An ancient Vistani verse claims that the Mists of Ravenloft hide many things. A rough translation of this passage might read: The Mists hide truths and lies, heroes and villains, triumphs and tragedies. Most of all, the Mists hide the secrets of a thousand tortured souls For centuries, the most observant men and women of the Demiplane have known that there was more to the world around them than met the eye. Certain citizens of the Barovian mountains have long suspected that Strahd von Zarovich is not the normal man he pretends to be. Some have similar suspicions about the domain lords of Sithicus, Kartakass, and G'Henna. However, when it became clear that it was as dangerous to be astute as to be unobservant, the wisest of these citizens decided to close ranks and keep their secrets to themselves. No one knows exactly how many secret societies are shrouded by the Mists of Ravenloft. This chapter presents nine of these covert groups. Game Use Secret Societies can fulfill many roles in a RAVENLOFT campaign. In most cases, the way in which a secret society fits into a given campaign depends upon the actions and alignments of the player characters. If the organization shares alignments or goals with the player characters, then it can serve as a patron. Indeed, it might even be possible for the heroes to join the order and fully embrace its ultimate plans. A fine example of such groups might be the Circle or the Keepers of the Black Feather. By their very nature, all members of the anchorite class belong to the Church of Ezra, described later in this chapter. A member of an evil secret society (or one that merely seeks to accomplish things the heroes find objectionable) can make a fine villain for an adventure. In such scenarios, it might even be possible for the heroes to confront their enemies without ever learning the society's true nature or objectives. Lastly, a secret society can be used as a distraction or red herring. In the course of the adventure, the characters might come across members of a mysterious order who get in their way but are not the actual focus of the adventure. This type of encounter can easily foreshadow future plot twists. Ultimate Goals In almost every case, a single objective drives the members of a secret society. This may be simple, like the death of a given ruler, or more esoteric, like an understanding of the true nature of life and death. In most cases, however, the members of a secret society know (and sometimes fanatically embrace) this goal. Not all secret societies have clearly defined goals, however. Rather, some secret societies have goals so obscure or fantastic that none can guess or even understand them. Thus, some of these societies apparently exist merely to exist. Cells Most of the societies described on the following pages guard their secrets carefully. They do not reveal their existence, memberships, or goals to the outside world. In fact, most secret societies are organized in small groups called cells. Each cell is composed of a handful of members who know each other, but no one beyond their own group. Only the leader of a given cell knows how to contact members of another cell.

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