Broken Diamond

In many ways, the way that the Diamond is being treated within the setting is one of the main
catalysts for this project as a whole- and for a simple reason. The Diamond, as a Sect, is,
well, weird. While it is easy to think about the Diamond as a equivalent Sect of the Iron
Pyramid and the Free Council, both of the later are both Sects and Orders- sure, both vary
widely throughout the Order, much more than the other Orders, containing Assemblies and
Ministries of varying sizes and power, yet the fact remains that the Diamond Alliance
contains three Orders, and each of those should be equivalent to either the Council or the
Seers. This means that either the Diamond Orders are smaller compared to the other two, or
that Sect in this context merely meant to reference that those Orders have found some
“common ground”, and that any Order that agrees on the Atlantean philosophy (which could
be easily summed up as “screw the Exarchs”) is part of the Diamond, while any other Order
is either a Nameless or a Seer. While it definitely feels like this is the intention, it still has one
significant implication- that every Order is, potentially, a Sect.

Another thing which makes the Diamond funky is the name- the Diamond. Originally, the
Diamond was meant to express the four original Orders- the Adamantine Arrow, the
Guardians of the Veil, the Mysterium and the Silver Ladder. For that reason, when the Free
Council was added, the Diamond became the Pentacle, which, as we can see in TotP, has
disrupted the very Astral structure which represents them. This, however, is not the first time
that the Diamond was composed of more than four Orders- after all, instead of the
Mysterium we had both the Pancryptiates and the Keepers of the Word, and for a time the
Tremere were part of the Diamond. Heck, after the Tremere were exposed as reapers and
were kicked out of the Diamond, the Keepers of Vedet have considered to petition in order to
become a recognized Order (before getting eaten by the Tremere), which further shows that
the Diamond does not necessarily corresponds to “four Orders”, and that the transition to a
Pentacle has some other, more significant implication- which is probably the unification of
the Atlantean Philosophy which unites the Diamond with some other, stranger perceptions of
magic. So there is something which unites all of those Orders that once were part of the
Diamond, yet separates the Free council- and it is not, as it seems “screw the Exarchs” (this
is the unified factor for the Pentacle after all). That means that what does unite them is the
Atlantean philosophy, as presented by the fact that each of the Orders shares a part of the
“Dragon”- yet the Free council, being non-Atlantean, lacks it.

So in a way, we can think about the Orders less as the Diamond and more as the “Dragon”-
but that misses part of the picture. After all, the Orders have existed in some form before and
without the Atlantean symbolism. During the time of Alexander, we had the Darshana- cross
culture philosophies which corresponded to the modern Diamond Orders, while in the
Kingdom of Mutapa the Joka Mutupos have fulfilled a very similar role. This is where things
become… interesting. After all, both of those examples were meant to represent the Orders
as Supernal Truth- and the Supernal Truth is focused around four cornered Diamond. And
this is important because for some reason, one of those is unlike the other- the Janashakti,
the Gnostikon, the Serpent’s Scales, the Wings of the Dragon… the Mysterium. For unlike
any other Order, the Mysterium, while being one, have also been split into two- the Keepers
of the Word and the Pancryptiates, two which were later unified into one.
So what does it mean?

That the Mysterium sounds a lot more like a Sect than as an Order.

Again, we have already established that the boundary between an Order and a Sect is…
blurry. The Diamond is a Sect because all members agree on a shared philosophy and
ideals, but they are still very different from one another. Yet the Mysterium went a very long
way from being one, turning into two, and returning to one, and both Orders, while agreeing
on their shared history and ideals, have taken ages to be willing to work together due to their
very different attitudes. That made me think that in a different world, the Mysterium might
have been less unified both within itself and with the Diamond… or, maybe, deciding to
break from it all together.

The Mysterium, after all, is devoted first and foremost to knowledge- and knowledge is
neutral. For those of you who have read Dragonlance, the Mysterium as a Sect could be
thought about as the archivists of the Great Library of Palanthas. Now, obviously you could
say “they obviously should be antagonistic to the Seers as they seek to control/hide/destroy
knowledge”, and to a degree, you are right- but the Mysterium was also composed from a
faction that really hated Sleepers and sought to hide magic and knowledge from the
unworthy, and another that believed in allowing everyone access to knowledge. While the
destruction of knowledge is obviously bad, there still seems to be a level of neutrality as
many information brokers generally have, making them devoted to magic and knowledge
first and foremost. As such, the Mysterium is devoted for magic, knowledge and to a degree
the wisdom of the generations before, and as a separate Sect they are to avoid the whole
“Atlantean unity” and focus on providing knowledge to anyone who is willing to pay the price,
as well as learning from all sides- be them Seers or Diamond mages.

So, the Mysterium could work as a Sect. Great. Why should we care about it?

Because if the Mysterium could be a Sect, then, technically, every other Diamond Order
could be a Sect.

I mean, what stops the Silver Ladder, the Guardians and the Arrow from breaking apart? The
Arrow, after all, is devoted to war and challenge above all, doesn’t that sound neutral? The
Guardians are censors of knowledge and protectors of magic- that sounds like a position
that will enjoy neutrality. If anything, only the Silver Ladder is outright “Atlantean”, as they
see themselves as the leaders of the Awakened society, a Voice which unifies the Awakened
society and that aims towards creating the lost utopia that was stolen from humanity and
demand their place in Heaven. The Silver Ladder are, in a way, the main factor which makes
the Diamond into the Diamond, and if they were to lack the other Orders, it is likely that they
were to create their own version of the Diamond wholly from themselves. So, in that case,
should the Diamond just break apart? Should each of the Orders stand on its own, each
being truly an independent bastion of magical philosophy?

Well…
Here is a thing- the Diamond does have something which unites it. The Atlantean
philosophy. The idea that mages are the embodiment of Truth, heirs to the Supernal, chosen
souls meant to reach across Heaven and find a path for Ascension. Atlantis was the Platonic
Utopia, and the mages are the sorcerer kings, gold souled individuals meant to rule over
society as a whole. And that society was meant to be established around different social
classes which Plato has described, and the four cardinal virtues of Prudence, Justice,
Fortitude and Temperance.

Four- just like the Orders.

So here is the thing, the Diamond is meant to represent Atlantis, and Atlantis is to be
established around the four virtues which create the perfected society, which, in turn, seems
to be expressed well within the Order. We have Justice, the ability to recognize fair action,
which resonates well with the Silver Ladder who govern the laws of the Awakened, and
Fortitude, also known as courage, which is the willingness to confront fear and challenge
which pretty much falls into the Arrow’s alley. Prudence, the ability to make an action,
sounds a lot like a good fit for the Guardians, even though their focus on self restraint could
also reflect Temperance. The Mysterium could also fit Temperance, but it doesn’t fit
perfectly- which is ok. After all, the Mysterium was already decided to be its own Sect in this
setting, which means that we need another Order to replace it as the one to govern
Temperance. In that case, the only question is if the Guardians truly embody Prudence, or
should they, too, be replaced with another, and then either join the Mysterium Sect as
censors of knowledge or even become their own Sect altogether.

From the Mysterium’s side, we have another problem- if the Mysterium is now a Sect in
order to contain both the Keepers and the Pancriptiates, then we have no Order which
enjoys access to the Egregore Merit. As this is a waste, it means we need another Order
within the Sect which would have access to this benefit. As the Mysterium is now a Sect
dedicated for knowledge, we can see that the two Orders within it represent both the
spreading of knowledge (Keepers) and archiving it (Pancryptiates). That, however, leaves an
open niche in the creation of knowledge, which would be fitting for a third Order within the
Mysterium.

The Atlantean Diamond- Magic is a Virtue

Magic is, by its essence, a good entity. A desired property. A perfected and just world is a
magical world, and a perfected and just person is a magical person, for all magic is born
from the perfected and just symbols of the Supernal Truth. Any action which aligns with the
True Will of magic is a just action, and as such it embodies virtue. As such, any action meant
to create a magical world must be just and must be perfect, and misusing magic in a way
which is imperfect and unjust is an act of hubris.

The Diamond is a Sect dedicated to creating a magical society, driven towards rebuilding the
lost utopia where magic is free and everyone can access it. While they are all devoted to
advance towards this goal, their methods are different, as each Order defines an “act of
virtue” in a different manner. For the Adamantine Arrow, it is fortitude. For the Guardians of
the Veil, its prudence. For the Forge Masters, it is temperance. For the Silver Ladder, it's
justice. While all Orders recognize the values of the other virtues, their prioritization
influences their philosophy and actions, yet they are all devoted to the common goal of
creating a magical society within the Fallen World.

Adamantine Arrow- Challenge is Magical

There is no peace in magic. The very act of casting a spell is a violent procedure, as the
mage enforces their own will upon the world, rips the Lie apart and draws the Truth from the
bleeding wound in the Fallen World. The world, in turn, lashes back, demanding
compensation, and the Abyss reaches out to bite the one who dared to challenge it. As such,
the act of magic demands fortitude, withstanding the hatred of the Exarchs. Every act of
challenge, be it clash of blades, political struggle or training your fists against a wall reflects
that essential truth, for without proper fortitude the Awakened will quickly fall to hubris.

The Adamantine Arrow is the Fortitude of the Diamond. While commonly thought about as
war mages, the Arrow are much deeper than that. In their eyes, they are the soldiers which
are to keep the Awakened society to progress forward across its boundaries, to keep
challenging itself in order to find Truth. Much of the dueling tradition and war etiquette of the
Diamond was formalized by the Arrow, as the Order sought to differentiate proper battle from
meaningless slaughter. While most of the Arrow’s training is focused around physical
discipline and knowledge in the arts of war, its members seek to challenge themselves
across all fields of study, be it debating, politics or even sciences and the arts. Where there
are humans, there is competition. Where there is competition, there is challenge. And where
there is challenge, there is an Arrow.

Core Belief: The Adamant Way

Symbolism: Attack and Defense

Rote Skills: Athletics, Intimidation, Medicine

Order Merit: Adamant Hand

The Adamant Arrow appreciates martial arts and believes that the very acts of battle embody
the Truth. They can get access to the Adamant Hand Merit (see M:tAw 2e Core)

Forge of Vulcan- Magic is Providence

Magic provides countless possibilities. With the power of the gods at their grasp, one could
easily shape the world to fulfill their every need- gluttony, lust, wrath, greed, envy. Those
lower desires could easily be fulfilled, leading to sloth and pride as they believe they are
above all. This is why temperance and restraint are of most significance to the Awakened-
for it is the nature of magic to provide to others, not to yourself. A proper mage must
contribute to society, use magic in benefit of others, and add value to the world instead of
taking it. Always use magic in order to benefit the world. All other use is an act of hubris.
The Forge of Vulcan (formerly the Forge Masters), embodies the Temperance value within
the Diamond society. Originally a Nameless Order, the Forge has joined the Diamond after
the establishment of the Mysterium, filling their role as the ones to provide the Awakened
society with tools, ingredients and objects of power. To be part of the Forge is to produce
and give value to things which lack it, seeking to constantly improve the Awakened with new
magical developments. In their eyes, magic is a raw material, to be shaped and transformed
until a new product is made. Their spells and rituals always treat the formation of magic as a
process of creating a product, with the Truth being embodied not only by the process of
creation, but also with the use that the magic gives to the world. Appropriately, the Forge is
specialized in the creation of imbued objects, yet many of its members also focus trade of
magical merchandise and their distribution, making sure no one hoards them and that all
enjoy their use.

Core Belief: The Mercurian Manuscript

Symbolism: Products

Rote Skills: Crafts, Socialize, Weaponry

Order Merit: Hearth (0-00000)

Prerequisites: Forge of Vulcan Status (0)
Truth must be realized, refined and forged out of the Lie, and the Forge knows how to throw
the raw reality into the fire and produce the Truth hidden inside. Hearth is a 1-5 Merit,
representing a place where the mage cultivates their Mana. Each dot in Hearth represents
the amount of Mana which can be stored within it. The Hearth has different effects
depending on the amount of Mana contained within it, and it spends the Mana in an amount
of one point per day.
(0)- the forgemaster can use the Hearth as a tool Yantra, and may grant access for other
mages for a Scene by spending one Willpower point per each other mage.
(00)- the Abyss steers away from the fire, adding -1 modifier to the forgemaster and those
who were granted access to the Hearth as per (0)
(000)- the Hearth acts as an Imbued Item even if the forgemaster lacks access to the
Attainment, yet it is functional only for the forgemaster and those with access to the Hearth.
(0000)- the fire of the Hearth burns to reveal the Supernal beneath, granting a +3 modifier for
summoning Supernal Entities in its proximity from any realm corresponding to their Path or
that of their allies.
(00000)- no one can Sleep before the fire of the Hearth, and the Lie itself is unrevealed
before it. The forgemaster can temporarily bestow a Sleepwalker status on any Sleeper
found in the proximity of the Hearth by spending a Willpower point per Sleeper. This effect
lasts for a Scene.
Silver Ladder- Magic is a Birthright
Magic belongs to humanity. It is its rightful asset, which was promised to it since the dawn of
time. However, magic has become denied from humanity due to the actions of tyrant
divinities, who, in their hubris, ascended and shattered the world to make sure no other will
ever be able to do the same. It is humanity’s right and obligation to claim its place once more
in the Heavens, toppling the Exarchs and claiming the thrones which they were denied from,
and it is the duty of the Awakened to guide both sleepers and willworkers to reach that
exalted state. The only just use of magic is one which leads to an Awakened society for all
souls. Any deviation from that noble goal is nothing but hubris.

The heart and soul of the Diamond Orders, the Silver Ladder devotes itself for the creation of
the Awakened utopia by serving as its Justice. They are the ones which hold the Diamond
together, creating a shared culture and set of laws meant to regulate, guide and control the
way mages interact with each other. Most of the Awakened etiquette and social rites come
from the Silver Ladder, reaching the point that they even shape how other Sects interact
both between themselves and with each other. Whenever disputes arise between cabals and
consilia, or when a member of the Orders is suspected for breaking the sacred laws or
betraying the Diamond to another Sect, the Silver Ladder is brought to bring order and
correct the wrongs. As such, the Silver Ladder serves as both politicians and judges, being
laws and lawmakers as one.

Core Belief: The Elemental Precepts

Symbolism: Authority

Rote Skills: Expression, Persuasion, Subterfuge

Order Merit: Lex Magica

For the Silver Ladder, the laws are not mere regulations- they are social rituals which keep
society together, binding different individuals into an intricate web of social contracts. They
can get access to the Lex Magica Merit (see M:tAw 2e Core)

Watchers of Fortune- Magic Guides

Magic is the path that leads. Follow the omens that are left in the streets, the whispers of the
Mysteries, the call of the Supernal Realms, and travel knowing that you are in the safe
hands of the Watchtowers. Trust magic, for it is the Truth. Trust magic, for it is the way. By
realizing the will of magic, the Awakened can rebuild the lost utopia, for Truth demands to be
realized by abolishing the Lie and challenging the masters of Heaven. Yet be wise- for the
Lie is manipulative and dangerous, and it distorts the will of magic. Make sure your actions
always resonate with the Truth and disrupt the Lie. Doing otherwise is an act of hubris.

The Watchers of Fortune serves as the Prudence of the Diamond, replacing the Guardians
following their explosion during the Shattering of the Mask. Rising from numerous Nameless
Legacies, such as the Daoine, the Sodality of Thor, Storm Keepers and House of Ariadne,
the Watchers believe that magic embodies the Awakened Will and, in turn, is embodied in
the world. As such, every action that a mage does must be in accordance with the Will,
which can be analyzed by reading the omens, investigating the Mysteries and finding the
Truth which lies beneath the Lie. Being a young Order, the Watchers have managed to carve
a place for themselves in the Diamond due to their extensive knowledge about the works of
magic and devotion to find the way to establish an Awakened society, which they believe to
be the aspiration of every human soul.

Core Belief: Will of the World

Symbolism: Patterns

Rote Skills: Academics, Empathy, Politics (if accessible, replace Academics with Enigmas,
see DE)

Order Merit: Augury (00)

Prerequisites: Watchers of Fortune Status (0)
Magic manifests itself through omens and prophecies, and those who know where to look
are able to not only follow the will of Heaven- but to lead Heaven in accordance to their will.
Through their understanding of the patterns that compose the Fallen World, the Watchers
are able to glean bits and pieces of Truth, allowing them to orchestrate their spell in
accordance to the Divine Will. When buying this Merit, choose a certain subject of research.
This could move from a subject as mundane as the flight of birds to something as complex
as the economic fluctuations in the stock market. This subject is considered to be an
Investigation as per the subsystem, yet one which can not be solved regardless of the
number of Clues. While performing that Investigation, you do not suffer from penalties due to
recurring use of Skills as long as the rolls are done in different Chapters. You can sacrifice a
Clue gained through that Investigation for it to serve as a Tool Yantra for spells by
channeling it through the patterns which were researched. Tainted Clues, while they still can
be used as Yantra, also add +1 for Paradox rolls until they are being sacrificed.

Friends and Enemies

The Diamond maintains close relationship with the Free Council, as both Sects are devoted
to fighting the Lie and its servants, even though they are in a philosophical tension about
whether the Awakened should be part of the world or beyond it. Still, the philosophical gaps
are being slowly bridged following the creation of the Pentacle Alliance, allowing them to
work more and more effectively towards their common goal. It also shares a deep
connection with the Mysterium, as the Keepers of the Word once took part of the Diamond,
yet their dedication for knowledge above all and neutrality sometimes makes them hard to
trust in times of crises. The Guardians of the Veil, formerly part of the Diamond, still maintain
some ties with the Diamond even after the Shattering of the Mask, yet those relations are
tense due to the very different visions the two Sects hold. Still, as both are devoted to
fighting the Seers and the Accursed, they are not as antagonistic towards one another as
they might be- at least, as long as those threats are present. The Celestial Choir, the self
proclaimed messengers of the Oracles, also often work together with the Diamond- yet their
focus around personal enlightenment clashes with the vision of the Diamond for an
Awakened society.

As the believers of an Awakened utopia, the Diamond are found in a constant clash against
the Seers who seek to demolish it. However, there have been times where the two Sects
have cooperated, especially during the Nameless Wars and in cases where the relations
with the Guardians have turned south and both parties had much to lose from their actions.
The Tremere, former members of the Diamond themselves after their role in the Shattering
of the Mask, are treated with bitter hatred, for the secrets they stole and the crippling they
caused to the Diamond took decades to restore. The Scelesti and the Caul are both sworn
enemies of the Diamond, due to their actions in breaking the Truth and misuse of magic,
alongside other Accursed Sects such as the Bacchanal and the Banishers.

As Above- Exemplars
Resonating with the virtues of the Diamond Orders below, the Exemplars each lead the
battle to achieve the vision of an Awakened world. As a Entente, the Exemplars first and
foremost protect their Orders from the tyranny of the Exarchs, maintaining the symbols of
virtue and the vision of Atlantis alive in the face of endless war. Beyond that, the Exemplars
generally attempt to reduce the Lie in any way they can find, and work tirelessly in order to
unite the Awakened society under a single flag and a single vision. Many explore disrupted
timelines of Atlantises which might have happened, and support attempts in rebuilding
similar utopian societies to test the Exarchs and find holes in the Lie. Some even dare to
reach deep into the Abyss, trying to seek signs of the lost symbol of the Perfected Atlantis,
yet with little to no success. In terms of Ascension, the Exemplars seek to Ascend by
embodying the virtues of their Order and become one with its symbols and history, forever
transforming the philosophy of their Orders as they lead them closer to their perfected,
virtuous form.

Price of Hubris- Root

The mages of the Diamond Orders all aspire towards the utopian vision of a free, Awakened
society, where men can become like gods, an end goal of humanity’s spiritual evolution.
While the Diamond study the past, they always remind themselves that the ancients, with all
of their wisdom, have failed, and as such the Awakened must learn from their stories not in
order to rebuild their former glory, but to learn from the mistakes which brought its end.
Some, however, miss those nuances, and in their obsession towards the past, fall to hubris.

The Root are what happens when a mage tries to not merely discover the secrets of the
ancients, but tries to physically become like them. It generally takes the form of an obsession
with a Mystery dedicated to lacunae or ruins of the Time Before, which slowly degrade the
mage’s Wisdom as they seek to transform their own souls to be like those of the ancients.
Eventually, such mages come across the living remnants of those impossible civilizations-
the Atlantean, the Rmoahals, the Lemurian, the Naga people. In an attempt to regain the
glory of the ancients, the mages mutilate their own souls using those shadows of an
impossible past, cannibalizing the spirits of what humanity might have been and absorb their
power. And by doing so, they become part of the Root.

The transformation to the Root is glaring and painful, modifying both the body and the soul of
the mage. Their skin changes its color, turning blue, or gold, or embedded with jewelry. Their
features become androgynous, sculpted like marvel or forged like steel. Their limbs are
stretched and elongated, as if they are trying to fit a distorted vision of idealized beauty
which was long forgotten. The Root forsaken their humanity in order to become perfect- they
reject the Lie, and the Lie reject them back.

Mechanics
Becoming part of the Root enforces the following modifications to the Mage template-

Wisdom: The Root have their soul modified beyond humanity, shattering it in the process as
they remake it into a mockery of the past using the remnants of a root race spirit. They no
longer have a Wisdom rating.

Magic Incarnated: the Root have embodied the Truth within their bodies, and are beyond
the touch of the Abyss. They can use Reach and follow the rules of Paradox as if they were
Supernal Entities.

Ethereal Stride: The Root are forged from the unholy union of flesh and spirit, and are able
to freely access the Twilight. They gain the Twilight Form Manifestation and a number of
Manifestation effects equal to half of their Gnosis.

Poison of Sleep: The Root embody Supernal Truths within their form, and as such are
despised by the Lie. They suffer from Dissonance when witnessed by Sleepers as if they
were Supernal Entities.

Strange Paths- Atlantean Awakening

Atlantis- the Awakened Utopia, Lemuria, Mu, Shangri La, Irem of the Pillars. It was adorned
by many names throughout the centuries, all clinging with aspirations to the lost exalted
state. Atlantis never existed, however- it can not. It is a symbol for the Time Before, and it is
a symbol that was ripped from the Supernal by the greedy hands of the Exarchs and thrown
to the depths of the Abyss. There never was Atlantis, and never will be. Yet it lingers still- a
utopia that failed, yet demands to rise again. An ideal which keeps burning against tyranny.
A challenge to the Kings of the Lie, that humanity will demand its rightful throne from those
who stole it, allowing men to become gods once more. This does not change the fact that
Atlantis is lost- it is drowning in the Abyss, and this can not be changed, not as long as the
Exarchs are in control. But sometimes, people get lost in the twisting Path of their
Awakening. The Watchtowers are calling, but the soul gets lost in its way to the Truth. They
stray too far from the road- and the Abyss stares back. Most are lost forever at that moment,
their soul (and, sometimes, their whole existence) are devoured by the Void. Others go
through an Abyssal Awakening, which leads them to the dark Dur-Abzu. A few, however, find
themselves in a world which should not be- a ruined city, a failed utopia, a place where men
walk among gods. They find Atlantis- and even when they return to their Path and achieve
Awakening, the symbols of the Awakened City keep burning in their soul, so they will never
forget that Atlantis, as a symbol, exists- and that one day, it may be achieved once more.

Systems: the mage gains the Fluent High Speech Merit for free, and may summon Root
People as if they were Supernal Beings of their Path.

Welcome to Atlantis
It is said that the Awakened City stands as long as the Diamond stands- and if that’s the
case, its best days are behind it. The Diamond is far from its original glory, when the Dragon
guided the Awakened with pride. During those days, the Claws of the Dragon submitted any
who dared to challenge Atlantis, its Voice brought just laws and guided society, its Body
provided education and knowledge to all of those who desired it and its Eyes watched the
shadows, maintain solace and stopping those who may have dared to lead the Awakened to
heresy.

Those days are gone now. The Nameless Wars have crippeled the once mighty Dragon, and
the Exarchs now rule with an iron fist. The Scales now operate the Awakened City, all in the
glory of the divine kings while the Orders lick their wounds. The Eye of the Dragon was
found traitorous for their plans to cull the Awakened, and it was replaced by the Tail who now
read the omens and prophesied the City’s eternal glory- all while seeking desperately for any
sign which may tell of the City’s coming doom. The Body of the Dragon took a neutral stance
during the Iron Uprising, refusing to take a stand while the Diamond found itself unable to
fight the tyrants, leaving it to fend for itself and eventually be submitted to the will of the
Exarchs. In return, the Fire of the Dragon came to provide tools and products to the
Awakened, maintaining the wealth of Atlantis even as the Exarchs hoarded it all for their own
glory. Today, the Orders are weakened- but they are standing still, desperately working to
maintain the Awakened City as the demands of the tyrants become harsher and harsher, yet
fearing to disrupt the delicate balance of power as it may cause them to lose everything.

But not all hope is lost. While the Diamond can’t fight openly against the Exarchs and their
servants, they keep challenging them politically, spiritually and even militaristically. The Silver
Ladder still maintains control over the laws of the Awakened City, and the people trust their
judgment even more than they fear the Exarchs. The Adamantine Arrow holds the second
standing military in Atlantis, and even the followers of the General think twice before
challenging one to the Duel Arcana. The Watchers of Fate hold the faith of the people in their
hand, and their faithful are willing to put their lives at risk out of sheer devotion. The Forge of
Vulcan provides everything that the people lack, and as such has the hearts of the
commoners on its side- something the Exarchs would never have.

As such, both the Diamond and the Seers are in an uneasy alliance- Atlantis will never be
fully conquered as long as the Diamonds stand, yet without the Diamond there will be no
Atlantis to conquer. The cold peace between the groups, however, could quickly grow hot-
the Diamond are devoted to the Oracles and their messengers, bitter enemies of the
Exarchs, yet as long as the Watchtowers stand strong the peace does not need to be tested.
The Free Council have secretly met with the Diamond, as both factions seek to secretly
organize a rebellion and topple the tyrannical regime, yet if their plans are revealed too early
it could be an all out war. Both factions have agreed to let Sleeping Children to die- yet that
deals only with the symptom, not the problem, and many within the Diamond who
understand it have acted illegally by hiding such children in the Nameless Lands- an act of
treason all by itself. There is peace in Atlantis, yes, but it is fragile, and the only thing that the
Orders can do is stand virtuously while the City slowly crumbles around them.

Welcome to Atlantis. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Guardians of the Veil- Magic is Fragile

Magic exists in a hostile world. The very act of casting even the simplest of spells means
dealing with the corrosive hatred of the Abyss, and each act of careless magic only widens
the gap between the Truth and the Lie. A magical world is not a guarantee, and each day we
are fighting a war to preserve the spark in an ever expanding sea of darkness. This is why
we can not let the unworthy use magic carelessly, and why we must strictly regulate those
with the potential to Awaken, so we could protect their souls and educate them to not misuse
their gifts- and in the worst case scenario, silence them together. Not all are worthy of magic,
and freely wasting this precious gift is an act of hubris.

Once, the Guardians were a proud part of the Diamond. Operating a system of countless
different mystery cults, the Order provided the invaluable work of initiating potential
Awakened to the Mysteries in a gradual way, tracking them down and connecting them with
the other Orders within the Diamond, all while serving as a secret police which sought to
cleanse the Sect from Heresy. Then, came the Tremere, who through guile and betrayal
exposed to the Diamond some of the actual beliefs of the Guardians- the humanity is not to
be saved, that the Awakened utopia is to be disrupted, and that only the few could escape
the Lie and Ascend. Those acts and beliefs were quickly deemed as betrayal by the
Diamond, allowing the Tremere to usurp their place and sending the Order into hiding, while
under attack. In the shadows, however, the Guardians have developed their capabilities,
growing far and spreading across countless cults. By the time that the true nature of the
Tremere was revealed, the Guardians had diverged far from the Diamond, which in the
meanwhile convinced itself that the Tremere had lied about the true nature of the Guardians-
too little, too late, not that it changes much. Only the Guardians are worthy of salvation by
the Hieromagus, after all.

Knives of Heaven- Magic Demands Retribution

It is said that the act of invoking magic defies the Kings of the World and causes them to
lash against you. It is false. It is magic itself that bites the hand that tries to defile it. Magic,
after all, is the tool of the Wise- and wisdom is essential when dealing with the powers which
construct the world. The Abyss is magic’s own self defense, driving the unworthy from being
treated as gods. To use magic correctly one must do it with care, being humble before the
powers of Heaven- and demand punishment in the name of magic from those who defile it.
Using magic without care, and allowing others to do the same, is an act of hubris.

An influential faction within the Guardians, the Ksirafi see themselves as the messengers of
magic’s retribution. In their point of view, the Abyss is a natural consequence of humanity
being Fallen, and that the more it falls the wider the Abyss becomes. According to the
Knives (or Ksirafi), every act of ignorance which uses magic only strengthens the Abyss,
making less souls to be deemed worthy and less Awakening in the next cycle- and if the
Awakened continue using magic carelessly, Awakening is doomed to be stopped altogether.
The Hieromagus, in turn, would be magic’s last effort- recovering the last souls who were not
to the light of the Supernal, leaving everyone else in eternal darkness, a fitting punishment
for those who misused magic’s gifts. Until then, it is the duty of the Knives to cut deep into
those who dare to tarnish magic, making sure that at least few souls who remain saved with
the darkness would, eventually, win. Their unwillingness to separate magic from the Abyss is
dangerous, however, and more than a few have themselves fallen to heresy by blurring the
lines too much.

Core Belief: Ixion Codex

Symbolism: Punishment

Rote Skills: Occult, Subterfuge, Larceny (if accessible, replace Occult with Religion, see
RfR)

Order Merit: Masque

The Knives walk unseen among their targets, catching their enemies off guard as they
commit crimes against magic. They gain access to Masque as presented in Mt:tAw 2e.

Chakravanti- Magic Purifies Itself

The act of casting a spell is a process of purification. The Awakened takes the raw materials
which compose the world and reincarnates them into a form aligning with the Supernal. The
same principle is valid to the human soul- the flawed souls are purified of their faults, leading
Sleepers to become Sleepwalkers, to Awakened, to Ascend. Yet just as purification is
possible, so does regression. Falling into depravity could doom a soul- which is why,
sometimes, it is the best to end a life to save a soul, sending it to the Great Wheel where it
would get a second chance. Allowing such a pure soul to be consumed by darkness is not
merciful- but an act of hubris.

The most optimistic Order within the Guardians, the Chakravanti believe that while the Abyss
widens with every act of hubris, it can also be reversed. Through acts of ritual and moral
purification, it is possible to cleanse oneself from their fault and advance to the next cycle,
and that once the world will be close enough to the Truth, the Hieromagus would rise to
bridge the gap between the Fallen and the Supernal, forever removing the Abyss in the
process. As such, the Order is very much obsessed with personal purification, be it through
ritual, therapy or medicine, making them among the best healers and curse breakers in the
Sect. However, that philosophy also leads them to be more loose in killing those suspected
for abusing magic. After all, the soul is what’s important, not the life- and if innocent lives
were taken by accident, the Chakravanti can similarly purify themselves from the same sins,
keeping the world at balance.

Core Belief: Diamond Wheel

Symbolism: Cycles

Rote Skills: Academics, Medicine, Stealth

Order Merit: Masque (000)

The masks that the Awakened wear absorb the corruption of the world, creating a separation
between the self and the shell. Instead of getting the usual Diffusion benefit of their Masque,
the Chakravanti gain the following benefit-
Deflection (000): Personal Tilts assigned to the Masque are in effect towards the mage’s
true self and other Masques, and vice versa.

Logophages- Secrets are Magical

Magic is knowledge, knowledge is power. Defining the Truth against the Lie allows the
Awakened to enforce their will upon the world. By controlling what is known, one could
control what magic could exist. Secrets contain the greatest power, for the few who know
those hidden pieces of information have an overwhelming advantage over those who don't.
Secrets, in that case, can not be left in the hands of the unworthy- and the more powerful the
secret the fewer people should know it. In the most extreme cases, it is better for secrets to
be destroyed. Allowing such information to roam free leads for hubris, and as such by itself
is an act of hubris.

Once, the Logophages were treated as an abomination- a Left Handed Legacy dedicated for
the destruction of magical information. While despised by the Orders, even during that time
many Guardians were drawn to the Legacy, falling from grace and joining the destructive
tradition. After the Shattering of the Mask, however, the Order as a whole was branded as
Left Handed- and the connections they held in the magical underworld were essential for its
survival. Such as the Logophages. While still the smallest faction within the Sect in modern
times, the Word Eaters serve as censuses of magical knowledge, either hiding or destroying
secrets which may be abused by the unworthy. Sure, their actions may be considered as
extreme, or even sinful, but when the Hieromagus will return, the path for Ascension will be
open and all secrets will be recovered- so isn’t it a worthy sacrifice in order to make sure
there will be a world to be saved?

Core Belief: Mors Rationis

Symbolism: Concealment
Rote Skills: Empathy, Intimidation, Investigation

Order Merit: Masque (000)

The Guardians generally wear their masks in order to hide their identities- but the
Logophages have learned how to combine with it their insidious practices. Instead of getting
the usual Diffusion benefit of their Masque, the Logophages gain the following benefit-
Consumption (000): while dining the Masque, the mage enjoys the benefit of having
Occultation (00). This benefit is added to the mage’s actual Occultation rating.

Orphic Circle- Magic is Doomed

Magic will fail. It is not a matter of if, but of when. The Abyss gets expanding every day, ruins
of the Time Before fall into the corrosive touch of Sleep, the Lie binds humanity and subverts
the Truth in every second which passes. One day, magic will die. One day, the last of
humans will Awaken, and this will be the end. No one can escape this ending, and it should
be accepted that this world will die out and rot away- yet it is from its remnants that new life
may grow, fertilized by the death of tarnished souls. Those who will not Ascend must be
sacrificed so the worthy may rise from their remnants. To seek salvation for those unworthy
for it is an act of hubris

The most pessimistic of the Guardian Orders, the Orphic Circle knows that not only magic is
fragile- but that is destined to fail. Eventually, the Abyss will consume all light and all
creation, erasing everything from existence. However, the end of the world is not meant to
be the end- as according to the Circle, when everything will return to nothing, a new
beginning will rise from the ruins. The Hieromagus, in their eyes, is not a person- it is a
metaphor for a new and better world, starting from the few souls which have escaped
through Ascension. As such, the Circle is focused mostly on reaching Ascension. Their main
practice is that of “fertilization”, where they feed the magic on the unworthy through ritual
sacrifice back to the world, believing that by doing so a new utopia will rise for the worthy,
serving as an Arc from which their new world will be born- and unlike other Orders within the
Guardians, the Circle believes that they will be worthy to be reborn in this new world, while
all others (including other Guardians) will be left to be consumed by the darkness.

Core Belief: Orphic Hymns

Symbolism: Gardening

Rote Skills: Persuasion, Science, Survival

Order Merit: Masque (0)

Unlike other factions within the Guardians, the Circle does not wear their masks to hide their
identity- but to allow their true self out- or at least, that’s what they claim, and if that’s true,
then all Orphics are somewhat mad. Instead of getting the usual Identity benefit of their
Masque, the Orphic Circle gain the following benefit-
Intoxication (0): instead of choosing a Virtue and a Vice, choose a Vice and a Fault. The
Fault must be associated with their Ruling Arcana.

Friends and Enemies

The relations between the Guardians and the Diamond are tense ever since the expulsion
from the Sect. While officially the Diamond has since claimed that the anti-Atlantean
ideology and assassinations attributed to the Guardians were merely lies spread by the
Tremere, it was mostly a political maneuver and the trust between the Sects is weak at best.
Still, the Guardians have returned to their old habits of providing new members (those
deemed unworthy by the Order) to the Diamond, and are officially part of the Pentacle
Alliance. Still, wherever powerful mages found mysteriously dead or attempts at “Atlantis
projects” fail, fingers are often pointed towards the Guardians. The relations with the
Mysterium, however, are much more cooperative, especially as the Pancriptiates find a lot of
common ground with the Guardians, even though the way that the Guardians treat
information compared to the Mysterium is still a subject of debate between the Sects.

The relations with the other two parts of the Pentacle Alliance are much more difficult. The
Free Council have a long history of bashing heads against the Guardians while they were
still part of the Nameless, and the secretive (and, according to the Council, discriminative)
practices of the Guardians keeps putting the two Sects at edge, with both only being united
under their willingness to fight the Exarchs. The Celestial Choir, who proposed the
Awakened Faith and try to advance Sleepers into Ascension en masses, outright terrify the
Guardians in the same way one is terrified of seeing children playing with sharp knives. Still,
the Guardians generally prioritize working with those Sects because their enemies are so
much worse- the Seers, the Ziggurat, the Caul and the Bacchanal are all seen as hubris
incarnated, who must be stopped in order to put the gaping maw of the Abyss under control.
The Tremere gained a special serving of contempt from the Guardians, due to their role in
Shattering the Mask all while no one listened to their warning against the soul eaters in
disguise. Banishers, on the other hand, do not suffer from the same treatment, and a few
times the Guardians have worked with Banisher Orders, especially against targets they can
not touch due to their other alliances- allowing the scapegoats to take the blame in their
place.

As Above- Prosopones
The most secretive among the Ententes, the Prosopones are the sponsors of countless
different mystery cults and strange faiths. Those archmasters are well known for their
tendency of reincarnation, allowing shards of their souls to be reborn, achieve enlightenment
and eventually rejoin the divine, creating pantheons of divine masks and false identities. The
Prosopones rarely accept outsiders into their Entente, and some even whisper that all
Prosopones are, in fact, a singular divinity which have ascended long ago, leaving its masks
behind unaware of the act. As part of the Ascension War, the Prosopones view themselves
as the protectors of souls, who seek to create the perfect mage that would salvage the
world- the Hieromagus. As such, they focus mostly around the refinement of the Supernal
and try to solve the taint that the Abyss leaves upon the soul, out of hope to eventually limit
it- or at the very least, keep it at bay. As part of their practices, the Prosopones work towards
shedding their own identities, seeking to find Ascension by eliminating their ego and
sacrificing their own identifiers in order to be united with the Supernal, creating countless
false identities and strange mysteries behind.

Price of Hubris- (Legion)

The sacrifice of one’s identity is a very important part of maintaining the Veil according to the
Guardian philosophy. Magic is fragile, after all, and as such it requires separation from the
Sleeper population. Magic is fragile, and as such concealments allow to hide it from the eyes
of the unworthy. Magic is fragile, and so through such concealments, the Guardians could
also protect themselves from their enemies. Shadow names, false personas, and
occultations allow one to cut their sympathy from the world, and as such the adoption of
alternative identities allows the Sect to survive in the hostile environment of the Accursed
they seek to bring down. However, even when one is immersed within the characters they
have created, it is important to not lose who you are. Or else, you may end up joining the
(Legion).

(Legion) is a result of dramaturgy going wrong. By adopting enough identities, the Awakened
loses their sense of self, slowly having their Wisdom degraded as they no longer know who
they are. They start adopting the identities of others, or sprouting new identities from the
fragments of their psych, all while their core self cracks under the pressure. Eventually, that
core sense of self, their soul, collapses into itself- the Awakened loses their own identity as it
is scattered across the multitude of masks, yet by becoming many they become one. When
the self dies, it can join the collective. Their bleeding, broken soul oozes and diffuses across
the Astral, and the soulstuff is unified together with those of other shattered souls, and with
that, the (Legion) gains a new member.

The (Legion) has no true name- it defies identity, sympathy and definition. All those infected
by this special form of Enrapture are part of the same whole, with each identity being, in a
way, a tulpa of the larger, mad collective. The (Legion) is also contagious, as it is known that
Guardians who spend too much time with those who joined it are in danger of getting
swallowed by the multitude of wailing souls. As such, the (Legion) is both the greatest worry
of the Guardians and their greatest secret- for if the wider Awakened society would discover
the danger which lurks for every member of the Sect, the already fragile trust they have
gained is likely to be lost in a second. After all, how can you trust a Guardian, when even
they don’t know who they are?

Mechanics
Faceless: the (Legion) defies identity and personality. Their members lose their Wisdom
rating and no longer have a Virtue or Vice of their own.
Living Masque: the (Legion) produces identities from the remnants of the owner’s soul. For
each dot of Gnosis that the mage has, they gain one free Masque (per Order merit). They
use either the Masque merit rating or half of their Gnosis score (rounded down, minimum of
1) as their Masque rating, whatever is higher. While moving between Masques still requires
a Willpower point, they can replenish it even while in Masque, and they may also use Mana
as a substitute to the cost. They can fulfill the Virtue or the Vice of their Masque as if it was
their own, but they can not do it for more than one Masque per Chapter.

Stolen Face: the (Legion) may try to steal the soul of another and wear it as a mask. They
can roll their effective Masque + Manipulation + Subterfuge against the target’s Resolve +
Supernatural Tolerance. If successful, the target becomes Soulless. By spending a
Willpower point, the mage may adopt the stolen identity, causing everyone who witnesses
them to view them as the original owner of the soul. Use of magical means of perceiving the
truth requires rolling Wits + Composure vs the mage’s effective Masque in order to see
through the cover. If they adopt the soul of a Sleeper, they are unable to cast any spells
while wearing them, but they are able to cast them if the soul is Awakened. Souls (or
equivalents) of monsters do not grant their supernatural abilities, but they do limit the mage
to be able to only use spells which are “appropriate” to those of the entity he wears. The
(Legion) can not hold more such stolen souls than their Gnosis. Once freeing a soul, it
would immediately return to its owner’s if they are still alive and Soulless. Otherwise, it would
move on.

Strange Paths- Avataric Awakening

The world is covered with veils. Most think of the Lie as the veil which separates humanity
from the Truth, yet it is simply one. of many. Even the Awakened have their eyes blinded- the
Mysteries lurk just at the edge of their sight, the machinations of the Imperial Practices move
unseen, the schemes of gods and demons edit history in their war over reality itself. Those
layers upon layers of reality makes it into a little wonder that sometimes, the Awakened are
not who they think they are- that their Awakening, their very life, is in fact a part of a
continuous process. Their souls have been recycled again, and again, and again,
Awakening through endless cycles yet with no escape. That their soul is merely a shard of
the larger collective. This is not the first journey of the Awakened across the Path- maybe
their soul have been reincarnated across the Wheel countless times, perhaps they are the
soul shards of a greater entity, perhaps they come in touch with parallel versions of
themselves, coming from false histories and times which never were. The possibilities for
what might have been called across the Path- and they answer, straying in search of
answers, yet they are only left with more questions. The Awakening lift some of the veils
covering their eyes, yet the mysteries still lurk beyond them, and it is up to the mage to
decide whether should they serve the divinity which set them on the Path, forever marking
them with their own symbols in the process, or try and rebel against the hidden masters of
the universe.

Systems: the mage gains an additional Obsession to their past or alternate lives, and gets
one free dot in a Masque representing their alternative identity. The rating of that Masque
may not be raised through experience, and instead gains a rating equal to their Gnosis (up
to 5), and they can not buy other Masques. If they are joining the Guardians of the Veil, their
original Masque is not considered to be their first Masque and does not depend on this Merit.

Welcome to Atlantis
Once, the Guardians were part of the proud Orders of Atlantis. Being known as the Eye of
the Dragon, the Order watched over the people of the Awakened City, protecting them from
heresies and hidden threats which lurk hidden in the night. While appreciated for their work,
people always feared them- for who could trust those who could, at any moment, break into
your house and make you vanish without trace, no questions asked? Who would watch the
watchers, they asked?

Those fears ended up being claimed as reality during the Nameless Wars. Their enemies
uncovered the truth that the Order had tried so desperately to hide and exposed them to the
wider population- assassinations, subversions of the law, acting without the permission of
either the Orders or the Exarchs, and worse- the Culling. The Guardians, it seems, believed
that there are too many mages, and that those numbers have started to take toll from the
land, drawing the Abyss beyond the Horizon. And as such, the number of mages had to be
reduced- especially those who “abused their gifts” according to the imposed morality of the
Guardians themselves.

As a result the Guardians were expelled from the Diamond, and many of their members
were hunted down- yet it is impossible to root out the masters of disguise. Walking between
different identities, the Guardians have survived the Purge, organizing themselves into
different cults- the Knives who traveled the Nameless Lands in an attempt to stop the
expansion of the Abyss, Chakravanti who walked among the shadows and maintained their
sacred duty of stopping heresy, the Secret Eaters who kept dangerous knowledge from the
hands of hubristic mages, and the Orphics who prepared to the inevitable collapse of
Atlantis, making sure that the finest few will survive the coming apocalypse.

Ever since the Nameless Wars, the state of Atlantis grows from bad to worse- and now, it is
the lowest it has ever been. Sleeping children are being born, a proof for the claims that the
Guardians made that the number of mages exhausts the magic of the world. The Abyss
spreads quickly through the Nameless Lands, supported by the efforts of the Ziggurat who
no longer believe they have a reason to be afraid. Dark cults start to creep into Atlantis,
converting innocent souls and leading them to hubris. Yet the Guardians are still around, still
watching, and still doing the dirty job when required. After all, whether they are despised or
not, they still have a job to do. There is a prophecy, you see, and only the Guardians know it-
the Exarchs have censured it even from their own faithful, to keep the crowd under check.
That one day, Sleep will spread upon the Awakened City, that the Kings of Atlantis will fall
from their Thrones, and that the Darkness will reach to consume the world. And when the
darkness will be inevitable, that’s when the Chosen One, the Hieromagus, will rise to save
the purest of the pure, leading them to a land beyond the Darkness to a world without Sleep.
The prophecy, as it seems, has started to progress- and it is the duty of the Guardians to
make sure that the Hieromagus will have someone to save- even if it means that their own
actions would doom them to be left behind.
Welcome to Atlantis. Enjoy it while it lasts.

The Mysterium- Magic is Alive

Magic is not a tool. It is not a resource, a currency or an object. It is a living entity, which
grows and prospers- and gets hurt and weakened. Magic requires to be nurtured and
cultivated, to be protected from the harms of the Fallen World such as the Curse of Sleep,
the bite of the Abyss, or the hunger of the Lower Depths. Magic grows through knowledge
research. It lives in the souls of the Wise, the grimoires they write, the relics they leave
behind. All knowledge is valuable, for every time a remnant of the ancients is destroyed,
magic itself decays- and there is no greater hubris than killing magic by your own hands.

Through most of the Awakened history, the Mysterium was fractured, its Orders scattered
across the different factions, most being considered Nameless. While all Orders have
agreed on the importance of knowledge, the way it should have been treated and used
varied drastically between the societies- the Keepers believed firmly that it should be spread,
the Pancryptiates wished to hide it for its own safety, the Solifacti consistently worked to
transform it into action and the Sahajiya to experience it in the most personal and direct way
possible. It was only when the unknown writer of the Corpus Mysterium finalized their great
work that the philosophical differences between the Orders were bridged, as the extensive
document has served as the all encompassing thesis of knowledge as one- yet it did not
manage to settle disagreements between three out of the four Orders with the Diamond
philosophy. As a result, the Keepers have withdrawn from the Diamond, and the Mysterium
(named after the text) was established as a Sect dedicated for spreading, containing and
producing knowledge- as well as sharing it with those willing to pay the price.

Keepers of the Word- Magic is Understanding

Magic thrives when ignorance decays. Even the simplest of spells requires deep knowledge
about the fundamental aspects of reality, intertwined through the multitudes of yantras, and
practices. Through knowledge, the Awakened can see through the Lie. Through intelligence,
they can apply their understanding into action. Through wisdom, they can avoid the harm to
magic. With all three, the mage cultivates the magic within them, and by spreading that
knowledge forwards, magic will grow forward, spreading like fire that will burn the Curse of
Sleep. Knowledge must be shared- and denying education is by itself an act of hubris.

Formerly a member of the Diamond Orders, the Keepers towards achieving enlightenment
for all of humanity. In their view, it is the duty of the Awakened to spread the fire of
knowledge across the world, advancing new ideas and teaching others what they have
learned. Within the Mysterium, they maintain their secret academies where they guide the
newly Awakened and encourage sharing information with each other. They are also willing to
accept students from other Sects (with the exception of those who are devoted to the
destruction of magic), yet they demand that their students will also share the secrets of
magic with them as a payment. As knowledge is considered sacred, its distortion - such as
lies - are considered to be a grave sin in the eyes of the Keepers. Many Keepers have
supported teaching mortals about the occult, as they believe that knowledge is the seed of
Awakening and by sharing it they allow magic to keep growing within the Fallen World. That
puts them in conflict with mages who are more devoted to the “sanctity of magic”- such as
the Guardians or other Mysterium mages, especially the Pancryptiates.

Core Belief: Logos

Symbolism: Shared Knowledge

Rote Skills: Academics, Expression, Occult

Order Merit: Exotic Arete

The Keepers view their mastery over skills as a heroic act, resonating with the Truths of the
world by reaching excellence. They can access the Exotic Arete Merit (see TotP).

Pancryptiates- Magic Retreats

Ignorance thrives where magic decays. The very act of magic burns against the Lie, and the
Lie seeks to respond to the gaping wound in its flesh. The Curse of Sleep rises to snuff out
the fire and devour both the magic and the mage. As magic lives within occult knowledge,
the Quiescence seeks to remove it from the world- so in order to protect magic, it must be
contained. The mundane is the greatest threat to magic, and the Sleepers, whether they
intend it or not, cause magic to die as they serve as the eyes and mouths of Sleep. The
mage must cut themselves from the world- and living in the world of Sleep is an act of
hubris.

Splitting from the same philosophy which birthed the Keepers around the time of Alexander,
the Pancryptiates have lived in the edges of the Awakened society, as their radical view of
the Sleepers as made them ostracized among those who wished to create a new Awakened
utopia. While they mostly lived on as Nameless, following the censure of the Guardians
during the Shattering of the Mask they became close allies of the Sect, as both sought to
protect magic from the unworthy- and, according to certain rumors, to the Seers. It was only
after the Corpus Mysterium was written that disagreements between the Pancryptiates and
the Keepers were settled, and they were willing to accept that magic is alive and can be
healed, and is not doomed to die out. Still, the Pancryptiates is the smallest Order within the
Mysterium, as they demand from their members to detach themselves from the Fallen in
order to avoid feeding the Pancryptia and stop the harm for magic caused by the Sleepers.

Core Belief: Pancryptia

Symbolism: Transcending the Mundane

Rote Skills: Investigation, Occult, Survival

Order Merit: Perfecti
The Pancryptiates believe that by isolating themselves from their attachments to the Fallen
World, they may become closer to the Truth- and by doing so, to become truly perfect. They
can access the Perfecti Merit (see TotP)

Sahajiya- Magic Must be Experienced

Magic thrives within ignorance. Trying to encapsulate the multitudes of layers and
dimensions that even the simplest of spells requires through thoughts and letters always sins
to the Truth, as it can only capture the smallest of aspects of it. By describing magic through
terms such as rotes, practices and the Arcana you take the unimaginable Truth and confine
it into words and terms which sin to its meaning. Magic can’t be taught- it must rise from raw,
and personal experience, as you can only recognize Truth when it acts directly upon your
soul- and to try to bind magic within words and pattern is to commit a great act of hubris.

For centuries, the Sahajiya cult was considered among the Accursed. Branded as Left
Handed due to it being seen as a path for Enrapture, the Nameless Order was hunted down
by members of both the Diamond and the Pyramid alike. The cult, however, survived- its
teaching being viewed as almost instinctive by many followers as they taught that in order to
truly understand magic, it must be felt and touched- something which led many members to
endanger their souls through strange and dangerous rituals. However, after the Corpus
Mysterium was written, the members of the Sahajiya have demanded a place within the
Sect, explaining how through the emptiness of the mind which is reached through pleasure
one could truly reach Ascension. After long dialogues, both sides reached agreements,
which caused the Sahajiya to tone down their more extreme practices in exchange for
sharing the unique knowledge they gained through it- even though they are still being viewed
as the black sheep of the Mysterium.

Core Belief: Anada

Symbolism: Hedonism

Rote Skills: Empathy, Occult, Persuasion

Order Merit: Kama Marga (00 - 000)

The Sahajiya teach that pleasure leads to Truth, and as such one must use pleasure to
recognize the Truth from the Lie. However, the way that one experiences pleasure is
individualistic, and requires following the Awakened true “path of joy” in order to truly
understand the Supernal. Kama Marga is tied to the mage’s Virtue. At 2 dots, they can treat
acts in accordance to their Virtue as a tool yantra. At 3 dots, they can fulfill their Virtue once
per Chapter to gain a single point of Mana. This act does not exclude them from also fulfilling
their Virtue for Willpower in the same Chapter, but the act can’t be used for both. They can
buy this Merit a multitude of times, yet the second time they buy it it is related to their Vice,
and further purchases add a Fault related to one of their primary Arcana (see NH:N&A).
Merits which grant additional Virtues or Vices add additional “slots” for Kama Marga.

Solifacti- Magic Must Create

Magic brings ignorance. The Awakened are drawn to the Mysteries of the ancients, seeking
to uncover the rotten remnants of those who have fallen from grace. Magic draws mages to
it, consuming them within its radiance and enforcing stagnation. By preserving magic, the
ancient knowledge remains dry and dusted, being memorized from generation to generation
while losing its meaning. In order to truly allow magic to grow, the Awakened can’t rely on
the ancients- they must try something new, bring new knowledge to the world and challenge
the status quo. The ancients have fallen, and wishing to be like them is merely an act of
hubris.

The Solifacti can trace their origin to a Legacy of alchemists known as the Uncrowned Kings.
As many other, similar societies, the Solifacti have believed in trying to perfect their own
forms and souls through the acts of creation and transformation. Throughout the years,
however, the Solifacti have started to distance themselves from those groups by focusing
around the idea that magic itself requires transformation, using some very experimental
attitudes. The most moderate of those members have sought to constantly improve and
advance magic through experimentation, while the more extreme ones rejected the ancients
altogether. Many members have focused around the use of magic as a creative tool,
combining scientific attitudes alongside artistic expressions, as all creations serve magic’s
growth equally. This attitude kept them among the Nameless Orders, until the Great Refusal
took place. Instead of choosing either the Free council or the Technocratic Union, the
Solficati have found safe place among the Mysterium, who viewed their contribution to the
development of knowledge as essential in order to main the growth of Magic- even if the
Order commonly criticize the obsession of the Sect as a whole to the past.

Core Belief: Uncrowning

Symbolism: Arts

Rote Skills: Crafts, Occult, Science

Order Merit: Egregore

The act of creation is both personal and communal. Works of art self perpetuate and inspire
the watcher, new discoveries lead the next generation of scientists forwards- and as such
collective of knowledge are essential in order to drive humanity towards Awakening. Solifacti
members can access the Egregore Merit (see MtAw 2e Core).
Friends and Enemies
The Mysterium is, first and foremost, dedicated for collecting and preserving knowledge-
both magical and otherwise. As a result, the Sect have taken the place of information
brokers within the Awakened society, exchanging information between the different Sects as
long as it maintains that magic will thrive. That neutrality has made them an ideal ally for the
Pentacle Alliance, especially as the Orders of the Mysterium have maintained connection
with three out of the four other members of the Alliance. As such, both the Diamond and the
Free Council rely on them for esoteric knowledge, even though they still demand a price
from them, and the Guardians often cooperate with them when hiding information is required
for the safety of magic as a whole. The relation with the Celestial Choir, however, is
somewhat more complicated, as the two Sects have very different attitudes towards the
nature of magic as a whole.

The relations with the Seers are even more complicated- the neutrality of the Mysterium
extends beyond the Pentacle, after all, and the Seers hold control over essential knowledge
found only in the hands of the Exarchs. The Seers, on their end, are also interested in
accessing the vast knowledge of the Mysterium- yet often the commands of the Exarchs
lead them to actively destroy knowledge if they deem it dangerous to the rule of the tyrant
gods. As such, the Mysterium works better with those Ministries who are not devoted to the
outright destruction of knowledge, such as the followers of the Eye or the Psychopomp, yet
even then those connections are almost entirely business oriented and filled with mutual
suspicion. The Accursed are even more complicated case, as the knowledge gained by the
Ziggurat or the Caul may be corruptive, but it is magical information nonetheless, and there
are wide disagreements within the Mysterium about whether it should be beneficial to magic
and to which degree it should be documented- though the members themselves are almost
always seen as dangerous elements to the integrity of magic. Even the Bacchanal are a
borderline case, as the Sahajiya claim that madness may have the potential to uncover
essential Truths. Only the Banishers are outright despised within the Mysterium, as their
actions always lead to the death of magic by their very nature.

As Above- Curators
Established following the Ascension of the Corpus Mysterium’s author, the Curators dedicate
themselves to magic first and foremost. As such, they are devoted to both maintaining and
creating new magical traditions and practices, and fight viciously to maintain the symbol of
magic as a living entity. Most Curators walk across the many worlds, seeking the secrets of
the Old Gods, the remnants of humanity’s memories in the Astral and the buried dreams of
the dead in the Underworld. The bravest even venture into the Abyss itself, seeking to
reclaim lost ruins of the Time Before which drown in its depths. Regardless of methodology,
all Curators seek Ascension by becoming one with magic, turning into knowledge in its most
direct form. Many do so through the secret societies they establish, using them as symbols
of eternal knowledge, while others choose to inspire new discoveries, works of art or the
writings of grimoires, all of which advance the growth of magic in the Phenomenal. Due to
their dedication of magic in all of its forms, the Entente is known for its neutral position in the
Ascension War, for as long as magic keeps growing they don’t care whether the Exarchs or
the Oracles will be the ones to rule in the Supernal.
Price of Hubris- Glyphed
Magic is alive. It grows and spreads and latches into the Fallen, burning through the Lie and
revealing the Truth hiding beneath. For most Mysterium mages, it means that it is the duty of
the Awakened to protect magic from the threats which seek to extinguish it, such as
Pancryptia, and cultivate it by spreading and refining magical knowledge. Some Mysterium
mages take that theory a step further- for if magic is alive, and mages are magical beings,
then they by themselves are part of magic, being part of a collective entity through which it
prospers. Few, however, dare to take it a step further. Mages are part of magic, and they
should inspire to truly be only magic.

Such a way of thinking has led to many strange theories within the Mysterium. That magic is,
in fact, a parasitic entity (or a symbiotic one) that lurks within the mage, either devouring
their soul during the Awakening or infecting with magic. Or that magic is not only alive, but is
also aware, and that it seeks the spread through the circulation of knowledge. Or that it is a
form of Roko’s Basilisk, an information hazard that will punish those who threaten it and
reward those who serve it. Regardless of the exact interpretation, it is always accompanied
by the idea that magic is alive within the Awakened, and that in order to let it grow, they
should let it be free- shattering their own soul in the process.

The Glyphed are known for the strange patterns that cover their bodies, written in High
Speech runes yet without any clear meaning. Often, the signs dance upon the skin of the
Glyphed, changing arrangement and color according to their moods and magical resonance
at the moment. Those who try to read the signs are often left confused, as the runes are
often self contradictory and create the Supernal equivalent of gibberish. This effect also
influenced the Glyphed’s speech, as they can only speak with High Speech, and even then
they could often madden those who hear them speak.

That self contradictory mess is toxic- their very presence draws the attention of the
Awakened, quickly driving them by themselves into madness, all while their Nimbus leaks
into their surroundings, poisoning it with corruptive Mysteries. They also benefit greatly from
holding such close relations to magic- allowing them to access greater power than before
and actually consume Paradox through their flesh- all at the cost of their own sanity, and
ain’t it a small price to pay in exchange for being one with magic?

Mechanics
Becoming a Glyphed enforces the following changes on the Mage template-

Walking Fault: like the Rapt, the Glyphed lose their Wisdom and Virtue and gain a Fault.
However, unlike the Enraptured, the presence of the Glyphed burns within Mage Sight.
Every time they are viewed by a Awakened, the viewer must roll Resolve + Composure vs
the Glyphed’s Gnosis or develop the same Obsession as their Fault.
Divine Words: The Glyphed are one with magic, and it expresses itself through their relation
to language. They gain access to High Speech for free, and always enjoy its use as a yantra.
Other mages may also try to use the Glyphed themselves as a High Speech yantra, yet
doing so invokes a Resolve + Composure roll in order to avoid getting infected by their Fault.
Actively trying to study the patterns of High Speech on their bodies or their voices would also
enforce that roll.

Living Magic: the Glyphed rejects the Lie and burns against it. When rolling for Paradox,
the Glyphed does not actually invoke it if successful. Instead, they can consume it,
containing it within their soul- and letting it manifest within those infected by their Fault. The
person who manifests the Fault is chosen randomly, yet generally it relates to the mage
closest to them in distance. By spending a Willpower point, the Glyphed may also contain
the Paradox to a special occasion- enforcing it upon a Sleeper. This requires a contested roll
between their Gnosis and the target’s Resolve + Composure, and if the Glyphed succeeds
the Sleepers goes through a Paradox as if they have casted a spell. If they fail, it is
channeled to someone suffering to their Fault instead.

If the Paradox is not contained and there is no available Awakened infected by their Fault,
the Gnosis of the Glyphed is temporarily increased by 1, to a maximum of 10. When they
finally manage to infect someone with their Fault, all contained Paradoxes immediately
unleash, targeting the infected mage.

Strange Paths- Runic Awakening

Magic is alive- at least, that’s what the Mysterium claims. However- is magic sentient? This
question has made many within the Sect to debate until the small hours of the night, yet
there is currently no consensus about whether magic is aware, and if so to which degree.
Some of the stronger evidence to show that magic is not merely sentient but even an
intelligent force is demonstrated by those suffering from the Runic Awakening. Those mages
begin their Awakening like any other- yet during their journey towards the Supernal Truth,
something strange is calling them. Not to Watchtowers- something… different. Something
ancient and primordial. After all, the Watchtowers are not magic- they are merely symbols
which divide magic into comprehensible Truths, but magic is older. It is a primordial force,
the potential to create, the very symbols which define symbols. And those who follow those
whispers stray from the Path of the Watchtowers as they search for that older truth. Their
souls resonate and sing together with the oldest of symbols- they do not merely write their
name upon the supernal, they carve it, break through the barriers that the ancients have
established in order to touch the most fundamental of meanings. And by doing so, they
Awaken- their souls are forever marked with glyphs so old, that even High Speech can’t read
them. They have made a pact with magic itself- one which magic will allow to be easily
violated.

Systems: being one with magic, the mage gains one additional free Reach beyond what is
dictated by the Arcanum difference. However, by being closer to the Truth than other mages,
they also suffer from a +1 to all Paradox rolls, as the Abyss is drawn to their presence. They
also gain the Mana Sensitivity Merit for free. While not directly impacting them, the location
in which they Awakened also turns into a 1 dot Hallow, as magic claims the territory from the
Lie.

Welcome to Atlantis
Sitting in the heart of Atlantis, the great library of the Mysterium is valued by all. Every
magical record and piece of Awakened history is documented in those halls, ever since the
first of the Wise reached across the Abyss from the World of Sleep to the Supernal Lands.
Originally, the library was aligned with the Atlantean Orders, serving as the Body of the
Dragon- the base upon which everything else was built. The library allowed magical
knowledge to spread, teaching new generations about the value of magic and how it should
be nurtured and cultivated all while performing new research that advanced the civilization of
Atlantis forward. All were welcomed within the halls, both to teach and to learn.

Oh, how low has the Mysterium fallen.

During the Iron Uprising, the Body of the Dragon took a neutral stance, fearing the loss of
the ancient knowledge in the case that the Exarchs would win the war- which they did. Even
though the Mysterium did not come under attack by the Scales due to this stance, the library
was still left a subject of strict regulation and censorship, as the new lords of the Supernal
feared the impact that knowledge may have upon the population. They wished to maintain
the Lie, after all- and too much knowledge may break that delicate balance. In order to
satisfy their desires, the Hoard of the Dragon, the Pancryptiates, rose- doing whatever it was
needed in order to keep magic safe, even if it meant withholding information from the
populace. The Body of the Dragon, rebranded as the Keepers of the Word, kept teaching the
masses, yet it was under the strict and watching eye of the Exarchs.

The Mysterium took another shake during the Nameless Wars, when terrorist attacks by the
Ziggurat and the Tremere have targeted the library itself, destroying precious knowledge in
the process. However, unlike both the Exarchs and the Diamond, the Mysterium believed
that the Nameless had wisdom to offer. They managed to convince the Seers to give pardon
to the Orders known as the Solifacti and the Cult of Joy, in exchange for them sharing the
intelligence they knew about the Free Council, betraying them in the process. For this, the
Solifacti were granted the title of the Wings of the Dragon, as their experiments and artistic
expression have provided joy to the population and helped their minds soar- distracting them
from the Lie in the process. The Cult of Joy, however, was delegated to the rural villages
outside of Atlantis under the moniker of the Heart of the Dragon, out of hope that their
hedonistic practices would keep the population there submissive under their toil, in order to
prevent a yet another rebellion.

However, the plans of the Exarchs have backfired. The Cult of Joy may have not made their
followers into docile, but allowed them to find enlightenment through the simplest of actions
and turn their toil into power. The Solifacti have not merely used their artistic expressions to
distract the audience, but to spread messages about hope for a change and a better, free
future. The Pancryptiates, originally loyal allies of the Exarchs in order to preserve magic,
have started to blame the actions of the tyrants for the birth of the Sleeping Children, putting
all of Atlantis in danger in the process. And the Keepers have never forgotten their true
mission- magic is alive, after all, and it wants to be free. Now, the Mysterium is more unified
than it has ever been, and through its network of allies among the Diamond and the
Nameless Lands it starts preparing the population to dethrone the Exarchs once and for all.
Their greatest effort is devoted to finding out the secret for why Sleeping Children are being
born in the Awakened City in the first place- even though uncovering that secret may,
unintentionally, bring the end to the Awakened Dream once and for all.

Welcome to Atlantis. Enjoy it while it lasts.