geistnet | Conspiracy: The Methuselah

The Benevolent Keepers of the Vigil.

Once a small society built to study the Darkness and find a way to preserve the balance between Those in the Light and Those in the Dark, the Methuselah is now an international conspiracy whose operations span across nearly every country in the world. They were originally the largest group of paranormal investigators and soldiers who distinguished themselves in the Vigil by accepting Those Who Dwell in the Dusk and Dawn – namely, those with supernatural gifts, or those ‘touched’ by otherworldly powers – into their ranks, and any of the “Dark” ones who swear to uphold the Code. At present, however, the Methuselah is the conspiracy that watches over other conspiracies, and is a bit like the United Nations for the denizens beyond the Veil.

As a Hunter of the Methuselah, you have what is likely the most thankless job in the new age. You are the Hunters who monitor other Hunters, who cater to a populace that is, at best, suspicious of what you do, and at worst, outright defiant of the laws and regulations that you stand for. Furthermore, it’s only been three years since the Darkest Vigil, and under a century since your conspiracy cleaned up and changed. Not everyone believes in the Methuselah’s authority, and some of these groups have enough power and influence at their disposal to challenge you.

Methuselah operatives are distinguishable for their black, form-fitting coats with silver accents – every operative wears a pin or an armband that lets their allies know which committee they belong to. Their insignia is a silver wheel with seven spokes, wrapped in vines, thorns, and roses.

A QUICK HISTORY OF THE METHUSELAH

The Methuselah is a 4,000-year-old conspiracy that can trace its roots back all the way to Mesopotamia. It was established by two survivors of the destruction of the Fourth World – Aidan Clayce, Voidseeker and the Last Dragon of the Fourth World, and Riley Falner, the Daywalker – for one purpose: to do everything in their power to prevent the Fifth World from suffering the safe fate that the Fourth World had. Aidan hoped to do this by developing a conspiracy that believed in guarding the Veil that kept the World of Light and the World of Darkness separate. This set the Methuselah apart from other Keepers of the Vigil. Other compacts and conspiracies saw the world in black and white: anything that was not human was evil, and had to be put down.

For a long time, the Methuselah offered sanctuary, guidance and care to whosoever and whatsoever wishes to avail of it, and did not hesitate to combat anything that proves a threat to them and the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the conspiracy began to show clear signs of deterioration by the 18th Century. The conspiracy had grown far larger than any one of their operatives could have ever imagined – that should have been a good thing, as it should have ensured that Methuselah Hunters could do their job regardless of their location, and reach out to as many people as possible. As things were, though, cultural and political differences only too often got in the way of dialogue, and many operatives – especially the ones who operated away from the city centers that the Methuselah controlled – found themselves snapping under the pressure of their jobs.

By the 21st Century, two camps existed within the Methuselah. One camp still believed in the principles that the conspiracy had always stood for. Another, however, believed that the supernatural operatives within the Methuselah were ticking time bombs, and it was only a matter of time before they had to be put down just like any other mark. It did not help that the Wiseman’s Committee had changed, and were being influenced by Nyx, the Destroyer of Worlds. Furthermore, the conspiracy itself had become notorious for breaking their own tenants by engaging in ruthless Hunting policies and subjecting their own operatives to horrendous experiments in the name of the Vigil. The Balance was at its breaking point: in-fighting was slowly but surely tearing the Methuselah apart.

On August 18, 2012, the Voidseeker Aidan Clayce and a large contingent of his followers left the Methuselah. The Wisemen, in Aidan’s opinion, had crossed the line: they had turned upon Hikaru Shinta, a former Methuselah operative and a member of the Malice Kings. The creation of Netsach – They Who Eat at Yggdrasil’s Roots – was a glaring testament to the failings of the conspiracy. Many ended up leaving the Methuselah in favor of joining Netsach and other conspiracies. And naturally, rather than attempt to understand where they had gone wrong, the upper echelons of the conspiracy only became harsher towards their constituents, and punished anyone who “stepped out of line”, or defied the decrees of the Committee.

By 2013, the Methuselah was in shambles. The conspiracy was woefully unprepared to face the dawn of the new age, and they also found themselves without leaders as the members of the Wisemen’s Committee had either been killed, or were completely incapable of heading the conspiracy. Redemption came in the form of one man: Elias Tagabigay, an Obrimos Mage of Netsach that had once been one of their hunters. He returned to the conspiracy, worked his way up the ranks, and won himself a place on the Wiseman’s Committee. It was his reforms – enforced during the First Reforms and the Darkest Vigil – that shaped the conspiracy into the organization that it is today.

THE METHUSELAH IN TODAY'S VIGIL

Pax Deorum has positioned the Methuselah as the conspiracy that serves and monitors other conspiracies. Where Hunters from other organizations concentrate on Keeping the Vigil by going after marks and living a life of almost constant combat, Methuselah Hunters focus on clean-up, diplomacy, public relations, and holding the fort for their brothers and sisters in the Vigil.

We’re also not joking about the United Nations part. Supernatural communities require representation in the new age, especially since human beings have assumed, for the majority of their existence on Earth, that they were the only ones out there. Now that it’s clear that they’re not alone, the Methuselah is the conspiracy that ensures that everybody gets what they want and can live as peacefully as they possibly can.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.

Yet another thing that sets the Methuselah apart from other conspiracies is how it’s structured. Wiseman Elias Tagabigay rebuilt the Methuselah as a corporation, with committees that have incredibly specific jobs. It’s a system built on maximum efficiency, and ensures that while an agent of one committee can’t do everything, he can do damned well in the job that he’s been given.

JURISDICTION
The Methuselah is perhaps the largest conspiracy in Today’s Vigil. Because they are Pax Deorum’s watchdogs, they have jurisdiction all around the globe.

Below is a list of the more significant power bases of the Methuselah.

ISRAFIL (ISTANBUL, TURKEY). The headquarters of the Methuselah. Headed by Wiseman Elias Tagabigay.

AFFERTERIM (BLAECE, ANTARCTICA). Headed by Kaiser Eli Maxwell. Often referred to as the “little HQ” of the Methuselah.

KOHA (SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA). Headed by Kaiser Becky Rogers.

EVERGREEN (OTTOWA, CANADA). Headed by Kaiser Tatiana Silver Hand.

TORRE DE VIGIA (SANTIAGO, CHILE). Headed by Kaiser Ariel Silva.

MAAT (CAIRO, EGYPT). Headed by Kaiser Oman Arius.

BASTION (THE FALNER ESTATE, PARIS, FRANCE/BERLIN, GERMANY/METRO MANILA, THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES. Headed by Jannik Brunn.

TENEBRIS (PARIS, FRANCE). Headed by Kaiser Marion Rochard.

SCHWARZ (BERLIN, GERMANY). Headed by Kaiser Bridgette Hellmuth.

ELYSIUM (ATHENS, GREECE). Headed by Kaiser Trent Aznar.

THEIA (ROME, ITALY). Headed by Kaiser Micel Montelibano.

YAMATO (TOKYO, JAPAN). Headed by Kaiser Yumi Shirasawa.

ZION (THE MAGE-CITY OF ATLANTIS). Headed by Kaiser Akil Jakobs.

TARTARUS (THE NECROPOLIS OF SHIN YAMATAI). Headed by Kaiser Jan Jakobsen.

ANINO (MANILA, REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES). Headed by Kaiser Regina Batumbakal.

RUSALKA (MOSCOW, RUSSIA). Headed by Kaiser Hilda Rostova.

HOPE (PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA). Headed by Kaiser Charon Ntadima.

QUEENSCRAIC (LONDON, THE UNITED KINGDOM). Headed by Kaiser Matthew Haytham.

LIBERTY (RICHMOND, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA). Headed by Kaiser Dakota Heartnet-Duskrider.

THE COMMITTEES OF THE METHUSELAH

Generally speaking, Hunters of the Methuselah do not “cross” from branch to branch. The only exceptions to this rule are senior operatives who have displayed a considerable level of skill in both Committees in question, and have been granted explicit permission to do extra work by the Small Council. Furthermore, these arrangements are always temporary.

The Wiseman’s Committee
The Wiseman’s Committee is the supreme supernatural authority of Pax Deorum. Each Wiseman represents a particular area of interest, or an interest group that the Methuselah has to cater to. Interestingly enough, one does not have to be a member of the conspiracy in order to be a Wiseman. This may be due to the role that the conspiracy plays for the Fifth World.
Here’s a list of the current members of the Wiseman’s Committee.

ELIAS TAGABIGAY, First of the Wisemen

DAVID YOUNG, Wiseman of World Economics, Trade, and Commerce

ASUNA MUSTANG, representing the Order of the Golden Dawn, and the interests of Alchemists, Created, and Redeemed alike

MINATO ARISATO, the Card correspondent of the Order of the Grateful Dead, representing the interests of Cards

DRAKE BADD, the Sin-Eater correspondent of the Order of the Grateful Dead, representing the interests of the Bound

GIDEON REYES, representing the Order of Minstrels

SELENE VEGA, representing Arcadia, and the interests of both True Fae and the Lost

CORA BAHAGHARI, representing the School of Colors, and Artisans all around the Fifth World

HENRY LIM, representing the Great Tribe of the People

HALO JAFELICE, representing the Changing Breeds

BARBARA GOMEZ, representing Ordo Daywalker, and Kindred interests

ANASTASIO DEL ROSARIO, representing the Pleiades and the Five Mage Orders, and the interests of the Awakened world

SAWYER MESCH, representing the Touched

THE GREAT STAG, representing Twilight

KAIZEN TEMPESTA, representing Aegis Kai Doru

PAOLO INOJOSA, representing the Brotherhood of Violence

SHANE DUSKRIDER, representing the Midnight Riders

AIDAN CLAYCE, representing Netsach

YUE RUKIA, representing the Order of the Mani dello Spirito Santo

AYAME RHIANNON, representing the Rhiannon Group

173/THOMAS REGARDI, representing the Thrones and the Infernal Realms

TOHRU FUKUZAWA, representing Zangyaku

Members of the Wisemen’s Committee meet at least four times a year, on the solstice of each of the four seasons. Each Wisemen is the Methuselah’s liaison to the group that they represent.

The Small Council
As the Wiseman’s Committee has to focus its energies on governing today’s Vigil, the Small Councils of the Methuselah are the “ruling authorities” of the conspiracy itself. Elias Tagabigay oversees their activities, and – at any given period – a Small Council is supposed to have exactly 250 members. Each country that the Methuselah has influence in has a Small Council.

Erinyes
Elias Tagabigay’s elite strike team, consisting of powerful Hunters whom he has fought with for the entirety of his career. The Enrinyes are the Methuselah’s last resort, meant to step in where there’s something that neither the Wiseman’s Committee nor the Small Council can handle. Thankfully, they haven’t seen action as a team since the Darkest Vigil.

The members of Erinyes are basically Elias’ blade mates from Wolf’s Choice, the Rockin’ Rollas of Netsach, and the Pack of Netsach.

Leto: Human Resources & Medical Committee.
Members of Leto are in charge of internal welfare, ensuring that all Methuselah operatives are as healthy, as happy, and as whole as they could possibly be. Leto Hunters also see a significant amount of action in comparison to Hunters from other Committees because they’re expected to serve as the conspiracy’s field medics.

Metis: Public Relations Committee.
Members of Metis basically serve as the diplomats, PR men, fixers and negotiators of the Methuselah. They maintain the conspiracy’s image for the press on a regular basis, and are the first to the table when there’s a sticky situation that needs the conspiracy’s attention.

Mnemosyne: Files Committee.
Members of Mnemosyne are the desk jockeys, archivists, secretaries and librarians of the Methuselah. Beyond taking care of the paperwork generated by Methuselah engagements, they’re in charge of the writing and archiving of case files, and monitoring LogosNET. During war time, Mnemosyne serves as the Methuselah’s CIC.

Perses: The Security Committee.
Methuselah operatives affectionately call Perses “SecCom”. The Committee has also been nicknamed “the Vanguard”, and for a very good reason. Perses is easily the largest committee within the Methuselah because they are the field operatives of the conspiracy. They are stationed in every major city around the globe, and are charged with coming to the defense of the loved ones and family members of Hunters from all of the compacts and conspiracies.

Hunters in the Vanguard are constantly coordinating with Hunters from the Midnight Riders, because the Midnight Riders are the ones who handle everything outside of the urban spaces that the Vanguard monitors. They’re a bit like the supernatural police, and are supposed to be ready to take care of the mundane, criminal situations that are beneath the attentions of the other conspiracies.

Prometheus: Logistics Committee
Jokingly called “MethEX” as a fallback to the FedEx Logistics, Prometheus operatives are the equipment guys and the tech support of the entire conspiracy. Beyond crafting and enchanting the weapons they receive from Vice Enterprises, they are also expected to stock the Armories of the Methuselah’s different bases and outposts all around the world, and getting equipment to agents on time, no matter where they happen to be.

Theia: Standards Committee
Operatives of Theia handle recruitment, and are also the trainers of the entire body of operatives at the Methuselah’s disposal. Many of them do a significant amount of field work, as they’re the people who have to be on the lookout for fresh blood.

Themis: Auditing Committee
Although their official titles appear to be a little inglorious, members of Themis have – beyond the Wisemen and the members of the Small Council – the most important job within the conspiracy. They are responsible for upholding international standards across the globe, ensuring that the laws and regulations of Pax Deorum are upheld by the United Nations delegate. They also police the difference conspiracies, handling altercations between conspiracies and within conspiracies.

Auditors of Themis, ironically, are the “strongest” Hunters of the Methuselah. They are the ones who, when push comes to shove, have to go after other Hunters, and be ready to bring them to justice either through heavy sanctions or the use of lethal force.

RANKS, DESIGNATIONS AND WHATNOT

All Methuselah operatives start out as initiates. They’re automatically assigned under Theia, where they are introduced to the structure of the conspiracy and take general classes that tackle the building and the evaluation of the skill sets that each Committee looks for.

Once an initiate has fulfilled the 1-year training program of the conspiracy, he is evaluated by his superiors. If he passes the evaluation, he is transferred to the Committee that best reflects his aptitude as a Hunter of the Methuselah. For every year after that, his performance is evaluated by his superiors. Once his superiors feel that he is ready, the initiate becomes a senior operative, and a full-fledged member of the Committee that he was assigned to.

Senior operatives are paired together, and each pair is assigned to monitor at least five initiates. These initiates technically count as a single cell, and are meant to participate in operations together.

A HUNTER’S LIFE WITH THE METHUSELAH.

POLICE BEATS, RED TAPE, AND PAPERWORK PAPERWORK PAPERWORK
The level of importance of the work that the Methuselah does is often inversely proportional to level of excitement that your regular Methuselah operative experiences on a daily basis. Members of the Vanguard live exactly like policemen: they do the files, eat their donuts during stake outs, chat with each other by the water cooler at lunch time, listen to testimonies of aggrieved (or supposedly aggrieved) parties, and patrol around the city. Members of Theia check their students’ papers just as often as they put them through drills, and don’t really leave their home base unless they need to do the recruitment rounds. The most exciting thing that happens to Leto operatives on a regular week is massaging the wrists of beleaguered Mnemosyne desk jockeys who might have typed a bit too much during the day, or riding in the back seat of a Vanguard patrol car, waiting for something to happen (read: nothing probably will). Members of Mnemosyne and Prometheus are almost always glued to their desks or work benches, pounding away at keyboards or tinkering with equipment until they sign off and head home. Members of Metis crawl through ridiculous amounts of red tape in the hopes of fishing out a legitimate complaint, and often close deals from the safety of their offices rather than fly off to negotiation tables in exotic locations.

Being in the Methuselah is much like being in a corporation. Relationships are strictly professional; the Small Council discourages operatives from fraternizing with other Methuselah Hunters, and grants only a few exceptions every month. Every move and action needs to be documented, cataloged and analyzed no matter how mundane it happens to be. Every document and piece of equipment needs to be licensed and registered, no matter what it is.

The trade-off, of course, for living a life that is often less-than-exciting are impressively large tax shields, high pay, generous loans, quality insurance policies and life-long benefits that extend to their legal dependents. Most Methuselah operatives joined the conspiracy because they wanted to do good, and be rewarded for it. You do have your idealists and your champions of “the cause”, but everyone else is remarkably (distressingly) normal.

This is a marked change from the way the Methuselah used to be, and anyone who was born before 2012 and still happens to be alive is almost painfully aware of this. The Methuselah’s old reputation does, on occasion, come around to bite the conspiracy in the ass, which means that its operatives may end up facing ornery parties who aren’t up to cooperating with “some fucking black coat”. In fact, there are some old-timers on the force that are dissatisfied with how things have changed, and happen to very loud about it in spite of what their caretakers from Leto tell them.

Notable Methuselah Practices.
Boring as the Methuselah might sound to some, it’s still a conspiracy with a very long history and a lot of interesting customs that their operatives practice. These are just a few of the ones that aren’t specific to a region, and have spread across the conspiracy as a whole.

ANNUAL COMMITTEE OUTING
This usually takes place on a “slow month” for the Committee in question. The exact nature of the outing depends on the locale and the power base. Committees from Anino, for example, often hit one of the nice beaches in the Philippines.

COMMITTEE INTRAMURALS
Every power base of the Methuselah holds a sports fest every year around summer time, where each of the Committees engages in a friendly competition for several sports of choice. The sports that they usually choose vary depending on where the power base is located. The Methuselah’s power base in India, for example, plays cricket. The winning Committee for the year usually gets a small bonus for a month, or receives an extra vacation leave that they can avail of at any point of their career.

BLUE DAY
On August 18, the date of the Great Schism between the Methuselah and Netsach, Methuselah operatives commemorate what many believe to be the biggest mistake that their conspiracy has ever made by giving gifts or letters of apology to co-workers and to people whom they feel like they’ve wronged in the past. Traditionally, the gift is supposed to be a blue rose, but most folks aim to give something incredibly meaningful to the person they wish to apologize to.

Blue Day is also when Metis schedules Small Council annual meetings with Netsach Kaisers or Zangyaku Magistrates in their respective locales.

THE GRAND BATTLE ROYALE
A carry-over from the Methuselah’s old ways, and perhaps the largest Methuselah event that takes place on an annual basis. The Grand Battle Royale always takes place on February 14, in honor of the Armistice at Blaece. Each Methuselah power base sends a contingent of fifteen of its best fighters to Blaece, where they compete with other contingents in armed combat. Prizes are usually sponsored by Young Incorporated.

SENIOR OPS COOKOUTS
Blades of initiates often refer to the senior operatives that are in charge of watching over them as the “mothers” and “fathers” of their group. Some of their superiors take this a step forward by setting a day aside to invite their initiates into their homes and cooking for them for an evening. The practice originated in Liberty, and has carried over to over Methuselah bases ever since.

THE METHUSELAH AND EVERYBODY ELSE.

AEGIS KAI DORU
Even before the Methuselah’s restructuring, the conspiracy had always possessed close ties with the Guardians of the Labyrinth. Aegis’ interest, even before the Vigil, was the acquisition, study, and crafting of relics – they usually acted against supernaturals as a matter of self-defense rather than hostility. Furthermore, they eventually changed their policies in deference to the Voidseeker’s wishes, and started taking supernaturals into their cells. However, Methuselah operatives had a significantly harder time dealing with the Order of the Phoenix, and prior to the Phoenix War, had an ambivalent relationship with the Ascending Ones. As a general rule of thumb, Methuselah Hunters and Ascending Ones gave each other a wide berth, and tried not to interfere too much with each other unless the situation called for it.

At present, because Aegis Kai Doru absorbed the Legion of the Phoenix and because of all of the changes that have occurred in the Vigil over the past fifty years, Aegis Kai Doru one of the Methuselah’s most important allies. The Guardians of the Labyrinth are incredibly generous with their findings on relics, and their reliquaries; the Methuselah, in turn, ensures that Aegis Kai Doru operatives can do their business with the assurance that their cities, their relatives, and their loved ones are safe.

THE BROTHERHOOD OF VIOLENCE
The Brotherhood of Violence has a long history with the Methuselah – or, more specifically, with Aidan Clayce and Riley Falner, the founding fathers of the conspiracy. They have never been beholden to the conspiracy, but have been known for offering their assistance whenever the Methuselah required it. Their biggest contribution was their tutelage of the Repentants of St. John of God, a congregation that would later become the Order of the Mani dello Spirito.

Even while the Methuselah was in decline, the Brotherhood maintained their contact with the conspiracy. The revitalization of the conspiracy during the Darkest Reforms, however, strengthened the ties between the two organizations. Furthermore, they made immeasurable contributions to war efforts during the Darkest Vigil, especially in Eastern Europe, South America, and Africa.

THE MIDNIGHT RIDERS
Given the nature of the work that the Methuselah and the Midnight Riders do for today’s Vigil, it should not come as a surprise that the two conspiracies are tight. Furthermore, about half of the original team of the Midnight Riders were taken from the Pariah Special Forces, a division within the Methuselah. Midnight Riders are especially grateful to members of Perses, as the Vanguard ensures them that city centers within their respective regions will always be safe.

NETSACH
Netsach and the Methuselah have come a long way since the controversial schism in August 18. Pax Deorum, following Aidan Clayce’s and Elias Tagabigay’s recommendations, enforced a strict separation of roles between the two conspiracies. Where the Methuselah would serve as Pax Deorum’s authority on supernatural and play the role of mediator between the World of Light and the World of Darkness, Netsach was going to be positioned as Pax Deorum’s attack force on call, ready to resolve situations with the use of force. In essence, the Methuselah became a police force; Netsach, an army. Fortunately, the arrangement ended up working out for everyone.

Netsach is, in more ways than one, an improved form of what the Methuselah used to be – the conspiracy, in fact, retains the original structure of the Methuselah prior to the First Reforms. The conspiracy is significantly smaller than the Methuselah, but it does appear to be a living lesson in quality over quantity. One Netsach Seventh Circle Hunter is, after all, usually worth an entire blade of Vanguard operatives. The Vigil, however, was never meant to be a competition, and Netsach operatives often speak highly of the work that their comrades in the Methuselah do for the Fifth World.

THE ORDER OF THE MANI DELLO SPIRITO SANTO
The Mani dello Spirito, much like the Brotherhood of Violence, was originally a division under the Methuselah. Their original members came from the Brotherhood of St. John of God, the Repentants of Malleus Maleficarum. They left the Shadow Congregation in disgust, and sought sanctuary for their members – all of them supernatural – with the Methuselah. While the Mani dello Spirito Santo now stand on their own as a conspiracy, and accept any of the faithful into the number regardless of whether they are supernatural or not, they have done well in maintaining their relationship with their original home conspiracy. The Order was, in fact, incredibly cooperative during the First Reforms and very active during the Darkest Vigil, as the conspiracy often took charge of relief efforts and medical missions in distressed areas, thus easing the burden on the Methuselah’s own Committees.

Leto operatives usually retain close connections with Vaizards from the Order. Beyond offering religious services to Christian Methuselah operatives, Vaizards also never hesitate to provide support for Vanguard operatives and Leto’s own field medics whenever they can.

THE RHIANNON GROUP
Beyond being specialists in the Dark Hour, a realm that many Methuselah operatives cannot navigate or manage, the Rhiannon Group is also the conspiracy’s direct line to Vice Enterprises, the number one weapons and equipment sponsor of all conspiracies in today’s Vigil. Furthermore, the strong presence that the Rhiannon Group has in cities that they have invested in often eases the burden of the Methuselah’s Committees. Cities within the United Kingdom, for example, do not have a need for Vanguard operatives, which means that Perses has one less headache on their list. Perses operatives in many countries also do not need to patrol in the Dark Hour, because Rhiannon agents have it covered.

On another note, the Group’s influence in the corporate world often serves the Committees well. Whenever Vice Enterprises representatives aren’t available or happened to be tied up with other engagements, the Rhiannon Group makes it a point to exercise their authority on ornery business groups that like to make it a point to give the Methuselah a hard time.

TASKFORCE VALKYRIE
Taskforce Valkyrie was the Methuselah's administrative headache turned miracle baby. The conspiracy, with the help of its strongest allies, managed to turn the entire compact around within just three years. There is still a lot of work to be done, but most of the senior ops are optimistic. Others are looking forward to Valkyrie's presence taking a load off of their shoulders.

THE THRONES
The Thrones are a breath of fresh air for the Methuselah. While the conspiracy shares similar roots with the now defunct Lucifuge, their very legacy allows them to handle demons, Possessed, and other denizens of the Infernal Realms effectively. There are, in fact, times when Thrones operatives can do the job even better than Brothers in Violence and Vaizards can. Having ties with the Thrones thus allows the Methuselah better control over traffic between the Infernal Realms and the Prime Material Plane.

Nevertheless, the masses have the tendency to view the Thrones with fear and suspicion, simply on the basis that they are demons. Members of Metis often find themselves sifting through loads upon loads of meaningless complaints about the Thrones, and occasionally have to politely ask the Thrones to leave regions with particularly conservative communities. Thankfully, Thrones numbers understand where they’re coming from.

ZANGYAKU
When Committee heads refer to Zangyaku being the Methuselah’s extermination squad on call, they’re not kidding. Pax Deorum has positioned the Asian conspiracy as the “last resort” of the delegate, the final solution when diplomacy and shows of force just don’t cut it. Naturally, a “final solution” means the loss of life and property in order to prevent even larger catastrophes from happening.

Today’s Vigil has the pleasure of seeing the Methuselah and Zangyaku getting along. Traditionally, the two conspiracies have always been at odds – Zangyaku was, in fact, created in an attempt to oppose the Methuselah’s authority. Nevertheless, while your regular Methuselah operative may shit in his pants at the thought of dealing with an oni-tsukai, the upper echelons of the conspiracy know better. Zangyaku is the one reason why the Methuselah never has to worry about Asia. The Sworn of the Wolf definitely have the continent covered; they need to keep themselves occupied, after all.

OUTTAKES FROM THE DOWNLOW;

AEGIS KAI DORU -- “Saw some of these guys in the office once. They all looked like Indiana Jones and Lara Croft knock-offs, and they got dirt all over the floor, but they seemed nice enough?”
BROTHERHOOD OF VIOLENCE -- “Not sure how I feel about priests who say grace before shooting a guy in the face…”
THE MIDNIGHT RIDERS -- “They smoke like chimneys, swear like sailors, drink like fish, drive like weasels on crystal meth, and just happen to be the guys who make me feel safe whenever I’m driving from town to town at night. I love them all.”
NETSACH -- “I dunno, they’re pretty cool. Seriously, though, what’s with their logo?”
THE ORDER OF THE MANI DELLO SPIRITO SANTO -- “A Vaizard is the reason why I have an arm again. If they say there is a God, I believe them.”
THE RHIANNON GROUP -- “Some of their agents make our most hard-assed Committee heads down here look like pussies.”
TASKFORCE VALKYRIE -- “Finally! Some backup from Stateside!”
THE THRONES -- “Aren’t they, like, demons or something?”
ZANGYAKU -- “One time, my buds and I had a chick from Mnemosyne send a combat vid from Japan to us, ‘cause, y’know, we were bored and shit. It was awesome, but… (shudders) hell, I couldn’t eat meat for a month after watching that. And they say they like Hunting?”

GAINING HUNTING LICENSES & CROSS-CONSPIRACY JURISDICTION

Only senior operatives with a Status of 3 or higher are eligible to seek out Hunting Licenses with other compacts and conspiracies. Initiates are expected to focus on their training, and “newbies” – that is, people who only recently got promoted – are expected to focus on their jobs.

Hunters from other conspiracies are eligible for a Hunting License with the Methuselah if they possess Status 3 or higher in their own organization. They must then specify the Committee that they wish to work for. They cannot “switch over”, or be a part of several Committees at once. Furthermore, they need a recommendation letter from the Wiseman that is in charge of representing their conspiracy.

PLAYING A METHUSELAH HUNTER IN WAKING THE DEAD

CHARACTER CREATION

BACKGROUND
The Methuselah usually draws from a pool of university and Hunter Academy graduates. Recruiters from Theia visit schools on a regular basis, and advertise their conspiracy during fairs, conferences, and conventions. The Methuselah has the highest acceptance rate among the conspiracies, and has the propensity to accept initiates of all ages and backgrounds provided that they’re interested, and have more than just a general idea of what they’re getting into. On the other hand, because of the Methuselah’s long history, more than a number of families around the world view themselves as “hunter families”, and see Keeping the Vigil as a means of preserving their clan’s legacy. It isn’t odd for a Theia recruiter to get calls from an old vet attempting to push his son on the conspiracy, regardless of whether he’s interested in the Methuselah or not.

A character who is working for the Methuselah could have come from anywhere. He could be an average guy with average grades, hoping to score a job with the conspiracy because the pay is excellent, and telling the ladies that you’re a Hunter instantly ups a guy’s chances of getting laid. She could be an idealistic girl who grew up on stories of her mother, a retired Methuselah Hunter. He could be an exchange student from an Ivy League school, looking to do work that’ll provide enough support for him, his younger siblings, and his ailing parents. He could be a good-hearted cop who’s hoping to do more for his tiny little town out in the middle of bum-fuck Nowhere. She could be a disgruntled secretary who’s looking for a change of scene, and may have ended up getting more than what she bargained for – or, alternatively, ended up being thoroughly disappointed. He could be the scion of high-heeled, high-collared diplomats, looking for a way that will both please his parents and help his “strange supernatural friends” out. The Methuselah is a global conspiracy with global jurisdiction, and it has been deliberately structured to allow for a variety of individuals from all walks of life who feel like they can cut it as Hunters.

One thing to keep note of, though, is that while the majority of the Methuselah’s Hunters are human. This is not to say that supernaturals in the conspiracy are rare, only that supernaturals, in general, tend to favor other conspiracies. Furthermore, there always have been more humans than supernaturals out there, in today’s Vigil. The numbers make sense.

STAT BUILDING
The most important thing to remember when building a Methuselah Hunter is that their Committee of choice is the Committee that they will likely stay in for the rest of their career. Furthermore, the Small Councils of each Methuselah base want to make sure that their workers are specialists in their field. As such, favoring Attributes and Skills related to their line of work is paramount. A Hunter from the Vanguard, for example, might have high Physical Attributes and favor Physical Skills, and possess dots in a Fighting Style. A Hunter from Mnemosyne, on the other hand, might have high Mental Attributes and favor Mental Skills. A Hunter from Metis might sport a good balance between Mental and Social Attributes, have a diverse skill set, and invest in dots for Social Merits.

If the player wishes to have her character come from a high-profile Committee like Themis, it’s perfectly acceptable for their character to start out with bonus experience points.

Vices and Virtues among Methuselah Hunters vary just as much as Methuselah Hunter character backgrounds do. Common Virtues, though, are Justice, Charity, and Temperance. Common Vices are Pride, Greed and Sloth.

STARTING BONUSES FOR INITIATES

A character who is an initiate of the Methuselah gains one dot in the following Merits.

HENRY’S ABUBOT (• TO •••••)
Where Vice Enterprises provides the tech, Henry’s Abubot provides Relics on call as long as supplies hold. All compacts and conspiracies that have ties with the Abubot can avail of Mr. Lim’s stock.

The number of dots that the character possesses in this Merit corresponds to the kind of equipment that the character can get. Note, however, that he has to “buy” the items individually. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, Relics from Henry’s Abubot cannot be modified.

RESOURCES [METHUSELAH] (• TO •••••)
Because Hunting is a profession, operatives of the different compacts and conspiracies are paid for every successful operation, have a monthly allowance to compensate for living expenses, and gain benefits like health insurance and tax shields.

Novices/initiates automatically gain the one-dot version of this Merit. Purchasing the rest of the dots in this Merit, however, are completely dependent on the character. For example, an Inquisitor may not necessarily have 5 Dots in Resources. He may be notoriously bad at saving, or have a lot of dependents, or might happen to have a thing for giving all of his money away to charity.

It is also possible for a Hunter to lose this Merit, either permanently or temporarily. For example, if an operative has been performing poorly for the past month, his conspiracy has every right to freeze his assets.

VICE ARMORY (• TO •••••)
The Vice Conglomerate, in exchange for generous dole-outs from Pax Deorum, is in charge of funding the compacts and conspiracies of today’s Vigil, providing them with cutting edge technology and high-quality weapons. Their research teams aren’t just devoted towards making the best products in the market for the World of Light: they want to make equipment that’s specifically geared towards helping Hunters preserve the Balance.

The number of dots that the character possesses in this Merit corresponds to the kind of equipment that the character can get. Note, however, that he has to “buy” the items individually. Standard rules apply for modifying equipment.

STARTING BONUSES FOR SENIOR OPERATIVES

A character who has been promoted to senior operative gains one dot or the dots specified per entry in the following Merits.

ALLIES [METHUSELAH] (• TO •••••)
EFFECT: Allies are people who are willing to help your character from time to time. They may be associates, friends of convenience or people who owe your character a favor. Each acquisition of this Merit is dedicated to one type of ally within the compact or conspiracy that the character belongs to, or allies who have connections with his compact or conspiracy. Note, of course, that this Merit generally applies to NPCs. The player must purchase the corresponding Allies merit for every group that he is a part of. For example, if his character is dual-licensed between two different conspiracies, he must by the Allies Merit for his second conspiracy in order to gain in-game benefits from it.

Each dot that your character has indicates how deep his influence runs in that group. One dot might mean he can ask for minor favors, such doctoring minor details on a Hunter’s assessment report. Three dots garner considerable favors, such as calling for backup on a mission. Five dots usually pertains to high-quality, near-instantaneous results, like sudden drop-ins from friends that end up spelling the difference between life or death for the Hunter in question. It may also reflect the quality of the NPCs’ response. Someone with one dot may only be able to summon a Hunter of his rank to help him on an operation; somebody with five dots could end up calling an Inquisitor who owes them a favor.

The Storyteller has final say over what is an acceptable request and what is not. If there’s any doubt, the Storyteller could call for a Manipulation + Persuasion roll, with a bonus equal to your character’s Allies dots. Penalties might also apply based on the importance or danger of the request. Asking someone to do something already in the bounds of their role imposes no modifier, while asking them to do something that could get them suspended imposes a -3 penalty, and asking for something that could get them jailed or killed is -5. Frequent favors asked of the same group also imposes a penalty as group members grow tired of being called upon. Similarly, a roll of Manipulation + Persuasion + Allies dots could determine how many Hunters answer your character’s call for help (one per success rolled).

Drawback: Allies are not automatons, waiting for your character to ask for help. They have their own lives and needs. An alliance is a two-way relationship. Calling for favors makes your character indebted to his friends, and they are sure to call such favors in when they need help. The Storyteller can use such debts as inspiration for future stories.

NETWORK [LOGOSNET] (•••••)
EFFECT: Information is the name of the game in the new age, and an informed Hunter is just as good (or, at times, even better) than a Hunter that happens to be armed to the teeth. Being connected to a network also helps Hunters stay on top of things, and get a better feel of what’s going on outside of one’s own area of jurisdiction.

STATUS [METHUSELAH] (• TO •••••)
A Hunter’s standing with his comrades is always determined by his prowess in his chosen field of expertise, his dedication to the cause, and his solid recognition of his place in this strange, not-so-new world.

Status within the Methuselah is simply matter of doing your job well – “simply”, of course, being relative given how weird things have been since the Armistice at Blaece. Of course, good work always begets good rewards.

STATUS •: You’ve just moved up from initiate to senior operative, and been given a lovely, little desk at the office of the Committee the Council transferred you to. You’re in line for a pay hike by Christmas, right? …Right?
STATUS ••: As a reward for the dedicated service that you’ve provided your conspiracy, you’ve gained a partner and a small team of initiates to order around. You gain the Friend Merit at one dot for free provided that your senior ops partner is an NPC, and the Allies [Initiates] Merit at one dot for free.
STATUS •••: Your team’s done some nice work, and your superiors are pleased with you. You’re now eligible for seeking out licenses with other conspiracies or compacts, if that’s your cup of tea. Furthermore, once per game session, you get an “ST hack” for any of the Committees of your character’s home base.
STATUS ••••: If you’re not already the head of your base’s Committee, then you’re probably in line to take over in the near future by now. Twice per game session, you get an “ST hack” for any of the Committees of your character’s home base.
STATUS •••••: The Small Council has personally commended you for your work on several occasions, and you’ve got an open invite to join them whenever you’re ready. Furthermore, Methuselah operatives from outside of your region have probably heard about you. Thrice per game session, you get an “ST hack” for any of the Committees of your character’s home base. Furthermore, you gain the benefit of +1 to all Social rolls when dealing with other Methuselah operatives.

STANDARD ISSUE EQUIPMENT FOR METHUSELAH HUNTERS

Once they’ve become an initiate of the Methuselah, all operatives receive the following items.

HUNTER RING
A heavy silver ring that, at first glance, looks like the batch rings that universities give out to their graduates. A closer inspection, however, reveals words inscribed in a language unknown to man inscribed within the inner circle, and the elaborate engraving of the Methuselah’s five-spoked, vine-and-rose covered wheel around the face of the gemstone embedded into the face of the ring. The gemstone itself is a crystallized precious stone from one of the Realms Invisible.

Hunter Rings records the personal information and biometrics of their owners; all of this information is sent back, in real time, to the desk jocks of Mnemosyne. It also teleports a Hunter to the nearest Vanguard station or power base in the region once per day, and will always find its way back to its owner’s hand regardless of the situation or the distance. Furthermore, the gem in each ring, however, changes color according to what the Hunter is, what the Hunter does or what he or she is like. The rings of Werewolves among the Hunters, for example, tend to become the color of their eyes or the shade of their fur when they change shape.

METHUSELAH COAT
A black, form-fitting and admittedly stylish coat that looks like something you wouldn’t want to wear in a tropical climate. Methuselah coats, however, are designed to adjust accordingly to whatever temperature their wearers find themselves in. They also bear the symbol of the conspiracy on both shoulders.

VICE SMARTPHONE
Because Vice Enterprises tech is the only equipment that works regardless of the time or location, all Hunters are required to have a smartphone developed by the corporation on their person at all times. Hunters automatically get an upgrade to their smartphones every time the corporation comes up with a new model.

VICE TABLET
A smartphone isn’t always enough to serve a Hunter’s needs on the field. All Hunters are given the latest tablet on the market the moment they complete their initiation rites. Hunters automatically get an upgrade to their machines every time the corporation comes up with a new model.

UNIVERSAL CREDIT CARD
This card appears to be a credit card with nothing but the Methuselah’s symbol and Hunter’s full name, rank and designation printed on it – the information magically updates itself every year. They work at any establishment, and on any ATM machine.

STANDARD ISSUE EQUIPMENT FOR THEIA, THEMIS, AND PERSES

In addition to the standard issue equipment of all Methuselah Hunters, members of Theia, Themis, and Perses receive the following items.

METHUSELAH ARMOR
Black, form-fitting body armor that is designed to conform to its user’s size regardless of how much they end up growing (or, in some cases, shrinking). Methuselah Armor is impossible to destroy, and can be modified or enchanted. Its base rating is +3.

METHUSELAH MELEE WEAPON
Operatives can choose the weapon that best suits them, and their stats will always follow the normal weapon ratings of their mundane equivalents. Methuselah melee weapons usually have the insignia of the conspiracy somewhere on its frame.

METHUSELAH SIDE ARM
A handgun that bears the insignia of the Methuselah on its handle, and appears to be crafted from mundane materials. It has a weapon rating of 3(L), and a clip of 10+1.

ENTITLEMENTS EXCLUSIVE TO THE METHUSELAH

Changeling: The Bishopric of Blackbirds
Sometime during the Darkest Vigil, the entire congregation saw that the Methuselah was in dire need of assistance. Beyond the fact that they had a significant number of Changeling within their ranks, the new cause of the conspiracy aligned rather nicely with what the Bishopric sought to do. As such, the Blackbird Bishops struck a deal: in exchange for letting Methuselah Changeling Hunters into their number, the conspiracy would extend their protection permanently to the Blackbird Bishops. This arrangement proved to be advantageous to both groups, and to the Lost in general.

For more information on the Blackbirds, please follow this link!

Werewolf: The Lodge of the Vigil
It is said that centuries ago, a Rivers Hunter took it upon herself to restore the honor of her family and slay a wolf spirit who had plagued her line for generations. She spent years on his trail, hardly resting, ever vigilant… it was her fierce beauty and perfect devotion to her hunt that made the spirit eventually fall in love with her. It is said that the pair chased each other across the globe, fighting tooth and nail whenever they cornered the other, always relenting before one could land the killing blow. No one is certain who yielded first. However, what is certain is that at the end of the conflict, the pair walked together, caring not for the fact that their love could never be consummated, but swearing that, until the final death tore them both apart, they would Hunt together.

The Lodge of the Vigil is the surrogate tribe of all of the Werewolves who find themselves joining the Methuselah. They believe that the best way of serving the People and the higher cause of Father Wolf as the guardians of the borderline between the physical world and the spiritual world is by protecting the Balance. They worship the totem of Broken Fang, a lesser child of Father Wolf, and the wolf spirit whom the Rivers Hunter Samsa devoted her life to catching until love became her undoing.

Fangs are expected to put their loyalty to the Vigil and what the Methuselah stands for on par with their loyalty to their pack, their home tribe, and to the People as a whole. As a result, their numbers are few, but their members are all fanatically devoted and incredibly close to each other.

For more information on the Lodge, please follow this link!