Prophets
Often described as the most liberal of the Guardians’ factions, the Prophets are easily the most diplomatic wing of their order. They are, without a doubt, more affable than most other factions of the Guardians, and much more adept at cultivating good will. When the Guardians need to reach out to other orders, they usually do so with mages from the faction of Prophets.
Prophets are not so concerned with ordeals, or punishment or even with preventing mortals from seeing through the Veil (at least not compared to their fellow Guardians). What Prophets are concerned with is gathering information. That information might be mundane or magical; they might get it from an informant or from a Tarot reading, but living, current, vital information is their stock in trade, and they are particularly fond of secrets.
Prophets are collectors and brokers of hidden knowledge and information, and they are veritable clearinghouses of secrets. They do not go on quests for lost lore, or stale knowledge; the dust of history they happily leave to the mages of the Mysterium. Modern, dangerous, urgent information is what Prophets trade in, and they go where they must to acquire it. The Prophets pass incognito among the enemies of the Atlantean orders where the Prophets gather what rumors and information they can from their enemies. Once it’s theirs, they pass it on to those who can make the best use of it, frequently the mages of the Adamantine Arrow. Should a Prophet come across information that Pentacle mages just need to know, the Prophet whispers it in the right ears until the word gets around. Accordingly, Prophets are also “fixers” and networkers, introducing mages whom they feel, for whatever reasons, should know each other.
Prophets don’t limit their spreading of secrets to the Awakened, either. As the Prophets see it, their function with regard to the unAwakened is the dissemination of harmless (but worthwhile) information that will benefit worthy Sleepers and raise the general level of consciousness just a bit. They do this in hopes that it will prepare the unAwakened for the real Mysteries. Ideally, the Prophets hope, the wisdom that they pass along will help Sleepers Awaken spontaneously, without the need for Labyrinths, Veils or any of the obstacles that Guardians are currently obliged to place in their way.
Prophets believe that even the most esoteric secrets, the most sacred knowledge, can be modified and “translated” into relatively safe wisdom that is both helpful and appropriate for less-advanced mages and even insightful Sleepers. While the goal is very lofty, others in the order make sure that the Prophets aren’t spreading more than wisdom. By the time the Guardian has expunged all of the “questionable” material from this wisdom, there’s usually very little left but parables, riddles and koans for the Sleepers to puzzle over, but even those, when properly interpreted and understood, can lay the foundation for greater wisdom and even Awakenings
Prophets also disseminate knowledge and lore that has been deemed safe to share with other orders. This might include vague warnings based on hastily performed divinatory practices, like “things are going to get a lot more interesting come next week; you might want to keep your head down,” or it might be very specific information about events the Awakened community needs to know about: “the vampire chief has disappeared and we’re about to get caught in a turf war.” Prophets have even been known to provide current information to certain carefully chosen Sleepers. Although Prophets would never show the unAwakened glimpses of anything they shouldn’t know about, that doesn’t keep the Prophets from providing vague guidance when it might clearly help avoid trouble or loss of life. Anonymous tips like “Evacuate the Haverghast Tower now” or “If you follow the mayor tonight, you’ll learn exactly where her re-election fund is coming from“ can go a long way. Some Prophets may even dole this information out strategically so as to give a nudge to the careers of favored reporters or cops.
Prophets are the friendly face of the Guardians of the Veil. Prophets are less intimidating and more sympathetic than others in the order, and if any one faction within the Guardians could be considered “mainstream” with regard to Awakened society, the Prophets would be it.
The Prophets are the “go-to” guys in the Guardians. Prophets gather information through all the standard mundane channels. They also use the spycraft for which their order is so notorious. Prophets, as their name implies, do not limit themselves to strictly mundane methods of information gathering either. Just as members of the other Guardians factions learn skills particular to their duties, so do the Prophets. The Death Arcanum lets Prophets learn secrets even from the dead. The Fate Arcanum tips off the mage that something big is coming up, while the Time Arcanum lets him know exactly when the event will take place. The spells of the Mind Arcanum are, of course, among the best secret-gatherers known to the Awakened and a basic understanding of Space lets the mage monitor people and places unseen and at a safe distance. Other Arcana have their own reconnaissance and espionage uses as well, but these five are the favored information tools of the Prophets.
On a mystical level, Prophets constantly monitor the world around them to gain information and insight. In addition to keeping an eye out for good leads and blackmail info, they also watch the world, the stars and the Shadow World for portents, odd coincidences, synchronicities or clues provided in the world around them. They are, among other things, their order’s most accomplished diviners. Prophets are inclined to see everything as being connected; consequently, they monitor coincidence and synchronicity to make sure that Fate isn’t being stretched or torn by magical or other means. Prophets believe that nothing big can happen, for good or ill, that doesn’t cause ripples far in advance of coming to pass. Important people and events can be spotted well in advance by those skilled in the Fate Arcanum, but mages of great insight often grow to recognize the same marks without relying on magic.
Comments