Israfel Order

The Israfel Order seeks to impose the will of their god, Israfel, upon the entire cosmos, but their efforts are disguised as acts that promote order over chaos and provide succor to those that are willing to accept their gifts. However, such philanthropy is a subtle attempt to corrupt the weak and keep tabs upon the strong. In the end, the order believes that all will fall under the rule of Israfel, and they wish to be numbered among their god’s servants, rather than under the brutal whip as his slaves.

Goal: Subvert the Cosmos

To conquer the known universe so that it can be remade per Israfel’s design, all must be brought to the worship of Israfel. The laws of various races, planets or interplanetary federations are meaningless in the pursuit of this goal, and so the Israfel Order follows no laws but their own. On the surface, they act as any other religious fraternity dedicated to providing form and stability for those under their care, but the Israfel Order seeks to bring all under their dominion. The Order manipulates rulers, governments, and pirates alike to bring everyone they encounter under their control. Their statutes are strict, and punishments for violating them are harsh, but they teach that to survive in the vast, frozen, emptiness of space, canon must be observed, otherwise the universe would plunge itself into chaos. They rely upon the natural desire for most beings to exist within a structure that either protects them, or provides them the simplicity of guidelines of behavior to either follow or break, as is their whim.

Alignment: LE

While the overall objective is to rule, members of the Israfel Order are motivated by their own interests, knowing that not only the laws of the various regimes that govern specific areas of the void protect them, but that the laws imposed by the Israfel Order in the parts of space that have embraced their leadership guarantee them the ability to act to further their own aims. When their plans are thwarted, they plot elaborate forms of vengeance or subversion as opposed to openly opposing their rivals. They will work to change local ordinances that do not suit them, furthering their goals by making what was once illegal into legal practice. Such practices may include the legal detention or elimination of various races or organizations that oppose them, the destruction of vital resources to undermine the power base of competing factions, or changing laws that make it easier to influence honest, law-abiding folk. The Order is patient, and their memories are long, so plans may take years or decades to come to fruition.

Faction Leader: The Order is controlled by a cabal of thirteen high priests, or panchen lords, who each have their own personal ambitions that are kept secret from their peers and command the Order in their own systems. As another system comes under the total control of the Israfel Order, another panchen lord is appointed to see to the dominion of the system. They all work together toward common goals under the direction of the Bodhisattva of the Black Crown, who is the mortal leader of the Israfel Order, and who communes regularly with the Herald of Israfel, Phoboth. The current Bodhisattva of the Black Crown is Grangrom the Philosopher (LE male dwarf solarion 13/mystic of Israfel 5), and he keeps a watchful eye on the five closest panchen lords from the Shiat System: Velthaster (LE female gnome mystic 14), Kubayara (LE male human mystic 15), Ashina (NE female ysoki operative 14), Zenyas (LE male halfling mystic of Israfel 14/soldier 2) and Miwan Paaza (LE female human technomancer 13).

Those that serve the unending darkness of the void, or that command it, are the principal enemies of the Infinite Star Legion, who hunt them and either drive them back into the void, or destroy them when and where they can.

Servants of the Void include any Great Old One, elder things, shantaks, lunar outer dragons, colours out of space, tychilarius, mi-gos, eldritch creatures, void outer dragons, spawns of Yog-Sothoth, yithian elders, vespergaunts, star-spawns of Cthulhu, and other beings from Lovecraftian mythos. They can also include any other evil or chaotic being with the starflight or limited starflight ability, or that live in a vacuum environment.