The Nightfall Council

Mirrok has had a secret army since the days of the Prophet’s crusade. Recruited from the ranks of the followers of the Pantheon of Man, and foot soldiers and spies from the tribes on Galthor, the Council relies on precision strikes, intelligence and propaganda rather than brute force. They only make their presence known at the last possible moment, if at all. They are cunning, cruel and worst of all patient. Utterly devoted to the Basilica, their morale is unshakeable and they are fierce opponents in battle. Their weapons and armor are crafted in the bowels of the basilica wear the real worship takes place in the form of blood sacrifices, orgies, and gladiator combat. Made of a steel alloy combining iron with ore gathered from the remains of a meteor at the very foundation of the Basilica, the arms and armor are extremely flexible, light and strong. The tempering process leaves the metal with an inky black finish that is almost impossible to detect in the shadows, and all but silent.   While a member of the Council serves as Acolyte, that person is usually not the highest ranking member of the Council. The Council Minister is usually not even a trained soldier, the Minister is a tactician and an intelligence expert. The Minister and the Council consider all the intelligence information they collect and advise the Speaker on what actions if any need to be taken to protect the interests of the Basilica.   Base of Operations: Croixsburg, Mirrok Commonly known info: Hidden in the cold, pristine beauty of the ancient city of Croixsburg is the absolute law of the land. The people of Mirrok live in fear of the council. One is hard pressed to find a family in the icy country that has not had a loved one stolen away by men in black during the wee hours of the morning, never to be heard from again. Mothers invoke their name to scare discipline into their children, they are a very real very dangerous boogie man. History speaks of the council member’s wickedness during the Prophet's Crusade, and of their service and undying loyalty to the Speaker, Acolyte, Fallen Bishops and the gods of man. There is precious little known about the council apart that they once did and probably still do exist in some capacity, though the Cathedral appointed steward of Mirrok would be the first to dismiss such an outlandish claim. Goals and Ideals: Traditionally the Nightfall Council was the right hand of the Acolyte. Dispensing their tyrannical justice to the people of Mirrok. They were the ones to unify the savage races under one banner and send their armies marching across Aerith. Among their ranks are the blackest souls in existence and they are zealous followers of the dark gods, all of them having taken a patron from among the pantheon of man. Leadership: The Nightfall Council is just that, a council formed from men and women hand chosen by the dark gods themselves from among their faithful. Each deity chooses a follower from among the ranks of the dark knighthood and after a ceremony which involves anointing the candidate in the Gods own blood and after sending them on a quest to further their cause, they are allowed to sit on the council. Governed by the Council Minister, their tasks include monitoring the Steward of Mirrok, its people and foreign visitors. In years past they served as the guards of the Acolyte and the Vassals, guarded the temples and cathedrals of the evil gods and were the absolute law in Mirrok. Behind the Curtain Information: The Council has never been completely banished. Their numbers were diminished after the Prophet’s Crusade but their presence is, was and always will be a constant threat to the fragile peace in Mirrok. In more recent years, unknown to the world the numbers of the Council are growing strong and once again the threat they pose to the world grows very real. It is rumored that not only has the Dark Knighthood returned, but more alarmingly those they once served.