Cultor

Guardians of the Veil Status ●

Epopts supervise the Labyrinth and direct Guardian operations as a whole, but Cultors are the ones who weave the lies that turn into secret societies and religions. A Cultor is a student of faith and psychology; he applies what he knows to create a Labyrinth and directs its affairs from within. His closest contact is the Epopt, who is less concerned with the day-to-day operation of a Labyrinth than the ability to use it to win influence and apprentices. The Cultor makes sure the torches light with blue fi re and the altar stone levitates. He cashes followers’ checks and studies their personalities.

Cultors have to be excellent researchers and liars. In the information age, it’s easier than ever for a dedicated layperson to uncover historically shaky claims and botched translations. A Cultor has to construct a mystery that will do more than fool the naive men and woman who seek out cults; she has to be able to attract scholars and disciplined wisdom-seekers too. The Labyrinth separates the spiritual wheat from the chaff, so the Labyrinth has to offer something to those who might Awaken and outgrow it.

The Law of the Mask calls the Cultor the “second-eldest office.” After the fall of Atlantis, the Eyes of the Dragon reorganized itself to make its way through Fallen lands. The Eyes needed to protect magic from profane eyes and disguise itself, but needed a way to justify Awakened miracles. The first Cultors created religions by combining native beliefs with coded Atlantean insight. Guardians turned Hallows into taboo ground and sanctums into mystery temples so that outsiders would hold mages at a distance, but in proper awe.

Some of the first Labyrinths were secret warrior societies and cults, nurtured with careful miracles until they could produce Sleepers who could unwittingly further the order’s interests and serve as proving grounds for those who might Awaken. Some of these societies have lived long past their founders, but remain useful. The Law of the Mask speaks of symbols that many Labyrinths might have. A Cultor doesn’t just use these tools to construct her conspiracy, but to ease her way through the mystery cults and lodges that came before. If they’ve survived and kept the old symbols, a Cultor can use these cults and lodges to claim membership and even authority. Therefore, a Guardian on the run could bluff his way into a certain lodge, because ancient Cultors prepared the way.

Under the direction of an Epopt, the Cultor also directs cult members to act in ways that benefi t the order. He produces omens and doctrines that say that a promised ascension is at hand, as long as the society does as the Epopt wishes. This could be as simple as a fi nancial investment or as extreme as armed combat, depending on the needs of the Epopt and the Cultor’s skill. Sometimes, the Epopt needs to extinguish an old Labyrinth, too. In such cases, the Cultor sows rumors of the apocalypse, fraud or inconvenient love affairs, as appropriate. The end of a secret society is a delicate time for the mages involved. Sleepers often feel betrayed and, if they can find the shadow rulers of the organization, can strike back. This is why the most ruthless Cultors prefer to end their projects with mass suicides, but most Cultors are subtle enough to tear everything apart with rumors and come away clean.

Cultors designed the secret rituals, code phrases and signs used by secret societies all over the world. Players who want their characters to take advantage of that legacy should consider the Ancient Signs Merit.