, the procedure is extremely painful and eventually causes the "Aetheric-Calcification" seen in those who drink liquid Aether (see Truth 19).

Rumor 97: The Society of Liches

Rumor: There is a "Secret Society" of mages who want to turn everyone into liches to achieve equality. The Truth: They are called the "Egalitarians." They believe that the only way to end the Cold War and the suffering of the "Lesser Races" is to transcend the biological needs for food, sleep, and warmth. By turning everyone into a "Lesser Lich," they argue, the concepts of wealth and poverty would become obsolete. They are secretly funded by the Whispering Lich, who sees them as a useful "Fifth Column" to prepare the world for his eventual rule.