The Black Hand

The Black Hand is a secretive group of radical revolutionaries that claims to be working towards freeing the common people of the Core Empires from the tyranny of the nobility and the rich.

History
Supposedly founded by the gnomish philosopher Nysus, the Black Hand is believed to have started out as a simple anti-monarchist think tank. The populist ideas espoused by its founder drew many working class people from all over the Core Empires into its ranks. However, Nysus has not been seen or heard from in quite some time, and rumors of atrocities have recently begun to circulate.

Philosophy
The Black Hand asserts that the entire history of the world has been a struggle between the lower and upper class, and that this struggle can only end in revolution and the overthrow of the Core Empires. Its members shun the concepts of royalty, nations, religion, and even money.

According to their pamphlets, the nobility and the wealthy are greedy, corrupt instigators of systemic violence against the common people. The Black Hand claims all attempts at peaceful reforms have failed, and that violence is the only viable way to dismantle the slavery of imperialism.

Recently, underground newspapers have begun to say that the time of the revolution is drawing near, and that the Black Hand will be its vanguard.

Characters
Jerec the Poor

Rumors and Activities

 * Nysus, the supposed founder of the Black Hand, is given credit for writing the group's pamphlets and literature but hasn't been heard from in months.
 * Whether the Black Hand is leaderless or not is unknown, but this doesn't stop the Core Empires from claiming each other as being behind the organization. Indeed, the Black Hand's aversion to national boundaries renders such accusations easy to make.
 * Some say the Black Hand seeks out dissidents and troublemakers, others say it's open for anyone to join.
 * Many rumors have surfaced about massacres conducted by the Black Hand- entire trade cravans slaughtered and left on the roads to be found, murders and assassination, inciting riots, and even an attack on a train carrying foreign dignitaries from every Empire.
 * The group's popularity is said to greatly alarm the Core Empires, especially the Celestine Empire and Alfaxmos Imperium.
 * People claim that the Black Hand and the Ravenguard are one in the same, all run by Mr. X . Others say the two are bitter enemies.