Brothers of Raistlin

D&D 3e (3.0/3.5) Rules

by Allison Hopkins

Entry in the 2006 Nexus Organizations Contest.

History

Thought Caramon was Raislin Majere's only brother? Guess again! Although these brothers are not related to The Master of Past and Present by blood, they are family connected though their love of magic. After Raistlin tried to attain godhood, other mages thought to do the same and created the Brothers of Raistlin: an organization intent on furthering the magnificent Majere's work. Beginning around 359 AC and continuing to the present, these rogue mages will stop at nothing to achieve their goals!

Goals/Motivations

You're probably wondering "Why are these mages following in Raistlin's footsteps and trying to achieve godhood?" Why not?! Everyone wants power and these sorcerers are no exception. Although they're all working toward a common goal, if one finds out the secret to godhood you better believe there'll be betrayal!

Headquarters/Areas of Influence

Every organization needs a place of operations. The Brothers of Raistlin like to hang out in Xak Tsaroth due to its remote location and the fact that it's practically abandoned. Slowly gaining support by other rogue wizards throughout Ansalon, the Brothers are secretly biding their time in which to reveal themselves.

Leadership/Organization

There is no rank structure in the Brother's organization but, then again, not everyone is equal. Leadership is based on years of experience in the art of magic. The eldest and most knowledgeable of these mages is a man called Lucien Reed. Once a respected wearer of the Black Robes, Lucien learned about Raistlin's ambitions and left the Orders of Magic to pursue the same goal the youngest Majere had. All others who dreamed of becoming a god soon turned rogue and joined up with Lucien in the quest for greatness.

Allies

The only allies to the Brothers of Raistlin are rogue mages and other seekers of the forbidden arts.

Enemies

Who would want to stop a group of power hungry mages from attaining godhood? Well, just about everyone! Learning about this cult through rumors and other speculations, the Heads of the Orders of magic want them dealt with like all other rogue wizards. But they're not the only ones who want to stop the dark ambitions of these mages. All servants of the gods, especially those of Paladine and Takhisis, want the Brothers of Raistlin wiped out and you better believe that those in the High Clerist's Tower will join the hunt.

Membership

Of course joining a cult and attaining godhood sounds cool but the Brother's organization is more work than you'd think. Everyone spends endless hours in study, wondering how to gain immortality and the powers of a god. They try to stay hidden and perform their research in the shadows because they know that everyone and their grandmother will try to stop them. When dealing with people in the outside world, they act as they normally would and don't flaunt the fact that they're a mage or a member of the Brothers of Raistlin. The ultimate rule is that no one speaks of their organization outside of Xak Tsaroth (not including recruiters) and this is punishable by a very painful death. Every organization needs a uniform of some kind because that's what makes joining so cool. The Brothers of Raistlin wear golden robes (a tribute to Raistlin's odd skin color) and a circular patch of an hourglass sewn over the heart of their robes. This manner of dress is only worn in Xak Tsaroth, however, and it is forbidden to wear outside of the city due to fear of persecutors.

Joining the Organization

Sooner or later, word is going to get out about the organization and other ambitious rogue mages will seek out the Brothers, wanting to join. But you don't find them... they find you. If you let the right people know what you're looking for, they'll hook you up with a representative from the Brothers and, after being interviewed to make sure you're not a spy or a kender in disguise or anything, they'll take you to their headquarters to be initiated. But not so fast! They're not going to just give you your weird colored robes and slap you heartily on the back. Oh no. You've got to work for it. Very similar to taking the Test in the Tower of High Sorcery, you have to take a different kind of test to be initiated. Given to you by the Brothers of Raistlin, the test will be given when you least expect it. It will test your strength in magic, your knowledge of the art of spellcasting, and answer the question of "How far would you go for the sake of magic?" Magic is more important than money so don't even think about greasing some palms to make you initiation run smoother.

Costs and Benefits of Membership

Of course you can' just walk out and say, "Sorry, guys. This just isn't for me." If you pass the test, you become a full-time member and have to swear you loyalty to the Brothers of Raistlin and the cause. Once a member, always a member and the only way out is death. You must devote your entire life to trying to obtain godhood and nothing else. The benefits? Godhood! (If they ever find out how to do it.)

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