The Victor's Circle

The Victor's Circle is somewhere between a cult and a criminal syndicate. Its members seek positions of power across the lands of Orthodox Desmianism, so that they might embezzle funds and sow seeds of corruption. They share bounties that are put out on the heads of particularly virtuous Desmians, they help each other commit financial crimes, and they protect each other's illicit businesses from the authorities.
Some join for gold, some join for healing, some join for power, and some join to accelerate the collapse of society. But all who join understand that they are waging a war for personal gain against the rest of society. 
Their stated leaders are the Lunar Pantheon, who they consider to be 'Archdemons'. The real leader among these is Lily of Red, the Archdemon of war who openly despises Desmian culture. Little pretense is made of morality: instead of justifying their own actions, the Victor's Circle whispers an ideology of hyper-cynicism and opportunism. They argue that no one is fighting for good, that good may not even exist, and that the elites are simply manipulating the rest of society for profits and power. Everyone else is playing a selfish game of opportunism - so why shouldn't you? You can never be a victor if you don't know you're fighting, but once you wake up to the war you are in you can play dirty like everyone else.
Most members of the Circle are more interested in "winning the game" and accumulating wealth and power than in the greater moral implications of all this. A fair number of them are Seruvian heretics who see themselves as "manipulating" this group to further their sect (though Lily is well aware of their involvement and sees that as a good thing, as it better undermines the authority of the Perpetual Conclave of Desmia ). 
A select few, however, live to embody the Victor's Circle in all ways. These are Paladins of Treachery, rare individuals who swear Oaths to Lily of Red to assist the Circle and further its goals. Paladins of Treachery are rare but serve as important leaders, enforcers, healers, and messengers.

Structure

The Victor's Circle operates in small, hierarchical cells. Typically, a small group of the oldest and most loyal members rule their cell, and have blackmail on all lower members. Beneath this circle, there are outer circles that radiate downwards of more and more people. Through loyalty and accumulation of power, one can advance inwards. 
There are a number of these cells that operate throughout Desmia - typically one per region or Ecclesia. Richer and more densely populated regions may have cells operating in parallel, but there aren't many regions that have enough interested parties for that. 
The Victor's Circle also operates a vast network of lesser contacts, many of whom don't even know that they are working for the Victor's Circle. Among the upper classes, contacts are typically made through blackmail. Among the lower classes, predatory loans are a common tactic. Circles with access to a spare Paladin of Treachery often offer emergency medical services as a way to gain favors and contacts.

Public Agenda

The goal of the Victor's Circle depends on who you ask. If you ask the members, they would probably answer that the goal is to live victorious lives of wealth and power. If you ask the leader, she would respond that the goal is to undermine Desmian governments via financial corruption, political corruption, promotion of criminal groups, and creating a culture of apathy and despair. 
Individual members often use funds and connections from the Victor's Circle to operate gangs, cartels, or heretical cults. The more aristocratic members often don't even need those and just operate as particularly corrupt politicians. A rare few try to draw on the Victor's Circle for actual good (such as peasant rebellions or ideological rebel groups) but the culture of cynicism typically kills those attempts.
The Victor's Circle has been known to put out bounties on particularly effective inquisitors, priests, warriors, or politicians (or the loved ones of these people). The Circle then distributes these bounties through their criminal connections and contacts to the broader public in the hope that desperate mercenaries will take up the contract. The Victors often have luxury items smuggled in from Samvara to be sold for the bounty payment. Lily's Temple of Halikvar is all too happy to do this, as the relative diplomatic and commercial isolation of Desmia means that luxury items are usually much more expensive in Desmia than Samvara (so the cost isn't really that high on the Samvaran side).

Tenets of Faith

• True Victors know there are no rules in war
• True Victors know that all people are in war with one another
• True Victors know that there is a winner and a loser in every interaction
• True Victors know that there is no common good
• True Victors know that the only person looking out for you is you
• True Victors know that every person is alone
• True Victors know that the world never truly changes
• True Victors know that ideologies are the words of liars and sheep
• True Victors know that only fellow victors are worthy of respect
• True Victors know that the one who strikes first walks away alive
• True Victors know that all trust is built on mutual fear of destruction, and that secrecy is the only way

Life is War and We Are The Victors

Type

Illicit, Syndicate

Alternative Names

The Champion's Guild

Demonym

Victorian

Leader

Lily of Red

Location

Desmia