Enosis Society

The Enosis Society, sometimes referred to as the EXA Society, is a clandestine secret society operating throughout the Sunscald. Comprised of covert arcanists, rogue channelers, and less experienced mages with an interest in both or either schools, the esoteric society aims to achieve an 'enosis', roughly a 'oneness' or 'union', between the 'opposite' magical schools of arcanism and channeling. In practice, adherents to Enosis often aim to combine the scientific bent of arcanism with the spiritualism of channeling, with currently mixed or unclear results. The society's motto (and the origin of the acronym EXA) is "Enosis Xanelismos-Arkanismos", an alleged Old Armaidan translation/transliteration of "Channeling-Arcanism Enosis". Under the spiritualist view of magic espoused by most mainstream channelers, channeling can best be described as communing with and subtly influencing the spirits that comprise the world to achieve results, while arcanism is essentially blatantly flouting the spirits and their laws. To adherents of the Society, the promised 'enosis' would strike a middle ground between the two and allow its practicioners to 'harness' the spirits. This would, allegedly, increase the potential range and intensity of magical effects compared to 'tepid' channeling, while avoiding the disastrous effects of unchecked arcanism. 'Enosis' also promises new forms and methods of magic, such as the ability to contact the world's spirits directly. This is believed to include the spirits of the dead, which may be a compelling motive for recruits - either to contact deceased loved ones or commune with historical figures. Though the Enosis Society is very secretive, it is reliant on recruits to expand its knowledge pool and scope. Owing to the taboo natures of arcanism and of deviating from orthodox channeling, the society cannot - nor would it be likely to - recruit freely. Recruits are generally chosen from those who may both be receptive to and provide a significant contribution to the Society, which may include practising channelers, scholars, those with an interest in history or relics, those with substantial funding, and those in convenient positions - which are not necessarily positions of power or authority. It is claimed that potential recruits are put through two 'trials' without their awareness before they are ever approached by the Society, a test to see if they are receptive to the cause, and a test to see if they are capable of keeping any involvement a secret. Recruits are presumably trained in a combination of basic arcanism and channeling, receive access to the network of other Society members, and are occasionally given tasks by the Society. Despite the intense secrecy of the Enosis Society, they are not viewed as a particularly threatening or influential group across the Sunscald. Though experimenting with arcanism does pose its risks, the known actions of the Society have not been particularly dangerous or even reckless, and have been very limited in scope and scale. It is likely that the Society's secrecy has much more to do with the potential damage to its members' reputations than it does with any nefarious plans, though there are some, especially hardline traditionalist channelers, that brand it as nefarious in intent.