Crux Civil War - Factions

Following the death of Prince Hektor and the collapse of the Crucian government that had once supported him, Hiera’s Primeborn and the House Guard splintered into numerous factions, some vying for power, others for personal gain, and others still trying desperately to return things to peace. Below is a list of some of the most prominent groups, everything from single families to political parties.

The Preeminent Family

The remnants of the immediate and extended family of Prince Hektor, spread thin across their holdings on Hiera. Their cause is divided, some seeking to retain power and produce another Prince to follow Hektor, others simply hoping to survive. Despite this division, the Family is loyal to its members and will work together in battle should the need arise. There is no clear leader following Hektor’s death, but the power of any Preeminent Family is greater than what any other Noble family typically possesses.

The Department of the Judiciary (DoJ) and the Judicial Enforcement Services (JES)

Refusing to take a side or even become involved in the Civil War for fear of jeopardizing House Crux’s legal mandate, the Sanhedrin, the leading council of the DoJ, ruled that Judiciary and JES personnel should not become officially involved with any side or faction. The Sanhedrin insisted that the DoJ remain neutral and attempt to resolve any legal matters brought before them by members of House Crux expeditiously, hoping to push Nobles away from conflict and towards diplomatic and legal solutions. 

Unfortunately, family has always been a strong factor in House Crux, and as such individual members or rogue groups of the DoJ and the JES lent their aid, officially or covertly, to the cause of various factions or ideologies. Those caught were often threatened with disciplinary action or the stripping of their titles, but this only encouraged those who acted against the Sanhedrin’s wishes to do so more covertly, creating greater uncertainty and confusion. Some would later claim that the public declaration of the Sanhedrin had only ever been a cover, an attempt to keep their own name clean while manipulating the Hieran Civil War through back channels and subterfuge.

Family Merovech

The Eldest, The Southern Star, The Great Procession, The Lords of Ven (for their not inconsiderable holdings in Ven City itself). By their detractors, The Second Throne, The Pretenders, The Fools in the South

One of Hiera’s oldest and most powerful families, claiming by word alone to have survived longer than numerous corporations and even some Noble Houses, Family Merovech has often been but a step away from the Throne. Family Merovech alleges that they were almost the Preeminent Family multiple times during the Imperial Civil Wars and following the coronation of the Shining Star, though the truth of such claims is not always clear. They control large amounts of land both on Hiera and other worlds, and hundreds if not thousands of Crucian Nobility claim the blood of Family Merovech by birth if not by name.

Led by the aging patriarch Furst Merovech Igorek, Family Merovech was furious at the appointment of Hektor’s family, ancient enemies of the Merovech, to the role of Preeminent Family. Even worse, despite his early leads, Hektor ultimately failed to achieve the Imperial Throne, incensing Family Merovech only further.

Igorek and his kin, and their loyal vassals, have numbers on their side, and a great deal of power, wealth, and influence. They are secretly allied with the Northern Front, a serf rebellion sparked by the Merovech family themselves to waylay allies of Prince Hektor, and Family von Dusseldorf, a much smaller family who have managed over the years to gain ownership of a number of critical landing pads in cities across Hiera.

The Summer Court

Ever cause for caution and concern, the Summer Court, a Hieran political group, was uncharacteristically quiet during the end of the War Against the Artificials and the beginning of the conflict with the STO. As House Crux began to swell with anger and frustration at its failing Prince and the anger of its peers, the Summer Court reemerged, loudly voicing its opinions to the world, often against the old guard of House Crux.

While the Summer Court is not renowned for its physical force, its assets and connections to more criminal elements are spread further than many within House Crux know, and their ability to manipulate the playing field to their designs and desires is virtually unmatched. What the Summer Court plans remains a closely guarded secret, but many believe that, whether or not Crucian unrest turns to violence, the Summer Court will have had a hand in the result.

The Athonite League

The Athonite League is a social group and legal club between many members of the Athonites, Richters and Anwalts who work closely with the Church and study the interaction of faith and the law. Highly conservative, the Athonite League has become more vocal of late, proclaiming their support for proper legal course and the Preeminent Family. The Athonite League simply wishes to see power transferred as it always has been, the Electors casting their votes for a new Preeminent Family. While they support Prince Hektor and his family, they only do so because they believe Hektor remains the rightful ruler until the Electors choose a new one. 

If violence should break out, it is unlikely the Athonite League will be involved. They may continue to proclaim their support of tradition, but it is more likely they will fade into the background, returning to their work in the Department of the Judiciary.

Operation: STEELCASTLE (The Army of Gideon)

Project STEELCASTLE is largely apolitical in terms of Crux leadership and the specifics of what happens to it. It cares not for prestige, the new Preeminent Family, or its inevitable replacement system, or the people rebelling for change. Instead, Project STEELCASTLE’s entire focus is around, specifically, Directive-1 and Directive-2 of the Core Directive. Their entire role within the Coup (or as it is termed within the Project, “the insurgency”), is to simply provide the strength and the arms required for a potentially violent conflict.

Originally headed by the former Strategos, Geier Gideon Erich, and now led by the current Strategos, Thurn Cordula Charis, the Project encompasses several departments of the Crucian House Guard, its High Command, its supporters, its Research and Design counterparts, and its Military industry. While a good number of its local garrison support what is termed as the Old Guard, the House Crux Gendarmerie as a whole is not staunchly pro-coup, should it occur, but rather simply following orders from High command.

Specifically, the Army of Gideon is expected to accomplish four specific tasks:

1. Occupy various military installations across Hiera close to hot-zones and places of conflict during insurgency to prevent the movement of potential pro-Hektor reinforcements.
2. During the conflict stages of a potential coup, successfully eliminate or procure the surrender of pro-Hektor forces.
3. In the event of a successful insurgency, defend House Crux during its period of temporary vulnerability both against inter- and outer- Hieran conspirators.
4. In the event of the defeat of the insurgency, provide VIPs with protection and immediate evac to safe locations. In the event of defeat, the Army of Gideon is to present itself as a rogue terrorist entity independent of the wider House Guard, therefore leaving Project: STEELCASTLE uncompromised.

A successful operation for Project STEELCASTLE is the continued support for the House Guard and its plans for the future. It does not care who is in charge so long as funding, personnel and equipment is funneled into its domain at rates Prince Hektor refused to provide previously, thereby securing its role so that the Core Directive may be never put at risk by war again.

The Pact of Mercy

"They gathered under the Ghostfrosts, Lords and Ladies, and there swore a blood pact in the azure glow. They vowed to defend the House of Crux and cure it of its ills, they spoke of the Prince's failed leadership and increasingly despotic rule, of a divinity lost that they suspected had not been there for a long time. They considered these things and looked to the Mother for guidance."

The Pact of Mercy is a loose alliance of numerous members of the Prince’s Council who no longer saw Prince Hektor or the Crucian Monarchy as viable or useful. Growing public concern sees the Crucian Monarchy as narrowing the power of nobility to too great a degree, and many, including the members of the Pact of Mercy, wish to see power diversified more greatly amongst Crucian Nobility. While this may be the most common element between the members of the Pact, each family has its own additional reasons and causes they wish to see resolved. 

The Fireseekers (Feuersuchers)

The Fireseekers are deeply, almost zealously, devoted to Prince Hektor and his family. He led House Crux through some of its darkest days, a father and a guardian to a struggling House, and surely he will be made an Arhat by the Church for all his great deeds. Hektor harkened back to the old days of the Mother of Mercy and the Firekeeper for the Feuersuchers, not because of their greatness, but because of their ruthless justice and commitment to burning away the misdeeds of the Empire.

Unlike some who seek peace but will resort to violence as necessary, the Fireseekers intend to utilize violence first, hoping to cripple the enemies of Hektor through careful assassinations, terrorist attacks, and progressively more public and overt acts of violence.

Members of the JES and the Scharfrichter order have been known to work with the Fireseekers, though how many and to what degree is difficult to discern, but by and large the groups membership is diverse, drawn from many different backgrounds and lifestyles. Rumors abound that some amongst the Primeborn have led their support and wealth to the Fireseekers, but thus far little has been proven.

The Outer Garden (Außengarten)

The Outer Garden is a loose alliance of lodges, families, and young Promiseborn from beyond Hiera, often treated or thought of as second-class Crux. Because of this, and in light of recent events, the Outer Garden and its various members have become disappointed and disillusioned with the choices and failures of their Hieran overlords. Rather than direct assaults or actions on Hiera itself, the Outer Garden primarily seeks control of assets within the Ellis system, and with them, the control of information and supplies to and from the Crucian homeworld.

The Great Diune of Glorious Hiera

The Great and Glorious Di-Une, the Two-Who-Are-One, the Twofold Elm, Faith and Light, Those with Crosses Entwined, Daisguard, the Houndwatch, Blood and Sword of Saint George-Michael, Devout Radiance, the Families Karovech and Osmarech, (Derogatory: Piefingers, Dandelions, ‘the Holy Glory,’ Sycofanciers, Those with their Roots Splayed or Splayroots.)

“With Brilliant Conviction, Ferveat Tua Gratia.”

The Diune, the Two-Who-Are-One, are one of the largest extended families, with pseudo-branches in other prominent Crucian families and beyond. The main and most well-known branches are Family Karovech, also called the Charlivar  (OOC: after Charles Martel and Simón Bolívar) along with the Family Osmarech or the Osmirans (There is debate over whether they were the Osse-Charlemar or the Auster-Kharolvar, of Eastern or Southern branches originally. [The spelling combinations for individual family lines tends to vary quite a bit with geography and generations.])

The Diune tend to operate as a singular over-family save when it is convenient to be more numerous. In such cases they tend to bill themselves as the Third and Fifth families of Hiera respectively. The metric used to measure such cases of influence are fluid and questionable at the best of times. However, together the Diune form one of the primary bases of support for Hector’s family.  Few are the institutions, organisations, or enterprises that don’t have at least one Diune blooded member or connection.