- General
- Faerûn
- Mercenary Companies
- Psionic Organizations
- Underdark Organizations
- Minor Valorous Organizations
- Organizations of Waterdeep
- Organizations of the East
- Demon-led Organizations
- Cult of the Dragon
- Druids of the Tall Trees
- The Emerald Enclave
- Fangshields
- Fellowship of the Purple Staff
- Fire Knives
- Guardian of the Weave
- Hand of Vengeance
- Marshals and Heralds in the Realms
- Harpers
- Knights of the Flying Hunt
- Knights of Imphras II
- Knights of the North
- The Lords' Alliance
- Malaugryms
- Order of the Grand Snakemaster
- People of the Black Blood
- Red Wizards of Thay
- The Seven Sisters
- Shades
- The Soft Claws
- The Xanathar's Guild
- The Zhentarim
The Transcendent Order
The multiverse is really one tremendous organic entity moving with some greater end that is beyond mortal minds to comprehend. Each one of us is an infinitesimal part of the whole, playing out some role whose ultimate purpose we could never guess. Since the multiverse would not work against its own interests, we all are born with perfect knowledge of what it is we are supposed to do. However, most people bury their instincts under feat, self-doubt, meaningless trivia that some call 'education', and worst of all, ego.
The Transcendent Order believes that with proper training of mind and body, a person can become so in touch with the natural order (and her part in it) that correct action flows through her without any effort or thinking. Thinking adds hesitation, plants the seeds of doubt, and overrules instinct. Once the mind and body are in harmony, the spirit becomes in tune with the multiverse. Then a body knows just where and how she should be.
The Transcendent Order is strongest on Elysium, the plane of harmonious good. It maintains a monastery on Amoria, the topmost layer of that plane, where visitors are always welcome and individuals are encouraged to study, practice, or meditate on whatever interests them most.
Members of the Transcendent Order are often called ciphers, and the elite among them are known as cipher adepts.
Lore Of The Transcendent Order
Mauvignon Fragments: The Mauvignon Codex is lost, destroyed by jealous pretenders. However, fragments of this archetypal tome remain, studied by the Transcendent Order. Through a combination of contemplation and study of fragments, ciphers come closer to attaining the zone - the place where actions flow without thought and time loses all meaning (and perhaps time itself becomes dissociated with consciousness). Those who study the fragments learn several tenets, collectively known as streams. As a cipher masters one stream, his or her consciousness expands, allowing greater instinctive action and a mind amenable to study of the next stream. Unfortunately, the fragments are far from complete, and many rumored streams of the original Codex remain permanently beyond study, unless time itself could be reversed and the Codex plucked from the past.
Pinnacle of Perfect Knowledge: This "site" is considered by most to be fictional rather than an actual physical location. Nonetheless, some ciphers are glad to express their belief in the Pinnacle, where perfect knowledge is attained. Others speak of the Pinnacle not as a physical location to which they can travel but as a metaphor for the "place" that all of the Transcendent Order seek. When a cipher appears to be acting with perfect knowledge, others will say that he or she has "climbed the Pinnacle."