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Followers of the dark god Salem, these shady individuals have penetrated even the most powerful of positions in kingdoms all over the world. All have, but one goal...to bring back they're dark god. Do not mistake they're goal for insanity though. Not all are insane within this group. Some are brilliant men/women, who in time might become your greatest ally...or even enemy. The group is led by 5 individuals...these individuals are deemed the name god hand. They're identities are yet unknown.


As Salem was trapped, so was the Dark Hand born. 5 men and women had originally formed the Dark Hand. They took time and careful effort to recruit as many man and women as possible to follow them. Their goal was to find out how to free the dark king Salem, and to kill all those who would oppose them. As the number of murders grew, so did the secrecy that kept the Dark Hand safe seem to fade away. The original group was forced to be broken, and it's leaders were killed. But the Dark Hand will never die. With their dying breath, a desperate attempt to create a new leadership was started. 5 surviving members, chosen by the original five, were to replace the old. Their names were promptly erased from history, and a new goal and game plan was established. Now, their organization, shrouded in mystery and deceit is as powerful as ever. They are so elusive, that some even refuse to believe it even exists.


The goal of the Dark Hand is not just to free Salem. It is to do it without everyone knowing until it is far too late. Their main interest is climbing the ladder of society to high ranks, where their influence can go almost unnoticed. Their current mission is to locate the four legendary blades that lock Salem away, so that they can free him.


Because the Dark Hand operates in absolute secrecy, they must blend in with the rest of the world. They cannot have anything that makes them out of the ordinary, or else people would begin to suspect that the Dark Hand is actually there. They are expected to follow certain rules, as members. For one, they are not allowed to speak about the Dark hand, except to other members, or to those who are to promptly join. If they let the word slip, all those who have heard the words must die. The god hand have an even harder time, some of them have positions of high power, and their secrecy must be upheld all the while being under constant watch by guards and the rest of society...


The Dark Hand is aligned with many factions, and many leaderships, most of them are unaware of their union. An obvious alliance is the alliance between the Dark Hand and the Covenant. The Dark Hand is more thoughtful and careful than the Covenant, but they make an amazing team.


The Dark Hand exists everywhere. Especially when you think you are alone, you aren't. The Dark Hand is as abundant as the shadow, and as dark as the night. There is not one place that the Dark Hand cannot touch.

Also in some areas known as the Silver Fangs. They go by many names. Started by a rogue merc known as Karu Hitoshi. The name Hijo Del La Luna was given to Karu by an old seer, which means son of the moon. The group though small in numbers has given birth to some of the strongest warriors known in history.

The Aristocracy is comprised almost solely of pompous, greedy nobles (and their lackeys) who have banded together to repel and destroy any threat to their posh lifestyle. They are completely adverse to any changes in society, the economy, politics, or even other factions if it could jeopardize the system that supports their standard of living. They number in the thousands, scattered throughout both continents. Typically, they will be the loudest mouths in any political forum, often starting pointless debates for the sake of stalling progress.
There are quite a few noble families that want nothing to do with the group, and see the whole movement as shallow and ludicrous. A few misguidedly altruistic individuals joined the cause, just to minimize the havoc that would undoubtedly be wrought by some of their more zealous comrades. Likewise, some of the Aristocracy were "coerced" to join by more forceful neighbors, and are only a part of the group out of fear for their property... or their own safety.


The Aristocracy finds its roots in the vision of one Masheck Lisney, a nobleman who in his prime boasted only a small plantation to split between his ten children. He and three other families interested in protecting their heritage and estates drew up an agreement that bound the bloodlines together for generations to come. They pooled their resources, talents and investments and over the years amassed huge fortunes. As generations passed the core bloodlines found the amassing of wealth had become their reason for living. As a result, they have devoted their lives to preserving their way of life.


There is a member (or two) of The Aristocracy in every court, usually of the Cox bloodline; watching every place of business, regulating and controlling their city's economy as much as they can. A fat slice of said economy's wealth goes straight to The Aristocracy. Everyone owes the Aristocracy something, no matter how small; they make sure of it. They behave much like royalty, except they only live to siphon resources and wealth into their pockets, and don't try to cover up the fact at all. As usually happens among the powers that be, there is a smaller circle within the faction itself who are really in control of the Aristocracy, albeit not openly. Their true intentions for have not yet come to light. Most are not aware of their existence, and they try to keep it so.


There are in fact three different focuses within The Aristocracy, each playing to certain strengths within the faction, which is the main reason they've remained a cohesive presence. There are faint whispers and rumor of a fourth bloodline within The Aristocracy, but its existence is never spoken of by the members of the faction in public.
The Lisneys, the founding family of The Aristocracy, are the smallest focus. Their strength is in the economy, investments, loans and interest. They use it to their advantage in any way they can.
The Cox bloodline is the second focus, specializing in securities. They are not unlike a soft mafia in that they solicit 'protection' to businesses, families, towns, etc -- safety for a price. This not only generates revenue, but it in fact contracts a yearly percentage of possessions and/or income to The Aristocracy, essentially ownership of valuables by proxy.
The Godolphins are the most vocal focus within The Aristocracy, and the name is well known, even in Naroahan. Their reputation for debate and political science is legendary in political circles. They have golden -- though pompous and aggravating -- tongues, and can walk literal circles of logic (or circular logic) around all but those who are equally good at debate.
They do employ bodyguards and in fact pay them handsomely. Thus, the bodyguards themselves, the servants, the serfs, and anyone else gainfully employed by The Aristocracy most often find themselves absorbed into the mindset of their employers: Keep what you have, at any cost. Some even have a chance to make it into the inner circle once they get enough revenue to enter the upper financial bracket.


Like most nobles (and even some factions) on the continents, members of The Aristocracy like to have access to a Jongleur of some variety, typically maintaining them under some kind of secondary employment for the sake of discretion (i.e. minstrels for entertainment). It's common knowledge that what one Jongleur knows, they all know. So they are frequently looked to for advice or news, or an objective opinion.
Also, the Aristocracy has been trying for years to sway the Count of Cronte Misto to their cause; they know that if they had his assets and power to back them, they would become a force to be reckoned with. But the Count ignores their pleas, their bargaining, and their threats, to their unending chagrin.
There is rumor circulating that The Aristocracy has an alliance of some sort with the Dark Hand. They seem to profit greatly from just the rumor, and the leverage it gives them in certain circles. However, the bulk of their manpower consists of average, run-of-the-mill mercenaries hired from local taverns and shipyards.


The Aristocracy are heavily concentrated in all major port towns, especially Titanus, Gamelroot and Forrenaft Point, Gringo City and Port Hollow Bay. They keep a close eye on imports and trade between the two continents. They have an especially strong presence in Gamelroot, where some of the original bloodlines still live. Lisney Manor still stands in Gamelroot, and serves as a lodging for the higher-ups of the Aristocracy when they come together. They also have branches in Wasenbriar East that come out in force during the seasonal festivals.

A small but dangerous group of evil Drow with no regard for life, no respect for the laws of man, and no remorse. They are assumed to be nomadic, for no base or safehouse has ever been found that could be linked to them. They are reviled, even among other Drow... with so many enemies, the Bol Tal have notoriously short (and bloody) life spans.

This faction is made up of vampires. They tend to have strong alliances with the Aristocracy, and the Dark Hand. Solely bent on assisting the Dark Hand with their ultimate goal in resurrecting Salem, and unleashing hell on Gi, they a better known as the lapdogs of darkness, and are said to be utilized much by the dark hand. They reside in the abandoned village of Titanus. They are treated as the scourge of the earth by all races including their more demented counterparts, the demons. The only wish to resurrect the Dark god Salem so that they may be looked upon with favor, and risen in stature, and power so that they may turn the tables on the demonic race, and enslave them.


Titanus used to be a thriving city, built on the early foundations of Gi. Their main focus was trade and corporation. The more money they could get the better. The local government agreed to set up caravans to trade with other big locations. But their caravans never came back. Until one day, that horrible day, when the town got sacked by bandits. The militia was unable to hold them off, and they could not understand. The militia even outnumbered them, 5 to 1, yet they were still slaughtered ruthlessly. These bandits were vampires, killing machines. The vampires took residence in the village, after everyone escaped. Their leader was once a member of the original Dark Hand, which made him even more dangerous. He later agreed to create a group named "The Covenant", which had much of the same views as the Dark Hand. Their leader yearned for the day of reckoning, and unlike the Dark Hand, have no quirks with letting themselves be known, though they do have a few within the group who are 'nonexistent' as they would say, so that they could carry out their own true goals of gaining ultimate power, and favor with Salem, without the watchful eyes of the Dark Hand.


Their goal is to raise the dark god Salem, and bring hell to Gi, which will destroy it. The vampires think they may be able to live through the onslaught, or at least have a seat of power by helping bring the dark prince back. They obey orders from the Dark Hand only to link them to many upper class governments, and members of society.


They are blood thirsty and ruthless. They will do whatever it takes to get their current mission done, and are only used when absolutely needed. The reason why the group hasn't been disbanded yet is because, one, their location is unknown, and two, they are far too dangerous to fight head on. They usually work on missions in groups. They are much more likely to succeed in a group, wherein the Dark Hand likes to operate by themselves.


They are aligned with the Dark Hand, mostly, but other evil factions will not bother them. In fact, most factions frown on the way they do things. Not to mention the reason they are doing it. Nobody knows that the Dark Hand is working behind the scenes with them. They think most "pro-Salem" actions come from them. In other words, the Covenant is the scapegoat, and shroud of cover for the actions the Dark Hand do commit.


They are mainly located in Naroahan, in Titanus. But their reach is quite far. They have smaller groups set up in Damasses, Yaroh, and Girino City. They have a few groups in Espion, in Bastille, Cronte Misto, and Villacoula.

The Shydal Vaedi, or "Woodland People," are nature-based polytheists (mostly elves, humans, and hybrids) who shun the livery of civilization, living off the land in a primitive hunter/gatherer state. They have a "god" for every occasion, and their level of superstition is rivaled only by the Bobraghenbairn. Their histories and folklore survive through basic oral tradition, and they are the source of many of the more imaginative folk tales and legends circulating the globe. They are pacifists by nature, though they will fiercely defend their homes and the surrounding environment. They represent the largest of the five Vaedi tribes; the remaining four are much smaller in number, and tend to be categorized with the Shydal in uninformed conversation.