The Banished

      Once named the Saniei, this formerly wealthy “family” was at one time held in high esteem. Now, the Banished are only shadows of their former selves. Within the Empire they lived lavish lives, squandering their wealth on luxuries the common man could only dream of. Their power stretched far beyond that of the majority of the Empire’s ruling class, and the surname Saniei was granted to many men with substantial wealth and power. So carried away were the Saniei by the arrogance of power and the greed of wealth that they devised an ultimately doomed plan to assassinate the Emperor, a rash act that led to the banishment of the entire family. Now, after nearly a century in exile, the Saniei struggle to regain their former status of wealth and privilege.
     

      The Banished hold a violent grudge against the Empire and its subjects, believing that their plot was right and in the interests of the Empire. They vow to gain revenge on all who turned their backs on them. Their leader, Octavius Saniei, is a ruthless man who has made it his personal quest to see the blood of every last Imperial spilled at the feet of the Banished. His hatred for anyone and anything connected to the Empire is only matched by his undying contempt for all those who have not sworn allegiance to the Banished. He refuses to ask for any help from anyone. The people of the Banished look at him as the ultimate leader, one who will avenge their ancestors, dispel any accusation of wrongdoing against them and keep their clan pure.
     

      The Banished believe that they are superior to others outside the Empire, simply because of their former status and wealth. They also believe, however, that they are superior to those within the Empire, because of their conviction that their actions for which they are persecuted were justified. They view and judge each other simply on their relative positions on the social ladder, and how hard they have worked to get there. Social standing is one of the few values that the Banished hold dear in their society. They believe that what matters is not the content of one’s character, but the number of people one controls.