penitents, believing that Sleepers are inherently incapable of handling the depth and intensity of knowledge revealed by their practices. The Lie, these Egregori state, acts as a protective measure to keep Sleepers from that which they cannot, by virtue of their inherent state of being, be capable of understanding in any meaningful manner.
Perhaps more than any other Mystagogue fac- tion, Egregori cults often straddle the line between encouraging Sleepers to explore their own world to the fullest and actually breaking the Veil. Those sects that, such as the Penta, allow Sleepers to learn of the cults’ existence, or even allow Sleepers as initiates, are considered by more conservative mystagogues to be a breech of the Veil waiting to happen. Those who encourage the practice point out that mystery religions have been a part of Sleeper society for thousands of
years, and that only those who are capable of truly understanding the nature of Truth will glean enough from the mystery plays, rituals and ceremonies to peer through the Veil.
In this manner, many noted Egregori leaders have been ushered into their own Awakenings. Unfortu- nately, for every circumstance in which a Sleeper initiate Awakens when catching a glimpses of the Truth beyond the Lie, as many or more are not as fortunate. Some are driven mad by what they per- ceive, unable to reconcile their experiences with the rules of reality as it is known to the Sleepers. Others recoil from the Truth, separating themselves from the sect with denial-filled vehemence. The backlash of this separation is often complicated and messy for the Egregori, as former initiates level allegations of brainwashing, kidnapping or sexual abuse against those who encouraged the Sleepers to understand things they were not capable of dealing with.
Stereotypes
Archaeomancers: If they would only spend as much time understanding the “why”
as the “what.”
Archivists: They do the Guardians’ work for them.
Bricoleurs: They look for possibilities, but blind themselves to Truth.
Reclaimants: Rogues and Thieves who seek adventure more than understanding.
They will find only what they seek.
Appearance: Because of the fractious nature of
Egregori, it is difficult to make any faction-wide statement about their appearance. Some dress and look just like any other member of whatever socio- economic and cultural group they belong to. Others affect the clothing, hairstyles and, in some cases, body modifications of the culture with which they most strongly identify. The use of special clothing, jewelry and other physical alterations is an important part of many Egregori’s magical practices, and many use physical alterations as part of their dedicated magical tools, even if the Egregori’s dress is indistinguishable from their neighbors when the sect members are not practicing. From masks and prosthetics to full nudity, what a mystic does or does not wear almost always
155 Chapter Four: Factions and Legacies
has deep significance and symbolism during the rituals and ceremonies.
Sanctum: Depending on the nature of the mem-
bers’ beliefs and practices, Egregori sanctums can be anything from a deep-earth cave to an elegant marble pseudo-temple. Some are small altar rooms, hidden behind a façade of normalcy and known only to their owners. Egregori sanctums may be a place for private meditation or a stillroom for the creation of psycho- tropic compounds. Others, especially those created by a cabal or the leader of a sect, might be used for group ceremonies, gatherings and rituals, and encompass an entire forest glade or the penthouse floor of an exclusive building in a metropolitan area.
Due in part to the symbolism of entering the under- world and emerging once more (as well as the inherent security they can provide), many Egregori sanctums are underground, although the forms they take can be quite varied. The psychedelic-era basement haven of a guru who seeks the Truth through “tripping” will certainly be very different from the stark dungeon of an Essemian goddess/priestess, which will in turn vary greatly from the subterranean chambers of an Orphic mystic.
Background: An ancient proverb states that “There
are many paths to the mountain,” and likewise there are many roads to Truth. Many Egregori begin their spiritual path into the Great Mystery well before their Awakening, although for some the Awakening marks the beginning of their journey, and for some the road to truth comes well after Awakening. Some had spiritual leanings or had been “touched by the gods” early in their lives. It is not uncommon for an Egregori to have spent her early years with a stronger-than- normal belief in that which modern society deems to be fantasy or “make believe.” As many, however, came from lives where truth was something force fed to them in scientific tomes or religious tracts that left little room for questioning or contemplation. For these Egregori, their first experiences with anything beyond the hard-and-fast explanations that their backgrounds were built upon was often enough to rip aside the veil of the Lie and allow them to think, feel and truly experience truth for the first time.
Concepts: Delphic Oracle, tarot reader, whirling
dervish, peyote tripper, tantric, hermit, dominatrix.
reclAimAnts
Quote: “Where did I get it? Let’s just say the former
owner wasn’t going to be needing it any more.”
While it is the goal of the Archaeomancers to ensure that every Artifact or bit of valuable arcane information that has been lost in the distant past is unearthed and returned to the care of those Awakened who can best protect the object, this goal is, at best, a pipe dream. There are simply not enough Awakened in existence to ensure that every piece of Supernal history is uncovered by mages and remains in their custody eternally. Sleepers, for all that they are blind, are numerous and widespread enough that sheer chance decrees that they eventually stumble across a multitude of things that the Mysterium would prefer they didn’t, even if humanity were not motivated to seek out those same secret and powerful mysteries through their own curiosity and desire for knowledge, power and wealth. When an Artifact, sacred tome or other item that threatens the Veil (or would simply better benefit the mystagogues’ cause if the item were
within their control) is discovered to be in Sleeper hands, the Reclaimants’ job begins.
Whether prowling the dark chambers of Sleeper occultists’ secret lairs or hobnobbing with high society at art auctions, Reclaimants hold to a single creed: get the job done by whatever means necessary. An Artifact in the hands of a Sleeper is a blasphemy to the Mysterium. In most cases, the item’s power and potential are wasted through the current owner’s inability to wield the object or lack of knowledge of its nature. Or worse, the item may be being wielded wrongly: to promote the Sleeper’s own power or in manners that bolster the Lie or threaten the Veil. Regardless, it is imperative (in the eyes of the order) that such items are brought into the hands of those who can use these objects for rightful causes — or in the case of some, protect the world from the items’ use. The tool that the order uses in these cases is the Reclaimant faction, a group of mystagogues who spe- cialize in removing powerful and forbidden knowledge
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from the hands of those outside of Supernal society and returning the knowledge to the order, where the object can be used or archived safely.
Recovering an Artifact from Sleeper hands can often prove challenging, especially if the Sleeper is aware of its nature and has the ability to use even a part of the object’s power to protect his claim to it. More dif- ficult, however, is recovering more esoteric, but no less powerful, targets. When the item in question is not an item at all, but a memory, a piece of information or a ritual, special considerations come into play. Not only are different methods required than for missions that amount to little more than cat burglary or outbidding other buyers at an auction, but the Reclaimant must be certain that she is obtaining the entirety of the target. There is no margin of error on such missions, because in most cases, knowledge, once released, can- not be completely recovered without the most severe of measures. Many Sleepers who have discovered things they should not, have been “liquidated” in the name of protecting the greater good and sealing the potential information leak permanently. Such situa- tions are, of course, best handled via prevention, and when they become inevitable, are handled as discreetly
as possible. Rumors occasionally arise in regards to Awakened individuals who discover things that, for one reason or another, are an unacceptable security breech and are, consequently, “dealt with.” In most cases, however, it is the Guardians of the Veil, rather than mystagogue Reclaimants, who are labeled as be- ing behind such extreme measures, a blame-placing that the Mysterium has not, as of yet, publicly refuted. Nor, interestingly, have the Guardians.