Lost Souls & Midian

As time and humans have spread so have lycanthropes and the Brotherhood of the Pact.

Entry Rite
This will be a battle to the brink of death for those involved and sometimes those stupid enough to get to close. The ideal is not to kill but to fight until the edge of death. You must be willing to trust your brother with your life and what better way then to prove it then bleeding together. This battle is not for the weak of mind or body. You cannot use any device unnatural to your body. Blows that have the ability to kill in one shoot are pulled in-order to protect our brethren. Some have been known to die because of this rite but the Pact believes those who do not survive were not meant to join. However we do honor their deaths. The Blood-bonding Ritual is performed at the end of all ritual combats including the Entry Rite. Combatants swear eternal honor and loyalty to the Brotherhood of the Pact. No Brethren may harm the other without first making a willpower check at a –12 penalty. Only one person (not necessarily a participant) needs to know this ritual. Participation need not be voluntary. Ritualistic battles will occur before moving up in Rank/Title. During Ritual combat a pact member will never lose his degree, a degree can only increase. If a brother enters ritual combat and wins he gains degrees but the loser does not lose degree status. If the lesser wins the battle it is more like being brought up to a high plane. If a pact member only able to go into ritual combat by a much higher degreed brother he may still be able to gain a degree if he is beaten. When this occurs the much higher ranking may still deem him worthy (GM decision). A good base for much higher is 10+ degrees.

Rank/Title
This system has built in checks and Balances with the exception of the Grand Master. Everyone in a position of power must answer to someone above them and most positions have more then one person they must answer to. This prevents anyone below the Grand Master from gaining more then they’re given power.

Grand Master
Absolute ruler over the Pact

Deputy Grand Master
Acts as both deputy and advisor to the Grand Master
Answers to the Grand master and the Grand Council as a whole

Grand Council
Made up of all the Grand Titles (Grand Warden, Grand Chaplain, Grand Deacon and Grand Secretary) the grand council is not powerful enough to over turn the Grand Master but is there to advise him on his Path. In all honesty in could be disbanded by the Grand Master but has not been to date.

Regional Master
Oversees a region of Midian
Answers to the Deputy Grand Master and the Grand Master

Master
A title that is given for many purposes. They are often leaders amongst their guild or organization within the Brotherhood. The title denotes respect and command over a specific field, such as Master Macian Seneca, the titled leader of the Macian Guild of the Brotherhood.

Grand Warden
Oversees all wardens
Answers to the Deputy Grand Master and the Grand Master

Wardens
In charge of a City/Country inside a Region
Answers to Grand Warden and Regional Master

Grand Chaplain
Spiritual Leader and Advisor to the entire Pact
Oversees all Chaplains
Answers to the Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master

Chaplains
Spiritual leaders over a City or Country inside a given Region
Answers to Grand Chaplain and Regional Master

Grand Deacon
Acts over all Deacons
Answers to the Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master

Deacon
Acts as Priest over an area inside a city or country
There can be many Deacons in a large City or no deacons at all in a small country
Answers to the Grand Deacon and Chaplain of the given City/Country

Grand Secretary
Oversees all the Secretaries
Answers to the Deputy Grand Master and the Grand Master

Secretary
These are the bookkeepers and record keepers of the Pact
They are in charge of keeping track of everything within the Pact of their City/State or Country
Answers to the Grand Secretary and Regional Master or Warden of the State

Commander of Brothers
These are the Highest Ranking Brothers. Each oversees a region of Midian. They are in charge of all brothers within that region during a hostile situation. They are the leaders of War. They answer directly to their Regional Master and the Grand Master. They are often advised by the other Offices but are not controlled by any other office.

Stewards
Highly Regarded/Respected Non-lycans
These titles are awarded and their position is honorary in nature
And Highly limited

Elder Stewards
Highly Regarded/Respected Non-lycans
These titles are awarded and their position is honorary in nature
Acting Stewards after 10+ years
Only One or Two in all of Midian

Brothers
These are the warriors. The brethren are divided into degrees, 1st begin the lowest and 100th begin the highest. To gain degrees you most petition your Game Master, if you are playing by post you will need to petition the Grand Master in the Forums. A higher degree brother is your elder and as such respect is given. This is the benefit of increasing your degree; anyone below you must try to comply with your request. Of course they will be unable to harm another brother and you will be unable to request them to harm them self (blood bonding works here as a protection system from abuse of power). Non-Lycans can become brothers but upper movement is limited to 50th degree.

Movement upwards in itself is a social bonus over those lower in rank. The benchmarks however will gain a minor amount of goodies such as a few hit point (all the battling) and hopefully a few Social bonuses that players can use on non-members as well.

Benchmark Degrees

1st You become a brother.... that’s it but that is still something
5th Blood bonding ritual + 1 Hit point
10th Able to support a new recruit. This does not mean you can enlist a new recruit only that you can bring them in to "try out." + 1 Life Point
16th Known Brother (status), people in your hometown that are not members may very well know that you are. +1 reputation, +1 hit point.
23rd + 2 hit points and 1 Life Point (Ritual Battles have strengthened you).
31st Pact member far and wide may know your name. Social Retest. +3 hp and 1 life point
40th Many ritual battles behind you, now you can nearly sense a hostile act and react to it +2 Initiative.
50th This is the highest rank possible. There are none higher. However, those guys who are standing off by themselves, you know the ones, they still outrank you, alot. During Combat you get a bonus +2 initiative, +3 to hit, +1 to damage. Bear in mind those above have this bonus already, which makes this more useful when fighting those below. At this time it may occur more often then one might think!
61st Now a well-known member of the Pact, those above you know your name and those below you will be honored to be of service, Social retest, +5 reputation, +2 Life points, +2 Hit points.
73rd Regarded as a Hero to your brethren. Ritual Combat has hardened you, + 2 Armour Class, +1 Damage reduction
86th Among the highest member of the Brothers, you may be called on to become a Commander. This is not automatic but you can now "apply" for this title (Seek the Grand Council in the forums).
100th Greatness! +2 Life Points, + 2 hit points, +2 Initiative, +2 to hit, +2 damage. All brothers will know you! You are skilled greatly at one on one combat and are able to better read your opponents movements. Plus 3 Interrupts per fight, win ties.

Notes
Game Masters
Please feel free to use these different positions of authority in your game as you see fit. If you Game is taking place in a given region or state feel free to give names and stats to the Officers you need as NPC however I am developing NPCs to hold the various Grand Offices for the Forums. The rest of the Titles are there for use during tabletop game sessions. I laid out these positions to show the check and balances that the Pact has.

Gamer
Petitioning the GM for increases can occur at anytime. But keep in mind that the GM will decide if anyone is around to battle for that Degree increase and if they like they may assign a new degree and ritual damage or Choose to use a NPC to do dice battle.
Benchmarks are bonuses a pact member is entitled at that mark. A good gamer well remember to petition for extra bonuses along the way. Remember you will be battling plenty as a pact member. It is Brethren tradition… Level increases can also occur while on an adventure matter of fact it should happen often. But there must be the ritual combat either between Player and GM or as numbers passed down by the GM. And it would only occur when the GM saw fit. If no one in the town you are in is fit to battle in ritual combat (based on the GM saying so) then it is impossible for gains in degree. It depends on how much the GM would like to embrace my little PACT here on whether it has spread into their game world or not.