Guardians of the Veil Status ●●●
Susceptors are the order’s elite spies. All Guardians of the Veil learn to pluck the Divine Thread, but Susceptors don’t rely on intermediate agents and Labyrinths as much as their own wits. Susceptors go straight to the field with the stealth, disguise and efficient violence needed to succeed. Susceptors are usually the most competent warriors in the order because they specialize in direct action. Long-term strategies and friends of friends are for Emissaries and Cultors; Susceptors work with knives and lock-picks in their hands and their objectives in sight.
A Susceptor needs physical ability, social skill and the ability to make snap judgments. A veteran Susceptor might appear to be the ideal Guardian until one looks outside the scope of his operations. Many Susceptors are not the best at long-term planning and have trouble looking at the larger implications of their work. As long as they stay focused on a single assignment, however, they can be formidable figures. Epopts make sure that the sharp swords of the Susceptors point in the right direction.
Susceptors develop specialties based on their aptitudes and interests. A strong, agile Susceptor trains to be a hand-to-hand fighter. A smooth talker specializes in seduction. Hackers, linguists and marksmen all have roles to play. These concentrations add to a base of competency. While caucus standards differ, the average Susceptor earns the title after she learns skills equivalent to those of a field agent in a Sleeper intelligence agency.
It’s a dangerous job; smart Susceptors don’t count on political advancement or long lives. If a captured Susceptor knows too much, she might have to commit suicide, and jobs such as stealing artifacts and penetrating enemy sanctums carry their own risks. Other Guardians believe that Susceptors tend to be impulsive and overly passionate, so even if they do survive, they aren’t often made into Epopts. Instead, experienced Susceptors take novices under their wings to share professional insight and moral support.
