Champions of Loss

This is a group that was made by David Jaramillo in Vindication of the Merchant Nation. Though not mentioned at all, they were a large proponent to the main plot involving the Countess Mirabeta and Markaedus Callahan. In character, Eshkabel is the only character that had any hint of the true nature of this group's involvement until the end when Mirabeta was killed.

Facts

 * Headquarters: The center of the organization is in a specific meeting place outside the coast of Calimsham. This place is a small island where a small chapel is located. This location is close to the largest temple of Shar in Fearun. This island is very well guarded and said to be linked to the Shadowfell, formerly the Plane of Shadow. Movements within the organization have been stated to change the headquarters to the center of the Shade Enclave in Netheril.
 * Members: The Champions of Loss are the upper grade of Shar worshipers. Only the few and truly extraordinary get a chance to join this organization. High Priests and Priestess of the Church of Shar, Dark Mothers and Fathers from the Monks of the Dark Moon, Justicars that have earned their right through spilling the blood of priests of Selune, Higher members from the Order of the Dark Moon that aid Lord of Loss in his control of the maintenance of the Shadow Weave, and the Princes of the City of Shade are the types welcomed to be in this group. Those that enter the group are meant to be equal to the chosen of Mystra and the Champions of the Triad that lead the Legion of Light.  The group has less than thirty members as a result and most members of the group work in the group part time aside from their existing personal legacy.
 * Hierarchy: Democratic, except for Shar
 * Leader: Shar, Second/Voice of Shar: Michael Malizia Daydominico (The Lord of Loss)

Though the organization is militaristic in the fact that the group works for Shar, there is a misconception about the second in command. The Lord of Loss is the Chosen of Shar and seems to be the leader of the group, but the reality is that there is no leader besides Shar. The Lord is the one who commonly speaks to her and learns what she wants done in the material plane. The group then decides the member most fit to lead the existing mission. All members have the ability to act as the leader and coordinator of the mission. Since every member is a champion and truly revered in the group, there is no question of anyone's ability once they are chosen to lead a mission. Though it was widely accepted that the Lord of Loss was the speaker for Shar in the organization, this is periodically challenged, and most commonly challenged by Prince Rivalen of the Shade Enclave. All Champions are capable of being the voice. The voice holds no control over any of the other members within the organization, the voice often dictates the direction of the organization.
 * Connections to other Organizations and other Orders: The Champions of Loss are a small existing council, but its networking ability between all followers of Shar is perhaps the greatest asset to its existence. The Church of Shar, the Justicars within the Church of Shar, the Monks of the Dark Moon, the Order of the Dark Moon are all connected within the Champions of Loss. The Netherverse has a strong connection within the organization as all ties with the Shade Princes. Michael only purposely left the Nightbringers out the main social network of the Champions of Loss. The Nightbringers are Shar's personal elite force of Avatars and finest that inhabit the souls of women. The Lord of Loss is personally connected with the Nightbringers, but he cannot be a Nightbringer and believes that they should be separate from all organizations. The Nightbringers should remain separate just for the possibility that the Champions of Loss were to fall.
 * Alignment: LE, NE, CE
 * Secrecy: Very High

Brief History
This organization was started long before the Monks of the Dark Moon. This was originally a High Society of Shar worshipers that survived since the time of Netheril. Members like the High Prince of the City of Shade and Larloch made up these members. In attempt to recognize an issue, Shar wanted to plant a few of these people to safeguard certain temples that would create the next chosen or Shar. The chosen would be there for a very specific reason. This chosen would help craft and maintain the Shadow Weave. Shar wanted to create a living vassal to maintain this weave, more like Mystra maintains the Weave, but without sacrificing herself. She needed a small loyal crew. This was arguably the first meeting of this group, but it is not the first formal meeting of the group.

After Michael became the next chosen of Shar, he wanted to know the people responsible for contacting him. These few people tailored the needs of the three combatants that would go through the tests to be the next chosen. Michael knew that this group also sent people to help him break into the Abyss when he stole the Soul Gem of the Arch Fiend Ale'Grande. Michael like the idea of a small elite group of worshipers that would act for the benefit of their deity. Shar’s more powerful minions were very distinguished and often detested each other. They had rivalries and several of them were actually enemies. Michael knew it could be done if it happened once before. Michael did not have luck for gathering these ancient powers. It would take Michael another fifty years before his efforts would pay off. His success paid off when he could deliver the on his promise that idealogical enemies of the group were nearly every memeber's personal enemies as well. Anyone on the side of evil could share a in their hatred of Elminster and the Seven Sisters.

Michael often claimed that he was very close relationship with Shar and that she a super secret team of elite champions capable of carrying out her plans in the material plane. The Church of Shar has existed since Shar worshipers could organize themselves. Michael thought that the group needed a separate group of elite followers that would do jobs that required small groups of people to organize and carry out very precise goals. this group people that would watch over certain temples of the Church of Shar to help ensure the success of other organizations and endeavors for the Lady of Loss. This group is more like a small Cult. The Hierarchy is very frigid though the organization has few meetings. This group has been formally around for nine hundred years and has met in secret.

Subsidiary Group, The Knights of Loss:
The Knights of Loss were formed into existence after the Spellplague. Netheril’s attempt to control the Champions of Loss came when they had adapted a military group for the purpose of the Champions. Most of the original group was outraged that such an overt connection to the existence of the organization was made to help represent its interests. Telamont did not believe it was time for secrets. He believed it was time for action and control. He saw the Champions as a group of elites that worked towards a similar goal that just did not work under him. By creating the Knights of Loss, he could give the Champions greater enforcement power, and simultaneously give himself greater control over the organization. Even Prince Rivalen disagreed with this strategy, but the group proved far more effective that anticipated.

Telamont made the group smaller than most the original members anticipated, and the members in the group were powerful and likely to become Champions in the future. Instead of an army, it was more like a task force of Shades. Though these people were not heavily secretive or powerful as the actual Champions, the Knights were not to be trifled with. In the end, this move proved great for Netheril’s organized control of Sharran worshipers. The Lord of Loss laments the creation of this group, but not even he can deny how effective its members take to initiatives of the Champions. It has become almost likely that a Champion of Loss doing business for the Champions will have Knights around him. The Knights are recruited in a terrible fashion and go past a grueling contest of wit and strategy inside the Shadowfell to decide who is worthy of entering this elite group. Most that try, die. And as a result of these trials, some say that it may actually be more difficult to become a Knight than a Champion, but the truth is that the only initiation to the Champions is ever decided by existing members or Shar. Several Shades have used the Knights as a way to gain more influence quicker than through other means. Merit is greatly awarded to the Knights, and those of greater influence get great respect in Netheril to ensure that more people will try to become Knights of Loss.

The Lord of Loss still denies the organization’s connection to the original Champions, but the connection is undeniable to other members and it is clear through his decision that he remains in the minority of strict loyalists to the original group. The Lord of Loss makes use of the Knights as he makes use of all other side organizations whenever necessary. The Knights remain as a victory for Netheril’s control and provide a campaign basis for the future involvement of every organized worshiper of Shar.

The only weakness is that Knights of Loss are the main combatants in the new Dark Crusade against the enemies of Shar. Not many know of the religious battles being waged and even less know that the actions taken by the Knights are not controlled by Telamont, but are controlled by the Lord of Loss. This has made the group work against the will of Telamont, but he he cuts the group from Netheril completely, or disassembles the group, then his monopoly over the worshipers of Shar will diminish greatly.

Motivation and Goals
The goals of the organizations are Shar’s personal goals. The goals of the goal as of late involve Shar’s ambitions against rival and enemy deities. This includes the enemies like, Selune, and her creation, Mystra. The Champions often see themselves as the other side of the mirror from Mystra and Selune. There is great antagonism towards Mystra's chosen and those involved with them by the Champions. As a super secret groups, most goals are are subtle and do not show the mark of their effects until long after the mission is complete. Such methods are employed to keep the secrecy of the group intact.

Shar also wants to get the drop in her upcoming rival, Loviatar. More than anything, the group uses the already existing major organization to help with this task. The champions are elite and act more capably than others in tasks like single assassinations and information retrieval. I cases where the Champions of Loss coordinate with the Church of Shar, the Monks of the Dark Moon, or even the City of Shade, there is often an influence in the original plans due to their involvement.

The group has had an overarching goal to aid the partnership between her and Cyric since the Time of Troubles. Since then, Shar has paid close attention to the actions of Cyric and used the Champions to keep a close eye on Cyric worshipers to see if any opportunity was revealed. Those who know the Champions believe that they watched many important events since the Time of Troubles to the battle at the Citadel of the Raven waiting for the opportunity to act. Since Cyric's death the goal changed to immersing his followers into her group.

The Champions were among the first outside the Children themselves to learn about the Children of Woe. The Champions stepped aside to let the Shades take precedent for the actions involving Innarlith, but when the Shades failed Grahm, it was clear that the Champions needed to actively take control of the situation and aid the situation.

Their later endeavors also involved increasing the spread of power to Shar worshipers through a plan in Sembia. This plan was commanded by Larloch in the Monks of the Dark Moon and sub commanded by the Lord of Loss. The goal was to create a Sharran state with a private Sharran army, but the result failed and it remains a goal to tried later.

The other purpose of the organization is to control and maintain the use of the Shadow Weave. Michael is the most powerful user of the Shadow Weave outside Shar herself. Michael maintains and strengthens the power of the Shadow Weave with his chosen powers, and often uses the abilities of the other members that are his seniors for strengthening the power of the Shadow Weave. The Champions of Loss are secretive to the point that there are members inside the Church of Shar that try to hunt them down for the name of Shar. This sect believes that it is harmful for people to know the art, while the Champions of Loss do practically the opposite. They seek to strengthen and widen the power of the Shadow Weave until it takes over the Weave itself. This often polarizes members of this group against the chosen of Mystra.

As a major proponent to the Shadow Weave, the group acts in contradiction with the sect of the Church of Shar and seeks to promote and increase the strength of the Shadow Weave. The Champions act to find methods to increase the strength to hopefully increase the power of the Shadow Weave that it might one day replace of the Weave as the main source of magic in Faerun.

After the death of Mask, Prince Rivalen of the Shade wished to use his connections with the Night Blades (A group of thieves started in the Sembian Civil War by the Shade Enclave and the Exarchs of Mask) to gain control of Sembia from within. Rivalen's countless success failed to involve the absorption of the followers of Mask. After learning of the news of Sembia after the Champions of Loss failure to aid in the capture of the Weave, the Champions decided to aid the goal of absorbing the remaining followers of Mask, but it has been a slow process. Rivalen leads the group connected to the absorption of the Mask followers, but it is centralized now to persuading Mask's most influential followers to offer their worship to the one that Mask sacrificed himself for.

Recruiting
This group is very allusive and it has very few members. All members have to worship Shar. It would be extremely difficult for a good or neutral characters to accept the nature of this organization. Members of this group are usually leaders of the Church of Shar and the Monks of the Dark Moon. Each member of the group is either an already elusive and feared great power in Faerun of an existing leader of one of the other organizations that worship Shar. People do not aim to become Champions in the main organizations, the Champions chose them. Acceptance in the Champions in mandatory for the group. Anyone who is not already a champion often finds there they will be placed in the subsidiary group, the Knights of Loss. This acts as a test to the nature of the Champions and to see if the members are devoted enough and competent enough to act as a champion.

Most members are ancient, and with less than thirty members, there is never truly a need to add members to the group. Recruiting people will only ever happen if there is someone that the group believes would be a viable contribution to the Champions of Loss.

Allies
The Champion's allies are the other groups that the Champions get involved with. The Knight's of Loss, the Church of Shar, and the Monks of the Dark Moon are the main allies of the organization, but the Shades also help the organization periodically when there is a mutual benefit.

The Champions of Loss were looking to become allies with most mainstream group of Cyric followers before they were all cleansed. The Champions of Loss have a job to find the most likely candidate for the most successful Child of Woe, and help them become Cyric to make him into an ally. As a result, the Sharran presence has been noticed in Innarlith to help the efforts of Grahm Bakura Mandalax The organizations seeks to make allies of every villain willing to work against the Shar's enemies.

Post Spellplague: 1385-1479
After the Spellplague, the group found that Netheril as its strongest ally. The Princes already were involved with the Champions, but the expansion of the power of Netheril increased their influence on the organization. Netheril and The Champion collaborated very often, but it was an uneasy relationship. The Princes had much more power and wished to absorb the Champions into Netheril. The Lord of Loss and the representatives from the organizations greatly opposed merging with Netheril. The Champions were never meant to be a tool of a country and missions were only called by Shar. Telamont argued that it was in Shar's best interest if the groups consolidated and accepted that Netheril was the strongest centralized method of getting people to worship Shar.

The groups remained separate the until 1479 DR, but Netheril still believes attempts to argue on behalf of absorbing the Champions of Loss into Netheril as a super elite task force. The champions themselves see less action than they had in the past. With a greater expansion of Sharran worshipers because of Netheril, there are more layers and people to do missions. The Champions themselves find that there are less that they really need to do themselves. Many members that represent other organizations see more work in the lower organizations as the memberships increase to those organizations. The members of the Champions of Loss in Netheril still respond to their duties in the Champions, but now there is a greater conflict of interests as the Shades now believe that their work in Netheril is a greater service to Shar than their duties in the Champions.

The Kir-lanan have migrated to the aid of Shar after the Spellplague and this has made them a good use to the Champions and also for Netheril. Once godless creatures, the Champions believe that using the Kir-lanan would make them harder to spot as the culprits to certain deeds, but it seems that it would soon be seen as one of the calling cards of the Champions involvement. Netheril actually takes pride in falsely taking credit for the Champions's work. Despite the conflict between the groups, there is still support on all religious endeavors for each group.

Enemies
The organization has few enemies since the organization is very allusive. The individual members are far more famous than the organization. There are very few people that know about the organization outside its own members, but enemies of Shar, and enemies of the specific members are the people most likely to find out or oppose the organization.

The Champions of Loss have no known enemy, but it is believed that some that know multiple members have found collaborations to be suspicious. More so than organizational enemies, individual members have their share of rivals and enemies that misrepresent organizational objectives with personal objectives.

Several members of the group are notorious for faking their actions and ambitions to clear the group from suspicion.