Praetorian

Overview

The weak fear the strong^[1]. Brutal demagogues and warriors, the soldier-priests of Praetorian serve under the General, Archigenitor Exarch of control through violence and the Forces arcanum. Where their counterparts in the Adamantine Arrow practice combat as a symbol of righteous struggle, the Seers of the Throne of the Praetorian Ministry espouse warfare as dehumanizing meat-grinder, through which warlords rise to subjugate others with the fear of violence. As western societies are increasingly militarized by fear of terrorism, and the world bathes in the blood of countless never-ending wars, the Praetorian Ministry seems unassailable in the Iron Pyramid, cementing their position as a Greater Ministry.

War is a garden that grows red, nurtured by blood, moistened by a rain of sweat^[2]. The Praetorian ministry tends that garden and keeps it from running wild, but it also keeps it healthy, well fed by the world’s violence. Praetorians are soldiers, yes, but they’re so much more: demagogues, executives, politicians and everything else that powers the machinery of violence. They don’t carry a banner of honor, though they’ll pretend to when it suits their aims. They aren’t modern knights, samurai or the other honorable warriors that Adamantine Arrows idealize. Violence is not a crucible for character, but an instrument of the Exarchs. It siphons human creativity and destroys good will. It eats productivity and shits devastation. Divided against itself, humanity can never overthrow the Lie. The Ministry keeps those divisions vigorous and hate-filled, without letting them produce a global catastrophe.

History

Before the Praetorian Ministry^[3], the dominant Western cult was the Diadochi: a society of petty warrior kings who seized the remnants of Alexander the Great’s empire. The Diadochi believed that war should reduce human societies to petty fiefs. Its mages sparked war after war. Ironically, they were too successful; they left behind degenerate, fragmented kingdoms that couldn’t muster significant resistance to the Romans. The cults then tried to dismantle the Roman Republic, but weren’t successful. Rome was a nexus for rival supernatural conspiracies: a quagmire of demons and spirits, each of whom defended its territory with exceptional viciousness. One faction of the General’s Seers eventually abandoned the struggle, reasoning that an expansionistic state would always serve the Exarchs’ goals, provided it committed itself to a doctrine of constant warfare. These mages insinuated themselves into high positions in Roman military as early as the time of Julius Caesar, but couldn’t properly exploit them until the 3rd century AD, because this new faction — the first Praetorians — were too busy exterminating their Diadochi forbears.

By the reign of Aurelian, the Praetorians wielded considerable influence, but the Roman Empire was dying by inches. Even the Seers couldn’t return it to glory, but that wasn’t necessary any more. The idea of imperial power and eternal war left the cradle of Alexander’s Persia and strode through Rome and across the world. From then on, nations would always be restless and prepared to pursue it, given half a chance. That’s what the Praetorian Ministry wanted, and that’s the way the world is today.

Methodologies

The General’s cults have always been popular^[4]. For every man or woman who wants peace or at least strictly controlled violence, there’s been one who simply wants to win, no matter the cost. These pragmatists are the Exarch’s core followers. Ironically, they learn that controlled violence is the key to power, not its obstacle. War and violence have changed over the ages, however. War materiel isn’t made by villages or even individual nations, but by corporations that span the globe. On the grand scale, violence relies on transnational consensus: coalitions, networks and ideological movements.

The Praetorian Ministry maintains the global machinery of war and simulates ambitions that can only be realized by force. Praetorians infiltrate standing armies, guerilla groups and arms manufacturers. On a smaller scale, they’re provocateurs in police forces, gangs and even protest groups. The Ministry ceaselessly ensures that societies always treat violence as a necessary tool, and keep the arms, people and ideology needed to slaughter their own people and their neighbors.

On the other hand, they don’t want Sleepers to get too warlike. People have the means to destroy themselves, but the Praetorians don’t want them going down that path. Omnipresent, controlled violence is the goal — not genocide. The Ministry considers the rise of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons their failure, but takes credit for global agreements against using them.

The Ministry promotes perpetual warfare to sow fear in the Sleeper population. Fearful people take comfort in authority. They don’t trust their neighbors, and direct their thoughts toward practical, materialistic goals. Deep questions about the nature of things fall to the wayside. Violence is also wasteful. It creates scarcity. Billions go to maintaining armies and manufacturing weapons. If the global community forged a lasting peace, it could redirect these resources to solving the perennial problems of poverty, disease and hunger. Once it seriously deals with those, humanity has no- where to go but up: to the Supernal Realms. A violent world guards the Exarchs from their prisoners.

Rituals & Resources

Prelacy

The General grants the Crown of Fury^[7]. When attacked by a character using one or more Merits, the Seer may reduce each of her opponent’s combat Merits by her Forces dots, denying the use of any techniques “lost” by instinctively countering them. Also, she does not spend Mana to raise or change her Mage Armor.

References