Freemasons

The ancestors of the Masonic Orders originated way back in Ancient Egypt and played a role in the construction of the pyramids and tombs of that ancient land. Subsequent orders were involved with the construction of Solomon's Temple, laid the foundations of Constantinople and Baghdad, and built the first highways in Rome and China. The modern incarnation, the Freemasons, were founded in 1352 in York, England, inheriting the knowledge of organizations form the Middle East and the Mediteranian. The greatest achievement of the Freemasons over their centuries was their efforts in establishing a model new society in the New World: the United States of America. The capital of that young nation, Washington, D.C., was to serve as the new capital of the Masons, their shining city on the hill.

And then, in the early 19th century, the Illuminati, a secret society of German origin, infiltrated the Freemasons, stole most of their occult knowledge, and seized control of the United States from the Masons. The Illuminati even seized the Masons' seats on the Veil Council, the governing body of the supernatural world.

Today, the Illuminati are one of the most powerful secret societies on the planet, their tentacles reaching through businesses and governments. Meanwhile, the Masons have forgotten most of their occult past, and are largely just a charitable organization in the modern day. There are a few remnants of the Masons earlier days of glory, but most members are completely unaware of these relics, having no more insight into the secret truths of the world than your average sleeper on the street.

Not that that has stopped the conspiracy theories about the Masons from circling--something the Illuminati are all too happy to promote if only to deflect more attention away from their own actions.