Militant Dominionist Sects

While some would claim that all dominionists are violently opposed to the Starlit Court, this is not true. Only a fraction of Domionists harbor violent intentions toward the Starlit Court, and not all of those who do are organized. Those who are, are a danger to the starlit court and perhaps all the peoples of beacon space. These organizations are the most noteworthy Dominonist militias and terror groups known to operate in beacon space today.

The Umbral Throne

The Umbral Throne is a militant terrorist organization of Dominonists and other dangerous radical elements from throughout beacon space. The Umbral Throne are united under their founder and leader Iago of the Shadowsword, and follows his stated goal of reshaping the ideals and power of the starlit court, taking the best and most powerful aspects of the other forces of beacon space and creating a new, more powerful synthesized culture that is bound to unite and rule Beacon Space under one banner.

The Umbral throne has several notable members from outside of the Starlit Court and the Free Dominon, including mad Larkspur lenses, Children of the Vein heretic biomancers, and at least one confirmed duo of Nabrene Forence Wylt a Queltl 'freedom fighter' and Meytaal'Afgryse his Tar'et bodyguard. These agents, under the leadership of Iago, have created a number of horrible Maltech devices that militant Dominonists employ, including the Toprid Bastion and the Demon Core Engine.

The Umbral Throne is one of the larger and better equipped Militant dominionist sects, but is largely a cult of personality held together by the philosophy and charisma of their leader. The Umbral throne has been a template for other militant dominonits organizations, who copy or modify their rhetoric in service to the personal goals of their own leadership, and are often considered synonymous with violent Domionist activity; something many in the free dominion have come to resent.

The Umbral throne maintains their power through a combination of piratical action focused on gathering resources and raw material, as well as through their series of successful attacks despite seemingly suicidal odds, creating a mythos and draw for the organization It is this sense of daringness, excitement, and a reputation as a genuine threat to the established order that draw in new recruits and deadly agents. That being said, the Umbral throne is prone to losing members into splinter sects, and some believe that if Iago were to be slain, the Umbral throne would fall to infighting, falling apart into numerous less effective cells, or imploding all together.

Order of the Dark Triad

Founded by Syr Elenore von Bathory, the Order of the Dark Triad brings the most wicked elements of the forces that the Dominion and its allies. Between the bulk of Three-Eyed Heart Vein, Mossian Warlocks, and a host of genetically modified horrors.

One of the smaller sects, the Dark Triad only fall into the Dominionist camp on the fact that Elenore has a specific hate for her former comrades. When in battle, Dark Triad forces are known to operate in small, elite strike teams, usually no more than the size of a Lance and no smaller than three operatives, in order to secure operational success without needing to worry about what the general battle looks like.

Despite the small size, only about 5,000 sentient combatants, the Dark Triad’s have been remarkably effective at taking their objectives, usually important resources or information, as well as deploying spies across the core parts of Beacon Space.

What power the Dark Triad has is maintained through fear and a glut of Three-Eyed Heart flesh golems, which make up a vast majority of the Triad’s armed forces. They have been known to send out operatives to acquire new spies and assets for the Order in order to ensure their information network is always up to date.

Those who fail the Order will feel the wrath of the Triad’s master, Elenore von Bathory, The Countess as she is commonly called. There she will use all that she has learned from the renegade Vein and Mosian Warlocks to break the traitor or failure, turning them into another one of her hulking warbeasts. The numbers of these flesh combat golems varies

The Swords of Ancelot

Second in size only to the Umbral Throne, The Swords of Ancelot are more violent and fanatical and less unhinged than their larger rival. They are led by Syr Benedict, the Starlit Scourge, and hold him up to be the true leader and heir to the Dominion after the death of Syr Ancelot. They are comprised mostly of traitors from the Orders of the Mourning Blade and Great Wyrm, knights along with a smattering of others who agree with Benedict’s views. Benedict and the Swords of Ancelot believe that only the species and members of the Starlit Court (under their control) should be allowed to inhabit the sector of Beacon Space as all Beacon Space is rightfully Grail.

As a militant sect of the Free Dominion, they acquire their technology and resources through raids and attacks on any and all ships that come in their path, Including Starlit Court ships. Their theft does not stop on Dominion Lines, and they have been seen attacking mostly Umbral Throne transports to co-opt their advancements in technology. Their recruitment measures for new knights mimic those of the Great Wyrms, taking any able-bodied souls on the ships they raid.

Through the technology they have stolen from Beacon Space in general, their scientists have found a way to make a partner VI similar enough to Fae to enable their forces to pilot mechs, although not nearly as well as a Fae-bonded knight. These partner VI are offered to those new “knights” who don’t have their own Fae, for they were not raised on Sihi or were too young to be chosen. Their stolen goods from the Umbral Throne include the plans and ability to create the improved super soldiers, the Homo Maius, as named by the Children of the Vein Scientists who created them.

The Swords of Ancelot are held together by Benedict’s ruthless iron-fisted rule and fanatical belief in their cause. Whatever actions they take across Beacon Space have been ordered by him. His beliefs run so pure through the Swords that even if he were felled, a new leader would easily take his place.

The Gilded Knife (The Dragon’s Maw)

The Gilded Knife is a mercenary subsect of the Free Dominion. While much of the other factions focus on outright combating the Sihian court, this subsect provides necessary services throughout Beacon Space, taking on contracts and being the face of the Dominion to the rest of the sector, accepting quests and consisting of more charismatic individuals than usual. They take on quests, much the same as the main force of Sihians, providing confusion about if the terrorist organization is really a terrorist organization. The Gilded Knife is also home to two fairly important Orders. The Order of the Shattered Fae, and The Order of The Umbral Forge.

Often, if the Sihian knights find members of the Gilded Knife on contract, they will pause and attempt to eradicate the opposite side, the victors continuing on the contested quest.

The Face Cards

The starlit court maintains a bounty on important figures within the militant Dominion. These bounties are divided up into the face cards from a standard Sihian deck of playing cards, and reflect the Starlit Court's understanding of their exiled enemies, rather than their actual direct hierarchy or rank structure.

The Swords of Ancelot: Spades

Ace: Syr Benedict, Starlit Scourge
King: Syr Judas Alfaid (M, Unclaimed)
Queen: Syr Tristan Yussan (M, unclaimed)
Knave: Syr Desdemona (F, unclaimed)

Umbral Throne: Hearts

Ace: Iago of the Shadow Blade
King: Locruzio Kazamov - former Larkspur Sorcerer, head of maltech research (M, Unclaimed)
Queen: Shivering Excitement, Soul Bunder of the Umbrel Metastasization (?, Unclaimed)
Knave: Syr Alphonso Pilus - note: Syr Pilus has been confirmed KIA on no less than 6 separate occasions, current status unverified after being reported among an Umbral throne raid a year after his last recorded elimination (M, claimed several times)

Dark Triad: Clubs

Ace: Elenore von Bathory
King: Gerard el’Thoran (M, unclaimed)
Queen: Jerzal Undava (F, unclaimed)
Knave: Syr Farain Douglass

The Gilded Knife(The Dragon’s Maw): Diamonds

Ace: Lady Signe Marbeck (assumed alias, true identity unknown) - Although in allegiance with The Dark Triad, She leads the might of The Dragon’s Maw and The Guilded Knife. The Dragon’s Maw itself is made up of a larger chunk of Free Dominionists under her banner. Estimates put the group at two million plus strong, though most are simply civilians under her protection.
King: Silas Kirian (M, unclaimed)
Queen: Francois Monet (M, unclaimed)
Knave: Cheshire Man