Factions of the Late Dominion: A guide to the political struggles of the late Duchy.

[Bearic]

Factions of the late Dominion: by Micheal Tommas

"A Summerization of the major clans and groups formed and in power during my time on the Ziggurat"

Political powers:
 
Stygian Armada: Founded by Duke and later King Antonie Trenada, the Stygian Armada afforded power and duty to the citizens of the Duchy, and its over seer the Count of Old port, Senuspur. During its time, the Stygian Armada proved the prevailing law force of greater Ymph after the decline of the Temple to Amaunator. (See History of Stygian Armada for more information)
 
Sons of Sabuth: Formed from the remains of Ixpadia's army, and the gangs of the docks; the Sons of Sabuth were controlled by Grouse, the second highest in command of Ixpadia's army, after she was captured and sold into slavery by drow during her attack against the Count of Old port. At least, these events are rumoured, however, the group itself turned to be a haven for the more chaotic on Ymph, and housed the likes of Hodgeton and Red. The group saw its end when then King Trenada rushed into the docks to defeat the Sons of Sabuth after they aided the Mist Raiders in making an attack upon the Duchy. The sons were thoroughly dashed, but Grouse was killed by the then Father Michael of Ilmater, who slaughtered the residents of the church, and then cursed the King with mental enfeeblement. Their aims were said to bring Ixpadia back from the depths of the underdark, and restore her rule over Ymph, but as things went on, most influence seemed to shift to nefarious dealings, and law breaking.
 
Numinous Order: Followers of a different sort of the Triad known to most; The Numinous Order regard their worship to the Dead ( Ilmater), the Dreaming (Helm), The Unbroken (Tyr), and the Risen (Torm), the Dreamer being the one, and the others the three. This group has been around Ymph nearly as long as most have been on Ymph, the commander of the Order was made a Lord by the Count, but the Stygian Armada and the Numinous Order often fought bouts over control of regions of Ymph, and other such powers. Their main influence has been in attempting to sway those who may have released of the Maiden H'bala, and declaring of an apocalypse where only they shall be left to fight her in the end. Much like the Dreamers, the Numinous Order has had seers that use the mist to grant them visions; though some have not come to pass, the maiden's release was very devastating as predicted and done through guile. King Trenada was never made into an undead commander of the lichess' army, however, and the battle has yet to bring an end to things on Ymph altogether.
 
Conclave: A society of mages that live in the floating enclave now over the deserts to the east, used to have its enclave over the temple district of the Dominion. During this time, the conclave acted often as a mediator between the powers of the Docks and the Duchy; usually the Stygians and the Sons of Sabuth. It was also vested power to list the status of any mage with power beyond the third tier, and declare renegade mages which could be hunted down, and were often excommunicated from the Duchy and Conclave. Its greatest impact was holding the nightrisers back into the sewers with its magical shield; the same one they tried to use to defeat the maiden, but crashed into the desert with. The group has been known to both harbour goodly sorts out to practice magics for the betterment of all, and renegades by it's own standard, some of which tired to release the maiden before Leged's attempt to defeat her.

[Bearic]

Houses:

Durjure: A house that supported the arts first and foremost in the duchy. Set up in the back of the Velvet Mask Theatre, house Durjure's main influence was striving to bring music, plays, and other fancies to the often grief stricken Dominion. Talents such as Abigail Nightal, and Ivan who wrote "Accursed Hammer the Twenty-third" hosted shows there, and the play Tales of Praxes, was also shown during its time. The leader of house Durjure died shortly before the Dominion collapsed after one of his followers betrayed the farmlands protected by Lord Stenton to the Umberlee and Sons of Sabuth in a bid to "free" the farmers there and force their withdrawal with the coming threat of the Maiden. He was challenged to a duel against Lord Joseph Stenton and lost, Lord Durjure's Son then took over the reins of the family. A small ceremonial grave was made for the late Lord Durjure outside of the Ziggurat gates, and the Young Lord set off to find the means to raising a bronze dragon egg. The lordship of the house was conferred by the Count of Oldport, but the whereabouts of the Young Lord Durjure are not widely known at this time.

Stenton: Lord Joseph Stenton was a powerful man who in his time hosted gladiator games, and practiced often in slavery. Made Lord by the Count of Old port as well, Lord Stenton Championed power often more than other political affairs, but did pay towards the reconstruction of the farms past the Ziggurat's bridge gates as the famine reached its zenith. He was also seen shortly after the Stygian Armada fell apart due to the crippling blow done against King Trenada; then he handed out surplus weapons and armor for those in need, to defend themselves, or hope to, against the nightriser horde in the coming nights. Whereabouts are much the same of the other head houses of the Dominion, not widely known.

Harper: Lady Elizabeth Harper formed House Harper in order to see herself elevated to a status she was accustomed to, however, as time went on she grew to actively use the powers vested in her to attempt and fix the farmlands, and support the duchy in every seeming way possible. Her forces aided the Stygians as they fought in the battle of Castle Blackhearth, in which they attempted to defeat the Numinous Order to settle land and power disputes. the Count of old port settled the matter by ending the fight and making Blackhearth a lord, but House Harper was a valid supporter of the Duchy during the effort, and all abound showed great honour in the fights. Lady Harper may still be around if one needs to contact her, but her house is little more than a memory now.

Coolidge: Mayor or Bishop Coolidge was a stern and lawful man who brought a sort of fear and dread to many, but also did a great deal of good for the Duchy in his latest years. His house only stood for a short time, but through it the duchy was supported, knowledge was paramount, and the rebels of the docks were fought against. Known mostly for his necromancy and dislike of elves, Mayor Coolidge was a deep and learned man, but also deeply wounded by internal conflicts from his past. Before his passing, he adopted a son named Dante, but his son met his end by the hands of the Sons of Sabuth soon after, and the bishop died without a successor. House Coolidge soon fell apart, but was absorbed by House Harper.

Harvix: A less well known house of the Duchy, House Harvix displayed curious displays of magics, and didn't pronounce themselves as much as most of the other houses, at least not during my time. However, a dispute between them and the Pallid mask ended up with many of the Pallid Mask being forcibly retired, if rumours ring true. During my time I knew mostly of the now late daughter of Lord Harvix, who formed a small loyalist group during the last days of the dominion. They fought against the likes of the Sons of Sabuth, and through a rush tactic, freed Khavenko from them after he was taken hostage in an equally effective rush tactic done from the kingsman tavern. The Lady Harvix met her end along with many of her followers around the time of the maiden's attack on Vortgyn's Rest, and the assault on Blackhearth. The rest of House Harvix seemingly disappeared as the rest of the Houses of the late Dominion.

Khavenko: Perhaps one of the last houses of the Duchy, Khavenko was a loyalist who much like Lord Stenton kept and practiced in slavery. He also fought many bouts against the Sons of Sabuth, and took control of the alleyways between gobsquat and the Ziggurat, though, the places were not very popular because of the constant danger of bandits in such areas. Khavenko and Andrew, one of his main Retainers, lasted through the assault of the dominion by nightrisers, and both awoke from the three year sleep at the Dreamer's mist cave, but died shortly after.

Smythe: House Smythe was formed of Loyalists to the Dominion, members of House Harper when Elizabeth was away in Old Port, Oisin of the Conclave, and members of the Bastion of Light that stayed after its rather quick decline. Its aim was to concentrate the efforts of the two groups, House Harper, and the Bastion of Light, into one and further do good for the Duchy by expanding its borders to the shipwreck coast along the west side of the island. However, with things looking up, and their help with defeating the Rot army of the Bogs that kidnapped children and killed folks alike, the Numinous Order saw one of their members as a threat to unleash the Maiden. Anot, a Paladin of Lathander, was burned for attempting to seek aid from Leged in destroying the Maiden with a mace of Lathander. What happened next was a rash of passions and revenge which ended with the then Aligned Numinous Order and Stygian Armada disbanding the House, executing Oisin for crimes of conspiracy to murder, and stripped mister Smythe of all rank and title. Mister Smythe from there went on a trip into the underdark with some others, and has not been seen since.

Sharboneth: Once holding the Governor of the Dominion, House Sharboneth held most of its power during and before the Ixpadia wars and Red Elient. The Governor's isle that once worked as a such for a head member, now is used by the Psychopomp Michael. During Ixpadia's ascension, she kidnapped the governor Sharboneth, and used his power as bait to control the docks and duchy of the Dominion until greater war broke out in the docks and old port. Afterwards, Sharboneth never much held great power, and the memories of its sacrifices during those times are much forgotten.

[Bearic]

Groups:

Golden Alliance: Made up of Stout folk and rock gnomes, the Golden alliance started out as a small group of dwarves aiming to give a better home to their brethren in the foothills of Ymph. There, in the fellhammer hold, traditions were laid down, and matters settled with the work of the thane and his ironguards and honourguards. The fellhammer hold, however, collapsed a few months before the awaking of the Maiden, and a new stead, the hold fast, was formed in the mist mountains of ymph; there the aim was to collect and sell ore to the duchy, Order, and other groups of the island, and avoid the constant threat of war that loomed upon them in the foothills. This hold would never be fully completed, however, as the Maiden's army took advantage of their isolated position, and while the nightrisers attacked the citizens of the duchy, the Dwarven fellows were sneak attacked, and laid low under the massive army of the Lich. Only so many escaped, but the remainder formed a new hold among the lower mountain side.

Stewards: The Stewards of Ymph were often the main voice of the wildlings, stargazers, and druids of the island, but also found much dislike to the more modern factions they found themselves neighbors with, much like today. During different periods of time, the Stewards faced hardships on nearly all sides; the Numinous Order claiming the lands of the tangled woods, and the exile camp as Vortgyn's Rest, Praxes of the Stygian armada and his crusade to plunder the Stargazers of their wealth and defeat their magics, the renegades of the conclave and their attempts to free the maiden for the late evil blue dragon of the isle, and the complex relationship they often found themselves in as the balance of the isle found different events thrown at it, such as the aberration that granted Izzy her wings. However, nearly always having the land in their grand sight, they also found themselves seeking folly, and at times prideful to a fault. In such circumstances, the late ruler of the circle, Leged, against the advice of the sagely Stargazer Elders, and the Bloodmage LaRue, sought to release the Maiden H'bala in order to defeat her. Many followed Leged, in hopes of working with him, or trying to prevent disaster if possible, but all found doom, save one who himself was cursed and withered. The doom changed set the maiden free, and transformed the beaten persons into the Agony of the Hunt.

This is not to say the Stewards were an evil group, however. Most of their number were tricked, and after their defeat of the Tiefling Jim, and the Evil Blue Dragon, they may have felt rather invincible. Most of the old group had fallen that day, but new members, bent on correcting the mistakes of the past, now attempt to win again balance of nature and defeat the maiden.

Coven of the Misty Mountains: A Group formed by Madam LaRue, a Blood Mage, and Jubari, her trusted and strong aid; the coven placed a great president on power for good, or wise choice, and took their struggle to the Unyielding pass, where all must prove themselves just to make the journey. Its greater efforts were in fighting the maiden, herbalism magics, blood magics, and protecting nature through grand efforts. Many of the followers, such as Bost, were powerful wanderers of the isle, and others sought to have a refuge from the constant politics of the Dominion. In any case, Madam LaRue used her powers to aiding for the betterment all of ymph, and more than likely gave great aid to Gaeseric during these many years. While the Coven is not disbanded to my knowledge, miss LaRue seems to be busy with something rather important, and Jubari died a warrior's death.

Bastion of Light: Formed to fight the evils of Ymph and champion its good, the Bastion of Light served to feed the poor, destroy evil, and aid the common man of the isle. Many Paladins, Clerics, and followers of the Triad graced its tower. Geniveive Walton headed the group, and good folks like Stantiago and Ivana worked with her to to achieve its many goals. However, the group seemingly collapsed in on itself after many of the altercations with Jim, and the banner fell unto mister Smythe after most members seemingly disappeared.

Pallid Mask: A group of knights bent on defeating the undead of the isle, and formed to fight back the nightriser hordes that assaulted the ziggurat constantly at night. They themselves became a lesser known thing after the Conclave's shield was set in place, and the event with house Harvix, but did not disappear completely. Members frequented the temple district, making sure the undead there were kept at bay, and during the final days of the dominion, did their best to hold the temple of Jergal for the remaining citizens of the Duchy and Docks. Today their numbers are lower still, and while not necessarily gone completely, their presence is not much felt upon Ymph with the dominion in Nightriser control.

Shrouded Island Syndicate: The Dominion's Library's group, the Shrouded Island Syndicate helped spread knowledge amongst the residents of the Duchy, and actively sought to better the people's general learning. Much of the Syndicate's books and works by Bell and others can still be read in the Curios store of Mistlocke, however, the original Library was destroyed by the Sons of Sabuth in an attack against the Syndicate for working with "Sharks", another name for the Stygian Armada. During its final days, Headmaster Sava was not around often, and though Elmer Higgins worked towards finding the lost books and rebuilding the library, the Conclave made efforts to see itself as the main holder of written material. The last strings of the group were severed when Headmaster Sava died in an attack upon the docks by Mist Raiders, and Elmer's efforts fell to the wayside as shareholders and other members disappeared.

Cyricist of the Docks: There have almost always been chaotic elements to the docks, and during the time of the Dominion, this was no exception. Father Michael however, was not a forward cleric of the dark sun, but the likes of Gentile Jim were. Always seeming to cause a fit of panic, or displeasure, the Cyricists of the docks varied in agenda and cause, and even fought one another, but their horrors were almost always the same. Mutilated bodies, killed children, muggings, extortion, and general evil doings. Jim was slain by the efforts of the Stewards of Ymph and others, while most other Cyric followers were executed or defeated as such by others. However, the Psychopomp Michael now takes much of their reigns.

The Dreamers: A group that has most of its renown from the shrouding events, the Dreamers use the mist as a crucible to see into the future, or find answers around the island of Ymph. First outlawed in Oldport by the Count after the first Shrouding there, the Dreamers have found much chargrin from many of Ymph simply for their attempted understandings of the mist, and rather lax attitudes. Their most recent note of importance was the mist cave they spend years unearthing to keep the sleeping residents of the isle safe during the maiden's fight against the land of ymph. A mist Priest named Morsyn and the Mist Mage lead most efforts to dig into the cave, the former being a goodly fellow, and the later being a rather evil sir.

Cult of Umberlee: Or rather, the Group under Dagmar Rus, were another powerful element in the docks, and perhaps one of the last before the end of the Dominion. Known mostly for their hate of the Numious Order, attack on the farmlands, and battles with the Mist Raiders. The Cult did many things in the interest of Umberlee, but often against the common man. Dagmar Rus once promised a path away into the sea to safety in the underwater city below the sunken enclave, and the wraith of the bitch queen to smite the maiden in a typhoon of sorts. However, the underwater city residents do not worship Umberlee, but rather a Mother Figure and a stern warlord like Father Figure. The group fell much apart when Dagmar Rus and a ruby Traitor attempted to seize the underdocks from the Stygian Armada. They met heavy resistance there, and the two were slain and executed shortly. Not all members perished then, but the priestess of Umberlee later took her chances in the underwater city during the final hours of the Dominion's power, and right before its fall to the Nightrisen.