The Company of Wolves
[a golden wolf's head impaled by a shining spear]
Sparta, the city of warriors, the self styled defenders of ancient Greece. Many stories were told about their self discipline, heroism and cruelty. Even in modern times, the image of the old Spartan warrior still spark the imagination, cladded with armor and wielding a weapon to slay their enemies. Some may even think of them as the greatest warriors which ever walked the earth- people birthed to battle, lived to battle and died in battle. While those descriptions may be exaggerated, it can't be denied that Sparta was a militaristic state, and that physical and mental excellence were seen as the prime goals for each spartan citizen. Sparta's lifestyle may have been harsh- but it did earned its renown fair and square.
It is no wonder that the land of warriors has also birthed some of the greatest hunters.
The Lycos Agema, the company of wolves, took its members among the most extraordinary participators of the Crypteia. Those who served their country by taking the lives of helots- especially the strongest among them- gained fame and were seen as potential leaders of their nation. However, sometimes, when the autumn came and the war against the helots was declared, some of the Kryptes found an enemy stronger than they could have expected- perhaps it was a blood drinking child of Lamia, or perhaps a reality twisting magician, or seemingly beautiful yet disturbing being in the image of Galatea... or perhaps a werewolf. Those who managed to defeat their enemies- simply surviving was not enough- would have been approached by the hidden organization. They gave them an opportunity to be more than simple soldiers, giving them targets more worthy than simple mortal men. By joining them, the young spartan would be able to show his true worth- defending the land of Hellas from the greatest enemies, and perfecting themselves beyond the abilities of any mortal men by forging their body and soul in fight against the monsters.
While all monsters were considered as enemies, even then there was a certain hierarchy- just as the serf class helots were not the merchants of the perioikoi and neither were true spartan citizens, there was similar divide in the status of monsters. Vampires, ghosts and similar reanimated beings were at the bottom of the list, foul monsters which polluted the world around them- and as such the warriors who slayed them. The masters of occult powers, those who talk with the dead and the great monsters of legend in human form are were all more worthy warriors- yet they were still too "human", and while they held great power over the world they were not true warriors among the beasts. No, the head of the list belonged to no other than the children of Lycaon and other shapeshifting beings- creatures who were half beast and half man, things with a touch of the divine in their flesh and the rage of the titans in their soul. Those monsters could heal fatal wounds in moments, rip their enemies apart in bare hands and invoke shaded beings from the worlds beyond the world. Yes, there was no enemy greater than them- and by defeating them, the Lycos Agema showed that they were truly the greatest among warriors, not to mention to greatest among hunters.
While the Agema were a powerful organization during the days of old Greece, they were not the only one- other groups of hunters walked the ancient lands, and the Agema had to show their superiority over them, forcing small cells to either work directly beneath the organization and deal with missions which were not worthy enough for the greatest among warriors, or simply obliterating those who didn't recognized their superiority. However, not all enemies were weak enough to kneel before the proud wolf-hunters- Athene has maintained its own Vigil, after all, holding a Shield and Spear against both the monsters and the hunters who would try to force them into submission. The relationships between the two organizations has waxed and waned through the ages, when at times of crises both of them worked together in order to protect Hellas from hidden threats while in others they clashed one against the other, fighting over the monsters and the relics they left behind. At the peak of the Agema's powers- during the Spartan Hegemony- the Aegis Kai Doru were forced into the deepest shadows of the world while the Company of Wolves maintained the Vigil of Greece as whole. Yet, after the end of the rule of Thirty Tyrants, the Agema's hold over the Vigil was broke- and when Alexander swept through the land they became isolated and distant. The Shield and Spear, on the other hand, embraced the change- expanding through the great empire while finding new relics and gaining glory for themselves by fighting new monsters in the Asian lands. The once proud Agema was left to rot in their armors, like rusted swords who were no longer needed by their owners.
Still, the Agema didn't died out quickly- they maintained their old practices as much as they could, and they kept training themselves while fighting monsters. However, they couldn't deny the fact that they were declining- and when Rome became a new power in the world, the Hidden Ones who the once proud conspiracy accepted that if they wished to survive, they had to do the one thing they hated the most. They had to give up.
Some hunters weren't willing to accept defeat- they left the Agema and died a meaningless death while fighting a meaningless battle. Those who accepted, however, offered their services to the Aegis Kai Doru- who while didn't trusted their age old enemies, couldn't deny their skills and talents at fighting shapshifters and similar monsters. As such, the Agema were absorbed into the greater organization, serving as some sort semi-independent compact which was specialized at offensive relics and spirit battle. Almost all of their members has served as part of the Sword, and many believe it was because of their influence that the Sword became the militant group it is today, and that it was their presence the made the Aegis Kai Doru's hatred to werebeasts as equal as the one they had to witches. However, while the Aegis has spread through the world, the Agema stayed close to their ancestral home, maintaining their age old identity separated from the rest of the conspiracy.
While they were not trusted at first, their ages old loyalty has made the Inner Circle accept them as true members of the group- and this is why no one in the conspiracy was prepared to the day when suddenly, out of the blue, the Agema vanished- cutting all ties with the larger organization, taking with them many passionate recruits.. and a great number of very important relics. Apparently, the Agema never forgot the fact that gaining the mercy of lesser hunters was an insult, and the hatred in their situation has only grew as the years passed. The original traditions of the Agema were passed from one hunter to another, and the Hidden Ones has maintained their control over the compact unknowingly to the rest of the conspiracy- and each time a new Hidden One took her place at the leadership, she took an oath that one day, they would regain their former glory and take their place as the greatest among hunters.
Is that day truly came? The current Hidden Ones seem to think so- but could one truly force the wheels of time backward? Is it truly possible for them to rebuilt what was destroyed so long ago? Or perhaps the Agema were truly nothing but another relic in the Aegis Kai Doru's closet, as many among the conspiracy thought?
It is time to find out.
Status:
0- you have been initiated by the old tests of the Crypteia and showed you are able to fight the monsters and survive. You get a free specialty at Weaponry, Firearms or Brawl to your choosing.
000- you have fought against the wolves and took their pelts to your own, showing you are better warrior than them. Choose a single Renown. You may treat your Status as that Renown in terms of Honorary Rank and may spend a Willpower point to gain that Renown's Condition.
00000- you are considered as a future Hidden One who would lead the Agema to a brighter future.. or would fight until his last breath while attempting to do so. You develop a sixth sense to your enemies, and gain Unseen Senses (Shapeshifters) for free.
Endowment- Virtue Binding (0-00000, special)
The greatest weapon one may have is her own body and soul. By tuning them into battle, you could defeat even the most terrible enemies and force the gods to bow before you. Each Virtue Binding is a separate, 1-5 merit, which is based around a certain Virtue or Renown and an Attribute. On the other hand, each such Endowment is also connected to a single Relic, which is gained for free once the first dot in the Endowment is bought (its rating has to be equal or lesser to the hunter's Status: [Lycos Agema] at the time). The Relic may be activated normally, unless it is meant to be used in a way which resonate with the hunter's Vice or which is a potential Breaking Point (seeing the supernatural or something similar is excluded). In case it resonates with the Endowment's Virtue/Renown, he may expand a Willpower point to gain additional dots in the chosen Attribute for the rest of the Scene. You may only be effected by one such Virtue Binding at the same time. In case the Endowment's Virtue/Renown is her own Virtue or the Renown chosen at 3 dot Status, she also gains a +2 modifier to all rolls connected to the Attribute.
[a golden wolf's head impaled by a shining spear]
Sparta, the city of warriors, the self styled defenders of ancient Greece. Many stories were told about their self discipline, heroism and cruelty. Even in modern times, the image of the old Spartan warrior still spark the imagination, cladded with armor and wielding a weapon to slay their enemies. Some may even think of them as the greatest warriors which ever walked the earth- people birthed to battle, lived to battle and died in battle. While those descriptions may be exaggerated, it can't be denied that Sparta was a militaristic state, and that physical and mental excellence were seen as the prime goals for each spartan citizen. Sparta's lifestyle may have been harsh- but it did earned its renown fair and square.
It is no wonder that the land of warriors has also birthed some of the greatest hunters.
The Lycos Agema, the company of wolves, took its members among the most extraordinary participators of the Crypteia. Those who served their country by taking the lives of helots- especially the strongest among them- gained fame and were seen as potential leaders of their nation. However, sometimes, when the autumn came and the war against the helots was declared, some of the Kryptes found an enemy stronger than they could have expected- perhaps it was a blood drinking child of Lamia, or perhaps a reality twisting magician, or seemingly beautiful yet disturbing being in the image of Galatea... or perhaps a werewolf. Those who managed to defeat their enemies- simply surviving was not enough- would have been approached by the hidden organization. They gave them an opportunity to be more than simple soldiers, giving them targets more worthy than simple mortal men. By joining them, the young spartan would be able to show his true worth- defending the land of Hellas from the greatest enemies, and perfecting themselves beyond the abilities of any mortal men by forging their body and soul in fight against the monsters.
While all monsters were considered as enemies, even then there was a certain hierarchy- just as the serf class helots were not the merchants of the perioikoi and neither were true spartan citizens, there was similar divide in the status of monsters. Vampires, ghosts and similar reanimated beings were at the bottom of the list, foul monsters which polluted the world around them- and as such the warriors who slayed them. The masters of occult powers, those who talk with the dead and the great monsters of legend in human form are were all more worthy warriors- yet they were still too "human", and while they held great power over the world they were not true warriors among the beasts. No, the head of the list belonged to no other than the children of Lycaon and other shapeshifting beings- creatures who were half beast and half man, things with a touch of the divine in their flesh and the rage of the titans in their soul. Those monsters could heal fatal wounds in moments, rip their enemies apart in bare hands and invoke shaded beings from the worlds beyond the world. Yes, there was no enemy greater than them- and by defeating them, the Lycos Agema showed that they were truly the greatest among warriors, not to mention to greatest among hunters.
While the Agema were a powerful organization during the days of old Greece, they were not the only one- other groups of hunters walked the ancient lands, and the Agema had to show their superiority over them, forcing small cells to either work directly beneath the organization and deal with missions which were not worthy enough for the greatest among warriors, or simply obliterating those who didn't recognized their superiority. However, not all enemies were weak enough to kneel before the proud wolf-hunters- Athene has maintained its own Vigil, after all, holding a Shield and Spear against both the monsters and the hunters who would try to force them into submission. The relationships between the two organizations has waxed and waned through the ages, when at times of crises both of them worked together in order to protect Hellas from hidden threats while in others they clashed one against the other, fighting over the monsters and the relics they left behind. At the peak of the Agema's powers- during the Spartan Hegemony- the Aegis Kai Doru were forced into the deepest shadows of the world while the Company of Wolves maintained the Vigil of Greece as whole. Yet, after the end of the rule of Thirty Tyrants, the Agema's hold over the Vigil was broke- and when Alexander swept through the land they became isolated and distant. The Shield and Spear, on the other hand, embraced the change- expanding through the great empire while finding new relics and gaining glory for themselves by fighting new monsters in the Asian lands. The once proud Agema was left to rot in their armors, like rusted swords who were no longer needed by their owners.
Still, the Agema didn't died out quickly- they maintained their old practices as much as they could, and they kept training themselves while fighting monsters. However, they couldn't deny the fact that they were declining- and when Rome became a new power in the world, the Hidden Ones who the once proud conspiracy accepted that if they wished to survive, they had to do the one thing they hated the most. They had to give up.
Some hunters weren't willing to accept defeat- they left the Agema and died a meaningless death while fighting a meaningless battle. Those who accepted, however, offered their services to the Aegis Kai Doru- who while didn't trusted their age old enemies, couldn't deny their skills and talents at fighting shapshifters and similar monsters. As such, the Agema were absorbed into the greater organization, serving as some sort semi-independent compact which was specialized at offensive relics and spirit battle. Almost all of their members has served as part of the Sword, and many believe it was because of their influence that the Sword became the militant group it is today, and that it was their presence the made the Aegis Kai Doru's hatred to werebeasts as equal as the one they had to witches. However, while the Aegis has spread through the world, the Agema stayed close to their ancestral home, maintaining their age old identity separated from the rest of the conspiracy.
While they were not trusted at first, their ages old loyalty has made the Inner Circle accept them as true members of the group- and this is why no one in the conspiracy was prepared to the day when suddenly, out of the blue, the Agema vanished- cutting all ties with the larger organization, taking with them many passionate recruits.. and a great number of very important relics. Apparently, the Agema never forgot the fact that gaining the mercy of lesser hunters was an insult, and the hatred in their situation has only grew as the years passed. The original traditions of the Agema were passed from one hunter to another, and the Hidden Ones has maintained their control over the compact unknowingly to the rest of the conspiracy- and each time a new Hidden One took her place at the leadership, she took an oath that one day, they would regain their former glory and take their place as the greatest among hunters.
Is that day truly came? The current Hidden Ones seem to think so- but could one truly force the wheels of time backward? Is it truly possible for them to rebuilt what was destroyed so long ago? Or perhaps the Agema were truly nothing but another relic in the Aegis Kai Doru's closet, as many among the conspiracy thought?
It is time to find out.
Status:
0- you have been initiated by the old tests of the Crypteia and showed you are able to fight the monsters and survive. You get a free specialty at Weaponry, Firearms or Brawl to your choosing.
000- you have fought against the wolves and took their pelts to your own, showing you are better warrior than them. Choose a single Renown. You may treat your Status as that Renown in terms of Honorary Rank and may spend a Willpower point to gain that Renown's Condition.
00000- you are considered as a future Hidden One who would lead the Agema to a brighter future.. or would fight until his last breath while attempting to do so. You develop a sixth sense to your enemies, and gain Unseen Senses (Shapeshifters) for free.
Endowment- Virtue Binding (0-00000, special)
The greatest weapon one may have is her own body and soul. By tuning them into battle, you could defeat even the most terrible enemies and force the gods to bow before you. Each Virtue Binding is a separate, 1-5 merit, which is based around a certain Virtue or Renown and an Attribute. On the other hand, each such Endowment is also connected to a single Relic, which is gained for free once the first dot in the Endowment is bought (its rating has to be equal or lesser to the hunter's Status: [Lycos Agema] at the time). The Relic may be activated normally, unless it is meant to be used in a way which resonate with the hunter's Vice or which is a potential Breaking Point (seeing the supernatural or something similar is excluded). In case it resonates with the Endowment's Virtue/Renown, he may expand a Willpower point to gain additional dots in the chosen Attribute for the rest of the Scene. You may only be effected by one such Virtue Binding at the same time. In case the Endowment's Virtue/Renown is her own Virtue or the Renown chosen at 3 dot Status, she also gains a +2 modifier to all rolls connected to the Attribute.
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