BlueSheath

Timeline Note:

This information is for a historical game and may not apply to games using the modern world timeline. Discuss with your GameMaster before using this information for games later than 1000 FI.

Overview

BlueSheath is simultaneously the largest (non-church/non-governmentt) humanitarian organization in The Pinch surrounding areas and the largest organized crime outfit (they are also suspected to have a fair amount of military expertise). They have incredible support from the population, while simultaneously having sides that people would independently consider unsavory. Their idealogy is one of ultimate balance-- they will rush out healers to devastated areas while on the other hand are suspected of arranging political maneuvers to avoid the church or government from getting more influence than they need. Due to their vast popular support, clever power growth, and impressively organized information network, they have a firm foothold throughout The Pinch that makes people of power quite nervous. Yet due to the idealogy and popular support, it's very hard to act against BlueSheath. They do not have a political party or participate in elections, but do nudge things along a lot in the background. Government, church, and commoners alike know the organization works a great deal outside the law, but that's largely ignored through the combined fear of popular backlash, need for BlueSheath's cooperation, and the fact that it's difficult to tie things back to BlueSheath directly (since they don't take credit for things, but are given credit for almost every popular underground act).

Idealogy

Temperance empowers no despots, causes no suffering, and maintains the balance of life.

BlueSheath believes in curated/enforced neutrality and balance in society. They have come this far because they are masters of stability and tempering of extremes. The Pinch is a perfect growth area for such a group, as it's an area distant from the major world power brokers. BlueSheath helps keep the region's social "drama" to a minimum and leaves no major power vacuums or power swells that attract the political attention from external groups powerful enough to cause strife here. They only grow their own power as needed to prevent major concentrations of social influence, but over time this has forced them to devise plans to have representation in almost every powerspot in the region.

In the leaf nodes of their network, they have room for all sorts of alignments (not just neutral) and they attract people interested in doing bad things and in doing good things due to their high reputation and skill in those areas. Overall, the organization acts strategically as a neutral force, despite the desires of the individual members.

History

BlueSheath has been a stabilizing force in the region since after the Second Interregnum. They have grown in importance during ever major conflict. As the government tightens control (rations/etc), they are the bootleggers ensuring people stay fed and medicined. They provide security when the government can't afford to police an area. The Fourth Interregnum was their most shining moment yet in the eyes of both Fresian and Hakanese people, and they are viewed as unsung heroes by most commonfolk.

Prior to the freedom of the gnomes, BlueSheath was based in Hakan, but moved its headquarters to Arabelle when New Hakan was established. Since that time, it has regained more than it's former prominence in Hakan, but their spread of influence in Fresia has led to their presence throughout Treulan.