(Note:  we're keeping this to what the League knows, or could easily learn, more or less)

Formally the Studiengesellschaft für Geistesurgeschichte‚ Deutsches Ahnenerbe, founded in 1932 by Heinrich Himmler and a small group of Nazi intellectuals. Openly dedicated to research about the Aryan origins of the German people; but their true goals are more sinister ...

The Ahnenerbe employs many academics and writers, sponsors anthropological and historical seminars, publishes books and magazines, and generally has a prominent role in Germany. Secretly, however, they are involved in discovering and exploiting supernatural effects for the Reich. Some of their projects include:

• Projekt Laternentrager, which includes
  • the development and deployment of orrery equipment
  • the use of technologies and higher mathematics to open Portals
  • the attempt to recover a "wonder weapon" from Hamilcar's Refuge, on the Tunisian coast
  • the expedition to Ephesus, to somehow exploit the Portal there
• the expedition to Nicaragua, for an unknown purpose
• the development and production of arcane equipment, including the highly-advanced Rocket Troop Helms
• the search for the Holy Grail
• the search for Solomon's Sword
• the search for the Ark of the Covenant
• the search for Atlantis
• expeditions to Tunisia, Tibet, Antarctica, the Arctic, etc.
• the creation of autovivified Grautruppen, who serve in the Gray Battalion.

They have a central bureau in Berlin, but their more dubious research and esoteric activities are controlled from Wewelsburg Castle, in Westphalia.

To protect their projects and expeditions, they field at least 3 distinct types of (living) infantry and security troops; the Reichsarbeitsdienst Gebirgsjager troops that have been spotted in several countries (distinguished by their tan uniforms, gebirgsmutze caps, and edelwiess insignia), the Wach-Shutzen seen aboard the Mowe and the cargo submarine near Ephesus (distinguished by their navy blue uniforms), and the impressive Bahnschrankerangebotten troops seen through the Portal in Ephesus and near the orrery in Hamilcar's Refuge (distinguished by... well, we will let it be a surprise for now).  

Major rebuilding and expansion schemes are being carried out at Wewelsburg, at the orders of Himmler, the SS, and the Ahnenerbe leadership; much of the surrounding land is being purchased. Projects include a number of secure camps, airfields, rail facilities, and support buildings as well as extensive tunnels in the nearby hills.

With the expansion of the SS, an officer school (Reichsführerschule SS) has been established within the castle walls; officer candidates receive ideological orientation and study racial doctrine, pre- and early history, mythology, archeology and art. Manfred von Knobelsdorff is commandant (Burghauptmann) of Wewelsburg.

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