Red Crowns
Player gathered information - veracity not guaranteed
Warning: The crowns are secretive and probably don't know how much we know/suspect about their origins and organisation. They have shown they will happily kill to protect their secrets.
Individuals and groups have been negotiated with by Guild Members but when encountered in the field they tend towards TK Rage first and ask questions later.
The 'Crowns' are an organisation primarily comprised of crown wearing human female Mind Mages though they have some minions/allies(?) who don't fit that profile.
Their origins are tied to something or some knowledge that their founders brought out of the (secret, ancient, extra-dimensional) armoury of the old Elven Empire about 800 years ago (approx. 0wk). Some rumours indicate the founders were originally guardians of the vaults.
The five women (the founders) each established their own 'branch/faction' of the Crowns, there are internal politics/divisions/agendas/beliefs between them but they are united against external threats to their organisation.
The five spread their 5 realms geographically at North, South, East, West and Central. They met in the middle for council. We believe these compass directions are relative to the Isles of Adventure.
"From their realm, it is 3 days of night and terror travel time to the entrance of the Elven Armoury."
Investigation of a sample of about 50 Crowns indicate most of them had lived a variety of ordinary lives in different countries and times around the coast bordering the Sea of Adventure. Only commonality seems to be above average (15+) MA & WP. Towards the end of their lives they willingly engaged in a ritual/transformation involving a Fungal Forest and unity which made them into Crowns, rejuvenated & Mind Mages. Some have visited the forest again, possibly related to their extended lives (some of them are hundreds of years old), maybe recovery/restoration after injury, maybe initiation to higher rank, ...?
Initiated by ritual or maybe a potion, they can join a unity for a limited period of time (a couple of weeks) which lets them pool their MA & WP. It seems they use this when dispatching teams on important missions. Their collective mind doesn't work in Lunar Empire due to the Glow Lines. We think the walls of Khatovar also blocked it.
Fungal Forest
This seems to be a critical resource for their organisation, probably their most protected secret.
Fairly certain it is on Alusia.
Travel to it took a few (3 to 10?) days, involved conventional travel, a magical portal, then some more conventional travel.
Speculated locations:
- Terra Nova - due to association with Ancient Elven Armoury
- Isles of Adventure - as their realms seem to be distributed relative to there
- Forests south east of Lunar Empire or jungles south of Arabie - both relatively close to where they operate and vast & mostly unexplored.
Red Crowns
Most numerous and believed to be in ascendency in their councils.
Typically (but not always) wear red dresses and gold crowns.
They make extensive use of predictions. According to Lady Vost they rely on predictions too much and get caught up in their own cleverness creating self-fulfilling prophecies.
The Red Crowns have male members, but they don't leave home.
They may have a few hundred members in total (not sure if this count refers to the 'Reds' or all of the crowns).
Assumed to be the Western Realm as they have been encountered several times in the Western Kingdom region.
Mind Gaze
The sect of the Red Crowns led by Inkala Grey.
Inkala Grey
A Wolf shape-changer, she can communicate with and charm wolves.
In 820wk she led a splinter/rebel group that stole some items and triggered events (Red Dresses in the Shadows) towards a goal we speculated on but never confirmed.
One of Inkala's group had a crown which if it fell into the hands of The Senators of Decay, would be bad, would lead to them controlling all of the Red Crowns. - Info from Succubus minions of the Greater Summoner of the Inland Sea.
Other members of her group were:
Lady Olga
Captain Yasmin
Whisperer Psaki
Whisperer Turner
Black Crowns
NB We called this group the 'Black' crowns due to the Crownless' colour choice but they neither confirmed nor denied the label.
Led by Lady Vost. Assumed to be the Southern Realm due to Vost being contactable in Arabie.
Lady Alexandra Vost
An older female human. Lead negotiator for the Crowns. Understands all languages and speaks many. She can (as a magical ability) make an area pop removing all air. She is rumoured to sometimes see the truth including lies.
Can be contacted through an inn, The Ravishing Philosopher, near the library in Wasyrat (Arabie).
Sophie
An alias used by one of Lady Vost's agents in Khatovar.
Hornhoof
A unicorn.
Penelope
A Fae, Sylph.
Whisperer Sorogt
Human
Whisperer Najwa
Human
Crownless
A group of mind mages associated with Lady Vost who dress in distinct glittery black outfits.
Gold Crowns
Gold is probably one of the groups. Not much more is known.
'Gold Crowns' or 'Golden Crowns' has also been used to refer to the Crowns as a whole (or at least those of them who are female mind mages).
White Crowns
Might be another name for the Black Crowns, currently assumed to be a different group. Not much more is known.
The White Crowns may be the 'Lost Crowns' in which case the name/colour of the other faction is unknown.
Lost Crowns
Believed to have been the 'Central Realm'. Based on an Island where The Maelstrom is now.
About 400wk they came into conflict with the Lunar Empire, maybe associated with Senators of Decay. About half of the crowns were killed in this conflict. The Central Realm and their island were targets of the Lunar Titans wrath which created the maelstrom.
The Maelstrom may lead to a realm of hell.
The Crowns may still be down there (on Alusia or in Hell) but are almost certainly quite mad.
Speculated that Inkala wanted to appease the Lunar Titans to get the lost crowns forgiven and restored to restore balance and sanity to all of the crowns.
