Consilium Draco Cruentis

The Elder Cabals

Sometimes referred to half-jokingly as the Peerage, the Elder Cabals of London are among the oldest and most powerful cabals in all of Europe. If the Draco Cruentus is a king, these are his nobility. The List of Elder Cabals is the elite gathering of those cabals who have proven their dedication to London's Consilium. If a cabal forms new, or arrives in London, they must have an Elder Cabal sponsor to whom they swear an oath of fealty, in the manner of feudal barons. There is but one hitch to this, however, meant to prevent any Order from gaining too much power in the city: an Order-affiliated cabal may not sponsor a cabal that is part of their Order.

• Order of Brigantia: A Silver Ladder cabal made up of politicians, patriots and soldiers. Among other things, the Order of Brigantia as a whole maintains significant control over the College of Arms, the central heraldry register for the British Empire. The Order of Brigantia's public sanctum consists of an entire floor of the Herald's Office in Central London, just south of St. Paul's Cathedral.
• Sublime Lodge: The core cabal of Guardians of the Veil in London, the Sublime Lodge has spent literally centuries strengthening their Masonic Labyrinths. They absolutely and completely claim Masonic Lodges as their sole dominion, and look with ill-amusement on those who would trespass there. The cabal is based out of the Freemason's Hall, in North-Central London, beneath which they maintain an old subterranean sanctum.
• Lions of Charing Cross: A cabal of Adamantine Arrows, dedicated to the defense of the city. The Knight of Talons usually comes from this cabal, and its leader is the acknowledged Adamant Sage of London. The Lions of Charing Cross maintain a public sanctum within a small side-building in the Admiralty, overlooking Charing Cross proper, in Downtown London.
• Seekers of the Cenacle: An ancient fraternity of Mysterium magi dedicated to recovering the lost lore of Atlantis. It is they who maintain the Athenaeum, and those who bring them rare books and artifacts are likely to win sponsorship or even membership, in some cases. They are also willing to take ancient artifacts of historical value in exchange for slightly more powerful or more useful ones, created by members of the cabal. The Seekers maintain the Athenaeum, which is located in a series of vaults beneath the British Museum, in North-Central London. They also keep a public sanctum overlooking Bedford Square, near the museum.
• Inficiunti: The Stained are an ecstatic group of multi-Order mages who claim a heritage that stretches back to the Picts. There are druids, witches, faerie seers and shamans among their number, and they are known by their blue tattoos. In the rare instances when the Inficiunti can be found in London, they hold as their public sanctum a residence overlooking Hyde Park in West London. Their influence has been sufficient to keep the park from being openly lit at night, providing its acres for their use.
• Cyfamod: A multi-Order cabal made up of representatives from the Consilium Draco Niveus. They are not allowed to sponsor common cabals into the Consilium, however. Cyfamod is kept in relatively fine style in the Woolsey House, in West London, which serves as their public sanctum. They can oft-nights be found in the company of the Inficiunti, in Hyde Park.

The Vassal Cabals

In order to become truly part of the London Consilium, a cabal must prove its worth to one of the Elder Cabals. Moreover, this means proving one's worth outside of an Order, for Elder Cabals associated with an Order are not permitted to sponsor cabals of their Order. As a result, there is much jockeying behind the scenes, with Elder Cabals trading favors and sponsorships, or Elder Cabals extracting future favors from cabals. In some cases — such as the Knights of Hyde — the sponsoring Elder Cabal only agreed to sponsor them as long as they changed the very purpose and identity under which they originally formed. The benefits of doing so, however, are major.

Adamantine Arrow

• Taurean Brotherhood: An Adamantine Arrow cabal that claims its origins in the Mithraic Mystery Cult that once had strong roots in England during the time of the Roman Empire, the Taurean Brotherhood maintain that old cult's warrior ideal. The Brotherhood is rumored to maintain a subterranean labyrinth in North-East London as their sole sanctum, eschewing any need for a public one. Sponsored by the Sublime Lodge.
• The Knights of Hyde: A cabal of Adamantine Arrow magi dedicated to defending the Open Hallows of Hyde Park, in West London, from poaching. A large house on the edge of Hyde Park, the Wolsey House, acts as their public sanctum. Sponsored by the Order of Brigantia.

Guardians of the Veil

• Torch At the Crossroads: A coven of witches, the Torch at the Crossroads helps to defend the Mysteries with deception and poison, when the situation calls for it. The name of their coven is a reference to the Goddess of Witches, Hecate, and they use a season-theme for their coven workings. The Torch At the Crossroads oversee the Guild of Naturists, a group of upper and middle class nudist artists who focus on pagan and mystical themes in their work. The Torch at the Crossroads maintain a small block in Walham Green in Southwest London, a very bohemian part of town. Their four houses block off the center of the block, which boasts a tiny grove screened from the view of others. Sponsored by the Inficiunti.
• The Roseacrux Sodality: A cabal of Rosicrucian magicians, the Roseacrux Sodality maintains ties to the Anglican Church and to a variety of the nobility through their Labyrinth, the Rosicrucians. Though the ancient Temple of the Knights Templar has been turned into a simple set of hotels and other sight-seeing attractions in Downtown London, the ancient Temple itself still serves those who have taken the oaths. Beneath the great outer buildings lies the Sanctum of the Roseacrux Sodality. Sponsored by the Seekers of the Cenacle.
• The Brothers of Colton: A strange group of religiously-focused Guardians who concentrate on the disproving of the supernatural, the Brothers of Colton are well-revered by the Consilium for their diligent protection of the secrets of the supernatural world. The Brothers of Colton have taken the symbolism of old legendary creatures for their cabal's symbolism. The Brothers of Colton are based out of an old monastery in Northwest London that has been turned into part of a local theological seminary. Sponsored by the Seekers of the Cenacle.

Mysterium

• The Transcendence Gather: A cabal focused around spiritism, transcendentalism and the exploration of the Astral for traces of Atlantean lore, the Transcendence Gather has placed its roots firmly in the theosophist and spiritualism movements of the era. The Transcendence Gather cabal runs its affairs out of the very posh social club known as the Veiled House in West London, notorious for hosting visiting charlatans and spiritists. Sponsored by the Sublime Lodge.
• The Snakemen: A cabal of thieves, burglars and criminal types often used as the Seekers of the Cenacle's pet thieves. The Snakemen run a large criminal gang that operates out of back alleys and miserable drink-houses in the filthy streets of East London. They have a subterranean sanctum accessible only through a maze-like profusion of guarded sewers and other tunnels. Sponsored by the Lions of Charing Cross.
• Monks of Highgate]]: A cabal of necromancers and funerealists who seek the secrets of the dead – and work to keep them. The Monks of Highgate are based out of a small, poorly funded monastery overlooking the grounds of Highgate Cemetary, tucked well away from the main road and church. Highgate Cemetary is found in Kentish Town, in Northwest London. Sponsored by the Order of Brigantia.

Silver Ladder

• The Magic Circle: A group of lawyers and solicitors who practice magic, believing that the power of Law is a potent one for the Awakening. The Magic Circle maintains a small suite of offices as their public sanctum within sight of the Temple district in Downtown London. Sponsored by the Lions of Charing Cross.
• The Grail Society: A cabal of Silver Ladder dedicated to the connections between the self and the land. They are healers and geomancers par excellence, with an interest in heredity. The Grail Society operates out of a spacious estate that acts as the headquarters for a gentleman's society called the Adamite Fraternity in West London. Sponsored by the Seekers of the Cenacle.

Multi-Order

• Varda: Named for the Hindu mudra of serenity, peace and welcoming, Varda is a cabal of Hindu and Indic magi, whose sole purpose is to provide a friendly welcome for others mages of India who visit, as well as perhaps lend a little magical aid to the burgeoning Indian community in London. Sponsored by Inficiunti. Varda maintains a large lodging house in Limehouse in East London, called the House of the Wheel, as their primary sanctum.