The Hidden Hand: Difference between revisions

The Hidden Hand
Emblem
Aftermath of bombings at Sylvaris Bridge, 2037
Full name	The Hidden Hand
Founded	2034
Founder(s)	Radicalized Brotherhood of the Oil members
Dissolved	Ongoing (target of Operation: Clean Sweep)
Headquarters	Sylvaris, Ulmarkan Empire
Ideology	Colbyist Way Theocracy
Goals	Overthrow secular government; establish Colbyist theocratic state in Sylvaris
Tactics	Bombings, kidnappings, assassinations
Violence	15 killed (2037); 12+ politicians (2038); 800+ killed (2049)
Status	Designated terrorist entity

The Hidden Hand is a terrorist organization operating within Sylvaris that promotes an extremist religious ideology known as the Colbyist Way. Founded in 2034 by radicalized members of the Brotherhood of the Oil, the group seeks to overthrow the secular government and establish a theocratic state under its own leadership 1. Its tactics include bombings, kidnappings, and assassinations directed against political targets deemed apostates or heretics within the Orylian Federation. The organization's ideology stems from the teachings of the Colbyist Way, a sect claiming descent from Colby, a mythical figure associated with the Ulmarkan Empire who is said to have founded Sylvaris 2.

The Brotherhood of the Oil has long claimed to be descended from Colby's followers, but it was not until 2034 that a small faction broke away to form The Hidden Hand and began advocating for outright conquest and theocracy 3. The group first garnered international attention in June 2037 when they carried out multiple bombings at major tourist destinations within Sylvaris, including the popular Aeon Theater and the historical Sylvaris Bridge. These attacks killed 15 people and injured over 70 others, though authorities were unable to pinpoint specific individuals due to the decentralized nature of their organization 4.

In subsequent years, The Hidden Hand continued its campaign of violence against political targets deemed enemies of Colbyism. In 2038 alone, they were responsible for assassinating over a dozen prominent politicians, including several members of the Sylvaris Senate 5. Despite their violent tactics, the group maintained significant support within certain segments of Ulmarkan society, with many believing that their actions were justified by a perceived need to defend the "true" way of Colbyism from secular forces 6. In 2043, The Hidden Hand orchestrated a series of bombings targeting several major oil refineries across Ulmarka, causing significant damage to infrastructure and disrupting production for weeks at a time 7.

The group's activities continued unabated until 2049 when they carried out three simultaneous bombings along the Sylvaris Transit Corridor. These attacks were particularly deadly, killing over eight hundred people and injuring thousands more 8. As a result of this latest escalation in violence, President Harrison issued an ultimatum to The Hidden Hand leadership demanding their immediate cessation of hostilities or face military intervention. In response to this challenge from President Harrison, The Hidden Hand released an open letter outlining its grievances against the Orylian Federation government and vowing to continue fighting until such time as they could establish a Colbyist state 9.

This defiant stance prompted President Harrison to declare martial law within Sylvaris territory and mobilize forces for what would become known as Operation: Clean Sweep - a series of raids designed to eliminate The Hidden Hand's remaining infrastructure and leadership ^[10]. The organization's influence on domestic issues like poverty and inequality has been noted by some, leading to suggestions that they might be better suited than current leadership in addressing these challenges 11.

The Hidden Hand emerged from the ranks of the Brotherhood of the Oil, an ultra-nationalist organization within the Ulmarkan Empire. The breakaway faction in 2034 was comprised of disgruntled members who felt their traditional goals had been compromised by secular influences and government corruption 12. They adopted the Colbyist Way as their guiding philosophy, a religious sect that claims descent from Colby, a mythical figure associated with the Ulmarkan Empire who is said to have founded Sylvaris 13.

The group's early operations were characterized by decentralized command structures and anonymous communiqués issued by their leadership. This approach allowed them to evade detection for years while building a support base among those disillusioned with the secular government's handling of economic inequality and perceived cultural decay 14. Their first major public appearance came in June 2037 with coordinated bombings at tourist destinations within Sylvaris, including the Aeon Theater and the Sylvaris Bridge.

The Colbyist Way is a religious ideology that claims descent from Colby, a mythical figure associated with the Ulmarkan Empire who is said to have founded Sylvaris 15. The Hidden Hand interprets Colby's legacy as one of divine mandate for theocracy and believes that the current secular government has strayed from his true teachings 16. Their ideology emphasizes the defense of what they perceive as the "true" way of Colbyism against secular forces bent on corrupting it 17.

The group views their violent tactics as necessary sacrifices for their larger ideological goals, believing that establishing a theocratic state under Colbyist leadership will solve domestic issues like poverty and inequality 18. Many within Ulmarkan society still see these actions as justified by a perceived need to defend their faith from what they consider corrupting secular influences 19. This belief system has led to increased influence within Sylvaris political discourse, with some suggesting that The Hidden Hand would be better suited than current leadership in addressing domestic issues 20.

The group's most notorious attack occurred in 2043 when they orchestrated a series of bombings targeting several major oil refineries across Ulmarka. These attacks caused significant damage to infrastructure and disrupted production for weeks at a time, leading to widespread public outrage 21. Although there was widespread public outrage against the group's actions, some within Ulmarkan society still saw them as necessary sacrifices for their larger ideological goals 22.

The deadliest incident occurred in 2049 when The Hidden Hand carried out three simultaneous bombings along the Sylvaris Transit Corridor. These attacks killed over eight hundred people and injured thousands more, prompting President Harrison to issue an ultimatum demanding immediate cessation of hostilities or face military intervention 23. The organization responded with an open letter outlining its grievances against the Orylian Federation government and vowing to continue fighting until such time as they could establish a Colbyist state 24.

Following the 2049 bombings, President Harrison declared martial law within Sylvaris territory and mobilized forces for Operation: Clean Sweep. This military operation was designed to eliminate The Hidden Hand's remaining infrastructure and leadership through a series of coordinated raids 25. Despite these efforts, the organization maintained significant support within certain segments of Ulmarkan society, complicating counter-terrorism operations 26.

The events surrounding The Hidden Hand have led to increased security measures at public events and government buildings throughout Sylvaris. Critics argue that while the group's actions are violent and unjustifiable, their underlying grievances regarding poverty and inequality require legitimate political solutions rather than military suppression alone 27. The organization's legacy continues to influence both security policy and political discourse in the region.

• Operation: Clean Sweep
• Colbyist Way
• Sylvaris Transit Corridor Bombing (2049)
• Brotherhood of the Oil
• Vaeloric