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The Hellfire Club (formerly Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe) began in 18th century England as a social club for the British social elite and wealthy, as a way to provide its members with pleasures that often defied the moral standards of the time and to allow members to consolidate their influence over economic and political matters. The club’s purpose is to obtain and exert power through politics and economic influence instead of outward conquest and domination. Since its foundation, they have been involved in wars and assassinations. The organization is run by the Inner Circle, this secret group assumed the titles of chess pieces, with the leaders being the respective Black King/White King and Black Queen/White Queen, followed by Black Bishop/White Bishop and Black Knight/White Knight. Membership is hereditary, meaning many of the world's elite are members by birth but many do not accept the formal membership or just attend their lavish parties.
The Hellfire Club originated in England in the 1760s as a social organization for the elite of British society. The Club not only provided its members with pleasures, often of sorts that violated moral standards at the time, but also sewed as a means for the members to consolidate their Influence over British economic and political matters.
A number of the Club's most important members, led by the wealthy trading company owner and former Member of Parliament Sir Patrick Clemens, and his mistress, the renowned actress Diana Knight, emigrated to the colony of New York in the 17708, where they founded the new American Hellfire Club. Clemens and Knight served as its first leaders under their Club titles of Black King and Black Queen.
Today's Hellfire Club counts among its members the wealthy, the powerful, and the celebrated from virtually all over the world. Membership la by Invitation only, but such Invitations are rarely turned down, for membership in the Hellfire Club Is universally regarded as the ultimate status symbol.
As far as the general public and, indeed, moat or the Club's members are concerned, the Hellfire Club is a thoroughly respectable upper class social organization principally devoted to giving spectacular parties. It is also generally known that these parties serve as a means for members of the social, economic, and political elite to meet unofficially to discuss matters of mutual interest, and to strike political or business deals.
The Club's highest ranking members belong to its Inner Circle, who dress in late Eighteenth Century costumes for Circle meetings and other formal occasions Involving the Club. Inner Circle members hold positions named after chess places: the leaders are King end Queens, followed by Bishops, Knights, Rooks, and Pawns. It is possible for there to be two Kings (a Black King and a White King) or two Queens (Black and White) in office simultaneously. However, such situations almost Invariably lead to power struggles, and so there Is usually only one King and one Queen at a time, If a member of one faction of the Inner Circle displaces a member of another faction as King or Queen, he or she usually names his rank after the opposite color to his predecessor's;
Unknown to most of the Club members, the Inner Circle members are engaged in a conspiracy to dominate the world through the accumulation of economic power and political influence. The Inner Circle commands great financial resources, highly advanced technology, and a large body or mercenaries (many of whom wear red and blue uniforms with masks), all of which they use in their subversive activities.