Kindred to the Masquerade, the Occuso or the Midali Underground finds its home in Midal City. While the larger Masquerade gathers wealth in the west, the younger Occuso gathers a different kind of power in the east-the power that comes from knowledge and information.

The Occuso have developed very specialized skills to serve very specific interests. They are mainly spies, information gatherers, secret messengers, subversives, blackmailers, and saboteurs. In fact, those of the Masquerade who show unusual aptitude in the spying arts are sent to train under the Occuso. Therefore, the two organizations share close ties and value one another's interests. Many Occuso serve as the watchmen and informers of not only the Masquerade but of the many governments across the realm. Trading secrets, falsifying information, and covering or uncovering intrigue are the mainstay of the Underground.

Like their Masquerade brethren, the Occuso demand of their members completely fealty, secrecy, and a share of the gathered information. The Occuso, though, never share all of their information even amongst themselves. They live by a simple principle--"There is no complete truth." The Occuso live cloaked and disguised lives always hidden in the shadows and invisible to everyday eyes. They are observers and rarely participate lest it make their presence known.

Members are usually garnered through the ranks of the Masquerade or through careful invitation. In fact, the Occuso have often approached those in positions to acquire the information they seek--a chamber maid, a bodyguard, a personal servant. To become part of the Occuso, characters must meet the following requisites (calculated for Rule of Skill):

RANK	REQUISITES	POINTS	GAINED BENEFITS
Apprentice of the Mark	Looting 1, Concealing 1 Courtier 1, Streetwise 1 Disguise 1, Forgery 1 any Language 1st Lore 1, 2nd Lore 1 1st Favored Skill 1 2nd Favored Skill 1 Killing Strike 1 (w/ Dagger) Organization 1	29	• membership • Organizational ability: +1 to Disguise skill level • free or replacement Disguise Kit • Organizational language: Occusi • awarded the Shadow's Cloak (invokes Invisibility x 1 per day)
Apprentice of the Message	Looting 2, Concealing 2 Courtier 2, Streetwise 2 Disguise 2, Forgery 2 any Language 1st Lore 2, 2nd Lore 2 1st Favored Skill 2 2nd Favored Skill 2 Waylay 1	31	• Organizational ability: +1 to Forgery skill level • +1 Language • invoke the Shadow's Cloak x 2 per day
Apprentice of the Sign	Looting 3, Concealing 3 Courtier 3, Streetwise 3 Disguise 3, Forgery 3 any Language 1st Lore 3, 2nd Lore 3 1st Favored Skill 3 2nd Favored Skill 3	42	• Organizational ability: read/understand Tradespeak (see the Silver Guild) • Organizational ability: +1 to Concealing skill level • invoke the Shadow's Cloak x 3 per day

FAVORED LORES: History, any Lore
FAVORED SKILLS: Aid, Climbing, Find/Remove Traps, Lock Picking, Pick Pocket, Survival, Tracking

The full description of the Occuso can be found in the full-version of the Archaea sourcebook.

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