The Rising Dawn
From Mizahar Lore
The Rising Dawn is a small, secretive group of people operating in various undercover positions throughout Ravok. Their main purpose is to gather information on, and when possible disrupt, the activities of the Ebonstryfe, The Black Sun, The Voice, and Rhysol himself. They are a small, volunteer only group, and as yet are not much of a threat to Rhysol and his followers.
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History
The first record of any activity involving the Rising Dawn was recorded in early spring, 511 AV, though it is very likely the organization has been around for longer. The Rising Dawn was founded by Siriana, a member of the Order of Radiance who was in Ravok investigating the threat of the Black Sun. Disgusted by the things she saw in Ravok, Siriana started the Rising Dawn, a secret group of people who for whatever reason wanted to stand up against Rhysol.
For about a year she gathered her numbers and set the order to the task of infiltrating various aspects of Ravok society, including the Ebonstryfe itself. Most of them were tasked with simply getting information about enemy plans and getting them to the Order, but when possible they were also expected to try to disrupt those operations whenever possible.
The largest action Rising Dawn has ever made to date was an attempt to liberate the slaves of Ravok and start a rebellion. Nearly one hundred slaves were smuggled out of the city, but the majority of those slaves wanted nothing to do with rebellion. Some returned to Ravok, some moved on to other cities, but many were hunted and killed by the Ebonstryfe. Since then the Rising Dawn has been fairly quiet, though rumors are whispered on canals that they are still around.
Important Locations
The House of Immortal Pleasures - For a time, the Rising Dawn performed many of it's operations out of this building under the guise of less honorable intention. The men and women of the house were instructed to lead visitors to a special room when a certain pass phrase was given, where usually Siriana or one of the Rising Dawn's other leaders would be there to meet them. While the men and women of the House didn't know exactly what went on in that room, many were still loyal to Siriana and her friends and helped to keep her secret, even going so far as to mislead the Black Sun when they thought they could get away with it.
Safe House - None are sure how Siriana acquired this shack, but it is a placed blessed by both Priskil and Rak'keli. The shack is magically protected, making it nearly impossible to find unless you already know where it is. It is a safe house for the order, providing food, hope, and healing when members of the order need a place to hide.
Important NPCs
Siriana - Also known as Fiona, and a number of other aliases, Siriana is the unofficial leader of the Rising Dawn. She is a member of the Order of Radiance and bears the second level gnosis of Priskil. Most of the order is passionately loyal to Siriana, and in truth she is the only reason it has stood as long as it has.
Ervis Revine - Ervis is a mysterious wizard who presented himself to Siriana shortly after the order was founded. He is one of the three unofficial leaders of the Rising Dawn. While many question his motivations for fighting against Rhysol, none question his usefulness and since Siriana trusts him, rarely do any oppose his methods.
Harrol/Kujol - Harrol is an Akalak who joined the organization early on. His skill in combat was essential to the success of the order, and there are rumors that he is Siriana's lover. He is also the third unofficial leader of the order.
Meredith - A priestess of Rak'keli who can usually be found at the Safe House. She is essential to the health and safety of the members of the Rising Dawn.
Rising Dawn Hierarchy
The Rising Dawn has no official leaders, but most of its members accept Siriana as their leader, with Ervis and Harrol right behind her. Followed by them are those members who are trusted enough to have been given access to the Safe House, and last by those who have not. Other than that, there is no real hierarchy in the order.
Rising Dawn Tactics
The Rising Dawn operates in secret, and in fact is very much like the organizations they seek to destroy. They silently infiltrate Ravok society, seeking stations that will give them the best access to vital information. Meetings are held in secret locations that are shielded to block out any eavesdroppers, and usually only consist of two or three members. Information is passed from meeting to meeting, and it can sometimes take a few days to spread information throughout the entire order. When the Rising Dawn does perform actual operations, they are usually under the cover of night and on a small scale designed to disrupt specific enemy operations. The Rising Dawn is a guerilla, and some might say terrorist, organization.
Joining the Resistance
To join the Rising Dawn, one must first be recruited by an existing member. Members are always on the lookout for new recruits, and when they find someone who exhibits the qualities the order is looking for, those persons will usually receive a mysterious note asking them to come to a meeting of the Rising Dawn. If they come, they will usually be tested in some way, and assuming they pass the person will be invited into the order. Once they have further proved their worth and trustworthiness, they will be shown the Safe House and become full members of the Rising Dawn.
Benefits
Full members of the Rising Dawn do receive a few minor benefits. The first and largest is access to the Safe House, which provides shelter, food, and healing when needed. Beyond that, members have a moral support network throughout Ravok. It is usually very disheartening for someone who is against Rhysol to live alone in Ravok, and having others of like mind to talk to is often the difference between making it by and losing all hope. Rising Dawn members do not draw a salary, since the organization is too small to have any sort of funding, but on rare occasions individual members may be able to draw on a small amount of mizas in order to fund specific missions.