There are many groups that operate independently of the governments of the world, or are portions of those governments that have gained the power to operate on their own whims. Orders of knights and monks, trading guilds, underground thieves organizations, or simply a group of people bound by common cause can all bind themselves together under a single banner and become more powerful by their unity.
International Factions
The world is large, and travel is difficult, but some groups take advantage of the few means of travel and communications that span the oceans between continents to establish global groups. Some of these groups are politically powerful and closely organized and controlled, others are loose and decentralized, not solely bound by an organization but by a shared set of beliefs or tradition that unifies them. These people hold pride in the path they’ve chosen and will mark themselves or carry tokens to signify their devotion.