Factions (AD)
Due to the way that the Islands move in the sky, many Cultures interact with one another over time.

This can make many cultures insualr, but allow ideals and factions to spread across the world easier than cultures.

These are the factions of Aetheria.

Many of the factions fit into broad categories that align with core philosophies for how to approach the gloabl calamity as foreseen by Lawell.

Exalted Lords
The factions of the Exalted Lords believe that the best way to global development is behind champions and heroes.

They celebrate indivudality and individual power.

Gilded Crown

The Gilded crown believes in nobility, birth rite, leadership and hearchy. That those who rule, lead, and those who lead, shape the world.

Champions Banner

The Champions banner celebrates indivudal achievements and acomplishments. They believe that heroes inspire others to create a better world.

Forward March

The forward march believes in industry and development, that the best way for the future to avoid calamity is through the development of new magics, devices and infrastructure.

Crystal Mind
The Crystal Mind believe that the only way to be prepared for the future, is with structure and education.

Chronicallers

The Chronicallers are an organisation that records a complete past through the use of the Chronical, made by the Tul Alf Babel.

The Chronical is a informational archive that represents all possible futures. Chronicallers input information they collect from the past, to filter the chronical and help narrow down the particular timeline of the past, present and future.

While advanced uses of the Chronical are complex and rare, many cities have low ranking members of the Chronicallers that assist them with basic predictions for things such as weather, or estimating delievery timelines.

Keepers

The Keepers serve two key purposes, first is collecting, sorting and archiving information - especially educational and theoretical knowledge.

The second is maintaining the Grand Archive, a free college and education center.

People may go to the Grand Archive for a free magical and theorietical education, which is paid through peer tutuoring or transcribing skills, spells and biographies.

Scales of the Blind

The scales of the blind at as the gloabl 'impartial' legal and law system.

Managing court houses and town halls, the scales weigh information to calculate and determine the "best course of action" when managing disputes.

This is magically enhanced through magics like Forecast and Foresight.

Cultivation
The core tennant of Cultivation factions is that what exists must be preserved and improved upon. They celebrate local culture and tradition, holding both in high importance.

The driving belief is that a person should not change a thing, until they completly understand it.

Frozen Lotus

The faction of the Florenic nation, the frozen lotus represents a mastery of physical form. Teaching combat and crafts mastery, deeply engrained with culture and tradition.

Obelith

The religious faction of the Bas worship inverted pitch dark flying pyramids called Obelix, that they commune with in religious ceremony to bolster their own power, saying they open their minds.

They believe that the gods are not dead, rather, it was a lie to test the faith of the world.

There are other Obelix in the world, and around each is an Obelith culture.

Evertree

The evertree believe in the preservation of nature, seeing the expansion of Ren as causing irreperable damage to the world.

They believe that once, the Ren broke the world already with their magics, and need to learn to be at harmony with the world and their enviroments before seeking to expand.

Illuminal Cabal
The Illuminal Cabal presents itself as an aultursitc organisation dedicated to helping those in need.

However, all are well aware that nothing from the cabal is free, all prices will be paid with interest.

Singing Lyre

The Singing Lyre boasts freedom of information, acting as the main communication, postal and messaging service in Aetheria.

The Lyre distribuites free public news papers and transports messages globally.

Agents of the Lyre, like Femme act as vigilante journalists, seeking to uncover and expose secrets.

The main cultures connected to the Lyre are Usviet

Open Palm

The Open Palm is an gig-working organisation that offers free favours and good pay for anyone willing to lend their services.

At the open palm, the motto is to "Always extend an open palm to any who need", fostering a culture of assistance and solidarity.

For those seeking help, they can either pay for services rendered or register and account and accept a favour, knowing they may be called upon to help others in the future.

The main cultures connected to the Open Palm are Hanaur and Laurel

Shining Benefactor

The Shining Benefactor is the major banking currencny and gem exchange organisation in the world.

While all colours of gemstones have equal value, not all islands generate the same quantity of each colour.

At a branch of the shining benefactor, individuals can deposit gemstones to their account, or withdraw gemstones of any colour, including currency exchange.

Due to global prolifieration, the token coins made and managed by the Shining Benefactor; Bennies are accepted as a global trade currency.

The shining benefactor has also developed the Cryptex, which allows people to skip identification checks when accessing their accounts.

The main cultures connected to the shining benefactor are Eltonian and Baria.

Cryptis

The counter part of the Lyre, the Cryptis manage what they deem to be 'forbidden' information, secrets or 'dangerous public knowledge.

Little is known about the Cryptis, and that is intentional. They manage spies and espionage.

The main cultures related to the Cryptis are the Obsira and Anasi of Tera

Old Friends

Sometimes, favours from the open palm are called upon.

The old friends is a mercenary organisation that manages black work and the collection of favours.

Accounts Hold

The accounts hold is a counterpart to the Shining Benefactor, where the benefactor deals with individuals, the accounts hold managages finance for cities, islands and nations.

Ivory Quill
The core tennant of the Ivory Quill is Freedom. Freedom of expression, freedom of movement and freedom of and from fate.

They disagree with large systems, and as a faction they don't have a formal structure - more of a collaborative project organisation.

Many people wear an Ivory quill to show they are "citizens of the world" and don't hold local citizenships.

Many nations freely allow members of the Ivory quill to travel, work and live in their islands - however, nations that have caste systems, strong familiy expectations, practice slavery or imprsionment often bar the ivory quill from entering, due to acts of "terrorism".

Many of the Ivory Quill would have otherwise criminal backgrounds.

Sky Breakers

Representing Libery and Autonomy, primarity Dorse, the Sky breakers seek to end slavery and subjugation.

These ideas can get a bit murky, when representatives of the sky breakers break into prision camps, or take prisioners in wars for negotiation.

Star Chasers

The star chasers celebrate romantic ideas of fate and destiny, encouraing all to travel and discover their greatest selves.

They don't weild much power, nor incur much discontent. They have small establishments of seers and explorers.

The Consortium

Originally a band of sky pirates led by Kir, the banner of the Consortium has since emerged to represent freedom from legislation, regulation and corporation.

Many use the flag in their own ways, for their own beleifs, from black markets to common theives.

Kir has stated that "The Consortium is a free idea, I nor anyone should attempt to own it with a definition."

Though many believe that he simply prefers the Chaos and confusion that allow him to conduct his activities with ease.

Three Winds
The Three-Winds is a merchant and trade organisation, that particualr dominate the Trade Sea.

They beleive that healthy co-operation requires healthy competition, and that the free market will inspire people to adjust to best fill their purpose.

Artisans Alliance

The Artisans' Alliance acts as the major craft and art guild.

Fishers

The Fishers are monster hunters, they help collect key materials for Affinity Crafting as well as support local populations for food and safety.

The Unwatched

The Unwatched specifically distrust broader organisations like the illuminal cabal and the crystal mind. They act specficailly to protect people against those groups.

Other Factions

Iron Cross

A religious oranisation that believes that for good to exist, evil must be destroyed.

They seek to find and purge darkness from the world.

Gilded Leaf

A Tera faction that acts as a local military. They are mostly aligned with the Evertree and Cultivation, but don't stricly adhere to the cultural worship, focusing instead on preservation of nature.

Blue Moon

A now extinct faction, that may re-emerge, that fought for local stability. Acting as a defensive military.

Wouldn't it be funny if I forgot this was here?