Aguamala Syndicate

Aguamala Syndicate
Motto	"Let El Destino Decide!"
Focus	Hunting space fauna via utilization of technology
Homeworld	Nueva Cuauhtémoc
System	Mentta
Faction Tag	Warlike
Conjugation	Aguamala/Aguamalan/Aguamalish

Your dice have not yet been cast. Will Fate guide your Lodge to prominence by adding another Orisha to El Destino’s side? Succeed in sparring with our legendary quarries bringing glory to yourself and the Syndicate. Perhaps instead an Elysian you desire to be, guiding society, culture, or the Aguamalan people to greater achievements. Yet the threads of Fate may weave you into the Cartel Aguamala who ensure a smooth operation of the Syndicate’s façade.

History

The Aguamala Syndicate is said to have originated from Earth many centuries ago as Hunters Lodges, though like much from that time, many exact details have been lost to history. Stories tell of how the lodges were founded by great hunters, experts in their field. Those initiated into the ranks would face more and more dangerous prey, until, should they at last slay a truly monstrous creature, they were permitted to form their own lodge. It is not known exactly when, but stories say that when the creatures of the earth became too ordinary for the hunters, they instead looked towards space for their prey, constructing vast ships needed to cross the gulfs of space to find new quarries. These ships necessitated a great reliance on robotics and automation, due to the relatively small number of elite hunters as compared to the scale of the ships needed to carry supplies for such long journeys, instilling an importance to those who worked to construct and maintain this infrastructure.

They traveled for many years, seeking new creatures to hunt, both on planets, and, once they discovered creatures there, within the depths of space itself. Numerous lodges rose and fell over this timeframe, planets allowing for the construction of more vessels while some quarries proved too much for ships, with some lodges simply deciding to settle down on a world to form a more permanent outpost. After many decades, perhaps longer of this way of living, one of the larger fleets encountered a strange call, one which compelled them to follow. Some say it was the cry of a great creature, the promise of a new quarry drawing them onward, but whatever the reason, the fleet followed after, bringing them to the area of Beacon space.

Organization

The Aguamala Syndicate is a collection of organizations working together towards the common goals of the hunt and profit. The hunting of spaceborn fauna and the sale of their constituent parts is the core engine of the faction, with many of its sub-organizations directly involved in this process and some playing supporting roles.

The population of the Syndicate is small relative to the planet’s thanks in large part to the heavy use of automation and robotics at all levels of the organization. All in all, the Aguamala Syndicate has roughly 15 million people who fall under its umbrella.

Syndicate Leadership

The leadership of the faction is a small collection of individuals who head the most powerful of Aguamala’s organizations. The majority of this collection lead the most powerful Lodges--the dedicated hunting groups of the Syndicate.

Membership of this elite group does change over time as internal politics sees some groups rise from power or fall from it. Throughout history, the number of members have also changed, varying between seven dozen and several hundred. Within the past century, the leadership of Aguamala has become dominated by organizations which thrive in the underbelly of worlds, providing goods that local governments deem undesirable for their citizens.

Lodges

Lodges are a special type of organization, held in high regard within the Syndicate. They are elite hunting groups with each lodge having a unifying philosophy that differentiates it from the others. These philosophies tend to invoke the myth of a hunter and a legendary creature which they brought down. Lessons are learned both from the hunter and the prey and influence how they use the faction’s technology to hunt. These Lessons are always based on the stories of the Lodges founding.

By nature, lodges are typically unique in name and theming, though due to the separation of groups across different regions of space, as well as unclear records of the lodges’ earlier history, there have been cases where names have overlapped or been repeated. Many lodge names are tied to the creature their founder slew to become a lodge founder, however this is not always the case, largely due to potential name overlaps. Lodge iconography often features attributions to the creature the lodge is named for. Structurally, lodges are similar in that they are governed by a single Maestro de Logia, who adopts the name of their lodge founder as an additional title. Individual hunters or better Falcons typically customize their own gear and equipment however, so it is not uncommon to see hunters from the same lodge with wildly different attire. Lodges often also have artifacts tied to their founders, as well as the strongest creatures the lodge has slain.

Each Lodge has thousands of skilled Falcons who are supported by numerous staff and wards. While the Falcons lead the hunts and are responsible for all decision making, some staff is used in the hunting of monsters whether it’s as mechanics or apprentices. Other staff serve as skilled consultants, negotiators, personal staff at the Lodge’s villa, or as liaisons to particular planetary governments. Overall, Lodges make up the elite minority of the faction, their total population numbering around 1.5 million.

Not only do the Lodges hunt, but they also control territory and people on Nueva Cuauhtémoc’s surface. While Aguamala does not on paper control the entire planet and warlords fight over the majority of its lands, few and far between are the regions that do not have a Lodge’s influence guiding their actions.

Expert Organizations

The Expert Organizations in Aguamala tend to hold status just below that of Lodges. While these groups do not directly hunt, they fulfill other vital needs within the Syndicate. In total, these organizations employ approximately 3 million people.

Scientific research and development, especially in the field of robotics is the focus of many of these organizations. This research is primarily done to give new tools and weapons for the hunt. Aguamala’s military capabilities are equal parts the skill of its Lodges and the ingenuity of its researchers.

Lodges tend to be focused on procurement and territory control. This has created a need for dedicated merchant groups that interact with further systems, negotiating contracts and determining the best supply chains to get the people there what they want--especially if their government does not want them to have it.

There are a number of artistic organizations who utilize either natural resources from Nueva Cuauhtémoc, from the hunts, and even the faction’s drones to produce artistic works of cultural significance. Mosaics are a valued commodity, and many lodges use art to record and pass on knowledge.

While Aguamala does not have a single domineering faith, some religious organizations that are supported by powerful lodges also enjoy positions of privilege thanks to that support.

Supporting Organizations

Supporting Organizations make up the vast majority of the faction’s workforce. A large number of them are present solely on Nueva Cuauhtémoc. These organizations are the “on the ground” enforcers, drug runners, salvagers, scouts, and local politicians on the faction’s payroll. In total they number about 6 million.

These organizations are primarily responsible for maintaining power on controlled planets and for performing commerce. They are used occasionally as hired guns by warlords or loaned out to curry favor. While the nature of Aguamala’s monster hunting makes it hard for small-scale dealers to compete, they also stomp out those dealing in adjacent products to keep demand from shifting.

Some of these organizations are essentially public relations groups that spread through one means or another positive sentiment towards the Syndicate, keeping the vast population of Nueva Cuauhtémoc from turning against them. Such employees spread stories of the hunt, extol the virtues of Aguamala’s artistic and cultural values, and even proselytize its religions. A few of these people have also become close to warlords and are used to keep them fighting with one another rather than the Syndicate.

Also counted in this number are “Aspiring Lodges”. These hunting groups are not officially recognized by the Syndicate and are in fact against its rule, but this is often overlooked in exchange for kickbacks to the right people. They often do less interesting hunts, mercenary work as bodyguards for convoys, and deal in less profitable narcotics. Some of them emulate Lodges in hope of one day being officially recognized.

Civilians

Aguamala supports approximately 5 million non-criminal people who are not involved in either its hunts nor criminal activity. A good number of these are family of Lodge hunters or staff who enjoy a life of luxury so long as their family member continues to support Aguamala or dies with honor in service to the Syndicate. Some are retired hunters themselves, though this is rarer. These lucky people are fully isolated from the constant warfare of the planet and often indulge in the faction’s art and cuisine.

Ranks in the Syndicate

The structure of the Aguamala is based on tradition, which has lead to the Syndicate giving its members Ranks within the organisation to show them their place in the hierachy.

Maestro de Logia

The Maestro de Logia is the Leader of a Lodge. They have taken on the Name of the Founder, a hunter, who has slain a truly monstrous creature. Most of these Maestros are part of the Syndicates High Leadership and are in control of the factions decisionmaking.

Maestro de Caza

The Maestro de Caza is a Second in Command to a Maestro de Logia. There can be multiple Maestro de Caza per Lodge. They take on a lot of responsibility and are there to help the Maestro de Logia in their tasks.

Falcons

Falcons are the Hunters of a Lodge. They are the main hunters of the space fauna. Most of the time they are supported by drones, staff, engineers and other personal. The best Falcons have a chance to one day slay a beast dangerous enough to create their own Lodge.

Sicarios

Sicarios are the Bodyguards, Hitmen and the Military Wing of the Syndicate. They follow a Maestro de Logia or Maestro de Caza and take care of their enemies, their problems, but also their day to day operation. While they tend to be less important, many of them are still more important than the vast majority of Nueva Cuauhtémoc. Their families also tend to be taken care of by their Lodge.

Other Ranks

The following Ranks are most of the time given to people in the Expert Organisations of the Syndicate. Some of them are more unofficial Ranks.

Dianoméas

Dianoméas are Weapon Dealers. They tend to sell to the Falcons and Sicarios. They have all kinds of Weaponry, Armaments and Drones.

Sidēreús

Sidēreús are coworkers or worker for the Dianoméas. They work either for a Lodge or the whole Syndicate. They produce and test the Weaponry for Hunts. They create the Drones and Armaments for the Sicarios. They are the Smiths of the Aguamala Syndicate.

Revendedor/a

Revendedor/a(depending what the person prefers to be called) are Dealers of all kind of illegal produce. While some of them sell things to the local Nueva Cuauhtémoc populace, many of them stay with the Hunting Ships of the Lodges and sell their things to the places the ships visit. They are a major part of income for the Syndicate.

Lochagos

A Lochagos is the Captain of a Ship. Either he controls a hunting ship and is also a Falcon or they are in charge of the ships some Lodges use as Living spaces.

Naútēs

Naútēs are Sailors on the Syndicate Ships. Its more an unofficial rank, but the Naútēs tend to have their own culture within their ships and most prefer Naútēs as a rank to other things.

Patron

Every member of the syndicate has a Patron besides the few that are born in the Syndicate. A Patron is needed to join the syndicate. Its a rank given to people, who just invited a new person to join. They are their patron for the future. If someone fails the Syndicate it destroys part of the reputation of their patron.

Culture

While the philosophy of the Syndicate is very different depending on the Lodge, they still have a few similarities. All of them follow El Destino.

El Destino

El Destino is a general philosophy or faith that nearly all Members of the Syndicate follow. The fate of a Lodge, a person and a beast is decided by El Destino and the Members of the Syndicate try to get El Destino on their side. Even the divines can only cast the dice and follow the outcome. El Destino is present in all aspects of life, but it is not preordained. While mortals do not directly roll the dice of fate, their future is dependent on both the skill to stack the dice pool in their favor and the luck of the roll. Respecting the Moirai / The Fates / Diosa Fortuna, invoking them, and giving them offerings or blaspheming, neglecting or mocking don’t cause them to directly grant you boons or smite you. Instead, it may cause them to add extra dice to the pool for/against you when the time comes to determine El Destino’s course.

Moirai / The Fates / Diosa Fortuna

The highest divinity, given El Destino’s focus on fate. Morai, the Fates and Diosa Fortuna are all the same, but all three names are used interchangeably. The reason for that has to do with the Hunters Fleet Diaspora from Earth and some changes over time. There is a general disagreement between individuals and Lodges on whether there’s one or multiple of the Morai, may or may not be a point of contention They are the creator(s) of the world. In the beginning, there was boundless potential. The Fates rolled the dice to discover what the universe would be like. Some say they weave threads of fate into a grand tapestry, others say they assemble tiles of each scene into a great mosaic. In the faith they are represented by light blues and greens dice. If someone believes there is only one divinity, they use one die otherwise they use as many dice as they belief Fates are there.

Orisha

These are Lower Divinitys. Every Orisha used to be a human once, a hunter. Each Orisha is paired with at least one mythological creature and the Orisha is often credited as the one who first successfully hunted such a creature.Once a mythological creature has been slain, it is now “on the side of El Destino and the Orisha", however, like all divine beings it must be treated with respect or its wrath invoked. These leads to follower of El Destino hunting more of these creatures. Hunting a new type of creature is a great honor, especially if it was an incredibly difficult task or the creature was particularly dangerous or devastating to a community. Each pair, hunter and prey, is represented by a mosaic made from an arrangement of dice of various number-of-sides and colors. These tend to be used in places of worship.

When El Destino for mortals is at a crossroad, Orisha are said to gather and cast dice to determine the outcome. The dice possessed by each pair were said to have been crafted by The Fates and given to them during their ascension.

Elysian, Eggun, Ancestors

Ancestors are generally treated with respect, both family-based as well as mentors in all senses (religious, criminal, trades, etc). However, ancestors who have excelled in particular skills or have notable achievements are usually given small, personal shrines by those they were important to. Captains of a ship, leaders of a lodge, etc may be immortalized in their communities by slightly larger shrines, and occasionally, a collective of people may be memorialized in a single shrine. These higher revered ancestors are called Egguns.

Elysians are the highest revered of the ancestors. Their deeds shaped the society that would become the cartel. Though they may not have ascended to demigod/hero-hood by succeeding in a hunt, they are still revered, invoked, and have shrines dedicated to them and their skill sets.

Intomidó

Particularly dangerous monsters or Intomidó who have yet to be slain may also be deified. This doesn’t happen for every new beast, of course, only for particularly powerful or legendary ones. These deities too can be invoked based on their perceived qualities, but doing so is perceived as exceptionally risky. A “double or nothing” sort of thing. Slaying one of these creatures is usually a big event if the hunter is a part of the faith. If they are not, the deity’s death is either mythologized a generation or two later based on the story, or it is retroactively “downgraded” back to a normal monster. The Kraken is the big one (or the last known one) Intomidó people tried to hunt. The Kraken having been known for such a long time has given it a special power that many other Intomidó lack.

Symbolism and Rituals

Most of the Symbolism and Rituals are found in Art and Objects of the faith. Here are some of the most important one.

Mosaic

Mosaic are used everywhere in the Syndicate. The depictions of Fates, Orishas, Ancestors and even Intomidó are often seen in Mosaics.

Art depicting Hunts and Hunters

There are many statues, drawings and even modern art like films, photographs and others of Hunters of the Syndicate. The most important ones are depictions of Orishas at the time of their kill.

Weaponry for Hunts

Every Lodge has their Relics. Weapons used to kill a mythical creature are the most priced possession of any Lodge. Even more if its supposedly dates back to old times and Earth.

Dice

The sign for fates and Orisha. The fate decider. Most faithful carry a die/set of dice which shares the number of faces and color of their “patron” deity, or the one they align most closely.

Shrines and Symbols

Shrines and symbols can be of various sizes. The smallest are a single die or mosaic tile of a color which represents the divine or ancestor placed in an elevated position. A modest mosaic of dice or tiles comprise most personal shrines. More grand displays are constructed by those who are both wealthy and faithful, or in dedicated places of worship. Small shrines to given divine pairs may be present throughout worlds where the faithful live, typically being integrated into the surrounding area and blending with the local aesthetic. Shrines are usually placed so that their Orisha is relevant somehow in the location, either as a part of their history or because the place has a connection with the powers under their domain. Dedicated religious rooms or buildings are less common, but are established by those who are both particularly wealthy and pious or in holy sites where legendary battles were said to have happened. In the case of more recent divines, it may incorporate pieces of the fauna’s corpse. There are precious few grand sites of worship that could take the form of on-world establishments or dedicated space-yachts.

Sacrifices of Hunts

By giving up monster bits from successful hunts, valuable items, or food, one can entreat the divines for more luck. The divine’s ashé is rubbed off on the mortal in the form of good luck. Good luck does not guarantee any outcome, but it certainly helps.

Asset Lore

Strike Fleet(0807)

La Lanza is a collection of ships primarily of two or three large Lodges with several smaller or up and coming ones tagging along. The Lodges of this fleet lean heavily into the culture of the hunt and are always looking for new challenges to take on and overcome. The hulls of its ships always contain a portion of their previous conquests. These remains are sold as artwork or narcotics wherever the fleet travels.

Strike Fleet(0909)

La Casa de Fieras is the prized fleet of the Aguamala organization Embrión, a group dedicated to preventing the extinction of rare fauna as well as genetically engineering new fauna. Its primary focus is to act as a mobile research platform to test creatures new and old against various forms of life across Beacon Space.

A significant portion of this fleet is made up of the forces of smaller Lodges who serve as protection both against outside threats and the creatures contained within, should they manage to loosen their shackles. La Casa de Fieras does see a considerable amount of violence, releasing these creatures with robotic observers (and potentially support, depending on the nature of the conflict) and recording as much data as possible so as to produce better monsters in the future.

Currently, it is less being used for active research and more being used to impress the TTGI as a means of displaying what varieties of life could exist on Telas in the future, as well as the benefits of cultivating such life despite their dangerous qualities.

Cyberninjas

Aguijón is an elite team of Aguamala hunters and expert technicians that crosses organizational boundaries. They specialize in smaller targets, whether that means dangerous but non-massive fauna or the other sapient beings of Beacon Space. They are known for using hordes of small drones which wrap, lash, and sting much like the Syndicate’s namesake Aguamala, delivering paralyzing and toxic blows until their target is deceased or otherwise sedated for capture.

Due to their more mobile nature, Aguijón also spends a lot of its time on the ground of each world it visits, gathering information that might be useful to the Syndicate as a whole.

Covert Shipping

Armored personnel carriers covered with tech that allows hide in plain sight camouflage. (much like unmarked government agency vans hiding as exterminators and dry cleaners in spy movies) crewed by cartel get away drivers.