The Cauldron of Storms

There are ancient terrors waiting to rise

When Marmee Noir rose from the slumber of ages, it was a galvanizing moment for the Cauldron of Storms. For centuries, and some say millennia, the group had been teaching its recruits that there were elder 'evils' that existed, that the vampire council was a front for older and more powerful vampires. The Cauldron has taught since its earliest days that when the time come, they would serve as a strike force against these ancient terrors in order to preserve the world from them.

What ended up happening, was that while Anita Blake stood off against Marmee Noir, the Cauldron was active in other parts of the world, trying to nullify the ancient vampire's assets, allies and resources. The Harlequin was believed to number only a handful of vampires, but the Cauldron learned that there were other similar organizations and groups scattered around the world, not to mention other allies that Marmee Noir called into play.

Although the Cauldron's role in the struggle is little known, it is because of their efforts that Anita was able to handle the 'Mother of All Darkness', and the Cauldron was able to point to concrete proof of their beliefs. They suggest now, that Marmee Noir may have been one of the first vampires, but that saber-toothed cats only existed in the last 50,000 years, so her claim that she was the "Mother" of the vampire race may have been a lie when measured against the knowledge that Mr. Oliver is one of the Homo Erectus, or early hominids.

History

The Cauldron is old, though only a few members truly grasp just how old it really is. It existed before the empire of old Rome, and before the conquest of the holy land. It has been suggested that the Cauldron may be as old as the first dynasties of Egypt and witnessed the pyramids rise. It was created in those ancient days as an organization that would fight against the elder evils that it taught waited sleeping in the earth. The Cauldron believed then, as it does now, that elder vampires who were thousands of years old would eventually rise to either lay claim to the world or to ravage their descendents, and more that these ancient monsters must be opposed and destroyed to protect vampires and humans alike.

With this stated goal, the Cauldron naturally recruited vampires as their first and foremost members, those that should and could bear witness to history's flow and keep the memory of their purpose alive and hale. The Cauldron recruited magicians and witches because the Cauldron knew the versatile tool of magic could be brought to bear as a weapon against these ancient evils.

Over time, their purpose and reason for existing evolved, growing to incorporate ideas which were somewhat radical and remain so to this age. The Cauldron came to believe that the Supernatural creatures of the world were natural facets of Nature, and as such were entitled to life and existence. But, it was also determined that since almost all such supernatural beings have their origins in humanity, that humanity was worthy of protection. What followed was the idea that humans should be protected from the worst depredations of the supernatural, whom the Cauldron refers to as the Night People, and that the Night People should be protected from the teeming masses of humanity.

As time went on, the Cauldron has expanded its membership to include every variety of supernatural creature, and of humans with psychic or magical powers. They are one of the most diverse of the secret organizations in the world and the most proactive in the world around them.

Purpose & Goals

The over-arching desire of the Cauldron is to serve as a bulwark for the supernatural against humanity, punishers of the supernatural for the worst abusers of the mortal world, and warriors and guardians against the ancient evils that live on earth and beyond that will one day rise.

  • Guard the Children of Adam - From humanity does the supernatural spring, and those that come from the children of Adam are bound to protect humanity from the worst depredations of the Nightborn.
  • Guard the Nightborn - Humanity has the power, and the numbers, that if it chose to it could lay waste to the supernatural denizens of the world. The Nightborn, like all living things, have the same right to exist that humanity does, and so the Nightborn must also be sheltered and protected.
  • Prepare for the Rise of the Ancients - There are ancient and elder evils which will one day rise up from whatever chains hold them and seek to make themselves Masters of the world to the detriment of mankind and the Nightborn. This must be prevented at all costs, and the Cauldron will serve as the first and last line of defense of the world of men.
    • Most members of the Cauldron assume this is a specific reference to Ancient Vampires, but the truth is somewhat more in depth, as the Cauldron was created to fight against any and all ancient evils: vampiric, demonic, and otherwise.

The Mandates

Organize Resistance:
One of the primary purposes of the Cauldron is to defend against the predations of the vampire council, and just as important, the predations of vampires that are tens of thousands of years old, including Marmee Noir. To that end, the Cauldron is charged with organizing resources and training resistance fighters against these elder evils. The belief is that one day, the Council will turn on those it has created, and the Mother of All Darkness will turn on those she created as well. To safeguard the various races, the magicians and the bloodlines of vampirism, the Cauldron will do as it must.

Defend and Succor the Nightborn:
While not exclusive to the race of vampires, the Nightborn is a broad term for all those that walk in the shadows. This includes the vampires, the various subspecies of lycanthropy, magicians and psychics, and the rest of the supernatural world that lives in the twilight and out of sight of the vast herds of humanity. The Cauldron exists to protect the Nightborn, to facilitate the wise governance of the same, and to shield those that call the night home from humanity.

Defend and Succor the Mortals:
This duty to protect the Nightborn though is not one sided, almost all of the Nightborn owe their existence to humanity. Without humans, there are no vampires, and just as importantly, no human blood. Without humans lycanthropy would not exist. In order to preserve the Nightborn then, it becomes necessary to protect humanity from the Nightborn and from itself. The Cauldron encourages nuclear disarmament, environmental conservation, and is (broadly speaking) Pro-Life.

Guard Against Self Harm:
Considered to be the 'First Mandate', this principle guides almost all activities of the Cauldron from night to night existence and broader strategies. The mandate is intended to ensure that those leading the organization do not engage in activities which will bring harm to the Cauldron. In theory, this means that each action is carefully scrutinized so that the Cauldron's activities do not 'blow back' on the organization as a whole.

Endure and Survive:
If the organization does not endure, than it has failed in its purposes, and failure is not an option. The Cauldron will actively defend itself from any and all attackers, as viciously as is required to ensure its own survival.

Watch & Prepare:
Part intelligence network and part doomsday cult, the Cauldron is supposed to gather information and secure important resources to ensure that when the final days come, it is ready to fight against the Council, against Marmee Noir, and against any other threats which arise.

The Laws of the Cauldron

The Law of Territory:

Each member of the Cauldron has territory, whether it was taken or assigned, whether it is physical or intangible. In order to ensure that members are given less reason to come to conflict with each other, what a member claims as territory is sacrosanct and is to be free from the manipulations of fellow Cauldron members. They may do as they see fit with their territory, provided it does not endanger the purposes, designs, or members of the Cauldron of Storms. All claims of territory are adjudicated and recorded by the Hands of the Consul.

The Law of Respect:

Humans are Predators. Almost all of the lycanthropes are predators. Vampires are predators. In any gathering of such predators manners and decorum are important. It is forbidden for any member of the Cauldron to use its powers, gifts, or magic against another member. Furthermore, discourse between members is to remain civil. Violations of this law are dealt with harshly. Politeness keeps fangs hidden and claws sheathed.

The Law of Obedience:

It is incumbent upon all members to obey their superiors. Questions are expected and encouraged, and even arguing against a position or action has its merits. The Cauldron will not tolerate disobedience at any level though. Refusing to obey a lawful order from one's superior is punishable by flogging.

The Law of Succor:

Vampires are despised throughout most of the world. So too are the Were's. Human magicians and necromancers have been persecuted. When a brother or sister of the Cauldron calls on you, you are obligated to provide shelter and such other necessities of living. In all conflicts between outsiders and members, members are obligated to come to one another's defense if asked.

The Law of Silence:

Suffer no outsider to know our secrets and live. Death or Recruitment are the only options for one that has learned what they should not. Do not speak of your membership in the Cauldron. Do not advertise your membership in the Cauldron. Let it be as if the Cauldron did not exist at all.

The Law of Destruction:

The right to destroy a member of the Cauldron belongs solely to the Princeps and the First Lord. They may appoint an executioner as they see fit to do so, but the right belongs to them. Death warrants do not need to be approved, but are reviewed regularly. If the signer does not have a good reason for ordering the death, it is considered murder. Those who destroy one of their brethren will suffer the Sun-Death.

The Law of Retribution:

Those that strike down a member of the Cauldron forefeit their claim on life or unlife, and must die. They, their family, their progeny, their brides, all. All that they love and hold dear must die. You will not suffer a fallen member to go unavenged.

Ranks & Hierarchy

  • Grandmaster - The Supreme Leader of the Cauldron
    • Elected every century by a conclave of the Masters and Learned Masters of the Cauldron, the Grand Master is responsible for organizing, designing, implementing and effecting global level strategy for the organization as a whole. He directs all the arms of the organization, receives reports on all of its intelligence and information gathering, and is both chief law maker and chief enforcer of the law. The Grand Master is given the honorific of 'Supreme' and enjoys a noble style such as was seen in the middle ages. His noble style is "Imperator" or "Sire".
  • Exalted Elder - Leaders and Administrators of the Cauldron
    • An Exalted Elder is a figure of considerable dread, as the requirements to obtain the title are vigorous and invariably lethal. Those who attain the rank of Exalted Elder undergo a series of tests. Referred to as The Trials, these tests encompass everything from raw personal combat skill, the ability to quickly and correctly analyze large volumes of information, as well as loyalty to the organization. As time has continued to advance, this mandatory training has changed with the times, taking modern inventions and discoveries into account. Like the Cauldron itself, the training evolves with the times. Those that fail the tests die, without exception, though no one is certain if this is due to the nature of the tests or if the penalty for failure is death. This test must be retaken every five years in order to maintain rank. Exalted Elder's are granted the honorific "Exalted.". The leader of the Exalted Elder's is referred to as the Consul and is elected by the Exalted Elders every five years. There is 1 Exalted Elder for every 50 Masters. Exalted Elders often oversee a large geographic area (Such as the Midwestern United States, or South East Asia), but are also responsible for running specific divisions within the Cauldron.
  • Elder - Senior Guides and Instructors
    • Those that have achieved the rank of Elder have typically done so after demonstrating a mastery of their chosen skill and/or calling within the Cauldron, to the satisfaction of their peers and one of the Learned Masters. When an adept goes for promotion to this rank he undergoes a test wherein he must demosntrate comprehensive knowledge of his subject of study or area of focus, not dissimilar from a PhD thesis defense, but far more vigorous. The candidate must also demonstrate the minimums of the education required by the Cauldron to his Review Board. There are approximately 1 Master per every 50 adepts within the organization. Elders are charged with overseeing specific locales, typically organized on a city by city basis. They report to the Exalted Elders. They elect their own leader to serve as their representative to the Concilium, and that leader is styled as the Magister. An Elder receives the Honorific 'Distinguished Sir/Madam' and has the noble style of "Your Grace".
  • Master -
    • The highest rank to which field personnel can aspire, a Master is one that has seen considerable field experience and is trusted to lead and counsel adepts and their cells, and to serve as intermediaries between the Elders and the lesser ranks. Masters typically oversee a small group of adepts and earn the noble style of "Reverend"..
  • Adept
    • Adepts are field personnel with a fair bit of experience under their belt and some leadership skills. Typically overseeing a cell of 3-4 Novices and 1-2 Initiates in a given city, their primary purpose is to provide leadership and serve as a repository of local information and intel.
  • Novice
    • Novices are members of the Cauldron which have demonstrated a basic level of skill and training. While more trusted than initiates, Novices are still guided and protected rather firmly. In the 'family' of the Cauldron they are the young adults which have earned a bit of trust but still need some supervision. They are referred to as Dedicated.
  • Initiate
    • The newest members of the Cauldron are called initiates, and are referred to as Soldiers. They are trusted very little and can be expected to be watched closely.

Special Divisions of the Cauldron

  • The Archons of the Storm: The Archons are the backbone of the intelligence services the Cauldron utilizes. Archons are the James Bonds or the Jason Bournes of the Cauldron network. Highly skilled, highly motivated, they may not quite be one man armies, but they are not far from it. Trained to operate alone, they serve in places that must be closely monitored by the Exalted Elders. The Archons answer to the Magister.
  • The Praetorians: The elite cadre of warriors who serves as the military arm of the Cauldron. Designed and suited for small-force black operations, they typically operate in squads of four and never more than eight in a group. Regardless of supernatural status or skill, they train, drill, and engage in actions every bit as demanding as any special forces training program in the world. Praetorians are typically selected from the ranks of the more martially inclined Adepts. They are led by the Warlord of the Cauldron who is generally at least of Elder rank, and typically one of the Exalted Elders and answers exclusively to the Grandmaster.
  • Hands of the Consul: Magistrates and Accountants, these roving agents typically serve as arbiters of dispute and work to ensure that the Cauldron is not breaking apart at the seams. Less well trained than either the Archons or the Praetorians, the Hands adopt a Jack-of-Many-Trades approach to their training and can be collectively just as dangerous as any Archon or Praetorian warrior. They answer to the Consul. They are empowered to bindingly decide the fates of Adepts, Novices, and Initiates, and must be present for a duel to be considered both legitimate and conclusive. Within the culture of the Cauldron they are the arbiters of social standing and the recorder of deeds.

Benefits of Membership

Of all the secret societies that are currently in existence, the Cauldron is perhaps the most flexible in its goals and in its capacity for reaching out to other groups and making alliances with other parties. The others involved in these alliances may not know who or what exactly they are making an alliance with, as the organization prides itself on its secrecy, but it is always willing to reach out and bring in new resources, or recruits. Like the Illuminati, the organization has a talent for subversion and infiltration, which they use to extend their reach.

The Cauldron is the organization that is most likely going to encourage its members to develop their own projects, work on their own research, and do generally as they please provided they do not break the mandates, or the laws which bind the organization together.

Current Affairs

The Cauldron has recently taken steps in order to secure for itself access to some of the largest travel hubs in the United States. It most recently set its sights on Denver as a location for a permanent base.