History:
The Sons of Silence was founded in 1834. It was originally called “the Order of the Sons of Silence,” however the name was shortened over time as it became more and more well known. The society was founded to recognize the crème of Dane University’s crop. Each member was meant to be an exemplary undergraduate student who truly personified the values of John Francis Dane: Dignity, Strength of character, Strength of mind. The Sons of Silence accepts eight men every year, though their methods of choosing remain unknown. The society’s members and activities remain secret to this day, with few exceptions.

The society was thought to be an urban legend from the time of its founding through the 1950s. During the period of McCarthyism, everything came under intense scrutiny, especially urban legends about highly exclusive secret societies. In 1952, Burt Caffrey, a particularly patriotic writer for The Daily Dane, investigated and uncovered The Sons of Silence. The society was exposed, as were its current undergraduate members. The story was published in The Dane, and the scandal was exposed in papers all around the nation’s capital. After a few years, the society’s members and practices went back to being secret, although its existence was forever confirmed. Today, in accordance with the society’s constitution, a member may reveal his status publicly with the approval of the current President and the Alumni Board.

In 1992, following the full integration of Dane university with Demount College and a national debate on the Skull and Bones society at Yale’s lack of acceptance of women, a campaign was formed insisting that the Sons of Silence tap females as well as males for membership. At the forefront of the team, was Dane journalism legacy Miranda Caffrey, the freshman granddaughter of Burt Caffrey. Caffrey is said to have rediscovered the Sons of Silence. It is rumored that she threatened to expose them again if they did not accept women. The SOS refused, but instead of exposing them, Caffrey founded a new, coeducational society called Kaos.

Membership selection:
4 new members are selected in December each year for Sons of Silence. Everyone who has been a member for more than two years can suggest new members, but to become an actual member you must be accepted by all of the brothers and the president. The president has the right to deny membership (but will rarely do it against the rest of the organization).
Members are usually viewed as campus leaders and other notable figures. The school paper, Dane Political Union and the School Council are well represented as are captains of sport teams.
Status: Open to new members. If you're interested in making your character a member of or initiate for SOS, please pm one of the admins.

Initiation:
Potential members of the Sons of Silence will find a white pawn on their pillow on the first of January. Each pawn has a number engraved and a riddle in a small envelope.
'In the founder's home of stories there lies a board where you belong. Strike your strategy to become a King.'

If the person, who has received the pawn, wants to become an SOS-initiate, he must solve the riddle: he must go to the Bennett Library where he will find a chess board where the white pawns and the king is missing. He will then place his pawn on this board to accept his invitation for initiation.

The same night, he will be kidnapped, blindfolded and led to The House of Voices. Here the initiation of all new members will take place on the same night. All current members of SOS must be present and have their chess piece of the King with them.
What happens next is only known by SOS-members (read about it in the 'House of Voices'- forum if you're in the SOS.
When the initiates has completed the initiation they will receive a king engraved with their SOS-name.


Members that currently attend Dane University:
President: JONES (npc)
President-in-training: SCOTT (canon)
Vice-president: PRESCOT (canon)
Members:
DUNSTAN (original)
THERON (canon)
LEBEVON(canon)
PRETROV (canon)
CAFFREY (canon)
MARSHALL (canon)
PETROV (canon)
WEINSTEIN (canon)
WESLEY (canon)

Tapped for Initiation January 2011:
1. CALMER (canon)
2. Open
3. Open
4. Open

Brothers of Silence:
The alumni of Sons of Silence are called the Brothers of Silence. Many are still very active in the secret society. The first weekend in March every year the Sons of Silence and the Brothers of Silence meet in the House of Voices, which lies in the heart of Washington DC.

House of Voices:
The House of Voices belongs to the Sons and Brothers of Silence. Its location and the name: 'House of Voices' is only known to members and alumni of SOS. The house has study rooms, a library, conference rooms and bedrooms that the members are allowed to use whenever they want.

Rules:
- While many outsiders know about the existence of Sons of Silence, information may never be commented upon by a member. Laws, bylaws, practices, and all information associated with SOS must remain secret.
- Membership may be publicly revealed by the member himself at any time, but requires permission from the SOS president.
- Loyalty to your brothers comes before everything else.
- Brothers must always be addressed by their SOS name in matters of the society, but never in public places.
- The location and name of 'The House of Voices' must not be revealed to anyone outside of the SOS.
- Breaking SOS rules will result in membership being revoked. This expulsion is executed through a conference that must be held no more than 7 days after the violation of the rules. Both president, vice president and 50 % of the members must be present at this conference.
- An excommunicated member is no longer a Brother. He must not be contacted in any way by remaining members of Sons of Silence.