Amicus Curiae
The other public agents of the Will are the Amicus Curiae (or curates). An observer could be forgiven for thinking these agents better suited to being Proclaimers. The Amicus Curiae are those Kindred charged with witnessing the workings of vampiric society and the complex interactions of Invictus members. This may seem like the work of the Voice, but in truth it is very different — witnessing is not passive watching, but an act in itself.
To a hidebound and formal group like The Invictus, the validation of an oath, ritual or formal presentation can be more important than the act itself. Mortal philosophers might wonder whether a tree falling in the forest makes a sound if noone’s there to hear; Kindred savants know that if no formal acknowledgement and record is made of an oath or judgment, it may as well never have happened.
The attention of a curate makes an action legitimate. That matters far more in the rigid structure of The Invictus than whether the action is worthwhile or justified. Like proctors, landed curates exist in almost every Invictus court, answering to the Seneschal and the Inner Circle. Some roaming curates resemble circuit judges or notaries public, moving repeatedly between a set of cities and locations to bear witness on a regular basis. Other, more respected curates are sent to witness particularly important events and judgments, or even to weigh judgment themselves; particularly influential Curates are empowered to act as Judex in disputes if necessary, then witness and validate their own decisions.
To a hidebound and formal group like The Invictus, the validation of an oath, ritual or formal presentation can be more important than the act itself. Mortal philosophers might wonder whether a tree falling in the forest makes a sound if noone’s there to hear; Kindred savants know that if no formal acknowledgement and record is made of an oath or judgment, it may as well never have happened.
The attention of a curate makes an action legitimate. That matters far more in the rigid structure of The Invictus than whether the action is worthwhile or justified. Like proctors, landed curates exist in almost every Invictus court, answering to the Seneschal and the Inner Circle. Some roaming curates resemble circuit judges or notaries public, moving repeatedly between a set of cities and locations to bear witness on a regular basis. Other, more respected curates are sent to witness particularly important events and judgments, or even to weigh judgment themselves; particularly influential Curates are empowered to act as Judex in disputes if necessary, then witness and validate their own decisions.
Type
Intelligence Gathering
Used By