What is needed for a children's secret society. Organization of secret societies for dummies

Secret organizations - the plots of countless films and books are dedicated to them; they are capable of awakening endless curiosity in mere mortals who are not privy to all the horrors happening behind closed doors. Conspiracy theorists believe that these societies are up to no good, while their leaders continue to remain silent about their deeds, thereby fueling the emergence of even more rumors. Today, the main task for an ordinary person is to separate the wheat from the chaff, in other words, it is important to distinguish between what is the fruit of the imagination of theorists and the grains of truth.

Since most of our knowledge about such organizations is based on films, television shows and books, their reliability is highly questionable. We often do not have at our disposal even basic information that could confirm or refute the very fact of the existence of many secret societies. The rumors about the members of these communities and their activities are sometimes so surprising and disturbing that it is difficult to imagine that it could be true.

In this article, we tried to select the most reliable information, clearing it of gossip and rumors, and present it to your judgment. Meet: ten of the most mysterious organizations and communities on our planet.

10. Opus Dei

If you've read or watched The Da Vinci Code, then you probably already know what we're talking about. Opus Dei is a secret society dedicated to protecting the secrets of the Catholic Church and the supposed lineage of Jesus Christ. In fact, Opus Dei was created in 1928 with the blessing of the Pope. Members of this community believe that every person should lead a holy lifestyle, including celibacy. This community has been criticized for being too strict in its principles, although none of the atrocities attributed to them have been officially confirmed. Moreover, the Catholic Church itself prohibits the creation of any secret societies, as well as participation in them.

9. Bilderberg Club


The Bilderberg Club is a rather interesting organization whose existence is not denied by anyone; moreover, they even publicly announce the topics of their meetings. Unfortunately, ordinary visitors are strictly prohibited from entering there. The first meeting of this club took place in 1954 at the Bilderberg Hotel in the Netherlands. The guest list is usually quite exclusive and includes the most powerful people on the planet - from senior IMF officials to EU presidents and leaders. All guests are guaranteed the highest level of security and anonymity. Everything that was said at the meetings, as well as who said it, remains a secret.

As for reality, it is much less exciting. The group meets to discuss world problems and issues in an informal setting. Participants can freely share information obtained here, leaving only its source unknown.

8. Rosicrucians


The Rosicrucian Society is believed by many to have been founded in the 1600s by a group of German Protestants who dreamed of changing political map Europe. Since this society was organized by a group of Protestants, it was considered dangerous - the vast majority of the population of Europe professed Catholicism. At that time, the secrecy of the society was the only way to protect against persecution by the Catholic Church. The Rosicrucians still exist today - several groups of this secret society are scattered in different locations globe and each of them claims the right to be considered the ancestor of this movement. Members of this community typically include religious leaders and philosophers.

7. Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

Also known as the Golden Dawn, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was founded in the late 19th century. Its members studied the occult, paranormal phenomena and metaphysics. The organization was considered a magical order; its circles included such famous personalities as Bram Stoker, author of the famous book “Dracula”. Today there are several groups that follow this order, but it is reliably known that none of them has a direct connection with the original order. Members of the order are still required to undergo a special initiation ritual that will move them from the so-called "outer circles" to the "inner circles." According to Llewellyn's Encyclopedia, today more people than ever before have access to the Order of the Golden Dawn. Many of them call themselves "practicing Golden Dawn magicians."

6. Knights of the Golden Circle


At one time, this organization was a real secret society, many believe that it still exists to this day. The Knights of the Golden Circle were supporters of the slave system. The organization itself was founded in the mid-19th century and was highly active before and during the American Civil War. Initially, the society wanted to annex the so-called “golden circle” of lands located in Mexico in order to subsequently divide it into 25 slave states. The mere suggestion that you could be a member of this society could land you in prison at that time. Some historians believe that after the end of the Civil War, the community went underground. For some time there were rumors that the circle was going to finance a second civil war, but they turned out to be empty. Some sources state that the group ceased to exist in 1916.

5. Ordo Templi Orientis


Ordo Templi Orientis or as it is briefly called O.T.O. is an international brotherhood based on religious unity. The group was created following the example of the Freemasons, and its most famous member was the British writer and occultist Aleister Crowley, who was also the leader of the community. When you think of secret societies, you probably think of typical movie anti-heroes armed with daggers and wearing capes. This image came to us precisely from the Ordo Templi Orientis. The rite of passage, as well as brotherly ties, were highly valued here. The entire existence of the group was reduced to the practice of the occult, which, according to some sources, continues to this day. Here, too, over time, smaller groups have appeared that constantly compete with each other and try to prove their belonging to the original family of the founders of the order.

4. Order of the Dragon


The Order of the Dragon included a community of knights and military nobles who devoted their entire lives to the defense of Christianity. They destroyed everyone who went against Christ. The order was founded in 1408 by Sigismund, King of Hungary, who later became Emperor of Europe. One of the most famous members of this order was Vlad II Dracula, the father of Vlad the Impaler, who inspired Bram Stoker's novel Dracula.

3. Freemasonry


Masons are most often accused of participating in and creating world conspiracies. The very idea of ​​Freemasonry arose when four small groups of masons came together to create the Masonic Grand Lodge. The Masons took the concept of conspiracy and the use of passwords to a new level (passwords were originally used by stonemasons so that when moving to new town I could find a job faster). They say that Masons stick together and help each other, no matter where they are in the world. This fact means that everything dignitaries have excellent connections all over the world.

2. Skull and Bones


The Order of Skull and Bones isn't as bad as you might think. It is actually a student body at Yale University, originally known as the Brotherhood of Death. There is just one fact that cannot be denied - the fraternity is famous for some of the most educated and successful graduates in the world. Both President Bush were members of this fraternity, and all the other graduates achieved heights in their fields, having received their: be it career, fame, fortune or success in politics. The Brotherhood meets every Thursday and Sunday in a building code-named "The Tomb" and is believed to seek to form a group of future world leaders and CIA agents. The community itself was founded in 1832, allowing only the elite into its company.

1. Illuminati


The Illuminati is the main mystery and mystery of our time, full of contradictory facts. Although all data indicates that this moment There is no such order left in the world; this may not be true. The Order of the Bavarian Illuminati was founded on May 1, 1776 by Adam Weishaupt. The purpose of creating this society was the desire to counteract the abuse of government power, the desire to keep the influence of religion away from politics and the desire to expand the rights of women. The current version of the Illuminati, as described by conspiracy theorists, is a powerful mechanism for controlling the world's banking systems and government. High-ranking celebrities are usually associated with the society, but again, at this time there is no obvious evidence that the Illuminati society is still active. Here you have only two options to choose from: either they are hidden too well, or they really no longer exist.

What can you do so that life doesn’t seem boring and empty, like on a desert island that relatives occasionally visit? Just don't sit at home! Every city has many different clubs for seniors. And if you have a lot of creative ideas, you can open your own club!

Go to university

In the Novoilinsky district of Novokuznetsk at the library named after. D. Likhachev has a unique club for older people. People come here to study! This is a university for the older generation “New Start!” Everything here is like in a real educational institution: lessons, teachers, breaks, graduations, holidays. “Our university has been operating for the second year,” he says. manager Natalya Suvorova, - more and more people come to us. To be honest, such popularity surprises us, because everything we do now in the club, we did before in the library. Obviously, the chosen form of association turned out to be very successful - there is both knowledge and communication!”

The idea of ​​creating such a club came from the “students” themselves. Someone has already seen similar ones in other cities of Russia, and they were all very popular, because it’s never too late to learn! And if it’s also with like-minded people, then it’s interesting and useful. “The council of veterans of the district approached me with a request to open a university for older people,” continues Natalya Sergeevna. - The idea seemed very interesting to me, especially since we already had some kind of base at the library. We compiled a passport and regulations of the club, in which we outlined its main goals, objectives, direction of work, and the category of “students”. We keep a log of visits and a curator from the library staff is assigned to the university, and we select a leader from among the club participants.”

“University” is good because it gives both knowledge and communication. Photo: From personal archive/

The university opened its doors, as it should be for all educational institutions, on September 1. “Students” attend classes in literature, local history, computer science, art history, in English, Orthodox culture, physical education and even Esperanto! Lecturers from the Pension Fund, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, health centers come to them, and they not only tell them, but can, for example, even check their blood for sugar or do some other express tests. “Students” go to the fire station, various museums, exhibitions, and meet interesting people in the city.

But not all lessons are serious. There are many creative activities that over time began to be carried out not only by volunteers, but also by the “students” themselves. They share their experience with great pleasure: some show embroidery, others do floristry, decoupage, knitting. The teachers at the university are different: they are library staff and volunteers (current and retired teachers educational institutions city, Emergency Situations Ministry employees, government agencies), and now the students themselves, who prepare for lessons with great pleasure and responsibility. Classes are held once a week, on Fridays. As a rule, there are two or three lessons a day, one of them is necessarily creative.

The lecturers at the “University” are different: library workers, current teachers, employees of various services. Photo: From personal archive/

“Our “students” are getting younger before our eyes! - continues the head of the university. - Indeed, they turn into mischievous, cheerful students. And how elegant they come! We also have the first bell, we celebrate Knowledge Day, Student Day and, as expected, graduation with the presentation of certificates. Our grandparents get what they began to miss when they retired - new information and communication. They get acquainted with us, find new friends, then go to the dacha together, visit each other and even go on vacation together, for example, to a sanatorium.” And this year, “students” of “New Start” began to take part in the new project “Granny for an Hour”. These are free creative activities for children, who are taught by the “grandmother” on duty from among the university students. They conduct various creative master classes, read books together, help with homework, learn to play musical instruments, chess and checkers. This is how a simple idea to combine knowledge and communication has grown into a big interesting concept, the implementation of which brings so many benefits to both its organizers and students.

Share yourself!

In 2005, Iraida Borisovna decided to take up social activities, created a club for veterans of her native Zavodsky district of Novokuznetsk and called it “My Family”. Social service I agreed and allocated a room - in the Komsomolets cultural center. “In order to open a club, you just need a great desire and definitely creative potential, - says Iraida Zinovieva. “I didn’t even have to come up with activities: everything that I knew myself, I decided to pass on to my grandparents. She knew how to sew - she opened a sewing club, she knew how to draw - in drawing, she knew how to sing - she organized an ensemble, she knew how to write poetry - a poetry club, she was involved in landscaping - she began teaching landscape design, she sculpted from clay - now I teach others how to make clay plastic. And in the end there were seven circles.” Average age“club youth” is respectable - 80 years old. “Despite their age, they are young at heart, because they are busy with creativity,” continues the head of the club. - We write songs, poems, music, and sing ourselves. We constantly participate in various competitions, art meetings and festivals. Our grandmothers beat out young ones at competitions and take prizes! They are full of creative ideas and optimism in life, because they feel that they are benefiting people and giving them joy, setting an example of how to live actively and not be discouraged!”

When people are creative, they are young. Photo: AiF/Pavel Kazakov

“Infected” with irrepressible energy from their leader, the “club youth” also actively became involved in social activities. Now they travel with charity exhibitions and concerts in specialized institutions for children and the elderly. They believe that only in this way, feeling needed, realizing your creative potential, can you live in joy and harmony with yourself.

Cinema is not for entertainment

The intellectual film club “Dialogue” turns 38 this year! Perhaps this is one of the oldest clubs in Novokuznetsk. The participants here are different, of course, and there are many retirees. It arose from the desire of townspeople to discuss problematic cinema. “In the pre-perestroika years, we were simply excited by films such as Andrei Rublev, Solaris, Ivan’s Childhood, Five Evenings, The Ascension, The Escape of Mr. McKinley, Father Sergius,” says club member Andrey Ivanov.- No one talked about this on television, like now, no one discussed them. You won't hear the truth! And we really wanted to understand the film and discuss it with like-minded people. And until then, at times the discussions were so heated that fists were used! Can you imagine?

The founder of the club was infectious disease doctor Boris Gilev. And in 1979, “Dialogue” began organizing meetings in the library. N.V. Gogol. “There was a time when people were allowed into the club only based on exam results,” continues Andrey. - You had to know the basic film terms. I remember we even wrote cheat sheets for beginners so that they wouldn’t fail the exam.” The club was very popular: it was a member of the Society of Cinema Friends at the Union of Cinematographers, went to various film festivals, and collaborated with the Cinema Museum in Moscow. At one time, film experts from Moscow and famous cameramen came to visit the club. A unique collection of films by the best directors has been formed here!

“Of course, now people have more opportunities to watch and discuss interesting films: there is the Internet, various forums,” says Andrei Ivanov. - But we come here precisely for live communication. We older people miss him. We learn to listen to each other, express our point of view, meet new people. Many of us then just become friends, go to visit each other. We get interesting knowledge and communication here, which is exactly what we miss in life.”

Retelling, chapter fifteen. My comments are in italics.

The translation is presented for informational purposes, all rights belong to the copyright holders.

How to create a guild, college or secret society
Author: Wolfgang Baur

About community goals, initiation, structure, secrets and enemies

Worldbuilding is most often about people, places, magical changes in on a global scale. But the smallest aspects that focus in themselves all the features of the setting are the totality of it social structures: Orc tribes, bard colleges, thieves guilds, vampire clans, even church hierarchy and knightly orders. How can these elements be designed to make the world more attractive and playable? According to the author, the social design of these communities is critical in engaging players in the world and the game.

Here are the key elements to consider when designing a (community) or guild. They can be applied to most RPGs.

Distinctive general purposes and exceptions
Unlike tribes and peoples, a (community) is usually a voluntary association that is not necessarily tied to any specific location. Brotherhoods of priests, conclaves of wizards, craft guilds and orders of paladins decide who will become their members, for which the candidate must first complete training or prove his qualifications. In other words, such (community) societies are essentially clubs and, like all clubs, they may admit newcomers often, rarely or never at all.

Founding members are usually some of the most influential members of the (com)society for obvious reasons (due to the "seniority" of the member, due to knowledge of internal procedures, sometimes as a reward for patronage), so that in some cases the goals of the (com)society coincide with personal goals of this group. Imagine, for example, an archmage who wants to capture the queen of the genies; the head of a goldsmith's guild, eager to create the greatest work of art ever seen; a legless, secretive alchemist who hopes to climb the mountain and build a temple for his holy wife. They each have a purpose, and as founders, they must be persuasive, powerful, or wealthy enough to make others share their goals.

However, in most cases, the goals of a (community) are much larger and more ambitious and far exceed any personal goals - otherwise it will not survive the founding generation. These goals must exceed the capabilities of any one person, require joint efforts and change the entire world in some way. These must be big goals because people are not inclined to join and fight for something small. And perhaps we should recognize that (the) monsters require a similar level of motivation (from those who decide to fight them).

So what could be such a big goal? The details depend on your world, but perhaps they involve awakening an imprisoned deity, creating a library of all knowledge, exploring the far reaches of the world, collecting all forms of magical ores and gems, caring for the poor and sick, protecting the elven forests from being cut down, destroying all traces of blasphemous heresy. Or goals more related to power: restoration royal family on the throne, the enslavement of all humanity by the lich-queen, or the creation of a theocracy of the One True Goddemon.

Initiation and initiation rituals
Who makes these goals a reality? Those who volunteer their efforts as apprentices and apprentices, who are born into a cult or (community), who support it with money or services, or those who undergo initiation through an ordeal.

The key moment for the game is when the character tries to join such a group. Such a moment simply must include at least a little drama and suspense (tension). Ultimately, he may be voted out, at the behest of the cult's deity, due to a poor fortune-telling result or a bad omen. A longtime adversary may thwart a character's attempt to join (community) by delaying it temporarily or permanently. To begin with, you will have to work a little. Here are 10 possible ways to perform a dedication or initiation:

1) Washed in Blood: initiation as a trial by combat. The initiate must engage in real or symbolic battle with an illusory opponent, a terrible monster, or an apprentice of (com)society. The victory can be formal - unless the opponent replaces the fake monster with a real one. And in the case of a duel with an armed enemy, the goal may be more to demonstrate steadfastness, iron endurance, or good manners than, in fact, the victory itself.

2) Strong in Mind: the subject can be tested for memory, courage and knowledge of the secret sciences, conduct a long-hour interview, be asked to sing or recite something, answer in a dead language or retell ancient history, theorize about the creation of spells and artifacts lost to centuries. The purpose may be a torturous vocal defense of the world (?) or a test of the subject's endurance before he fails. Indeed, IQ is a great way to evaluate candidates for the scientific (community) community, and an ever-increasing number of tasks to test these skills can create a sense of increasing tension and difficulty in a gaming session.

3) Generous Giver: The subject may be required to show generosity of spirit and open his wallet. Initiation may include bribes and gifts to the guild leader, endless libations (banquet) for newly acquired brothers and sisters, offerings in the form of small spells, symbolic animals, jewelry, rings, knives or other objects significant to the (community). The richer the initiate, the more expensive the gifts should be, the exact number can be indicated as "lots and lots" of horses, gold bars, necklaces or what have you. Failure to Provide required quantity gifts will certainly embitter those who were left out, which will affect the voting result.

4) Bound by Magic: The candidate must take a magical oath or undergo a ritual of binding and submission to ensure the safety of the secrets of the (community) or to ensure obedience to the will of the guildmaster, or to ensure the honesty of members within the thieves' guild ("By taking this oath, you cannot lie to your brothers or the head of the order") . These obligations don't have to be entirely negative or forceful: members of the wizards guild can gain the ability to sense or read magic upon entering the guild, and members of the thieves guild gain night vision like a cat (in general, there should be some benefit).

5) Ceremonial Sacrifice: The applicant may be required to sacrifice something very valuable - a magical item, a relic, blood and hair. He may be subjected to ritual castration, a vow of chastity, or poverty. The subject is warned about such things in advance, but knowing and acting out are two different things. Clearly write down this point during development so that no questions arise during the game.

6) God's Anointed: The subject must visit several shrines, undergo a sacred ritual, or overcome several difficult trials that are significant to members of the (community), such as a knight's vigil or the anointing of priests. The candidate may be accepted or rejected by higher powers, he may experience a vision, a prophecy, or receive a sign of blessing. A candidate may be rejected forever or until the (community) reopens its doors to newcomers if he fails to receive such a sign or vision.

7) Returned from Darkness: The candidate may have to endure narcotic visions, prolonged fasting, deliberate poisoning, spend time in isolation or complete darkness, or undergo other torturous ritual dangerous to physical or mental health. He or she may be subjected to various temptations, spiritual and secular temptations, offered comfort, water, food or other help, which he or she must reject.

8) Recognized by the Elite: The candidate must charm, deceive, or work hard to persuade the founders, leaders, or elite of (community) to vote for his promotion in the organization's hierarchy. If he fails to convince them, he cannot advance, despite all his merits.

9) Lock without Key: The candidate receives arcane knowledge, items, a familiar, or new magic and must master it or control it in some way. Until he solves the riddle of this test, the initiation will not be completed and he will not be able to become a full member of the group.

10) Tested and Marked by the Finger of Fate: The candidate comes into the sight of some powerful entity - a demon, angel, dragon, archmage or some kind of arbiter - who peers into his soul and decides whether he is worthy to join the order. If the candidate fails, he is returned to the world, rejected, and advised to complete a few tasks or gain deeper understanding before returning. “You have not satisfied the Secret Master - move on and develop skills and wisdom until next time.” If the candidate succeeds, some sign will appear on his body: a tattoo, a halo, horns, a change in eye color or another sign that clearly shows that this person is one of the followers of the Secret Master.

Open, closed and secret (community) societies
Crafts and thieves' guilds, knightly and monastic orders, colleges of magicians, cults, aristocratic clubs and secret societies are all organizations dedicated to some kind of group actions and goals. But they are structured differently when speaking publicly. Craft guilds keep their technology secret and mages hide their secret knowledge. Knights can be open to the world, but hide their military equipment and battle commands, the meaning of flags, special maneuvers or training methods. Monastic brotherhoods have both public duties and internal rules(See Zeb Cook's essay on secret cults (chapter 14)). Both cults and secret societies hide their activities from others, especially if their goals are malicious.

Therefore, you should carefully consider what the public image of the (community) will be, its internal procedures and trade secrets. Even societies known for charity, honesty and good-heartedness may hide secrets known only to the top, related to questionable sources of funding, politics, the treatment of wealthy donors, or harsh rules aimed at men and their position in the order. Thus, the cult of animals and human sacrifice will take very specific measures to prevent rumors about their real activities.

The developer must decide what secrets the (community) keeps and how to protect them from outsiders. Pressure from authorities, economic dependence, shame and guilt, powerful oaths, threats to family or friends, magical coercion, invisible demonic surveillance - something helps (community) protect its inner secrets.

In general, a (society) can be open to everyone, with all its secrets except for some minor part relating to finance, theology or magical knowledge. Or it may be that access is open to all, with only the most devout few being initiated. Anyone can join, but not everyone can move up in the hierarchy, since the (community) has an outer and an inner circle of members. The inner circle knows the real goals of the organization, while the outer circle works on public issues that may be related to those goals or serve as a cover. In other words, a (community) community can have multiple levels of participation and commitment. At each subsequent level, the character learns more and more secrets and experiences an “aha!” moment of enlightenment, having received an explanation for some actions of (community) that were previously incomprehensible. The developer’s task is to clearly show what information is available at what level.

Finally, an extreme form of "us-them" thinking, where any internal information is kept secret, and everyone who is not a member of the group is seen as dangerous, unbelieving, and a threat to the greater goals of (community). Typically groups organized in this way are called cults, although "Wall Street banking firm" would also work. If you're designing a vampire clan, Cthulhu cult, or similar (society), be careful about how you shape its secret history and how you punish anyone who breaks the secret. These will likely become plot points for GMs or part of the setting's story. Sometimes it is worth specifying the specific forms of punishment or retribution that are applied to those who betray the secrets of the cult: death by drowning for former servants of Dagon, murder by sunlight or bleeding for traitors to the ancient clan. If it's part of the world's history (lore), it can be used in the adventure and plot.

Status and power
Having decided who can join the (community) and how, let’s consider its internal hierarchy. Guildmaster, archmage, vampire prince, baron leading the knightly brotherhood - there are no main problems with the appointment. But who are their main supporters? How does one advance in rank from novice to page, squire, knight, master sergeant, commander and finally marshal? How many levels are there in the cult hierarchy?

Come up with several titles, make it clear that the organization recognizes them, give examples in the world's bible of who most often ends up in what position (candidate requirements). It's not necessary to list all the ranks of a weaver's guild if it plays a minor role in the setting, but if you're creating a world of secret monster-hunting organizations, you'll need to decide who signs the invoices when fighters go over budget on gear in pursuit of Bigfoot.

Finally, make it clear how big the organization is and how much influence it has. This could be as simple as listing the members of a gang of thieves or as complex as listing the network of sires and ghouls in a vampire city. Note that a small organization is not necessarily weaker than a large order with thousands of members. The Circle of Eight in the world of Greyhawk dominates its history and mythology, all its members are important. Can you come up with a similar group of representatives? various forces your world.

Need for competitors
One of the underappreciated aspects when designing a guild or society is rivals, competitors and worst enemies. After all, if achieving what you wanted was so easy, everything would have ended long ago. The enemy may be another (community) striving for the same values, or pursuing goals so disgusting that all sane people want to prevent them. Perhaps the goals of society run counter to the plans of the state. The enemy can be an archmage monitoring the actions of the (community) or a free alliance of street urchins and smart adventurers.

It is not so important who will play the role of opponent, as the fact that there are those who know their true goals. When the characters join the (community), they accept these enemies as their own. This gives the GM an excellent reason for conflict - if the enemy is clearly defined and understandable to use, with their own goals, hierarchy, tools, spies and magical artifacts. Ideally, have an initiation ritual that the characters can pass or fail in order to infiltrate their opponents for spying.

Identification marks
An essential part of designing any college, guild or society is what it will look like for the players. The author believes that the simplest solution is to use one symbol, item of clothing, secret word or other identifier to the maximum. The Cult of the Red Star uses red stars, the Loyal Alchemist Guild uses the pelican (symbol of loyalty), the Order of the Immortal Light uses solar symbols.

This is, of course, trivial, but the point is so that players can recognize the nature of the cult at first glance. And for a school of magicians with their lions, snakes, ravens and badgers, it will be easy to use these symbols to indicate the characters of the characters. There's nothing wrong with repeated descriptions like "you see a man with ashen hair and a snake tattoo," as that's the easiest way to tell characters that they're dealing with a Slytherin alumnus. This works great for all open ones, public organizations and helps them identify each other, and of course it makes it easier for the villains to recognize and target the heroes of the game.

13 Unusual World-Building Communities
1. The Alchemists Guild, which discovered the fountain of youth.
2. An order of inquisitors who can sniff out any lie.
3. A brotherhood of minotaurs and rangers specializing in dungeon exploration and plunder.
4. Order of paladins that robs the rich.
5. The cult of slave traders who believe that people are better off living in slavery.
6. A secret society of werewolves who want to gain power over unsuspecting residents.
7. Guild of magicians seeking to become liches and immortal spirits.
8. The Thieves Guild, which does charity work for orphans.
9. Trade guild of gnomes, specializing in transportation using griffins and aircraft.
10. A community of singers who support an invisible wall that protects the world from demonic hordes.
11. An order of priests dedicated to collecting knowledge and mapping the world.
12. A society of women, among whom there are oracles and prophets, wishing the world stability and security.
13. The order of assassins guarding the fortress where the roots of Yggdrasil and the Fruit of Knowledge lie.

Conclusion
Why bother? Because secret (s)ocieties are the greatest villains and greatest heroes your world. They will survive any attempt to destroy them. The mega-villain can be killed, but his followers will live to strike and take revenge. A hero who falls in the service of the Order of Saint Aric knows that even though he sacrifices his life, others will take up his banner and continue his work.

Well-designed (com)societies can echo throughout the process of worldbuilding. Make them mythical, epic, mysterious, secretive or nasty, but make them understandable, organized, active and passionate about their goals. And your reward will be conflict, drama and great acting.

1. Create a mystery or secret mission. A secret society must have a purpose to protect something.

2. Read a few topical books, such as the “Clique” series by Lizzie Harrison to find out basic information. Ask potential community members to also read these books and talk privately with one of your close associates who is also inspired by the idea of ​​​​creating a community.

3. Come up with a name for the club. Together with a friend, discuss what your society will be called and who else you will accept into it. Remember that even if you have a lot of friends, not all of them are suitable for membership in a secret organization. After all, they still won’t know that they were not accepted, which means that they won’t be offended.

4. Create a rite of passage for yourself.. You must go through it yourself before accepting other people into the club in order to feel and sensibly evaluate your plan. The rite of passage is one of the most important aspects of a secret society. It should be something you wouldn't do just for the sake of it. Everyday life. Light candles - this will give any action a serious and mysterious atmosphere. You can give participants special names, which from now on other club members will call them.

5. Decide what your society will do. A community must have rules. Create a schedule of specific “club” activities—for example, dressing the same on specific days or having monthly rituals. It all depends on your creativity. You can also organize distribution of intra-club news.

6. Find potential members for the club. Casually drop something about society in a conversation to gauge the degree of interest of the interlocutor. Make sure he doesn't betray you or go against the rules. Don't mention the club to people you don't trust 100%.

7. Bring future members of the community up to date.. Invite them over for an overnight stay and show all your cards. They will be surprised and delighted, because they are special!

8. An important aspect of secret organizations is secret meetings.. Gather in a new place each time or find a “secret room” where you are sure no one will find or recognize you.

9. Come up with a dress code. In most small societies, the form of clothing is robes, and in large ones, elaborate aprons.

10. Keep everything secret.

11. Select new club members carefully. Dedicate the most outstanding and active people, those who can inspire and motivate others.

12. Don’t give away all the company’s secrets right away.. New members must first earn your trust.

13. Come up with a way to exclude from the society if suddenly some members become objectionable to you, or start chatting about the secrets of the club. If this suddenly happens, pretend it was never a secret and immediately come up with something new. Add this point to the club rules.

Adviсe:

• Create a secret handshake.


• Don't talk about the company to people you don't trust.


• A good place for secret society members to meet is the school library. Choose a remote location and hold meetings there.

Warnings:

• Delete your browsing history in your browser so that no one knows that you read this article.


• If you suddenly choose the wrong members for society - partygoers, sports fans, those who strive to control everything, or those who are busy with their own things, like competition and self-affirmation - be prepared to communicate with people you do not trust. They may perceive the secret society as an opportunity for competition, and then it will be difficult to keep them silent.


• Make sure you are not doing anything illegal.

Since the Order is a closed secret society, special requirements are imposed on the candidate upon entry. This must be a person who has reached the age of majority, has no criminal record and is seeking to change himself and the world. Since the activities of the Order are aimed at studying large quantity non-standard information in all fields, the candidate upon entry must be able to prove his ability to learn, flexibility of mind, his desire to accept and adhere to the rules of the Order, as well as detail and convincingly reveal the reasons for his desire to join the ranks of the Order.

The process of acceptance into the ranks of the Illuminati takes place in stages. The first step to join is for the candidate to fill out the contact form below. It is necessary to fill out all the fields provided as detailed and clearly as possible, do not use deliberately false information, expressive expressions and advice, and do not ask questions. The administration of the Order selects suitable candidates and sends them further orders. As a rule, these are small tasks for collecting/processing information or conversations with members of the Order using available information technologies. Based on the voting results, it becomes clear whether the candidate has a chance of joining or not.

If the candidate fully meets all the requirements and is worthy to join the secrets of the Order, he becomes a full-fledged Illuminati of the first Degree of Initiation - Disciple (ST I).

Application for admission to the Order

Before submitting your application, please read the “Questions and Answers” ​​section and make sure that you meet the requirements for candidates for entry. If the decision on your candidacy is positive, be prepared to confidentially provide more detailed information.