The Fallen World continues to fall. The Abyss grows stronger whenever a mage inflicts Paradox upon the world. The universe frays with every vulgarity, while the Supernal resounds with the laughter of Tyrants. Humanity is inherently damaged by the Lie, and Sleepers snuff magic out in their ignorance, if they escape being driven mad by witnessing Supernal truth. Knowledge is both power and fire — left unchecked, it consumes and destroys. The hand whose reach exceeds its grasp must be slapped down.

The Guardians of the Veil defend the Awakened from strife and treachery by employing those tools themselves, serving the Pentacle as recruiters and espionage agents keeping watch for threats from without and within. They plot to maintain the Labyrinth, a world-spanning society of conspiracy cells and contradictory mystery cults secretly under Guardian control, designed to weed out the weak, distract the unworthy, and attract those close to Awakening. A newly Awakened mage attempting to understand what’s happening around him will likely stumble across the Labyrinth; in fact, the system works so well that Guardians actually detect the majority of Awakenings and pass suitable solitaries to other Orders. By contrast, the Order also spends a great deal of resources attempting to ensure those with traits they find objectionable become lost in the Labyrinth, losing the chance to Awaken. Together, the Order works tirelessly to keep magic secret — and in secrecy, safe.

The Exoteric and Esoteric Tenets

The smallest Order, the Guardians are a true mystery religion. Initiates often join because of the Order’s actions, but much of the leadership subscribes to a faith carefully concealed from outsiders — the Esoteric Tenets. The Exoteric Tenets, by contrast, are ones the Guardians wish to be publicly known, their ties to Supernal truth, reinforcing their identity even as they cloak themselves in mystery. Guardians cleave to Diamond symbolism with a concept they call the Diamond Wheel, representing the collected souls of mages. The Wheel reflects the spirit of the Awakened City to come. The most faithful Guardians privately believe in a messiah — the Hieromage — but the majority simply believe in the Order’s works for their own sake.

• Exoteric Tenets (Public)
  • Paradox Strengthens the Abyss, Punishment Answers Pride
  • Merit must guide the Fallen World
  • Sins for a just end grant Wisdom
• Esoteric Tenets (Secret)
  • All thrones are false; all souls are flawed
  • Souls have a secret hierarchy
  • The Hieromagus will fulfill the Diamond Wheel

Mysteries

The Guardians don’t pursue Mysteries that pit them against the Awakened, but they are inevitably drawn towards dealing with insidious threats caused by Paradox. Guardians focus on weakening the enemies of the Pentacle — hunting down rogue mages hiding under variant shadow identities, Left-Handed Legacies hiding within Orders, prospective Banishers, and their private shadow war with the Seers. The fact that these are often matters of individual interpretation doesn’t escape the Order, which encourages a culture of habitual surveillance and following carefully-honed instincts. Espionage, what Sun Tzu called the “Divine Thread,” carries Supernal resonance with the Order.

It’s not spoken of outside the Order, but Guardians initiated into the Esoteric Tenets often seek mysteries involving ritual mantling and reincarnation or matters concerning the soul. When they scrutinize the Orders, these Guardians take an interest in prodigies or mages who seem to suffer fewer Paradoxes than most.

Magical Symbolism: Concealing Identity

In Atlantean symbolism, the Guardians embody the all-seeing oculus, Visus Draconis. The Eye of the Dragon scrutinizes every detail of the Awakened City with an unflinching gaze. The Order prizes anonymity and security, a practical course for a group hated as a matter of ritual symbolism. The Guardians must be disliked, but individuals must also be able relate to their cabals and friends. The Veil itself is a powerful symbol — covering the face, yet allowing clear sight. Masks, cloaks (including long coats and hoods), and veils are all dedicated to concealing identities, allowing the Order to operate unseen. By contrast, the Order also prizes tools that allow them to see more clearly — rose-tinted glasses for those with a touch of irony, but prisms or magnifying lenses also suffice.