The 13 Arrows
History:
Patriotism can be a fine thing. It's usually no sin to love one's country. But like anything good and true it can be taken to extremes. I have seen the documents. The secret history of this country is written in the blood of men who dared to balk the elite who rule from its shadows. Over 40 years ago, they arranged the assassination of President James Garfield and God knows it wasn't the only time they've had blood on their hands. Now they work tirelessly to make our nation the most powerful in the world at the expense of all others. I and many others strive to stop them without costing the nation we love so much. My father heard the last confession of Charles J. Guiteau before he was hung. It scarred him for life but it also motivated him to organize us...and others. His name was Artemis Gordon.
I only hope that God can forgive us as a nation. I only hope that the things we do to halt their plans will be enough.
Some lessons of history are learned very well. Many of the Kings, Nobles, and merchant princes of Europe had men at their beck and call who operated outside of the law in order to secure the power of the realm. Even Elizabeth the 1st had Francis Walsingham to do the necessary dirty work that a monarch occasionally requires. When this country was born there were men who realized that this young nation would need men who were as passionate about it, as they were crafty and ruthless.
In the beginning, there were only 13 men. One from each of the former colonies. Each of them were men of wealth and privilege.Each of them were men who had done ruthless things in business. Each had much to gain from a new nation severed from England.
A decision was made early on that the inner circle would not rely on their children to carry on their cause. They were students of history after all and had seen how wealth and privilege could make the children of powerful men weak and foolish. A series of tests were devised that one had to pass before becoming part of the inner circle. If one's children could pass it they would join the inner circle. If not they would still enjoy the power and the prestige of being part of the organization but they would not pass into the select 13 men who would make the decisions that guided the secret society.
There were rules naturally. The whole conspiracy was started with best of intentions. To further the cause of Americans and to protect them at all costs...even from themselves. The problems started small. Occasionally, a test would be slightly slanted to favor the child of the "Arrowheads". Naturally, in the course of time, greater problems began to emerge as corruption began to eat at the heart of the membership. The Arrowheads that oversaw the group were never stupid or mad like the inbred European monarchy. But they were ruthless and corrupt. Protecting America was always in their self-interest but when people live above the law, even noblesse oblige cannot help to rationalize running the country like a private fiefdom.
Agenda: Fairly simple really. Bend and subvert government and industry. Keep the populace docile and ignorant with bread and circuses. Become the most powerful group in the world by running America and making America the most powerful nation in the world.
Resources: The Arrowheads have a wide panoply of backgrounds to call upon and most of them have background enhancements. (Wealth beyond Avarice and Renown are most common) The members of the 13 Arrows are heavily infiltrated into upper echelons of government and have access to its military and espionage might.(Many times the operative don't even know who they are really working for..but some do.) The reach of the group is further extended by the fact that numerous American masonic lodges have been completely subverted. It is rumored that the original Arrows were all Masons but no one can substantiate this rumor.) The power of the group is largely centered in New England old money families but their reach is very long and their power is very concentrated. If they have a weakness, it is that they usually have to work indirectly or through unknowing proxies. If they have a strength it is that people who find themselves at cross purposes with the Arrows oftentimes have trouble with the fact that stopping an operation of theirs might actually cause real damage to American interests or unveil American corruption on the world stage.
Membership: The group is composed entirely of white Anglo-Saxon protestant males. The group deliberately excludes people of color, women, and any of foreign nationality. In fact, the Arrows largely opposed giving women the vote, but it was one of those few political issues where the unwashed masses would not be denied. Some among the inner circle are said to be trying to have the law repealed but most agree that the genie is unfortunately out of the bottle already and there is no point in trying to put it back. The best plan is to see to it the wives vote the way the husbands want and efforts are being turned to that effect.
As far as religion goes, The group deliberately excludes both Jews and Catholics. While some lip service is paid to protestant ideals, the group members really only worship one thing. Power. The group's numbers are somewhere in the neighborhood of about 300. The 13 Arrowheads are unknown to the membership at large and only meet twice a year to officiate over large group meetings. Members are often polled about their opinions but final decisions lie in the hands of the Arrowheads. Communications in the group are achieved with state of the art scrambling technology and/or encrypted messages bearing the seal of the 13 arrows wrapped in the eagle's claw.
Ongoing Operations: The 13 Arrows are always on the prowl to extend their reach and to add to their vast collection of eyes and ears. To this end, they are trying to find ways to infiltrate Branch 9's American section. They have so far been unsuccessful.
Alliances: The people that call the Arrows friends are few. Still, on occasion, The Arrows have offered help to people who stand against American interests. They are partially funding Operation Prospero and while most consider Senator Caldwell to be a blunt instrument and far less subtle than they'd like, The Manifest Destiny Army always seem to receive mysterious help when they need it most. It is known that there are a couple of members of the Brotherhood of Opportunities and the Hunt Club that are also members of the 13 Arrows. These people keep their membership in the Arrows a secret on pain of death. The Arrows consider the Brotherhood to be a good proving ground for the occasional recruit but they also consider them to be rough and unschooled children. If the 2 groups found themselves in conflict, The Brotherhood would come up short and not even know who was sponsoring their destruction. The Arrows consider the Hunt club to be a decadent little clique and sort of fun but not worth worrying about. they are far too small.
Enemies: Argentine DeWinter and the Ubiquitous Dragon consider them a very real threat to their hegemony. The Czar hates them with a purple blazing passion. Branch 9 is aware of them but finds them very difficult to catch and prosecute. The group is very hard to catch because for the most part, they don't have secret bases or training grounds of their own. Very little exists on paper tying the group together and those things that the group owns directly are held in the hands of powerful, rich, pillars of the community. Good luck.
The Inspired: The reason why they are funding Operation Prospero and similar programs is very simple. The Inspired are a wild card element in the fabric of their plans. Inspired men and women must be made to serve or must be eliminated. The Arrowheads are known to be trying to find ways to take on the powers of the Inspired for themselves. It is unknown how many of the Inner circle actually possess these powers already.
The Future: An Arrow operative is responsible for delaying Japan's declaration of war to President Roosevelt. No one knows exactly who gave the order but it spurs a new era of more and more blatant actions culminating in a rash of assassinations of public figures in the 60's and the 70's. In later decades, the Arrows find themselves having to become more circumspect in the information age. Conspiracies become far too easy to uncover...but they may still be out there.
Additional Notes: This group is the epitome of the "Crusty Old Fascist Imperialist White Guy" conspiracy. (no member of the Arrowheads is under 50 years old.) No tactic is too low in the name of national security and/or their own profit margin. They are the shadowy hand that decides the fate of millions...informally, on the golf course. They give the hero who tries to struggle against them very little to struggle against and a host of moral dilemmas (if they are Americans themselves.)
