The Karek
The Karek
They are currently the most popular of the international factions, and they have a large amount of political influence in the Galactic Republic, as well as a more moderate amount in the Terran Alliance. They are seen with a perspective of awe and wonder, but more recently, also with suspicion and dislike. This is because of their politicization. They have become a political power, and their actions have become more political with it, choosing to do the government's bidding rather than help people most of the time.
Power for Balance, Will for Dedication!
Path and Beliefs
They originally adhered exclusively to the path of dedication, but over time, their commitment waned. They are now divided, some leaning towards serenity, others more towards liberation.
They believe in a pragmatic approach to magic. They believe that balance is an important virtue, but they have no qualms about sacrificing morals for the sake of power and influence, which is why they are so influential.
However, they have lost popularity with the general population because of these practices, many of the common people consider them to be power-hungry sicophants, who the galaxy would be better off without.
They believe that cybernatics are the natural evolution of magic, and it is not unusual for them to have enhanced skeletons.
May Fortune follow you.
Goals
It is their goal to bring balance to the galaxy, they believe the best way to do this is by claiming as much political influence a possible, and undermining rival organizations.
They believe that the Rayth and Grey Karek orders are a danger to their organization, if not outright evil, and they wish to destroy them.
Structure
The Karek are organized into ranks, as the karek learns and proves themselves, they advance through these ranks, until they reach the council.
| Rank | Description |
|---|---|
| Innitiate | The lowest rank, these are the individuals who are selected to potentially join this order. |
| Apprentice | When one is being trained under a master's tutelage, one is called an apprentice. |
| Marauder | Marauders are solitary warriors. They have completed their training and are now out there to prove themselves. |
| Master | Masters are allowed to teach apprentices, up to three at a time, and they are widely respected for their skills. |
| Counciler | Councilors are the leaders of the Karek, they make decisions that are relevant for their whole order. One is only elevated when a seat becomes available. |
Culture
Hardlight Blades are a key part of the culture, they have used them for a long time, and they are central to their identity. Their ritual of crafting your own blade is a very important step in progressing through your training.
Their blades are generally long and straight, but some opt for two shorter blades.
They often have Implants that are meant to show their skill, with sleek designs and the Karek Logo painted on them.
Factions
There are three main Factions within the Karek, that deviate from the general norm, both of them seek to reform the Karek in some way.
The Atakar: They believe that the Karek are in dire need of reform, they believe that the excessive use of cybernetics has corrupted the true purpose of the Karek, the virtue on which they were founded, the achieving of peace and balance in the galaxy. They believe that Cybernetics must be regulated and controlled, or it will corrupt the whole order. They have elected to pursue this goal from within the order, rather than splitting off, like the Grays. The Atakar advocates for adherence to the path of serenity, combined with dedication.
The Technowarriors: This faction is the polar opposite of the Atakar, they don't see a distinction between technology and magic, and are persueing closer technological integration into the mage. These are the most teched out of all the Karek, often covered in implants, and many have taken limb replacements. They were also among those who pioneered affordable mana flask technologies.
The technowarriors have no real conviction as paths are concerned, but they often lean more towards liberation and dedication.
The Neo-Karek: This is the traditionalist faction within the Karek. They believe that the Greys were right in leaving, even though they don't agree with their philosophy exactly. They believe that the path of dedication is the purest of the paths, and they believe that the Karek should adhere to it exclusively, as the Karek of old once had. They also believe in a more moderate approach to cybernetics, and they believe that they should step away from politics, and towards the pursuit of a higher justice.
Politics
The Karek as thy are now, are a political power. They have seats in the government of the Galactic Republic, even though recently, their popularity with the masses has been dropping. This is because the Karek were one of the founding entities of the republic, and even though they are not nearly as popular as they once were, they are still widely respected, especially by the ruling class of the republic.
In the Terran Alliance, their influence has been dropping rapidly, and they are slowly being replaced by the Grays.
Faction Relations
The Karek have relationships with each of the other major magical organizations.
The Lumin are nation-bound, and they are fellow followers of dedication, and therefore, they are not considered enemies, they even undertake joint missions at times.
The Shulin are a small order, and the Karek do not see them as real opposition, which is why they have so far maintained positive relations with them, even though the Shulin have an increasingly negative opinion of Karek decadence and extravagance.
The Greys are a breakaway organization of the Karek, which is why they see them with a great deal of disdain, they attack and arrest Greys whenever they can, and they will do anything to disrupt their growing influence in the galaxy. However, so far, their efforts have been in vain.
The Rayth are an enemy organization, they believe that the Rayth are evil, and their empire is one of death and pain. Their order was founded with the specific purpose of ridding the galaxy of the Rayth empire.
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