The Bronze Faction are those Sidereal Exalted who supported the Usurpation of the Solars and the rule of the Dragon-Blooded over Creation.
History[]
At the end of the First Age, the Seers cast the Great Prophecy, which fortold three fates. One of these, the Vision of Bronze, showed bloodshed on a scale not seen since the Primordial War, as the Solar Exalted and their Lunar companions were driven from Creation. The Sidereals could advise the new Dragon-Blooded rulers, but could not maintain the glories of the First Age; Creation would endure, but in a lessened state. To most Sidereals, the predictability of the Vision of Bronze was better than the uncertain rewards promised by the Vision of Gold. These formed the Bronze Faction, and engineered the Usurpation.[1]
The Bronze Stars were by far the dominant faction among the Viziers immediately after the Usurpation. They founded the Immaculate Order to serve as their catspaws in Creation and help steward the Shogunate when the gods turned their backs on the traitorous Terrestrials. However, some blamed the Bronze Faction for the Great Contagion and the Fair Folk invasion, or accused them of deliberately engineering the rise of the Scarlet Empress. Increasing numbers of young Sidereals rejected the Vision of Bronze, switching to other factions or declaring themselves "Independents."[2] In response, Chejop Kejak formed an alliance with the Scarlet Empress, agreeing to use the Immaculate Order to further her temporal goals if she would let him guide the Realm into a position of strength. Bronze Stars soon found themselves splitting their duties between the Bureau of Destiny and the Empire's power plays. This seemed to backfire when the Scarlet Empress disappeared and the Solar Exalted returned to Creation - breathing new life into the Gold Faction. [3]
Philosophy[]
The Bronze Faction was formed by those who chose the greatest good with the least chance of harm. Some in the Gold Faction call this cowardice, but Bronze Stars see it as their duty: they have no right to gamble with the lives of millions in Creation.
The Scarlet Empire and the Immaculate Order are the Bronze Faction's greatest achievements, inadvertent though the former may have been. They may not match the glory of the First Age, but the Bronze Stars do not measure themselves against the past. The truly believe that oppression, civil strife and conquest are but necessary evils that will eventually wither away, leaving the Realm a great and secure bulwark against all threats to Creation.
At least, the believed that until the Scarlet Empress disappeared. Between the increasing disorder within the Realm, and the impending death of Kejak, Bronze Stars are beginning to fear that they'll lose everything they've spend centuries building.
Methods[]
The Bronze Faction prefers to work in secret, building up institutions and traditions within Creation that can operate without their direct input. When necessary, they can deploy these systems to a specific end to smooth out some snarl in the Loom of Fate. Even when personal intervention is necessary, they will take measures to obfuscate their role, and keep anyone who discovers them from spreading that knowledge to others.[4]
Cliques[]
The internal organization of the Bronze Faction includes sub-groups devoted to different aspects of their shared goal.
- The Inner Circle, including Chejop Kejak himself, are the faction's leaders. Several of them were around for the Great Prophecy, and no member is less than a thousand years old.
- The Immaculate Seers oversee the Immaculate Order, and some truly believe in its precepts.
- The Keepers of the Seven oversee the Heptagram and serve as sorcerers and occultists.
- The Initiates of the Unblinking Eye interface with the Realm's intelligence services.
- The Dragon's Bastards are those who have formed close ties (perhaps too close) with the Scarlet Dynasty.
- The Egg Hunters seek to guide and influence Terrestrial Exalted on the Threshold.
Members[]
- Chejok Kejak, the leader of the Bronze Faction since its formation
- Righteous Tsunami, Chair of the Convention of Water
- Iron Siaka, the Happy Warrior
References[]
- ↑ Exalted: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 23-25
- ↑ Exalted: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 26-28
- ↑ Exalted: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 28
- ↑ Exalted: Manual of Exalted Power: Sidereals, p. 32-33