Crimson Codex

The Crimson Codex prefers to recruit those who effectively wield knowledge as power—particularly wizards, factotums (Dun), and archivists (HH). The Codex eagerly recruits members of the dragon prophet prestige class (ME). But any who believe in the final cause of the Codex are welcome, and all classes are represented in the organization.

The Codex does not publicly recruit new members in the manner of the Blackwheel Company. Instead, Codex operatives at every level of society constantly scout for new blood and like-minded souls. New members are never coerced into joining—endlessly patient, Codex recruiters know that the truth of their cause will ultimately persuade all who are meant to enter the Codex.

The Codex is an elite secret society, with political, financial, and magical resources throughout Eberron.

Taking the name Crimson Codex after the tome compiled by Ohnal Caldyn, this group pledged to use the Prophecy, as well as the secrets locked away in the continent of Xen’drik and elsewhere, to reestablish control over the events of Khorvaire and increase its members’ power throughout Eberron. In this way, the ultimate goal of the Codex is lasting peace and a unified kingdom in Khorvaire through the study and manipulation of the draconic Prophecy. However, whenever there is great power such as that held in the Prophecy, there are people who would seek that power for their own ends.

The Last War left Khorvaire on the brink of collapse. You know that the tenuous treaties of Thronehold must not only be maintained, they must be built upon and expanded so that the traditions of Galifar can be restored. Only with sustained peace can the pursuit of knowledge be furthered. You adventure not for fortune and glory, but for the very soul of Eberron.

You and your comrades in the Codex have determined, without a doubt, the source of ultimate knowledge. You know that the Prophecy is the ultimate and abiding reality. If this is the sole mystery that has occupied the great wyrms for time uncounted, what could be more important? It is the Great Game, the essential riddle of the times.

Many groups and factions vie for power in Eberron— churches and nations, houses and guilds, monsters and madmen. But only the Crimson Codex has the knowledge and the will to piece together the final puzzle. Wisdom is foresight. Knowledge is power.

Combat

The learned combatant is the victorious combatant. You are a master of fighting intelligently, employing strategies and tactics drawn from a dozen disciplines. Know thine enemy: This is your guiding principle in all conflict, whether martial, political, or otherwise. More often than not, this means the judicious application of magical means. Divination magic in particular is vital to the mission of the Crimson Codex.

Use your advanced knowledge to leverage environments and terrains to your advantage. Employ your learning to ferret out weakness in your enemy and exploit it. Always remember to call upon the vast resources of information within the Codex.

Advancement and Missions

Within the Crimson Codex, accumulation of knowledge is paramount. Advancement within the organization depends on the knowledge you possess and your skill in wielding it effectively. The most valued Codex members are those who can recover and interpret portions of the Prophecy, particularly as they relate to the Caldyn Fragments.

But you are no cloistered scholar, bent over crumbling scrolls by candlelight. You work in the field, fighting for every advantage against the rival factions that would subvert the true Prophecy.

Because of the nature of the Prophecy, the Crimson Codex has no enduring enemies. The Prophecy might bring you into conflict with a group one day, yet make its members your allies the next. Seeking ultimate knowledge is a game within a game, a riddle with no known parameters.

Adventures combining puzzles, exploration, and subterfuge allow Crimson Codex members to use their knowledge and combat skills in conjunction with interpreting bits of the draconic Prophecy. The Codex is also the organization most likely to send agents on distant quests—perhaps even to Sarlona or Argonnessen.

Of all the clandestine organizations that operate in Xen’drik, the Codex is the most established, with many long-term strategies in play. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, the Codex is all but invisible to the uninitiated observer. Members of the Codex prefer to hide in plain sight, their affiliation a carefully guarded secret. Anyone could potentially be affiliated with the Crimson Codex, and the strength of the organization, in many ways, is that no one knows for sure.

This does not mean, however, that the Codex simply lurks in the shadows. After all, the Codex competes directly with the Blackwheel Company, the Cabal of Shadows, and the Covenant of Light in pursuit of the Caldyn Fragments. The organization mounts expeditions to the interior of Xen’drik constantly, but perhaps more discreetly than its competitors. Highly decentralized, the Codex can divert resources with astonishing speed and precision, initiating lightning-quick strikes and disappearing again almost instantly.

Allies and enemies shift with every turning of the Prophecy, but the Crimson Codex works closely with certain members of the Chamber, the draconic organization working to bring the Prophecy to fruition. Other members of the Chamber, however, do not feel that humanoids are worthy or capable of the task and seek to thwart the Crimson Codex.

Like the dragons, the Codex seldom involves itself in mundane affairs. When the Codex does become active in Stormreach matters, its methods are exceedingly subtle. At home with ambiguity and contradiction, the Codex, in any given conflict, could potentially be allied with either side. Or both.

Structure

The Crimson Codex is divided into four branches, with members maintaining their ranks within their branch.

The Tomes are students and interpreters of the draconic Prophecy.

The Specters are spies and treasure hunters.

The Hammers are guards and enforcers.

The Serpents are elite forces, sent into the field to do the most dangerous work. Serpents are chosen from the most promising Tomes, Specters, and Hammers.

All ranks and affiliations are closely guarded secrets, and no one within the Codex ever publicly reveals his or her station to strangers.

NPC Reactions

For most people of Stormreach, the Crimson Codex is little more than a myth. Of course, this is just how the Codex wants it—the group has done a remarkable job of convincing much of the world that it doesn’t actually exist. Members of the other factions pursuing the Caldyn Fragments have a healthy respect for the Crimson Codex.