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The history of the emergence of secret societies and secret organizations goes back centuries. Everything unknown in the minds of the people traditionally causes a lot of assumptions and speculation. However, today quite a lot is known about some of the secret organizations, their principles and charters.

Masons.

Officially, the organization of Freemasons was published in 1717, although there are some documents indicating that the activities of this group were registered back in the 14th century. The fraternity was originally created for people who shared key philosophical ideas of that time, including belief in a supreme being. The Masons paid Special attention moral issues, and as a result, many of the lodge heads became known for their charitable activities and community service. Despite these harmless qualities, the Freemasons were not without criticism. Conspiracy theorists accuse them of being involved in nefarious occult practices and even political groups.

Typically, churches of all denominations criticize the Freemasons, since their moral teachings and esoteric spiritual beliefs are at odds with traditional religion. In the old days, Freemasonry was based on unique traditions and principles. Today, when the number of members is so large, and lodges are scattered all over the world, it becomes difficult to maintain the foundations. Only one practice remained unchanged, called the method of induction. The initiate must be recommended to the group by someone who is already a Freemason, and to reach the level of "Master" a person must go through three different levels. Members have prescribed modes of greeting each other, including handshakes, gestures, and passwords, and non-members are prohibited from attending meetings.

The number of famous members of Masonic lodges is truly impressive; we can recall, for example, Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, Henry Ford and Ben Franklin. Today, the Freemasons are less influential and secretive than ever, but still remain one of the most famous fraternities in the world. There are about 5 million officially members of Freemasonry alone.

Assassins.

The Assassins, or Nizari, were a mysterious group of Muslims active in the Middle East in the 13th century. The group included Shiites who broke away from the main sect and united to create their own utopian state. Since the Order's members were extremely small, they preferred to use guerrilla tactics in the fight against their enemies, including espionage, sabotage and political assassinations.

The Assassins infiltrated their highly trained agents into enemy cities and bases with instructions to attack at a strictly specified time. Secret assassins were known to seek to minimize civilian casualties, and victims were often frightened by the invisibility of their pursuers. According to history, enemy leaders woke up in the morning to find an Assassin’s dagger on their pillow with the note “You are in our power.” Over time, the legend of the secret Order grew. Even before the organization was finally destroyed by the Mongols, hired killers allegedly became famous for carrying out orders for such historical figures, like King Richard the Lionheart.

Around the same time as the Order disintegrated, the entire library containing records about Nizari was destroyed. So much information was lost that today the Assassins appear to be nothing more than a myth. The legend about the use of drugs and intoxicants by members of the Order of the group seems controversial. The word "Hashshashin" itself roughly translates to "Hashish Users", indicating the possible use of stimulants in combat. The term itself was discredited, but subsequently the Nizaris transformed it into modern word"assassin" (killer).

Bilderberg Club.

Founded in the middle of the last century, the Bilderberg Club is often called the world government by conspiracy theorists. Its members are influential politicians, financiers, businessmen and media magnates from Europe and North America. There are about 400 people in total. They meet annually to discuss current world issues. But no concrete decisions are made. At least, this is stated on the website of the organization itself, but it is impossible to verify this. You can join the forum by invitation only. Outsiders, including journalists, are not allowed to attend meetings. Recording of these meetings is prohibited. Representatives of Russia periodically become guests of the Bilderberg Club. Among them are the founder of Yabloko, Grigory Yavlinsky, politician Garry Kasparov and the head of Rusnano Anatoly Chubais.

Illuminati.

One of the most famous Illuminati symbols is the glowing delta on the US dollar bill. Under the brand "Illuminati" in different time existed and, oddly enough, continue to exist various organizations. The first official brotherhood of the “enlightened” was formed in Bavaria in 1776. Adherents of this order fought against religion and promoted liberal ideas. The movement was banned by the authorities a few years after its founding. His ideologist, professor of canon law Adam Weishaupt, died in exile.

However, according to rumors, the Illuminati simply continued its activities, completely going into the shadows. They are credited with the creation of the United States and the October Revolution in Russia. Thanks to constant mentions in popular literature, the Illuminati still inspires fear today. Modern conspiracy theorists claim that secret society managed to survive and now exists as an ominous shadow government, directing the actions of world politics and industry in the right direction.

In the 21st century, interest in the Illuminati awoke after the publication of the book “Angels and Demons” by the American writer Dan Brown. According to the plot, the descendants of a secret society take revenge on the Vatican for their murdered comrades.

Skull and Bones.

The most famous representatives of this secret society are George Bush Sr. and George W. Bush, as well as John Kerry. Ivy League colleges are known for their many secret societies and student organizations. Yale's Skull and Bones is the most famous of these. The organization arose in 1833, its members must come from the aristocracy, Protestants and Anglo-Saxon origin. Today, new members join the society every spring, the only real condition is that the applicant must be a leader on his campus. As a result, the secret organization includes athletes, student council members and presidents of other fraternities. Several US presidents, many senators, and Supreme Court judges emerged from Skull and Bones. This gave reason to believe that the organization is semi-underground, uniting the country's political elite.

No one denies that this club is well funded - graduates created the Russel Trust Association, which stores the society's funds. According to rumors, the group even owns its own island in upstate New York. Although the secret practices of Skull and Bones are not secret, rumors about the obligatory rituals still circulate. Although the society meets twice a week, it is still unknown what we're talking about. To the disappointment of conspiracy theorists, all credible rumors are fairly harmless. The group is associated in practice exclusively with student pranks.

The fame of “Skull and Bones” was given by legends about how new members are obliged to talk about their sexual fantasies, and analysis of sexual stories of childhood and youth is also carried out. It is also customary to give nicknames to all members of society. Thus, the tallest of them is called the “Long Devil”, the one with the greatest sexual experience is called “Magog” (this name was used by William and Robert Taft and Bush Sr.). But Bush Jr., apparently, was unable to conquer the group with his talents, receiving the nickname “Temporary.”

Order of the Eastern Templars.

This order is a mystical organization that appeared at the beginning of the twentieth century. The scheme is similar to a less hidden association, the Freemasons. The Eastern Templars rely on ritual and occult practices as a means to move community members from one level to another.

The overall philosophy of the order is based on a new era of esoteric principles and practices as a way to realize true identity. Most of The group's knowledge, including the manifesto Mysteria Mystica Maxima, belongs to the famous eccentric occultist Aleister Crowley. It was he who later became the leader of this secret society. After Crowley's death, the Order's influence and popularity waned, but today there are still many branches of the community scattered around the world. Mainly, these are the USA, Great Britain, and European countries. The growing popularity of Aleister Crowley at one time led to the fact that his brainchild, the Order of the Eastern Templars, eventually came to light. As a result, the organization became much less secret than before. However, this does not mean the loss of the most secret and forbidden practices. The main one is the association of sexual preferences, especially the teaching of “Phallus Worship” and the magic of masturbation.

Black hand.

The most famous member of this secret organization was Gavrilo Princip. The secret society “Black Hand” (another name is “Unity or Death”) was a national terrorist organization. It included anti-imperialist revolutionaries who fought for the liberation of Serbia from the rule of Austria-Hungary. The Black Hand was born in 1912. It is believed that the organization was originally an offshoot of the People's Defense, a group seeking to unite all Slavic peoples in Europe.

Taking into account its goals, the organization began to conduct anti-Austrian propaganda, preparing saboteurs and murderers for the overthrow in the province state power. The plans included inciting a war between Austria and Serbia, which would make it possible to escape from the imperial yoke and unite the Slavic peoples. The head of the “Black Hand” was Colonel Dragutin Dmitrievich, who served as the head of Serbian counterintelligence. In fact, the entire state apparatus of the country was controlled by a secret organization.

Today, the activities of this terrorist organization would be forgotten if not for the participation of the Black Hand in one of the most significant events XX century. In 1914, a group of terrorists from Mlada Bosna (a branch of the Black Hand) assassinated the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand, starting the First World War. Events began to grow like a snowball. Soon Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and the allies of both sides entered into action. On the ruins of the First World War, the Second World War broke out, and subsequently “ Cold War" Thus, the Black Hand can be considered one of the most influential forces of the turbulent twentieth century.

Knights of the Golden Circle.

This secret society flourished in the United States during the American Civil War. At first, the group sought to support the annexation of Mexico and the West Indies to the country, which could help revive the dying slave trade. However, with the outbreak of hostilities, the Knights switched their attention from colonialism to warm support new Confederate government.

The organization had several thousand followers who even formed their own partisan detachments and began raiding fortresses in the West. In the northern states the mysterious order also had big influence. Many newspapers and public figures sympathized with the Southerners, including President Franklin Pierce, who was a member of the Knights. Unlike most other secret societies, it doesn't only care about rare meetings and mysterious plans. The knights were able to organize their own army and tried to resolve their issues from a position of strength. In 1860, a militant group attempted to invade Mexico.

During their own war, the Knights robbed stagecoaches and even attempted to blockade the port at San Francisco. On a short time even managed to take control of the southern state of New Mexico. With the end of the Civil War, the organization's activities gradually faded away, although many blame it for organizing the assassination of Lincoln.

Thule Society.

The most famous members This German occult and political secret society included Rudolf Hess, Arthur Rosenberg and even rumored to be Adolf Hitler himself. If many secret organizations are only suspected of their ulterior motives, then in the case of the Thule Society everything turned out to be proven.

Immediately after the end of the First World War, this organization was unofficially created in Germany. The initial Masonic ideas quickly gave way to occult ones, and over time the organization began to promote the ideology of the superiority of the Aryan race. This translated into a racist approach towards Jews and other minorities. Over time, the secret society could boast of several thousand of its members, and even published its own propaganda newspaper. In 1919, members of the Thule Society organized the political organization "German Workers' Party". Later, young Adolf Hitler became its member, and it itself transformed into the National Socialist German Party, giving rise to Nazism.

The members of the Thule Society themselves took part in strange activities long before the advent of Nazism. They enthusiastically tried to find the origins of the Aryan race, looking for them in the mythical land of Thule. According to legends, a mythical land with a developed civilization existed somewhere in the area North Pole, and Iceland is all that remains of the land that went under water. There are many conspiracy theories surrounding the Thule Society. Although the organization was banned by Hitler, it is said that it gave him the magical secrets of power and successful public speaking.

Sons of Liberty.

The Sons of Liberty were a loosely organized group of dissidents who had been active in America since before the Revolutionary War. Their goal was to bring about a change in British law in light of the administration of the colonies.

The Sons of Liberty did not exist as a secret society in the traditional sense, but rather as a grouping of patriotic factions in support of a common cause. They usually met in Boston, near the elm tree, which has since received the name of the Liberty tree. It was here that the group developed its resistance policy, which included the distribution of brochures and even some acts of sabotage and terrorism. Such actions led to the fact that the British began to persecute the Sons of Liberty, considering their actions criminal. The organization even began to be called “Sons of Violence.” The group eventually became the most prominent among those who sowed the seeds of revolution among the colonists, and to create famous phrase“No to taxation without representation!”

Although the Sons of Liberty in Boston were the most prominent faction, factions were spread throughout the 13 colonies. One group in Rhode Island looted and burned the British merchant ship Gaspee to protest unjust laws, while others simply denigrated British supporters. But most famous case involving the Sons is the Boston Tea Party in 1773, when members of the community dressed as Indians had tea thrown into the sea from British ships. These events marked the beginning of the American Revolution.

Photo: Wikimedia.org/ Initiation into the Freemasons

On August 13, 1822, Alexander I banned the activities of secret societies in the Russian Empire. Now, two hundred years later, there are plenty of secret societies in Russia: you can join either the Masonic lodge or the Rosicrucian Order. But how many secrets remain in the activities of these once secret organizations?

Unwitting masons

The prohibitory rescript of Emperor Alexander is explained by the activities of the Decembrist movement, which by that time had already acquired enormous scope. But organizations that seem to have nothing to do with politics also came under attack: Masonic lodges. Why were the “Freemasons” deprived of their former will?

The question of the connection between the Masons and the Decembrists is a topic popular among modern historians and writers, but never fully explored. It is difficult to doubt that the Decembrists were Freemasons: early XIX centuries they were, perhaps, all active part male nobility. But no one has yet been able to prove that the uprising on Senate Square is part of a global Masonic conspiracy. Although many still believe in the Masonic conspiracy itself. No matter how much the websites of Masonic organizations claim that the goals of the movement are spiritual growth, public education and charity, to the mass consciousness these aspirations seem too petty and uninteresting. Whether it’s a group of initiates who keep the secrets of the Templars, hatch plans for world domination and seek to take control of governments different countries! There are so many myths about Freemasons that the reality looks somehow faded. However, the good thing about secret societies is that it is completely impossible to debunk the legends about them: you can always say, “You just don’t know everything!”

What do we know about the Freemasons not from adventure novels, but from authentic evidence? Free masons were called masons for a reason: although compasses and squares in Freemasonry are interpreted as symbols of the ability to judge, these objects also have a historical meaning - they remind of the origins of the organization. After all, Masonic associations did not arise from the ruins of the Templar Order. They grew out of guilds involved in the construction of Gothic cathedrals in the Middle Ages. The cathedrals were huge, the life of the builders seemed small and insignificant against their background, and entire generations of stonemasons, designers, and artists lived next to grandiose construction projects, getting used to the idea of ​​​​subordinating their own interests to great goals.

It is difficult to say at what point the guild associations turned into secret brotherhoods: the process was gradual: people worked, helped each other, created their own signs, rituals and ceremonies. In the 17th century, when craft associations lost their importance, the Masonic organization was enriched with utopian ideas: after all, it is possible to build not only temples, but also a fair, humane and enlightened society!

What does it cost them to build a temple?

Proponents of the “conspiracy theory” attributed many secret goals to the Freemasons, but the information available to the “uninitiated” sounds quite peaceful. Members of the Masonic fraternity had to believe in God, although it was allowed to interpret it differently, depending on religion (some Masonic movements, having agreed to believe in the Absolute, began to accept atheists into their ranks). Discussions about politics and religion were prohibited so that the Brothers would not quarrel on the way to a common goal. It was required to be loyal to the authorities of the country in whose territory the lodge was located, to do something socially useful and engage in charity. In general, nothing interesting.

However, such tasks did not sound very intriguing, so the new members of the brotherhood needed to be somehow captivated. When the hero of the novel “War and Peace” Pierre Bezukhov is accepted into the Freemasons, he is promised more tempting prospects: “The rhetorician cleared his throat, folded his gloved hands on his chest and began to speak.

“Now I must reveal to you the main goal of our order,” he said, “and if this goal coincides with yours, then you will benefit from joining our brotherhood.” The first most important goal and overall foundation of our order, on which it is established and which no human power can overthrow, is the preservation and transmission to posterity of a certain important sacrament... from the very ancient centuries and even from the first person who came down to us, from whom the sacraments, perhaps fate human race depends. But since this sacrament is of such a nature that no one can know it or use it, unless one has prepared oneself through long-term and diligent purification, then not everyone can hope to find it soon. Therefore, we have a second goal, which is to prepare our members as much as possible, correct their hearts, purify and enlighten their minds with those means that have been revealed to us by tradition from men who have labored in seeking this sacrament, and thereby make them capable of perception of it." An important sacrament served as at least some incentive for self-improvement!

After the ban of 1822, Masonic lodges, of course, did not disappear completely, but they lost popularity. Times changed, gradually other teachings came into fashion, and active youth no longer wanted to peacefully improve society all their lives: the idea of ​​destroying everything that was wrong and then building the world anew seemed much more promising. The short renaissance of the Masonic movement in Russia after 1905 ended along with the existence of Russian Empire: in Soviet Russia, freemasons, of course, were banned again.

A new round of development of the Masonic movement occurred already in the 1990s, when everything that was not there before became popular in the country: from neo-paganism to esotericism. The Masons never regained their former influence, however, they are now also not what they were before.

According to the Masonic calendar

Freemasons have their own way of time: they count from the creation of the world, adding 4000 years to the current year, with the year beginning on March 1st. That is, now it is 6014 year of the Light of Truth.

The phrase “Masonic year” has more practical significance: The period from September to June when the lodge is active. Masonic holidays begin in July-August, and the new Masonic year begins in September. It is usually designated as the year 2013-2014 e.v. – Era Vulgaris – Ordinary Era.

As Alexander, who introduced himself as the Worshipful Master of the New World lodge, told the site, modern Masons are not a secret society, but rather a society with its own secrets. All the “secret” rituals, history, lists of famous participants in the movement have long been described. " Main secret which no one can ever reveal is personal experience“, which every Mason experiences during the work of the Lodge, rituals of initiation and elevation in degree, communication with his Sisters and Brothers,” Alexander explained. “Otherwise, Freemasonry is open to the world and maintains an active dialogue with it, avoiding only communication on political and religious topics.”

It seems to the Worshipful Master of the Lodge that modern society also treats the Freemasons quite democratically. Although there is a lot of conspiracy theories on the Internet, everything more people begin to look at Freemasonry positively. And Alexander is not afraid of a new government ban: “I think that with the current level of openness of information about Freemasonry, most modern statesmen also have the idea that in fact we are more of a club for intellectual conversations and self-improvement than revolutionary conspirators. At least I would like to hope so."

More lodges, good and different!

The New Light Lodge, bearing the number 1989, belongs to the Masonic Mixed International Order of the Right of Man (Le Droit Humain). And this is just one of several Masonic lodges in our country. More precisely, it was founded by people from the United Grand Lodge of Russia, and that, in turn, arose after the separation of some Masons from the Grand Lodge of Russia created in 1995. In addition to simply the Grand and United Grand, there are also the Moscow and Astrea lodges, subordinate directly to the oldest association in Europe, the Grand Orient of France.

Women in the Masonic movement used to have a difficult time: their right to build a fair society was infringed upon, like all other rights, by refusing to be accepted into the Masons. As Alexander explained, “the ban on women joining the so-called regular Freemasonry represents one of the ancient landmarks, that is, the basic principles of Freemasonry. In fact, it reminds us of the times when a woman was not considered free because she did not have enough civil rights.” .

However, emancipation in general affected secret societies in particular: today many Masonic obediences have opened the doors of their temples to women. Recognized Freemasonry is now divided into Regular and Liberal. Regular - male Freemasonry, originating in Scotland and then England. Liberal Freemasonry includes primarily French lodges, male, mixed and female, for example the Grand Women's Lodge of France. All liberal lodges exist in one form or another in Russia. The New World Lodge is one of those that accepts members of both sexes.

Lodges and clubs

There are several organizations in the world that are similar to Masonic lodges, but still have nothing in common with them. For example, a network of Rotary clubs created by business representatives for charitable activities and the implementation of humanitarian projects. Rotarians also have their own ethical principles, initiation ceremonies and even a special calendar. There is also the Lions Club: an organization that brings together volunteers and philanthropists. But, according to Alexander, these organizations were originally created for business contacts and solving business issues that do not require symbolic rituals. In Masonic lodges they often talk about higher matters.

How to become an initiate

How do modern Masons recruit their members? First of all, they don’t recruit anyone. On the websites of all existing lodges it is stipulated that they do not engage in missionary activities: they say, if you want to join the Masons, ask the Masons yourself, and do not wait until they call you. So, anyone who wants to become a free mason needs to find the website of a lodge on the Internet and send a request.
All Masonic organizations describe suitable candidates in the same way: “a person of free and good morals, over 18 years of age, striving for self-improvement.” The person must also be solvent, since Masons pay monthly membership dues. The size of the contribution usually depends on the candidate’s income, although the Grand Lodge of Russia, for example, pragmatically stipulates the average prices for its “services”: “4,000 rubles/year, 10,000 rubles/initiation.”

Paying your dues is not everything. Candidate for " New World", for example, there are at least four interviews for different topics, after which the newcomer is invited to an interrogation ceremony under the blindfold. Alexander described it this way: “Blindfolded, the candidate is led into the temple and answers the questions of the Brothers and Sisters, after which a secret vote is taken for the candidacy, according to the results of which the candidate is invited to initiation (or denied it).”

Photo: Wikimedia.org/Initiation into the Masons

But joining the lodge is half the battle, but what to do afterwards? How exactly do they “make people better”? “The main achievement is, perhaps, the atmosphere of brotherhood that reigns in the Lodge, the readiness to come to each other’s aid, as well as the opportunity to engage in one’s own intellectual and spiritual development, equaling worthy Brothers and Sisters,” explains Worshipful Master Alexander. “For example, last year our Lodge worked on two main topics: we looked at utopianism and its relevance in modern world, and also explored the symbolism and lessons of Masonic initiation rituals."

Lodge members engage in self-development and education of others by creating “architectural works” - small reports or abstracts on topics like “Symbolism of the number 3” or “Symbolism of architectural styles.” The works are read aloud at lodge meetings. Particularly gifted people can write music, poetry, paintings, or make ritual paraphernalia as architectural works. Free masons also translate foreign materials about their movement and publish magazines (most often only in electronic form).

Charity programs embody lofty words about improving the world. “This is mainly private charity,” explained Alexander. “We provided assistance to veterans and the elderly in hospices, large families, helped in organizing charity events and festivals. Some members of the lodge regularly participate in charity sports marathons. We also help Sisters and Brothers who find themselves in difficult life situation, even if they do not belong to our Lodge and our Order."

Other secret

Those who are eager to gain access to secret knowledge have a large choice in our time. If the Masonic movement for some reason does not suit you, you can join the Illuminati. This mysterious Order exists not only on the pages of Dan Brown's books. The first Illuminati Society appeared in 1776 in Bavarian Ingolstadt, founded by philosopher, theologian and lawyer Adam Weishaupt, inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment. Naturally, he proclaimed the goal of his activity to be the happiness and improvement of humanity.

The Pyramid with the All-Seeing Eye is a symbol of the Freemasons and the Illuminati, found on the dollar bill.

Modern Russian Illuminati are easy to find on the Internet. They describe their principles in blissfully vague formulations: “a community of free people seeking the meaning of existence,” “maintaining the Light and faith in the victory of Good.” Unlike the Freemasons, representatives of this doctrine do not like religion: they say that it sets false goals and distracts from building a New Order of universal prosperity and well-being. The “enlightened” (from the Latin illuminatus) also have specific goals: to destroy the World Monetary System, create a unified library of the Illuminati, and even revive a certain “Secret Knowledge”. However, exactly how they plan to implement these guidelines is unknown.

Like any self-respecting secret society, the Illuminati writes that they do not seek to attract new members, but still invite those interested to fill out a form on the website. The requirements for candidates are simple: they must be people over 18, without a criminal record and with the desire to change the world for the better. Applicants are asked to describe what the words “Morality”, “Freedom”, “Culture” mean to them, they are asked tricky questions from the series “Does the end justify the means?”, and in the end they honestly warn that when joining the fraternity, a new member will have to “ bear the financial burden." The magnitude of the burden is not reported.

More frank in financial issue Rosicrucians of all kinds. Theoretically, all these orders, schools and societies descended from the Rosicrucian Order that arose in the Middle Ages. Its founder is considered to be Christian Rosenkreutz, the hero of the novel “The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz” published in 1616. Whether Rosenkreutz existed in reality and what his real name was is unknown, but the beautiful pseudonym Rosenkreutz provided the society with an emblem: a rose blooming on a cross. The Rosicrucians were fond of alchemy, esotericism and astrology, and did not disdain magical practices.

Cross and roses - symbol of the Rosicrucians

At the beginning of the 20th century, many organizations arose that imitated the medieval Rosicrucians, and it is not so easy to understand them. For example, in Russia there is now a certain Order of the Rosicrucians - a branch of the organization whose headquarters is located in Canary Islands. Joining this secret Order is very simple: you register on the website and choose the appropriate tariff: individual (40 euros immediately, 13 every month) or family (45 euros for two at once, 15 monthly). It's cheaper to join wholesale! Having sent the fee and application for membership by postal order, all you have to do is wait for your membership card, the Emperor's greeting card and instructions to be sent to you. IN further communication takes place by mail: new members of the order are sent material to study, almost like a university correspondence course.

At the Theological School of the Golden Rosicrucian, tariffs are lower: from 300-500 rubles per month. This organization, which arose in Holland in 1924, is present in Russia not only “virtually”: it has centers in several cities, including Moscow. In addition, this is almost the only Rosicrucian organization whose website provides not only an email address, but also a telephone number. The woman who answered it matter-of-factly introduced herself as Lidia Vasilievna and said that Russian representative office The school opened in 1993. The Theological School does not contact other Rosicrucian communities, because their principles are different: the school is based on the principles of the New Testament, transferred to our time, and does not deal with occult and mystical teachings. You can start joining with free open events; those who wish can become members of the school, and then students. In addition to membership fees, two-day conferences are paid for, but, according to Lidia Vasilyevna, the money collected goes primarily to renting premises, since the school does not have its own building.

However, the Theological School of the Golden Rosicrucian has very little in common with secret orders - it is rather something like collective training with a religious bias, and those entering it should not expect mystical revelations. As the hero of Umberto Eco’s novel “Foucault’s Pendulum” aptly noted: “If a person came out to meet you and said: good evening, I am a Rosicrucian, this meant that he was not a Rosicrucian. A self-respecting Rosicrucian never says that. On the contrary, he denies it as best he can.” . And in order to find a truly secret society that stores ancient knowledge, you need to work hard!

Although, maybe it’s better not to look? And then suddenly you will find it. Or they will find you...

Anna Makarova

Retelling, chapter fifteen. My comments are in italics.

The translation is presented for informational purposes, all rights belong to the copyright holders.

How to create a guild, college or secret society
Author: Wolfgang Baur

About community goals, initiation, structure, secrets and enemies

Worldbuilding is most often about people, places, magical changes on a global scale. But the smallest aspects that focus in themselves all the features of the setting are the totality of it social structures: Orc tribes, bard colleges, thieves guilds, vampire clans, even church hierarchy and knightly orders. How can these elements be designed to make the world more attractive and playable? According to the author, the social design of these communities is critical in engaging players in the world and the game.

Here are the key elements to consider when designing a (community) or guild. They can be applied to most RPGs.

Distinctive general purposes and exceptions
Unlike tribes and peoples, a (community) is usually a voluntary association that is not necessarily tied to any specific location. Brotherhoods of priests, conclaves of wizards, craft guilds and orders of paladins decide who will become their members, for which the candidate must first complete training or prove his qualifications. In other words, such (community) societies are essentially clubs and, like all clubs, they may admit newcomers often, rarely or never at all.

Founding members are usually some of the most influential members of the (com)society for obvious reasons (due to the "seniority" of the member, due to knowledge of internal procedures, sometimes as a reward for patronage), so that in some cases the goals of the (com)society coincide with personal goals of this group. Imagine, for example, an archmage who wants to capture the queen of the genies; the head of a goldsmith's guild, eager to create the greatest work of art ever seen; a legless, secretive alchemist who hopes to climb the mountain and build a temple for his holy wife. They each have a purpose, and as founders, they must be persuasive, powerful, or wealthy enough to make others share their goals.

However, in most cases, the goals of a (community) are much larger and more ambitious and far exceed any personal goals - otherwise it will not survive the founding generation. These goals must exceed the capabilities of any one person, require joint efforts and change the entire world in some way. These must be big goals, because people are not inclined to join and fight for something insignificant. And perhaps we should recognize that (the) monsters require a similar level of motivation (from those who decide to fight them).

So what could it be? big goal? The details will vary depending on your world, but perhaps they involve awakening an imprisoned deity, creating a library of all knowledge, exploring the far reaches of the world, collecting all forms of magical ores, and precious stones, caring for the poor and sick, protecting the elven forests from deforestation, destroying all traces of blasphemous heresy. Or goals more related to power: restoration royal family on the throne, the enslavement of all humanity by the lich-queen, or the creation of a theocracy of the One True Goddemon.

Initiation and initiation rituals
Who makes these goals a reality? Those who volunteer their efforts as apprentices and apprentices, who are born into a cult or (community), who support it with money or services, or those who undergo initiation through an ordeal.

The key moment for the game is when the character tries to join such a group. Such a moment simply must include at least a little drama and suspense (tension). Ultimately, he may be voted out, at the behest of the cult's deity, due to a poor fortune-telling result or a bad omen. A longtime adversary may thwart a character's attempt to join (community) by delaying it temporarily or permanently. To begin with, you will have to work a little. Here are 10 possible ways carry out dedication or initiation:

1) Washed in Blood: initiation as a trial by combat. The initiate must engage in real or symbolic battle with an illusory opponent, a terrible monster, or an apprentice of (com)society. The victory can be formal - unless the opponent replaces the fake monster with a real one. And in the case of a duel with an armed enemy, the goal may be more to demonstrate steadfastness, iron endurance, or good manners than, in fact, the victory itself.

2) Strong in Mind: the subject can be tested for memory, courage and knowledge of the secret sciences, conduct a long-hour interview, be asked to sing or recite something, answer in a dead language or retell ancient history, theorize about the creation of spells and artifacts lost to centuries. The purpose may be a torturous vocal defense of the world (?) or a test of the subject's endurance before he fails. Indeed, IQ is a great way to evaluate candidates for the scientific (community) community, and an ever-increasing number of tasks to test these skills can create a sense of increasing tension and difficulty in a gaming session.

3) Generous Giver: The subject may be required to show generosity of spirit and open his wallet. Initiation may include bribes and gifts to the guild leader, endless libations (banquet) for newly acquired brothers and sisters, offerings in the form of small spells, symbolic animals, jewelry, rings, knives or other objects significant to the (community). The richer the initiate, the more expensive the gifts should be, the exact number can be indicated as "lots and lots" of horses, gold bars, necklaces or what have you. Failure to provide the required number of gifts will certainly embitter those who were passed over, which will affect the outcome of the vote.

4) Bound by Magic: The candidate must take a magical oath or undergo a ritual of binding and submission to ensure the safety of the secrets of the (community) or to ensure obedience to the will of the guildmaster, or to ensure the honesty of members within the thieves' guild ("By taking this oath, you cannot lie to your brothers or the head of the order") . These obligations don't have to be entirely negative or forceful: members of the wizards guild can gain the ability to sense or read magic upon entering the guild, and members of the thieves guild gain night vision like a cat (in general, there should be some benefit).

5) Ceremonial Sacrifice: The applicant may be required to sacrifice something very valuable - a magical item, a relic, blood and hair. He may be subjected to ritual castration, a vow of chastity, or poverty. The subject is warned about such things in advance, but knowing and acting out are two different things. Clearly write down this point during development so that no questions arise during the game.

6) God's Anointed: The subject must visit several shrines, undergo a sacred ritual, or overcome several difficult trials that are significant to members of the (community), such as a knight's vigil or the anointing of priests. A candidate can be accepted or rejected higher power, he may experience a vision, a prophecy, or receive a sign of blessing. A candidate may be rejected forever or until the (community) reopens its doors to newcomers if he fails to receive such a sign or vision.

7) Returned from Darkness: The candidate may have to endure narcotic visions, prolonged fasting, deliberate poisoning, spend some time in isolation or complete darkness, or undergo other torturous ritual dangerous to the physical or mental health. He or she may be subjected to various temptations, spiritual and secular temptations, offered comfort, water, food or other help, which he or she must reject.

8) Recognized by the Elite: The candidate must charm, deceive, or work hard to persuade the founders, leaders, or elite of (community) to vote for his promotion in the organization's hierarchy. If he fails to convince them, he cannot advance, despite all his merits.

9) Lock without Key: the candidate receives secret knowledge, objects, familiar, or new magic and must master them or subjugate them in some way. Until he solves the riddle of this test, the initiation will not be completed and he will not be able to become a full member of the group.

10) Tested and Marked by the Finger of Fate: The candidate comes into the sight of some powerful entity - a demon, angel, dragon, archmage or some kind of arbiter - who peers into his soul and decides whether he is worthy to join the order. If the candidate fails, he is returned to the world, rejected, and advised to complete a few tasks or gain deeper understanding before returning. “You have not satisfied the Secret Master - move on and develop skills and wisdom until next time.” If the candidate succeeds, some sign will appear on his body: a tattoo, a halo, horns, a change in eye color or another sign that clearly shows that this person is one of the followers of the Secret Master.

Open, closed and secret (community) societies
Crafts and thieves' guilds, knightly and monastic orders, colleges of magicians, cults, aristocratic clubs and secret societies are all organizations dedicated to some kind of group actions and goals. But they are structured differently when speaking publicly. Craft guilds keep their technology secret and mages hide their secret knowledge. Knights can be open to the world, but hide their military equipment and battle commands, the meaning of flags, special maneuvers or training methods. Monastic brotherhoods have both public duties and internal rules(See Zeb Cook's essay on secret cults (chapter 14)). Both cults and secret societies hide their activities from others, especially if their goals are malicious.

Therefore, you should carefully consider what the public image of the (community) will be, its internal procedures and trade secrets. Even societies known for charity, honesty and good-heartedness may hide secrets known only to the top, related to questionable sources of funding, politics, the treatment of wealthy donors, or harsh rules aimed at men and their position in the order. Thus, the cult of animals and human sacrifice will take very specific measures to prevent rumors about their real activities.

The developer must decide what secrets the (community) keeps and how to protect them from outsiders. Pressure from authorities, economic dependence, shame and guilt, powerful oaths, threats to family or friends, magical coercion, invisible demonic surveillance - something helps (community) protect its inner secrets.

In general, a (society) can be open to everyone, with all its secrets except for some minor part relating to finance, theology or magical knowledge. Or it may be that access is open to all, with only the most devout few being initiated. Anyone can join, but not everyone can move up in the hierarchy, since the (community) has an outer and an inner circle of members. The inner circle knows the real goals of the organization, while the outer circle works on public issues that may be related to those goals or serve as a cover. In other words, a (community) community can have multiple levels of participation and commitment. At each subsequent level, the character learns more and more secrets and experiences an “aha!” moment of enlightenment, having received an explanation for some actions of (community) that were previously incomprehensible. The developer’s task is to clearly show what information is available at what level.

Finally, an extreme form of "us-them" thinking, where any internal information is kept secret, and everyone who is not a member of the group is seen as dangerous, unbelieving, and a threat to the greater goals of (community). Typically groups organized in this way are called cults, although "Wall Street banking firm" would also work. If you're designing a vampire clan, Cthulhu cult, or similar (society), be careful about how you shape its secret history and how you punish anyone who breaks the secret. These will likely become plot points for GMs or part of the setting's story. Sometimes it is worth indicating specific forms of punishment or retribution that are applied to those who betrayed the secrets of the cult: death by drowning for former servants of Dagon, murder sunlight or bleeding for traitors to an ancient clan. If it's part of the world's history (lore), it can be used in the adventure and plot.

Status and power
Having decided who can join the (community) and how, let’s consider its internal hierarchy. Guildmaster, archmage, vampire prince, baron leading the knightly brotherhood - there are no main problems with the appointment. But who are their main supporters? How does one advance in rank from novice to page, squire, knight, master sergeant, commander and finally marshal? How many levels are there in the cult hierarchy?

Come up with several titles, make it clear that the organization recognizes them, give examples in the world's bible of who most often ends up in what position (candidate requirements). It's not necessary to list all the ranks of a weaver's guild if it plays a minor role in the setting, but if you're creating a world of secret monster-hunting organizations, you'll need to decide who signs the invoices when fighters go over budget on gear in pursuit of Bigfoot.

Finally, make it clear how big the organization is and how much influence it has. This could be as simple as listing the members of a gang of thieves or as complex as listing the network of sires and ghouls in a vampire city. Note that a small organization is not necessarily weaker than a large order with thousands of members. The Circle of Eight in the world of Greyhawk dominates its history and mythology, all its members are important. You can come up with similar group representatives various forces your world.

Need for competitors
One of the underappreciated aspects when designing a guild or society is rivals, competitors and bitter enemies. After all, if achieving what you wanted was so easy, everything would have ended long ago. The enemy may be another (community) striving for the same values, or pursuing goals so disgusting that all sane people want to prevent them. Perhaps the goals of society run counter to the plans of the state. The enemy can be an archmage monitoring the actions of the (community) or a free alliance of street urchins and smart adventurers.

It is not so important who will play the role of opponent, as the fact that there are those who know their true goals. When the characters join the (community), they accept these enemies as their own. This gives the GM an excellent reason for conflict - if the enemy is clearly defined and understandable to use, with their own goals, hierarchy, tools, spies and magical artifacts. Ideally, have an initiation ritual that the characters can pass or fail in order to infiltrate their opponents for spying.

Identification marks
An essential part of designing any college, guild or society is what it will look like for the players. The author believes that the simplest solution is to use one symbol, item of clothing, secret word or other identifier to the maximum. The Cult of the Red Star uses red stars, the Loyal Alchemist Guild uses the pelican (symbol of loyalty), the Order of the Immortal Light uses solar symbols.

This is, of course, trivial, but the point is so that players can recognize the nature of the cult at first glance. And for a school of magicians with their lions, snakes, ravens and badgers, it will be easy to use these symbols to indicate the characters of the characters. There's nothing wrong with repeated descriptions like "you see a man with ashen hair and a snake tattoo," as that's the easiest way to tell characters that they're dealing with a Slytherin alumnus. This works great for all open, public organizations and helps them identify each other, and of course it makes it easier for villains to recognize and target the heroes of the game.

13 Unusual World-Building Communities
1. The Alchemists Guild, which discovered the fountain of youth.
2. An order of inquisitors who can sniff out any lie.
3. A brotherhood of minotaurs and rangers specializing in dungeon exploration and plunder.
4. Order of paladins that robs the rich.
5. The cult of slave traders who believe that people are better off living in slavery.
6. A secret society of werewolves who want to gain power over unsuspecting residents.
7. Guild of magicians seeking to become liches and immortal spirits.
8. The Thieves Guild, which does charity work for orphans.
9. Trade guild of gnomes, specializing in transportation using griffins and aircraft.
10. A community of singers who support an invisible wall that protects the world from demonic hordes.
11. An order of priests dedicated to collecting knowledge and mapping the world.
12. A society of women, among whom there are oracles and prophets, wishing the world stability and security.
13. The order of assassins guarding the fortress where the roots of Yggdrasil and the Fruit of Knowledge lie.

Conclusion
Why bother? Because secret societies are the greatest villains and greatest heroes of your world. They will survive any attempt to destroy them. The mega-villain can be killed, but his followers will live to strike and take revenge. A hero who falls in the service of the Order of Saint Aric knows that even though he sacrifices his life, others will take up his banner and continue his work.

Well-designed (com)societies can echo throughout the process of worldbuilding. Make them mythical, epic, mysterious, secretive or nasty, but make them understandable, organized, active and passionate about their goals. And your reward will be conflict, drama and great acting.

1. Come up with a mystery or secret mission . A secret society must have a purpose to protect something.

2. Read a few topical books, such as the “Clique” series by Lizzie Harrison to find out basic information. Ask potential community members to also read these books and talk privately with one of your close associates who is also inspired by the idea of ​​​​creating a community.

3. Come up with a name for the club. Together with a friend, discuss what your society will be called and who else you will accept into it. Remember that even if you have a lot of friends, not all of them are suitable for membership in a secret organization. After all, they still won’t know that they were not accepted, which means that they won’t be offended.

4. Create a rite of passage for yourself.. You must go through it yourself before accepting other people into the club in order to feel and sensibly evaluate your plan. The rite of passage is one of the most important aspects of a secret society. It should be something that you wouldn't do just like that in your everyday life. Light candles - this will give any action a serious and mysterious atmosphere. You can give participants special names, which from now on other club members will call them.

5. Decide what your society will do. A community must have rules. Create a schedule for certain "club" activities - for example, dress the same for specific days or perform monthly rituals. It all depends on your creativity. You can also organize distribution of intra-club news.

6. Find potential members for the club. Casually drop something about society in a conversation to gauge the degree of interest of the interlocutor. Make sure he doesn't betray you or go against the rules. Don't mention the club to people you don't trust 100%.

7. Bring future members of the community up to date.. Invite them over for an overnight stay and show all your cards. They will be surprised and delighted, because they are special!

8. An important aspect of secret organizations is secret meetings.. Gather in a new place each time or find a “secret room” where you are sure no one will find or recognize you.

9. Come up with a dress code. In most small societies, the form of clothing is robes, and in large ones, elaborate aprons.

10. Keep everything secret.

11. Select new club members carefully. Dedicate the most outstanding and active people, those who can inspire and motivate others.

12. Don’t give away all the company’s secrets right away.. New members must first earn your trust.

13. Come up with a way to exclude from the society if suddenly some members become objectionable to you, or start chatting about the secrets of the club. If this suddenly happens, pretend it was never a secret and immediately come up with something new. Add this point to the club rules.

Adviсe:

• Create a secret handshake.


• Don't talk about the company to people you don't trust.


• A good meeting place for members of a secret society - school library. Choose a remote location and hold meetings there.

Warnings:

• Delete your browsing history in your browser so that no one knows that you read this article.


• If you suddenly choose the wrong members for society - partygoers, sports fans, those who strive to control everything, or those who are busy with their own things, like competition and self-affirmation - be prepared to communicate with people you do not trust. They may perceive the secret society as an opportunity for competition, and then it will be difficult to keep them silent.


• Make sure you are not doing anything illegal.