Society
The Christian Europe starts to rise from the Dark Ages as returning crusaders bring with them a dash of Byzantine and Saracen cultures. Although the Church tries to combat such heresy by founding the Inquisition, the eyes of the ruling class have irrevocably opened to see the wider world. Nevertheless, law and order rarely reach further than the spear tips of the knights trying to uphold them, and as towns and castles pass out of view the traveler had best to be wary of wolves, brigands, ghosts, and even worse perils.
Feudalism has made each Lord the absolute ruler of his fief, no matter how small, and it is up to each individual's morale how despotic the rule is. The Church of course preaches on virtues, but as most bishops are feudal lords themselves, politics becomes vastly more important than ethics - once one has risen from the status of a peasant, the fate of other peasants no longer matters.
Because power and wealth are determined by land, everyone is attempting to increase their holdings, either by waging war against one's neighbors, or more and more by arranging suitable marriages or other diplomatic means. Noble birth is required to join this game of power, but since the nomination of bishops - investiture - has been taken away from secular rulers after years of struggle, has a clerical career opened the way to high position also to other classes.
Educated individuals can boost their personal power by learning magic, typically the priestly sort, although the Church reluctantly accepts the practice of Hermetic magic. Unfortunately for Christian wizards, the best Hermetic teachers are Jews and Muslims from the big universities in al-Andalus and Sicily, which does not improve the Church's attitude of the Hermetic wizards being borderline heretics.
Religion
Europe is fully Christian, although old pagan beliefs take time to disappear, in Asia and Africa, Islam has spread like wildfire. The Western and Eastern churches have recently split to the more politically-minded Catholic church of Rome, and more spiritual Orthodox church of Constantinople. Both churches have widespread monastic orders, and the Catholic church also militant Knightly Orders.
Small communities of Jews live among the Christian and Islamic population. The Muslims are generally more tolerant of other book religions, but tax them heavily to persuade voluntary conversion to Islam. In Christendom the attitude is much more negative, while Jews are not considered pagans, the more tight-minded see them as heretics of the worst sort. The reputation of Rabbis as researchers of forbidden secrets does not make Jews any more popular.
Druids and Shamans are still respected (and feared) by the common peasants, especially in less civilized border areas. The church sees such followers of natural religions as pagans and witches, but the Church is far away while the old pagan midwife next door has a proven track record of healing abilities.
In some areas - al-Andalus, Sicily, Palestine - different religious groups have managed to reach some level of peaceful coexistence, often with the support of enlightened rulers. This sort of tolerance encompasses also practitioners of magic, who are not accused of witchcraft but can practice their art freely - despite the constant protests of the Inquisition.
The Inquisition
The Inquisition has been formed to combat heresy and witchcraft (any non-Christian magic.) This far the focus has been in eliminating witches, but internal strife within the Church has started to give room for theological disagreements and those unfortunate to disagree with the Pope will soon be visited by inquisitors. Originally these investigations were carried out by local bishops, but lately the operations have become more and more centralized. The current Pope, Leo IX, is a staunch supporter of theological purity and formalized the status of the Inquisition immediately after coming to power: the inquisitors have been given free reign on their methods and answer only to the Pope himself.
When the Inquisition arrives, typically the entire community is invited to attend and are given the chance to voluntarily confess heresy in exchange of a milder punishment, every confessor is also expected to denounce any other known heretics. Individuals may be chosen for questioning without any specified reason.
In the trial itself, only the accused and the inquisitors are present. A defense counsel may be accepted in some cases, but he loses his counseling rights if the accused is found guilty. The charges are not presented at first, but the accused is given a chance to confess. The inquisitors will not reveal their witnesses, who may be convicted criminals or heretics, but the accused may name potential enemies who could use the Inquisition to settle individual feuds. The accused can be detained for any period of time and investigative methods include torture and divination spells.
The sentence for a convicted heretic can be anything from a forced pilgrimage to burning at the stake. The heavier sentences always include the loss of all property to the Church, in practice to the Inquisition. Some inquisitors are not above pressing charges to wealthy but unpopular persons to increase the wealth of their organization.
Knightly Orders
Religious Knightly Orders are recent militant monastic organizations who have quickly gained a special and influential status in the entire Western Christendom. These Orders should not be confused with secular knights, who have a feudal relationship to their lord, and who do not have an ideological basis (except maybe the ideal of a virtuous knight, made popular by romantic tales of King Arthur and his knights.)
Because of their iron discipline, the Knightly Orders have become the first effective organized cavalry in the West since the fall of the Roman Empire (the Kataphraktoi of Byzantium have enjoyed a nearly legendary status as the best cavalry in the world for over 500 years, though). The common feudal knights are too temperamental and individualistic to be able to form large cavalry units. As single combatants, these knights are of course very formidable.
Purpose
The Orders have been founded, at least nominally, to protect Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land. This mission now encompasses also the defense of the Holy Land from the surrounding Turks and Saracens, as well as protecting Christendom in general from any external threats. As the main opponent of the Orders, the Islamic forces in Palestine feel little pity for the warrior monks and are known to summarily execute them if captured.
In addition to their military role, the Orders have become powerful political entities, all according to the specific goals of the Order in question. They use their wealth to further their own position, mainly by financially supporting suitable nobles in their military actions.
Obligations
Although the Knights are mainly warriors, they must also follow the strictly regulated life of monks. The foremost obligation is absolute obedience to the higher ranks and unquestioned loyalty to the Order in general. To keep the knight's mind pure, he must be celibate and give a vow of poverty. This does not mean the knight cannot use powerful and magical equipment, but these are owned by the Order and are not his personal property.
Rights
The Orders have been exempted from taxes and the jurisdiction of secular rulers by a papal bull. In some areas the knight may have additional rights, especially if the rulers are favorably inclined. As the Pope has approved the founding of the Orders, he may also change the charters or even revoke them.
The Orders have received many gifts of land and treasure from pious Christians and supportive nobles. They own a considerable amount of castles and strongholds all over Europe and Asia, the Templars and Hospitallers are strongest in France, Iberia, and Italy, while the Teutonic Knights have most influence in Eastern Europe. All Orders are of course very powerful in the Holy Land.
The knights naturally have the right of accommodation in any strongold of the Order, and at least the higher-ranking ones are usually well received in courts. As the knights have few (open) secular ambitions, they easily gain positions of advisors, negotiators, or couriers.
The special position of the knights does by no means guarantee popularity among the nobles or even common people. Many lords have a hard time accepting the Pope's authority over kings and princes, not to mention the Orders' position outside the feudal hierarchy. Thus, assistance from nobles can many times turn out to be reluctant or even treacherous.
Common peasants may find it difficult to understand or accept that these "poor brothers" with more costly equipment than many see in their lifetimes come and demand help, food, or lodging. It is not unheard of for an enraged mob to rough up a lone, haughty knight.
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon are the first, most wealthy, and powerful of the Knightly Orders. The Templars use the most strict monastic code. The Order is based in the former Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem and is recognized by white shields and tabards with red maltese crosses.
The current Templar Grand Master is Richard Plantagenet, a Norman knight and the duke of Aquitaine.
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem is almost as powerful as the Templars. The code of the Hospitallers is slightly less strict in their code. As the name suggests, the order is also involved in maintaining hospitals and healing in general. The Order is based in the Hospital of St John the Baptist in Jerusalem and is recognized by a black outfit with a white cross. In the battlefield, the Hospitallers are also known to use red tabards with white crosses.
The Grand Master of the Hospitallers is currently Gerard van Ghent, a Flemish crusader and the cousin of count Robert of Flanders.
Teutonic Knights
The Order of the German House of St. Mary in Jerusalem is a slightly newer organization with less strict monastic codes and ideology. The Teutonic Knights are considerably less influential than the other Orders in the Holy Land, but have expanded into the pagan areas of the Baltic coast at the Northeastern border of the Holy Roman Empire.
The Order is also based in Jerusalem and uses white outfits with black crosses (sometimes a golden cross with black borders.)
A sub-order of the Teutonic Knights are the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, who concentrate on the Baltic lands. Their symbol is a red sword and cross or two crossed red swords over white.
Secret Societies
Assassins
The Assassins are a radical militant group of Ishmailite Muslim refugees from Egypt, that terrorizes the Islamic nobles of Middle East. After the Crusade, the assassins have also targeted Christian rulers to a lesser extent. The group calls themselves Fida'in ("One who is ready to die for a cause"), hashishin or hashish-eater, is a derogatory term coined by the Muslim opponents of the Fida'in, which has become the established name for the organization.
It is rumored that to become a Fida'in, the novice takes part in a ritual where he is drugged and taken to "paradise" - a garden where all manner of pleasures are available. The novice is then drugged again, taken away and told that these joys of paradise will again be his after martyrdom. The Fida'in consider themselves already dead, the most fanatic of them scorn methods where the murderer can escape.
The assassins have made political murder an ideology and way of life, the members of the society are trained to be blindly obedient. There is an attempt to some honorableness by trying to avoid collateral casualties, but the reputation of terror is kept up by performing the killings in public places.
The organization is led by Hasan-i-Sabbah, also named "The Old Man of The Mountain". He rules from the impregnable mountain fortress Alamut, in Persia.
Rosicrucians
Ordo Rosae Crucis is a secret society of mystics and occultists who claims to have been founded at the time of Alexander the Great, but few believe such. The rosicrucians have few political interests as they state their mission to be to gather, store, and protect ancient knowledge. The quarter this information needs protection from is the Inquisition, who regards such as worst heresy. The rosicrucians themselves have cool relations towards organized religion (and vice versa) since most of them have quite liberal moral views.
As a society, the Rosae Crucis is a very loose club of like-minded dilettantes. The members naturally share information they have acquired in their studies or explorations, but there is no organized cooperation or shared property. Most rosicrucians have to fund their hobby by themselves, or rely on the resources of some other organization.
Power Sources and Society
Arcane
According to the principle of Hermetism, magic is an integral part of the universe, a natural law that needs to be studied. Only the most learned and enlightened ones can even imagine to be able to control it. Since this thinking is based on logic instead of faith, the Christian Church is often suspicious or even openly hostile towards Arcane magic. .
- Bards - recognized as having some Hermetic learning, but not really scholars - their studies are less specific and more practical
- Sorcerers - natural magic-wielders, who have an instinctive grasp on controlling the power of the universe, not really distinguished from witches by the rest of society, although their power comes from within
- Swordmages - those rare individuals who have succeeded in making a personal pact with a martially inclined supernatural being - often a ghost of a great warrior - who helps them in both magical and physical combat
- Warlocks - witches of the blackest kind, who must live under constant threat of prosecution and prejudice - and they know it when choosing this path
- Wizards - masters of Hermetic magic, usually learned scholars who are most respected and tolerated of the Arcane classes
Divine
All established religions agree that there is only on God, and magic is exclusively the property of Him. His faithful servants may humbly pray for miracles, which God (or Allah, or Jahveh, or Angels) may then fulfill, depending on the worth of the request and the person making it. In practice, however, divine magic is so often performed for morally ambiguous purposes that one cannot help but doubt that God actually does weigh every prayer before fulfillment.
- Avengers - religious fanatics, who can be found among all religious orders but have really been made famous by the Assassin sect
- Clerics - warlike priests serving in the Knightly Orders, as well as more pious knights themselves are most often clerics
- Invokers - a more mystic persuasion, often seen among monks and the Eastern Church of Byzantium and Rus
- Paladins - the archetypal Knight Templars or Hospitallers
Martial
What matters in the end is the skill and prowess of the individual. Through practice, training, and experience, one can achieve wondrous things. Not miracles or magic, but solid, practical results. Martial classes can be found from all religions and all levels of society.
Primal
The spirits of our ancestors walk among us, and can be persuaded to act in our favor by threats, gifts or sacrifice. The mostly benevolent family ghosts can perform some aidf themselves, and act as intermediaries towards more distant and sinister beings of Power. Most pagans adhere to some form of animism, maybe tinted with borrowed elements from the established religions.
- Barbarian - most primitive cultures know the battle rage and respect warriors who feel no pain, although the berserkir northmen are by far the most known and feared examples
- Druid - a sage of old lore and performer of rituals, more often a hermit than such a member of the community as the shaman
- Shaman - respected tribal medicine man who can commune with ancestors in a shamanistic ritual trance and drive away evil spirits
- Warden - a medicine man who has taken the more physical route and uses the spirits to aid in the hunt
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