Edling- I agree with you on the traitor idea. I think if it was going to come up, it would need to come up later in the story/rp, and while I think you are right about none of our characters seeming to fit that bill yet, I will say I think Draven could be persuaded if there was something or someone that ended up becoming close enough to him that they mean more to him than his dedication to the Syndicate. Just for an example, if he fell in love with someone in the Syndicate or outside of it (which is forbidden unless you are a Zealot). I'm not finished with his form yet so there isn't much proof of that yet XD but I think if we were to implement the traitor aspect I would be willing to craft Draven into someone who could be.

As for culture ideas...I will hold off on saying too much until Froggs sees this because they have been the more creative one in this department thus far lol (also you have been such a great help I appreciate you) however:

I did mention at one point taking inspiriation from a real life organization called The OddFellows. I believe it was more well known a couple hundred years ago, but I THINK there are still members and groups formed. Anway, if I'm correct in my limited knowledge about them, they were a fraternal society that went largely undocumented before the 18th century, and throughout their time in this order, there were a LOT of shady/ritualistic things that went undetected for a long time and discovered later (including a ritual where new members were forced to sit in front of a real corpse/skeleton for a certain amount of time to "contemplate their own mortality"). From what I've heard, I believe that they bought a couple of properties under the guise of charity (one being I believe an orphanage) but did a lot of shady things behind the scenes. Still to this day a LOT is unknown about them, and people who do know about them won't speak on it. I personally think The Syndicates would function in a similar manner, or at least kind of, but I'm not 100% sure on what their philosophical standpoint should be.

That is true that it should be further down the line for someone to turn.

I started thinking of slang in relation to flower/plants for the different positions. Like the alcolytes could be the seeds, the disciples are sprouts/grass roots something like that, the zealots are maybe the lilypads or the stalk, and I'm starting to run out of plant lol. Or maybe it could just be like the hierarchy so starting from the bottom of the plant going up.

Also - new avi drop?? :0 It looks amazing!

Froggy - When it comes to deposing the leader/deputy, for the sake of formality, maybe it could be a trial-esque thing held by the Zealots that addresses their observations of the shift in their values. Versus simply offing the alleged, maybe the greatest formal way of removing their status is to put a (for lack of better word) 'mark of shame' over their Syndicate branding to revoke their affiliation, as well as banish them entirely from the Syndicate? Maybe they are even heavily suggested to remove themselves from the area the Syndicate primarily operates in, or risk being killed on sight after the only chance at mercy they were given? Afterwords, the Syndicate could resume the tradition of the most skilled to replace the reposed? Something along those lines ahah.

I adore plant slang to symbolize the hierarchy lmao. I am not a 'planty' enough person to even begin suggesting how to approach suggestions though XD.

Edling- I think if no one else's character will fit the bill for the traitor I can certainly make Draven work. Simply because I really want to experience the dynamics once it's suspected that a traitor is in their midst lol. I would agree with you about suspecting the Alcolytes first for both reasons. They're the newest members/least trusted and the most expendable at least comparatively to the higher ranks. Also very in love with the idea you mentioned of deposing.

Yess new avi :3 Thank youuu <33

Froggs- In love with the plant hierarchy symbolism, I think it fits rather well.

I think if the leader isn't skilled enough for the job, then things just shift and they're a zealot again although they're kinda suspicious because the former leader might be resentful. But I like that for if the leader isn't doing the job well intentionally although I wonder if they would ever let someone leave the organization. I do like the mark of shame, but maybe they resume as a zealot and the mark of shame is a way of marking them as someone they need to keep an eye on and they just aren't trusted the same way again.

It would make sense for attention to fall on lower first and then up. Although I think because disciples do most of the work depending on what kind of betrayal is happening they'd actually probably start with the disciples because the acolytes aren't supposed to know enough to cause damage so unless they are being fed false information it would probably be a disciple. The acolytes are also a way of generating revenue because they've gotta give it all to the leader who disperses it for missions and general ability to survive.