Though blessed by the True Gods, the following institutions exist outside the normal church structures of House and Order. These bodies are a breed apart, but serve the ends of their divine patrons no less than their established churches.
Though these organizations are global in scope, their "branches" evolved independently on each of the Four Continents, and have different names. Nonetheless, their mandates and the composition of their membership are much the same.
The names given below are those used on the Shattered Continent of Miren.
The Society of the Ebon Sun
The origins of the Ebon Sun are long lost to history, except on the Continent of Dass. Some hundred years after the close of the Astarith, a most unusual drow clawed his way past the slain bodies of his dark kin in a desperate bid to reach the surface world. Eulesti was an aged drow, who in his youth remembered the blessings of Illovia and the beauty of the world graced by her gentle light. Now, he would do anything to die beneath her gaze—even renounce his evil ways and bare himself, body and soul, to divine justice.
When the dying dark elf reached the surface world at last, it was nearly dawn. In his final moments, he stared directly into Illovia's rising orb, silently begging her forgiveness for his vile deeds in the War of Souls. Illovia heard his plea…and though his dead body cracked and blistered beneath her radiance, Eulesti's soul was transformed into the first Vohrqua that Dass had ever known.
For as Illovia predicted, Eulesti was the first of handful of drow who wished to die with their honor restored and their sins forgiven. With the spirit of Eulesti to lead and guide these exiles from Gouhr's befouled realm, Illovia transformed these repentant few into a fearsome force for Good.
For all who have followed those ancient drow, the sacred duty of the Ebon Sun has remained the same: to take the battle against the darkness to its very heart. The Ebon Sun shines to expose and defeat the incursions of the underdark before any innocent blood is shed. The memory of their homelands is the Ebon Sun's most powerful weapon, and their defiance has made these "traitors to the Unholy Congress" the underdark's most hated foes.
Then as now, any drow that wish to join the Ebon Sun must submit themselves to Illovia's stern gaze come the dawn. The candidate must stare directly into the rising sun; those who are truly repentant can face the True Goddess without averting their eyes—and those who are not explode into a ball of purifying flame. New members are formally inducted by a magical branding of Illovia's symbol at the top of the breastbone.
Illovia has granted her most unusual children a precious gift: the drow of the Ebon Sun function as well in daylight as any other surface elf, yet retain all the special abilities of their drow heritage. This enables the "Rays" [members] to enjoy the life that their status makes possible, without reducing their combat effectiveness in any way. Children born to Rays retain these gifts, though they are free to make their own lives outside of the Ebon Sun if they so choose. Mechanisms exist to help integrate such folk into aboveworld society. The Rays of the Ebon Sun need not be of a character class, though most of them are, and can advance as any other elf. The Ebon Sun itself is led by the Revered One, a dark elf Grace of the Order. The Revered One is subordinate only to the Serenity of the Order proper.
The Ebon Sun exists on the periphery of social consciousness. Though ordinary folk may see the odd member or two in their lifetimes, very few would ever guess that they were organized and fought for a common cause. The senior clergy of the House of Light is well aware of the Ebon Sun, but sees no need to trumpet its existence, and carefully refrains from drawing unwanted attention to its members.
The Triad
For over three thousand years, the Triad has remained one of Minarra's best kept secrets. Few people would ever believe that such an organization exists, and fewer still would speak the thought aloud. This suits the Triad just fine.
The function of the Triad is to contain any attempt by Daskaandolon or his insane followers to disrupt public institutions or threaten public safety. All the Lawful Powers of the pantheon aid in this effort, and all contribute their share of mortal servants to the cause.
To the uninitiated, the missions of the Triad are mind-boggling and its organization wildly improbable:
The traits that make up a good agent of the Triad haven’t changed in millennia: profound piety, intense self-discipline, a knack for keeping secrets, and—above all—the willingness to brush aside the struggle between Good and Evil for the sake of Law. It is a demanding life, and one that most could not embrace.
Recruiting practices for the Triad is something of an art form. Prospective members are quietly observed for years, and are approached only after protracted debate amongst the Triad's senior officers. Once the offer is made, the recruit is given three days to consider, and is under constant surveillance during this period. If the recruit betrays the secret during this time, he is purged of the memory of the offer, as is anyone in whom the recruit confided.
If the offer is accepted, the recruit is put on probation. While the first few assignments are of little consequence, they are also calculated to inflame whatever prejudices the recruit might harbor against his fellows. If the recruit comports himself with the spirit of Law first and foremost in his heart, he is fully inducted. Once one becomes a full-fledged agent, any disloyalty, disobedience, or gross incompetence is punishable by death.
Secrecy and security are the twin pillars of survival. Upon full membership, all agents are given an enchanted candy called the sentahra wrenthyn, an Istari phrase loosely translated as "the sweet silence". As the candy dissolves, a potent magical drug seeps into the body, where it remains for life. The magic prevents an agent from carelessly revealing the existence of the Triad, and also enables them to identify any other agent within their line of sight. If within a quarter mile of each other, agents can perceive whether their fellow is between missions or on one; at 100 yards, the agents can discern their relative rank.
The reasons for this secrecy are twofold. The machinations of the Mad One are sometimes slow and subtle, and any forewarning of an attack could goad the Order of the Crystal Fang into a spasm of destruction and bloodshed. Furthermore, public knowledge of the Triad's alliance of Good and Evil would undermine the faith of many a layman and not a few clergy. The Triad exists to fight the worst excesses of Chaos, not to alienate the faithful among its varied churches.
The supreme authority of the Triad rests in three individuals: The Harmony of the Three Rings, the Cruelty of the Ebon Hooves, and (usually) the Serenity of the Scroll. While the Heads of Order of all the Lawful faiths know of the Triad, those who are not actually members are expected to keep the secret to themselves.
