The Pentacle

The five Orders of the Pentacle in Paradi City can be summed up as follows;

The Adamantine Arrow: “Service is Magical”. The martial Order of the Pentacle functions more like a police and military force than what stereotypes of wizards studying in crumbling towers would indicate. The Arrow defends the Consilium and the Awakened from external threats, officially. Their mandate also includes protecting Sleepers from the supernatural as their oaths do not restrict them to serving only the Awakened, but humanity in general. In Paradise City, the Order’s resources are often taxed and while they do not lack for skill, the seemingly altruistic nature of their way has left them with fewer and fewer converts as the years go on. Those that do gain entrance sometimes lack the rigorous selflessness that the Order tries to demonstrate but in the face of having no members at all, the Arrow has been forced to compromise its values in some areas. They claim descent from the Ungula Draconis, or Claws of the Dragon, of Atlantis.

The Free Council: “Humanity is Magical”. The Free Council is in bloom within Paradise City; technology has advanced in ways that a mere few decades ago was unheard of. The Order’s influence is keenly felt and its in-roads into Sleeper institutions rival those of the Seers in some places… which, combined with their practice of being more free with magical lore, makes them the number one target of the Exarch’s servants who would suppress magical knowledge entirely. Despite this, many feel empathy towards the Free Council, and within Paradi City they’re seen as valuable contributors to the Pentacle instead of the upstarts they’d be viewed elsewhere… at least, so long as they have power and influence. The Free Council upholds Paradi City as a testament to humanity’s progress and capabilities, an innate sign of its innate magical heritage… yet what this says for the way the lower social rungs are allowed to exist makes many Libertines uncomfortable, as if they were part of some base hypocrisy. While allied to the Pentacle, the Free Council as an Order is only a few centuries old and does not adhere to Atlantean tradition. Indeed, many Libertines doubt it exists or existed as anything but a metaphor or dream.

The Guardians of the Veil: “Magic is Fragile”. The Guardians of the Veil are as secretive, closeted, and dislike by the Pentacle and enemies alike as ever. While the Arrow protects the Consilium against external threats, it is the Guardians of the Veil of protect it from the internal ones. Secret police, spies, and assassins, they are universally distrusted but acknowledged as a distasteful necessity. The Guardians are adamant against Paradox, believing each one increases the power of the Abyss, pointing out how world-wide fewer and fewer souls Awaken and magic is more difficult to work. The Guardians, despite being liars, are perhaps among the most honest of the Orders in their twisted way in that they acknowledge these things rather than conceal them. They maintain elaborate Labyrinthes, social and mental constructs of lies and illusions to keep knowledge from the unworthy, while weeding out those who have the aptitude to see through such things. The Guardians are deeply troubled by the seemingly-deliberate mystical lay out of Paradi City… and by their inability to divine by who or why. They claim descent from the Visus Draconis, or Eyes of the Dragon, of Atlantis.

The Mysterium: “Magic is Alive”. The Mysterium maintains a sizeable though low key presence in Paradise City. The edifice of man’s greatest achievement or hubris since the fall, opinions vary, poses no shortage of occult mystery and arcane insight to study. This effort is not for sheer academics sake but from the belief that in a Fallen World built on the Lie, that magic, originating in the Supernal, is the one Truth left. The Athenaeum, a mystical lore house, is immense and filled with knowledge that mages sojourn to from international distances in their quests for enlightenment. Knowledge is never shared freely; the price of it is always Knowledge in turn. The Mysterium has begun adopting more technological means in its pursuits, splitting more modernist members from more traditional ones in ideology. This has made the Mysterium more closely tied with the Free Council than is usual, even though strong philosophical differences persist. By contrast, it’s harmed its relations with the Guardians even further. They claim descent from the Alae Draconis, or Wings of the Dragon, of Atlantis.

The Silver Ladder: “Magic is Humanity’s Right”. The Silver Ladder has a sizable presence in Paradi City as well. To them, the city is a Mecca of potential, a veritable re-creation, or an attempt at re-creating, the Celestial Ladder. Other Orders condemn this belief as hubris but in Paradi City, the Ladder sees the mystical alignment which could lead to humanity at last reclaiming it’s rightful due; magic. The Ladder tends to fill in roles as advisors more than rulers within the city, striving to spread its influence and goals through the other Orders, with moderate success. The Thearchs are driven and their access to several Proximi families makes them highly coveted, if warily trusted, allies. Often derogatorily called ‘Worm Tongues’ behind their back, the Ladder feels it is closer than ever to realizing its goals and proving they were right all along. They claim descent from the Vox Draconis, or Voice of the Dragon, of Atlantis.

Rival Orders

The Seers of the Throne: “Magic is Payment”. The Seers of the Throne hold to no higher altruism or belief in humanity’s shared greatness. They care nothing for enlightening the masses or reducing the burden of Sleepers. The Seers care about themselves first and serving their masters, the Exarchs. Opposed to the Pentacle, the Seers are divided internally into various Ministries and Pylons, all working towards the Exarchs complete rule, though sometimes against one another as each Pylon believes it, and it alone, knows the one true way of enacting their masters will. Magic, to the Seers, is their just reward for service. They embody the principles of ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’. The Exarchs have already won; they rule from the heavens and the world is forever divided. Instead of pursue a pointless and hopeless battle, Seers adapt to the reality of the Fallen World, and serve realities masters instead of oppose the inevitable. Then, once the rest of the Pentacle has been destroyed, and humanity has been lulled into perpetual Sleep, the worthy servants of the Exarchs will be elevated as lords of the Fallen World. It’s only a matter of time. The Seers have extensive influence and business holdings throughout the city and yet even they, despite boasts to the contrary, surely can’t know all of Paradi’s Secrets… could they? One need only agree to serve the Exarchs heart and soul to find out for sure.

The Banishers: “Magic is Immoral”. Not all mages see their Awakening as a blessing. Some are found by an Order, taken in, trained… some go mad from the revelation. Others... others maintain their minds, initially, and realize that all of the worlds ills, all the troubles around them, are tied to magic. If these Orders are so altruistic, why haven’t they done anything to improve the lot of the masses? At least the Seers are honest bastards if tyrants. No, magic is evil, good works bear good fruits and evil… well, look at the city! Is it ‘good’ when so many are suffering or in need? No, magic is evil and needs to be destroyed. But to kill a witch, one has to know how to use their own tools against them, one has to wield the Devil’s fire to burn them out. Others don’t understand their gifts, seeing their newfound awareness as a curse or proof of a divine apathy to them, and they resent those mages who don’t suffer from like maladies. They watch, their envy or rage building, then begin stalking a likely target… they might do little things, here and there, until that urge inside their heart can’t be resisted anymore and the only thing that will make their pain go away is the blood of their target. Afterwards, perhaps, the Banisher may even feel regret… until his envy begins to rise once more when he locates another willworker or even a group of them.