For a time, the Assassins' Guild rivaled the Thieves' Guild and the crime lord Faraon the Friend in the power structure of Darkside, until Faraon the Friend had the Assassins' Guild wiped out under cover of major rioting. The Old Well, once a symbolic meeting place for those who sought the business of the Guild, was subsequently sealed by Faraon's forces.

"The Audit" also refers to the process that is feared even by others of the Temple ... and which gives this department of the Temple considerable influence in the affairs that would normally fall under the jurisdictions of the other departments.

Auditors are the most visibly wealthy members of the Temple, as a group, wearing robes of white and gold, with "traditional" trappings of gold and other precious materials. Their leader is the Quartermaster Supreme, who answers in turn to the Bridge.

The Celestial Order is a monastical order of Chronotopia's version of the veneration of an entity known as the "Star", the holy sign of this Order being a five-pointed stylized star that looks like a five-toothed cogwheel. The monks of the Celestial Order, among other things, are fiercely devoted to the combat of the forces of chaos as represented by Bosch. As such, they have a strong dislike for magic, but, even so, they have an attitude of "fight fire with fire", some members of their order studying a select sub-set of the Sphere of Spirit, the Sphere of Chaos and the Sphere of Shadow, specializing solely in spells of magic detection and magic dispelling. Some monk-mages who are able to master all of the spells across these Spheres refer to it as a new "Sphere of Negation", though such is not recognized by the College Esoterica or any other major magical body as a true Sphere. In light of this, the Celestial Order has a quirky relationship with the College Esoterica, and also has some dealings with the Technopriests of Rephidim Temple.

See also: Air, Sphere of; Earth, Sphere of; Fire, Sphere of; Water, Sphere of; Light, Sphere of; Shadow, Sphere of; Mind, Sphere of; Dream, Sphere of; Chaos, Sphere of; Life, Sphere of; Spirit, Sphere of; Illusion, Sphere of.

The term "Collegia Esoterica" is officially defunct, but is still used from time to time, out of force of habit, to refer to the collective body of mages.

The Kampfzengruppe is known to have a strong ideal of human superiority - That they have an alliance with the Khattas is no doubt largely due to the stereotypical self-effacing mannerisms of Himaat culture.

The Temple of Rephidim once had its own Order of the Bounded Star and Anchor, its members known as the Knights Templar. The Order was a semi-autonomous body which performs police functions, and pledges loyalty to the Temple, falling under the authority of the Inquisition.

The Knights Templar are divided into Lances of warriors identified by color, but otherwise wearing fairly uniform suits of armor. They have long been picked from the elite of the Temple Guard. Once joining the Order, the members go by assigned names rather than their own former identities. This anonymity is further enhanced by the practice of wearing face-covering helms even to social functions, and many Knights take vows of silence, lest they say anything to tarnish the mystique and honor of this body.

Of the Knights Templar, the most distinguished warriors are known as Champions, or as the Templars Elite. The personal names of these elite warriors are known to few, and they are referred to by title and Crest (or Aspect) instead -- as the "Champion of Roses", the "Champion of Ashes" and so forth. Each Champion may lead a Lance of knights, but many times they work solo, at times going across Sinai on Pilgrimages.

Due to a schism with the leadership of Rephidim Temple, the Knights Templar have become a largely independent organization, moving their base of operations from the training grounds of Golgotha to the recently acquired sky island of Fetiss.

Those who study spirits, both inherent in the dead and manifested naturally in the form of elementals, are known as Ksh'atga. Ksh'atga fulfill several roles in Nagai society. They prepare deceased Nagai citizens for their trip down the Great Serpent's gullet, and also take part in more minor rituals for those given less status within the Empire, such as slaves, and Jingai. They investigate potentially suspicious deaths of citizens -- or others when their services are requested -- travelling to recover corpses if necessary, for the sake of Imperial beauracracy. They are called upon to deal with situations or difficulties of a paranormal nature, where their Spirit Magic training can be of use. And after the rituals and red tape are over with, they perform sanitation duties, disposing of empty husks in a tidy manner.

While they are reasonably well-respected for the services they provide, Ksh'atga are also somewhat suspiciously regarded, sometimes considered harbingers of ill omens by more superstitious Nagai, and particularly other races. (Chances are, Ksh'atga are creepy enough to bother even those who have no idea what the Ksh'atga are.)

The Offworld Legion is largely comprised of criminals that have been offered a chance at amnesty in lieu of execution ... provided they manage to survive a tour of duty with the Legion and perform admirably. There are also a number of volunteers as well -- typically outcasts and ne'er-do-wells who haven't any marketable skills other than being able to shoot or stop a bullet. The Legion tends to have a high turnover rate, especially amongst first-year members.

(both plural and singular)

The Slakash (Poison Women - so-named for the toxic brew they consume to enter a berserk rage) are warrior-priestesses of the Yodhblakat (Daughters of Blakat). While all priestesses of Blakat are taught certain martial skills, the Slakash specialize in it, and serve as mercenaries to those supplicants who contribute large amounts of funds to the temple of Blakat. They are not known for having any real self-restraint or particular organization, but rather as berserkers, who work themselves up into frenzies with the assistance of mind-altering substances. Thus, they tend to be employed as shock troops and general thugs, not put up against true soldiers.

A tradition of the Slakash is that they always take trophies of their kills. According to the Blakat mindset, if no trophy exists to commemorate a deed, then no deed worth commemorating has been committed. Likewise, any deed that does not bring with it a worthy trophy is not a worthy deed. Furthermore, they tend to collect their trophies immediately, rather than going back to loot (or maim) the dead later. Distinguished priestesses of Blakat tend to look a great deal like their matron, having plenty of scars and marks, adorned in a shambles of mismatched (and torn) articles of clothing and pieces of armor, with an assortment of weapons, and grisly trophies (scalps, skulls, shrunken heads, finger necklaces, tooth necklaces, pelts, etc.) to testify to their achievements.

The Slakash have generally found work with the nobility of Babel, serving as pawns in their clashes with each other. However, since the dropping of the Boomer on Babel, power has been consolidating under the High Princess, and the nobility has been in decline - and more concerned with survival than ambition, for the time being. Therefore, the Yodhblakat has been forced to look abroad for new "converts". Blakat has a pretty bad reputation amongst those outsiders who even know her name, but that hasn't stopped priestesses of Blakat from trying to present her in terms seen as more favorable and honorable to foreigners, when the situation merits it. As it is, there might well be a petty warlord here or there on the surface who has a Slakash on retainer as an enforcer ... and as an exotic status symbol.

(both singular and plural)

The Yodhblakat - the Daughters of Blakat - are priestesses serving Blakat, the Goddess of Conflict, one of the Seven Sisters of the mythology of the Ashdod Territories. "Yodhblakat" refers to a priestess of this sisterhood, though "The Yodhblakat" refers to the sisterhood as a whole, and the same word is used for the plural form as well.

While they typically serve in temples of Blakat - the largest being on the mountain of the same name, in the Seven Sisters range of mountains outside Babel - some of their number are hired out as berserker mercenaries to those "faithful" who make appropriate "offerings" to the temple. These warrior-priestesses are known as the Slakash, or Poison Women.

All priestesses of Blakat come into the order not as volunteers, but forcibly chosen by the Yodhblakat. Roughly once every year, there is a "holy day" devoted to Blakat, determined by a complex system based upon the positions of heavenly bodies, so that it does not fall upon any fixed calendar date. During this time, the priestesses go out amongst the commoners, and select young girls, who will be taken to either serve as new acolytes at the temple, or else to be offered up as sacrifices. Young girls with red hair and/or fur are especially prized for this purpose.

This is largely considered quite an honor. Even though the Seven Sisters are the most prominent deities, Babel society is still quite patriarchal, and the loss of a young daughter is seen to be not all that great ... especially compared to the prestige of having a daughter selected from one's household for the goddesses. It is generally believed that this will prompt Blakat to turn her ire away from the household for a time, and there is the more practical benefit that, should the daughter survive and become a priestess, she may well hold loyalty to her former family, and use her connections to help it out in material terms.

There are occasions, however, when the exchange is not so peaceful. A family has the right to refuse to give over a daughter, though this right is rarely exercised. In this case, it is up to the priestesses making the demand to forcibly take the child, using whatever means necessary. If the family successfully fights off the priestess or priestesses - even if this is done by killing them - then there is no retribution expected from the Yodhblakat. The family has kept its daughter, fair and square. If, however, the priestesses prevail, they have full right to put the whole household to death, or to take survivors to the temple as sacrifices - and any loot from the house is claimed by the Yodhblakat as well.

A new initiate into the Yodhblakat is branded with the sign of Blakat - the Dagger - or else has it cut into her hide in a process of ritual scarring. The young priestess is baptized in the blood of sacrifices, and given her sole possession - a crimson dagger. It is up to the initiate to obtain for herself any other possessions she might have need for, and by force or coercion. A priestess of Blakat does not purchase or trade, and any monies that she might acquire - or any possessions she cannot carry herself - go to the temple. It is very common for priestesses of Blakat to dye their hair and/or fur red, if they are not naturally born that way already.

A priestess of Blakat technically has the right to demand things from anyone ... but, in practice, this is not done against nobility or powerful commoners, and a priestess is not wise to abuse this privelege ... for it is up to her to enforce it, without any backing from her temple at all. If a priestess demands something of a commoner, and the commoner refuses, it is up to the priestess to forcibly take the item. If the commoner successfully repels the attempt, so be it. The temple will not take any retribution against him. If the priestess succeeds, she may do with the commoner as she pleases, and the local authorities - if there are any - are obliged not to punish her. However, there is nothing to stop friends or family of the commoner from exacting retribution against the priestess, if she has abused her privilege. In actual practice, this privelege is generally only used for the purpose of claiming right of hospitality to priestesses away from the temple, and to keep them equipped and clothed.

Another important tradition to know is that it is a grave insult to ever give something to a priestess of Blakat - or to Blakat herself. Blakat takes; she is never given. A priestess is within full rights to maim or kill anyone who offends her in such a way.

The proper way to make an offering to a priestess is to simply make it obvious that it is available, and allow her to demand it herself. Pilgrims visiting the Temple of Blakat bring whatever offerings they wish to make, and the priestesses demand it from them. However, they must be careful not to bring anything they are not willing to "donate". If the priestesses are in a particularly foul mood, a supplicant could well be lucky to be able to leave the temple with his skivvies on and his teeth intact.

It should be noted that these traditions of acquisition do not apply within the sisterhood itself. If a sister gives something to another sister, it is no insult, and when an underling resists the request of a superior, the full might of the temple will come down upon her. Blakat does not steal from Blakat; Blakat may freely give to Blakat. That is the rationale behind these exceptions.

The Yodhsunala - Daughters of Sunala - are raised to serve the Temples of Sunala. They are all, to a certain degree, priestesses of Sunala, though only some of them are directly involved in the rituals of worship of the Death Goddess. The Yodhsunala are best known for those in their number proficient in the arts of assassination by various means, sometimes even twisted usage of spells of the Sphere of Life, used in ways that would most certainly bring disapproval from the College Esoterica - though the status of the Yodhsunala as a priesthood of Babel spares them from the College's usual persecution of so-called "hedge wizards" that operate outside the Mages' Guild.

It is the obligation of any Yodhsunala that she die in the proper manner, in the course of carrying out the will of Sunala. To die of old age or accident is unbearable, and the fate of most Yodhsunala is to take their own lives, or die at the hands of another.

Although it might seem logical to presume that a Death Goddess would be associated with the undead, that is not the case with Sunala - Necromancy is not among the arts practiced by the Yodhsunala. As brutal as it may seem when they sacrifice on the altar, and then push the body to tumble down the steps of one of Sunala's stepped-pyramid temples, they have a certain code of reverent treatment (after a fashion) of the dead ... unless the dead are worthy of particular disgrace due to their actions in life. Cremation of bodies is unthinkable, and animation of them is the worst form of blasphemy - to attempt to steal from Sunala what is, to their minds, rightly hers.

In Babelite, "Yodh" means "daughter" or "daughters", and this term is used to generically refer to the priestesses of the various Seven Sisters. They are generally known as the "Daughters of" the various goddesses. So, there are the Yodhinala, the Yodhsunala, the Yodhblakat, the Yodhgorphat, the Yodhrephath, the Yodhzakaro, and the Yodhbarada. "Yodhinala" would mean "Daughter(s) of Inala".

Many of the Yodh are practitioners of magic, and would be classified by the College Esoterica as either hedge wizards or sorcerers, since few of them are accredited by the Mages' Guild. However, due to special arrangement with the Babelite government, and centuries of tradition, the Yodh are exempt from persecution by the College Esoterica for practicing magic as a part of their religion. (Considerable restrictions are placed upon use of their powers outside of Babel, however.)