The Society for Alternate Lifestyles is a very accepting group, who help those with odd ways of life find meaning and comfort in their day-to-day activities. They do not mock those with strange ideas of beauty or love, nor do they ostracize those deemed "weird" or "odd" by society. Instead, they embrace these differences, knowing that they are what make us all unique and individual.
...At least, that's what many were lead to believe at their founding. In reality, however, these individuals would overlook an absence of many things in applicants, such as morality, limits, and a pulse. By day, they would champion individuality and people's rights, but by night they would rob graves and use the bodies for their immoral experiments, for they were a front for the Necromancer's Guild. When the
ANS discovered this, they were quick to publish their findings and order a strike against the fiends. However, the Society was one step ahead of them, and quietly began using their forces to conquer various important cities. By the time the ANS could get organize, almost a third of
Earth belonged to the Society, who demanded that
Necromancy be considered equal or superior to the magics already in existence.
The varying world governments refused and formed an alliance with each other, united in their one mission: destroy the Society once and for all. The resulting war only lasted 6 months, which is largely credited to the Elderon actively and directly aiding the governments in their struggle against the society. When they finally defeated them, the members they rounded up were tried and executed, which many believed ended their threat forever, but the ANS still believes that there are splinter groups out there, biding their time.
Some have wondered why
DEATH did not get directly involved, given how the Society directly violated his domain. While several theories have been proposed, and some have tried asking him directly using
The H'te Ad Ritual, but he has been evasive in his answers. Perhaps we shall never know why he has not taken action.
HELLO.
SO, YOU'VE FINALLY PASSED ON, THIEF. I'M SURE YOU KNOW ABOUT ME. AFTER ALL, YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO DEFY ME FOR YEARS.
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED AND WONDERED, WHY DID I LET YOU GET AWAY WITH IT? SURELY, EVEN I HAVE MY LIMITS, SO WHY LET SOMETHING SO GRIEVOUS GO UNPUNISHED? WELL, IT'S NOT SO SIMPLE AS THAT. YOU SEE, ME, DESTINY, AND KAOS HAVE THIS NON-INTERFERENCE AGREEMENT WERE WE CAN'T DIRECTLY INTERFERE WITH THE UNIVERSE. A SORT OF LIVE AND LET LIVE POLICY, IF YOU WILL.
BUT YOU'RE NOT ALIVE ANYMORE, ARE YOU?
THEY WERE RIGHT ABOUT ONE THING: I DO HAVE MY LIMITS. I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN PEOPLE DISTURB THE REST OF THE DEAD. I DON'T LIKE IT AT ALL. YOU PROBABLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT'S LIKE, DO YOU? TO BE SITTING PEACEFULLY IN YOUR PARADISE ONE MOMENT, AND THE NEXT, TO BE ENSLAVED AND FORCED TO DO ANOTHER'S BIDDING, AND YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OR SAY IN THE MATTER. WELL, HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO LEARN.
BECAUSE I AM THE GATEKEEPER OF THE AFTERLIFE, AND WHILE I CANNOT DECIDE WHO CAN GET IN AND WHO CAN'T I CAN DECIDE WHEN THAT IS. IN YOUR CASE, AND IN THE CASE OF EVERY ONE OF YOUR FELLOW THIEVES, THAT WILL NOT BE UNTIL EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU IS UNDER MY JURISDICTION. UNTIL THEN, YOU WILL BE FIRST IN LINE FOR EVERY ONE OF THEIR LITTLE EXPERIMENTS, EVERY ZOMBIE AND SKELETON, EVERY SOUL BATTERY, EVERY SPELL THEY CAST, YOU WILL HAVE THE HONOR OF POWERING. AND BECAUSE YOU WERE SO EAGER TO USE THEM IN LIFE, YOU SHALL FEEL EVERY MOMENT IN EXCRUCIATING DETAIL.
The Society used to publicly proclaim that they were for equality, and championed many causes, such as unifying the races, aiding the mentally challenged, and helping those with eccentric sexualities. However, when their true purpose, to dabble in the necromantic arts in secret, was revealed, most of these causes suffered a massive blow to their reputations, and it took some of them decades to remove the stigma attached to them.
The Society used to have nearly a third of the world under their control, and a massive army of skeletons, zombies, and ghouls to back them up. However, with their fall, most of these were destroyed, but it remains unclear how many undead forces they still have, or how many they've built up in hiding. Their greatest asset, however, is said to be their patience. They have waited decades, maybe centuries, for their chance to rule, and will likely wait centuries more for another.
Embrace your differences!
Founding Date
Publicly, the Society was founded on Drog 15, 1830. However, it is widely believed that they founded themselves far earlier, possibly even by centuries.
Alternative Names
Necromancer's Guild
Very cool, reminds me of the Golgary. So how do they bide their time? what part of the philosophy they have about the world dying is practical and part just an idea?
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'm not quite fully sure what you mean, but I do have some more articles about their influence in the works. Stay tuned!