Martial Arts Sects

Present (Jan 2009) onward — umbrella for hidden martial lineages on Earth.

Members train Aura (Qi) and learn Awakened reality through sect initiation.

Overview

Five hidden sects/clans — each unknown to the general public.
Awakened Association authorizes sects to help subgates within their regional territory.

Sect hierarchy (Inner / Outer)

Inner Sect (Leader → Pavilion Masters → Deacons → Disciples) and Outer Sect (Outer Disciples — labor and porter duties).

Rule	Detail
Rank vs position	Awakened rank does not grant sect office — appointments are separate (contrast Angels, where Title follows rank)
Elder Council	Leader + Pavilion Masters

Outer Disciples — officially accepted recruits not yet Inner Sect; manual labor, herb runs, porter duties.

Clan Leaders (Present Jan 2009)

Sect	Clan Leader	Rank
Shaolin Sect	Silent Cloud (Current Abbot)	AAA
Wudang Sect	Flowing River	AAA
Cheonma Sect (Heavenly Demon)	(TBD)	S
Gu Clan	Gu Feng	S
Tang Clan	Tang Jue	AAA

Shaolin Sect

Hidden martial lineage. Clan Leader: Silent Cloud — Current Abbot; Dharma name Silent Cloud; AAA (~13% into band @ Present Jan 2009).

Pure Human Awakened insider — Aura (Qi) on Sentinel (Warrior) path; no Divinity bloodline.
Famous for being strong yet peaceful; peacemaker between Gu Clan, Tang Clan, Wudang Sect, and Cheonma Sect many times over the past decade (~1999–2009).

Wudang Sect

Hidden martial lineage. Clan Leader: Flowing River — Taoist name Flowing River; AAA (~2.5% into band @ Present Jan 2009).

Pure Human Awakened insider — Knight (Warrior) path; known to mix Water mana with martial arts; low-level Aura application.

Cheonma Sect (Heavenly Demon)

Hidden martial lineage. Clan Leader: S — always addressed as Heavenly Demon (standing title for the sect leader, not merely sect branding).

Extremely hostile toward Divine Mandate — outsiders (and sometimes insiders) confuse Cheonma and Divine Mandate as the same group or as brother/sister sects (name/theming overlap).

Gu Clan

Hidden clan tradition. Clan Leader: Gu Feng — S (~52% into band @ Present Jan 2009); very active in Gates; doting father of twin daughters Gu Mei and Gu Xian; wife Gu Lian (AAA).

Tang Clan

Hidden clan tradition. Clan Leader: Tang Jue — AAA (~39.5% into band @ Present Jan 2009); very rich in modern poison and pharmaceutical industries; son Tang Wei (school-age).

Mutual rivals with Gu Clan — but good working relationship on sect affairs.

Relations

Faction	Stance
Awakened Association	Working relationship (subgate authorization by region)
Order of the Silver Cross	Working relationship
Divine Mandate	Hostile (Cheonma: extremely hostile)