The Scarlet Order of Aeluna
Founder: Aeluna "Scarlet" Saite
Founding Date: 976LD
Location: Darilach, Halim'Ra.
Mission: To spread the message of Aeluna to the peoples and bring to them "Happiness".
History:
The Scarlet Order began as a small handful of followers who were "called" to the island village of Darilach seeking a young woman to make them "Happy". The swore fealty to Aeluna and began erecting a compound just outside of Darilach. Concern over the sudden emergence of what many regarded as a cult was largely put to rest due to the heroics of the young woman who was being lauded as a savior. The mayor of Darilach approved the growth of the Order after confirming that Aeluna held no ill-intentions. This did not stop an opposing faction from rising up in the village to keep the Order "in check" according to Lady Nezra and her Night Watch.
As Aeluna's endeavors grew so did the village transforming into a prospering city in only a few years. Trade with the mainland regions of Naltronia and Arambashia secured magical components for experiments that Aeluna conducted in an attempted to make it easier to travel between locations. Her Psi-Gate efforts were ultimately a failure, but from failure came success as the Psi-Gate did not prove fruitless. Her efforts created the Astral Coil, a large array embedded in the meeting chamber of the Scarlet compound that reported allows Aeluna to communicate effortlessly with her followers regardless of the distance. Whether real or not, the explosive growth of her organization can be attributed to solid communications and distance has never seemed to be an issue for the Order.
The greatest success of the Order, and the turning point for trade across the Isles occurred in 981 LD when Aeluna negotiated with Immorashi when she attacked Darilach and issued The Crimson Ultimatum to the city. Aeluna promised to double the amount demanded by the Wyrm and to provide it to the Queen in only half the time. The next 4 years would be dedicated to ship construction on a massive scale. Recruits were drawn down from Naltronia and nearby islands. Small villages were uprooted and their citizenry brought directly to Darilach to aid in rapid industrialization. Thanks to previous supernatural episodes that took place on Halim'Ra the city found it had an ever present supply of wood. Aeluna implored Darilach's mayor to make sure that no hands were idle, and that all individuals were provided with work.
As for Aeluna, she set out to do the impossible. She departed from Halim'Ra in 983 LD and set North for Tashmine, stopping at each of the coastal cities in an effort to persuade the xenophobic elves to engage with her Order in a trade agreement was reach in the late part of the year known as The Scarlet Contract, securing safe access and trade to Tashminaen ports several times per year.
Aeluna continued on to Foriedy, hoping to reach trade agreements with the White Spire as well but was abruptly turned away and blacklisted from the island for supposedly selling snake oil. Offended, Aeluna vowed to disrupt the magical trade that the Island city had grown fat on. Engaging her trade partners she began to direct more magical goods to Darilach and began lobbying the city heads to provide additional incentives to attract mages to Halim'Ra. At the same time she engaged in an under the table war with Foriedy by spreading propaganda within the dock districts of the Island.
Aeluna's propaganda efforts are also believed to have been at the heart of the great refugees influx experienced in Foriedy when war broke out between Naltronia and Arambashia. Amid all of the turmoil and economic hardship Aeluna has made no effort to confirm or deny the claims. Neither she, nor the Scarlet Order have made any clear efforts to assist the Island of Foriedy and instead continue to secure their grasp on trade in the region.
Many rumors persist that the Scarlet Order is in cahoots with The Red Queen but no solid proof of this has ever turned up either.