Design and describe a fictional secret society

Status: Closed
Prize: €215
Entries Received: 14
Winner: l554446l

Winner

Contest Brief

Please design me a secret society. I am looking for a piece of writing, in Wikipedia-style, that describes a fictional secret society with a secret agenda. Optionally and preferably with some graphics sketches included. I am looking for creative content so feel free to have fun and expand your inventive horizons.

The resulting text will be used as content and background material for a future piece of (possibly interactive) fiction. I may end up using your work (possibly modified) as content in the final piece, but at least as supporting material during my design process.

In addition to one winner I will consider Buying a few additional entries.

Here are some design goals:
- I am looking for a newly invented society so it should not appear in google or wikipedia.
- It should be old, large, secret and powerful. Somewhat sinister but with some noble goal (at least as seen by the members). Possibly something similar to what you might find mentioned in a novel or story dealing with conspiracies (think of Borges, Eco, Kafka, Brown, ...)
- It's not intended to be a farce or an obvious parody. A reader should be able to take it seriously on first reading. However some whimsical and parodic elements are welcome.
- Some graphics and drawings are welcome, for example showing things like the society symbols, logos, rituals,...
- Please include a description of the society hierarchy and operation. A graphical representation is always nice.
- I am mainly looking for a "wikipedia-style" description of what the society is, but will also welcome prose, short stories, "eyewitness descriptions", extracts of the society "rulebooks", ...
- The name and details of the society should be fictional, I don't want to see it appear in a Google or Wikipedia search.
- No magic or alien technology. The society musn't depend on magic or alien technology. The society and its members may of course believe in such, or believe that they have evidence of it.
- The story will be oriented towards adults and young people, so no gross depictions of violent or sexual nature, unless obviously parodic or hypothetical.

Please try to answer at least some of the following questions in your proposal:
- What is the name of the society? Possibly members refer to it with a different name than outsiders?
- What is the history of the society? Where did it originate and when? I would prefer it to be old. Is it nowadays expanding or declining, and why? Does it struggle to operate in the modern world?
- What is the ultimate goal of the society?
- Why are the society members so loyal to it? What is the benefit?
- Why and how does this society remain secret?
- How spread out is it in the world? Does it operate globally? Are some members ranked high up in politics, science, business etc?
- What are some rules of the society towards its members?
- What is the penalty for betraying the society or trespassing the rules? Can one withdraw from the society or be expelled? How does that happen and what are the consequences?
- what kids of people are members? any particular notable members you would like to mention?
- What is the hierarchy of the society? I prefer to have many levels in the group, each higher level more secret than the previous.
- How many members do you think this society might have? The range could be 1000 to several million.
- How are new members recruited? What are the criteria to include new members?
- What are its initiation rites/rituals like? Are there different ones on each level?
- How do the guild/society members recognise each other? A secret handshake, a hand-sign, some other kind of mark, a secret tattoo? What are these like?
- There is most likely a sign/symbol of the society. Or a number of different ones depending on the level.

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Employer Feedback

“The contest entry matched my needs very well and l554446l showed initiative in asking for feedback and in proposing alternatives.”

logicnap, Finland.

Public Clarification Board

Contest Holder
- 7 years ago
Thanks for the entries to everyone who already submitted one. I have been too busy to provide feedback, so I extended the contest by 5 days. Tweaks to existing entries and new entries are welcome! :)
- 7 years ago
1. l554446l
  - 7 years ago
  Thank you. It appears also that you have increased the prize, did I notice right?
  - 7 years ago
2. Chrisanthemus
  - 7 years ago
  Hello contest holder, I really had an excellent idea that I wanted to share but I couldn't do it in time due to work and college. I really like this cntest, if you are willing to accept an aditional entry apart from this contest I'd be ever so grateful for the opportunity! Please consider it, I am an avid reader and I really wanted to join this contest and it saddens me that I couldn't.
  - 7 years ago
Chrisanthemus
- 7 years ago
Hello contest holder, I really had an excellent idea that I wanted to share but I couldn't do it in time due to work and college. I really like this cntest, if you are willing to accept an aditional entry apart from this contest I'd be ever so grateful for the opportunity! Please consider it, I am an avid reader and I really wanted to join this contest and it saddens me that I couldn't.
- 7 years ago
Nikola1122
- 7 years ago
The final version is #25
Best regards :)
- 7 years ago
cloliveira
- 7 years ago
Just submitted my first draft. Please give feedback so I can keep working. Thank you!
- 7 years ago
faisolfuady
- 7 years ago
I just saw this contest and it would be great have to joint in. Please #extended
- 7 years ago
selfvictim
- 7 years ago
#extended
- 7 years ago
kenadra
- 7 years ago
I'm working on it.
- 7 years ago
cloliveira
- 7 years ago
Same question here!
- 7 years ago
1. l554446l
  - 7 years ago
  Hi, I read "The boy who lost his name - letter Z" from your portfolio. I think it's beautiful.
  - 7 years ago
2. cloliveira
  - 7 years ago
  Hi :)! Thank you, that is so kind from you, and good to hear! Good luck for this contest and upcoming projects!
  - 7 years ago
Contest Holder
- 7 years ago
Good question! Sorry for not noticing the questions at once.
- 7 years ago
1. Contest Holder
  - 7 years ago
  I'm quite flexible with the length. Content is more important than the length. If an entry is well-written and creative, already 1500 words could be enough for my purposes. Ideal is around 3000-4000 words but I can live with up to 10000. A graphical sketch or a few, even rough quality, would be a nice plus.
  
  In case you'd rather not submit your entire text, I would like to get a good feeling of your style and the contents of your submission. I would suggest a very minimum of 500 words minimum + a summary of the remainder. We can discuss the specifics of your entry on the chat if you'd like.
  - 7 years ago
2. cloliveira
  - 7 years ago
  Thank you for your reply!
  - 7 years ago
l554446l
- 7 years ago
This sounds fun! @.@ Same question as DEVINIUM, for minimum and maximum number of words or pages.
- 7 years ago
DEVINIUM
- 7 years ago
About how many words for this sample?
- 7 years ago