Cerberus Assembly

The Cerberus Assembly is a group of extremely powerful mages in the Dwendalian Empire centered in Rexxentrum with others scattered through the continent.

History
The name "Cerberus Assembly" is a reference to a group of powerful mages also called the Cerberus Assembly that existed during the Age of Arcanum. However, the current faction took the name as inspiration and is unaffiliated with the group.

Around 570 PD, tensions arose between mages of the empire and the assimilated high-born magic practitioners from the Julous Dominion, which escalated into a national-scale conflict, leveled two wards of Rexxentrum, and caused "hundreds" of casualties among civilians. Eventually, all involved individuals were chained up and brought to the King Manfried Dwendal. After days of negotiations, a compromise was reached, their crimes were absolved from the legal punishment in exchange for their submission to the Crown and the goals of the empire. The mages established themselves as the Cerberus Assembly, a power under the rule of the king. This event subsequently became known as "The Eve of Crimson Midnight".

In the subsequent centuries, "the Cerberus Assembly has subtly ingrained itself within most facets of the empire's government, becoming a force of political and military power that many say could rival the king himself", which has strengthened already pre-existing strains with the Crown.

Campaign 3: Bells Hells
At some point, Ludinus Da'leth of the Cerberus Assembly started cooperating with the Unseelie Court and Otohan Thull, the leader of the Paragon's Call of Bassuras, to build a Malleus Key in the Fey Realm with the help of Ira Wendagoth, who left the Unseelie Court project. In 836 PD, Birdie and Oleander Calloway stole the Moontide Crown from Feywild's Malleus Key, hoping to delay progress. By the next year, though possibly earlier, Ira Wendagoth had left the project and began working against Ludinus and Otohan as well.

At some point after this, the Ruby Vanguard, a religios group affiliated with Ludinus, began their work on the Key in the Shadowfell. In Unndilar 843 PD, three months before, the Cerberus Assembly forced members of the Grim Verity at the Aydinlan Seminary from their excavating ruins in the Hellcatch Valley, a site on the Material Plane that overlapped with the nexus point, so that the Vanguard may begin building a Malleus Key there.

Starting in or before 843 PD, Paragon's Call was receiving crates marked with the Assembly's symbol and containing Potions of Possibility. Armand Treshi had three of these crates, each shipped months apart, transported through the Menagerie Coast and across the Ozmit Sea, where they were received and held in Jrusar by Jiana Hexum before being sent to Paragon's Call in Bassuras.

When Bells Hells met Caleb and Beau at the Tishtan excavation site, the two members of the Mighty Nein told them that Ludinus was operating outside the Assembly, and mentioned they had been working on taking down the Cerberus Assembly for the past decade.

Description
Those not allied with the Cerberus Assembly are wary of their growing power. The mages of the assembly are involved in virtually all aspects of governance of the Dwendalian Empire, including spying operations involving Volstrucker, protecting it against foreign invasions, the supervision of the Soltryce Academy and the Hall of Erudition, foreign relations, and discovery of powerful artifacts of the Age of Arcanum. Those allied with the assembly, such as Pumat Sol, claim that the assembly keeps the Crown in check and prevents abuses of power. They also note that the assembly has promoted education for the middle and lower classes in Zadash.

The mages of the assembly have an lavish lifestyles, earned populace's mistrust through intimidating history of political and economic control, and evoke fear, acting in public with little fear of argument or resistance.

Relations
The Cerberus Assembly and the Cobalt Soul have a fairly antagonistic relationship, which has been in place since the assembly was first founded. Their relationship is a political necessity, and they do at times need to begrudgingly work together; however, the Cobalt Soul sees itself as a check on the assembly. Both factions frequently try to limit the other's influence within the Empire. Outside the Empire, the assembly is regarded as a dangerous faction to be involved with, a necessary evil, and treated with distant respect.

Symbols
The symbol of the Cerberus Assembly consists of kite shapes with the longer portions pointed inward towards each other, representing the three heads of the assembly. Beneath that are eight spires which represent the assembly's towers, the Candles.

Members and operations
There are eight archmages who make most administrative decisions within the Cerberus Assembly, and the families of each member are appointed as annexes, lesser members without responsibility. When a member is declared dead, or when a standing member abdicates their position, the remaining members then recommend a replacement from the list of current annexes, and vote on the mage to be elevated into one of the eight major offices.

Archmages

 * Martinet Ludinus Da'leth: Archmage of Domestic Protections - Oldest member of the current assembly, who has sat on the assembly since its inception and is the sole surviving founding member. His duties include a degree of military oversight and involvement in warfare.
 * Master Astrid Becke: Archmage of Civil Influence - One of Trent Ikithon's most esteemed Volstruckers, Astrid was promoted to his position after his imprisonment at the hands of the Mighty Nein.
 * Baroness Jenna Iresor: Archmage of Industry - One of the youngest members of the assembly. Described as "unique but a bit distracted" by Yussa Errenis. Appears to be human but is actually a doppelganger.
 * Master Doolan Tversky: Archmage of Dysology - In charge of research into monsters and arcane creations that might threaten the Empire or its people.
 * Lord Athesias Uludan: Archmage of Diplomatic Union - Described as "a buffoon" by Yussa Errenis. His duties are, as his title suggests, diplomatic ones, and he maintains relationships with powerful figures within the Empire and with its allies.
 * Headmaster Zivan Margolin: Archmage of Conscription - Headmaster of the Soltryce Academy in Rexxentrum. He designs the curriculum, but also flags for Ikithon students who might be good candidates for the Volstruckers.
 * Headmaster Oremid Hass: Archmage of Cultivation - Headmaster of the Hall of Erudition in Zadash, the Assembly's main academic institution outside of Rexxentrum.
 * Unknown Archmage of Antiquity: Occupied by Vess DeRogna prior to her death in Brussendar 836 PD. Unclear if the role was filled in the next month before Trent Ikithon's vacancy.

The Annexes
Directly beneath the eight chief mages of the Assembly are their deputies and assistants, known as annexes.
 * Pumat Sol: Owner of The Invulnerable Vagrant, a shop selling magical items and spell scrolls in Zadash. Pumat described himself as an annex to the Cerberus Assembly, and was treated extremely harshly by Vess DeRogna when she found out he was holding up some urgent business.

Former members

 * Trent Ikithon: Archmage of Civil Influence - Lead propagandist for the Empire. He is also the founder and trainer of the Volstrucker. Eventually, his abuses of his students were exposed to King Bertrand Dwendal by the Mighty Nein and the Cobalt Soul, and Ikithon was stripped of his position on the Assembly and imprisoned, replaced by Astrid Becke, a former student.
 * Lady Vess DeRogna: Archmage of Antiquity - Served as the expert historian for the Assembly. She replaced her criminal predecessor Delilah Briarwood in the position, before being assassinated by Lucien in her suite in Balenpost.
 * Delilah Briarwood: Archmage of Antiquity - Ousted from the Assembly for illegal necromantic experimentation through an investigation led by the Cobalt Soul.
 * Lord Symon Vergesson: Founder and namesake of the Vergesson Sanatorium, now deceased.
 * Vence Nuthaleus: Annex to Ludinus Da'leth, imprisoned and given over to the Kryn Dynasty based on the results of the peace treaties that ended the War of Ash and Light.
 * Zana Deelio: Annex to Ludinus Da'leth, found deceased within the A2 excavation site of Aeor by the Mighty Nein.

Wind of Aeons
The Assembly maintains a small sailing ship, the Wind of Aeons. It is built of redwood in a style that appeared significantly different to the other ships at the Nicodranas docks when the Mighty Nein saw it. It sails under the flag of the Assembly. It appears as though it is rarely used, and is somewhat garishly decorated with gold inlay.

Trivia

 * Some recent members of the Cerberus Assembly hold political and/or nobiliary titles (like Baroness Jenna Iresor or Lady Vess DeRogna). It is unknown if they have those titles in their own right, or if they obtained said titles for their services to the Crown.
 * Archmages of the Cerberus Assembly have been major antagonists in each campaign of Critical Role: Delilah Briarwood in Campaign 1, Trent Ikithon and Vess DeRogna in Campaign 2, and Ludinus Da'leth in Campaign 3.

Notes and references
Notes

References

Art