Profile Record: Hermitage

… Hermitage is one of the strategically important locations to House of Ark and sometimes is refereed to as Northern Star Keep, or Northern Keep in casual conversations. Holding one of the entrances to Underground City of Athos it also serves as major base of operations  in the region and probably, the biggest fraction relic storage.

The reason for latter is quite peculiar. Being built in the center of an old necropolis, structure is surrounded by the veil of convoluted and chaotic energy hardly penetrable by an eye of even the most skillful enemy.  This advantage has it’s drawback though as internal practices held in the Keep are often resulted in outbursts of disruptive energy attracting Children of Mixed Blood. To repel constant attacks, Hermitage is guarded day and night by vigilant members of Hermitage Guards trained to fight specifically cults abominations that may happen as frequent as couple of times a week.

Another specific bit of information to know about Hermitage is while Kremlin serves an administrative center of Ark and Athos Mountain is the seat of the Patriarch and Faceless Council, St. Petersburg have always been a major think tank and Intelligence center. Northern Keep is run from House Grand Library by Keeper of Hermitage, blind old man from allegedly, royal bloodline, who is known to be there for at least couple of centuries, without leaving it even once. Being often referred as simply as “Grandpa” by House spy and agents under his command, Keeper is a separate force to recon with and anyone who ever underestimated his, payed dearly.

Aside of his obvious value to the House, Keeper bases his political power on both his immense knowledge and experience and the fact that without his Guard, one of the key strategic locations of the House would be overrides by Children of Mixed Blood in a month, maybe two. It is also rumored, that Keeper is in family blood relationships with Patriarch, prefers not to intervene in his decisions most of the time, but in case of the crises have leverage to insist on his own opinion and directly influence High Orders…

//From Archives of The Order of Unknown Saint

Profile Record: House of Dawn

… House of Dawn is the minor House of Blood united followers of The Fallen and is following the ideology of almost absurd liberty and anarchism. Initially, a part of Society of Grail, but in the course of the discord in ideology at the time of Dark Ages departed and formed their own organisation. Due to the strong advocacy of individualism, independence and freedom Dawn went in conflict with almost every House of Blood through many reasons, but biggest point of disagreement is still their initiative in suggesting re-elevation of the Velvet Curtain Code.

House of Dawn doesn’t have any on-shore headquarters and is based on super carrier known as “Cradle” that is drifting in neutral waters of Atlantic Ocean. Ship is packed with latest tech equipment, well defended both in military and extra human powers meanings of that word and contains all Relics. House controls its European and US operations from the bridge of that ship.  

Dawn is ruled by Gathering of the Captains who appoint in voting so called Enablers, temporary leaders of initiatives and operations who report directly to the Gathering. That principle works for everything, from supertanker course to military insurgences. After Enabler performs the plan, he is moved to new initiative or downgraded back to his usual rank. While being ridiculously hybrid, this structure proved to be quite effective. 

For a long time now, House of Dawn is welcoming all refugees, rioters and revolutionaries from all of the other Houses of Blood. In military operations, Dawn is using it’s own members and hired specialists, being supervised by Enablers. Organisation is as well, quite well known for its talented agents and extreme mastery in political intrigue, sabotage, diplomacy, extortion, intimidation and manipulation.

//From Archives of The Order of Unknown Saint

Profile Record: Daughters of Hecate

… Daughters of Hecate is united Minor House of Eastern Ritual, who have decided to keep their loyalty and allegiance to fallen House of Jupiter. Dark Ages went harsh on the House with many of its members being murdered in witch hunts and extermination raids of their sworn enemy, Society of Grail.  In fact, they have been forced into signing Magna Carta and accepting new rules of Grand Houses.

After Hour of the Wolf they have managed to improve their position applying to support and protection of the Fortress and was able to regain their positions partially and grow in number. House considers themselves to be the only true heir of Grand House of Jupiter and look at the current World Order as highly unjust and usurpation of their legal rights.

Headquarters is located around New Orleans, hidden in swamps and fogs of Louisiana, in one of the old colonial mansions. Place have been chosen not randomly and is located at one of the energy crossroads, providing the House with plenty of resource for their operations. The mansion itself is dimensional paradox and nobody knows how really big it is inside. The rumour is, it changes due to mentality of people inhabiting it reflecting collective spiritual essence of the House.  

Daughters of Hecate is governed by a Coven of most powerful house witches and their leader, Eve Reborn – initiated most powerful witch of the House, that receives all the knowledge of the fraction when assuming this title. There is an internal opposition to the Coven, a group of sorcerers who call themselves Children of the Ishtar. They are more politically reasonable fraction looking for compromise and peace with Grand Houses. They are also opposing current Coven pact with Fortress which they consider to be a threat to the whole world.

Currently Children of Ishtar consolidate allies and planning to take enough places in the Coven to challenge Eve Reborn, cancel current practices of experiments with “dark relics” and forbidden rituals that have been secretly in use in the Order.

Daughters of Hecate don’t have their own military forces, but they run quite the vast network of assassins, actively use Tree of Life mercenaries and sometimes even initiate some of the human mercenaries. The most powerful agents in their disposal are Reapers, mercenaries that have been killed, but brought back into life with dark rituals as loyal servants. In very rare occasions, House can send with special errands their high-rank witches, which is always a sign of shady practices and going on yet another vile conspiracy… 

//From Archives of The Order of Unknown Saint

Field Report/HB Jan 17 2017

Officer: Samantha N.

1. House of David – field reconnaissance from Tel Aviv reports on House involvement in another archaeological search for relics in Gaza sector. Rabbi Aaron was noticed at the meeting in Jerusalem with emissary of Unseen Saint Order.  David Levy have been “awaken” and soon to be initiated, which probably points out to the fact that House is in heavy preparations for Aemulatio.
2. House of Dawn – we express a little bit of concern about Ms. Lewis operations in Baltic region. She is well known for her unpredictable, eccentric character and taste for intrigue which could be a dangerous combination. Moreover, our asset from the Cradle reports that her actions are once again have not been approved by Council of the Captains, so she acts on her own discretion. We would consider to resort to an executable action if that would turn out to be connected with recent shootout in Budapest.
3. Daughters of Hecate – house is still in political turmoil with Eve Firstborn and Juliette Le Grange fighting for dominance. Children of Ishtar are most probably is fully under control of Juliette, which makes the situation even worse as their forces with Coven are almost equal. We have been let known as well that sleeping cell of Reapers have been activated recently in Boston, which is never a good news. There are still continuous reports that Coven keep on experimenting with genetic researches and dark relics rituals, notwithstanding the Grand Assembly ban.
4. Athos Ark – good news from St. Petersburg, Conclave of Faceless vetted a number of decisions that corresponds to our current agenda. Sergey Rostov have been dispatched to Zagreb, which may mean nothing at this point, but we prefer to keep an eye at Hound of Athos due to his high profile and extreme capabilities. Hermitage and Kremlin are also reporting relevant officials engaging in annual preparation for visit to Mount of Athos for initiation of new members.
5. Society of Chalice – Kara Jensen is in active preparations for Aemulatio and have visited Keep of Nottingham with official visit last Tuesday to meet with Captain of Crusaders. Our agent from Unseen Parliament reports that Lords have achieved the common ground on Expedition Corps policy and Mixed Blood Hunts regulation. Which is good news to everybody, took them quite a time (as always) and there are troublesome news from Leeds about another cult that could use Witch Hunters attention.
6. Tree of life – quite active recently due to high demand for mercenary contracts in Far East and Southern America. As usually, they get payed by relics and to our opinion, there is quite the concentration of those in one hands house at this point. There is a rumour as well, that Alison Blair got contracted by unknown party for record amount of Aztec Gold in years. We will keep an eye on her, the best courier witch of the Tree in action is almost always means trouble for us.

Other notes: 

• We got the track of Damien Jones again. After deflection from House of Dawn he was not seen at the stage for good three years. Few days ago he was noticed in Leon where he spend a day in the town and went Berlin. We still have no slightest idea what happened in 2014 that made him to leave his position of power at Chief of Security of Cradle and vanish and will follow a close eye at him.
• Johnathan Craze son is found dead yesterday in New York. We are investigating details of the situation and will be ready to damage control the Chairman of Human Fortress in case of any complications coming.