Trevallis
Notable Groups in the Second Republic
Red Hand
The Red Hand, also known as the Bloody Hand, are one of the oldest and most well know organisations in the Second Republic. And yet for all this they are fanatically secretive, revealing yourself to be a member of the Red Hand to a non member is takign your life into your hands. The group originally started during the long journey from the Empire to the lands that would become the First Republic. The journey lasted many months, the ships being sailed in were not really sea worthy as the Empire viewed sea travel as a threat to good order. Where possible ships would make landfall to take on provisions and make repairs. Some people even decided they'd travelled far enough and set up home. Thus it was over the many years people fled from the falling Empire the tails of the Bloody Hand would spread. These tales would detail the murder of an Elf or Dwarf, occasionally a Human, with a hand print in red paint, or often blood daubed on the body.
As the tales went those killed had been high ranking Imperial Offcials and they had been exceuted for their part in enslaving humanity. As the tales spread the rumours of the powers of the Bloody Hand were vast. When the wide open lands of the New Republic was formed and people began setting up enclaves some managed to rise to power. Soon powerful people would be found dead, again with a symbol of a hand in red and often with documented evidence of corruption or abuse of powers.
Since then the Red Hand has been a force in Republic politics, they target those who abuse positions of power including one more than one occasion their own members. They seem driven by a fanatical devotion to the cause of keeping a check on those in power. In recent times they've calmed down slightly, someone found to be using a monopoly to raise prices far beyond their costs may find a card with a rad hand on their pillow when they go to bed. Or they may never wake up at all, the workings of the Hand seem subject to individual taste. On occasion attempts have been made to crack down of the Red Hand but it's actions are generally supported by the majority of the populace. Also the Hand is rigourous at protecting it's secrecy, it's low level membership are merely information getheres with no knowledge of the higher ranks and suspected Red Hand assassins never survive capture chosing instead to commit suicide.
The Order of the Rook
Taking their name from the Chess piece The Order of the Rook are self appointed guardians of Order within the Republic. Rooks, as they are known, strive to uphold a code to honour whereby they protect the weak and enforce the law.